Local businessman, pot advocate and former municipal, provincial and federal candidate Tim Felger met with city officials on Thursday to learn the fate of his Da Kine cafe in downtown Abbotsford. The city has decided to revoke his business licence, but Felger said he is not going to give up his fight to keep Da Kine going. Felger was arrested May 13 in a police sting at his Da Kine store on Essendene Avenue after he sold small amounts of pot to an undercover officer on several occasions. Following the arrest came the loss of his business licence. [continues 201 words]
Safe-injection sites were one of the main issues covered at the community forum on crime and addictions on Monday. Daryl Plecas, who is on the criminology faculty at the University of the Fraser Valley, spoke at the forum and said he would even like the safe-injection model to be taken to the next level. "We might want to entertain the notion of having the drugs for people," said Plecas. Under the "supervised use site" model the crime that often accompanies the search for drugs may be lessened. [continues 251 words]
Anger over the recent gang activity, which has caught the full attention of the province, mixed with a general concern about the level of safety in Abbotsford's streets, spilled over during a public crime forum at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Monday night. After Abbotsford Police Chief Const. Bob Rich gave the audience of around 400 attendees an overview of police operations and a breakdown of how they are dealing with the gangs in the city (in particular, the now-notorious Bacon brothers), residents were given a chance to vent. [continues 329 words]
To ease the fears of Abbotsford residents following recent gang violence, and to get some dialogue going between the city, police and community, there will be a crime forum held in the city on Monday. Abbotsford Mayor George Peary announced the meeting at the city council meeting earlier this week and it is set to take place at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (32315 South Fraser Way), starting at 7 p.m. The first shooting last week, the gunfire happened at one of Abbotsford's major intersections, Sumas Way and South Fraser Way, during rush hour. [continues 441 words]
Facility Needed, Says Councillor The Abbotsford treatment and detox centre couldn't come at a better time, says Abbotsford Coun. John Smith. "It is so important that there are properly run places that will help these women get off drugs and get off the street, so they can have some stability in their lives," said Smith. His comments come after the council approved a new 10-bed centre, aimed at females 13 to 19 years old, last Monday. The application for the centre was put forward by the Spirit Bear Society, a group that was founded to help young women with a dependency on drugs and alcohol. The group also aims to help them deal with the impact of physical and sexual abuse. [continues 171 words]
An Abbotsford couple is part of one of two landmark court decisions that deal with seized residences. The B.C. Court of Appeal made a decision Tuesday that allows the Crown to seize homes where the owners had marijuana-growing operations. Section 16.1 of the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act allows for the forfeiture of homes used in drug operations such as marijuana-growing and crystal methamphetamine labs. The forfeiture section applies not just to owner-operators, homeowners who grow marijuana in their own homes, but also to homeowners who knowingly allow another person to do so on their premises.This, and one other ruling spoken to on Tuesday, are the first by the B.C. Court of Appeal in interpreting Section 16.1. [continues 79 words]
Enjoy food, auctions and entertainment Saturday to help young women conquer their addictions. Lynn Ned, founder and executive director of the Spirit Bear Centre Society, has had the idea for the centre for many years. "It's been my dream for about seven years and I finally formed this society over a year ago," said Ned. "We were hoping to be built by December 2005 but there's a lot of red tape and hoops you have to go through." The centre will be a 20-bed residential detox and life-skills training centre for young, drug-or alcohol-addicted aboriginal women, said Ned. [continues 198 words]
Stopping the problem before it starts is the main idea behind a new school-based drug education program, says Mission-Maple Ridge MLA Randy Hawes. "Instead of helping people who are drowning in the river we are going to be stopping people from falling in the river," said Hawes. The goal of the provincial government funded program is to inform youths, teachers and parents about the dangers of crystal methamphetamine use - before the drug has a chance to invade their lives. [continues 406 words]
With a growing drug problem in Grande Prairie, police will be turning to the public more for help in solving - and reporting - drug cases, a local Mounties says. Cpl. John Wilson said that with the changing landscape of the drug trade in Grande Prairie over the last 10 years, the RCMP see information from the public as one of their most valuable resources. "The biggest resource out there for the police to combat the drug problem, not only in Grande Prairie but in any community, is the people within the community ... people providing the information," said Wilson, head of Grande Prairie RCMP's drug crimes unit. [continues 575 words]
With the addition of new beds, staff and a program designed to help drug- and alcohol-addicted youth, the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission hopes to offer addicted youths another resource for recovery. The 2006 provincial budget provided AADAC with $14 million to put towards 20 new beds for Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Picture Butte, Edmonton and Calgary. Grande Prairie-area AADAC supervisor Barb Robbins said of the 20 new beds, Grande Prairie will be receiving four along with financial help to help hire more staff. [continues 478 words]
