bonanza for local charities AFTER NEARLY a year of study, North Shore charities are pro- ceeding with a plan to bring seven-day-a-week professionally run bingo to North Vancouver. NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL by Stephen Wisenthal The Northstar Charity Bingo Association applied at Monday’s North Vancouver City Council meeting to set up the permanent bingo hall in the city. The proposed 220-seat fa- cility, at 125/127 East Ist St. in Lower Lonsdale, would be run by professional charity gaming operator Anzac Enterprises under the supervi- sion of the charities par- ticipating in Northstar. Anzac has asked permission to open the hall from 10 a.m. tola.m. But the city’s five-year-old bylaw banning commercial bingo will have ‘to be over- turned before the hall can open. Council has voted to refer the. proposal to staff for a detailed assessment. ‘At will also be referred to the city’s Advisory Planning Commission and Social Plan- ning Advisory Committee. Existing bingo operators in the city (mainly churches) will also be notified, and the issue will be considered at a policy committee meeting to gather public input. Northstar’s president, Gaire MacLean, who - represents North Shore Community Ser- vices, told council that the bingo hall would be more of a social centre than a gambl- ing facility. “Friends meet, they have coffee, they have buns, they have fun,’’ he said. ‘‘People don’t come for the big prizes; they come for the social in- teraction.”’ . He said that seven charities are currently. represented on the Northstar board, 12 have been involved in the planning process, and up to 45 chari- ties and public service agen- cies could benefit from the hall once it is operating. He estimated that annual receipts could range from $750,000 to $1.2 million. Councillors expressed con- cern about parking ia the area. But Mark Eraut, who runs “Anzac, said arrangements would be made with nearby ‘t> Jandowners to provide suffi- -cient parking for bingo patrons. Eraut added that many patrons would arrive by public transport or walk from nearby residential areas. And, although the facility will seat 220, it is unlikely to have more than 120 patrons at any one time, he said. Eraut added that it would cost about $250,000 to outfit the building for bingo. . Crown counsei ‘nonplussed’ by sudden surge in drug A LOCAL Crown counsel lawyer specializing in drug- related cases says he is perplexed by a recent trend involv- ing the arrest of Vietnamese refugee claimants who face drug trafficking charges. Said Jay Straith, ‘‘I’m nonplussed by the trend. We've had Vietnamese refugees coming to Vancouver for quite some time. Why alli at once are they turning up in narcotics work? “This wasn't happening six months ago, and 1 don’t know exactly where it’s all coming from.” He said a lot of recent Crown counsel files involve Vietnamese refugees, cocaine and heroin. @ Acting on a tip June 9, under- cover members of the North Van- couver RCMP drug squad made contact in -Vancouver with a suspect to make a 3.5-gram_ co- caine purchase. ; Van Son Pham, 25, of Van- couver, was subsequently charged with drug trafficking. A court order stipulates that he cannot possess a cellular phone or a pager. Pham is scheduled to ap- pear in North Vancouver provin- cial court on June 23 to fix a date for trial. ® The police also acted June 9 on a tip from an informant who provided the drug squad with a cellular telephone number to call. Undercover police subsequently purchased seven half-gram By Michael Becker News Reporter packages of cocaine from suspects in Vancouver. The suspects were arrested at the scene. The police searched a van and seized several ounces of cocaine and heroin worth several thousand dollars. The police determined that a teen arrested in the bust was out on bail on a charge of allegedly selling cocaine in Nanaimo. Meanwhile, Bui Sim Nguyen, 19, was found to be out on bail on two counts of trafficking nar- cotics in Vancouver. North Vancouver provincial court Judge Bill Rodgers detained Nguyen on-Thursday, June 10. Duc Muoi Bui, 19, and Huong Thi Khuc, a Canadian citizen, were released on $3,000 bail, placed on a_ curfew, and ordered not to have a cellular phone or a pager. The four face charges of drug trafficking. Immigration officials are in- vestigating the case. CHILDREN LINE up for the promise of a dizzy good time at Edgemont Village Days on Saturday, June 12. NEWS photo Noil Lucente trafficking cases | ITEC ASAT TSE CCINDRCE ETON I 44 Why all at once are they turning up in narcotics work? This wasnt happening six months ago... 79 — Crown counsel Jay Straith @ On May 26, North Vancouver drug squad members acting on a tip purchased cocaine from a suspect met in Vancouver. Hung Dihn Nguyen, 24, was subsequently charged with posses- sion of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking. The police also seized a red Corvette driven by Nguyen. Lien Mins Tran, -31, also faces a charge of possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking as a result of the drug bust. @ Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, Hung Trono Nguyen, 28, has pleaded guilty to trafficking in cocaine on Nov. 6, 1992, in Van- couver. He awaits sentencing July 22 in North Vancouver provincial court. Kathleen Forgie, supervisor of the Lower Mainland refugee cen- tre, said the federal immigration department monitors court activity daily. Said Forgie, ‘‘We have a court liaison person who goes through News food pages add loads of local flavor A NEW local flavor has been added to the North Shore News food pages. Edena Sheldon’s Cuisine Scene (see page 57) will add local spice io food page space formerly oc- cupied by the Frugal Gourmet and the Inquisitive Cook. The new column will increase regional food coverage and local recipes offered by the News. Sheldon, an_ internationally recognized food writer, cookbook author and professional food sty- list, will write about local food and present recipes from North Shore chefs and feature edible in- sights from local butchers, bakers and grocers. In addition to writing for the North Shore News, Sheldon is a regular contributor to Bon Appetit magazine, the Los Angeles Times newspaper, Sunset magazine, Cuisine, Canadian Living and Western Living magazines. The West Vancouver resident recently produced and wrote the best-selling Taste of Vancouver Great Chefs cookbook. . the courts to track any cases in which a person is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. ‘We even track permanent res- idents, because some violations may be applicable to a permanent resident as well.”’ People who: commit serious crimes in Canada and are not Ca- nadian citizens may be reported under the Immigration Act and subject to deportation. : Said Forgie, “If the crime is committed here, quite often they serve their sentence here. ; ‘“‘When they finish their sentence, they quite often become the charge of immigration and they must face immigration charges. : ‘*1’m sure you’re aware it’s fair- ly sensitive to return somebody to where their lives may be in danger,’’ she added. Investigators weigh humanitari- an and compassionate concerns versus the weed to ensure Cana- dian safety, Forgie said. ‘ K Inde 3 Budget Beaters ......58 Business............47 8 Classified Ads .......60 Ei Crossword ..........€4 BS Lifestyles ...........55 North Shore Now... .25 i Sports..............49 EB Sunshine Coast......49 HAT V Listings.........39 ® What's Going On... .50 Weather Thursday, sunny. High 23°C, low LIC. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238 4 7 ‘ 4 ‘ 1 ‘ 4 . ‘ { . . ‘ . 4