Police Tackle Shoplifting + NW Horticultural Society

  Inside this New West Spotlight Newsletter…

 🌥️ New West Weather - Sun and Cloud - Cold 🥶 

 Rain Riddle - What’s a lightning bolt’s favorite meal?  

 (Answer at the bottom of the newsletter)

  🎀 Announcing Milestone Celebrations 🎁🎀 - New Feature Added - 😯 

  🗓️ New West Events - Quiet Sunday

🕵️‍♂️ New West Local News - Police Tackle Shoplifting + NW Horticultural Society

 😀 Viral Meme

 📰 Advertise with New West Spotlight - Buy One, Get One Free

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January 19, 2025

🎨 Art Sunday: Painting Workshop – 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

🍩 B2B + Donuts – 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM

🏈 Sunday and Monday Night Football – at the Terminal Pub

🥗 Radical Fat Chats – 7:00 PM

🎭️ Sophie Buddle – 7:00 PM

🍽️ Dine Out at Cockney Fish and Chips – NWSS Dry Grad

January 20, 2025

👶 Baby Talk Drop-ins – 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

 🎼 Jackiw, Kim, Choi & Kramer – 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

🧩 Puzzle Mondays at Steel and Oak – Starts at 5:00 PM

🎙️ Begbie's Open Mic – 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM

🏈 Sunday and Monday Night Football – at the Terminal Pub

 🍻 Rotary Bevies & Bites - Early bird pricing ends January 31st

January 21, 2025

📖 Storytime (3-5 years) – 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM

💻️ Tech Café – 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

📚️ Young Readers Book Club (9-12 years) – 3:45 PM to 4:45 PM

🍺 🎲 Beer and Board Games – 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

❓️ Trivia Tuesdays at Howe Sound New West – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

🎭️ Trivia Tuesdays at Notorious Grey Fox – 7:00 PM

 🎟️ Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation - 50/50 draw ends Jan 22 @ midnight

 👮 New West Police Expand Efforts to Tackle Shoplifting with Local Businesses

The New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) is intensifying efforts to address shoplifting and violent thefts through a collaborative initiative with Downtown and Uptown business improvement associations. Building on the success of earlier campaigns, this year-round program aims to reduce crime, enhance safety, and support businesses facing financial and operational impacts from retail theft.

The NWPD’s Crime Reduction Unit is leading the effort, focusing on raising awareness, deterring offenders, and encouraging crime reporting. Police have noted that shoplifting often involves risks to both employees and customers, including threats of violence. Retailers are being urged to report incidents promptly, either by calling the department’s non-emergency line or using their online reporting platform.

The program is partially funded by the Special Investigations and Targeted Enforcement Program, a provincial initiative under the Safer Communities Action Plan. This funding allows the NWPD to dedicate resources toward crime prevention and targeted enforcement.

The campaign also serves as a continuation of past successful efforts, such as Project Barcode in late 2023, which resulted in 18 arrests over three days. In that initiative, NWPD units partnered with retail staff to apprehend chronic and violent shoplifters.

As part of the ongoing campaign, retailers are encouraged to collaborate with the NWPD to access safety resources and crime prevention tools. The department stresses its commitment to creating a secure retail environment for all.

Retailers seeking to connect with the NWPD for support or resources can contact Sergeant Sean Schultz at [email protected].!

Read the story here

 ⭕️ New Westminster Horticultural Society Cultivates Community

The New Westminster Horticultural Society (NWHS) continues its long-standing tradition of bringing garden enthusiasts together at the historic Centennial Lodge in Queens Park. Meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM, the society offers a rich program of gardening education, plant exchanges, and community building.

Annual membership, renewed in February, is available for $20, with a drop-in option of $5 for occasional visitors. The society maintains an active monthly schedule, though they take a winter break in January and host a special members-only Christmas celebration in December.

"Our monthly meetings are designed to be both informative and social," explains the society's leadership. Each gathering follows a structured agenda, beginning with club business at 7:00 PM, followed by refreshments, a prize draw, and culminating in presentations by guest speakers from 8:00 to 9:00 PM.

A unique feature of the society is its monthly Plants, Pots, and What-nots Sale Table, where members can share and acquire plants from fellow gardeners. Members are encouraged to contribute healthy, well-labeled plants from their gardens, which are then priced and sold to support the society's activities.

The NWHS has implemented a scent-free policy for most meetings, demonstrating their commitment to creating an inclusive environment for members with allergies. The only exception to this policy occurs during Show-bench months.

The society thrives on volunteer participation, with opportunities ranging from event organization to newsletter writing. Members can contribute in various ways, including joining the executive committee, which includes positions such as President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Show Chairperson, and five Members-At-Large.

Additional member benefits include access to a seed exchange program, where donated seeds are professionally repackaged for redistribution among members. The society also maintains several special interest tables at meetings, including a "What's in the Garden this Month" display, a free table, and an information booth.

For those interested in joining or learning more about the New Westminster Horticultural Society, information is available via email at [email protected], or by attending any monthly meeting at Centennial Lodge in Queens Park..

Is this the group for your green thumb?

⛈️ Rain Joke of the Day 🌧️ 

 ⚡️ What’s a lightning bolt’s favorite meal? 🍽️ 

⛈️ A shock-late sundae! 🍦 

Meme of the Day

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