THURSDAYSEPTEMBER 11, 2014
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40TH SEASON FOR ECHO PLAYERS
Generals hit the practice rink after opening-weekend losses
Five plays on tap; spine-chiller opens the season on October 16 in Qualicum Beach
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MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY
Opposition unanimous Resident says everyone in River’s Edge against it CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
River’s Edge resident Lehann Wallace delivered a petition brimming with 332 signatures to regional district officials on Tuesday in an effort to stop a medical marijuana facility from setting up shop in her neighbourhood. “One-hundred per cent of residents in River’s Edge contacted are opposed,” Wallace told the board at the RDN committee of the whole meeting Tuesday evening before handing over a hefty stack of signed papers. “We’re calling upon the RDN to seek the authority to stop this application from proceeding at this location.” A Vancouver-based company, Wildflower Marijuana Inc., has submitted an application to Health Canada proposing to build a 68,000 square-foot medical marijuana production facility on ALR land that was formerly Paradise Acres Ranch, a 125-acre property that comes with a three-bedroom, four-bathroom, 4,077 squarefoot home. The company is reportedly also looking to open a similar facility south of Nanaimo. Wildflower Marijuana officials did not respond for comment to this story by press time. The company did issue a news release Aug. 7 stating “Wildflower Marijuana Inc. is pleased to announce that it acquired an option on a Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations application… the application includes a site located on Vancouver Island.” Alongside Wallace, two other people criticized Wildflower’s application, claiming the facility would disrupt their quaint Nanoose Bay neighbourhood. They raised aquifer, groundwater, traffic and security concerns. See RDN ALSO OPPOSES PLAN, page A8
BRENDA GOUGH PHOTO
GOOD USE OF FREE TIME: What do you do when your school is behind picket lines? You visit grandma’s farm in Qualicum Beach and make a little money. Ten-year-old Maycie and six-year-old Jazzlyne Warren of Nanaimo were selling giant zucchinis, flowers and some bracelets they made to keep themselves busy during the teachers’ strike. The Warren farm on Qualicum Road has a bumper crop of squash this year. Zucchini loaf anyone?
QUALICUM BEACH POLITICS
Willie won’t recuse himself LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
Councillor Dave Willie did not recuse himself from a vote on Monday night, despite being accused of being in a conflict-of-interest on the matter by a local couple. At the last Qualicum Beach council meeting in August, Fox and Deb McKinley e-mailed a package to Willie and others at council, minutes
before the meeting started, suggesting that Willie was in direct conflict because his company had and continues to have business dealings with Pheasant Glen Golf Course. The suggestion was that if Pheasant Glen is able to proceed with development plans for housing, a new clubhouse and event pavilion, Willie’s pecuniary interests are likely to increase. Last week, Pheasant Glen owner
Craig Dutton sent The NEWS a letter to the editor publicly asking Willie to recuse himself from voting on the golf course’s development application and anything else that may directly benefit Pheasant Glen. Dutton stated this was not because he believed Willie was in a conflict but because the company didn’t want to be drawn into years of debate and legal process. See YOU CAN SNEER, page A7
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