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Legion is evolving into so much more
Cycling for OWL Tsaw. woman readies for challenge in UK
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Oh Canada!
Birthday celebrations set for next week
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Optimist Delta
Helping hand
Mentorship program a hit for Ladner Minor Fastpitch
DUECK RICHMOND SUPERSTORE
YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL SPORTS, NEWS, WEATHER AND ENTERTAINMENT! WWW.DELTA-OPTIMIST.COM The Voice of Delta since 1922 SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2010
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ON PAGES 20 & 29
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Happening place
PHOTO BY
DAVE WILLIS
Berner trial verdict still month off BY
JESSICA KERR
jkerr@delta-optimist.com
The four-week trial into the crash that killed little Alexa Middelaer has wrapped up, but a verdict is still a month away. After closing arguments concluded Thursday afternoon, judge Peder Gulbransen reserved judgment until July 27.
Full story on Page 3
There were lots of laughs on the patio as Wes and Sheree (far left and right) from Café de Gourmet and Steve and Linda from Swim Blue rea to photographer Chung’s request for a fun photo with Optimist sales r Ruth and sales assistant Linda.
Ron from Iris was all smiles as he was surrounded by three beauti women (from left) Michaela and Jennifer of Flowers Beautiful an his wife, and Iris owner/manager, Cindy.
Atlantis owner Judy, centre, brought her staff out to enjoy the reception and get some recognition, from left, Ashley, Jacqueline Kayla, Judy, Christy, Tracey and Rebekah.
Chef Dawn from Beach Grove Golf Club prepared fabulous food i some stunning presentations for the award winners to enjoy.
Debbie and Cari of Superior Fish and Optimist sales rep Ruth enjo some of the fantastic food served by the staff at Beach Grove.
Special Section B1-24
Bruce (left) and Nicola White had Bruce’s late mother’s wedding ring returned to them Thursday. Jennifer Tilbury (right) found the ring, which had been missing for over a decade, earlier this year.
Ring is returned to owner
Diamond found during renovations makes its way back to home’s previous occupants BY
DAVE WILLIS
dwillis@delta-optimist.com
Jennifer Tilbury’s search for the owner of a wedding ring she found has come to a close. She returned the diamond ring to Bruce and Nicola White, the previous owners of Tilbury’s Tsawwassen home, on Thursday. “I kept hitting dead ends so it was nice to finally get a conclusion and a happy result out of it,” she said. Tilbury discovered the ring in late April behind a set of built-in shelves as she was renovating a bathroom.
Bruce White has no idea how it ended up there and noted the piece of jewelry had been missing for over 10 years. “It was out of sight, out of mind for all these years. [We] always wondered where it went but never gave it any more thought than that. I think it’s just wonderful that there’s honest people in the world,” he said. The ring was White’s mother’s wedding ring and it was passed down to him after his mom passed away in 1996.
The Whites, who still live in Tsawwassen, weren’t the original owners of the house but had lived there since the mid 1980s and only moved out last year as part of the B.C. Hydro right-of-way buy out program. After finding the ring Tilbury began trying to get in touch with the Whites so she could return it. She had their names since mail intended for them was still being delivered to the house. Tilbury searched online, talked to neigh-
Congratulations to all the Readers Choice Winners at Ladner Centre
bours and tried the post office in attempts to find contact information. “I’ve had things that I’ve lost returned to me and I remember the feeling of being overwhelmed and happy, so I wanted to do that for somebody else,” she said. Tilbury eventually contacted the Optimist and the Whites got calls about the ring after a story ran earlier this week. Her husband Dean said he was surprised other media also picked up the story. “We never thought it would go on the front page of the Optimist either,” he said.
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Carol Berner is on trial in Surrey Provincial Court charged with impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm in the 2008 crash that killed four-yearold Alexa and seriously injured her aunt Daphne Johanson. On May 17, 2008, Alexa and Johanson were feeding a horse in East Ladner when a car plowed into them. Berner, 58, has pleaded not guilty to the charges but did admit through her lawyer she was driving the car.