Vancouver Information and Newspaper

Archive for February, 2010

VANCOUVER, B.C. – A tsunami advisory has been issued for all of coastal British Columbia following Saturday’s 8.8 earthquake in Chile.

The West Coast Alaska Tsunami Warning Center says a tsunami advisory means there is a possiblity of strong localized currents.

No significant inundation is expected, but low-lying coastal areas and beaches are at risk.

The provincial emergency system says experts predict the first wave arrival time of 15:11 PST at the southern B.C. coastline.

It says local governments may consider activating their emergency plans, including evacuating marinas, beaches and other areas that are below normal high-tide mark.

A stronger tsunami warning was issued earlier Saturday for a wide swath of the Pacific, including Hawaii, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Vancouver Police will investigate the sudden death of a 20-year-old University of B.C. student who was found unconscious less than two days after he was released from jail in Whistler.

The RCMP have asked the Vancouver police department to take over the probe.

The man was arrested by the Mounties in Whistler on Tuesday for being drunk in public.

While in the RCMP lockup he fell several times, but he was released the following morning.

Twenty-three hours later he was discovered unconscious in his UBC residence in Vancouver and taken to hospital where he later died.

VERNON, B.C. – A Vernon, B.C., forest company facing a First Nations blockade over logging plans has won a B.C. Supreme Court order aimed at removing the roadblock.

Tolko Industries wants to log in the Brown’s Creek area, but the Okanagan Indian Band says that could threaten its drinking water and has erected the blockage to stop any logging.

Tolko Woodlands manager Mark Tamas says the company will take the next few days to review the court’s direction and assess its next step.

The band says it will keep its blockade in place and appeal the ruling.

It would be up to the RCMP to enforce the order.

The Mounties have said they plan to talk to both sides to mediate a peaceful settlement, before taking any other action.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal says men do not have the right to bare arms in a Kamloops, B.C., nightclub.

The tribunal has ruled in favour of Blue Grotto owners Teri, Kathy and Kevin Willey, in their battle to keep gang influences out of their club.

Chase, B.C., resident Dorian Payne complained after he was forced to pull a sleeved shirt over his tank top while visiting the Blue Grotto with his sister and father.

He argued he was the victim of sex discrimination because women at the club are permitted to wear sleeveless shirts.

But the tribunal dismissed the complaint, siding with the owners who say the dress code and other entry restrictions help them identify and control gang infiltration.

Kathy Willey says the nightclub owners would have appealed if they had lost, while the lawyer acting for Payne says he’s not aware of his client’s intentions.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Vancouver police are asking the province to close liquor stores early tonight because of the men’s hockey game against Slovakia.

Hockey fans sporting Team Canada jerseys are already milling around downtown Vancouver, where tens of thousands have been congregating on game nights to watch the matches on huge outdoor screens.

Police say they anticipate large crowds again tonight after the game and want to curb the open consumption of liquor on the streets.

They’ve asked the provincial Liquor Control and Licensing Branch to have private and public liquor stores downtown close at 7 p.m. – four hours earlier than normal.

Vancouver police say up to 150,000 have congregated in the downtown core on some game nights, but they’ve been very well-behaved aside from public intoxication complaints.

The department is getting some help from the Integrated Security Unit providing security for the Games in policing the downtown core.

A Clark County team is getting credit for helping police around the region stop methamphetamine cooks and dealers.