FRIDAY JULY 6, 2012
www.pqbnews.com
BUNNIES ARE HERE TO STAY
HELPING HANDS
Not much anyone can do about the surging rabbit population
Grandmothers to Grandmothers aid grandparents in Africa
A15
A5
Not good enough Residents’ group throws up its hands over info request in Qualicum Beach NEIL HORNER
news@pqbnews.com
Despite an apology from town staff, the Qualicum Beach Residents Association is throwing up its hands in its attempts to find out about the process used to come up with changes to the town’s official community plan. Janet Raines of the QBRA said action on a freedom of information request to the town was not only slow, but when the documents finally arrived, they were less than complete. Although a request was made on March 20 under the Freedom of Information Act, Raines said the town didn’t give We provided additional information to give them them any docmore background. uments until MARK BROWN June 11 and withheld 132 pages of documents. “Our board has two concerns about the outcome of this long process,” she said. “First and foremost, we are very disappointed that residents of our town were required to go to these lengths to access information about the deliberations of our elected officials. “Second, we are alarmed that town officials should withhold such a large portion of the requested information.” See RESIDENTS, page A15
Unmatched Performance
AUREN RUVINSKY PHOTO
Janet Ovington and Rick Barber are encouraging people across the region to sign up as organ donors.
Donating the gift of life Parksville pair show the true nature of real friendship with gift AUREN RUVINSKY writer@pqbnews.com
In December it turned out she may not have been on the Janet Ovington spent six years slowly getting sicker right list the whole time and a specialist told her it could be as she languished on the kidney transplant list, or so she another six years before she made it to the top of the list. thought. Many people die before they make it to the top of that “I had hallucinations, I was itchy, list, including 82 in 2010. Add your COMMENTS at couldn’t breath, I got the worst headThat’s when her best friend Rick Barwww.pqbnews.com aches ever and I was throwing up all ber stepped in and put his name on the the time. When puking becomes norliving donor list, bumping Ovington up mal you know things aren’t right,” she said of her condition the list and helping two strangers along the way. just a few months ago. See KIDNEY, page A7
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