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Surrey family still in grief after sentencing tencing
Charges after dramatic south-end chase Thursday A 31-year-old man faces nine charges after what Mounties describe as an attempt to avoid arrest by ramming past three RCMP squad cars and jumping into the Nanaimo River. B3
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Devastated Al Paskall in court to see wife’s killer get 12 years in prison for notorious killing
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The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Saturday, May 23, 2015 POLITICS
Lantzville loses another councillor Dave Scott quit Tuesday citing ‘dysfunction’ and ‘disarray,’ leaving only four elected representatives DARRELL BELLAART DAILY NEWS
A third member of Lantzville municipal council has resigned, leaving four councillors, the minimum needed for a quorum. Dave Scott quit Tuesday citing “dysfunction” and “disarray.” Last month councillors Jennifer Millbank and Rod Negrave resigned, giving similar reasons. If councillors are “not able to fulfill their mandate, there’s plenty of people who already contacted me and are ready and willing to step into those pos-
itions,” said Lantzville Mayor Colin Haime. The question now is what would happen if another quit. According to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, the Community Charter provides the minister two options: • Order that the remaining councillors constitute a quorum until persons are elected and take office to fill the vacancies; • Appoint someone to fill the vacancies until persons are elected and take office.
Appointing a chief election officer in order to hold a byelection is on Monday’s council agenda, and once that happens the district must hold a byelection within 80 days. “I suspect it will be sooner, rather than later,” Haime said. Legislation defines quorum as “the majority of members on a decision making body to make a decision,” according to a ministry statement. “In the case of Lantzville, if a current council member is unable to attend a council meet-
ing, quorum will not be met and council will not be authorized to act,” the statement reads. That means that unless the minister steps in if a councillor is sick or can’t attend, district business could be delayed. But most items on the council agenda “aren’t critically time sensitive,” so if someone is sick “that won’t affect the community,” Haime said. Another outstanding issue is to identify a “facilitator” to do an independent workplace review at town hall.
Five staff members earlier this year signed a letter of complaint about workplace conditions, including two senior employees who gave their notices of resignation. Darrell.Bellaart @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4235 » We want to hear from you. Send comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.
» Community Irish prepare for gay marriage vote results Backers of gay marriage had hoped for high turnout, reflecting strong participation by young and first-time voters. Electoral officials said this appeared to have happened. » Nation & World, A7
Nanaimo wrestler takes U. of Saskatchewan offer Faye Tuck, 18, who will graduate from Dover Bay Secondary this year, will attend the University of Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon, this fall. » Sports, B2
Truth about brutal 1973 prison riot documented New details about Attica riot in New York State reveal that previous allegations of torture and abuse of inmates appear to be valid. » Weekend, B1
» Use your smartphone to jump to our website for updates on these stories or the latest breaking news.
Art of the spinning wheel kept alive by group of committed enthusiasts JULIE CHADWICK DAILY NEWS
W
hen Liz Kaarremaa decided to pick up her old hobby of spinning wool again, she was determined to go all the way. Now in her seventh year of the master spinner program at Olds College in Alberta, the Protection Island resident not only spins wool but silk, linen, alpaca and cotton. “I thought it was kind of a pity that I had quit, because otherwise I would have been really good by now. So I decided I was going to take a very structured course to try and catch up,” she said. “I’m sort of more on the extreme end of spinning, but you don’t have to take a course. Some do it naturally and just seem to know what to do. I was not a natural spinner, so I needed lessons.” Part of the course involves learning about different spinning techniques and wheels, as well as the wide variety of fibres that can be used for yarn, including dog hair. “It has to have a bit of a wavy hair. If it’s too wiry it’s too slippery and it won’t spin very well,” said Kaarremaa. Many materials for spinning, as well as finished products, will be on display and for sale at the 5th Annual Fleece and Fibre Fair in Coombs on May 31. For spinners like Lynne Vander Linde, president of the MidIsland Weavers and Spinners Guild, fairs can be the go-to place
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Lynne Vander Linde uses a spinning machine in her house on Friday. [AARON HINKS/DAILY NEWS]
to pick up materials like alpaca and silk, which is typically sourced from China or India. With an allergy to commercial wool, Vander Linde prefers to buy her fibre from local farms and mills whenever possible. “It’s meditation,” said Vander Linde, pulling a multicoloured tuft of mixed wool, alpaca and cotton from the bag at her feet and trundling it through her spinning wheel to produce a smooth curl of yarn onto the spool. “I just love it. The dying of the fibre — I can’t do that any more,
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but the colours are fantastic, the feel is wonderful,” she said. With a professional quality wheel, she can spin everything from chunky sweater yarn to fine, two- or three-ply lace-weight thread. Vander Linde’s favourite combination of fibres is an alpacasilk blend which produces a light, soft yarn. Another advantage of home-spun yarn is economic, said MIWSG treasurer Crystal Hanson. She said she keeps two alpacas on her property for their fibre.
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“The reason I got involved in spinning was because I had taken up knitting, and good yarn is fairly expensive, so I thought I would give it a try,” said Hanson. “The alpacas have lovely fibre, it’s warmer than wool because it’s hollow,” she said. The fair takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bradley Centre, 975 Shearme Rd. in Coombs. Admission is free and there will be a spinning circle. Julie.Chadwick @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4238
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