BURNABY - A coroners jury looking into the death of Mexican hotel maid Lucia Vega Jimenez is recommending that Canada Border Services Agency staff not contracted security guards monitor immigration detainees.

Other recommendations include civilian oversight of critical incidents in CBSA custody and a dedicated, above-ground holding centre for detainees that features natural light, ventilation and outside access.

Those characteristics are a far cry from the conditions present at the airports current holding centre, which is staffed by Genesis Security.

Jurors weighed in with the verdict late Tuesday, after hearing several days of testimony at the inquest into the death. Jimenez hanged herself in a shower stall at the Vancouver airports immigration holding centre on Dec. 20, 2013 and later died in hospital.

Jurors want a dedicated CBSA holding centre for detainees that is staffed by its own employees, located within a 30-minute drive of the airport, and with its own on-site courtroom for immigration hearings.

Jurors recommended that at a minimum, lawyers must have access to the airports holding centre. It must be fitted with call buttons for help, self-harm proofed, and equipped with telephones.

While the holding centre is staffed by subcontractors, jurors recommend that the CBSA access the video monitoring system at random times to ensure the appropriate number of staff are on site and that they are meeting their contractual requirements.

Jurors also recommended the federal government appoint an independent ombudsperson to mediate related concerns or complaints, and create a civilian organization to investigate critical incidents in CBSA custody.

Translators must also be available for detainees who can't understand English, the jury recommended.

"I'm blown away, basically,'' said Rocco Trigueros of the group Mexicans in Vancouver. "I'm very happy to read the recommendations because they are great, they are profound, they are responsible, and I think we were lucky to have a great jury because they were sensitive.''

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CBSA should staff its own detention centre: B.C. coroner's inquest (updated with video)

METRO VANCOUVER For the last week, a five-person jury has been hearing evidence surrounding the death of Mexican hotel maid Lucia Vega Jimenez, who hanged herself in a shower stall in the Vancouver airport's immigration holding centre on Dec. 20, 2013. She later died in hospital. Her death has been the subject of a coroner's inquest, the purpose of which is not to find fault or assign blame, but rather to establish the facts surrounding a death and make recommendations on how to prevent such deaths in the future. Here are some of the key issues raised by the inquest.

Training and oversight of private security guards contracted by the Canada Border Services Agency to monitor the holding centre: The inquest heard that in the months leading up to the incident, Genesis Security frequently had fewer guards on duty at the holding centre than was required by the contract with CBSA and that room check records were falsified by Genesis the morning of the incident.The Genesis guards received no training on how to spot signs of depression or mental health distress before the incident but have since been sent on a one-day course offered through the CBSA. The CBSA manager in charge of the holding centre is based downtown and testified that he is on site at the centre roughly once a month. The CBSA has created a new administrative position at the holding centre two days a week during the day, when detainees are not usually there.

Detention conditions at the holding centre: The BC Holding centre is accessed via a door in the side of a concrete tunnel several floors below the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. Paramedics who responded to the 911 call testified that it took them 12 minutes to reach the holding centre from international arrivals because of a nearly kilometre-long walk down a corridor. The Canadian Red Cross has deemed the facility unsuitable for even short-term detentions due to a lack of natural light and fresh air. Immigration lawyer Douglas Cannon, who has practised refugee law for two decades, said he has been in the facility once and that his understanding is lawyers are not allowed in. Cannon said he has frequently run into problems contacting clients held there even by telephone. The inquest heard that in Toronto, where the CBSA's immigration holding centre is a converted hotel, lawyers, non-governmental organizations and groups from different cultural communities are all regularly granted access. The CBSA maintains the Vancouver holding centre is not meant to be used for detentions of longer than 72 hours. Intervenors at the inquest including the BC Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Council of Refugees want to see the holding centre closed.

Physical layout of the holding centre: The inquest heard testimony from architect Ron Dies, who has experience designing prisons, on what can be done to minimize the risk of suicides. This largely involves making sure there are no structures which will support any significant weight if something is tied to it.

