Richmond News March 30 2023

Photo by Valerie Leung

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EV rise could stall without charging stations

Eve Edmonds

I’m told the art of designing a good poll is ensuring people see themselves in the range of answers

Granted, I was not one of the 16,000 Canadians asked to fill out a survey regarding how I felt about my electric vehicle, but when the results were published last week, I had a remarkable sense of, “Yes, that’s me!”

According to the survey conducted by the Canadian Automobile Association in partnership with BCAA, “EV owners are overwhelmingly happy with their purchase, however, access to charging stations remains the primary concern ”

This, apparently, was the largest-ever survey of Canadian and British Columbian EV owners

“The survey discovered points of concern in B.C. EV owners, including that almost half (48 per cent) worry about

public charging stations, while one-third (36 per cent) don’t have the confidence to drive their EV on a long road trip,” reads the press release

However, the survey also showed that:

• 96 per cent say they will purchase another EV when it comes time to replace their existing one

• 96 per cent say their EV is more affordable

• Fears about battery degradation fell 43 percentage points to 15 per cent after purchase

I have to say ditto on all that. But about those charging stations

When we bought our hybrid/EV we researched charging stations for the areas we would need one We were thrilled to find so many close to where we live, shop and workout. We used a couple of them, and despite a few self-imposed glitches working the app, all was well

The problem started when we ventured out of our happy little enclave of Ste-

Richmond cherry blossom festival returns to Garry Point Park Demonstrators hang ‘Frack Free’ banner off Richmond overpass

Convicted B C killer had loaded gun hidden between buttocks in Richmond shooting Richmond drivers badly needed for cancer patients

Maintenance work to limit Massey Tunnel travel for next several nights

Volunteers pull up 300 blackberry roots at Terra Nova

veston/West Richmond.

My partner works in Vancouver near 1st Ave and Commercial Drive Again, we were pleased to find there were plenty of charging stations available in that area as well But that’s when the goose chase began

One of the stations near his office doesn’t cost, so there are cars there 24/7, the other was vandalized at least five months ago and has never been fixed Two others are open and operating if you happen to be shopping at that establishment

We thought we may have better luck in my office area around Cambie Street and West 5th Avenue Again, the map was crowded with EV charging stations, but again almost all were residents-only or customers-only

Some parking lots have charging stations, but then you ’ re paying for parking as well as charging That’s not the worst given our savings on gas (we’ve filled up twice in four months), but even those

were few and far between

I asked at a nearby community centre if they had a charging station and was told they will have in 2025

Nothing like getting ahead of the curve

In B C , the number of registered EVs jumped 44 per cent in just one year, according to a recent provincial government report This puts us ahead of all other Canadian provinces and all U S states including California

It would be a shame to see that enthusiasm stall because of a lack of infrastructure I understand businesses want to reserve use of their chargers for their customers, which is why we won’t develop a comprehensive charging network if that’s our only option We also need lots of public stations in strategic places

EVs alone are not going to save the planet They can help steer us in the right direction, but we’ll only make the distance if we ’ re assured there are charging stations to power us along the way

Everyone deserves hospice care LETTERS

Dear Editor,

I read both of your letters on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) and hospice care

As a fellow human who will be facing my own death someday and who has lost many loved ones, I would argue every person should have the option of hospice care as they are dying

It seems to me the problem is one of resources rather than who deserves or does not deserve hospice care

I have a large family of twelve siblings My parents, five siblings, and several nieces and nephews have passed on, and each death has been unique.

Some have died quickly, and others have left this world slowly My mother and three of my siblings had the blessing of hospice care in their passing.

For my loved ones and my family, hospice has helped ease the pain and suffering of death physically, emotionally and spiritually.

My sister passed away Nov 5 at the age of 71

She was a vibrant, generous person who loved her family and the outdoors, particularly if she was on a golf course In February 2021, she was suddenly unable to sign her name Within a couple of months, she struggled to walk By the time of her death, she needed constant care with the most basic functions of eating, bathing and mobility.

It took months before she was diagnosed with a rare form of paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia

When there was no hope of treatment or recovery, she asked if she qualified for MAID After meeting with a specialist and her medical team, they determined she qualified, and that she could also receive hospice care (not in Richmond).

She chose a date three months away as her death date

Over that time, the hospice provided palliative, emotional, and spiritual

care for my her and my family The only difference between her situation and others in my family who received hospice care was that she knew she could end her life on a particular day

She still suffered, her body was dying, and she had to let go of everyone and everything that she loved

Since her death, I have had the good fortune of hospice counselling to help me grieve her loss I am forever grateful

Choosing MAID still involves a death journey that is made easier with hospice care I hope each and every person who leaves this life slowly has the option of that support

The waiting list for hospice is a health resource problem that needs to be addressed, but there should not be a competition for who deserves such care

We all do

Kudos for quick city response

Dear Editor,

It is human nature to complain when things go wrong in our municipality but rarely do the many things that go right get the same attention I would like to relate two recent pleasant experiences

This past Thursday, I alerted Richmond traffic management to a failed amber light at the pedestrian crossing at No 1 Road and Springfield Drive Within two hours, I received a response that the light had been replaced and the crosswalk was back in operation Kudos to the efficiency of our Traffic Management Centre!

