Eric Welsh

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Police lights

Courtenay Subway robber can’t live in Chilliwack while appealing sentence

Prolific offender Edmond John Henry Patterson hoped to live at Joshua House while his appeal’s heard

Police lights
Minister of Children and Family Development Mitzi Dean (pictured) has apologized to the grandmother of an 11-year-old boy who died in foster care in an eastern Fraser Valley community, and has agreed to meet with her. (Dillon White/ Black Press)

Minister apologizes to grandmother of boy who died in foster care

An 11-year-old endured horrible abuse in an eastern Fraser Valley community before dying in 2021

Minister of Children and Family Development Mitzi Dean (pictured) has apologized to the grandmother of an 11-year-old boy who died in foster care in an eastern Fraser Valley community, and has agreed to meet with her. (Dillon White/ Black Press)
People play pickleball on the courts at Kinsmen Park in Chilliwack on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. In the background you can see the house where the Dhawan family lives. They say the noise from the courts is ruining their lives. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. couple launching hunger strike to protest pickleball noise

Rajnish Dawan said he experiences anxiety, sleeplessness, auditory hallucinations, and heart flutter

People play pickleball on the courts at Kinsmen Park in Chilliwack on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. In the background you can see the house where the Dhawan family lives. They say the noise from the courts is ruining their lives. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
Azaryah Hope has been on a slow road to recovery since a June 1 drowning accident at Cultus Lake, and his family is taking him to Louisiana to pursue hyperbaric oxygen treatment that isn’t available at home.

Family of Abbotsford boy who nearly died at B.C. lake asks for help

Azaryah (Ryah) Hope needs to go to Louisiana for expensive treatment not offered in B.C.

Azaryah Hope has been on a slow road to recovery since a June 1 drowning accident at Cultus Lake, and his family is taking him to Louisiana to pursue hyperbaric oxygen treatment that isn’t available at home.
A sentencing hearing took place at the Chilliwack Law Courts for a man and woman accused of inflicting horrible abuse on two foster children in the tiny community of Lake Errock. (Cliff MacArthur/provincialcourt.bc.ca)

Former B.C. foster parents face sentencing for horrific child abuse case

Members of the community of Lake Errock packed a Chilliwack courtroom, hearing disturbing details

A sentencing hearing took place at the Chilliwack Law Courts for a man and woman accused of inflicting horrible abuse on two foster children in the tiny community of Lake Errock. (Cliff MacArthur/provincialcourt.bc.ca)
The house where Daniel Hackl allegedly engaged in an hours-long standoff with RCMP on Victoria Day burned to the ground the same night he was arrested. The cause of the fire has yet to be explained, but Chilliwack Fire Department crews returned to Knight Road and Queen Street to douse hot spots on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. man charged with shooting at police makes strange first court appearance

Daniel Hackl said he had no name when asked by the judge, and otherwise didn’t say a word

The house where Daniel Hackl allegedly engaged in an hours-long standoff with RCMP on Victoria Day burned to the ground the same night he was arrested. The cause of the fire has yet to be explained, but Chilliwack Fire Department crews returned to Knight Road and Queen Street to douse hot spots on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
The pink car sits on its familiar perch on the old Pick-A-Part and new Southern Irrigation property, welcoming eastbound travellers on Highway 1. The iconic landmark is the focus of the ‘Save the Car’ campaign, raising money to build a new facility for the Chilliwack Salvation Army.

Chilliwack’s famous pink car needs help to avoid being crushed

Southern Irrigation’s ‘Save the Car’ campaign is raising money for the Chilliwack Salvation Army

The pink car sits on its familiar perch on the old Pick-A-Part and new Southern Irrigation property, welcoming eastbound travellers on Highway 1. The iconic landmark is the focus of the ‘Save the Car’ campaign, raising money to build a new facility for the Chilliwack Salvation Army.
A white Ferrari was impounded after police caught the driver doing 161 kilometres per hour in a 100 kpr zone with a dog sitting on his lap. (BC Highway Patrol photo)

The fast and the fur-ious: Man caught speeding near Chilliwack with bulldog in his lap

The driver and his dog were clocked doing 61 kph over the posted speed limit on Highway 1

A white Ferrari was impounded after police caught the driver doing 161 kilometres per hour in a 100 kpr zone with a dog sitting on his lap. (BC Highway Patrol photo)
With Stihl Timbersports athlete Stirling Hart watching, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce executive director Leanna Kemp fires up a chainsaw and cuts through a log. Hart was in town Monday to promote the Stihl Timbersports National Championship, which is coming to Chilliwack Aug. 12-13, 2023. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)

VIDEO: Stihl Timbersports nationals coming to Chilliwack in August

The Chilliwack Coliseum will host a pro and women’s competition featuring chopping and sawing events

