New telephone scam
An Ashcroft resident reports that she received a phone call last week from someone with a Jamaican accent who said they were calling from the Toronto police force. The resident was told that a young woman (whose name was not known to her) had been arrested, and had in her possession a credit card with the resident’s name on it.
The caller asked if the resident had reported any bank card stolen, and was told no. The resident was asked to check her bank cards, to see if one was gone, but none were missing. The caller then asked the resident to get some paper and a pen, and put this information down.
At this point the resident realized the call was an elaborate scam, and hung up. Be wary of anyone who calls you about lost or stolen bank cards or who asks you for personal information such as bank account numbers, passwords, your Social Insurance Number, and more. If in doubt, hang up, then report the call to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll-free at 1-888-495-8501.
Prescribed burns near Lytton
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is now conducting two prescribed burns in the Lillooet Fire Zone, to help reduce wildfire threats in the area.
The burns were scheduled to start on March 20, and are planned to continue until Sunday, April 15.
The Highway 1 project burn will cover five hectares, south of the Village of Lytton and next to the Trans-Canada Highway.
The Kumsheen project burn will cover 36 hectares, about 3.5 kilometres northeast of the Village of Lytton on Crown land next to the Trans-Canada.
Trained wildfire crews will carefully control and monitor the fires at all times. Smoke and flames may be visible from Lytton, Gladwin, Lytton First Nation, Kumsheen Rafting Resort, Skuppah First Nation, Siska First Nation, Highway 1, and Highway 12. For information about road conditions near these projects, please visit www.drivebc.ca.
The exact timing of these prescribed burns will depend on weather and site conditions. They will proceed only if conditions are suitable, and will allow for quick smoke dissipation and low to moderate fire intensity.
The goal of these burns is to reduce the level of combustible material in the area by mimicking a naturally occurring ground fire. The removal of these fuels helps reduce the threat of interface wildfires.
FortisBC keeps natural gas rates steady
FortisBC has received approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to keep the cost of gas steady for its natural gas customers. As of April 1, 2018, FortisBC customers will see no change to the cost of natural gas on their billing statement.
Every three months, FortisBC reviews the cost of gas rates with the BCUC to make sure rates passed on to customers are fair and competitive.
Nominate an exceptional citizen for the Province’s highest honour
Nominations are being accepted for the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest honour, for individuals who have served with great distinction or excelled in any field.
British Columbians are encouraged to consider and nominate inspiring individuals who have left a lasting legacy in their respective fields. The Order of British Columbia is one way of rewarding and recognizing those British Columbians whose extraordinary contributions and achievements have contributed to a better quality of life in the province and beyond.
“As the Province’s highest honour, the Order of British Columbia recognizes the outstanding contributions and achievements of our citizens,” said Judith Guichon, B.C.’s lieutenant-governor and chancellor of the Order of British Columbia. “I encourage you to nominate those individuals in your community whose leadership, dedication, and extraordinary accomplishments strengthen the integrity of our province and contribute to a better future for all.”
All nominations must be submitted to the Honours and Awards Secretariat office in Victoria by Monday, April 16, 2018, to be considered this year.
Anyone can submit a nomination. More information, nomination forms, and submission instructions are available online at www.orderofbc.gov.bc.ca. More information can also sought by telephone at (250) 387-1616, or by email at bchonoursandawards@gov.bc.ca.
High-speed drivers targeted to save lives
People on many of British Columbia’s busiest roads will be safer, as new technology cracks down on those who fly through some of the province’s most crash-prone intersections.
An average of 84 crashes happen at each Intersection Safety Camera (ISC) site each year. Speed is a top contributing factor in crashes, with an average of 10,500 vehicles going at least 30 km/h over the posted speed limit at each ISC site annually.
In response, government is taking action at certain provincial intersections that have a high number of speed-related crashes. This will be done by upgrading the existing red-light camera program to identify and ticket the fastest vehicles. Working to reduce crashes at these intersections will also have a positive impact on ICBC’s claims costs, and will help keep rates affordable for British Columbians.
In the coming months, analysis of crash and speed data will inform decisions about activating ISC cameras for speed enforcement. New signs will warn approaching drivers about this enhanced enforcement.
A map of current ISC program red-light cameras can be found at http://bit.ly/2p3MDkS.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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