On Friday I was concerned about a friend who lives alone When I was unable to locate the building manager and uncertain what to do, I contacted 9-1-1 who politely redirected me to our local RCMP detachment. Within half an hour, two constables were on the scene to investigate (which ended happily, by the way)

I am grateful for the care and professionalism of Constable Daniel and his colleague and for Operator 3485 for his calmness and helpfulness

It is reassuring to know such fine people serve our community so competently and responsibly

Jeanée Reichert STEVESTON

of a significant problem that should be reported immediately to the warranty provider and builder

9. Failing to retain a qualified consultant to prepare a warranty report

A consultant can uncover problems that may not be apparent to most owners A warranty report is one of the best investments a strata corporation can make

8. Retaining the developer’s consultant to prepare warranty reports

Some owners believe the best person to inspect their condominium is the developer’s engineer, who has inside knowledge about its construction. But the engineer may feel conflicted about pointing out problems in areas of the building that were their responsibility A fresh set of eyes avoids this problem.

7. Retaining a consultant too late

4. Letting the builder drive the process

Warranty providers often leave it to the builder to respond to claims Builders, in turn, often delegate this work to their trades This means warranty repairs are often left to contractors who minimize problems in their work and are busy on other projects Make sure the warranty provider remains front and centre throughout the claims process

3. Putting up with unreasonable delay

The authority that governs warranty providers issued an Advisory Letter in 2016 stating that if a builder cannot complete repairs within a reasonable time frame – generally 30 days after a request from the warranty provider – another contractor should be hired to complete the work. Despite this directive, significant delays continue to occur Strata councils should set reasonable time frames for warranty providers to investigate defects, evaluate coverage and complete repairs

2. Neglecting legal deadlines

Wh hether you own a condo, are about to buy one or hope to do so someday, one of the most important things you should know about is “2-5-10” home warranty insurance

For more than 20 years, homeowners in B.C have been protected by 2-5-10 warranty insurance, which includes 2 years’ coverage on labour and materials, 5 years on the building envelope (including water penetration) and 10 years on structural components

But even with this legal protection, a warranty claim can still go wrong for a variety of reasons

Lesperance Mendes Lawyers, a Vancouver law firm with 25-plus years of experience advising strata corporations and homeowners on warranty claims, has put together a list of the top 10 ways a warranty claim can fail. Be sure to make note of them so you can avoid these common mistakes

10. Being slow off the mark

Home warranties have 15- and 24-month deadlines for reporting some defects At this early stage, some problems (like a wet ceiling or window condensation) may seem too small to justify a warranty claim.

Sometimes, however, these are early warning signs

Warranty reporting is a specialized field, and the consultants who understand it are busy Reports can take months to prepare, and sometimes conclude that it’s not possible to determine if a defect exists without further investigation To avoid running out of time, strata corporations should line up a qualified consultant at least six months before warranty deadlines

6. Repairing defects too early

Unless a problem requires immediate action (for example, a burst pipe), an owner should give the warranty provider a reasonable opportunity to investigate, evaluate and repair defects Owners who repair before giving their warranty provider this opportunity run the risk of having their claim denied.

5 Keeping owners in the dark

Strata councils sometimes neglect to report to owners during the claims process This can lead to suspicion and anger when owners discover that a warranty claim has been denied and costly repairs are required. To avoid conflict, let owners know what’s going on through council minutes and at general meetings

Many owners are unaware of the deadlines for enforcing their legal remedies These include a twoyear deadline for suing warranty providers, builders and other responsible parties The dates upon which these deadlines expire are often uncertain. The safe course of action is to seek early legal advice on the strata’s options

1.Taking no for an answer

Many owners give up once a claim is denied. Surely warranty providers, who handle claims daily, have a good understanding of what’s covered by their warranties, right?

Not necessarily On June 16, 2022, the BC Financial Services Authority reported on an earlier examination which found that the claims-handling practices of some warranty providers might harm owners’ interests through a lack of timely and complete responses to claims While the Authority noted that warranty providers had made some improvements, concerns about claims handling remained. Legal advice can help owners address these concerns To learn more about your rights as a homeowner,visit lmlaw.ca,contact John Mendes at jgm@lmlaw.ca and ask for a free copy of the Guide to 2-5-10Warranties.

Man repeats racist rant

It appears as if Richmond’s serial racist is back at it again, this time confronting a server inside a new dessert shop in the city

The man, who the Richmond News understands to be Peter Hanssens, has been caught on video multiple times over the last few years making racist comments and being involved in heated arguments with people of Asian ethnicity

Each time, Hanssens questions whether his target or targets are from Canada, advises them to “ go back to China” and, in the process, usually claims to be a lawyer

His recent rant happened at a new mango dessert shop, Hui Lau Shan, on Buswell Street and Cook Road in Richmond, where he had apparently popped in to use the washroom

It’s not clear what happened in the moments leading up to the altercation, but Hanssens can be heard on the video posted to TikTok asking the server, “So what are you? Are you a Canadian?

“I’m asking you a question, are you Canadian?

