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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
Drivers get a failing grade near schools Police issue 90 tickets and many warnings BY
JESSICA KERR
jkerr@delta-optimist.com
the last several weeks learning a whole new way of life.
Delta police are giving many local drivers a failing grade when it comes to back-to-school safety. During the first two weeks of the school year, the department’s traffic section held a back-toschool enforcement and awareness campaign. “We were astonished to see that a great number of the offending drivers were actually parents dropping off their children and who were clearly aware of the school zone requirements,” said Sgt. Mike Scholz. The campaign targeted all schools in Delta with officers providing a visible presence. They were there to remind drivers that school is now back in session and that school zone speed limits of 30 km/h are in effect from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on school days. Over the nine days of the campaign, officers issued more than 90 violation tickets and gave out a significant number of verbal warnings. “Our officers heard excuses about ignorance of the school zone speed limits, and even several from area residents who said they were unaware that there was even a school zone in their area,” Scholz said. He added one driver that was pulled over for speeding in a school zone argued with the officer by saying, “But I was only going 50.”
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SUBMITTED PHOTO
Tsawwassen’s John Filthuth, shown here with his wife and daughter, has spent most of the year in hospital after waking up paralyzed back in February. He’s due to come home soon, but costly renovations are needed at his rental home.
Family in need of help
After a trying year medical-wise, a new set of challenges emerges on the homefront JESSICA KERR
jkerr@delta-optimist.com
A long-time Tsawwassen family is reaching out for help as it deals with a difficult situation. On Feb. 13, John Filthuth woke up paralyzed from the waist down. He was initially taken to Delta Hospital and transferred to Vancouver General Hospital a few days later. He underwent a battery of tests and was examined by the best neuroscience team in Canada, but the doctors could not find anything significant, said daughter Jessica Filthuth.
He was diagnosed with idiopathic transverse myelitis — an unexplained inflammation of the spinal cord. The doctors could tell the family that John had suffered a series of mini strokes, and possibly a heart attack; he had multiple lesions on his spinal cord and his kidneys were failing. People who have suffered a neurological injury, can often have difficulty swallowing. After about two weeks in the hospital, John choked, vomited and stopped breathing. “It is a miracle he survived,” Jessica said. “No one knows truly
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how long he was without oxygen before the nurses found him.” He spent the next seven days in a coma on life support. When he woke up, his lungs were so damaged he was unable to breath on his own and had to undergo an emergency tracheotomy. John spent the next four months in intensive care, overcoming many setbacks, including bleeding ulcers, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, multiple bouts of pneumonia and infections. After six months he was strong enough to be transferred to G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre where the 67-year-old has spent
SUBMITTED PHOTO
John Filthuth has endured a difficult year, including spending seven days in a coma.
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