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| Thursday, October 31, 2013
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Page 3: Wall-o-Lanterns a big success again
PAGE 14 PA
Pie-Eyed Teacher Gets Her Just Desserts
Mailbox theft rampant here By MONIQUE TAMMINGA and DAN FERGUSON Aldergrove Star
HARRY HUNT PHOTO
Parkside Elementary teacher Kim Hardy wore some 90 pies on Thursday, Oct. 24 as her just desserts for the school’s record-breaking Terry Fox Foundation fundraiser. The school of 450 students raised almost $3,000 for the cause and Hardy had pledged that the 90 students who raised over $10 would get to throw a pie plate of whipping cream at her, while those who raised over $100 would get the opportunity to “decorate” her hair.
Boy’s condition worsens as chemotherapy drug isn’t working By MONIQUE TAMMINGA Aldergrove Star
Friends of six-year-old cancer patient Keian Blundell are again asking Langley residents to rally in support of the boy, as things have taken a turn for the worse. Keian’s condition has greatly worsened since the community set a record with a one-day bottle drive to raise funds for his
family in August. “Last week, Keian went into the BC Children’s Hospital clinic for routine bloodwork and it was discovered that the leukemia had returned all throughout his blood again,” said Megan Sedawie Creasy, a friend of the family. “This was devastating news for the family, as it meant that the last resort
chemotherapy drug was not working. In a family meeting, doctors told Keian’s parents Chantal and Ryan that there was nothing more that could be done with Keian’s treatment.” Doctors don’t believe Keian will live much longer. His parents moved with Keian and SEE: Page 4
Langley RCMP are putting out a warning that mailbox theft is rampant right now. Over the last month, neighbourhoods throughout the Langleys have been victimized by break-ins into mailboxes. “This past Monday alone, 18 mailboxes were pried open and the mail items may have been stolen,” said Langley RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Holly Marks. The thefts are happening both in apartment mailboxes and residential community mailboxes, she said. Marks said it really isn’t concentrated in just one area but happening everywhere. Langley RCMP is asking the public to be particularly vigilant and report suspicious people, vehicles or activity in your neighbourhood, especially in close proximity to mailboxes. Langley RCMP Street Enforcement Unit is working closely with Canada Post Postal Inspectors and neighbouring police agencies to address the issue and identify the person(s) responsible. “We recognize mail theft as being a significant problem throughout the Lower Mainland. Langley’s property crime unit is fully engaged in trying to apprehend the offenders,” said Supt. Derek Cooke. “I would strongly encourage Langley residents to ensure they retrieve their mail every afternoon and not allow it to accumulate for a lengthy period of time.” Langley Township council wants to see community mailboxes made more secure and sending that message to Canada Post. Calling Canada Post community mailboxes “inferior” and “poorly designed” councillor Steve Ferguson convinced a majority of Township council to back his campaign for improvements to the design of the grouped-together boxes which have been installed in new residential areas in lieu of house-to-house delivery since 1985. Ferguson said the mailboxes have become easy targets for break-ins. “Mail theft, tampering and vandalism became a problem the day after the [first] community boxes were installed,” Ferguson said. His written resolution, approved by a majority of council on Monday (Oct. 21), asks the post office to “put into place measures to make these community mailboxes secure from forced entry and theft …” and to consider adopting Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles to make the mailboxes less vulnerable. CPTED, which is endorsed by the RCMP and other Canadian police forces, calls for a mix of “target hardening,” high-visibility environmental design, lighting and other measures to discourage criminals. Ferguson told council he has been told the post office is considering steps to make the community boxes more theft-proof. There are more than 20,000 community mailboxes in B.C. serving one in four households.
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