ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

'1942 U.S. Army Visit was fun' By Karla Marsh   It was a pleasant time for 11-year-old Elsie Becker and her family when the U.S. Army made a camp near the family's farm at Montney, in 1942.     For a brief period of time, the lives of American boys far from home and the lives of a pioneering family would be gently intertwined.     There were about one hundred men in the camp, Elsie (now Myhre) recalls, and she remembers them being kind and very friendly towards the family.  

Freshwater fishing licenses will be available online through the Wildlife Information and Licensing Data (WILD) system this spring, giving anglers the option of getting their license online or in person. The streamlined service designed for the angling community has arrived ahead of the 2026-27 season, which begins April 1, allowing freshwater fishing licenses to be purchased online through WILD for the first time. Registration for a Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID) is required be

A shared theme and a room full of colour are on display this month as the Flying Colours Artists Association presents its newest exhibit, Watermark at Peace Gallery North. The grand opening for ‘Watermark’ was held Friday March 6 at Peace Gallery North, and ‘grand’ it was! The Flying Colours Artists Association presents a special ‘Points of View’ exhibition annually where members of the group select a shared theme accompanied by a collection of reference photos to draw inspir

The Central Market is located in the heart of Fort St. John, giving those in the North Peace a reason to get out and shop local as the indoor vendor marketplace gives people a chance to meet a friendly face while discovering local hidden gems each week. The Central Market welcomes the community every week on Friday 1-6 pm, and Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm, to their location at #1 – 10032 99th Avenue, across the street from the Pawn Shop in the old Central Emporium. Visitors can st

Sunday, March 8, 2026 will be the last time British Columbians see their clocks ‘spring’ forward an hour as B.C. adopts permanent daylight-saving time (DST) and says goodbye to twice a year time change. British Columbian clocks will move ahead an hour for the last time on March 8, beginning the transition to a shared year-round daylight-saving time which will be completed on November 1, when clocks cease to fall back. This will effectively bring many communities in eastern Br

Entrepreneurs and investors from across Northern B.C. will have another chance to connect, as the second annual Northern Angel Summit is set to return later this month. Supplied photo The program which begins on March 23 and runs through June, is organized by the Northern Innovation Network bringing founders and investors together through a pitch competition where the winner receives a $100,000 investment to help grow their business.   Applications are still open for up to 24

Students from North Peace Secondary had an interesting opportunity to look a little further down the road earlier this month, during the 10th annual Grow Our Own career exploration event. supplied photo This annual event took place on March 3 at The Lido Theatre in Fort St. John, acting as a conduit for students to connect with local professionals representing a variety of careers.   Organizers said the students had to pre-select six mentors they wanted to sit down with, gran

The BC Coroners Service released their report for unregulated drug deaths in our province throughout 2025 showing a decline in lost lives, however the toll remains high.   The report which was recently released states that the number for unregulated drug-toxicity deaths for 2025 was 1,826, which is roughly 21 percent lower than the previous year, 2024, which saw 2,315 fatalities.   During the last two months of 2025 the province lost roughly 4.5 lives a day according to their

March 1, 2026, We had some interesting interactions with ‘Flora and Fauna’ in 2025 and no, that is nothing like Thelma and Louise. Supplied photo The south facing hillsides here in the valley are home to prickly pear cactus that briefly flower normally around July 1st. The rain and heat must have lined up just right last year to produce the most prolific production of flowers we have seen that stretched out over an unusually long period of time. On October 12, a doe mule deer

On March 1, 2026, BC PharmaCare National Pharmacare Plan will be launching for provincial residents and will cover the full cost of various diabetes medications and menopausal hormone therapy.   According to a recent release form the Province, close to 570,000 British Columbians who are living with diabetes will receive support from this improved coverage as well as roughly 160,000 individuals dealing with menopausal symptoms.   “This is a game changer for people who will now

The BC Coroners Service released their report for unregulated drug deaths in our province throughout 2025 showing a decline in lost lives, however the toll remains high.   The report which was recently released states that the number for unregulated drug-toxicity deaths for 2025 was 1,826, which is roughly 21 percent lower than the previous year, 2024, which saw 2,315 fatalities.   During the last two months of 2025 the province lost roughly 4.5 lives a day according to their

The 40th annual Art Auction Gala is just around the corner, with this year’s event promising a touch of vintage glamour in the North Peace. Painting that will be at the auction on March 7 - Photos submitted Hosted by the Fort St. John Community Arts Council, the milestone event will embrace a Roaring Twenties theme, inviting guests to step into the elegance and energy of the Jazz Age. Attendees can channel their inner flapper and dress in their finest 1920s fashion, though pa

The annual tournament is a weekend long event filled with outdoor fun, community engagement and winter activity in the North Peace that attracts all branches of the community. Located just outside Fort St. John on Charlie Lake, this year’s Crystal Cup saw the frozen lake packed with activity as players and spectators came out in support. Last year’s tournament saw difficult conditions with warm temperatures and slush impacting organizers and players alike, however this year m

The BC Coroners Service released their report for unregulated drug deaths in our province throughout 2025 showing a decline in lost lives, however the toll remains high.   The report which was recently released states that the number for unregulated drug-toxicity deaths for 2025 was 1,826, which is roughly 21 percent lower than the previous year, 2024, which saw 2,315 fatalities.   During the last two months of 2025 the province lost roughly 4.5 lives a day according to their

Braxtyn tries his luck at the Free Mini Golf course that was set up in Totem Mall over the past weekend, as part of Winter Fest here in the North Peace. This super cool mini putt course was set up at the center of Totem Mall in Fort St. John last weekend, allowing shoppers passing by to stop and spend a few minutes on the course while warmly tucked away from the weather. There were multiple short courses set up with unique obstacles, proving to shoppers that putting the ball

Team Canada Fell to team USA in Overtime of the gold medal game for Olympic hockey, losing a hard-fought game after the toughest tournament in the world. The Canadian Brewhouse was packed from wall to wall at 6AM,as Team Canada went to war against team USA during the Gold Medal Hockey Game on February 22. The Alaska Highway News woke up before the sun to watch the gold medal game at the Canadian Brewhouse, who opened early and provided the community with somewhere to watch th

To the Editor, Please accept the following letter for consideration in your Letters to the Editor section. NCI Are Farmers Safe in Canada? (Kelowna Hearings March 9–11, 2026) Across Canada, agricultural producers are facing mounting pressure from disease-control policies, regulatory frameworks, and trade obligations that can result in the rapid loss of entire herds or flocks. Recent events in British Columbia highlighted these tensions, but similar herd and flock losses have

Cold temperatures in the North Peace often create opportunities for people to connect, Saturday, Feb. 7 was no exception, as curious community members gathered on the ice at Charlie Lake to witness Ice-X. Peace Region Motor Sports Association held their annual Ice-X Event, transforming a section of frozen Charlie Lake into a racetrack that brings fast cars and flying snow. Competitors spent their morning and afternoon sliding their vehicles which ranged from daily drivers to

Business owners in rural communities across the Peace River region can now upgrade their storefronts, with new funding from the Peace River Regional District.   Thanks to financial contribution from the Northern Development Trust Initiative, the PRRD has created a Business Facade Improvement Program for 2026 targeting commercial corridors outside of municipal areas.   Owners will be able to access reimbursement grants covering up to 50 per cent of eligible expenses, to a maxi

In the wake of the heartbreaking tragedy at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School , all of us at Alaska Highway News  stand in solidarity with the community during this time of unimaginable loss. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn alongside you. We offer our deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones, to the youth whose lives have been forever changed, and to every student, educator, first responder, and resident carrying the weight of this tragedy. No communit