Monday - December 1 - Super bugs

🌨️ High 2°C

Good morning!

Thanks to the 600 readers who voted to help name our new reader-tips section. The winning name is Good To Know. If you’re an FVC Insider, you’ll see a full breakdown of the vote below—and if you’re not yet an Insider, you can upgrade below to get access (and support our work!)

With your help (and your tips), we’ll start rolling out the new section over the coming weeks.

Today’s feature comes from reporter Robyn Bell, who looks at a research partnership between Abbotsford Regional Hospital, SFU, and Fraser Health—and what it could mean for understanding deadly super bugs.

– William

Keep local journalism alive by supporting The Current. Become a Current Insider member today and help bring local stories to life.

Traffic & Weather

🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope | Mission

🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.

🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.

News

Fraser Health teams up with SFU to learn more about deadly super bugs

Super bugs are one of the biggest threats inside any hospital—and Fraser Health is taking a new step to understand how they spread. A new pilot project with SFU will decode the DNA of C. difficile, a dangerous infection that can be life-threatening for vulnerable patients.

The hope? To learn how the infection moves through hospitals and use that knowledge to strengthen patient safety across the region.

👉 Read the full story to learn what Fraser Health researchers are looking for—and why it matters for care here in the Fraser Valley.

Need to Know

🚨 Chilliwack RCMP requested public help locating missing 15-year-old Jack Terpstra last seen November 26 at 5:45 PM near Evergreen Hall wearing dark pants, a black hoodie, and carrying a black backpack. [Chilliwack Progress]

🥛 BC Dairy is matching donations to BC Children's Hospital Foundation from November 25 to December 2 up to $120,000, with Chilliwack dairy farming family the Daltons highlighting their daughter's care at the hospital. [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]

📊 A Research Co. poll found 70 percent of Metro Vancouver residents support merging Langley City and Township, with 68 percent support in the Langleys/Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge area. [Langley Advance Times]

📚 Chilliwack School District teacher Kevin Sigaty received a three-day certificate suspension from December 10-12 for professional misconduct after repeatedly messaging a former student on social media and offering inappropriate gifts in 2023. [Mission City Record]

🏠 Mission RCMP investigated a violent home invasion on November 13 at 1:30 AM where three suspects assaulted occupants, pepper-sprayed victims, and stole long guns, with one suspect arrested and two outstanding. [Hope Standard]

🛋️ IKEA Canada announced its new Abbotsford Plan and order location at 32700 South Fraser Way will open December 10, offering one-on-one planning services and up to 100 products for immediate purchase. [Fraser Valley Today]

Enjoying our newsletter? Help us make it even better!

Become an Insider member and help keep local journalism and storytelling alive in the Fraser Valley.

SPONSORED ADVERTISEMENT

COMMUNITY SAFETY IS AT RISK!

We advocate for:

• Reform of our broken Justice system.

• Services focused on long term recovery. 

• Crack down on drug trafficking.

• Rehabilitation infrastructure investment.

• Landlords and RTB held accountable for crimes committed within rental properties.

• Re-evaluation of parks as “over-night shelters”.

🗓 Things to do

Gingerbread Night: An all-day gingerbread house decorating event on Tuesdays, December 2, 9, and 16 from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Sidekick Brewing (45530 Vedder Mountain Road) includes a pre-built house, icing, candy, and a 60-ounce pitcher of beer for $35, with the winning design receiving a $100 gift card.

Family Snowball: A holiday screening of "Elf" on Tuesday, December 3 at 6:30 PM at HUB International Theatre features red carpet surprises, with $5 tickets supporting the Salvation Army Food Bank and non-perishable food donations entered into a grand prize draw.

Nourish & Noël: A Christmas-themed yoga session on Thursday, December 4 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Whispering Horse Winery (43721 Vedder Mountain Road) includes a gentle practice followed by festive wine tasting.

Have an event to tell us about? Email [email protected].

Catch up

That’s it!

Thanks for reading Fraser Valley Current today ♥️ 

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another local.

Help share The Current

Wouldn’t the Fraser Valley be better if more people had access to local, quality news – and didn’t have to rely on social media? Share The Current with your friends and help us build better communities.