Detention conditions at provincial jails. Immigration detainees held for longer than 72 hours are taken to provincial jails, typically in Maple Ridge or Surrey. International law stipulates that immigration detainees, who have usually not broken any law, be held in facilities appropriate to their non-criminal status. Jimenez was held for two weeks at the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women, where immigration detainees are held in the most secure section and subject to all the same restrictions as criminal inmates. The inquest heard Jimenez had trouble calling her family from Alouette because of the prison's phone system. She also missed what could have been a critical appointment with a mental health specialist at Alouette because her file was not marked urgent.

Access to lawyers: Jimenez was arrested on Dec. 1, but did not get a lawyer until Dec. 13, the inquest heard. This is significant because immigration detainees have just 15 days from the time of their initial hearing to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA), during which an immigration officers reviews the dangers a detainee may face if deported. Those who apply for a PRRA receive a stay of deportation until a decision is made, though it is rare that a PRRA results in a detainee being able to stay in Canada permanently. While detainees have access to duty counsel at the Library Square location where CBSA interviews and Immigration and Refugee Board hearings are conducted and are always permitted to call Legal Aid, the process can be daunting for detainees who speak little to no English, the inquest heard. The fact that detainees are often held in jails an hour or more from Vancouver also has the effect of limiting access to lawyers, who are only paid a certain number of hours under Legal Aid and prefer not to spend them driving. The inquest heard that CBSA interviews and Immigration and Refugee Board hearings in Toronto are held in the same building as the immigration holding centre, greatly reducing the need for transportation.

Communication between provincial corrections staff, CBSA and Genesis Security: The inquest heard that there was no formal mechanism in place through which information about detainees, such as behavioural patterns or scheduled appointments, could be communicated between companies or agencies.

tcarman@vancouversun.com

Twitter.com/tarajcarman

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Key issues raised by inquest into Mexican woman's suicide at Vancouver airport

Oct. 8, 2014, 4 a.m.

A NEW program designed to save people from dying of a heart attack has assisted 35 people in western NSW in the first six months of its operation.

SAVING LIVES: Estelle Ryan CNC Cardiology, Cardiologist Dr Ruth Arnold, paramedics Claire Green and Adam Parker, Anne Morrison NUM ICU and Coronary Care and bypass patient Terry Babbage with the lifesaving ECG machine. Photo: PHILL MURRAY

A NEW program designed to save people from dying of a heart attack has assisted 35 people in western NSW in the first six months of its operation.

The Pre-Hospital Lysis program is a statewide system which enables paramedics to send an ECG directly to a cardiologist as soon as they suspect a heart attack.

This gives the patient immediate access to a cardiac specialist, for diagnosis. If a heart attack is confirmed, paramedics can give immediate life saving treatment (Lysis), wherever the patient may be.

Western NSW Local Health District Cardiologist Dr Ruth Arnold said its this early diagnosis that can improve the chance of recovery and survival in heart attack patients, which is especially important in rural and remote areas.

Time is crucial when it comes to diagnosing and treating a heart attack successfully, she said.

Once a heart attack is confirmed by the ECG, the paramedics can provide appropriate treatment in the form of Lysis or thrombolysis (clot busting medication to dissolve the blockage in the coronary artery), before the patient is transported to the best place for their further care and treatment.

This treatment is most effective if given within the first 60 minutes of a heart attack. In some rural areas it can take 30 to 60 minutes to even get a patient to the closest hospital. This program makes each ambulance a mobile coronary treatment unit and brings specialist care to the patient, Dr Arnold said.

Continued here:
Program has saved 35 people

Image via shutterstock.com

Our front lawn is an eyesore. Its an ugly mixture of weeds, a few light-green blades of grass and mostly dirt, and although that combination may be somewhat more acceptable now that Los Angeles is in the midst of our drought, its been like that for years. No question that landscaping is a low priority for us.

With a teenage son with serious developmental disabilities, our limited resources of time and money are often spent taking care of him and paying for experts, such as weekly sessions with a private speech therapist, or for a babysitter, because he still requires adult supervision and assistance at all times.

