Vol. 26 No. 60
Your community. Your newspaper.
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COMOX VALLEY RECORD
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A division of
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July 29, 2011
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FRIDAY
ANNIVERSARY
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NCE 1986
www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
Father vowing to be there for dead son
WRITTEN IN INK
Accused 16-year-old appears in court via video from youth detention centre Erin Haluschak
The accused, who cannot be named due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is in custody after he was arrested minutes after the stabbing, which occurred around 11:30 p.m., following the conclusion of the Rhythm on the Rock festival at the nearby Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds. During a short courtroom appearance via video from a youth detention centre, the defendant stared straight ahead, with Denton’s friends and family members filling the first few rows of the gallery. Defence lawyer Robert Miller, representing the defendant’s lawyer — Victoria-based Michael Mulligan — asked for the next court appearance to be Aug. 18, which was confirmed by Judge Peter Doherty in provincial court. Doherty then spoke directly to the families of both the accused and the victim. “This case is going to to go for awhile — it is a serious case where I will be the judge,” he said. “I know emotions on both sides are highly charged. “I’ve seen how this affects fami-
Record Staff
FAMILY AND FRIENDS of murdered 19-year-old James Denton demonstrated Thursday outside the courthouse in Courtenay. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
With what his father calls only “one per cent of James’ friends” converging on the front lawn of the Courtenay courthouse Thursday morning, supporters rallied for justice for James Denton. The 19-year-old died after he was stabbed late Saturday night near G.P. Vanier Secondary School. “We’re going to be here until this kid pays and goes away,” said James’ father David Denton about the 16-year-old who is charged with first-degree murder, adding he plans on attending every court appearance. “Every time my son’s name is mentioned, I’ll be right beside him.” Denton noted support for the family within the community has been excellent. “There’s a lot of good people here. But as I talk around town, I’m finding there’s a lot of people who don’t feel safe in our town ... the honest citizen doesn’t really have a chance after dark, it seems,” he said.
... see RCMP ■ A6
The Big Time Out dealing with late curveball Festival a go — somewhere
Scott Stanfield Record Staff
The show will go on — but not at Village Park where The Big Time Out is normally held in August. At an in-camera meeting Monday, Cumberland council unanimously voted to deny a Cumberland Village Works application to hold the Aug. 12 and 13 music festival in the village because the RCMP is “unable to recommend the event proceed this year,” acting chief administrative officer Dave Durrant stated in a Wednesday press release.
Cumberland Mayor Fred Bates said festival organizers failed to submit security and other information required to approve the application in time. “There’s been at least three deadlines set since May,” Bates said, noting the last deadline was July 20. “We kept extending the deadline because we wanted it to happen...They failed to have the security issue before the police for us to approve it.” The village office felt the public’s wrath when word spread
supply all the extra officers,” said Schulman, who could not yet disclose the venue. “They’ve told us the things they want us to have in place to ensure they have very little to do.” Schulman notes the venue change will negatively impact the business community in Cumberland. He also notes council has the final say in the matter, despite the wording of the press release. “We’re hiring the best and most professional security company, Live Host from Vancouver,” said Schulman, mindful of last week-
about the denied application. “They (Cumberland residents) are tromping into Dave Durrant’s office,” festival artistic director vig Schulman said Wednesday. “He can’t accept all the people. There’s a big push afoot to try and get everybody to rescind.” The event, however, will proceed “full steam ahead” — on a smaller scale without alcohol — at an alternate venue outside but near Cumberland. “Because it’s no longer in the village they (RCMP) don’t have to
... see FLEXIBILITY ■ A2
Photographer Gordon Ross is interested in tattoos. ■ B2
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
“Myshree’s needle painting is absolutely incredible,” Corinne James, executive director of The Old Schoolhouse Gallery, said in a March interview. “Her work shows a lot of movement and dynamic colour because of the way the threads go with the light, it’s always changing.” A few months later, Myshree Tsai received the People’s Choice Award at the Pearl Ellis Gallery of Fine Art in Comox for her needle painting Farm Woman.
...Full story on page ■ B1
FINDER ■ Weather
A2
■ Lottery
A6
■ Ferry Schedule
A6
■ Editorial
A24
■ Opinion
A25
■ Arts
B1
■ Sports
B10
■ Classified
B20
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