ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

By Karla MarshAlaska Highway News Lucy Laboucane first crossed the Peace River in 1921. She crossed in a row boat and she remembers that there was still ice on the water. Twenty years later, thousands of American soldiers would also cross the Peace River, by rowboat, by ferry and, after several years of construction, by bridge. Lucy and her husband settled in Fort St. John where they raised a family of 17 children. Although she was busy and didn't have much time to socializ

Fort St. John has one little guy still making his way through the 2026 Baby of the Year competition, and his family is hoping some support from home can help keep him there. Fifteen-month-old Stetson Loewen of Fort St. John is the last remaining Peace Region baby in the running for the 2026 Baby of the Year competition. (Submitted photo by Ashlyn Loewen ) Fifteen-month-old Stetson Loewen was entered by his parents, Ashlyn and Tyrell Loewen, who have both called Fort St. John

Chetwynd RCMP say an investigation that began mid September led to two search warrants being executed Sept. 19, with officers seizing suspected drugs, cash and a vehicle from two homes in the community. RCMP Photo of a unit overlooking Chetwynd, B.C. Police searched residences in the 5100-block of 42 Street Northeast and the 4700-block of Wabi Crescent as part of the investigation. Five adults were taken into custody while officers were at the two properties. Four were la

One Bite at a Time By Kim Rose “For me, this one is personal. I grew up on our family trapline. I started school late because we were still out there. In this photo, I was about five years old and my brother was three. Trapping wasn't something we watched from the outside. It was part of how our family lived, learned and sustained ourselves. Today, I hold my own trapping certification and remain a strong advocate for preserving the knowledge, traditions and opportunities that

If you’ve been to a car show, parade or community event around Fort St. John lately, there’s a decent chance you’ve seen Justin and Brianne Lagassé with the vehicle they’ve been using to carry a pretty important message. The couple have spent the past several months raising money and awareness around suicide prevention and mental health, bringing the car with them as they compete and attend events around the North Peace. The Alaska Highway News most recently ran into them a

A week ago they were standing together in Fort St. John with their bikes ready and a whole lot of northern highway still ahead of them, and by Thursday afternoon the Cops for Cancer Tour de North riders were expected to roll into Williams Lake. Fort St. John Mayor Lilia Hansen, members of council and local RCMP joined the Cops for Cancer Tour de North riders for a pancake breakfast and send-off in Fort St. John on Sept. 11, before the group began its seven-day, roughly 850-ki

I was reading a post on Facebook, about an individual who had recently passed their Citizenship Examination. The person was encouraging others, suggesting that the examination was easy---and to the determined, passable. The poster was hoping to inspire. Among the comments was, I am guessing, a Canadian born individual who, while congratulating the original poster, was suggesting that there is more to being Canadian than just passing the exam. To that, another person replied:

After 20 years at the Canada Post office in the District of Taylor, a familiar face behind the counter worked her final shift Friday, with friends and community members stopping in to make sure she didn't leave without a proper goodbye. Photo from Renate's (on the left) last day at the office. Renate, who has spent the past two decades working at the Taylor post office, officially retired Friday, Sept. 11, bringing a long run behind the counter to an end. Word of her final da

September 11, 2026 By Ken Boon Today the world commemorates the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack in the US that went on to have further tragic global impacts. Photo: Courtesy of the Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when news broke about planes flying into the World Trade Center towers. Arlene did not normally work with us in the log home business, but I had sweet-talked her into helping

With another school year underway across the Peace, those quieter summer mornings around our schools are gone for another year and drivers are once again sharing the road with school buses, young pedestrians, bicycles and plenty of parents making the morning drop-off. Photo from RCMP media release It doesn't take long for those routines to come back, but police recently reminded drivers that September is also a good time to slow things down a little, leave the phone alone and

People often tell me, a voracious yoga practitioner, that they are not flexible enough to do yoga. My usual response is, “That’s why we do yoga: to build flexibility in the body, mind, and breath.” Have you ever had to go to a job interview, make a presentation at work, or take on a promotional opportunity that requires leadership? Perhaps you need to MC an upcoming special event. Life places all kinds of opportunities before us, showing us where we have room to grow. When we

People often tell me, a voracious yoga practitioner, that they are not flexible enough to do yoga. My usual response is, “That’s why we do yoga: to build flexibility in the body, mind, and breath.” Edwina Nearhood is a longtime Fort St. John resident sharing her vision loss journey. Please remember, every person’s vision loss experience is as unique as they are. Have you ever had to go to a job interview, make a presentation at work, or take on a promotional opportunity that

Métis Nation British Columbia citizens will choose their next president this weekend, with four candidates on the ballot as MNBC prepares to hold its 2026 by-election on Saturday, Aug. 22. Michael Dumont, Tony Goulet, Kyle Mitton and Anthony Wingham have all been properly nominated and verified by the Chief Electoral Officer, with their names appearing on the ballot for the position of MNBC president. The by-election is being held to fill the president's position, along with

I was down at the old Kiskatinaw Bridge recently, and I have to admit, what I saw bothered me a lot more than I expected it to. There was what appeared to be burn damage on part of the wooden deck, and while I don't know exactly what happened there, or how the damage was caused, seeing it on that bridge was honestly heartbreaking. Maybe that sounds a little dramatic if the Kiskatinaw Bridge is just an old bridge to you. But I don't think it is just an old bridge to very many

People across the Peace River Regional District are being asked what concerns them when it comes to hazards in their own communities, with another round of public engagement getting underway this month as work continues on a new regional Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis. submitted photo From Aug. 11 through Aug. 23, the PRRD and its municipal partners will be holding community events in different parts of the region, while an online survey will also be available for pe

By Karla MarshSpecial to the AHN After almost 50 years, Anne Callison still remembers the rough and tumble trip she made to Fort Nelson in January of 1943. She was a young girl of about 20, on her way to a job at the Trading Post at old Fort Nelson. (l-r) Frank Senz, Anne Callison and John Callison at a North Peace Pioneers event in 1975. Anne had arranged a ride up the recently constructed Alaska Highway with a Public Roads Administration truck. “We drove all night,” she rec

Some friends come into our lives for a brief moment. Some friends stay for a few years or chapters. I have a friend of a lifetime. We have been friends for most of our adult lives. I first met her two weeks after she moved her family across the country from Newfoundland. We have laughed together, cried together and shared some of life’s biggest moments. My friend Gloria was amongst family that stayed with me during the five months in the hospital recovering from heart transp

Premier David Eby made his way through the Peace Region this week, spending time in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek where his visit included meetings with local governments, a stop at Northern Lights College and tours of the John Horgan Dam and Dawson Creek's new hospital. Photos supplied While in Fort St. John Eby toured the recently renamed John Horgan Dam which is his first visit to the facility since the name change, giving him a closer look at the dam and generating stati

Nearly two years after the death of a Dawson Creek man was investigated as a homicide, RCMP have concluded the case, saying their investigation found no evidence of foul play and that no criminal offence occurred. Police were called to a home in the 600 block of 106 Avenue on Nov. 16, 2023, after receiving a report of a sudden death around 3 p.m. Officers arrived to find 37-year-old Byron Horne deceased inside the residence. Because of what investigators found during the ea

By Karla Marsh Special to the AHN Photo of Bill McDonald supplied by the North Peace Museum Bill McDonald was just a boy of eight in the summer of 1942. His older brother had joined the army the summer before and he suspects his family was concerned about events overseas. But to Bill, “the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the war seemed like another world.” Bill’s mother had taught school at Moberly Lake that year and when she and young Bill returned to Fort St. John at the