TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012
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GRAND UNVEILING
SYNCHRO SWIMMERS
Parksville chamber shows off its newest addition to Parksville
The Waterdancers kick up their heels in the pool
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Drug war is not working - Burger Parksville mayor joins colleagues from around the province AUREN RUVINSKY writer@pqbnewslcom
“The war on drugs isn’t effective,” said Parksville mayor Chris Burger in light of Vancouver Island municipal politician’s support for decriminalizing marijuana. “We had quite a debate and a fair majority voted to decriminalize it,” he reported after the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) conference April 13 to 15 in Uclulet. The resolution, proposed by Metchosin, states that “whereas marijuana prohibition is a failed policy which has cost millions of dollars in police, court, jail and social costs,” and decriminalization would provide tax revenue, the AVICC will “lobby the appropriate government to decriminalize marijuana and research the regulation and taxation of marijuana.” Burger said it was the taxation issue that really caught the attention of cash strapped municipalities who would rather regulate and make money off it than spend money policing it. The resolution was supported by 75 per cent of the 240 municipal delegates in attendance from across the Island and Sunshine Coast. See DRUG WAR, page A7
Salmon swim free Fish about to be released in Deep Bay
BRENDA GOUGH reporter@pqbnews.com
The salmon that have been hand fed by dedicated volunteers over the last five weeks are about to be released from their net pens at the Deep Bay Marina.
Every two hours during the day a group of Nile Creek Enhancement Society (NCES) volunteers have been feeding salmon that were hatched at the Nile Creek hatchery in Bowser. On Wednesday the fish will be released and the pink salmon will return in the fall.
See SALMON, page A7
Central Home Building Centre 1395 W. Island Highway, Parksville
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NEIL HORNER PHOTO
A LITTLE OFF THE TOP PLEASE: Sebastian Puts grins and bears it as stylist Cheryle Cook lops off his locks at the Dashwood fire hall Saturday to raise money for cancer. See page A4 for more.
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