Like many parents of children and teens with special needs or chronic health conditions, the problem of a time deficit isnt just about the actual hands-on time its also the brainpower that goes into planning ahead, problem solving, plus a fair amount of anxiety and worrying.

It turns out theres actual science at work here. In a recent article called Rethinking Poverty by Elisabeth D. Babcock in the online Stanford Social Innovation Review, Babcock talks about how recent discoveries in brain science can help us understand barriers low-income families (and, by extension, others who are dealing with chronically stressful situations) face in trying to get ahead.

Babcock writes, According to an emerging body of brain science, the stresses that come with being poor negatively affect the strategic thinking and self-regulation skills that people need in order to break the poverty cycle. These skills, known as executive function (EF) skills, are fundamental to our ability to solve problems, to multitask, to juggle priorities, to control impulses, to delay gratification, and to persist in the pursuit of goals.

Other recent discoveries in brain science demonstrate that stress compromises memory, making it harder for people to remember several things at one time. Constant stress can also make it more difficult for people to maintain mental flexibility, to shift back and forth between potential approaches to solving problems, and to weigh the future implications of current decisions.

At Babcocks anti-poverty agency, Crittenton Womens Union in Boston, the staff helps clients cope with what she calls the bandwidth tax of living a highly stressful life by providing them with trained, individualized coaches who help them create new decision-making strategies and, in turn, boost their internal executive function competence.

Previous disability-related studies showed that mothers of teens and adults with autism experience a level of chronic stress comparable to combat soldiers and struggle with frequent fatigue and work interruptions. These mothers also spend significantly more time caregiving than those of children without disabilities. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison detailed the daily experiences of mothers of adolescent and adult children with autism over a period of eight successive days. On four of those days, the researchers measured the womens levels of cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. Their levels of the hormone were found to be significantly lower than normal, a condition that occurs under constant psychological stress.

So, what can be done to reduce this chronic stress burden? Aside from hiring a coach to help retrain the over-stressed brain, other emerging strategies use a peer-directed, meditation-oriented approach to reduce parental stress, anxiety and depression among mothers who have a child with a developmental disability.

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Your brain on stress

Oct. 8, 2014, 4 a.m.

A new program designed to save people from dying of a heart attack has assisted 35 people in western NSW.

SAVING LIVES: Estelle Ryan CNC Cardiology, Cardiologist Dr Ruth Arnold, paramedics Claire Green and Adam Parker, Anne Morrison NUM ICU and Coronary Care and bypass patient Terry Babbage with the lifesaving ECG machine. Photo: PHILL MURRAY 100714pheart

A NEW program designed to save people from dying of a heart attack has assisted 35 people in western NSW in the first six months of its operation.

The Pre-Hospital Lysis program is a statewide system which enables paramedics to send an ECG directly to a cardiologist as soon as they suspect a heart attack.

This gives the patient immediate access to a cardiac specialist, for diagnosis. If a heart attack is confirmed, paramedics can give immediate life saving treatment (Lysis), wherever the patient may be.

Western NSW Local Health District Cardiologist Dr Ruth Arnold said its this early diagnosis that can improve the chance of recovery and survival in heart attack patients, which is especially important in rural and remote areas.

Time is crucial when it comes to diagnosing and treating a heart attack successfully, she said.

Once a heart attack is confirmed by the ECG, the paramedics can provide appropriate treatment in the form of Lysis or thrombolysis (clot busting medication to dissolve the blockage in the coronary artery), before the patient is transported to the best place for their further care and treatment.

This treatment is most effective if given within the first 60 minutes of a heart attack. In some rural areas it can take 30 to 60 minutes to even get a patient to the closest hospital. This program makes each ambulance a mobile coronary treatment unit and brings specialist care to the patient, Dr Arnold said.

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New medical program a heartfelt success

A man had to be airlifted to the hospital after being attacked by a swarm of bees Tuesday morning, Hearne police said.