“If you ’ re saying you ’ re Chinese, then you go back to China ”

The person who posted the video to the social media platform claimed that Hanssens came in to use the washroom before complaining that there wasn’t enough English on the menu

Needless to say, his comments were largely treated with disdain by fellow TikTok users, with many not realizing that the rant was not Hanssens’ first time around The Law Society of BC, on the back of a complaint received about Hanssens’ claims of being a lawyer, has issued him with a warning to stop making such representations

He was last in the news when confronting women of Asian ethnicity at Brighouse Canada Line station last August

In that instance, Hanssens demanded to know why the women were not speaking English, making references about Japan, even though they appeared to be of Chinese ethnicity

In 2021, he got into an argument and made racist remarks towards anti-Asian racism protestors, also at Brighouse station

And three years ago, he confronted a group of Asian students in Vancouver with similar comments, which resulted in the News publishing a letter of apology, written by Hanssens

Public Notice of Intent

Under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act

An application for a Seasonal Patio and extension of service hours has been received by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch and the City of Richmond from:

Emperor’s Kitchen Ltd., DBA: Grill Party, operating from premises located at 120 – 8511 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, BC.

The intent of the application is to: Amend Food Primary Liquor Licence # 305936 for Structural Change to operate a twenty seat Seasonal Patio on private property from April 1 to October 31 each year and to:

Propose a change of hours of liquor service from current hours:

Sunday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to Midnight.

Proposed Hours of Liquor service are:

Sunday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 AM

Total person capacity will remain the same at 98 Persons:

Teen clocks 180 km/h

A 19-year-old was arrested for speeding and crashing into a fire hydrant

The teen was driving at more than 180 km/h before colliding into a fire hydrant at No. 6 Road and Highway 91 offramp around 9:30 p.m. on March 18, according to Rich-

mond RCMP

Police said the driver had no injuries and alcohol was not a factor

Charges are pending for the teen as the investigation is ongoing.

Valerie Leung/News

Schools get upgrades

One Richmond elementary school will receive funding to be seismically upgraded to the tune of $13.5 million.

The province has approved capital funding to do seismic upgrades to Diefenbaker elementary, in southwest Richmond.

This was the only major capital project approved this year for the Richmond School District, but there will also be several minor projects throughout the district

Two high schools, Richmond Secondary and McMath, will have their dust extraction systems replaced. The Richmond Secondary project will cost

about half a million dollars while the McMath project is budgeted at about $770,000. Other capital projects that the province will pay for this year are lab ventilation upgrades at six high schools: Hugh Boyd, McRoberts, Burnett, McMath, Palmer and Richmond Secondary The total budget is about $735,000.

Furthermore, LED lighting will be installed at McRoberts secondary and Ferris elementary to the tune of $636,000.

Blair elementary will also get a new hot water heater and other heat-related retrofits. This is budgeted at $64,000.

Maria Rantanen/News

WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

To ensure the consideration of your views, your written comments must be received on or before April 15, 2023. Your name, address and phone number must be included on your comments. Please note that your comments may be made available to the applicant where disclosure is necessary to administer the licensing process.

A man confronted cafe staff about their ethnicity

TikTok screenshot

Alan Campbell

Pajo’s in the park to close

Alan Campbell

One of Steveston’s seaside staples is closing its doors after 23 years serving the community

Pajo’s at Garry Point Park announced yesterday that it will serve its last customers on Friday, March 31

In its announcement on social media, Pajo’s said that it was “extremely saddened” to break the news, but that the “City of Richmond has chosen a new vendor for the location ”

It added that it’s “almost unthinkable and with extremely heavy hearts that we anticipate serving you for the last time ”

A city spokesperson said it has “identified an experienced Richmond-based business offering a range of menu options including fish and chips to operate at the Garry Point Park concession starting this spring

“While we cannot announce who they are just yet, the operator was chosen through an open public tender process in late2022 that was the result of a lease renewal process. ”

Pajo’s went on to express its “sincere thanks” to its loyal customers

“While our family-owned business has become part of the fabric of the...community many of you have become part of our

$120,000 budget for 926 mail-in votes

The budget for mail-in voting in the recent Richmond municipal election was $120,000 but this only yielded 926 votes 2 6 per cent of the votes cast

In contrast, in the 2021 by-election for one council seat won by Andy Hobbs 14 5 per cent of voters cast a mail-in ballot, with a total of 1,895

The 2021 by-election was the first time mail-in voting was allowed for all voters, put in place to encourage social distancing due to the on-going pandemic

In the run-up to the October 2022 election, the city anticipated and had prepared for between 7,000 and 8,000 mail-in votes.

While the budget for mail-in voting was set at $120,000, the report didn’t give the final cost.

