The Fort St. John Toastmasters Club hosted a special Halloween-themed Open House on October 30, to celebrate Toastmasters International’s global #101 Challenge and mark 101 years of helping people worldwide build confidence in communication and leadership. Supplied photo The evening was an entertaining mix of laughter, creativity and inspiring speeches. The Toastmasters team was especially pleased to welcome Mayor Lilia Hansen and incoming Rotary Chairwoman Patricia Budbell,

A series of public art installations were recently unveiled in Fort St. John, brightening the community while celebrating local creativity. Photos provided by the City of Fort St. John A Bike Rack Design Artist Call was launched in 2024 by the Fort St. John Community Arts Council and the City, which allowed local artists to submit their ideas for functional public art. Twenty artistic bike racks have since been installed around the city which were fabricated by ArcTech Weldin

Multiple suspects have been arrested in relation to the Halloween arson and gunfire at a nightclub in Fort St. John. Local RCMP responded to a suspicious fire at a nightclub around 5:45am on October 31, which had been extinguished by the Fort St. John Fire Department. Police determined there was evidence of both arson and gunfire directed at the nightclub, which is located near 100 th Avenue and 103 rd  Street. RCMP Forensic Identification Services (FIS) members processed th

A wave of gang-related violence in the Peace Region has led to a major arrest this week, as police work to contain a growing turf conflict that has spilled into local neighborhoods. Local RCMP have arrested 22-year-old Evan Kenneth Love in relation to recent shootings in the North Peace. During one incident a person was shot in an early morning shooting close to the 9500 block of 96 th  Street on October 29 th , just before 4am. The Street Enforcement Team (SET) took down Eva

In a time of grief and growing concern across the Peace Region, one mother’s pain speaks to the heart of a community seeking peace and healing. The 29 year old Jesse Twain from Edmonton, Alberta, has been identified as the victim in a recent homicide close to Dawson Creek, amidst a spike in gang related crime in the Peace Region. Twain’s mother told Alaska Highway News that police asked for her DNA after a body was found in a burned car in the Kiskatinaw area earlier this mon

Bear Flat Dispatch October 28, 2025 Photo submitted I really liked that Ontario Government TV advertisement with archival footage of President Ronald Reagan denouncing trade tariffs. It was not surprising that the current thin-skinned president became furious and retaliated in a childish manner, but the ad was accurate and very effective in helping to educate people, especially American voters, and that is important.  Trump is a bully, and I wish the whole world would quit tr

A 37-year-old male was recently located by RCMP in a ditch in Baldonnel, BC, after being badly beaten and dumped in a ditch. The Fort St. John police received a report on October 16, shortly before 8 am, claiming a male was lying in a ditch along the 238 Road close to the 253 Road in Baldonnel. The BC Emergency Health Services, Fire Department, and frontline police officers all swiftly attended the scene where they located a conscious, but incoherent 37-year-old male.   Most

Recent gunfire in the Peace Country Mobile Home Park has resulted in the arrest of one individual. The local RCMP responded to a report of gunfire at the Peace Country Mobile Home Park on October 28, just before 1pm.   A man was arrested in relation to the gunshots later in the afternoon, following an investigation from the RCMP while a vehicle related to the incident has been seized for forensic analysis, according to the release.   “Currently we have a suspect in custody in

The Fort St. John Housing Solutions Initiative will be getting support from the City, after they received $294,500 from the Northern Healthy Communities Fund (NHCF) for the project.   Through the development of a Housing First model the project plans to address local housing challenges, supporting those who are experiencing homelessness or those who find themselves at risk of losing their housing.   Local organizations are working with the City to develop practical solutions

Fort St. John RCMP and the public continue to look for James Joseph Edmund Barnes who was reported missing to Fort St. John RCMP on the evening of Friday, October 18, 2024, after failing to return home from a hunting trip. Photos from media release In a media release, Police stated that they believe James may have been hunting grouse in the Chetwynd area and Chetwynd RCMP were also notified of the file just after midnight on October 19, as search areas were expanded.   James

