TUESDAY December 23, 2014 Vol. 29 • No.102 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
THIS PUBLICATION AVAILABLE ONLINE AT comoxvalley record.com
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Daniel Wesley to rock the Avalanche New Year’s Eve page 12
Golf A Thon for ALS tops $1 million in donations page 14
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Charges laid in fatal hit-and-run Erin Haluschak Record Staff
A 55-year-old long-term Bowser resident was charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident Thursday which took the life of 48-year-old Lake Trail School teacher and cyclist Paul Bally. Timothy David Prad was taken into police custody Dec. 17 and charged during the afternoon of Dec. 18. Acting on a tip received through CrimeStoppers, Comox Valley RCMP attended a property in the area and located the truck at the residence. “… Through questioning of the
Bringing history into the classroom ... Page 3
Police acting on tip arrest 55-year-old Bowser resident at his home occupants of the house and examination of the truck … enough belief existed to make an arrest and a seizure of the vehicle,” Sgt. Mark Whitworth of the RCMP’s North Island Traffic Services said outside the Courtenay courthouse. Bally was struck Dec. 15 on his bike by a southbound vehicle on Highway19A near Curran Road in Fanny Bay. He was transported
... see HIT-AND-RUN ■ 5
Free New Year’s Eve swim and skate ... Page 6 CV Land Trust needs volunteers ... Page 7
Gas prices have dropped below $1 per litre.
PHOTO BY TERRY FARRELL
The Comox Valley Aboriginal Head Start Preschool won the Gingerbread House People’s Choice Award at Odlum Brown’s 13th annual Christmas Village on Wednesday night. Taryn Graham and her two-year-old son Kalen accepted the award. See Thursday’s Record for a full recap of the annual fundraiser.
Record Staff
Party starts New Year’s Eve
The City of Courtenay turns 100 years old on New Year’s Day and everyone is invited to the birthday party. “The official launch will take place at the Florence Filberg Centre conference hall,” said Centennial Celebration Committee member Randy Wiwchar. The day starts with a breakfast at the Filberg, which is already sold out. But the official birthday party is open to everyone, and there is no charge. “We will have birthday cake, the (K’omoks) First Nations will be there for a blessing.” After the blessing, the committee will make announcements of all the events throughout the year, including homecoming week in the summer. But the birthday itself is Jan. 1. Come and be part of history.
The official birthday is Jan. 1, but the party starts the night before, with the massive New Year’s Eve party at the Filberg Centre. The “Memories are Made of This” event will be an unforgettable evening to share with friends, featuring live music by Fiddle Jam, Ralph Barrat Jazz Ensemble, Kenny Shaw and Brian Temple and the Doo Wops, Wendy Nixon Stothert and Swing Set, Comedy Acts, Edwin Grieve and Friends, followed by dancing with Dukes Band. Enjoy complimentary gourmet appies, desserts and champagne at midnight. Get your tickets at the Sid Williams Theatre box office or through their website at www. sidwilliamstheatre.com, just $50 each with a no-host bar available.
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PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
55-year-old Timothy Prad is brought to the courthouse in Courtenay Thursday afternoon.
Filberg the place to be for centennial celebrations
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Just as our socks were drying out from the floods earlier in the month...
to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead. In an emotional plea Wednesday, Bally’s wife Evelyn asked for the driver to come forward. “Paul was a very strong man, very healthy. One thing Paul believed in is if you played by the rules, nobody got hurt. So someone was not playing by the rules, and now he’s hurt,” she said, holding back tears. Whitworth noted police received “a very significant piece of information” through the CrimeStoppers tip line, which led police to find Prad’s 2004 Ford F-350.
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