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BUSINESS
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THE KELOWNA ROCKETS, the top team in the WHL during the regular season, are off to a perfect 2-0 start in their first-round playoff with Tri-Cities.
KELOWNA FLIGHTCRAFT has joined a high-powered consortium that is vying for a big contract from the Royal Canadian Air Force.
FOR THOSE CARING FOR dementia sufferers, help could be a phone call away. The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is putting on two teleconferences to help care givers.
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TUESDAY March 25, 2014 The Central Okanagan’s Best-Read Newspaper www.kelownacapnews.com
▼ COURT
Matthew Foerster murder trial opens
Kathy Michaels
STAFF REPORTER
The last text message Taylor Van Diest sent read: “I’m being crept.” Another partial message was waiting in her phone’s queue, but the Armstrong teen never finished it. Hours later her body was found face down in a ditch. She was still breathing, but a jury in Kelowna heard Monday she wasn’t responsive as friends, family and emergency staff tended to her. Although there were signs of strangulation, it was blows to the head that ultimately killed the 18-year-old on Halloween night, 2011. Insights into the teenager’s final moments came during the opening day of the first degree murder trial for Cherryville man Matthew Foerster, 28, who Crown counsel alleged Monday has already expressed remorse for a sexual assault gone awry. In opening statements Crown counsel Frank Caputo pointed to an interview with a Sgt. Davidson, which will be played for a jury some time in the next weekand-a-half of testimony. “Matt, look me in the eye and tell me this: Do you feel bad for killing Taylor,” said Sgt. Davidson, during an interview recorded April 6, 2012. “Yes,” said Foerster.
“You didn’t mean to…you went for sex and if she didn’t fight you, you wouldn’t have killed her,” Sgt. Davidson said in the transcript. “Uh, yes,” said Foerster. In addition to Davidson, Caputo will call 15 other witnesses as Crown counsel makes a case for first-degree murder. Two of those witnesses took the stand on Monday morning. Const. Milan Ilic was working in Armstrong the night Van Diest was reported missing and testified he got the call about a missing teen wearing a zombie costume that night. He drove by dozens of children and teens in costumes, scanning the crowd for Van Diest, before he parked near the railroad tracks that run through the city of Armstrong, close to the former cheese factory. Instantly, he was greeted by three people. “A male knocked on the window and asked if I was looking for Taylor,” Ilic said. The trio, who included two of Taylor’s friends and her mother, told Ilic they had been searching for the teen since her cell phone was found by the railway tracks earlier, and she had failed to show up at the party where she’d been expected. See Trial A5
MARISSA BAECKER/KELOWNA ROCKETS
HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES…Kelowna Rockets rookie Nick Merkley (centre) celebrates as Tri-City goalie Eric Comrie
sprawls trying to make a save during game 1 of the Kelowna Rockets first round Western Hockey League playoff series against the Americans. The Rockets went up two game to nothing in the series with back to back 3-1 wins at Prospera Place on the weekend. Games three and four are Tuesday and Wednesday in Kennewich, WA. For more on the games see today’s Capital News sports section, page A16.
▼ KELOWNA
Farmers’ market could split to two sites Jennifer Smith STAFF REPORTER
An ill-formed belief parking problems were looming and lack of faith the Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market could rebrand in a new location will prevent downtown foodies from a lazy walk to pick up farm fresh produce any time soon. Saturday evening,
the voting vendors of the Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market— those who have secured a permanent table at the long-time site across from Orchard Park Mall—shot down a bid to move to the former B.C. Tree Fruits packinghouse on Clement Avenue where developer Gary Tebbutt is building a Granville Island-style bazaar capable of housing
the twice-weekly event. Final results were 58 against the move and 35 for, with 32 who did not take part in the vote. Market president Wolfe Wesle believes the ballot showcases misunderstandings and misrepresentations that plagued the bid to relocate. “In short, I think it’s an emotional reaction based
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on fear, and so on and so forth, rather than a factual argument,” said Wesle, clearly displeased with the outcome when interviewed Monday. “Parking has turned out to be a non-issue, but some people have latched onto it believing there is a problem.” According to Wesle, the new location will have 645 parking spots on site
and up to an additional 120 spots on Vaughan Street, in front of the facility, in addition to parking on the surrounding streets. The current location has 10 handicapped spots, but is situated across from Orchard Park Mall and the street by the Central Okanagan School
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