ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

Peace Gallery North held the grand opening for their most recent exhibit, showcasing a unique collection of art. The newest exhibit to grace the walls of Peace Gallery North is ‘Pretty Expiry’, which is an amazing collection that was painted by local artist Celina Forbes.   The well attended grand opening was held on April 10, where Forbes and her family spent the evening interacting with guests while giving the odd guided tour of the show.   Forbes was chosen as the 2025 Art

The building of dreams: By Karla Marsh   In 1942, young Ernie Scanlon left his jos at an aircraft manufacturing plant in Ontario and signed on with a construction company contracted to work on the Alaska Highway. With the company paying the travel expenses, Ernie boarded a train for a long trip across Canada. He met other men on the train destined to labor on the great road and together they arrived at Dawson Creek, the end of the railhead, on July 8, 1942.   Ernie was first

By Karla Marsh Ruby Schubert had one of the most interesting jobs a soldier could have on the Alaska Highway. He spent his days on the Trail of ’42 working as a photographer. Although born in Canada, Rudy travelled to the United States to join the U.S. Army. He had tried to enlist in the Canadian Army, but was refused by an officer who objected to Schubert’s German heritage. But it wasn’t long before Rudy returned to Canada. His regiment, the 341 st  Engineers, received order

Jake Gardner is currently sitting at the top of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association  (PRCA) standings for bull riding, making the North Peace proud through boots, grit, and glory. Jake Gardner shows off his championship buckle after winning the bull riding title at RodeoHouston, turning a last-minute opportunity into a career defining moment. - Jake Gardner's Facebook Gardner wasn’t originally scheduled to compete at RodeoHouston but got the call to be a replacement ri

By Margaret Cavers May As spring inches its way into the North Peace, for young performing artists in the region, that means one thing; it’s festival time! After learning and polishing their performances for many months, it is time for hundreds of musicians, singers, dancers and speech artists to hit the stage at the North Peace Cultural Centre to show off the fruits of their hard work to audiences and adjudicators. The festival, in one form or another, has been a part of thi

For the first time in more than 50 years, humans are getting ready to head back toward the Moon onboard the Orion spacecraft. Photo of the ship during final preperations, before taking four of the bravest astronaughts on a journey around the moon and back from NASA.gov NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch April 1, and if everything lines up, tomorrow four astronauts will be heading farther from Earth than any crew has gone in decades. It’s the kind of thing we hav

Emergency services were called to an area near the high school in Fort St. John early this morning following reports of gunshots. Witnesses report an ambulance arriving around 3:30 a.m., with one person transported to hospital. Early, unconfirmed reports suggested the incident involved a shooting and a black Ford vehicle. In an update, Fort St. John RCMP say the incident occurred at approximately 3:15 a.m. in the 9700 block of 86th Street. Police conducted a traffic stop invo

Bear Flat Dispatch. March 26, 2026 Every year the Canada Geese will consistently start showing up here at Bear Flat around March 15th give or take a couple days. That always worked out for them because even if the weather was nasty, they always had open water on the river. That changed with the flooding of the reservoir as it is now all frozen over. However, I guess old habits are hard to kick because the geese are still showing up here at the same time as before. Last year,

A wareness isn’t just about understanding a diagnosis, it’s about seeing the person and celebrating their life while creating a world where everyone belongs.   Bensyn Buck during his admission at BC Children's Hospital. There are moments in life which will shape your journey in ways you don’t fully understand at the time, for our family, that moment came when we learned Benny would be born with Down Syndrome. It didn’t change our love for him, not even for a second, but it di

By Karla Marsh   Oil exploration was just beginning in the Peace country when the Americans arrived to build the Alaska Highway. It was 1942 and the derrick of the first drilling rig had been raised into the sky between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. Photo of Rosie and Nels Westergaard, Fort St. John North Peace Museum. Rosie Westergaard was a cook for the first oil rig crew. She was busy turning out three square meals a day for oilmen when another crew stopped at the camp t

A group of young warriors recently made a trip from Halfway River to Edmonton, Alberta to compete in a large taekwondo tournament which marked another milestone for a growing program that began just two years ago. Front row, Kash Hunter- silver in sparring, Dalton Souvie - gold in patterns, Jerome Field- bronze in patterns, Zachary Souvie - bronze in patterns and bronze in sparring, Weston Hunter - bronze in sparring, Kaitlyn Gladue. Back row, assistant instructor Brooklyn Jo

North Peace locals gathered at the Lido Theatre on March 10 for the 12 th semi-annual 100 Woman Who Care event, which successfully raised more than $10,000 for the Fort St. John Men's Shed . Twice a year, once in March and once in September, this amazing initiative brings woman from the community together to help make a difference for one of three nominated local organizations. The event gives the nominees several minutes each to introduce and represent their cause while exp

There was a heavy RCMP presence at the southern Charlie Lake boat launch on March 14 after an individual lost their life during an altercation the night before. Local RCMP search for evidence close to the vehicle which was involved in an altercation on Friday Night at a Charlie Lake boat launch.   Local RCMP were at the scene collecting evidence and conducting their investigation early on the morning of March 14, blocking off the frontage road leading to the boat launch for s

'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.  

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

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

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 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