Snowbirds, COVID and Flooding

HON Update April 21st 2020 Episode begins with acknowledgement and a moment of silence for the Province of Nova Scotia. And moves directly into Provincial COVID-19 numbers by regions of the province including new cases and the current total of identified cases and deaths. Additional numbers noted in relation to an outbreak and facility shutdown for the United Poultry Company in Vancouver.

The conversation then moves to a remote located at the Cache Creek Firehall for updates including breaches overnight of the local river flooding. Announces the update that the village is at time of recording in a State of Emergency due to the flooding and the additional implementation of sections 12 and 13 of the Emergency Program Act were now in effect by order of Cache Creek mayor, Santo Talarico. Additional notice that the village was also now in stage 4 water restrictions and that water was not to be used for more than drinking, food, and personal sanitation.

Additional instructions provided for residents of Cache Creek and nearby areas for acquisition of sandbags, evacuation orders for some areas, directions for residents in those areas to the ESS location and registration. Notice of the Equality Project’s temporary closure due to the evacuation notice was also given. Following the remote, the episode addresses additional updates provided directly by local residents, an excerpt from Cache Creek’s spokesperson for the flood, Wendy Coomber of her discussion with Radio NL regarding the evacuation: “There are now nine properties evacuated in Cache Creek as the village is in a local state of emergency. The evacuation includes the Brookside Campground and two motels. About fifty people have been evacuated since last night altogether.” Ashcroft Mayor Barbara Roden in a separate address was quoted “As our friends and neighbors in Cache Creek deal with flooding issues in their community, the village of Ashcroft is ready to help with whatever resources are needed to assist them. The Brookside Campground is under evacuation order, and the village has received request from Cache Creek Emergency Support Services to house one couple in their RV at the Legacy Park. Their unit is fully self contained and they are aware of the need for physical distancing. Power and water has been provided. The washroom/shower facility at Legacy Park remains closed.”

Episode then moves to announcements including the HUB’s monthly fundraiser, a brief showcase of 2019’s Desert Daze Festival in Spences Bridge and its cancellation of this year’s event due to COVID-19 but with notice of possible alternative in the works for the year. Other announcements included a community scavenger hunt put on by the HUB. Episode closes with a follow up on COVID-19 numbers, and information in regards to the Federal CERB funding.