The 2022 municipal election went over budget by about $220,000 and yet voter turnout dropped about 12 per cent compared to the previous election, with 24 4 per cent of eligible voters casting a ballot

extended family as well

“We would also like to take this opportunity to express our deep thanks and gratitude especially to our store manager of 23 years, Kathy Miller, all of our current team members, and

to the hundreds of ‘family members’ we have had as part of the Pajo’s team over the years, many of them will count Pajo’s as their very first job ”

Pajo’s Steveston Harbour location will remain open

Pajo’s Garry Point Park location will close at the end of this week, after the city chose a new vendor

“The voter turnout was really terrible,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie at Monday’s committee meeting where city council was going over a report on the municipal election However, he noted, other cities, with the notable exception of Surrey, had worse turnouts

Of the 35,093 votes cast in 2022, 23 per cent were cast in advance polls

The budget for the election was set at $900,000, but the expenses ended up at almost $1 2 million $140,000 was used from the unspent funds of the 2021 by-election

The city also had an Election Mobile App City staff noted the low utilization of the app was “unanticipated ” Only 300 users downloaded the app

As for COVID-19 measures, the city ended up buying plexiglass barriers During the 2021 byelection, the city borrowed them at no cost from Elections BC

Maria Rantanen/News

What would you do if the company you’d bought beds from claimed they’d delivered the wrong product and wanted more than $2,000 to make up the difference?

Well, that’s the scenario that presented itself to a Richmond resident last summer when she bought two twin beds from Yaletown Interiors on Bridgeport Road

Santosh Goel purchased the beds last June on the understanding that it had a storage component along the side, as per the one she viewed in Yaletown’s showroom

The bed company duly delivered the beds in question and assembled them at the customer’s home

But when employees returned a few days later to replace some “mismatched bed knobs,” they said to Goel’s husband that they needed to exchange the delivered beds’ storage drawers for non-storage bed rails and slats

Yaletown claimed that the beds with storage drawers even though it was what Goel had looked at in the showroom were not what Goel paid for and that they had delivered the storage beds by mistake.

Goel’s husband refused the offer and Yaletown took the matter to a Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT), asking for the $2,181 76 for the delivered beds’ alleged price difference and an extra delivery charge

But in a recently published CRT ruling, it was decided that the customer was not liable for the difference.

In his ruling, CRT member Chad McCarthy, said, among other things, that Yale-

town “has not met its burden of showing the parties agreed non-storage beds would be provided for the paid purchase price ”

Yaletown had argued that the beds viewed in the showroom by Goel could be ordered either with or without the storage drawer feature, adding that she allegedly selected and paid for the bed version without the storage feature, which it says was cheaper but was not on display.

Specifically, a Yaletown salesperson, told the CRT that Goel selected the non-storage beds after the price difference was explained to her.

“I find internal Yaletown documents in evidence, as well as the written statement of the employee who loaded the beds, SD, show that Yaletown intended to deliver beds without storage but actually delivered beds with storage,” wrote McCarthy

However, Goel denied seeing any of the internal documents, with McCarthy adding that “the evidence does not demonstrate that she saw them or knew about Yaletown’s internal bed delivery intentions ”

Additionally, a Yaletown invoice listed, among other purchases, two “twin beds” with model numbers, without stating whether those beds had a storage feature or not McCarthy said he found neither Yaletown’s nor Goel’s version of events at the showroom more reliable than the other and that none of the evidence shows that Goel picked the non-storage beds

Meanwhile, Yaletown lost another CRT ruling when a customer successfully bid to have his $5,000 deposit returned for a cancelled furniture order, also last year

The customer had bought around $10,000 worth of furniture, but changed his mind a week after making the purchase

Financer demands $191M due to stalled project

Maria Rantanen

The financer of a condo project under creditor protection, on No 3 Road and Alderbridge Way, is asking the courts to make the owners pay back

$191 million

Atmosphere was supposed to be an 824-unit condo development with retails shops, office and underground parking

After demolition and excavation of the site, con-

struction ground to a halt in 2020 Building permits expired a year later

The Atmosphere property is owned by a numbered company, but the lawsuit claims its beneficial owner is Alderbridge Way Limited Partnership

The property is described in court documents as “ an excavated and shored hole in the ground ”

The $191 million Romspen Investment Corp is demanding includes the original $143 million loan they gave Atmosphere

plus interest, which is accruing at about $1 6 million every month

They are also asking the court to order Alderbridge Way to sell the property Romspen claims, in its civil suit filed in BC Supreme Court in February, Alderbridge Way has breached its contract and defaulted on its obligations

According to Alderbridge Way’s creditor protection filings, in April 2022, the company owed a total of $385 million to

various creditors.

This includes $76 million owed to J V Drivers Investments and $94 million to Global Education City (Richmond)

In its lawsuit, Romspen claims it gave Alderbridge Way Ltd. a loan of $143 6 million in early 2019

Last April, Alderbridge Way was granted creditor protection to restructure its business This has been extended to June Creditors and lien hold-

Blue field near Oval opens up

People walking past the Richmond Olympic Oval might have noticed a new bright blue field just outside the facility

The 4,200-square-metre blue turf, called “The Fields,” at River Road and Oval Way, is the latest addition to the Oval

Also being built as part of the project are three half-court basketball courts, an outdoor fitness area and event hosting facilities

While most artificial turfs are green, blue was chosen for The Fields because of its vibrancy and consistency with the Oval’s colour theme, explained Andrew Clark,

spokesperson for the Richmond Olympic Oval Clark told the Richmond News The Fields project lot was made avail-

able to the Oval by Richmond city council to “improve the previously underutilized space ”

Priority usage is for Oval-run programs or community sport groups, but when it’s not in use, it will be open to the public

The field can be used for training and small-sized competitions for sports like soccer, football, field hockey, baseball or softball, lacrosse and rugby

