THE WEDNESDAY
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
TRI-CITY NEWS CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
Got a gift to trade in?
Beagle struggles
SEE ARTS, PAGE 23
SEE SPORTS, PAGE 27
JAN. 16, 2013 www.tricitynews.com
INSIDE
Tom Fletcher/10 Letters/11 A Good Read/15 Sign Me Up/21
2 months, 3 calls to ERASE in Tri-Cities 2 of anti-bullying contacts from SD43 parents By Diane Strandberg THE TRI-CITY NEWS
JANIS WARREN/THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Eighty-one-year-old Gil Yarrow, on his 1960 BSA A10 Super Rocket, has travelled all over North America on two wheels in a lifelong love affair with motorcycles that began in his native England. For more on the great grandfather with a penchant for British bikes, see article on page 13.
Flu a health hazard, so masks on Careful when you visit Fraser Health care facilities
Anyone who hasn’t received a flu shot will now be required to wear a mask when visiting residential care or assisted
living facilities within the Fraser Health Authority. Fraser Health’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Paul Van Buynder, made the announcement yesterday after declaring the level of influenza virus circulating in Fraser Health communi-
ties constitutes a health hazard under the Public Health Act. So far this year, 19 long-term care facilities have reported influenza outbreaks, more than twice as many as were reported in each of the past two years.
Influenza-related visits to emergency departments are also at the highest level seen in years. Effective immediately, staff, volunteers and visitors who have not had a flu shot will have to wear a mask and practice stringent hand hygiene
during their time at the facility. Fraser Health is also reminding visitors to avoid going to care facilities if they’re feeling unwell. Visit www.fraserhealth.ca for more information.
Three anonymous complaints of bullying have been made to School District 43 since the province launched its ERASE online reporting tool two months ago, including one about possible cyberbullying on Facebook. All were investigated with results sent to ERASE authorities, according to Julie Pearce, SD43’s assistant superintendent and safe school co-ordinator, and while she can’t reveal details because of privacy regulations, she noted two were made by parents and one was made by a student. Pearce said the complaints, all made in December, were handled promptly and appropriately by the schools in much the same way they would have been if
DIGITAL REGS
New policy about digital devices at SD43 schools: page 5 reported directly to the school. But she said she believes the anonymity of the reporting tool on the ERASE (Expect Respect, and a Safe Education) website made it easier for the individuals to make their complaints. “It’s a place where people can feel comfortable,” Pearce said, noting as well that ERASE will be providing three days of training to SD43 staff in mid-February. Topics will include threat assessment as well as bullying, and will be for administrators and counsellors. ERASE was launched in November by the province to encourage students to report bullying online or using a smartphone. see TRAINING, page 5
Port Moody Police has had a busy past week, including... ■ a man with a hammer who
could have been shot or tasered; ■ a woman with a shotgun; ■ a shoplifter using a stroller; ■ and 100 lb. of frozen meat. See stories on page 12