April 14, 2022
At’maakw U13 girls bring home the Junior All Native Tournament championship banner
Once again young female basketball players from the Bella Coola Valley have done it, this time bringing home the U13 Junior All-Native Tournament (JANT) banner.
One of the star players was Kashlyn Mack, 13, who played not only with the U13 team but also with the U17s, playing a total of 12 games during the tournament.
Her proud father, Derrick Mack, was there to watch her play and said she scored almost a ‘staggering’ 200 points and earned her nickname Kash Money.
Moody’s role with ferries helps coastal communities
An avid fisherman, Heiltsuk First Nation Councillor Reg Moody is clearly a man of the sea.
“I’d rather spend all day on the water instead of behind a desk, if I could,” Moody shares during a recent conversation. And as co-chair of the North and Central Coast Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC), Moody has more than just fishing on his marine-oriented mind most days.
A member of the FAC for the past eight years, Moody first became involved in the committee in 2014 when BC Ferries announced the cancellation of the Port Hardy-Central Coast service. At the time, he was chair of the Central Coast Regional District and saw the strong reaction the service change drew from many organizations and communities in the region.
From his vantage point, Moody could clearly see how valuable this seasonal, direct service was for Central Coast communities, and he wanted to learn more.
May 12, 2022
Former Bella Coola resident captures world record at strongman competition
Strongman Tyson Delay proved he really is one of the strongest men around when he lifted 1,008 pounds in the silver dollar deadlift to smash a world record.
Delay broke the record while competing in the 90 kilogram weight class at the King/Queen of the Throne strongman competition in Surrey in April.
Bella Coola artist recipient of YVR scholarship
Nuxalk and Gwa’sala-Nakwaxda’xm artist Danika Saunders has been awarded a 2022 YVR Art Foundation emerging artist scholarship.
The 24-year-old said she will work with Northwest Coast artist Robert Davidson, learning how to paint on regalia.
“My husband, Sesyaz Saunders, worked with Robert before. I was tagging along so I asked Robert if he would work with me and he agreed,” she said.
May 26, 2022
New doc series to start production in Bella Bella this month
A new TV series was shooting in Heiltsuk First Nation and Bella Bella May 21-28.
The series Ocean Warriors ~ Mission Ready, follows four First Nations on the B.C. coast that have joined together to form the independent Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary (CNCGA).
Teams of highly-trained Indigenous men and women are able to respond to emergencies along the remoted and rugged coastline, including places around Vancouver Island.
June 5, 2022
12 new housing units for Bella Coola by late 2022
New housing for Indigenous community members with complex mental health and substance use issues has been announced for Bella Coola, Jennifer Rice MLA for the North Coast said, on May 25.
The 12 “complex-care housing” units are to decrease the potential of homelessness for those at risk. Construction on the new homes is set to start by late 2022 once suitable locations have been found.
“Indigenous people in Bella Coola with complex mental-health challenges will soon have access to the supports they need, right in a home of their own,” Rice said.
Flood watch for Dean River issued, could surpass 10-year flows
A high streamflow advisory was upgraded to a flood watch for the Dean River on June 5, 2022.
The B.C. River Forecast Centre said warmer temperatures last week have increased the rate of snowmelt throughout the province.
The Dean River below Tanswanket Creek has been steadily rising over the past three days and was flowing at 154 cubic metres per second (between five-year and 10-year flow) on the weekend.
The river will likely continue rising over the next couple days and should reach above a 10-year flow.
June 23, 2022
Walk and Talk for Mental Health underway
On May 30, 2022, Stan Fraser started out walking from Bella Coola to Winnipeg.
A soft-spoken man, Fraser recalls in steady but powerful words how his own mental health journey has brought him to this place — sitting at a campsite in Williams Lake, en route from Bella Coola to Winnipeg on foot to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health struggles.
Local athletes net results at provincial track and field championships
Seven students from Sir Alexander Mackenzie netted great results at the BC High School Track and Field Championships held June 9-11 in Langley, B.C.
Morgan Boileau: 800-metre run Gr 8 2:37.16 (15th); 1,500-metre run Gr 8 5:37.93 (5th in heat); 3,000-metre run Gr 8 12:16.37 (13) 2
Finn Carlson: senior men 1,500-metre run senior 44:21.95 (17th ); men 800-metre run senior 2:05.48 (3rd in heat) (13); men 3-000-metre run senior 9:40.98 (22nd)
Markus Hembruff: long jump Gr 8 4.66m (20th); junior boys javelin throw Gr 8 29.82m (9th)
Shaylen Moody: javelin throw Gr 8 13.57m (21st); 141 women shot put Gr 8 7.11m (15th)
Kayden Parr: men discus throw 1.5 kg junior 22.04m (23rd); shot put 5 kg junior 9.91m (20th); javelin throw 700-gram junior 34.24m (13th) 6
Aubrey Pelletier: junior boys discus throw 1.5 kg junior 25.87m (12th); junior boys triple jump junior 10.95m (13th)
Nathaniel Schooner: junior boys 1,500-metre steeplechase junior 5:49.62 (29th)
See Coast Mountain News Jan. 19 edition for part two of Year in Review