> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.upperfraservalley.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Upper Fraser Valley News Roundup - URL: https://www.upperfraservalley.news/upper-fraser-valley-news-roundup-17/ - Published: 2026-10-18T17:33:57.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-18T17:33:57.000Z - Description: We lead with Jason Lum's election victory, followed by the Chilliwack council results, the missing teenager investigation, Harrison's election results, and the Boston Bar television referendum. - Author: Editorial Team - Tags: Chilliwack, Jason Lum, Chris Kloot, Katie Bartel, Agassiz, Fred Talen, Harrison Hot Springs, Fraser Valley Regional District ## **Today's Leading Stories** **Municipal election results are in across the Upper Fraser Valley.** Jason Lum has won a decisive victory in Chilliwack, receiving more than 82% of valid mayoral votes. In Harrison Hot Springs, incumbent Mayor Fred Talen has secured another term, while Kent voters have returned three incumbent councillors and elected one newcomer. In the Fraser Canyon, residents of Boston Bar and North Bend have narrowly voted against eliminating their local television service. **The most urgent developing story is a police search for a missing 13-year-old girl in Chilliwack.** RCMP issued a public appeal late Saturday evening. Today's edition contains **14 significant local developments**, with election results taking priority. Most were reported or released October 17–18. Election figures remain preliminary until officially declared by local election officials. ## **CHILLIWACK & ROSEDALE** ### **BREAKING: Chilliwack RCMP seek missing 13-year-old girl** Chilliwack RCMP are asking for public assistance locating 13-year-old Adalynn Miller, who was last seen in the Chilliwack area on Saturday, October 17\. Police say her disappearance is out of character and that family members are concerned for her well-being. Adalynn is described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing green, white and red pyjama pants, a black T-shirt and black DC skater shoes. No subsequent confirmation that she has been located was found during this morning's research. Anyone with information should contact Chilliwack RCMP at **604-792-4611**, referencing file **26-46631**. ### **Jason Lum wins Chilliwack mayoral election in landslide** Four-term councillor Jason Lum has won Chilliwack's mayoral election, receiving **15,525 votes, or 82.3% of valid mayoral votes**, according to the City's complete unofficial count. His closest challenger, Martina Rosini, received 2,198 votes, followed by Gary Raddysh with 872 and Farooque Syed with 262. Lum succeeds retiring Mayor Ken Popove, who endorsed his candidacy earlier this year. **Why it matters:** The decisive result gives Lum a strong electoral mandate as Chilliwack faces major decisions on housing development, municipal taxation, transportation infrastructure, and public safety. The results are unofficial pending formal declaration. ### **Chilliwack elects six councillors; Chris Kloot leads the field** Incumbent Councillor Chris Kloot topped Chilliwack's council election with **11,675 votes**, followed by fellow incumbent Nicole Huitema-Read with 10,513. The six successful candidates in the preliminary count are: | Candidate | Votes | | ------------------- | ------ | | Chris Kloot | 11,675 | | Nicole Huitema-Read | 10,513 | | Trevor McDonald | 8,223 | | Steve Czeck | 6,583 | | Kevin Baarda | 6,437 | | Sue Attrill-Knott | 6,385 | Former Chamber CEO Leanna Kemp narrowly missed election, finishing seventh with 6,237 votes—just **148 votes behind the final council position**. The new council combines experienced municipal representatives with newcomers and a returning former councillor. The relatively close contest for the final seat is worth monitoring until official results are declared. ### **Katie Bartel leads Chilliwack school board election** Katie Bartel received the most votes in Chilliwack's school trustee election, finishing with **9,359 votes**. The seven candidates leading in the complete unofficial count are Katie Bartel, David Swankey, Margaret Reid, Leah Kelley, Michael Carter, Willow Reichelt and Cary Moore. The result returns several experienced trustees while introducing new voices to the seven-member board. School trustees will oversee decisions affecting classroom resources, educational priorities, capital projects and student services as Chilliwack continues to grow. ### **Darcy Bauer and David Renwick lead Chilliwack's Cultus Lake Park Board vote** Chilliwack voters have selected incumbent Darcy Bauer and former commissioner David Renwick to represent the city on the Cultus Lake Park Board, according to the complete unofficial count. Bauer received **7,325 votes**, Renwick received 6,568, and third-place candidate Steve Marks received 4,798. The Park Board manages an important recreational and tourism destination. Decisions involving infrastructure, park operations, leases and public access directly affect Cultus Lake residents and the broader Chilliwack community. These results cover the two commissioner positions elected by Chilliwack voters, not the three positions elected separately by Cultus Lake Park electors. ### **Nearly 20,000 ballots cast in Chilliwack municipal election** The City of Chilliwack reports **19,692 ballots cast** in Saturday's municipal election, with all 19 voting machines and eight polling stations reporting. Based on CivicInfo BC's estimate of 75,749 eligible voters, that represents approximately **26% participation**. Although the mayoral result was decisive, the turnout means approximately three-quarters of estimated eligible voters did not participate. The City has also published individual polling-station results, including voting at Rosedale Traditional Community School, allowing residents to examine geographic voting patterns. ### **Provincial advance voting begins with thousands participating in Chilliwack** While municipal election results were being counted, Elections BC reported that thousands of residents had already participated in advance voting for the October 24 provincial election. On Friday, October 16, **1,242 voters cast ballots in Chilliwack-Cultus Lake**, while another **1,048 voted in Chilliwack North**. Participation was lower in Fraser-Nicola, which includes Hope, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs and several Fraser Canyon communities. That riding recorded 498 advance ballots on the first day. The provincial election will determine representation on major regional issues, including healthcare, transportation, education and housing. ## **AGASSIZ & DISTRICT OF KENT** ### **Kent voters elect newcomer Jed Koning alongside three incumbents** District