1995 A look back at the year that was

While 1994 was a year marred by the murders of two Kimberley youths, Lee Haskell and Stephanie Graves, 1995 was a year in which justice for one of the deaths was sought, as was peace of mind for Kimberley residents touched by the tragedies.

Stephanie Grave's murderer Siegmund Bruno Strebakowski was found guilty of first-degree murder.

Despite the onslaught of murder trials in the East Kootenay, including those of Dean Christopher Roberts and Kristian Warsing, there was also much good news to report in the area.

In Kimberley, that good news came in the form of a skills centre, the go-ahead for a senior housing project and a hemodialysis unit at the Kimberley and District Hospital.

January

Land and building owners saw their property assessments skyrocket an average of 23.9 per cent compared to 1994 figures, according to the B.C. Assessment Authority.

The property-value increase was reflected throughout the Kootenays as Fernie recorded a 40.1 per cent increase, Radium 31.5 per cent and Cranbrook 20.8 per cent.

Two large drug busts were made in Kimberley with a total of $200,000 worth of marijuana being seized.

Family and friends of Peter Whitehead mourned the loss of the Marysville father of three who was killed in a CPR train derailment on Kootenay Lake.

Trevor Hogg of Cranbrook also died as the train plunged off of a 38-meter cliff into Kootenay Lake on Jan. 20.

February

The provincial government announced a $1-million commitment to a skills centre concept in Kimberley. The Kimberley Community Skills Centre is now nearing completion and expected to be operational in the new year.

March

Plans for a 32-unit senior housing project, now known as 49 Deer Park Place, came together in March, allowing the society to move toward the point they are at now - marketing the units which will be built in 1996.

The East Kootenay Land Use Plan was finalized with 74 per cent of the land base being open to sustainable resource management, 11.3 per cent being designated special management and seven areas being protected.

April

The Trickle Creek Golf Resort was named one of the top 10 golf courses in the province according to the Vancouver Sun.

May

Kimberley resident Carrie Valin was honored for saving her 15-month-old son's life.

Timothy was rescued and given CPR by his mother after the boy accidentally got a blind cord in the family's home tangled around his neck.

June

A flood in Eastern B.C. and Southern Alberta areas left many residents homeless.

While the flood did not make its way to Kimberley, several residents, including a group of Meadowbrook school children and Kimberley teen Brendyn Prier, were stranded due to the flood.

A 40-year-old Kimberley man was sentenced to life in prison on June 20 for murdering eight-year-old Stephanie Teresa Graves on April 30, 1994.

It took the jury less than three hours to return a verdict of guilty on first-degree murder.

Police officers testified that Siegmund Bruno Strebakowski, a friend of the Graves family, led them to the young girl's body about 15 kilometers north of Kimberley.

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July

The 21st annual accordion festival was a great success, with thousands flocking to the city for the now infamous event. Julyfest also topped the list of events which brought people to town.

The first responder program in Kimberley was cut in order to save tax dollars.

August

New Cominco general manager Don Boyle took over the job of top boss from promoted former head honcho Mick Henningson.

The search for the missing piece of the Sullivan Ore body got under way in August.

September

The first-ever Backwoods Music Festival was held, with plans to make it a permanent festival in Kimberley.

The 575 USWA union members employed by Cotninco reached a mine-life labor agreement on Sept. 18.

The new collective agreement is a six-year contract which calls for a 11 per cent wage hike over four years and a 48 per cent increase in pensions over six years.

October

An underground fire, which surfaced at the Kimberley landfill site, burned for 10 days before it was extinguished.

November

After nearly six weeks of testimony, one of Cranbrook's most devastating and brutal trials came to an end.

Dean Christopher Roberts, 26 was convicted of murdering his wife Susan and twin baby boys David and Josiah and attempting to murder his adopted son Jonathan, three.

Susan, 24, was found murdered in the couple's home on July 18, 1994 after a small fire was ignited in the couple's master bedroom.

Their 13-month-old son Josiah was found strangled about two kilometers from the home.

Crown argued that Roberts killed his family because he couldn't stand his "Little House on the Prairie" life. During the trial, the court heard taped conversations between Roberts and undercover police officers in which he admits to the killings. Roberts testified that he made up the story using his imagination and information he got from family, police and media because he feared for his life. Roberts is now serving life at a maximum security prison in Matsqui.

The Save McKim Theatre campaign was launched.

The Minister of Education announced a plan to "reduce significantly" the number of school districts in B.C. no later than April 15 of 1996.

Kimberley's float appeared in the Grey Cup parade in Regina.

Next.

Salute to Kimberley - Index Page

Front Cover  -   Inside Front Cover

Page One 1896 - 1910, -  Page Two 1900 - 1911, -  Page Three 1912 - 1920, -  Page Four 1921 - 1924, -  Page Five 1925
Page Six 1926, -  Page Seven 1927, -  Page Eight 1928, -  Page Nine 1929, -  Page Ten 1930, - 
Page Eleven 1930, -  Page Twelve 1931/32, -  Page Thirteen 1933 - 1936, -  Page Fourteen 1937 - 1939, -  Page Fifteen 1940, - 
Page Sixteen 1941/42, -  Page Seventeen 1943, -  Page Eighteen 1944/45, -  Page Nineteen 1945/46, -  Page Twenty 1946/47, - 
Page Twentyone 1948, -  Page Twentytwo 1948, -  Page Twentythree 1949, -  Page Twentyfour 1950/51, -  Page Twentyfive 1951, - 
Page Twentysix 1952, -  Page Twentyseven 1953, -  Page Twentyeight 1954/55, -  Page Twentynine 1955, -  Page Thirty 1956/57, - 
Page Thirtyone 1957/58, -  Page Thirtytwo 1958/59, -  Page Thirtythree 1959 - 1961, -  Page Thirtyfour 1961/62, -  Page Thirtyfive 1962/63, - 
Page Thirtysix 1963/64, -  Page Thirtyseven 1964 - 1966, -  Page Thirtyeight 1967, -  Page Thirtynine 1968 - 1970, -  Page Forty 1970, - 
Page Fortyone 1971, -  Page Fortytwo 1972, -  Page Fortythree 1973, -  Page Fortyfour 1974/75, -  Page Fortyfive 1975, - 
Page Fortysix 1976, -  Page Fortyseven 1976, -  Page Fortyeight 1977/78, -  Page Fortynine 1978, -  Page Fifty 1979/80, - 
Page Fiftyone 1981/82, -  Page Fiftytwo 1982/83, -  Page Fiftythree 1983/84, -  Page Fiftyfour 1985, -  Page Fiftyfive 1986/87, - 
Page Fiftysix 1987/88, -  Page Fiftyseven 1988/89, -  Page Fiftyeight 1989 - 1991, -  Page Fiftynine 1991/92, -  Page Sixty 1993/94, - 
Page Sixtyone 1995, -  Page Sixtytwo 1996/97, -  Page Sixtythree 1997/98, -  Page Sixtyfour 1998/99, -  Back Cover

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