UP ON THE ROOF | Save On Foods manager goes to new heights to raise support for food bank [A6]
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Friday, Sept. 28, 2012
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Public tips sought after body found ROGER KNOX Morning Star Staff
Vernon RCMP are asking the public for help as they investigate the discovery of a man’s body near Polson Park. Police were called to the Polson Park fountain, near the intersection of 25th Avenue and 32nd Street, by ambulance personnel at 9:40 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a “man down.” “When police arrived, it was discovered that emergency health services had found the middle-aged man deceased,” said Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk Thursday morning. “The man’s body was found near the fountain, but not in the fountain.” The man has been identified as a 47-yearold Vernon man that officers have had contact with over the past several months. Police officers have not ruled out foul play at this time and the serious crime unit has been called in to assist in the investigation. “No immediate cause of death is obvious at this time and police are working with the coroners service to have an autopsy conducted as soon as possible,” said Molendyk. “Several family members have been contacted by police, and several witnesses have come forward to speak to police.” Anyone with any information on the death, or who may have seen the man lying near the park bench Wednesday evening, is LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR asked to call the Vernon RCMP detachment Police block off a section of Vernon’s Polson Park after a body was discovered near the fountain on 32nd Street Wednesday night. at 250-545-7171.
Local politicians join the call to decriminalize pot RICHARD ROLKE
ing gangs. “It takes away dollars from the people Marijuana laws will go up in smoke if doing other illegal activities,” he said. B.C.’s civic leaders have their way. “Let’s use the money to fight Delegates at the Union of B.C. real crime. Figures show that Municipalities convention in Victoria one-quarter of people in B.C. are voted Wednesday to lobby the fedusing marijuana recreationally eral government to decriminalize so if that many people are using marijuana. it, maybe the law has to change.” “We want to put control in the Acton hopes the federal govhands of regulators,” said Kevin ernment will consider the proActon, Lumby mayor, who raised his posal from mayors and councilChris Pieper hand in favour of the resolution. lors. “By being illegal, we keep activi“You’d think with this many ties underground.” local governments involved, this Acton is convinced decriminalizing mari- would carry some weight,” he said. juana will assist police by negatively impactAlso voting for the resolution was Chris Morning Star Staff
VERNON TOYOTA
Pieper, Armstrong mayor. “It provides an opportunity to get into a conversations on how we do this,” said Pieper. “We’re trying to rationalize how we deal with this serious problem.” Vernon Mayor Rob Sawatzky wasn’t at Wednesday’s vote but he backs decriminalization. “It’s nice to see evidence and rationality applied to public policy,” he said. Sawatzky believes it’s reasonable for municipalities to apply pressure on Ottawa. “We’re responsible for crime and policing and this results from federal policy,” he said. A strong push for decriminalization has also come from Enderby.
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“If we can reduce crime, it’s worth looking at,” said Coun. Brad Case. The resolution approved by UBCM delegates was brought forward by the District of Metchosin. “For too long, our communities have borne the brunt of the harmful consequences of cannabis prohibition, from increased gang violence on our streets to enormous costs of enforcing a thoroughly discredited policy,” said John Ranns, Metchosin’s mayor. “This vote result signals that it is time for our senior levels of government to listen to what the public and now our municipal leaders are saying: cannabis prohibition has been a failure.”
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