The man, whose name and age have not been released pending notification of next of kin, had been mowing the lawn near a self-storage facility in the 800 block of West Brown Street at about 11 a.m. when the bees attacked, authorities said.

Firefighters were able to get the bees away by hosing the man down with soap and water before taking him to St. Joseph hospital in Bryan in critical condition, said Sgt. Stephen Yohner with Hearne police.

Yohner said the loud noise from the lawn mower may have disrupted the bees that overcame the man.

Authorities diverted traffic away from the area for about an hour-and-a-half, but the self-storage facility and a nearby abandoned hotel were roped off until beekeepers were called in. As a precaution, school officials kept students indoors for the rest of the day.

Meredith Neely, who works across the street, said she was on the phone when she heard the sirens.

"I got up and looked out the window, and I could see the owner over there with hands all around his head, slapping his face," she said.

Neely described the incident as a "wild scene for a little bit because [the bees] were going after the emergency people too."

Authorities did not say what kind of bees were involved but a Texas A&M agriculture professor said they were likely honey bees because "they're the only social bees around."

Juliana Rangel, who also oversees the Honey Bee Lab at A&M, said bees are disturbed by vibrations or extreme weather conditions.

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Man critical after attack by bee swarm

FREEPORT - At a get-together featuring a campfire and smores, a local landscape architect will present options Thursday for the use of Freeports Leon Gorman Park, based on public comments made during an onsite meeting held last spring.

The session at the park, located off School Street near Bow Street Market, begins at 6:30 p.m. The park, given to the town in 2007 by Leon Gorman grandson of L.L. Bean had been intended as a skating rink. But few people have used it for that purpose, so town officials are looking for alternatives.

This will be very informal, Donna Larson, town planner, said Monday. This is brainstorming, to get a vision. Theres no money set aside, theres no plan yet to do anything.

The little park includes a covered sitting area and a small pond in a gully created by storm water and a trail.

Travis Pryor, the landscape architect, will provide an overview of the information he gathered last spring. Pryor will have concept design posters for public viewing. He fielded many suggestions and questions during the spring meeting, and has them summarized. Among the suggestions made:

Activities for older people.

Screening of the stormwater structures at the back of Bow Street Markets parking lot.

Improved signage for no-smoking rules in the park.

Additional trail connections along Frost Gully to U.S. Route 1, from Spring Street, across Bow Street to Quarry Woods and at the end of the park connecting to Freeport Conservation Trust property, the Harraseeket River and the Audubon property.

Repair of the ice skating rink.

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Ideas for Freeports park spark campfire meeting

LEBANON A special screening of a documentary about urban planning around people is being held at the Lebanon Opera House on Thursday night.

The Human Scale, a film inspired by the work of Danish architect Jan Gehl, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

The film is to be followed by a panel of experts including landscape architect Robert White, professor of architecture at Dartmouth College Karol Kawiaka and master planner William Dennis. The panel is to be moderated by Lebanon city planning director Andrew Gast-Bray.

Gast-Bray said Tuesday, while he has been greatly influenced by the documentary's main subject, Gehl, he has never seen the documentary before and he was asked not to watch the film before the Thursday night viewing.I look forward to seeing it with fresh eyes, so I can ask fresh questions of the panelists, he said.

Over his career, Gehl has become known for challenging assumptions about modern cities and has pioneered a human-centric approach to designing communities.Gehl has and will continue to influence Lebanon city planning, Gast-Bray said, and because of that, the whole community is encouraged to come, to see the documentary and join in the conversation.

As an example of Gehl's influence on city planning, Gast-Bray said, We've designed our long range transportation plans around places not corridors or arteries.

'Life happens on foot,' is something Jan is famous for saying, which I think is brilliant in so many ways, Gast-Bray said.

The evening is expected to run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with an informal discussion afterward down the street at Salt Hill Pub.

'Cause not everybody likes the formal panel, standing up in front of everyone and asking a question, he said. At the pub the panel will interact on a personal scale, on a human scale.

