FEBRUARY 4, 1998 cuge Bright Lights eee 12 com Classifieds ooo 36 : Crossword Home & Garden North Shore Alert Sports ooe 34 Table Hopping ooo 28 Talking Personals ee 41 Canagan Putucatons Mai Saies Proguct Agreemen ooe 27 44 Pages Invasion suspects snaiched WV arrests pari of region-wide action By Anna Marie D’Angela News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com A man and a woman suspected of involvement in a series of vio- lent home invasions in Vancouver were arrested Monday in a dramatic undercov- er police action at Park Royal Shopping Centre. Vancouver City Police Const. Anne Drennan said the couple were among, 20 arrested in con- nection with the home invasions that have taken place during the past vo months, “That's not to say we are not looking for links berween this group and other home invasion sings, because we are,” said Drennan. Vancouver City Police and police officers in the Coordinated Law Enforcement Unit (CLEU) arrested the 20 people — including ht women, one female under age 18 and one male under age 18 — in West Vancouw Vancouver, New Westminster, Richmond and Surrey. Police seized prohibited guns, drugs and stalen property in the raids. To press ume, no charges had been laid and ho names were released. Drennan said police received several tips in January regarding three home invasions around Police paac$ Report b Money matters pi9 8-page feature charts your financial future NEWS proto Mike Wekelleid A police officer frisks one of 20 suspects arrested Monday in the Lower Maintand in connection with a series of violent home invasions. lasts health b Findings into LGH and health region rift released tan Noble News Reporte fan@usnews.com CONSULTANTS say top-level changes must be made to heal the rift between t North Shore Health Region board, its CEO and the region’s physicians. rsbip changes are required te sestore lead paind working relationships among the three parties, sas the Victoria appospted consultants Vhe beard anc aft statt leaders, whose relaguenship is HOW wes ath Thea sone tonger talking te cach other, have taken fixed and opposite positions on crrical issues, the consultants say in their recently completed report. “The adversarial atmosphere which has resulted makes it virtually impossible for positive actions to be taken,” said the ants. “Furthermore the team has not been able to ow significant willingness by either group to substan: eaonsil identits tally al Aa THOT,” Although the board and medical staff want to provide the best possible health care, both parties must accept respons bility tor the unworkable situation, the consultants state “Tn particular, the board has accepted the responsibility and authority to operate and manage the health care system See Hoyntal page § either their positions or their current course of On te Nagano p34 N. Shore athletes head for Winter Olympics North Van software company’s growth outpacing workforce Pivotal product p16 $1.00 Judge gives Rezaei 14 years for ‘acts of a coward’ By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com MANI Rezaei was jailed 14 years on Monday for a crime a judge called noth- ing short of an act of cow- ardice. Rezaci, 21, pleaded guilty to shooting and attempting to kill his best: friend Siamak Zahedi on June 25, 1996. Zahedi was shot while reclining on a bed ina basement suite in the 300-block tin North Vancouver. upreme Court Mr. fustice Wally Oppal said Rezaei committed the “acts of a coward” when he went into the suite wearing a mask, ran off after the shooting and blamed “black pimps and East Indian drug dealers” for the crime. “TL agree with the comments of a North Vancouver RCMP officer that the people of North Vancouver don't want their to turn into a Los Ange said Oppal in a Vancouver courtroom. Zahedi, now 25, is paralyzed from the waist down after being hit three times with bullets from a 44 magnum hand- gun. Refore sentencing, Oppal asked Rezaci if he had anything to say. “Pm sorry FE put my best friend in a wheelchair. Pil have to deal with thar the rest of my lite,” said Rezaci. Ac that point, Zahedi's mother, Parvin Zahedi, sobbed loudly in the courtroom ‘unvict page 3 NEWS photo Terry paters HEALTH region CEO Inge Schamborzki's relation- ship with doctors is analyzed in consultants’ report.