Wednesday - Feb. 26, 2025 - Cidery seeks expansion

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Good morning!

The weather forecast has turned and the next few days are actually shaping up to be terrific. So it’s never been a better time to become a Fraser Valley Current Insider Member! Of course, we’d say the same if the weather was crummy. Because we’re still doing our Supporter Drive stuff.

A year ago, I was asked how I feel asking people for money. I’m not a salesperson and in most circumstances I might feel awkward. But I don’t feel that way in this case because 19 years into this career, I know that publications without money fail. Just this weekend, two terrific reporters at the Burnaby Now learned their publication was closing. Burnaby had two newspapers a decade ago. Now it has none, and my friends are out of their jobs. One of them had previously lost her gig when my old newspaper, The Chilliwack Times, closed a decade ago. The Now had already gone to an online-only format but even after cutting the costs associated with printing a paper, the publication still couldn’t make it work. Every outlet is doing the same sort of math these days, and the future of each publication depends on how willing their audience is to provide financial support.

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– Tyler

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Traffic & Weather

🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope 

🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.

🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.

NEWS

How tariffs could impact the Fraser Valley economy

The Fraser Valley’s agriculture and manufacturing industries are anxiously watching as American tariffs loom, fearing an economic “double whammy” from both United States tariffs and retaliatory Canadian policies.

• Today, Grace talks to farm and industry representatives about how tariffs could affect the Fraser Valley’s economy and how local businesses are preparing.

Related

Need to Know

👏 A decades-long search and rescue volunteer is the first person to be honoured with Kent’s new Freedom of the District award [District of Kent]

🗳 Three people—including a girl who sustained a traumatic leg injury—were injured in a single day at Bridal Falls Waterpark last summer [Vancouver Sun] / You can read Technical Safety BC’s report on its investigation here [Technical Safety BC]

👉 Some Langley residents want a court to rule that it is a conflict of interest for newly elected MLA Misty vanPopta to remain a Township councillor [Langley Advance Times]

🔥 One person died in a fire on Seabird Island Sunday [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]

⚖ The trial of a Mission man charged with the 2017 killing of Chelsey Gauthier has begun [Abbotsford News]

👉 BC Conservative leader John Rustad says his party is having ‘family’ issues after several of his members, including a Chilliwack MLA, voted against a motion condemning American tariffs [Global/Canadian Press]

🏔 A rockslide in Hope closed a road and took out a power line Monday night [Hope Standard]

🌲 Langley’s school board says it will consider ways to work with the Township on land acquisitions, but that there are complicating factors that could hold up a land trade [School District 35] / In yesterday’s edition, we wrote about Mayor Eric Woodward’s suggestion that a new school be built on Township land [FVC]

🚔 Abbotsford Police have released video footage of a van believed to be involved in a hit-and-run in December [Abbotsford Police]

🔊 The playground in Mission’s Griner Park is getting replaced and the city is seeking feedback [City of Mission/Facebook]

🏢 A Langley seniors group wants better protections for tenants evicted by redevelopments [Langley Advance Times]

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Come to Festival du Bois

Say bonjour to good times and great tunes at Festival du Bois, March 7-9!

From traditional Québécois toe-tappers to dynamic world rhythms to family singalongs –come dive into an amazing weekend of Canadian music, food and culture.

This year, Yves Lambert et Le Grand Orchestre plays one concert only, March 8. Lambert and his 7-piece ensemble celebrate the music of La Bottine Souriante and his 50 years of brilliant music-making. Come see New Brunswick’s La Patente, La Déferlance from Québec, Haitian-Ontarian LeFLOFRANCO, Jocelyn Pettit, Alouest and Kutapira from BC and other great performers. Enjoy exciting shows for kids, workshops, delicious cuisine traditionnelle, roving entertainment on site and much more!

So - put on something plaid and join in under the big tents in Maillardville/Coquitlam’s Mackin Park.

The Agenda

Cultus Lake-area cidery wants to open patio

A cidery south of Cultus Lake wants to start selling its cider to patrons by the glass.

Currently, Chestnut Springs farm and cidery operates a wedding venue and a tasting room at its Columbia Valley orchard. It has a retail liquor license that lets it sell packaged cider and offer small tasters to guests. The business is planning to apply for a new license for a patio and lounge area where guests will be able to buy full glasses of cider.

The farm also wants to keep its lounge and tasting room open all week, from noon until 10pm. The owner told the FVRD that there is no live music planned for the venue, and that hopefully noise for neighbours in the largely agricultural area wouldn’t be a problem.

The FVRD’s electoral services committee has agreed to support the cidery’s application to BC’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.

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🗓 Things to do

Campus open house: UFV's Chilliwack campus hosts its annual open house Thursday from 4 to 7pm. Visitors can tour the campus, attend live demonstrations, and meet faculty. Details online.

Boy band comedy: Vancouver comedy troupe The Comedy Department presents Middle Aged Boy Band, a parody comedy show, Friday at 8pm at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. Tickets online.

Bullseyes: The Boswyk Seniors Activity Centre in Mission hosts a weekly fun darts gathering every Friday from 12:30 to 3pm. All levels are welcome. Details online.

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