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.  

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

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

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

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

A new all-wheel drive fire engine built specifically for rural emergencies has officially arrived in Dawson Creek. New DC Fire Truck - Peace River Regional District media release The truck was welcomed during a traditional “push-in” ceremony held Friday, Feb. 13 at the City of Dawson Creek Fire Hall. Officials said the ceremony is a long-standing fire service tradition, where firefighters physically push a new engine into the hall for the first time.   Through the Dawson Cree

Nine lives were stolen from their families during a school shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, marking the darkest day in the community’s history Victims photos from RCMP media release. Tumbler Ridge RCMP were alerted to the active shooter at the school just after 1 p.m. on February 10 according to a media release and issued a public alert while responding. Officers from Tumbler Ridge RCMP responded to the school within minutes of the call, where there was active gunf

The next generation of North Peace hunters took center stage this weekend as the North Peace Rod and Gun Club wrapped up its Annual Rich Petersen Youth Memorial White-Tail, Mule Deer, and Big Game Recognition Awards. Photo submitted by Kim Rose With 24 youth entries recognized and more than 70 people in attendance, this year’s awards night marked one of the most successful turnouts in the event’s history. Organizers say the numbers are an encouraging sign for the future of hu

A group of North Peace residents gathered Sunday afternoon in Fort St. John to remember and raise awareness for Kiara Agnew, the Dawson Creek woman was vacationing with her boyfriend Ryan Friesen in 2023 when she was tragically murdered.  Agnew’s body was discovered beaten to death in a laundry room while Friesen was asleep beside her.People at the gathering held signs with photos and details surrounding this tragedy, speaking with one another and urging justice for Agnew. Fr

People arrived to Peace Gallery North Friday evening to attend the opening of their newest exhibit ‘Natural Resources’, which features driftwood, fabric art, photography, and paint created by two local artists. ‘Natural Resources’ is a two-person show by North Peace artists Miep Burgerjon and Ken Lane. This exhibit was inspired by the beauty that surrounds us in the Peace Region, and the collection features an array of mediums including driftwood art, wood carving, fabric art

The police are currently investigating a $250,000 copper theft in the Charlie Lake area, and are asking for the public’s help to catch the thief. Photo of stripped copper from RCMP media releaase The Local RCMP received a report on February 4, stating nearly a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of copper had been stolen and stripped from a location on Lower Cache Creek Road in Charlie Lake, near the Alaska Highway.   The police believe the theft took place at the unmanned ru

FSJ RCMP officers Caitlyn Rissanen and Chad Neustaeter attended Prince George Cougars hockey games Jan. 23 to 25 to speak with fans and encourage them to consider careers in Indigenous Policing. The two officers, both part of Fort St. John’s Indigenous Policing Services (IPS) unit, partnered with IPS officers from Prince Rupert, Burns Lake and Chetwynd this past weekend for a regional Indigenous policing recruitment initiative. “The RCMP has over 150 different career speciali

Tucked away north of town is a growing private museum that quietly holds more than a century of military history and thousands of stories that might otherwise be forgotten. Built around an extensive personal collection of uniforms, artifacts, weapons, letters, and memorabilia, the museum is the life’s work of a McLean Welsh, local historian and collector whose fascination with war history began long before the first display case was assembled.   “I grew up loving stories of h

Local students have qualified for the Skills Canada BC regional competition coming to Dawson Creek later this month. The winning students after the spaghetti bridge competition at Robert Ogilvie Elementary last Wednesday, who will be going to the Skills Canada BC regionals in Dawson Creek later this month. Students from Alwin Holland Elementary, Taylor Elementary, and Robert Ogilvie Elementary placed high enough at a recent local spaghetti bridge competition, a qualifying eve