The event is free and open to the public. The Congress for the New Urbanism, New England Chapter is sponsoring the event. A suggested $5 donation would go to support future programming similar to the event. Registration for the event can be completed at cnunewengland.org.

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Urban planning discussion to follow Lebanon film screening

An advertisement for the Germain Seed & Plant Co., circa 1919.

As we celebrate Sukkot with all its greenery and bounty, its also a good time to remember a couple of Jewish Johnny Appleseeds who added variety and color to the Los Angeles landscape. From the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th, Eugene Germain, along with Manfred Meyberg, supplied the city with a wide range of plants that included poppies and roses, as well as the jacarandas and coral trees we still grow today.

In Southern California, palm fronds are commonly used as sukkah roofs. We buy them on street corners or at flower shops, get them from neighbors or even cut them from trees growing in our own yards.

In 1900, if you wanted to grow a palm tree, you could choose from 10 varieties of seed, including the still-popular Washingtonia or California fan palm ordered from the Germain Seed and Plant Co. store in downtown Los Angeles, or from their catalog.

Looking for something extra growing in your yard to beautify that sukkah? If you find a bird of paradise, then you have Manfred Meyberg (pronounced MY-berg) to thank. Meyberg started working at Germains as an office boy when he was 19 and eventually become the companys president; he was such a promoter of the bird of paradise, he got it declared the City of Angels official flower in 1952.

Although the Germain company was bought out by an English company in 1990, it is still a significant name in agribusiness. Meyberg is commemorated by a waterfall at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Yet the two names, important to the development of the citys horticulture, largely have been grown over by the tangle of time.

Fortunately, Harriet Ashby, a great-niece of Eugene Germain, has helped cut through the brush by researching her family roots and writing about them. The family name originally was Bloch, she said in an interview, saying it was changed by Nathan Germain, Eugenes father.

Eugene Germain was born on Nov. 30, 1849, in Moudon, Switzerland, where he was educated in public schools and attended college at Lausanne, Ashby wrote in 1970 for Western States Jewish History. He first went to New York in 1868, then came to Los Angeles in 1870. He married Caroline Sievers in 1872, and together they had five children.

His first L.A. business was a restaurant; then he opened a grocery and poultry store in 1874, at 128 N. Main St., from which he began to package and ship large quantities of fruit and other food items.

By 1884, his business had grown so large that he reorganized, and the Germain Fruit Co. was born. Key to the business was selling seeds, nursery stock and wines, and also running a fruit-packing plant in Santa Ana.

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From palm fronds to poppies: The Jews who brought them to L.A.

SAN LEONARDO, Nueva Ecija Director General Alan L.M. Purisima, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), opened the gates of his controversial property here to journalists in an attempt to dispute the allegations that his resthouse is equivalent to a multi-million peso mansion.

It is situated in a 3,000-square meter land, has a beautiful landscape, a pool, and well-built main house with guest house.

The large group of journalists that Purisima invited to personally see his resthouse in Barangay Magpapalayok was also allowed access to the main house and the guest house.

Tito Purisima, a distant relative of the PNP chief, said that the property does not qualify for a mansion or even an expensive villa. Its for you to judge now if this is really a mansion. And as you enter the house, you will also see if the materials used for the construction are expensive or not, said Tito.

They said that the house itself is worth P30 to P50 million. But can we compare this to the houses in Forbes Park, Dasmarinas, Urdaneta, Magallanes, Corinthian Village, and Green Meadows?

But Tito said the property was acquired in 1998 and four years later, the main structures were built. A renovation was done in 2012.

The land area is 4.5-hectares and was acquired at P57,000 per hectare in 1998. The property is some three to five kilometers away from the town proper.

According to Tito, the cheap acquisition of the property is because the entire property is flood-prone. In fact, he said, the elevated portion where the rest house is located still experiences ankle-deep flood during heavy rainfall.

The first gate is an entrance to the property. A second gate is for the main resthouse with wood-like concrete fence.

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Top cop shows off mansion