Sidewinder A disturbing memory of Riverview. p6
Fryer sparks fire at Maple Ridge pub. p15
THE NEws
Business Cheesemaker surprised by trade deal. p9
www.mapleridgenews.com Friday, October 18, 2013 · Serving Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows · est. 1978 · 604-467-1122 · Delivery: 604-466-6397
Dog ‘vicious’ only in Pitt Meadows Dogs that attack are not tracked adequately: owner by Ne i l Cor be tt staff reporter
Colleen Flanagan/The newS
MC Starr Kyle ‘Arak Starr Eagle’ Herman raps three original pieces during a talent show at the Salvation Army’s Caring Place on Wednesday, one of many events marking Homelessness Action Week.
A dog that has been labelled vicious after a fight in Pitt Meadows is not considered such in Maple Ridge. After her dog was bitten several times and injured in Pitt Meadows, Shelley Forsyth was shocked to learn that the vicious dog designation given to the offending canine won’t follow it into Maple Ridge, where the owner lives. Forsyth, a Port Coquitlam resident, was with a friend walking dogs along the dike in Pitt Meadows. They had three dogs between them. What happened next is disputed. Forsyth says an oncoming dog lunged for hers, broke its leash, and grabbed Charlie – her lab/golden retriever cross – by the throat. She tried to pull her dog away, and the collar slipped off its head. See Vicious, p16
Problem gamblers hit hard Lower The Stakes arrives as new Chances opens by Nei l Corbe tt staff reporter
A small percentage of problem gamblers contribute an inordinate amount of money to the province’s gaming revenue. Protecting these people is one of the goals of a new report, Lower The Stakes, released Wednesday by B.C.’s Medical
Officer of Health, Dr. Perry Kendall. According to the report, only 3.7 per cent of B.C. residents are moderately at risk, while 0.9 per cent are problem gamblers. But these groups contribute some 25 per cent of the province’s total gaming revenue. Their losses constitute a health risk, according to Kendall, who also noted that mental health and addiction problems overlap with gambling addiction. “The time is right for a fulsome discussion on the benefits
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and the risks.” This issue is relevant locally, as a new Chances Maple Ridge Gaming Centre is set to open its doors to the public for the first time this coming Wednesday. The report showed that in the decade ending in 2011, gaming revenue in B.C. has nearly doubled, Kendall from $1.1 billion to $2.1 billion. The rise per capita has gone from $353 to $552 per adult. The number of gaming
machines per person has risen 210 per cent over a decade. Alberta, B.C. and Manitoba all have higher gaming revenues than B.C., but the rest of the provinces are lower. The social cost has been significant, as the number of problem gamblers has risen from 0.4 per cent to 0.9 per cent, or 31,100 people. Another 128,800 people are at risk. See Gaming, p17
Index Opinion Letters Community Calendar Acts of Faith As we Age home&gardening Scoreboard
6 7 20 21 23 33 56
Maple Ridge pot petitioners optimistic about reaching goal. See story, p12
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