home
taste Hanoi Bistro Page 31
Healing garden Page 13
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
48 pages
your source for local sports, news, weather and entertainment!
sport
Seahawks tour soars in Page 39
Voted Canada’s Best Community Newspaper
www.nsnews.com
Junket debate fans CNV council drama Brent Richter brichter@nsnews.com
A disagreement at City of North Vancouver council over whether to pay for council members to attend a conference in California escalated into an argument with the mayor threatening to kick one councillor out of chambers, Monday night. The verbal brouhaha started when Coun. Linda Buchanan put forward a motion to allow councillors to attend the Safe Routes to School National Conference in Sacramento in August at the city’s expense. The estimated cost for one council member to attend the event is likely more than $1,000. Coun. Rod Clark said the conference was an improper use of taxpayers’ money, bringing up the recent Canadian senators’ expense scandal. “I’d like to term this as tap-dancing with Mike Duffy because good old Mike has presented himself to Canada as profligate spender of taxpayer See School page 5
NEWS photo Lisa King
Hot rod dogs
LAWRENCE Harrop showed off his 1929 Whippet roadster at the hot rod show of exotic and custom cars in Shipbuilders Square on Sunday. Along for the ride were Harrop’s three generations of whippet dogs — mother, daughter and grandmother — who often travel in the rumble seat of his classic car. Scan with Layar app to view photos.
Arson possible in Ambleside fire West Van Police call for public’s help on commercial block blaze
Brent Richter brichter@nsnews.com
WEST Vancouver police now say a fire that ruined nine businesses in a commercial building on the 1300-block of Marine Drive in Ambleside last fall is being treated as a suspected arson.
Police are hoping a tip from the public can move the investigation to the next level. “We’re looking for anyone from the public who may have any information about it. It was initially described as ‘not suspicious,’” said Const. Jeff Palmer, West Vancouver police spokesman. “Upon further investigation, it was no longer true to say it wasn’t suspicious and so there’s still a very active investigation going on.” Palmer could not say what evidence points to the fire being deliberately set, though police have had suspicions since soon after the fire nine months ago. “We did a very detailed investigation from the outset. This has been a criminal investigation for some time,” he said.
Police say they have identified suspects, but are not releasing any details “for investigative purposes.” “We aren’t in a position to publicly identify anyone as person of interest or otherwise, but it’s still a very active investigation,” Palmer said. West Vancouver Fire and Rescue raced to the building on the night of Oct. 28 when witnesses reported smoke and flames coming from the roof of Tasos restaurant. Crews kept the blaze contained to the kitchen, where it appeared the fire had started. Eight other businesses suffered water damage and were forced to close. Among
Get Jacked at the Summer of Lumberjacks!
Laugh with lumberjacks. Experience eagles, owls and hawks. Meet Grizzly Bears and more. Get it all with just one ticket at Grouse Mountain. So close, a world away. grousemountain
See Damage page 3