Friday, May 26 - Running and running and running...

Friday, May 26, 2023 | 🌤️ High 27C | Forecast

Good morning!

Today’s story is about a big trail race on Sumas Mountain—the Run for Water. It reminded me of a half-marathon trail run in Tumbler Ridge, a tiny and semi-defunct mining town in northeastern BC. It’s called the Emperor’s Challenge, and it brings in racers from all over the world who want to run up and down mountains for 21 km. My mom runs it a lot but I did it exactly once, when I was like 12, and I’ve chickened out every year since.

But the runner in this edition would probably barely consider that race a warm-up.

Thanks to Hendrik and Roberta, who both became Fraser Valley Current members a month ago today! Learn more about membership here.

NEWS

The man who can run forever

Ihor Verys is always up for a challenge. Tomorrow, that means running 50 kilometres against some of Canada’s best trail athletes on Sumas Mountain.

But despite an increasingly crowded trophy case, the Chilliwack ultra runner doesn’t know how he’ll fare. After all, 50km will be the shortest trail race Verys has run.

• With the annual Run for Water trail race set for Sumas Mountain tomorrow, Tyler talks to Ihor about running, finding a community, and whether a 67-hour race ever gets boring.

Need to know

🔨 A men’s shed group is setting up shop in Langley [Langley Advance Times]; The Current wrote about men’s shed groups in the valley last year [FVC]

👉️ Langley’s firefighters and Mounties held a friendly competition to see who could recruit the most blood donors; the firefighters won [Langley Advance Times]

🐻 A black bear cub was spotted near a popular trail in Harrison [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]

➡️ The Chilliwack man arrested for shooting at officers Victoria Day would not identify himself at his first court appearance, saying “I have no name.” [Chilliwack Progress]

🎖️ A teenager fished a box of war medals out of the Sumas River in Abbotsford [Abbotsford News]

🚚 Truckers say increasing number of campers at highway rest stops in Abbotsford make it harder to find places to park in order to get required rest [CTV] / At the Cole Road rest stop, one camper says has nowhere else to go [Vancouver Sun] / We spoke to one camper for a story published Wednesday [FVC]

🚧 Flood Road and Third Avenue in Hope will be closed this weekend for railroad crossing repairs [Hope Standard]

📙 A Chilliwack woman wrote a children’s book that aims to develop decision-making skills in toddlers [Hope Standard]

💵 Nine communities in the eastern Fraser Valley will receive provincial funding to prepare for emergencies [Abbotsford News]

🥚 The BC Eggfest barbecue—a celebration of “the humble egg”—will return to Chilliwack this weekend [Chilliwack Progress]

🏎️ Two were arrested in Surrey after fleeing from police in Abbotsford [Abbotsford News]

🔫 An Aldergrove man has been charged with using a 3D printer to manufacture guns [Fraser Valley Today]

🍅 A theft and increasing vandalism marked the start of a new season at the Agassiz Community Gardens [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]

🙏 Miracles happen! Learn how Marlita's life was transformed because of the support she received from staff at her home.*

*Sponsored Listing

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Fort Langley Jazz Fest announces free line-up

The Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival will feature 30 free shows, in addition to hosting other free programming at this year’s festival, July 20-23.

It’s the most diverse line-up yet spanning cultures, genres, and borders with extraordinary local, regional, national, and international musicians performing across four outdoor stages.

Local musicians like Oliver Gannon and Bill Coon. Raagaverse, an indo-jazz fusion quartet and jasmine jazz—which blends jazz with traditional Chinese music—will perform alongside national artists like two-time Juno jazz vocalist, Caity Gyorgy; Indigenous artist and Juno award winner, Celeigh Cardinal; and Argentinian pianist and composer, the Gabriel Palatchi Trio.

With fantastic music, art, and cultural activities throughout the village, the festival promises to be a unique experience that celebrates the power of music and art to unite cultures and communities.

More information about the festival’s free events is available here.

The Agenda

Local politicians call for province to review 9-1-1 services and standards

Fraser Valley politicians have endorsed a call for the province to create new standards for 9-1-1 service and create a tax to fund better responses.

The union that represents call-takers at E-Comm, the agency responsible for dealing with most 9-1-1 calls in the province, had suggested the changes. With a unanimous vote at a meeting last week, Fraser Valley Regional District directors—who are composed of various councillors and mayors from around the region—have now given their backing.

The FVRD also supported the union’s call for a full “governance review” of how emergency communications are handled in BC.

The Current has reported in depth about the struggles faced by E-Comm in handling 9-1-1 calls and other dispatching services for police and fire departments in the valley.

Province rolls out new e-bike rebate

The provincial government will soon kick in as much as $1,400 towards the cost of a new e-bike.

The new rebate will start on June 1. Unlike previous programs, it doesn’t require applicants to prove they “scrapped” a car in order to receive the funding. The $6 million program is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will cover about 9,000 applicants.

The amount one can receive is based on net income, and will range from $350 to $1,400. Those making less than about $39,000 will be eligible for the largest rebates. Rebates will only be eligible to cover new bikes costing more than $2,000.

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