(ACN stands for Ash-Creek News)

If the COVID-19 Virus is causing you increased stress, as it is for people across British Columbia, there are resources available to help. It's not always easy to stay calm. Some things that may be able to help include: Maintain a routine, Limit your media intake, Keep Connected, Get some fresh air, take advantage of downtime, keep perspective, ask for help.

The HUB Online Network was approached by the newly formed Slough Society. Host Gareth Smart says -- "I was invited on a walk with a few members of the group to get to the slough from the nearby boat launch. The path we took goes down and underneath a train bridge. The first part of this walk was fairly easy, but then I turned a corner and the path was simply just rocks. Granted I had a camera in my hand but this walk felt pretty dangerous. It was a slow go for myself, here is just a little taste of what I went through… According to the Ashcroft Slough Society Facebook page, one avenue that they are pursuing is calling the land of the slough a Heritage Site. The Slough Society says “Besides buildings, the registry allows trails, landscapes, monuments, even languages and cultural practices to be included, anything that the Village feels contributes to the community’s unique identity, worthwhile enough to pass onto future generations. It is undeniable that the Slough has significant cultural, historical, educational, ecological, geological, social, artistic, recreational or economic value to people living in the area and to those who visit. A Community Heritage Register does not affect land title. It simply is a tool for local government to identify heritage sites for planning purposes, to promote research opportunities, to develop a sense of pride and stewardship, and to stimulate tourist activity. Most heritage sites are privately owned, as are the Slough properties, but the registry does not require agreement from the property owner for the heritage resource to be added as a listing. By formally recognizing and celebrating the Slough’s contribution to our collective memory, we can preserve our history as well as foster a sense of well-being within our community.” Anyway the Ashcroft Slough Society, are fighting for a more reasonable access to the slough path that sits just on the other side of the railroad tracks. . However this would require the Ashcroft Terminal and CN Rail to agree to either a foot traffic overpass, over the tracks or a tunnel that goes under the tracks. At this point the terminal has sought out input from the local Villages and citizens, but the slough says that they feel that they arn't being heard. We will have an interview with members of this group in the near future, and hopefully the terminal as well.

We have an update from Joan Hnderson from the equality project, she says; Hi Gareth, We are looking for people who especially need groceries or meals to make ends meet or because they are unable to actually cook for themselves. We have received word from “Food Rescue” saying we will be receiving an order of food to reach out to people in need. We hope many who need help with extra food will be able to come to The Equality Project to pick up their food, but if you know about “shut-ins, disabled people, or people without transportation please call us at 250-457-6485. We can try to get food brought to them. We may be looking for extra drivers. We understand that we’ll be receiving a regular weekly or monthly order depending on what they receive. We expect to get our first order this next week. We continue to seek to serve people.

As thousands of children head back to classes this week, Canada’s public health officials are keeping a close eye on signs of a “resurgence” of the Coronavirus in communities. A key signal will be the “R number,” or reproduction number, which is a way of rating a disease’s ability to spread. From a public health perspective, it can help identify whether or not that spread is manageable. Nationally, that number is now “hovering above one,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, at a news conference Tuesday. “That’s not a good sign,” she noted. “We do not want that to happen. So that needs to be monitored very carefully.” Canada’s daily case numbers have increased recently. According to Tam, the average daily number of people testing positive over the last week has increased 25 per cent over the previous week. Some provinces have it worse than others. British Columbia has seen a spike in cases, months after seeing daily counts drop to single digits. Ontario and Quebec are also seeing a rise in daily reported cases. The tallies come on the heels of back to school for many provinces. Tam and deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said the R number needs to be kept “below one for a long period of time” to avoid a “rapid resurgence.”