PUBLIC ALERT| RCMP urge residents to be vigilant after a rash of thefts from vehicles [A7]
Morning gStar
We’ll get you home!
The
Friday, Oct. 12, 2012
P R O U D L Y
Whistler wins Ironman
S E R V I N G
O U R
N O R T H
www.peterstire.com 4612 - 27 St, Vernon 250-545-0634
w w w. v e r n o n m o r n i n g s t a r. c o m
O K A N A G A N
C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
O V E R
2 0
Y E A R S
Foerster denied bail
BOUNTIFUL HARVEST
KATHY MICHAELS Black Press
Black Press
World Triathlon Corporation officially announced Whistler as the new venue of the Ironman Canada triathlon on Thursday afternoon. There was some initial confusion from Tourism Whistler, who appeared to have jumped the gun on the announcement and posted it on their webpage before the official announcement. That was taken down, shortly after it was posted Thursday afternoon, which was followed by the official announcement from WTC. The event is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013. “Whistler is recognized worldwide as a sought-after travel and outdoor recreation destination. As the new host community of Ironman Canada, Whistler will immediately earn a reputation as a triathlon destination,”said Steve Meckfessel, managing director of Global Race Operations for WTC. “With its accessibility to major west coast markets, stunning beauty and tourism infrastructure, Whistler will resonate with our athletes, their families and fans of Ironman.” Ironman Canada will be a P-1000 race with a $25,000 USD professional prize purse.
PETERS TIRECRAFT
LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
Bev Wiens of Stepney Hills Farm sorts through her stock of squash at the Coldstream Winter Farmers Market Wednesday at the Coldstream Women’s Institute Hall. The market is running every Wednesday until Dec. 19, and Jan. 9 to April 10 from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The accused killer of an Armstrong teenager will be tried in Kelowna and will remain in custody until his trial starts. Matthew Stephen Foerster, 26, who is charged with Taylor Van Diest’s Oct. 31, 2011 murder, appeared in Kelowna Supreme Court Thursday where, late in the afternoon, Judge Alison Beames announced the decision to hold his trial in Kelowna, despite a change of venue application from Foerster’s Vancouver-based lawyer, Don Morrison. Morrison argued that the trial should be moved to Vancouver because Crown’s options of Kelowna or Kamloops didn’t offer a large enough population for an unbiased jury. Crown countered by explaining the Van Diest murder was covered by both provincial and national news organizations. The Cherryville suspect was also denied bail. Both pieces of news brought tears of relief, smiles and hugs to Van Diest’s family, who attended the court proceedings. “I’m satisfied with the judge’s decision,” said Marie Van Diest, Taylor’s mother. “I was hoping and praying it would go this way. I’m walking out of court with a smile on my face today.” No date has been fixed for a trial, which is expected to last six weeks. Foerster, of Cherryville, was arrested in Collingwood, Ont. five months after the death of Van Diest. He is facing charges from two other incidents from more than five years ago. Foerster is accused of attacking a sex-trade worker in Kelowna in April 2005. From that he faces charges of sexual assault with a weapon and confinement. He’s also charged in connection with a home invasion in Cherryville in late 2004. Foerster elected jury-free trials in both matters.
Strong message sent over Falkland boundary RICHARD ROLKE
Columbia-Shuswap Regional District director, who spoke to the commission in Kelowna Officials wanting to boot Wednesday. Falkland from its current riding Talbot points out that all ecohave been told to back off. nomic, social and political links The Federal Electoral Boundaries are with Vernon, Armstrong and Commission has received numerous Salmon Arm. submissions opposed to possibly “We work there, play there and shifting Falkland from Okanaganlive there.” Shuswap to a new constituency A major concern is a new ridthat includes downtown Kelowna, ing could make it challenging for Summerland, Merritt, Logan Lake Falkland residents to meet with Rene Talbot and Princeton. their elected representative. “We have no ties to the “There’s no sense to being in a other areas,” said Rene Talbot, Falkland’s riding where the MP is on the other side of Morning Star Staff
VERNON TOYOTA
the mountain,” said Talbot. Also speaking to the boundaries commission Wednesday was Roy Derrick, with the Okanagan-Shuswap Liberal Association. “Forcing Falkland residents into the Central Okanagan-Coquihalla riding would dilute the power of their votes by extracting them from their community of interest with Greater Vernon and submerging them under the weight of tens of thousands of other voters with whom they have no transportation links or other significant ties,” said Derrick. A presentation was also made by the Falkland Community Association while the Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative
Association has made a written submission to the commission. Al Schalm, with the Conservative association, doesn’t believe it makes sense to split communities in the Salmon River Valley between ridings. “All people in the valley have a common interest,” he said. Falkland residents rallied against the boundary proposal Tuesday and a petition has been launched. Talbot will ask the CSRD board to join the fight Oct. 18. “You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who would support it,” said Talbot. “We will keep putting pressure on them.”
2012’S GOING FAST....
HUGE INCENTIVES DL# 30382
3401 - 48th Ave • Phone (250) 545-0687 VISIT US 24/7 AT WWW.VERNONTOYOTA.COM
FROM
$
8,000
*
FINANCE OR LEASE
ALSO RATES FROM %*
SEE OUR PRE-OWNED AD ON PAGE A-15
0
*See dealer for full details