Times
That’s Gym-tastic
Bandits on the Run
The Langley
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DEMOLITION
IN THE
Super 8 thief given two-year sentence
DARK
MONIQUE TAMMINGA Times Reporter
Virginia DRAGAN/courtesy Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Demolition of the 248 Street overpass spanning Highway 1 has finished. It wrapped up at the end of August and construction of the replacement crossing is now underway. Traffic is being detoured to other overpasses while the work is underway, with average delays of 10 minutes. The new crossing will be completed by April of next year. It’s all part of a $24 million project that will also add truck lanes to Highway 1 by the end of next month.
Grass fire underscores need for burning season delay FRANK BUCHOLTZ Times Reporter
Langley Township firefighters fought a stubborn grass fire adjacent to Aldergrove Athletic Park on Monday evening. The fire department was called to the site near 26A Avenue and 268 Street at 5:37 p.m. Assistant chief Pat Walker said the grass on the property was burning, and eventually about one and one-half acres was consumed. Firefighters were fortunate that the
wind was not strong, and they had access to a hydrant near the Kinsmen Community Centre. Nonetheless, it was a difficult fire to fight. Hall 3 full-time firefighters were the first responders, and they were backed up by paid call firefighters from halls 3 and 7. Walker said the firefighters encountered some steep terrain and formed a ring around the fire to prevent it from spreading to neighbouring properties. The cause is not known, he said.
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Walker said the grass fire could have been much worse, and illustrates why the Township is delaying the start of the burning season, which normally funds from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31. He said burning will remain closed until further notice, and added there needs to be more moisture in the ground for it to be safe to do outdoor burning. He said the burning season can be extended into November to make up for the lost time in September.
One of two career criminals involved in a police standoff at the then Super 8 Motel on Glover Road in March 2012 has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to two years in jail. On Friday, Ivan Logan Johnson, 33, of New Westminster pleaded guilty to 68 criminal offences related to the recovery of a large amount of stolen property from a hotel room, a vehicle and storage locker. His co-accused, Dave Joseph Yaroslawsky, 31, of Surrey entered a guilty plea earlier this year and is due to be sentenced Nov. 1. Johnson and Yaroslawsky were arrested after a two-hour standoff with police on March 2, 2012 at the Super 8 Motel. The standoff brought in the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, the Uniformed Gang Task Force and Air 2. Finally, the two men exited the hotel and were arrested without incident. Both have remained in custody since that day. Searches of the hotel room, their vehicle and a storage locker recovered in excess of 250 stolen items. The property seized was associated with upwards of 18 break-ins. The items had been stolen mainly from homes in Abbotsford, Surrey, Langley, Hope and Chilliwack. Of particular note was the recovery of three loaded handguns from the hotel room. There were so many stolen items, Langley RCMP held a day at the detachment to show all the goods. During Yaroslawsky’s sentencing hearing on July 31, the court heard that he had accumulated so many stolen items that he had rented a storage locker in Aldergrove to stash them. Johnson will be bound by two years probation upon his release. He was given credit for one year already served.
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