The Fields is already open for use, but an official opening event will be announced soon

Valerie Leung/Richmond News

ers are listed in Alderbridge Way’s creditor protection documents, including $1 6 million owed to the City of Richmond

Other creditors listed are real estate companies, the architect and Metro-Can

Construction, which is owed almost $8 7 million as well as Rush Contractors, which is owed $4 2 million

None of the defendants have filed a response to Romspen’s lawsuit

The Fields is the latest addition to the Oval facility Valerie Leung photo

Chinese in Canada step back from politics

Former MP Kenny Chiu is cautioning local politicians to “keep their eyes wide open and be very realistic” about possible influence from the Chinese government

Meanwhile, other Richmond community members say the focus on possible Chinese interference on Canadian elections is making local Chinese citizens step back from political participation

James Hsieh, a long-time Richmond resident and media commentator, warns the current accusations are hurting Chinese Canadians’ passion for political involvement

“Foreign interference needs to be taken seriously and be stopped in any way without question,” said Hsieh, who was born in China, grew up in Taiwan and immigrated to Canada 50 years ago

“However, I believe there is confusion between foreign government intervention and new immigrant political participation in Canada ”

Hsieh has dedicated a lot of his time in the past decades to encouraging immigrants to participate in local politics by voting, supporting politicians or seeking election

He told the Richmond News he is frustrated to see many people in the Chinese Canadian community now discouraged and stepping back from political participation

“They are now confused with the media coverage (saying) ‘people are accusing us and saying this is intervention when we participate in political events,’” said Hsieh

“And if anyone has spoken to someone from the Chinese embassy or has a picture with them, there is the risk of being seen as a spy It’s gone too far ” While Chiu doesn’t think there’s any-

thing wrong with politicians going to Chinese cultural events, he thinks local politicians need to be aware that China is playing the “long game ” in trying to influence Canadian politics and politicians

Chinese culture has a tradition of “guanxi,” a system of building social relationships, which Chiu said can possibly used later as leverage

Targeting politicians at the local level might have the goal of getting close to people who might move up in politics, for example, running for provincial or federal office

Jimmy Yan, a lawyer at the Access Pro Bono Society of BC and commentator for Richmondbased Fairchild Radio, however, warns that people need to be careful to not “racialize” the foreign interference issue

Yan noted that the politicians who have been highlighted in recent media coverage all have a Chinese ethnicity, including Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim

“Many people have confused Chinese and China and think anything Chinese-related is suspicious, which is a wrong assumption

Many non-Chinese people also have ties with China, such as owning businesses in China,” said Yan Yan said it is also unfair to identify anything China-related as a close connection with the CCP, which in his opinion is “the new xenophobia” and has put the Chinese Canadian community to the test.

Hsieh said when politicians are having conversations about foreign interference, they need to keep in mind Canada is a country of immigrants and their citizens come from very diverse backgrounds

“Some are against China and some might be in favour of a better ChinaCanada relationship, so they create opportunities for more dialogue or partnerships to happen they should be allowed to have different stances

but that doesn’t mean they are spies or work for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” said Hsieh

Prior to the Huawei issue and China arresting and detaining the “two Michaels,” federal and provincial governments actively pursued greater economic ties with China

“But now, I feel that if you show friendliness to China, you will be questioned as showing a lack of loyalty to Canada It is very scary, confusing and discouraging ” Election misinformation

During the last federal election, Chiu was targeted with misinformation about a foreign agent registry he had introduced in Parliament

Some were saying on Chineselanguage social media he was antiChinese and wanted to control and monitor people from Mainland China

This kind of misinformation pits one group against another, sowing seeds of division, Chiu said

“They see there’s a wedge they can drive into the ethnic community,” he added

When the 2019 election was called, Chiu’s bill to have a foreign agency registry died on the order papers.

It has since been revived by the Senate

Yan hopes the registry will not be limited to certain countries to avoid problems arising among communities in Richmond

In fact, Chiu noted, the wording of the bill was carefully crafted not to point fingers at any country, Chiu said

... people have confused Chinese and China and think anything Chinese-related is suspicious

JIMMY YAN

James Hsieh has dedicated a lot of time helping immigrants participate in politics Daisy Xiong photo

Morning coffee, daily walk a must for 101-year-old Steveston woman

Every morning without fail, there is a lady wearing yellow boots, a blue jacket and a colourful beret sitting outside Steveston’s Waves Coffee, sipping on a hot cup of coffee

That person is Pauline Scott, who just celebrated her 101th birthday

An early riser, Scott wakes up every morning at 7:30 a m , has a quick bite, then heads out with her walker for her morning 40-minute stroll from the Maple Residences to Steveston.

