FESTIVAL SEASON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN
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MAKING A CASE FOR A REFINERY
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SKIMMERS FOUND ON PARKING KIOSKS
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FRIDAY
APRIL 25 2014 www.newwestnewsleader.com Big Band music is coming to the Columbia Theatre on Sunday See Page A3
A hand across political lines Trustees make changes to suspension, fees, election policies Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Mylo McMordie enjoys a walk on the New West boardwalk. His parents believe a program called Son-Rise may be the right fit for his needs, and are now raising money to help pay for the workshops they must attend to learn the therapy.
Swap meet to get Mylo what he needs Parents seek financial help to learn American autism treatment method Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
Mylo McMordie started crying when he was five weeks old and pretty much didn’t stop for more than six months. Doctors reassured his parents, Rogan McMordie and Kate Walker, it was just colic. They just had to wait it out. But the crying didn’t stop, and no answer to their questions seemed satisfactory.
Then during a visit to a New Westminster apartment. pediatrician when Mylo was 11 Walker and McMordie had to months old the doctor asked a wait to find out if the pediatrician bunch of questions. was correct. Children cannot be “Does he point?” tested for autism “Does he respond until they are 18 to his name?” months old. And “Does he babble?” Kate Walker, Mylo’s mom there’s an 18 to It was a mixture of shock and 24-month waiting No, no, and no. fear, mixed with a little bit Soon, the doctor list once they’re of relief. That validated it informed them eligible. Walker’s wasn’t in our head. their son was likely research indicated autistic. the earlier a child is “We came away from that diagnosed and begins interventions, appointment shell-shocked,” says the better. Walker in her family’s Downtown So with financial help from their
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families they paid $3,000 for private testing. “It was a mixture of shock and fear, mixed with a little bit of relief,” says Walker of the testing. “That validated it wasn’t in our head.” Walker’s initial instinct was to research the heck out of it. McMordie concedes he buried his head in the sand. “I didn’t deal with it quite as well,” he says. But when she burnt out from researching and caring for Mylo, he resurfaced and took over.
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Many political watchers believed pigs would fly before a Voice New Westminster trustee would chair a school board committee. YVR better check its radar for porcine sightings. Along with its regular board meetings trustees have met as a committee of the whole for preliminary discussions on issues. But on Tuesday, the board decided to split that committee into two, although all trustees will continue to sit on both. David Phelan will chair the education committee while Casey Cook will head the operations and finance committee. Phelan is one of four labour-backed trustees that hold the majority on the board. But Cook has run the last two elections under the Voice banner. Relations between the two sides have been far from harmonious for several years. That’s why it was a bit of a surprise when chair Jonina Campbell asked Cook to lead the committee. see BY WORKING, A5