The Chilliwack
Progress Tuesday
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A local lemonade stand creates a stir.
River projects get closer look.
Local nurse returns to Africa Mercy Ships.
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City eyes special zone for medical grow-ops
■ S HOWING S OME M USSELL
Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Medical marijuana growing in Chilliwack might be restricted to a special industrial zone by next spring. Proposed changes would mean that medical grow-ops could only operate legally within the M6 zone — to the exclusion of all other zones in Chilliwack. The idea by city officials was to be “proactive,” said Coun. Chuck Stam, in the face of changes coming to the medical pot rules. “It will give some certainty for those interested in getting involved, as well as for those already on edge about the idea,” he said. The zoning changes in Chilliwack would also mean that medical grow-ops could not be located on agricultural lands. “That would be out of the question if the amendment passes, and council endorses it,” said Stam. Zoning changes are going to public hearing on Aug. 20 in Chilliwack. Asked what other municipalities are doing to prepare for the shift in the rules, he said: “It’s all over the map. Some are ignoring it because they don’t think it will be a factor for them.” But Chilliwack has already had ample experience, and a range of public-safety concerns with medicinal grows, he said. “Every municipality has their own reasoning and experiences around this,” he said. Some have little to no experience with medical pot operations, whereas Chilliwack has busted several. The discussions have gone full circle at the council level, Stam said, having looked at everything Continued: GROW/ p5
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Chilliwack’s Kaila Mussell rides Insomnia in the saddle bronc event during the Chilliwack Rodeo at the 141st annual Chilliwack Fair at Heritage Park on Sunday. Mussell is the only professional female saddle bronc rider in North America. Go online to www.theprogress. com/community see more photos of the fair. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Measles scare prompts vaccination warning Fraser Health’s chief medical health officer is warning about the rise in measles cases in the eastern Fraser Valley. Dr. Paul Van Buynder said the most recent case involves up to 60 women and newborns in a postnatal unit at Abbotsford Regional Hospital being exposed to the virus by a visitor who was in the early infectious stage at the time. Public health staff are contacting the affected families directly to offer immunoglobulin to reduce the chance of the infection devel-
oping. “The exposure of newborn children to this virus is a very concerning situation. They are too young to respond to the vaccine and some will not have received protection in utero from their mothers,” Buynder said. He said this comes after a recent death of a child from pertussis, another vaccine-preventable disease. “It is a timely reminder that not vaccinating children can have consequences for other vulnerable
infants.” Buynder said he encourages everyone who has not yet been vaccinated against measles to contact their doctor or health provider to receive the free vaccine. Communities that could be impacted include Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs and Hope. Buynder said relatively low immunization rates in some parts of Fraser East have led to several clusters of the virus in previous years; the most recent being in April 2010
shortly after the Olympic Games. In June of this year, health officials issued a similar warning for Metro Vancouver. He said the most effective protection against the virus is two doses of the vaccine, which is free to all those born after 1957. If residents suspect they have been exposed or have developed symptoms, they should see their doctor and notify the office before arriving in order to prevent the spread of the disease to others at the clinic, he added.
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