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Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Fire claims Glenora area hay barn
Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
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1,000-square-foot barn packed with hay was lost during Friday afternoon’s fire in Glenora. Duncan fire chief Mike McKinlay explained the lean-to structure at 4815 Marshall Rd. was wrapped in flames when his crew of 21 arrived at around 3:10 p.m. The fire also crept into some nearby trees. City firefighters and four Duncan fire hall rigs were backed by three members of Cowichan Bay’s hall and a fire truck. “They (owners) lost the contents and the hay,” chief McKinlay said, noting there were no injuries during the blaze, nor vehicles burned inside the barn. The fire has been ruled accidental, as officials believe a mower spark may have ignited the inferno.
Duncan firefighters respond to a fire at 4815 Marshall Road in Glenora at 3:10 p.m. Friday. A structure full of hay caught fire and flames spread to nearby trees.
Don Bodger
News Leader Pictorial
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orns of passing motorists were honking more frequently and boisterously along Cowichan Valley picket lines Tuesday, as news of a tentative deal between the B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the provincial government spread. Most greeted the news with optimism while details remained sketchy about the agreement worked out between the parties to get students back into school as early as Monday. “I’m just anxiously waiting to see what (BCTF president) Jim Iker has negotiated,’’ said Brenda Reed, early learning co-ordinator for School District 79. “If we were willing to agree to binding arbitration, at least our president has had some say in what’s going to be in the contract. And kids need to be back in (school). We all need to be
Back to school time
Ratification needed: details pending, but it appears public school students will return to class next week back in.’’ Three weeks chopped off the start of the 2014-15 school year because of the dispute is the last thing anyone expected. “It’s been too long,’’ said Reed. “As soon as we get in there, the better. We’re already a day too late.’’ The mood of the picketing teachers took a sudden uplift after bargaining into the wee hours of Tuesday morning at a Richmond hotel produced the tentative deal. “There’s lots of smiles and a relief feeling,’’ said Reed. A ratification vote among the 40,000 BCTF
members will take place Thursday. “I haven’t seen anything in writing from the BCTF on what the deal entails,’’ said Cowichan District Teachers’ Association president Naomi Nilsson. Negotiators were firming up items in the agreement at press time and Nilsson expected some of the details to be known by Tuesday night. The CDTA was organizing an executive meeting for Wednesday to plan on getting the voting process out to the masses. “I think we should say hopeful with anticipation and teachers are ready to get back,’’ said Cathy Benstead, a Grade 1 teacher at Alexan-
Andrew Leong
der Elementary. “We stood out here long and strong,’’ said Alexander Elementary School kindergarten teacher Kate Johnston. “I don’t think we were going to give in to an agreement that doesn’t suit children.’’ Support for the striking teachers from the community has been strong, both Benstead and Johnston said. “A lot of people were stopping and saying ‘hold in there, we believe in you,’’’ said Johnston. “It’s kept us going.’’ Administrators were also hailing the end of the dispute. “I am thrilled we will soon be opening schools,’’ noted SD 79 superintendent Joe Rhodes. He indicated a conference call later Tuesday was expected to shed more light on the situation. “We’ve already talked to the district about some sort of return-to-work plan,’’ said Nilsson. more on page 10
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