“I go for a coffee, and if I meet some of my coffee friends then we talk for quite a long time,” said Scott, adding she enjoys meeting other community members who pass by her when she’s outside

“I like to sit outside because I love to absorb the Egyptian sun ”

When she’s done, she goes on a short stroll around Steveston Village before heading home

Scott told the Richmond News that walking every day is the best way for her to exercise and move her body

“The only time I don’t like going out is if there’s snow, because I have a vehicle (walker) to push ahead of me, ” she said

“It’s hard to push your walker in the snow

Thankfully, we hardly ever have snow here, so I don’t worry too much ”

Exercising is one of two strict routines she has set for herself, the other being what she eats

Her secret to staying healthy, Scott said, all comes down to onions

“I read what two doc-

tors wrote in the newspaper a long time ago, and they said if you eat onions, you’ll never be sick I’ve followed that advice ever since ”

And, no, it’s not cooked nor caramelized onions that she eats. It’s a raw onion sandwich

“It’s my favourite sandwich,” said Scott with a big smile, adding that she has no “ care for meat sandwiches ”

“I also dislike anything sweet. I think today, too many oldsters and even youngsters, they eat way too much sweet things and sugar is just that bad for you ”

Scott was born in 1922 and was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, which made her accustomed to “eating plainly ”

After leaving the farm,

she worked for the Canadian army in Whitehorse as part of the Canadian militia for seven years before moving to Richmond

While Scott said she’s not a fan of travelling, she wishes she could have visited her parent’s homeland Ukraine

“I would have loved to visit where my mother and dad were born, but it’s a dangerous place right now ”

Scott told the News that one, or a few, of her treasured items are her seven different coloured berets

and the books she reads

“It’s important to keep your head warm at all times, but also it looks great!”

She added she loves to enjoy a good book A couple of her favourite authors include Romeo Dallaire and James Hubbard

When asked what the key to living a happy and healthy life is, Scott said one word kindness

“You have to know that word to be successful in life ”

The Presley Estate (Suspicious Minds, Heartbreak Hotel, or both?)

Introduction

We have lost a lot of well known entertainers in the last year Last January 12th, Lisa Marie Presley the only child of Elvis Presley died at age 54 from Cardiac arrest. Ms. Presley is survived by 3 children, Riley and Benjamin Keough (she was married to Danny Keough from 1988 through 1994) and twins, Harper and Finley Lockwood (she was married to Michael Lockwood from 2008 until 2016). Ms. Presley was predeceased by her son Benjamin, who took his own life in 2020.

Background

Elvis Presley was born in Mississippi in 1935. In 1954, he performed for the first time before an audience, at the Louisiana Hayride, a famous running show in the day That launched a tremendous but short, 22 year career of singing and acting Elvis achieved album sales of approximately 1 billion. He is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best selling solo artist of all time The vast majority of his albums went platinum or gold He made numerous successful films.

In 1958, his Mother, Gladys, died at age 46.

In 1967, Elvis married Priscilla in Las Vegas. It was a 6 year marriage and they had one child, Lisa Marie, who was born in 1968. Elvis had no other children. His roller coaster career ended in August, 1977 when he died at age 42. Most fans know of the arduous struggles Elvis endured in the last few years of his life

The Estate

Elvis Will appointed his Father, Vernon, as Executor The beneficiaries were his grandmother, his Father and his daughter, Lisa Marie Lisa Marie’s share was held for her in Trust, until her 25th birthday (in 1993). Vernon died in 1979. In Vernon Presley’s Will 3 Executors were appointed, including Priscilla, the family’s Accountant and a Tennessee Bank.

When Lisa Marie reached age 25, she settled a new Trust, “The Elvis Presley Trust” The Trustees were Priscilla and the same Tennessee Bank. Priscilla became more closely involved with the Estate, while pursuing herownacting(youmayrememberherinthe NakedGun movieseries with Leslie Nielsen) and business interests.

In June, 1982, Priscilla and the other Executors opened Graceland to the Public. That was the start of an expansion in the value of the Estate Today, there is Graceland, surrounded by a modern entertainment complex. It has, by any measure, been a success, thanks in no small part to Priscilla’s efforts.

Lisa Marie’s Estate

Ms. Presley sold a large portion of her interest in the Trust and its operating company in 2005, at a price of roughly $100 million. Though she spent most of that money before she died she apparently retained ownership of Graceland

Ms. Presley restated her Trust in 2010. She appointed Priscilla and another representative, as Trustees. In 2016, it is alleged that Ms. Presley amended her Trust, removing the two as Trustees and replacing them with her daughter Riley and her son, Benjamin. As Benjamin died in 2020, only Riley remains.

Priscilla Presley has challenged the amendment. She has, in her Petition, raised doubts about the authenticity of the amendment, including irregularities in Lisa Marie’s signature as well as the failure to notify Priscilla of the amendment (required under the Trust terms).

Priscilla is also seeking to be reinstated as Trustee, with her granddaughter

There is no indication Priscilla seeks to change the distribution of the Estate

A CNN report says that friends of Lisa Marie speaking anonymously say that Priscilla and Lisa Marie had been estranged in the last few years of Lisa Maries life and she did not want Priscilla to administer the Trust. They say Priscilla’s challenge is a “ money grab”

Though the precise value of Lisa Marie’s Estate is not publically known, there are life insurance policies, valued at as much as $35 million. Likely there is more

An investment advisor in Oregon was quoted in a recent article as saying that the Trusts settled by the Presley family utilized inappropriate persons to manage, which may have contributed to the loss of money over the decades. The advisor suggests that it is more prudent to hire professional Trustees rather than family

Observations

A preliminary hearing of Priscilla’s Petition will happen in mid April

As Priscilla was partly responsible for the tremendous appreciation in value of Elvis’ Estate and as she wants to be reinstated as Trustee, it is potentially significant to allow her involvement.

