What was “Making Local Conversation” in 2022?
January
- Peace River SPCA and In the Woods Animal Rescue raised money and donations, as part of the Betty White Challenge.
- The Peace River School Division leads communication on whether to close Nampa School.
- Peace River and Grimshaw Town Councils began expressing interest in installing Electric Vehicle Chargers.
- The Holy Family Catholic Regional School Division cancels diploma exams for the first semester.
February
- High Prairie welcomed Dr. Henry Ogbuehi as the town’s newest physician.
- A month-long cold snap finally ends in the Peace Region.
- $100,000 was earmarked by the Provincial Government to upgrade the East Prairie Community Center.
- High Prairie’s Health Complex receives their new Renal Dialysis unit.
- Ideas, tenants, and possibly forming a society to help operate the HW Fish Arena, began in McLennan.
- Hussien in Falher, and Dr. Ezike in Mclennan are the newest Doctors in the Smoky River Region.
March
- Manning and Valleyview are among a number of rural communities in the province getting money for new schools in the provincial budget.
- A 33 year-old man is arrested on second-degree murder charges, stemming from a house fire in Girouxville.
- La Crete RCMP discontinue services because of staff shortages. Services in La Crete will be handled out of Fort Vermilion.
- Investigations with ground penetrating radar has confirmed 169 traits associated with graves, linked to a former Residential School in Grouard.
- The Provincial Government joined forces with West Fraser in Slave Lake, and Tolko in High Prairie to create the Joint Forest Management Agreement.
- The Old High Prairie Hospital was torn down.
- Nampa School was voted on to remain open.
- Grande Prairie Regional College officially becomes Northwestern Polytechnic.
- Danielle Larivee declared her candidacy for the next Provincial Election in the Lesser Slave Lake Riding.
- Delayne Dixon, formerly of Fairview, is a fashion designer, and has one of her dresses featured on the Red Carpet at the Oscars.
- Contractors begin demolition of the old Mile Zero Hotel in Grimshaw
April
- The Peace River Trade Show took place at the Baytex Energy Center for the first time in three years.
- Falher fills two vacant Council positions that were left unoccupied during October’s municipal elections.
- Planning is underway for the new health centre in La Crete.
- Saad Almanfoud (Alman-food) is the newest Doctor to join the ranks in Fairview.
- The body of a 70 year-old man from Stoney Nakoda First Nation, is discovered in the parking lot of Northern Lakes College in High Prairie.
- Gas and Electricity have rebates implemented to offset costs of living.
- Roos becomes the newest Doctor in Manning.
- Football Alberta names Raiden Duchesnau of High Prairie, and Braxton Rudneski of Peace River to its all-star High School football team. They played a game for graduating grade 12’s in Lacombe.
May
- Residents in Chateh were evacuated, because of flooding.
- Occupational Health and Safety began investigations into a fire at the High Prairie Tolko Mill on the May Long Weekend. One person was injured.
- Ecole des Quatre-Vents begins construction on a new school, which will address issues around accessibility and high school programming.
- The High Prairie Gun Show takes place for the first time in three years.
June
- A 53 year-old man was killed in a workplace accident at Mercer Pulp Mill in Peace River. The investigation continues…
- Gift Lake Metis Settlement is one of 13 organizations receiving Provincial funding to help suicide prevention and mental health supports to children and teens.
- Grimshaw’s Jordan Coen officially sets a Guiness Book of World Record for Skipping Rope.
- The Alberta 55+ Summer Games took place in Peace River and Grimshaw.
- Central Peace Notley MLA Todd Loewen announces his candidacy for the UCP Leadership
- Nicholas Aube-Kubel, born in Slave Lake, won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.
- Jerry Oriabure is the newest physicians in High Prairie.
- Janessa Allen, the president of the Grimshaw Curling Club, has been named Curling Alberta’s Volunteer of the Year.
- Lee Twinn is elected, defeated Gerald Giroux, to become chief of the Swan River First Nation, near Kinuso.
- Lakeshore Police receives a provincial Grant to allow five officers to be hired over the next four years.
July
- Manning’s new school is officially named Manning Aurora Composite School.
- A volunteer of a church group, who was running a day-camp, attempted to recruit children on the Woodland Cree First Nation, because of low enrollment. Police originally investigated the case as a child abduction case.
- Megan Ciurysek declares her candidacy for the Central Peace-Notley riding for the next Provincial election.
- The town of High Prairie votes to fire CAO Sherry Poole, due to false information in her application, and impact on the town’s reputation.
