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Abbotsford Police arrested two people Tuesday night who now face weapons charges.

The drug unit and emergency response unit went into a house in the 2100 block of Oakridge crescent, where Constable Ian MacDonald says they found a few interesting items.

“A military grade machine gun with full magazine, a rifle, 200 rounds of various ammunition, a taser, along with a small quantity of crystal meth and heroin.”

MacDonald says the 55 year old man and 42 year old woman arrested are well known to police.

However he says he doesn’t think they’re connected to gangs in town.

Abbotsford Council has nudged the property tax increase down to 1.66%

A week ago they approved in principl a 1.72% increase but Mayor Bruce Banman says they’ve made a couple adjustments.

“There was two months where there was going to be two additional fire fighters that were going to be hired as of  November first. That had rather large complications for future years to the point of 1.5 million because it’s the beginning of starting a new hall. What Council decided was to hold that off for this year because it was only two months.”

Banman says Council will discuss throughout the year ways to afford the hirings next year.

He says there’s still some things to go over, like water rates, before the budget is adopted.

Abbotsford Collegiate is having a week of random acts of Kindness.

Ross Elementary is holding community building activities, while Bradner Elementary plans anti-bullying demonstrations.

It’s all for Pink Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness about the serious impact of bullying and to stand up against it.

Boys and Girls club South Coast president Carolyn Tuckwell says one of the biggest challenges when it comes to bullying is that kids worry about being called tattling if they tell a teacher about a bully.

“And I think even talking about that is important, because kids do feel an intense kind of sense of scrutiny around that kind of thing. So asking for an adult to help you or even a friend to help you if you’re being bullied isn’t tattling, it’s about making sure that you’re safe.”

Pink Shirt Day was established in recognition of two Nova Scotia students and their classmates who wore pink shirts to support a grade 9 boy who was being bullied.

The final page in the Taboo Naughty but Nice Sex show hasn’t been written quite yet.

Organizers cancelled the meeting earlier this month, citing problems with their liquor license and opposition from local Christian groups.

However they have scheduled an announcement for Thursday.

A spokesperson wouldn’t confirm whether or not the show is back on but said they will discuss plans for the show moving forward.

BC teachers were granted permission to strike one day per week by the labour relations board this morning, as long as they give two days notice.

However shortly after the province introduced legislation to resolve the contract dispute, and have extended the previous collective agreement for a cooling off period.

The province says once the legislation goes into effect teachers will not be able to strike as long as the cooling period is on.

The legislation includes appointing a mediator to try for a negotiated settlement, but also has a provision to fine teachers 475 dollars per day if they go on strike.

Abbotsford teachers association president Jeff Dunton calls the bill draconian

Any contract can’t impose new costs on the employer, but can include wage hikes if the mediator can find cost savings elsewhere.

Abbotsford teachers association president Jeff Dunton calls the bill draconian.

“Although it does call for a mediator to get involved, it’s a mediator that has no ability to deal with any cost items, so we’ll be in mediation with non cost items. Then at the same time we have no recourse, be it take away our extra curricular activities so to only work bell to bell or even do rotating strikes, nothing! We have from what I can tell no power to even disagree with a mediated settlement, which makes it not really a mediated settlement.”

BCTF president Susan Lambert says she doesn’t like that the a mediator has to stick with the net-zero mandate, but education minister George Abbott defended the move.

“They want a mediator, but they only want a mediator under terms which are different than the terms which would apply to every other public sector union in the province. And I can’t imagine how disappointing that is not only to me but to every other public sector union in the province of BC.”

Abbott says it’s hard to say how long it will take the legislation to be passed.

“We’re now hearing that Mr. Dix and the NDP will be voting against it and will be opposing the bill. I gather they’re wanting extensive debate. So depending on how extensive that is it could take up to two or three weeks, or it could take just a few days.”

Teachers still have the option to walkout until the legislation gets final vote.

The BC Labour Relations Board says teachers can go on strike for three consecutive days as long as they give two days notice.

After that they’re allowed one day per week to walk out.

BCTF had asked for four days per week, while the employers wanted one day every two weeks

Membership will vote this week on whether to proceed with a full walkout, while this afternoon the province plans to introduce legislation to end the labour negotiations.

If the province legislates a settlement, teachers will no longer be in a legal strike position and will have to decide on a future course of action.

The provincial government wrote a check for a million dollars and change for Matthew’s House in Abbotsford.

Matthew’s House will be a respite house for families with severely disabled children.

Stewardship director Tom Balke (silent e) says the donation will let them move past construction and in to phase two of fundraising.

“We’re not just going to build a building but we’re going to get all the equipment, beds, lifts, specialized medical gear necessary to outfit it plus we’re going to be able to hire nurses, and support staff to make sure that the right level of care is in place.”

Matthew’s House will be part of the campus of care along with Canuck Place and Holmburg House.

RCMP have arrested a second suspect in the death of Ryan Saint Ange.

Robert Adam Van-Dusen has been charged with second degree murder, joining co-accused Shayne Vauthrin who was arrested last week.

Corporal Adam MacIntosh with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says with this second arrest police believed they’ve solved Abbotsford’s first homicide of 2012.

“Both suspects involved in this investigation are known to each other and based on this arrest and charge we’re satisfied there are no further suspects involved.”

MacIntosh says the murder wasn’t random, although he says police still believe it wasn’t gang related.

Abbotsford school district has officially launched its alternative suspension site at the Abby Rec Centre.

The site has been operated by the YMCA as a pilot project for the last year and has dealt with 185 students.

Provincial coordinator Shari West says students have study time to get caught up on school work in the morning, then workshops in the afternoon to get to the root of a student’s difficulties.

West says while the program isn’t 100% successful with every student they generally find an improvement in not only behaviour but academic performance as well.

The BC Cancer Agency is launching a massive research project looking at cancer prevention, and they’re looking for more people to sign up and take part.

It’s Called BC Generations and it’s part of a national study that will involve 300 thousand Canadians over 25 years.

Project director Doctor Marilyn Borugian  says subjects will have a set of baseline tests performed, then their health will be monitored to look for correlations regarding causes of cancer.

Borugian says they have 20 thousand BC people signed up already but would like to double that.

Anyone interested in taking part can go to bcgenerationsproject.ca for more information.