Youth video tackles gang issues page 15
Medal haul at Summer Games pages 28-29
Thursday August 11, 2011 Serving Surrey and North Delta www.surreyleader.com
Monthly transit passes hoped to curb losses, fraud
Reformed U-Pass system rolls out by Jeff Nagel TRANSLINK AND area universities are rolling out a tightened system to dispense and regulate student transit U-Passes that were often lost in the mail or illegally resold. The change comes as 60,000 additional students join an expanded, revamped U-Pass program that gives them all unlimited transit for $30 per month, charged with student fees. Each college or university is installing vending machines that will dispense the new U-Passes to students each month after they swipe their student cards. The monthly U-Passes replace the old system of mailing out passes that were good for an entire Ken Hardie four-month term. TransLink estimated $15 million worth of U-Passes were being reported lost or stolen each year and replaced. Many of them later found their way into the hands of other users. Spokesman Ken Hardie said mailing the passes was problematic because many students weren’t diligent about keeping their mailing address up to date. “Cards were being sent off and lost in the ether,” he said. See SMART CARDS / Page 5
BOAZ JOSEPH / THE LEADER
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts says she has been comforted by the outpouring of support she has received since breaking her back last month.
‘Counting my blessings’ Surrey mayor speaks from her home about horse riding accident
by Kevin Diakiw DIANNE WATTS is now recuperating at her Cloverdale home after breaking her back while riding a horse in the B.C. Interior. “I’m counting my blessings,” Surrey’s mayor said this week, knowing the outcome could have been a lot worse. She recalls saddling up with a group of her friends and her daughters on July 23, when her horse “Joe” began to act up, biting her daughter’s horse and generally misbehaving. Then Joe took off in an odd gallop. Watts remembers coming down hard in the saddle and hearing a
snap in her mid-back. The searing pain, along with the inability to sit up straight, told her she was in trouble. She leaned forward for comfort, which was a sign for the horse to pick up speed. Seeing she was in trouble, someone slowed the horse, and Watts rolled off, hitting the ground with her back. Paramedics arrived from 100 Mile House, got her onto a spine board and took her to hospital. She spent the next two days wondering if the damage would be permanent. After a CT scan and an MRI, Watts learned there was no nerve damage and surgery wouldn’t be necessary.
See ACCIDENT / Page 3
Editorial 6 Letters 7 Sports 27 Classifieds 30
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