The Loon Family

Photographers kept a close watch on the Little Lake at Lac Le Jeune during the last week or so as the resident Loon Family welcomed two new babies. Photos by Jenny Perry.

What's happening in your back yard?

These photos were taken the afternoon of June 14th in Elna and Ken Strand's yard. These fawns were born in the early morning or during the night. The doe will sometimes leave her fawns under Strand's deck while she goes off to eat. Occasionally one fawn will emerge and dance like nobody is watching, then run back to the safety of the deck.

Note: This letter to the editor of the Kamloops Daily News describes this experience of observing the doe with her young, and reminds us that the fawns we see in the wild and in our back yards are not abandoned.

AJAX MINE PROJECT

The map pictured above shows the scope of the proposed Ajax Mine Project and should be of great concern to all Lac Le Jeune residents because it will most certainly have an impact on the local environment, residents’ health, wildlife habitat, traffic on the Lac Le Jeune Road, air, noise and light pollution, property values, etc. A public presentation and opportunity for a question & answer session was held Thursday, June 16 at Kamloops Towne Lodge and many residents of the region turned out to hear the presentation and make their concerns known at that meeting.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEA Agency) and the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) are seeking comments from the public on the proposed Ajax Project and its potential effects to ensure that these issues are identified for consideration in the environmental assessment. A background document, containing information on the proposed Project, the requirements of the environmental assessment, and the proposed environmental components to be considered in the assessment, is available on the CEA Agency’s Web site at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca. A description of the proposed Project is available on the EAO’s web site at

www.eao.gov.bc.ca.

Lac Le Jeune residents still have an opportunity to voice their concerns. The public comment period will run from June 8, 2011 to July 11, 2011. The CEA Agency and EAO will accept public comments submitted by any of the following means:

By Online Form:

www.eao.gov.bc.ca/pcp/forms/Ajax.html

Comments made to date may be read here:

http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/pcp/comments/Ajax_comments.html

By Email: Ajax@ceaa-acee.gc.ca

By Fax: 250-356-6448

By Mail:

Nicole Vinette, Project Assessment Manager

Environmental Assessment Office

PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt

Victoria BC V8W 9V1

or

Lyle Thompson, Project Manager

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

320 - 757 West Hastings Street

Vancouver BC V6C 1A1

Links to additional information on the Ajax Mine Project:

www.newsloops.net/ajax

www.amemining.com/s/Afton-Ajax.asp?ReportID=333034

To voice your opinions on this issue, Lac Le Jeune residents are encouraged to make comments on the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) website, by email or fax--any comments sent by mail will be delayed by the Canada Post strike.

Ashcroft Opera House

You are invited to a back porch shindig in Ashcroft to celebrate the future of the Opera House and to welcome the new owner, Mel. Local musicians will be putting on a live performance, and there will be food for folks from away.

The Ashcroft Opera House was built in 1889, and has had a long history of bringing people together to enjoy excellent music and food.

401 Brink Street, Ashcroft

Thank you to musician Lynne Kellman for passing along this information.

Have you seen this dog?

Yesterday Lulu, a small Cockapoo, escaped from her kennel on 3831 Water Street during the thunderstorm and is still missing. Lulu is gray and white, about the size of a Cocker Spaniel, is very friendly, and will approach anyone. She is wearing a tag with a Peachland phone number on it, but you can contact Cheyanne Bisshopp at (250) 639-0314 OR LLJ number (250) 372-1732 if you see this dog.

UPDATE! Lulu was found at Ridge Lake by some campers on June 11. That's a long journey for a small dog! The owners are so relieved.