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Vol. 89 Issue 15 • Wednesday, APRIL 11, 2012 • www.arrowlakesnews.com • 250-265-3823 • $1.25 Includes HST
Burton Elementary School faces closure By Claire Paradis Arrow Lakes News
New Superintendent/Secretary-Treasurer Denise Perry takes up the reins in June, but until then Walter Posnikoff continues in the position for School District 10. Unfortunately, Posnikoff’s time is ending on a low note, with the news that the Burton Elementary School is heading toward closure this year. “This is really hard,” said School Board chair Pattie Adams, during the discussion about the dwindling numbers in the Burton school. Posnikoff’s report to the Board indicated that three families with six children will be moving away. For a school with ten kids in it, the loss of six is dire. Enrolment at the school has between 75 and 80 students in decades past, but the last
few years have seen a steady and dramatic decline in the numbers. “It’s due to a lack of work in the area,” said Posnikoff. “They love the area but they can’t stay.” Two other families are also considering moving, leaving one parent who is committed to having their child remain at Burton Elementary. “The community is completely aware of what’s going on,” said Posnikoff, “It’s sad, but it’s a reality.” Director Quinn Decourcy agreed, and said it would be best to start the school closure process to give the community as much notice as possible. Passing the motion to start the closure process, the Board set the community meeting to discuss it at April 17 at 7 p.m. at the Burton Elementary School.
Burton Elementary may be losing over half of its student population due to three families moving away for work. CLAIRE PARADIS/ARROW LAKES NEWS
Two Cherryville men arrested in connection with homicide
Insp. Brendan Fitzpatrick announces arrests in the death of Armstrong teenager Taylor Van Diest Thursday afternoon at Armstrong City Hall. Van Diest was killed Halloween night walking to meet some friends in Armstrong. LISA VANDERVELD/MORNING STAR
By Marie Roger Knox Van Diest believes her family can
Press fiBlack nally direct its anger at a face. The mother of murdered Armstrong teenager Taylor Van Diest was reacting to news that RCMP had arrested not one, but two individuals in connection with the death of her daughter Halloween night, and that a photo of the man suspected of killing her daughter was being released by police. “Today is a day with mixed emotions,” said Marie Van Diest, accompanied by Taylor’s twin sister, Kirstie, and her brother, Paul Albert, after RCMP announced the arrests before a crowd of media, family, friends and politicians, crammed shoulder-to-shoulder, four rows deep, at Armstrong council chambers Thursday afternoon. Insp. Brendan Fitzpatrick, operations of-
ficer for B.C. RCMP’s major crime section, told the gallery that two individuals were arrested in connection with the homicide of Taylor Van Diest, 18, Oct. 31, 2011 in Armstrong. Van Diest, who had dressed up in a zombie costume, was found brutally injured near the railway tracks by Rosedale Avenue by family and friends after she failed to meet friends for some Halloween night festivities. She died later that night in Kelowna General Hospital. Fitzpatrick announced that Matthew Stephen Foerster, 26, a former resident of Cherryville, is facing a charge of second degree murder in connection with the death of Van Diest. Fitzpatrick said Foerster was arrested
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shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday at a motel in Collingwood, Ont. without incident. Foerster’s father, Stephen Roy Foerster, 58, of Cherryville, has been charged with obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact to murder in connection with Van Diest’s death. He was arrested Wednesday afternoon at 2:20 p.m. at his residence. Both men remain in custody. Matthew Foerster will be brought back to B.C. to face charges. “While arrests have been made, the investigation is ongoing,” said Fitzpatrick, who credited the “tireless and dedicated efforts of the RCMP officers, laboratory scientists, analysts, behavioural profilers support staff and other police agencies” in helping to make an arrest. Police received more than 1,250 tips which Fitzpatrick said generated a significant amount of information. “Much work and investigation remains to be done,” he said. “We are extending our request for the assistance from the public and the media today in uncovering more information.” Investigators are trying to establish a detailed timeline of Matthew Foerster’s activities on the day and night of Oct. 31, 2011, and have released photos of the suspect. “We’d like to hear from anyone who has not already spoken to investigators about any contact they had with him on Halloween
night,” said Fitzpatrick. People are asked to call the dedicated tip line at 1-888-688-4264 if they have any information. The Van Diest family praised the work of the RCMP. “We express a heartfelt thank you and gratitude to the RCMP and the whole team of investigators for their perseverance and dogged determination,” said Marie Van Diest. Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper said Thursday was a special day for the Van Diest family, the community and society in general. “Five months and five days ago, we woke up to hear about the terrible tragedy in our community,” said Pieper. “Today, we take another step in the long stairway to justice.” Police, during its investigation, released a composite drawing of a suspect in connection with a sexual assault of a Kelowna woman in 2005, stating DNA from that case was found in the Van Diest investigation. One person took responsibility for Van Diest’s death in an anonymous letter to RCMP, but Fitzpatrick did not say who wrote the letter, only that it remains part of the investigation. Fitzpatrick said as matters are now before the court, he would not go into specifics on how Foerster was arrested, how he came to be in Ontario or what led RCMP directly to him.
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