Otherwise it appears Ms. Presley had as much or more of a tumultuous life as did her Father She was married and divorced four times and the huge proceeds she realized from the sale of part of her interest in the company, appear to have been squandered She died with millions in debts.

The Presley family is a picture of tragedy, as well as conflict. Elvis himself lived a short, troubled life off the stage He lost his Mother when he was 23 and it affected him greatly His only child lived a short life also One can only hope that Lisa Marie Presley’s surviving children break the mold and live better, longer lives. Priscilla may play an instrumental role in that.

The only time I don’t like going out is if there’s snow

PAULINE SCOTT

Pauline Scott can be spotted almost every day strolling around Steveston Village and having her morning coffee at Waves Valerie Leung photo

Live harmony e life

AS WE AGE

Ladies invited to golf

alerie Leung

UNG@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

Richmond women’s public golf club encouraging women over the age of with a love for golf to join them this pcoming season.

The Country Meadows Tuesday Ladies Golf Club (CMTLG) will be kicking off the season on Tuesday, April 4, but interested golfers can join anytime.

The club meets every Tuesday morning with tee times between 8 and 10 a.m. at Richmond’s Country Meadows on No. 6 Road.

Gail Searson, secretary of CMTLG, said the club is a great way for ladies to bond over the sport, especially if they don’t have a regular place or group to play with.

“As seniors retire, we look for ways to fill our time, and we also need to make and cultivate new friendships,” she said, adding there are about 90 members in the club now

“We have long-standing members from all over the Lower Mainland, including North Vancouver, Surrey, Delta and Burnaby, who come to Richmond to play every week.”

Searson told the Richmond News the best part of belonging to a club is having a guaranteed set of tee times.

“In the past, women had to fight to get tee times … and they wouldn’t allow us to go out on the course in the morning because that was considered prime time,” said Searson, adding there is a demand for public clubs as some private clubs can get quite pricey

“Luckily, we have a block of tee time on a public course for our ladies’ group thanks to Country Meadows.”

The annual membership for the CMTLG is $140, which covers membership with Golf Canada, Golf BC, meals during special events, such as the club championships, and more.

For more information, email cmtl@shawbiz.ca

ACROSS

PUZZLE ANSWER IN CLASSIFIEDS

COMMUNITY

And the band plays on Alan Campbell

ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

The famous phrase “and the band played on,” could very well have been written for a very special group of Richmond musicians.

Although comparisons with the band that played as the Titanic sank barely ventures beyond the fact they all had instruments, the longevity of their Richmond counterparts is equally enduring.

The Richmond Community Concert Band is celebrating its 50th birthday this spring and is marking the auspicious occasion with a by-donation, public anniversary concert on April 23.

Many Richmond News readers will already be very familiar with the 55-member concert band as they have played at the Salmon Festival Parade for decades and performed at every single Remembrance Day ceremony for as long as the band has been in existence.

What people may not know about them is a few amusing stories that are surfacing as the band prepares for its big concert next month.

One tale being when, after the completion of the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph, the band marched out onto the street in single file.

However, because they were so stretched out, the front members weren’t quite in sync with the rear, with the head playing Colonel Bogey, whilst the tail played National Emblem.

“There are many, many more stories like that…and they get better as the years roll on,” said Gordon Smith, president of the Richmond Community Band Society, which runs the concert band.

“We don’t have any of the original members from 1973, but three of the current members are from 1974.

“I only joined in 2017. My wife, Deb-

bie, joined before me We both play the clarinet.”

Asked why the band has managed to survive for so long, Smith hailed the band’s long-serving conductor, Bob Mullett, who has been with them since 1979.

“I think he’s the glue that has had held it together He’s a very gifted musician. He plays the Last Post on Remembrance Day.”

The band’s first ever rehearsal was held Sunday, Feb. 4, 1973 in the auditorium of Branch 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion, which was at Westminster Highway near No. 3 Road.

That legion is long gone, but the Richmond Community Concert Band has survived five decades, growing from only six musicians to what it is now

“COVID hit us hard, some (members) haven’t come back,” added Smith.

“We’re trying to build it back up and we’re getting new members now We even got a new member who plays the cello, but it’s basically a concert band.”

The South Arm Fall Fair and Aberdeen Centre at Christmas have been annual Richmond staples for the band, as well as the Tall Ships Festival when it came to town.

But the group is really looking forward to the anniversary concert, with Mullett in the midst of the preparing an “exciting” program for the audience.

“It will span the decades, from the early years of the band right up to present day,” explained Smith.

“There will be a pull-out Dixie Band ensemble and a pull-out clarinet segment

“We will have a commemorative program and we’re trying to invite all the old band members.”

There are no ticket sales for the event, which goes Sunday, April 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Peace Mennonite Church, 11571 Daniels Rd.

