Tuesday April 17, 2012 (Vol. 37 No. 31))
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
S U R R E Y
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Rewrites of passage: For the second year in a row, the B.C. & Yukon n Community Newspapers Association has presented Peace Arch News with its top prize at the Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards gala held in Richmond last weekend. see page A22
Last Nite surpasses goal
Warren released on bail
Strict conditions for accused driver
Dream comes true
Kevin Diakiw Black Press Reporter
Sarah Massah Staff Reporter
After six years of bringing the Semiahmoo Peninsula together to battle breast cancer and raise awareness about the deadly disease, Nite of Hope has gone on an indefinite hiatus. The April 12 gala was a “dream come true” for organizers, said committee chair Debi Rumley. The event, which raised more than $300,000 that night with help from community partners, exceeded its $1-million goal. “It was huge, we were up to $950,000 going into the event, so we knew we were going to surpass our goal,” the breast cancer survivor said. “After seven years, we have raised $1.25 million.” In late March, Rumley and cochairs Tammy Ritchie and Lori Ishikawa announced they would be taking a break to focus on other areas of need in the community. Since 2006, the three women – with a tremendous amount of support from their committee and the community – have stressed the importance of early mammography and funded breast cancer research. see page A2
Blair Henderson photo
Nite of Hope founder Judi Miller shares the stage with Judy Caldwell and Debi Rumley.
Natasha Leigh Warren left the Surrey courthouse Thursday morning on bail and under strict conditions for her release. Warren, who now lives in Port Coquitlam, faces four charges related to the death of 22-year-old Kassandra Kaulius on May 3 last year. Kaulius, 22, died after her BMW was hit by a van at 64 Avenue and 152 Street. Police announced last Wednesday that Warren, 34, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death, causing an accident resulting in death and failure to stop at an accident causing bodily harm. Evan Seal photo Warren walked Natasha Warren leaves out of the courtcourt last Thursday. house cells Thursday and when asked for her reaction to the charges against her, she said “no comment.” She also declined to offer any comment to the Kaulius family, who has been pushing for stiffer drunk-driving penalties, including an automatic two-year driving suspension for someone arrested for impaired driving. Warren has been released on her own recognizance under the following conditions: keep the peace and be on good behaviour, do not possess or consume alcohol or non-prescription drugs and do not be in the driver’s seat of any motor vehicle. Court searches show Warren has had no other serious run-ins with police and no driving infractions. She has been released on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court again on May 18.
Pizza-delivery thieves threaten with bear spray Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Police investigating a series of pizza-delivery driver robberies in South Surrey have a slice of advice for business owners: if an order raises red flags, verify it before delivery. Since April 7, and as recently as Sunday night, two pizza-delivery drivers sent to the Rosemary Heights area have been threatened with bear spray and robbed of their cargo
after setting out to deliver large orders placed from private or blocked phone numbers. A third driver was targeted but able to flee the scene before the culprits closed in. Cpl. Barb Creighton said that in each case, the order was worth more than $100, residents at the stated addresses had not ordered pizza and the orders were not verified. “The red flags are going up… but they’re still making the delivery,” she said.
All three victims were delivering near 155 Street and 36 Avenue. Sunday’s incidents – in which a 22-year-old man was targeted at 9:30 p.m. and a 48-year-old woman was robbed 90 minutes later – involved three suspects. In the April 7 robbery, at around 10:15 p.m., there were two suspects. While a police dog team failed to locate suspects Sunday, hours later patrolling officers identified three teens with “very similar
descriptors” to those provided by the victims. Creighton said no arrests were made, but the trio are “definitely people of interest.” The assailants are described as Caucasian teenaged boys, aged 14 to 16 years old. One was wearing a red hoodie, and had a shaved head and brown eyes; another had chinlength hair and was wearing a white baseball cap. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 604-599-0502.
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