Province offers flood relief
VICTORIA (CP) — Residents of B.C.’s southern Interior hit by flooding or other damage from an early spring downpour can apply for relief from the provincial government.
The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General says financial assistance is available after heavy rains in late March caused overland flooding or landslides.
A news release from the ministry says disaster financial assistance is available to homeowners, tenants, farmers, small businesses and even local governments that could not obtain insurance for certain disaster-related losses. If allowed, the ministry says assistance claims can cover 80 per cent of eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum claim of $300,000. Applications are available online and will be accepted from claimants across the North Okanagan, Columbia Shuswap, Okanagan-Similkameen and Central Okanagan regional districts. Torrential downpours swept across the southern Interior starting on March 22 washing out roads, causing localized flooding and bringing down rock and mudslides, prompting several regions, including the City of Armstrong, to declare local states of emergency.
Killer psychotic, delusional, court told
NEW WESTMINSTER (CP) — A psychiatrist treating a man accused of stabbing two girls at an Abbotsford high school says he believes his patient has schizophrenia, is psychotic and experiencing delusions.
Dr. Marcel Hediger told a B.C. Supreme Court hearing that Gabriel Klein also told him he killed one person and seriously hurt another.
Klein was charged with of second-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Letisha Reimer and is accused of the aggravated assault of another teenage girl over what police have described as a random attack in November 2016. Klein was 21-years-old when he was arrested, and he did not speak or respond to questions in his first three court appearances.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge had to decide if the man is mentally fit to face the charges at trial.
Vancouver looks to allow liquor in grocery stores
VANCOUVER (CP) — The City of Vancouver is moving to allow the sale of liquor in grocery stores.
Councillors voted Tuesday to approve zoning bylaw amendments that will permit grocery stores to sell liquor.
The city says in a news release that qualified grocery outlets will be allowed to sell liquor in a store-within-a-store model, requiring a separate area and cashier for liquor sales. Approval of the bylaw amendments is the next step to implementing Vancouver’s liquor policy recommendations. If approved, grocery stores wishing to sell liquor could apply for a permit by May 14.