TUESDAY December 17, 2013 Vol. 28 • No. 101 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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The Laurie Tinkler School of Dance once again will bring The Nutcracker to life. page 10
Robert Ratcliffe of Crown Isle has been named PGA of Canada Coach of the Year. page 21
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Posties would be missed Renee Andor Record Staff
Canada Post’s planned end to door-to-door mail delivery sparked some concern amongst Comox Valley seniors and people with mobility issues. Canada Post unveiled a plan last week it says will return the system to financial sustainability by 2019. Five measures were announced, one being a phase-out of door-to-door delivery with community mailboxes replacing that service. The changeover is expected to start next year and take five years to complete. Support Our Seniors Comox Valley’s Gwyn
Frayne says many Comox Valley seniors and people with mobility issues are concerned about this change. “I’ve heard from a lot of people and I just know it’s going to be really disastrous for our community,” says Frayne. “I know a lot of people who cannot walk even a block — if the community mailboxes were that close it would still be too hard.” According to Canada Post, only one-third of Canadian households receive their mail via doorto-door delivery; two-thirds of households receive their mail through community mailboxes, grouped or lobby mailboxes or rural mailbox-
Bomb threat at NIC Renee Andor Record Staff
A note about a bomb threat prompted North Island College to close the doors to its Comox Valley and Campbell River campuses Friday. “The RCMP notified us this morning of a potential bomb threat that could potentially affect both the campuses and we’ve been working with the RCMP since to ensure everyone’s safety,” college public relations officer Beth Turner said Friday, adding the RCMP advised the college a note was found in Campbell River outlining the bomb threat to
the two campuses. “We opted to take the absolute, most extreme, precautionary measures that we could take, which has involved closing down both the Comox Valley and the Campbell River campuses for the remainder of the day.” The college opened Monday morning, added NIC’s director of college and community relations Susan Auchterlonie. “But, in light of Friday’s incident, we will be increasing security at both campuses through the remainder of the week,” she said. writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
es. But, Frayne says seniors and people with mobility issues may choose to live in urban areas due to better access to services, such as door-to-door mail delivery. According to Canada Post, the community mailboxes feature individually locked mail and small packet compartments and larger locked compartments for parcels. But, Frayne says she’s heard worries about potential theft issues, a concern Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Courtenay Local president Ruth Mills echoes regarding parcel pickup and dropoff. “There’s a security issue with community mailboxes because (the parcel is) sitting in the box,” says Mills, noting one benefit is the flexibility of parcel pickup and dropoff, but parcels that are too big for the box will need to be picked up at a local post office. She says Canada Post’s plan decreases customer service, and questions how that will improve its sustainability. “We should be expanding postal service and we should be addressing the needs of our customers,” says Mills. “Businesses grow best by being in contact with the customer, as opposed to being removed from the customer. “One of the reasons why Canada Post is a good brand and people trust it is because we are at the door — we are connecting with people, they see us every day.” Canada Post’s plan also ... see STAMP ■ 2
COMOX VALLEY RESIDENT Denise Eigler admits she made a mistake when she drove after drinking, but she’s now dealing with an overly sensitive interlock ignition device in her vehicle. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
Stranded with her children Erin Haluschak Record Staff
It’s a device that enables Denise Eigler to start and drive her vehicle, but it has failed so many times the Comox Valley woman no longer wants to drive her car. Eigler received a DUI
in 2008, and served a oneyear driving suspension, paid thousands in court and other fines, and as part of a responsible driving program, installed an interlock ignition device in her vehicle. Ever since mid-November when the temperature has dropped, Eigler
said the device has given her false readings multiple times, stranding her inside her vehicle with her children. “I made a big mistake,” explained Eigler. “I’m three years sober; I was an alcoholic, but I’m in recovery. I’m a good, ... see MACHINE ■ 2
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