The Richmond Community Concert Band is hosting a free concert next month to mark their 50th birthday

Covering every

He has around 1,300 portions of unleavened bread to hand out across the length and breadth of Richmond before next Wednesday

But Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman is pretty confident he and his merry band of volunteers from Chabad Richmond will manage to distribute every last piece of matzah before Passover on April 5

Baitelman and his team have been visiting the homes of their congregation for the last two weeks or so, bringing with them the traditional Passover gift of hand-made matzah ahead of the big global Jewish celebration

It’s a special time of the year for the Jewish community, but one that the rabbi very much looks forward to, as it’s the one, he feels, that people in his faith mark the most

“We have a list of people and we want to reach as many of them as possible This is very much an outreach

of the city

up in terms of the amount of people celebrating it

“It’s about the story of where you come from and where you ’ re going If you want to know where you ’ re going, you need to know where you ’ re coming from ”

Baitelman said the best way to honour the matzah tradition is to eat the flatbread “that was produced in the same way it was made back then by hand ”

It’s said that there’s no such thing as a free lunch

But a very special customer in Richmond got just that recently when she turned up at the St Alban’s Outreach Team’s free Friday Lunch program

program, ” Baitelman told the Richmond News of the matzah distribution

“The interaction is key Some people are active in the community, some not as much So someone showing up at the door with a package is heart-warming and is usually very much appreciated ”

Baitelman said they will keep on visiting homes in the Jewish community until “ we have distributed every last box ”

“It’s usually right up to a day or two before Passover It’s one of the most important celebrations and likely high

Baitelman explained that the thinking behind the consumption of unleavened bread and the banning of eating or owning any leavened products, such as bread or pasta connects to the rise of arrogance and self-importance

While the promotion of unleavened products promotes a “healthy sense of humility,” said Baitelman

The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated this year from sundown on Wednesday, April 5 until after nightfall on Thursday, April 14

Additional information is available at www ChabadRichmond com

The woman was the 10,000th customer at the program, which was launched on Aug 5, 2016 by church volunteers

Dianne Woodhouse, one of the founders of the outreach program, said the recipient was visiting the lunch program for the first time and spoke no English

The Friday Lunch was originally a sit-down affair, but with the advent of COVID-19, it moved to a takeout model

The recipient of the 10,000th lunch also received a $25 gift certificate to McDonald’s Woodhouse said they “ very grateful to the City of Richmond who awarded us a $36,000 grant to continue with all the outreach programs in giving back to the community ”

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UR AWAY; but your cat s ok thanks to Rosemary Newspaper, mal co ection, waterng plants and mantaning securty for your home and your beoved cat 604-351-3831

loSt

LOST CAT White & Grey Tabby since June 15

GOSHKO, Gary M

September 25, 1953 to February 14, 2023

It is wth great sadness to announce the passng of Gary in Richmond B C Predeceased by his father and mother Tom and Syvia Goshko, and hs brothers Tom Jr and Davd Survived by his ovng wife Sharon, brothers Brian (Evy), Lance (CaprceThomas, Andrew), Eric (Sue) Also missing him deeply are many other family members

Gary was a commercia fisherman out of Steveston for many years unti he started workng for the City of Rchmond where he worked untl his retrement

Gary had a passion for camping and fishing which made for many happy holdays Most memorable being at Anderson ake wth many friends No servce by request

Short haired / Green eyes / Very friendly / Pics Online RN Microchip / Reward / Please call 604 272 4207

Prescription Sunglasses

I lost my prescription sun g asses months ago at STEVESTON from the West Dike to London Farm includ ing the village area I will ap prec ate so much having them back. THANK YOU.

778 317 8029

LEGAL

WAREHOUSE LIEN ACT

The following Registered Owners are ndebted to Ducati Rchmond Ltd for storage of the vehicle sted below A ien s claimed under the Act There s presenty an amount due and owing plus any additiona costs of storage, seizure and sale that may accrue Notce is hereby given that on March 9th 2023 HUONG DAC DOAN 2005 Ducat 999 Superbke

MORAGA, Maureen Ann

Surrounded by her oving famiy, our beautifu

Maureen passed away peacefully on March 17, 2023 in Richmond, BC Maureen was born in Engand on December 14, 1943, grew up n Chle and spent the past 49 years caling Richmond her home Forever close to her mother and best frend, Jessie Gonsales Maureen was always there for her famly and frends, with a friendly smie, hepful hand and caring heart

Maureen s lfe was a ful and meanngful one with a career in admnistration and a legacy of servce to her famiy that led her to ive in many interestng countries Travelng with her husband of 60 years was Maureen’s favourite hobby, as was swmming, knitting, gardening and crafts Maureen’s passions and talents wl lve on n all those she inspired, specaly her grandchildren who she adored and cared for with such love and enthusasm

Maureen wl be greaty mssed by her loving and devoted husband Hernan daughters Kareen and Maureen (Kevn), grand-daughters Mikaela and Danae, great granddaughter Zara, brother Patrck (Harue), and nieces, nephews, and cousins in Canada, Chie and Engand In honour of Maureen, donatons to Rchmond Rotary Hospice are apprecated

valued at $4,603 wil be sold on or after Apri 8, 2023 The vehicle s currenty stored at Ducati Richmond 100-6260 Graybar Road, Rchmond, BC, V6W 1H6 For more information ca Ducati Rchmond at 604-370-0410 or emai to: rory lambe@ducati-rchmond com