TUESDAY
K A M L O O P S
THIS WEEK
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 X Volume 26 No. 28 www.kamloopsthisweek.com X 30 cents at Newsstands
Gaglardis will go to trial in June By Dale Bass STAFF REPORTER dale@kamloopsthisweek.com
Three days have been set aside in June to deal with six charges against Tom Gaglardi and his father, Robert, and one charge against the Gaglardi family business, Northland Properties Corporation. The charges stem from an incident last year on lakefront property Tom Gaglardi owns in Savona, where the Crown alleges the pair and their company contravened federal legislation by “first clearing and then filling land, actions that resulted in the harmful alternation, disruption or destruction of fish habitat, the foreshore of Kamloops Lake.”
In a pre-trial conference at the Kamloops Law Courts on Monday, April 8, lawyer Rob Bruneau, who is representing the Gaglardis and their company, said he expects to call five defence witnesses. Crown counsel D.R. Kier said he has six witnesses planned, including two experts — a surveyor and a biologist. Kier said he will require a DVD player to show before and after video of a helicopter site related to the charges. The charges were laid on April 10, 2012. The property is located east of the entry to the Savona Aspen Planers panel plant and is roughly the size of two city lots. The Thompson-
Nicola Regional District issued a stop-work order on construction in 2011. Tom Gaglardi is majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers and bought the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League in November 2011. Northland is now building the new Sandman Signature Hotel on Lorne Street across from Riverside Park. A second pre-trial conference is scheduled for May 13 at 9:30 a.m. Meanwhile, the Gaglardis are also being sued by the strata of a residential development the family built in Revelstoke, beginning in 2007. X See GAGLARDIS A4
Three-year-old Grace Lawrence was dancing for her dinner during intermission at a recent Kamloops Blazers’ game. Grace and the rest of Blazer Nation will be rocking Interior Savings Centre tonight (April 9) at 7 p.m. as the Blue and Orange take a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 of their second-round Western Hockey League playoff series against the Kelowna Rockets. Game 4 will be at ISC tomorrow at 7 p.m. Allen Douglas/KTW
BLAZERS RED-HOT IN RETURN HOME Guilty plea in North Kam collision Merle Peter Michels has pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention. The 85-year-old was charged after he ran a red light on Sept. 9, 2012, at the intersection of Tranquille and Leigh roads and hit Chloe Jasmine Demers — also known as Chloe Ardiles — as she crossed in a crosswalk area. Her injuries were life-threatening and she spent several weeks in a medically induced coma. A hearing is scheduled for April 18 to determine a specific September date for sentencing. Turn to page A2 for the full story.
They may have finished second to the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League B.C. Division regular season, but the Kamloops Blazers are winning the games that truly count. After eliminating the Victoria Royals in six games in the opening round of the playoffs, Kamloops travelled to Kelowna on the weekend for the first two games of the second-round bestof-seven battle. The Blazers won both games — a 5-1 victory on Sunday, April 7, and a 4-2 triumph on Saturday, April 6. The two teams are back in action at Interior Savings Centre tonight (April 9) and tomorrow for 7 p.m. starts.
The first 5,000 fans through the doors tonight will receive rally towels courtesy of Pratt’s Pharmacy. The first 3,000 fans through the doors will receive a white Blazer Rally T-shirt courtesy of CSC Electric. For more on the Blazers’ playoff journey — and details on Brendan Ranford being named WHL Player of the Week — turn to today’s sports section, beginning on page A15. Don’t forget to follow KTW sports reporter Marty Hastings on Twitter (@KTWOnBlazers) as he provides real-time updates during games. Go online to kamloopsthisweek.com for even more Blazers news.
Your gift today benefits our communities forever You can donate to a variety of areas of interest including organizations & projects that support children & families
Make a donation today! 250-434-6995 www.kamloopsfoundation.com