TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2014
www.pqbnews.com
Official newspaper of the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals
BCYCNA
Gold 2012 General Excellence
SHEDDING THE LABEL
PLAYOFF PUSH COMES TO AN END
Solo career working well for singer coming to the Bayside
With only six wins in 45 games, the Generals won’t make VIJHL post-season
A23
A29
FRIDAY IN QUALICUM BEACH
Daylight robberies RCMP looking for public’s help after two break-ins JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
Police are asking for the public’s help to nab “brazen” thieves who broke into two Qualicum Beach residences in broad daylight Friday. Oceanside RCMP said between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday, two “brazen” daytime break, enter and thefts occurred in Qualicum Beach, one in the 100 block of Hoy Lake Road and the other in the 600 block of Eaglecrest Drive. In both crimes, police said the suspects gained entry into the residences by forcing open the front doors and stole jewelry, electronics, cash and liquor. In the Eaglecrest incident, RCMP said two males associated to a suspicious blue car were observed walking throughout the neighbourhood around the same time as the break and enter occurred. “These (crimes) were done in the middle of the day and not in a secluded area,” said Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Jesse Foreman. “Break and enters are mostly committed in the evening. But these (thieves) are skulking in the neighbourhood, looking to see who isn’t home.” Foreman said the neighbourhoods were “fully canvassed” by police after the crimes. Police are hopeful some residents may have seen the suspicious blue car and can call the RCMP with more information. Oceanside RCMP Staff Sgt. Brian Hunter was scheduled to give town council one of his regular crime-statistics updates last night. Hunter’s report indicates there were 12 break-ins to residences in Qualicum Beach in 2013, down from 15 in 2012. Incidents of theft over $5,000 were 58 in 2013, up front 51 in 2012. Police are asking anyone with information about the crimes Friday to call Oceanside RCMP at 250-248-6111 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CANDACE WU PHOTO
MEGA TAI CHI: More than 150 people from around the province practiced tai chi at a national two-day workshop at the Parksville Convention Centre last weekend. See Thursday’s paper for a story about the event.
VANCOUVER ISLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY
Budget boost raises questions CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
A library board budget increase of seven per cent has two Qualicum Beach politicians concerned. “These types of increases aren’t acceptable,” said Coun. Dave Willie, who is calling for more accountability and transparency in terms of library board spending. According to a Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) news release, the board adopted a balanced operating budget of $23,038,586 for 2014 with
municipal and rural levies accounting for $18,678,364 of the budget. The 6.94 per cent increase is part of a 10-year fiscal plan for the library system that services 38 communities across the Island. Most recently, VIRL opened branches in Cowichan Lake, Cumberland and Port Renfrew. Willie said residents may not be able to afford these new facilities. “Maybe we need to slow down,” he said. “I don’t know that for sure, but it’s a conversation I’d like to have.”
Willie wants to see more dialoge between the library board, town council and residents. “I feel somewhat powerless as a council when we don’t have much input,” he said, adding that he takes issue with the fact that residents will see a tax increase by the library board as a tax increase by the municipality. Coun. Scott Tanner, who was recently appointed as the town’s reresentative to the library board, said he shared Willie’s concerns. See LONG-TERM, page A7
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