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Year in Review: October

Ladner loses one of its true characters in Speed's Pub owner Speros "Speed" Falcos while Ian Paton is re-elected in Delta South
October election all candidates
Liberal Ian Paton won Delta South again in the provincial election with 8,644 votes (52.42 per cent of the popular vote), ahead of the NDPs Bruce Reid who had 5,358 votes (32.49 per cent) and Green Party’s Peter van der Velden who had 2,487 votes (15.08 per cent). The NDP was re-election with a majority government.

Here is a look back at a few of the top stories in the Optimist 2020 Year in Review:

 

  • A Delta police officers’ heroic act was recognized with an international award. A/Staff. Sgt. John Jasmins, who is in charge of the Community Support Section of the Delta Police, was one of 17 recipients announced recently by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. The Commission awards the Carnegie Medal to individuals from throughout the United States and Canada who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others. The Carnegie Medal is considered the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

 

  • The 4500 block of Arthur Drive became a piece of Montana for at least a couple of days. David E. Kelly’s new crime thriller Big Sky was shooting in one of the historic homes on the Ladner road. The ABC series stars Ryan Phillipe (Cody Hoyt), Kylie Bunbury (Cassie Dewell) and Katheryn Winnick (Jenny Hoyt).

 

  • Speros “Speed” Falcos passed away from heart failure at 83. The always colourful Falcos opened Speed’s Pub in 1995. He worked as a commercial fisherman and then operated Speed’s Industrial Marine where he repaired boats before finding his true passion with his own bar. He also owned the Chisholm Street property.

 

  • Dirk Vanbeek’s swift actions took a family out of a potentially dangerous situation after a bizzare single-vehicle incident on Westham Island. It was just after 5 p.m. when Vanbeek had just picked up his daughter Zaza after her shift working at the Westham Island Herb Farm on the Ellis family property. About a couple hundred metres ahead of him on Kirkland Road was a slow-moving SUV that was driving somewhat erratically as it approached the Westham Island Road intersection. The next thing Vanbeek saw was the SUV flipped into about a four-metre long water-filled ditch in front of the Lundstrom farm. He jumped into action and helped the family trapped in the vehicle. A short time later, police and fire arrived at the scene.
  • Fraser Health declared the COVID-19 outbreak over at Delta Hospital. Fraser Health declared the outbreak on Sept. 16 after evidence of transmission in a medicine unit. During the outbreak, Fraser Health reported 26 staff and 19 patient cases as well as seven deaths.

 

  • In Delta South, Ian Paton finished with 12,828 votes (51.70 per cent of popular vote) to take back the riding in the provincial election. NDP candidate Bruce Reid finished with 8,404 votes (33.87 per cent of popular vote), while Green candidate Peter van der Velden finished with 3,581 votes (14.43 per cent of popular vote).

 

  • Delta Legions were expecting a major loss of donations during this year’s poppy drive fundraising campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both representatives from the Ladner Legion and Tsawwassen Legion joined with the Optimist in a public appeal campaign. Many residents stepped up to man poppy stations, while a number of businesses in South Delta also stepped up offering their support.