A proposed location for a new aquatic’s facility is being discussed in the North Peace, following a signed letter of intent from the City of Fort St. John with XJ Evergreen Estate Corp. Photo from the City of Fort St. John's media release The City of Fort St. John has taken another step toward building a new aquatics facility, signing a Letter of Intent with XJ Evergreen Estates Corp. to explore a potential site within the Parkwood Southlands development.   The proposed locat

'Lets Get Rolling’ by Print Artists North is currently on display and features wonderful pieces that combine technical skill with artistic vision. The opening reception for the latest art exhibit at Peace Gallery North was held on October 3 and will remain open until November 1. This exhibit features intricate linework, rich textures, and depth that digital images can’t fully capture.   Print Artists North (PAN) are printmakers that have been part of the Flying Colours Artist

Bear Flat Dispatch October 9, 2025 I find it difficult to become motivated enough to sit down and write during the summer, but I do feel more compelled to punch out a missive on the old keypad now that fall is firmly here.  Perhaps if my livelihood depended upon writing I would not be so lazy, but fortunately that is not the case.  I believe it was springtime when I last checked in, and like a child returning to school, I now feel rusty putting my brain back into writing mode

Fort St. John RCMP are asking the public for assistance in identifying a suspect following a break and enter at an apartment complex near Northern Lights College, via a media release.   Photo from the RCMP media release. On Sept. 22, 2025, at approximately 2:00p.m. the Fort St. John RCMP received a report of a man breaking into an apartment near the Northern Lights College in Fort St. John. Frontline officers swiftly responded to the scene and started their investigation.   R

The disappearance of Jesse Twain in the North Peace has left police searching for clues and residents wondering what might have happened. Photo from Jesse Twain's Facebook. Police in the region confirmed on Friday that they are looking for 29-year-old Jesse Thompson Twain, whose mother told Alaska Highway News that she has given her DNA to police. Twain was last seen on or around October 10 and was reported missing to Fort St. John RCMP on October 12.   In a news release, the

Photo from media release. Emergency crews responded to ON-IT Towing on 44th Avenue just before 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 after multiple vehicles parked inside the company’s impound lot caught fire, according to a media release. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading outside the fence line, minimizing potential damage to other businesses and properties in the immediate area.   Police are investigating and say evidence at the scene is consistent with arson. This

The local RCMP recently asked for the public’s assistance in locating 46-year-old Chad Cameron Travis, who is wanted in connection with several warrants. Photo from the RCMP media release The outstanding warrants are for assault, three counts of uttering threats, and theft of a motor vehicle. Fort St. John RCMP say that Travis is considered armed and dangerous and ask that the public refrain from approaching him.   In a media release, Travis is described as an Indigenous man

Funding supports expansion projects for North Pine Farmers Institute and Optimum Grain Inc., strengthening rural food production.   The BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund (Ag Fund) has approved $1 million in new funding for two projects aimed at strengthening the agricultural sector in the Peace region. “The BC Hydro’s Ag Fund is providing essential financial support to those who are growing and producing in the Peace region,” said Rick Kantz, BC Hydro PACF Member-

Each year, the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention gathers municipal leaders and staff from across British Columbia to work together, discuss key issues, vote on policy resolutions, and engage directly with provincial ministers.   The 2025 UBCM took place in Victoria from September 22 - 26 and provided City of Fort St. John council and staff with the opportunity to lobby on behalf of the North Peace.   “The annual UBCM Convention is a vital opportunity for Fort St. J

A heavy police presence drew attention outside Kelly’s Convenience earlier this week, after officers surrounded a vehicle in the parking lot. Witnesses reported seeing multiple RCMP units on scene, with at least five police vehicles responding. Officers were observed searching a car and removing what appeared to be a firearm.   The area was briefly secured as officers conducted their investigation. One RCMP member on scene confirmed there was no threat to the public. The inci