With Stihl Timbersports athlete Stirling Hart watching, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce executive director Leanna Kemp fires up a chainsaw and cuts through a log. Hart was in town Monday to promote the Stihl Timbersports National Championship, which is coming to Chilliwack Aug. 12-13, 2023. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)
A still of a video of Mark Alexander Van Heek being handcuffed by an RCMP officer on Sardis Elementary school grounds on Feb. 8, 2022. (Facebook)

Chilliwack man fined $500 for ignoring order to stay away from elementary school

Mark Alexander Van Heek was one of several people protesting COVID measures at the school last year

A still of a video of Mark Alexander Van Heek being handcuffed by an RCMP officer on Sardis Elementary school grounds on Feb. 8, 2022. (Facebook)
Col. Al De Genova is taking the Tour of Honour Humvee across B.C. and as far north as the Yukon Territory, raising awareness and money for Honour House and Honour Ranch. (Eric J. Welsh/ The Progress)

Tour of Honour supporting military, first responders kicks off in Chilliwack

The tour will raise awareness in places across B.C. and the Yukon for Honour House and Honour Ranch

Col. Al De Genova is taking the Tour of Honour Humvee across B.C. and as far north as the Yukon Territory, raising awareness and money for Honour House and Honour Ranch. (Eric J. Welsh/ The Progress)
RCMP say a female suspect posed as a janitor at several banks that experienced ATM thefts in 2021. (RCMP photos)

RCMP seize cash and ‘high-value assets’ in Nanaimo following ATM thefts

Surveillance image shows suspect posing as a janitor

RCMP say a female suspect posed as a janitor at several banks that experienced ATM thefts in 2021. (RCMP photos)
Elizabeth and Kevin Sawatzky on their wedding day. They were happy and looking forward to a long life together, but a drug overdose took all of that away. (submitted photo)

Chilliwack drug overdose victim leaves grieving family behind

Elizabeth Sawatzky dreamed of a long life with husband Kevin until toxic drugs took him away

Elizabeth and Kevin Sawatzky on their wedding day. They were happy and looking forward to a long life together, but a drug overdose took all of that away. (submitted photo)
A Chilliwack doctor has been disciplined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. (Stock photo by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash)

Fraser Valley doctor suspended after sending inappropriate messages to patient

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia handed Dr. Rafet Jhameel a 3 month ban

A Chilliwack doctor has been disciplined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. (Stock photo by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash)
Kimberly Polman left Canada in 2014 to join Islamic State. Eight years later she’s being repatriated, and she’ll be living in Chilliwack. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)

Former Islamic State member released on bail to live in Chilliwack

Kimberly Polman will live with her sister and she will have to adhere to 25 conditions

Kimberly Polman left Canada in 2014 to join Islamic State. Eight years later she’s being repatriated, and she’ll be living in Chilliwack. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)
Still from a 2014 video by science educator Carin Bondar who is running in the 2022 Chilliwack school board election. In the video, Bondar talks about evolution through a parody video of Miley Cyrus’s song, Wrecking Ball. (YouTube)

Chilliwack school board hopeful suing fellow candidate for calling her ‘a striptease artist’

Carin Bondar says the comment made during a Zoom meeting amounts to defamation

Still from a 2014 video by science educator Carin Bondar who is running in the 2022 Chilliwack school board election. In the video, Bondar talks about evolution through a parody video of Miley Cyrus’s song, Wrecking Ball. (YouTube)
Pamela Garrity, 77, has been confined to a wheelchair since falling out of bed in late September, and relies on a Sarastand (right) to get in and out of bed, get on and off the toilet and do other things. (Eric J. Welsh/ The Progress)

Chilliwack senior felt ‘absolute despair’ after Fraser Health no-show

Confined to wheelchair, woman was twice left sitting in incontinence underwear for 20-plus hours

Pamela Garrity, 77, has been confined to a wheelchair since falling out of bed in late September, and relies on a Sarastand (right) to get in and out of bed, get on and off the toilet and do other things. (Eric J. Welsh/ The Progress)
BCHL

BCHL says Hockey Canada is biased towards major junior

A 35-page paper suggests Hockey Canada needs to recognize junior A as a legit development path

BCHL
A Chilliwack psychiatric nurse has accepted a 12-month suspension after engaging in an intimate relationship with a former client.

Chilliwack psychiatric nurse suspended after violating professional boundaries

Ashley Grittner engaged in an intimate relationship with a vulnerable former client

A Chilliwack psychiatric nurse has accepted a 12-month suspension after engaging in an intimate relationship with a former client.
The view from a woman's car after she was forced to stop on Bailey Road while driving home early Saturday morning (Sept. 17). A man had placed large orange pylons in the middle of the road, and was later arrested by RCMP. (Facebook Messenger screenshot)

Chilliwack women frightened by unexpected road block

Driving home just after midnight, they came across a man placing pylons in the middle of Bailey Road

The view from a woman's car after she was forced to stop on Bailey Road while driving home early Saturday morning (Sept. 17). A man had placed large orange pylons in the middle of the road, and was later arrested by RCMP. (Facebook Messenger screenshot)