Making waves
UVic scientists get free time on a high-tech ship. Page A3
NEWS: Saanich youth council seeks members /A5 ARTS: Chalk art on the sidewalk this weekend /A14 SPORTS: Mann Cup lacrosse continues tonight /A18
SAANICHNEWS Wednesday, September 11, 2013
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Vandalism won’t stop Reynolds’ environmental efforts Kyle Slavin News staff
The Reynolds secondary teacher that helps co-ordinate the school’s environmental initiatives says last week’s vandalism that saw 14 solar panels smashed won’t deter students from continuing on with ‘green’ projects. “We’re very saddened by the fact that someone would want to damage our solar panels … but we had an awesome start to the school year and the tone and culture is carrying on past that,” said leadership teacher Heather Coey. “The solar panels are a good education model of using alternative energy, and that’s something we want to continue promoting here. We know (this vandalism) is not going to damage our green initiatives and our tone and culture here at the school.” Fourteen solar panels and 15 windows were smashed at Reynolds last Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Saanich police say a vandal or vandals threw baseball-sized pieces of concrete taken from a nearby lumber yard through west-facing windows of the school. They then made their way onto the roof and damaged 14 solar panels. “It’s not uncommon for us to be investigating vandalism at schools,” said Sgt. Steve Eassie. “But solar panels are taking it a step above and beyond.” PlEASE SEE: Police hunting, Page A4
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Saanich police Sgt. Steve Eassie shows off a guided missile system launcher that was found discarded at the Hartland landfill last Wednesday (Sept. 4). Police say the one-time use weapon was just a “wartime souvenir” and was not operational. Kyle Slavin/News staff
What not to recycle Missile launcher found at Hartland landfill
The Capital Regional District has an online tool (myrecyclopedia.ca) that provides information on how to recycle unconventional items – but it has its limitations. If you want to dispose of a rocket launcher, for example, your search comes up empty. So Saanich police are telling the public that throwing a rocket launcher in a recycling bin at the landfill is not the way to get rid of military weaponry, after somebody did just that
last week. On Wednesday (Sept. 4) Hartland staff discovered the weapon in a bin at the dump. “Their concern was that it may be usable,” said Sgt. Steve Eassie. “At this point it is inert, it is no longer housing what was once a rocket inside the missile launcher.” Police surmise that the “Guided Missile System, Intercept,” which is roughly four feet long and weighs under 10 pounds, would have likely been used by the U.S. military from land to take down an aircraft in the 1960s or ‘70s. It was designed to be fired only once, according to police. “It would’ve been used and disposed of. It was likely retrieved (after being fired) and kept by someone as a souvenir,” Eassie said. It appears as if the weapon was modified
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to be hung on display, but it was no longer wanted and was discarded at the landfill. “They could’ve disposed of it in a more appropriate manner,” Eassie said. “Should someone have equipment such as this in a collection at home, including other weapons that may have been rendered inoperable, the best course of action ... is to contact the police department, and ask that they be surrendered for destruction.” It’s not illegal to possess what he simply called “wartime memorabilia.” Eassie is not sure whether police will destroy the rocket launcher, or if it will be turned over to the Department of National Defence to destroy, but he says it won’t wind up in another recycling bin. kslavin@saanichnews.com
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