Tuesday November 26, 2013 (Vol. 38 No. 95)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
Thirsty for change: Semiahmoo Secondary student Jill Xu co-founded a non-profit organization on dedicated to raising awareness and funds for global issues. This year’s focus on water was decided ded after the 16-year-old’s trip to the Dominican Republic. i see page 11
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Police say victim – with “significant ties to the drug trade” – was shot
Two arrests in home-invasion death Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Corey Bennett
Homicide police have announced the arrest of two individuals in connection with the Nov. 9 home-invasion death of Corey Bennett in South Surrey. Officers said Friday that one man with “a criminal record dating back to 2000” was arrested Thursday. He remains in custody charged with manslaughter and robbery with a firearm in connection
with the incident, in which Bennett was shot. A second man, who was arrested early Friday morning, has been charged with second-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. In releasing the information Friday afternoon, Sgt. Jennifer Pound of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said investigators have been “relentless” in their pursuit of those responsible for Bennett’s death.
Matthew Rene Bernard, 27, and Donald James Chad, 30 – both last known to reside in Surrey – were to appear in Surrey Provincial Court Monday. In identifying the victim Thursday as 44-year-old Bennett, IHIT said he was known to police “for his significant ties to the drug trade.” He died following an incident police determined was a “targeted home invasion” at a residence in the 2600-block of King George Boulevard.
At about 11:15 p.m. Nov. 9, BC Ambulance and the Surrey Fire Department were called to the home to assist the injured man; RCMP were alerted once the incident was deemed suspicious. Bennett – a father and grandfather – was transported to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to Bennett’s Facebook profile, he was an alumnus of Frank Hurt Secondary. i see page 2
No pay for city work
MLA Hunt to remain on council Kevin Diakiw Black Press
Load of trouble
Tracy Holmes photo
Truck driver Rey Lane-Smith (background, left) helps collect wood ‘centre cores’ that spilled from his Chilliwack-bound semi-trailer onto 32 Avenue Diversion Thursday morning. His second trailer jackknifed and the load narrowly missed vehicles that had been lined up behind the rig near the intersection of 152 Street.
Chamber Music Program to be silenced due to health regulations
Unvaccinated concert-goers face masks Arts Reporter
Provincial moves to curb influenza through vaccination have silenced the White Rock Chamber Music Program for the months of January, February and March. Chamber music co-organizer Ellen Neal said Monday that significant numbers of audience members and potential performers who do not -
wish to get the flu shot have made it impossible to organize concerts for those three months, although the concert planned for Dec. 14 will continue as scheduled. The flu-shot campaign has affected the program because the regular venue, Crescent Gardens Retirement Community, is subject to Ministry of Health flu-shot-or-wear-a-mask regulations that will be in effect this year from
S AV E T H E S E
D AT E S
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Sat., Nov. 30 and Sun., Dec. 1 For more information and a venue map please visit our website www.peninsulaarttour.com
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Alex Browne
Dec. 1 until the end of March. Neal said that ethnic and religious groups who do not wish to receive a flu shot represent a significant percentage of audience and performers in the by-donation series of largely classical and light music concerts – along with others who do not wish to have the flu shot for a variety of reasons. i see page 4
Saying he continues to enjoy being a councillor, Marvin Hunt plans to stay on council as long as he can effectively be both MLA and council representative. He will do so without collecting a salary from the municipal coffers. Last May, Hunt became the Liberal MLA for Surrey-Panorama, raising the spectre of a $600,000 byelection. To avoid that, Hunt said he would do both jobs until January 2014, drawing no pay as city councillor. Now, the MLA and counMarvin Hunt cillor – first elected in 1988 MLA/councillor – said he hopes to remain on council until the November 2014 general election. “With the support of my city council and the support I’ve received around me, we’ll see how long it can last,” Hunt told Black Press Friday. “We’ll stay on as long as we can.” By law, a councillor cannot miss four consecutive regular meetings or the seat is rendered vacant.