of Kent voters have elected Jed Koning to council alongside returning councillors Kerstin Schwichtenberg, Duane Post and Stan Watchorn. The preliminary results show: | Candidate | Votes | Result | | ---------------------- | ----- | ----------- | | Kerstin Schwichtenberg | 742 | Elected | | Duane Post | 711 | Elected | | Stan Watchorn | 685 | Elected | | Jed Koning | 648 | Elected | | Desi Naidoo | 205 | Not elected | Susan Spaeti was previously elected mayor by acclamation. The results preserve considerable council experience while introducing a new representative. Kent's next council will oversee agricultural land-use decisions, housing, municipal finances and regional infrastructure. ### **Kent expands recreation benefits to qualifying commercial businesses** District of Kent council has unanimously approved expanding its Kent Resident Program to recognize qualifying commercial businesses contributing to the Lets'emó:t Regional Recreation & Aquatic Centre through property taxation. The expansion will allow eligible business owners, employees and members of their households to access program benefits regardless of their personal residency. The decision recognizes the contribution of local businesses to recreational infrastructure and could improve access to facilities for employees working in Agassiz. It is also a relatively unusual example of a municipality connecting commercial tax contributions with community recreation benefits. ## **HARRISON HOT SPRINGS** ### **Fred Talen wins another term as Harrison Hot Springs mayor** Incumbent Mayor Fred Talen has secured another term following Saturday's three-way mayoral election. The Village's preliminary results show Talen receiving **602 votes**, compared with 198 for Cassandra Manley and 128 for former mayor Ed Wood. Talen received approximately **65% of valid mayoral votes**, providing a clear victory in a community that has experienced considerable political debate in recent years. The result provides continuity in Harrison's municipal leadership as the Village addresses tourism, infrastructure, development and long-term financial planning. ### **Harrison elects four councillors; Susan Galvao tops the vote** Harrison Hot Springs voters have selected Susan Galvao, Michael Warn, Stewart Pritchard and Landry Winkles for the Village's four council positions, according to the preliminary election count. Galvao led with **612 votes**, followed by Warn with 369, Pritchard with 349 and Winkles with 345. Incumbent councillors Michie Vidal and Leo Facio finished outside the four available positions. The election brings significant changes to Harrison's council membership. The new council will need to establish working relationships while addressing the Village's infrastructure, tourism and development priorities. These figures come from an election-results aggregator reporting all voting locations counted. Formal municipal confirmation remains the authoritative final record. ## **HOPE** ### **Five incumbents and one newcomer lead Hope council election** Preliminary reporting indicates that five incumbent councillors have retained their seats in Hope, with newcomer Micheal Bowcott taking the sixth position. The reported successful candidates are Scott Medlock, Dusty Smith, Pauline Newbigging, Bonny Graham, Heather Stewin and Micheal Bowcott. Medlock reportedly led with **902 votes**, followed by Dusty Smith with 830 and Pauline Newbigging with 800. The results suggest substantial continuity in Hope's municipal leadership, with one new voice joining council. Incumbent Mayor Victor Smith was previously elected by acclamation. These figures were reported October 18 by a secondary news outlet citing Hope's chief election officer. I could not independently confirm the detailed totals on the District's official election webpage during this morning's research, so they should be treated as provisional. ## **FRASER CANYON & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT** ### **Boston Bar and North Bend vote to preserve local television service** **One of the closest and most consequential local decisions Saturday came from Boston Bar and North Bend.** Residents voting in the television-service referendum narrowly rejected a proposal to discontinue the regional service. The preliminary results released by the Fraser Valley Regional District show: | Referendum choice | Votes | | --------------------- | ----- | | YES — End the service | 102 | | NO — Keep the service | 117 | The proposal was defeated by **15 votes**, with approximately 53.4% voting against discontinuation. For residents of geographically isolated Fraser Canyon communities, the referendum concerns the future of a locally provided communications service. The result means the proposal to repeal the service was not approved by voters. Results remain preliminary until formally declared. ### **Fraser Valley Regional District announces four elected area directors** The Fraser Valley Regional District has released preliminary results for its contested electoral-area director positions. The successful candidates are Attila Banhegyi in Electoral Area A, Dennis Adamson in Area B, Hugh Davidson in Area F and Cory Cassel in Area G. The results affect regional representation across communities outside municipal boundaries, including parts of the Fraser Canyon and rural Upper Fraser Valley. Regional directors make decisions involving rural infrastructure, land use, emergency management, recreation and community services. Official declarations are expected during the week of October 19. ## **DEVELOPING STORIES** **Missing Chilliwack teenager:** The RCMP search for Adalynn Miller is the most urgent public-safety story. Any verified announcement that she has been located should immediately supersede the original missing-person notice. **Official election declarations:** Municipalities and regional districts are expected to formally declare results over the next several days. Close races, particularly Chilliwack's final council position, deserve careful follow-up. **New municipal leadership:** Chilliwack, Kent, Harrison Hot Springs and Hope will begin transitioning to their next councils. The first organizational meetings will provide early indications of priorities and committee appointments. **Provincial election:** Advance voting continues ahead of Saturday, October 24\. Chilliwack North, Chilliwack-Cultus Lake, and Fraser-Nicola are the principal ridings that affect the coverage area. **Regional infrastructure:** The Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge rehabilitation, Chilliwack's downtown Main Street reconstruction and Hope's transportation improvements remain important continuing projects. No substantial new construction milestone was confirmed in today's searches.