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www.pgfreepress.com ■ INdecent act
Witnessed by teenage girls
3rd incident in recent weeks DeLynda Pilon newsroom@pgfreepress.com
Local RCMP are looking for a man who four teenaged girls witnessed masturbating while he was in his pickup truck at Masich Place Stadium on Massey Drive on Dec. 5 at about 3:30 p.m. The girls were in a vehicle at the stadium when a man drove by without pants on. Although the witnesses didn’t actually see the man masturbating, the suspect’s actions led them to believe he was. The students returned to school and reported the incident to their teacher, who called police. This is the third indecent act involving public masturbation reported within the last few weeks, bringing the total up to about a dozen in the city in the last year. The PGSS students described the man as being in his 40s, either wearing a cap or bald. He was driving a 2002 or 2003 blue four-door GMC pickup with an Under Armor sticker in the rear left-hand window. Cpl. Craig Douglass, local communications NCO with the RCMP, said they are looking for between two to four people involved in these incidents. He said the public masturbation incidents seem to break down into two different scenarios. In cases like the accounts where a man was seen masturbating at the entrance of a public washroom at CNC on Nov. 21, or the second, which involved a witness seeing a man masturbating at Cottonwood Island Park on Dec. 4, there was no target. In other words, getting caught seemed almost incidental to the person committing the act. In the cases earlier in the year and the one that occurred Dec. 5, the suspect seemed to want to be seen. “In two incidents there was no attention of the affection, or they weren’t targeted. There just happened to be witnesses.” The Dec. 5 incident is different. “This fits the bill of the previous ones,” Douglass said. However, this suspect is described as being older than the suspect involved in incidents earlier in 2011. If someone witnesses such an act, Douglass said not to approach the person involved. “Don’t approach them. You never know if or when they might progress to something different. Try to get a description and a licence plate number and call us immediately,” he said.
A lla n W ISHA RT/ Fre e Pre s s
A rally to “shine a light on education” was organized by the Prince George District Teachers’ Association outside the School District offices on Tuesday evening, just before the inaugural meeting of the new board of education. More than 150 people attended.
■ Education
Warrington elected board chair
Teachers hold candlelight vigil at inaugural meeting Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com
Any suspense over who the new chair of the School District 57 board of education ended with the first nomination. Incumbent trustee Trish Bella nominated fellow incumbent – and the only other returning trustee – Sharel Warrington. After superintendent Brian Pepper called twice more for nominations, he declared Warrington acclaimed to the position. “I am privileged and honoured to be the chair,” Warrington said. “I have a strong desire to be part of a strong team, which I believe this is.” Bella and Warrington were joined by new trustees Betty Bekkering, Tim Bennett, Sharon Bourassa, Kate Cooke and Brenda Hooker in formally taking
their oaths of office from Associate Chief Judge Michael Brecknell. “A strong education system,” Brecknell said in remarks to the trustees and others gathered at the school district office, “along with a robust health-care system and a trusted system of justice, are the cornerstones of our province.” Sharon Bourassa will be the vicechair for the three-year term the trustees are starting. She was acclaimed after Bella turned down a nomination. “I am honoured to be chosen,” Bourassa said. “I’ve got a pretty good idea of the workload it would entail,” from serving in a similar position as a trustee in Chilliwack. Bella, who had served for a short time as vice-chair before the Nov. 19 elections, will resume her role as the board’s representative with the B.C.
School Trustees Association (BCSTA). She was acclaimed for the position. “I would love to return to that role,” she said after being nominated. “I think I have had the chance to build up a lot of relationships at that level.” The only position for which a vote was required was for the local representative to the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association. Tim Bennett was elected to the post over Betty Bekkering. The trustees will be heading to Vancouver shortly for meetings organized by the BCSTA. The meetings are held after each election to give trustees a chance to learn more about their responsibilities as well as have the chance to do some team-building. About 150 teachers and supporters held a candlelight vigil prior to the meeting to “shine a light on education.”