Wednesday - July 31, 2024 - One drug death every other day in the Fraser Valley

🌧 High 24C

Good morning!

My first exposure to the Olympics was in 2008, watching gymnastics and swimming on the old tube TV in the basement. I remember turning somersaults on the carpeted floor in front of the TV, the same as my kids did this weekend when they watched their first Olympic competition. I expect it is a nearly universal experience: watching the best athletes in the world and thinking ‘I could do that.’ 

So this morning, I’m going to give a shout out to the local gymnastics clubs, swim teams, skateboarding hubs, and equestrian centres who may be getting an influx of fresh new faces, inspired by the Olympic performances they saw on their television. You guys are the ones setting our future athletes up for success.

– Grace

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Traffic & Weather

🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope

🚘 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

Today, we are sharing two stories from our colleagues at independent media outlets in British Columbia: the first about a young boy who died in a Fraser Valley foster home, and the second on how barred owls took over the continent.

Province promises ‘new vision for child welfare’ after 11-year-old’s preventable death

He was an 11-year-old boy who loved to play soccer, read comic books, and play Minecraft. He gave each one of his classmates a hug when he arrived at school, and shared love and care for everyone he met.

He did not receive the same care from the adults that were trusted to protect him.

Colby died of a head injury in 2021 after being severely beaten while in foster care in the Fraser Valley. (His real name has been withheld to protect his identity.) Investigators found shocking evidence of the starvation, beatings, and torture Colby and his sister experienced while in care.

The caregivers are now spending 10 years in prison. And the provincial government has promised a “new vision for child welfare” based on the results of an investigation into Colby’s life and death.

• Today, we share a story from our colleagues at Indiginews about the failures that led to Colby’s death, and what the province says they will do to prevent deaths like his in the future.

The owls who came from away

They seize suburbs. They seize cities. They seize habitat a continent away. They arrive uninvited. They stay indefinitely. They are indomitable.

Who? Barred owls. Strix varia.

Barred owls materialized in British Columbia in 1943, swooping into the province from the eastern forests of North America. They are smart, adaptable, and encroaching on other owl’s habitat.

• Today, we share a story from our colleagues at Hakai Magazine about the barred owl, its impressive takeover of the West Coast, and what its arrival says about our understanding of nature.

We have featured a number of stories from Hakai over the years, including a story on salmon hatcheries and another on the Coast Salish wooly dog.

Hakai Magazine recently announced that it will close at the end of 2024, unless it can find a new funding source. We offer our best wishes for the future to the reporters and editors who have worked on so many important stories about Canada’s West Coast.

Need to Know

🎰 Employees at Abbotsford’s Chances Casino are on strike; the casino has been closed since Sunday [Abbotsford News]

⛪ Chilliwack’s Cheam View United Church is now completely demolished [Chilliwack Progress]

🗳 Francyne Joe, an Indigenous emergency services manager, is the BC NDP candidate for the Fraser-Nicola riding in the upcoming provincial election [Agassiz Harrison Observer]

💡 A commercial truck rollover took out a Hydro pole in Chilliwack Tuesday and left 1,400 customers without power [Fraser Valley Today]

🐍 An ailing, unlawfully large snake was surrendered to Langley’s Wild Education, and now her fate is in limbo as the centre navigates BC’s snake rules [CTV]

🐉 Harrison’s dragon boat festival saw local clubs place well in a number of races Saturday [Agassiz Harrison Observer]

🥍 Two minor lacrosse teams in Langley finished their season with bronze and gold medals at the provincial championships last weekend [Langley Advance]

👉 Employees at Langley’s Hall Mechanical Services have unionized with the Christian Labour Association of Canada [Fraser Valley Today]

🔥 Hundreds of British Columbians are still under evacuation order, although wetter weather has made it easier to fight fires [CBC]

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The Agenda

One Fraser Valley drug death every other day in May and June

In May and June of this year, 27 people have died in the Fraser Valley because of toxic drugs. The numbers, released in the latest coroner’s report on unregulated drug deaths, show roughly one death every other day during the two months. Abbotsford saw nine deaths in that time period, Langley experienced eight, and Chilliwack saw three. Mission, Hope, and Agassiz-Harrison lost seven people to unregulated drugs.

Overall in BC, the number of drug deaths are going down from where they were last year—and the rate of death is currently at its lowest point in the last four years. But, roughly six people are still dying because of drugs each day in BC.

In Fraser Health, 64% of all drug deaths take place in people’s homes. We reported on how to use naloxone to save someone’s life during a drug overdose, and you can read that how-to here. The Lifeguard App, which allows people using drugs alone to alert a trusted person if they become unconscious, is also available for free in BC. You can download the app here.

55 Fraser Valley sport groups get $1.68M in funding

This year, 55 different Fraser Valley sport groups will receive more than $1.68 million from community gaming grants to fund their endeavours. Community gaming grants are given annually by the province, with funds coming from casinos and other gambling ventures in BC.

In the Fraser Valley, these grants include $100,000 for the Abbotsford Minor Hockey Association, $2,000 for the Chilliwack Pickleball Club, $55,000 for the Langley Gymnastics Association, and $28,000 for the Mission Figure Skating Club Society. Other grants include $27,300 for the Fraser Valley Diving Association, which will be used to offset pool rental fees and gym fees. A full list of grant recipients can be found here.

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📸 Current Cam

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🗓 Things to do

Brigade Days: Brigade Days returns to the Fort Langley National Historic Site from Saturday, Aug. 3 to Monday, Aug. 5. Immerse yourself in the history of the fur trade era with black powder demonstrations, storytelling, and a fur trade fashion show. Details online.

Mission Olympics: United Way is hosting a free Family Olympics at Griner Park in Mission on Sunday, Aug. 4 from 6-8pm. Details online.

Farm market: The Abbotsford Farm and Country Market is happening each Saturday from 9am to noon at Jubilee Park. Details online.

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Catch up

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