August
- Tornados touch down in Hines Creek causing significant damage. No injuries were reported.
- Blue-green algae advisories were issued for Winagami Lake, Lesser Slave Lake, and Hutch Lake.
- Northern Lakes College officially opened their doors to a brand new facility in High Prairie.
- A 27 year-old man died on Figure 8 Lake near Dixonville. The accident happened while a man and a woman were paddle-boarding.
- High Level Councillor Robin Dwyer announces her resignation.
- Cindy Martin, a former employee of Northern Lakes College, has plead guilty to Fraud, amounting to nearly $300,000.
- Jenna Strachan of Mercer Peace River Pulp has been named pulp and paper’s Top 10 under 40 in Canada in Pulp and Paper Magazine.
- “Junction” John Clague passes away at age 85.
- The 60th annual High Prairie Rodeo takes place after two years of COVID.
September
- Municipal Affairs steps into operation in Falher, as no nominations are accepted for the two vacant Council positions. Council will operate with 5 until the next Municipal Election.
- $8 million Dollars is invested into post-secondary schools in Alberta, including to Northern Lakes College and Northwestern Polytechnic.
- Three candidates were elected in two separate elections in Berwyn.
- No one was hurt after a hit and run on a school bus in Peace River. The driver allegedly left the scene on foot.
- Businesses were happy to take part in the first annual Peace River Job Fair at the Peace Valley Inns.
- 30 year-old Brenon Grey of Cadotte Lake was arrested and charged of second-degree murder in the Romeo Flett case.
- Construction starts on pipeline in the Manning area.
- High Level RCMP investigate a 25 year-old woman from Grimshaw, being hit by a pick-up while walking on Highway 58.
- Tolko industries and La Crete sawmills have renewed the Forest Management agreement with the Government of Alberta.
- Fire Chief Danny McCallum in Valleyview is the recipient of the 2022 Volunteer Fire Chief Award in the country.
- The Northland School Division has a new logo, and it was designed by a former Northland student, Regan Auger.
- Former Big Lakes County Reeve and Councillor Ken Killeen passes away at age 76.
October
- A threat at Grimshaw Public School was investigated, but authorities found there was no risk to the public, but a mischief investigation was underway.
- The Woodland Cree First Nation became the first in Alberta to have its own Land Code. Residents decided via ballot.
- Daniel Cardinal is arrested on the Woodland Cree first Nation in the Emilio Noskey case.
- 29 year-old Kyra Backs, a day-home operator in High Prairie, is arrested and charged in the murder of 7-month old Oaklan Cunningham.
- A Boil Water has been issued for the MD of Smoky River, which included the communities of Falher, Guy, Donnelly, Girouxville, Jean-Cote, and the Smoky River Co-op station.
- Mark Liboiron defeated three others to win the vacant Council seat in High Level.
- Councillor Corinna Williams was elected to replace Carolyn Kolebaba, as Reeve of Northern Sunrise County.
- The Misery Mountain Ski Resort elects a new board to help with keeping the doors open at the Hill.
November
- Peace River MLA Dan Williams was voted as the new Deputy WHIP for the Province.
- Grimshaw Council elected to not get metal recycling facility.
- Supply shortages hit Peace Region Pharmacies hard.
- Two new Doctors, Dr. Olaniyan and Dr. Funk, are practicing at the facilities in Spirit River.
- Female personnel of the RCMP debuted locally-made Red Dresses, as part of their community-events uniform, at the National Aboriginal Remembrance Day ceremonies in Peace River.
- The Peace Region is rocked by several earthquakes in the area. One of which is measured at 5.8 on the Richter Scale, deemed as the largest in Alberta’s history.
- Greenview Fire Rescue Services is starting a new Green Light Pilot Program.
- Liana Paiva announces her candidacy for the next provincial election in the Peace River riding.
- Frank Lovsin , the owner of the Freson Bros franchise, passes away at age 88.
December
- Former NPHL Commissioner Jack McAvoy passes away in Manning. He was 78 years of age.
- Martine Carifelle, the former Constituency Manager for Pat Rehn, the current MLA, joins Scott Sinclair to seek the nomination of the UCP in the Lesser Slave Lake riding.
- The Smoky River Ryders Bike Club takes management of the HW Fish Arena in McLennan.
- Seargent Allan Paterson is the new Commanding Officer at the RCMP in McLennan.
That’s what was “Making Local Conversation” in 2022!
Keith Hopper, Trending 55
