iis ueidityitis ce JANUARY THE PROVINCE gave the green light to the new Huckleberry mine south of Smithers. The approval for Princeton Mining Corp.’s $700 million development of the copper-gold deposit had been delayed by opposition from Cheslatta natives. The group claimed there’s a risk fish-bearing streams will be contaminated by acid rock drainage. The mine is expected to generate nearly $200 mil- lion in direct wages to local residents over its anticipated 17-year life. HOSPITAL WORKERS opposed a plan to close beds at Mills Memorial Hospital. By month’s end mayor Jack Talstra was also calling for a halt to the hospital cuts, and travelled to Victoria to lobby the health minister. MANY PEOPLE rushed to get cellular phones after the service was added by B.C. Tel Mobility. A STATISTICS Canada report revealed the cost of air-travel from small communities has risen at several times the rate of price hikes on major na- tional routes. CITY officials said they weren’t sure how the demand for more commercial land would be satisfied. They stressed the need to acquire the air- port lands to gain more light industrial land. AN 18-year-old teenager died of anti-freeze posion- ing. The death prompted more calls for action to stop alcohol-related deaths of children. REGIONAL district officials gave four renters on Old Lakelse Lake Rd. until April to find a new place to live. Landlord Helmut Reinert had erected more dwellings on the property than zoning permitted. AVALANCHES cut off Stewart for several days and blocked access to Shames Mountain for a few days, GITXSAN natives released a 260-page report in response to Nisga’a claims to parts of the upper Nass watershed. SKEENA MLA Helmut Giesbrecht backed Glen Clark for the leadership of the NDP. CITY COUNCIL moved to spend $213,000 on a new municipal computer system. IMPROVEMENTS in the city bus system were un- veiled touting better service through much of Ter- race and Thornhill. Most of the changes ultimately went into effect by September, RUMOURS swirled about an impending settlement of the 25,000 square kilometre Nisga’a land claim. DEMAND at the Terrace Churches Food Bank soared in January after a reduction in social as- sistance payments took effect. A YOUNG bull moose trapped in the ice of Lakelse Lake had to be shot. FEBRUARY REPAP said it would demand $80 million in com- pensation if they lost 140,000 cubic metres of tim- ber to a Nisga’a land claim setilement. EARLY on Feb, 10th, word came that provincial, federal and Nisga’a negotiators had reached an agreement-in-principle to sctlle the Nisga’a land claim. The agrecment includes 1,930 square kilo- metres of land — just eight per cent of the Nisga’a traditional territory —- and more than $190 million. It also inctudes extensive self-government provi- sions. A TWO-PER-CENT tax on hotel and motel rooms was proposed to help finance tourism promotion, which is being shifled from the city to the Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce. A new Terrace Tourism Council was formed, with organizers presently trying to sell a complete marketing plan, including the tax, to the local hatels. THE CITY moved to block rampant development of multi-family housing on the south side of town. Council rezoned most of the area to R2 — con- sistent with single-family homes and duplexes. The move ensured apartment developers would have to go through a public hearing. THE provincial government suspended land claim talks with Gitxsan natives, citing fundamental dif- ferences. B.C. TEL announced it would eliminate a third of its local workforce in Terrace. The cuts were aimed at making the company more efficient, REPAP announced a halt of all logging operations for seven weeks to reduce the high inventory that built up over the 110-day strike at its Prince Rupert pulp mill in 1995, NISGA’A natives voted 90 per cent to approve the agrcement-in-principle expected to lead to a treaty. THIRTEEN employees at the Slumber Lodge were laid off after a majority of them tried to certify as a union, They were later reinstated. The hotel was purchased later in the year by the Munson family and has been renamed Bear Country Inn. TERRACE BUSINESSES mobilized to fight what they considered to be a draconian sign bylaw being imposed by city hall. After a review and minor changes, the bylaw was passed with fewer objec- tions. _ MARCH ia is VIA RAIL announced a long-called-for switch to daylight service on its Skeana run, PARENTS lined up as early as 6 a.m. to pre- register their children for kindergarten at Uplands Elementary School. A public meeting heard parents suspicions that some are using relatives’ addresses on the bench to enrol children there and avoid other schools. VIA RAIL announced plans to move to daylight service on the Skeena run to try to capitalize on tourist traffic. GITXSAN officials shrugged off an attempt by an opposition faction of chiefs to fire two of their lead- ers. The anger stemmed from the collapse of Jand claim talks with the province, which also prompted layoffs of 18 staff at the Gitxsan Treaty Office. CBC RADIO officials predicted more cuts to the broadcaster's northern outlets, THE IDEA for a privately built second sheet of ice was first floated at city council. Council struck a committee to investigate the possibility. INTERNET ACCESS options bloomed with the addition of Okanagan Skeena Group as the third lo- cal service provider. The competition eventually led to the sale of the city’s original provider, Skeena Net, to RGS Internet Services, operated by local computer training entreprencur Rainer Giannelia. ABOUT 250 people turned up for a public forum explaining the components of the Nisga'a agreement-in-principle. PROVINCIAL officials promised a socio-economic impact study would probe the effects of a Nisga’a treaty on this region. AN AMBITIOUS proposal to build a $108-million bridge to Digby Island at Prince Rupert was de- fended on the coast and viewed with skepticism in Terrace. THE NISGA’A agreement drew criticism from some Nisga’a natives — particularly those from Kincolith — who felt their interests hadn't been adequately defended. WAYNE HAY was hired as chief executive officer of the Northwest Regional Health Board. But by November the government had eliminated the board and altered its New Directions plan. MILLS MEMORIAL Hospital made the decision to go ahead with a nearly $1 million renovation of its main nursing floor in a bid to trim costs by cen- tralizing services and laying off employees. REFORM B.C, candidate Ron Town pulled out of the race for Skeena after suffering a heart attack. He was loater replaced by Stewart mayor Andy Burton. Other candidates confirmed for the election are NDP incumbent Helmut Giesbrecht, Kitimat mayor Rick Wozney for the B.C. Liberal party, and David Serry for the Social Credit party. PREMIER GLEN CLARK and Skeena MP Mike Scott came under fire for not altending the Nisga’a agreement-in-principle signing ceremony in New Aiyansh. LIBERAL leader Gordon Campbell and Skeena candidate Rick Wozney split on the issue of Kemano compensation for Alcan, Campbell had pledged to take a hard line with Alcan. TERRACE rose in B.C. crime rankings from 20th place to number 18. Police said a hub city syndrome tends to elevate Terrace’s crime stats above the provincial average, REPAP B.C. struck a deal to buy Orenda Forest Products for $25 million, improving the company’s timber supply, and replacing wood that will be lost under a Nisga’a treaty, THE CITY announced its plans to get tough with owners of illegal suites built since 1991. CONTRACT TALKS heated up between the United Food and Commercial Workers and Canada Safeway and Overwaitea. Employers were seeking wage rollbacks, B.C. TEL began introducing the first 615- exchange phone numbers in the Terrace area, slarting with the new Park Ave. Medical Centre, Terrace & District Credit Union 4650 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace ph. 635-7282 We belong to you.” % the credit union advantage: we are a profit sharing, member owned institution... we belong to you. All The Best In The New Year! _. Services 4722 Lakelse Ave. Internet - - 635-3444 Still Terraces Only Full Service Provider! 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