Police seize heroin
RCMP arrested a Powell River resident this week a few minutes after he drove off the ferry at Saltery Bay for having a significant amount of heroin.
Francesco (Frank) D’Agostino had attempted to use a stolen medical pass at BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay terminal to board the ferry to Langdale.
Constable Chris Bakker, of the Powell River RCMP detachment, said police had a file dealing with a number of medical passes that had been stolen. All the passes are numbered, Bakker said. After D’Agostino attempted to use one at Horseshoe Bay, BC Ferries’ staff alerted the RCMP.
Powell River officers stopped D’Agostino at 7:15 pm on Tuesday, June 19, a few minutes after he left the ferry at Saltery Bay. Police then searched D’Agostino and found that he had a significant amount of heroin in his possession.
According to the RCMP, the amount of heroin seized was enough to provide 270 hits to a habitual heroin user and 1,080 hits for a new heroin user. The street value of the seized heroin was determined to be in excess of $10,000.
D’Agostino has been charged with possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a controlled substance. He attended court for his initial appearance on June 20 and was released with conditions that he must abide by. His trial date is currently set for July 18.
Constable Chris Bakker, Powell River RCMP community policing officer, said police have received information that some drug dealers are targeting youth and that a portion of the heroin being brought in to Powell River ends up in the hands of students and young adults.
“Information provided by residents of Powell River is critical for these types of investigations,” said Bakker. “This information has led to a number of significant drug seizures in the last couple of months.”
Pay increases
Senior executives at Community Living BC (CLBC) are receiving pay increases instead of performance bonuses, a revelation that has raised the ire of Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons.
Last year, during a public outcry over the closure of group homes and cuts in services to people with developmental disabilities, Social Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux ordered CLBC to scrap its bonus program. It was revealed this week that 61 executives received pay increases, ranging from 9.66 per cent to 4.93 per cent, for a total of about $300,000, the same amount that 60 senior staff previously earned in bonuses.
Simons, New Democratic Party critic for CLBC, said the Liberal government should be making meaningful changes at the agency. “The Liberals are showing once again that they have their priorities all wrong by being more concerned about fixing the pay structure for executives than they are about fixing the system itself,” Simons said.
Ferries consultation
BC’s government has begun the process of consulting with the public on BC Ferries by issuing a request for proposals (RFP) from consultants.
The RFP is the first step in the provincial government’s commitment to seek public input on strategies to support its long-term vision of connecting coastal communities in an affordable, efficient and sustainable manner.
The selected consultant will work with the ministry of transportation and infrastructure on a community engagement process to discuss service adjustments with coastal communities.
The RFP is posted on BC Bid online.
