HAT IN RING | Former Lumby councillor pursues Tory nomination [A19]
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Wednesday, June 11, 2014
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RCMP moved by support
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ROGER KNOX Morning Star Staff
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Vancouver’s Lain Jackhurst (left) stays ahead of Vernon’s Brendan Davidson while rounding a Middleton Mountain curve Sunday during the 10th anniversary of the Vernon Downhill. The popular boarding event featured participants from Canada, the U.S., Puerto Rico, New Zealand and Australia. Davidson ended up second in the small final and sixth overall in the Open division.
The outpouring of support for RCMP members in the wake of last week’s Moncton tragedy has been felt by the local detachment. Vernon-North Okanagan Supt. Reg Burgess, along with all members and staff of the detachment, would like to sincerely thank the many residents and businesses of the region that have stopped by to say thank you and express their condolences. “Many have left flowers and candles or sent well wishes in honour of our three fallen members and two that were injured last week in Moncton,” said Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk, who wore an RCMP Memorial Pin until after the funeral for the three slain Mounties Tuesday. “Your support of our members during this time is very much appreciated as we feel the support of the North Okanagan,” added Molendyk. Thousands of police officers from across Canada, including one member from Armstrong, a troop mate of one of the officers killed, were in Moncton Tuesday for an RCMP regimental funeral service for the three Mounties shot dead in the line of duty. Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc expected between 5,000 and 7,000 police officers to attend the funeral, which was to be preceded by an RCMP parade. More local officers were expected to attend services being held in Kelowna and Surrey on Tuesday.
Suspicious fires plague officials ROGER KNOX Morning Star Staff
Two more suspicious fires on the weekend have Vernon Fire Rescue Services and RCMP frustrated. On Friday, shortly before midnight, fire and police were called to a report of a fire in an abandoned house in the 3800 block of 30th Avenue. “The rear of the building was totally engulfed when the fire department arrived,” said Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk Monday morning. Just before midnight Sunday, the BX Swan Lake Fire Department received a report of a boat on fire in the 7000 block of Pleasant Valley Road at a locked compound. “The boat is approximately 22-feet long
and is totally destroyed,” said Molendyk. Similar to a boat fire the previous weekend at a compound in Spallumcheen, at the north end of Swan Lake, there was also minor heat damage to another larger boat that was parked next to it. Both fires this weekend were started around midnight, both are deemed suspicious and there are no suspects at this point. The total number of suspicious unsolved fires in the Greater Vernon and Spallumcheen area is in double digits. “It is frustrating,” said Vernon deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood. “It ties our crews up and officers in terms of investigation. It’s costly in terms of man-time.” Vernon RCMP have allocated added resources to the investigation. What’s equal-
ly frustrating for both sets of emergency personnel is there hasn’t been one solid clue linking the unsolved fires. “There are some similarities with some of the fires,” said Skolrood. “They’ve escalated, I think, more into crimes of opportunity, like the vacant buildings, vehicles and boats. “It just seems like it’s where they can cause the most trouble.” If there is one similiarity, it’s a majority of the fires have started between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., and several of the fires have been at Vernon’s north end. “The best thing the public and businesses can do is protect their property, keep a lookout for suspicious activities and report it to police right away,” said Skolrood.
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Members of the BX Swan Lake Fire Department attend to a boat on fire in a locked compound Sunday in the 7000 block of Pleasant Valley Road.
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