GAZETTE NORTH ISLAND
Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275
49th Year No. 04
January 23, 2014
www.northislandgazette.com
• FULL VALUE
• HABIT-FORMING
Noel rink finds first bonspiel victory is divine. Page 11
• PLAYOFFS NEXT
Eagles rep teams wrap up regular season play. Page 12 OPINION Page 6 LETTERS Page 7 SPORTS Page 11
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Flu vaccine still available Gazette staff The Mount Waddington region has escaped the flu vaccine shortage that struck parts of British Columbia and Vancouver Island following the H1N1 flu scare earli-
New contract boosts Return-it Centre refunds. Page 4
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er this month, and vaccine remains available on the North Island, Island Health reported last week. “There have been some communities where (supplies) had gotten thin, but we encouraged people to
call around, because we were not entirely out of the vaccine,” said Charmaine Enns, medical health officer for the North Island.” Island Health also received additional doses of vaccine last
Thursday, easing the need across the Island. Most residents will receive the
See page 4 ‘Call ahead’
Mom was expecting; hospital was not J.R. Rardon Gazette staff PORT HARDY—On Jan. 6, Bev Grant was in Courtenay, eagerly awaiting the birth of her newest grandchild. But the new arrival never arrived. Instead, Amber Wright gave birth to her second child right around the corner from her home, at Port Hardy Hospital. “We went into (Port Hardy) hospital at 7:30 a.m. and they were going to ambulance me to Comox,” Wright said. “But when they checked me right before I was about to leave, I had progressed a lot faster then they expected. They told me there was no time to take me anywhere.” So Camryn Boguski-Grant entered the world at 1:08 p.m., in Port Hardy, with father Kadeem, 18-month-brother Karder and grandma Erin Wright in attendance. All the family, that is, but her other grandmother. “She was pretty bummed out that she missed it,” Amber said. Port Hardy Hospital is not equipped with a birthing unit. To be prepared against possible complications, most expectant mothers on the North Island travel south to give birth where properly trained staff and equipment are
CLASSIFIEDS Page 13-15
At left, Nicole Wigard holds one of the guests of honour during Port Hardy Rotary’s annual Crustacean Appreciation event at Scotia Bay Resort Sunday. Above, Brian McCart and Diane Masales load freshly cooked and cleaned crab legs into a tray for lunch guests. Sandy Grenier
See page 5 ‘Early arrival’
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