TIME TO VOTE | Greater Vernon residents cast ballots in sports complex referendum Saturday [A6]
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Friday, April 5, 2013
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Lawyer handed jail time
Vehicle DestroyeD
ROGER KNOX Morning Star Staff
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Coldstream firefighters pour water on to a vehicle that caught fire on Highway 6, near Hillview Golf Course, Thursday at about 10 a.m. Traffic was disrupted while emergency services were on scene. The female driver of the van was shaken up but uninjured in the incident.
Kal Tire drives off with arena name RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
An international corporation with deep local roots is expanding its community presence. As of June 1, Wesbild Centre on 43rd Avenue will have a new name — Kal Tire Place. “It’s all about the community,” said Tracy Cobb, communications director for Tracy Cobb Canada’s largest independent tire dealer, which operates in a total of 19 countries. “Vernon has been Kal Tire’s hometown for 60 years and we want to celebrate our hometown.”
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As part of the naming rights, Kal Tire will pay $40,000 annually, over four years, to the Regional District of North Okanagan. “They are a great local business and they have shown interest in recreation,” said Tannis Nelson, RDNO’s community development co-ordinator. Just as occurred with Wesbild Holdings in 2008, Kal Tire has been given a $15,000 reduction in the first-year payment to help with the costs of signs for the building. Wesbild Holdings had the option to renew its naming rights contract but it had earlier expressed some reservations about the extent of events occurring at the facility. According to Nelson, the goal of the regional district is to provide an array of recreational opportunities.
“We’re constantly working with promoters,” she said, adding that RDNO had a positive relationship with Wesbild Holdings. “We want to celebrate the partnership with Wesbild. That kind of community support is invaluable.” The soon-to-be called Kal Tire Place has an NHL-sized ice surface with more than 3,000 seats. It also provides a year-round indoor walking area and regularly hosts trade shows and other events. The parking lot is home to the Vernon Farmers Market. “We’re happy to support a facility for active families that encourages sport and healthy lifestyles,” said Robert Foord, Kal Tire president. The agreement includes an option for Kal Tire to renew after four years. “Anything beyond that will be assessed at a future date,” said Cobb.
A Vernon lawyer will spend a year in jail for participating in the activities of a criminal organization. William Mastop, 46, was sentenced by justice Mark McEwan Thursday in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver for activities connected to a notorious North Okanagan gang called The Greeks by RCMP. Mastop pleaded guilty to the charge in December. Crown counsel David Jardine had been seeking a sentence of two-and-a-half-to-three-years in jail, while Mastop’s lawyer, David Crossin, was seeking house arrest in the range of 10-to18-months. “The judge did a thorough, lucid analysis of the issues and came to a different conclusion than the sentence we were seeking,” said Jardine. “We’ll review the decision and see if there’s any merit to an appeal, but I commend the judge for his thorough analysis of this case.” Crown contended in its submissions that Mastop gave search warrant information to members of The Greeks who, in turn, used the information to begin to identify police informants. Crown also stated that Mastop took gang members to a shooting range, and played 75 telephone conversations between the lawyer and gang members. “To quote the judge, Mastop was used as a tool by the gang to get information about some of their gang members in custody,” said Jardine. Crossin was unavailable for comment. The Law Society of B.C. issued a statement late Thursday, saying Mastop is not currently permitted to practice law and his matter remains under investigation. Once the investigation is complete, Mastop’s matter will be sent to the society’s discipline committee who will then decide whether disciplinary proceedings should be taken and, if so, what form they will take. Disciplinary action can range from reprimand to disbarment. Mastop is believed to be the first lawyer in Canada charged, and the first to plead guilty, in connection with participating in organized crime activities.
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