THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2015
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SPOTLIGHT ON SELF-DEFENCE
LOCAL TEACHERS’ REP TAKES NEW JOB
A5
A3
Debbie Morran takes a position with B.C. Teachers’ Federation
Beth Alden teaches women how to protect themselves
RCMP PRIORITIES
Engaging local youth Police chief speaks to RDN board Tuesday night CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
Youth, traffic and crime reduction are the Oceanside RCMP’s top priorities this year, according to chief of police Brian Hunter. Addressing the Regional Distict of Nanaimo’s board of directors, Hunter said the priorities are a result of statistics and meetings with elected officials and community groups. “This doesn’t mean we won’t police other crimes that occur,” Hunter told the board at its committee-of-the-whole meeting. “It means we’ll put an extra emphasis on these issues and when we do that, some of the other issues will subside.” Hunter said there are 120 rural districts in the province policed by the RCMP. Of those, the RDN is the second largest in size (next to the Comox Valley) and the second lowest in crime (next to Quadra Island). “That’s pretty good stuff,” said Hunter, adding rural Parksville Qualicum Beach — including Nanoose Bay, French Creek, Deep Bay/ Bowser and Errington/Coombs — has a crime rate of 25. Crime rate is the number of reported crimes per 1,000 population in a given year. He said the Mounties’ first priority is working on “positive interaction” with youth by crafting relationships at the local elementary and high schools through programs like D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and engaging in recreational activities with youth. “It’s amazing when you start playing floor hockey with them (youth) they realize ‘these guys are just human beings like us,’” said Hunter, who also said youth are aware of much of the crime that takes place here, especially in terms of incidents like graffiti. See FOCUS, page A4
BRENDA GOUGH PHOTO
LOOKING GOOD: Ballenas Secondary School senior students looked fabulous at the BSS Grad Fashion Show on March 4 at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre. Fashions and hair styles were all provided by businesses in the Parksville Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo area.
PARKSVILLE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AGM
Board defends budget decisions JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
The Parksville Downtown Business Association plans to spend $22,000 sprucing up the streets of the city in 2015, members learned at the group’s annual general meeting on Tuesday. About 75 people packed a small room at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre for the meeting, an attendance figure not lost on past president Michelle Jones, who mar-
shalled members through the agenda. “This is the most people we’ve had at an AGM,” said Jones. “The more people who get involved, the more we can get done. We realized through the summer and into the spring that people were getting more interested in downtown and what we do.” Jones may have been addressing not only renewed interest in the downtown, but some dissent among
members that became apparent when a group of Craig Street merchants appeared before city council last year unhappy with what they perceived as a lack of attention to their shopping district from the PDBA. One of the leaders of that Craig Street group, Barry Evans, asked some pointed questions at the AGM on Tuesday night about the need for a salaried employee. See BYLAW, page A4
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