LITTLE INDIA BUSINESSES PERISHINGsececeuceneeneeseneeneenene R High rent and taxes are preventing new businesses from developing in a once lively Indian market Several spots unfilled The LSU will decide next week whether to hold a by-election after some LSU positions were not filled in last week’s election By TAMMY ENGLISH nounced the election results last Friday: 12 new members to a still- incomplete council. All 12 candidates — nine councillors, the international students’ advisor, the sexuality and gender diversity advisor, and the treasurer - ran unopposed. LSU bylaws prohibit election by ac- clamation, so when a single candidate for a position exists, voters cast a “yes” or “no” on the candidate rather than select one over another. To be elected, unopposed candidates must receive more than 50 per cent of the membership’s “yes” votes ex- plained Janna Jorgensen, LSU execu- tive director. Each candidate received at least 75 per cent “yes” votes in their individual yes/no tally. Missing from the posted results was the total number of ballots cast and any information about spoiled ballots. Langara’s electorate totals roughly 9,400. The highest number of votes a candidate received was 250. Election results indicate fewer than 300 stu- dents voted, suggesting a turnout of three per cent. Jorgensen said via email that ques- tions about election details — such as total number of ballots — are best an- swered by the chief returning officer, an independent party contracted by the LSU to scrutinize the election. She also noted that the corporate re- lations officer, having completed his contract with the LSU, is under no obli- gation to talk to media. She implied that questions would be forwarded, but did not identify or provide contact in- formation for the corporate relation of- ficer. Election of these 12 new members still leaves several positions unfilled, Jorgensen confirmed by email. “We did not fill all positions on council this elec- tion - some positions did not have can- didates at all.” She said that the new council will de- cide at its first meeting whether it wishes to run a by-election to fill those positions. The possible impact of leav- ing those roles unfilled, and what crite- ria come into play in making this deci- sion, are questions left unanswered by deadline. Jorgensen said the first meeting of LSU council is expected to take place within the week. T= Langara Students’ Union an- i) GET SPOOKED AT FRIGHT NIGHTS JESSE LAM photo Fright Nights is officially open for students celebrating Halloween. Read more about it on page 4 Danger on Fraser Intersection of Fraser Street and 49th Avenue deemed one of the most dangerous in Vancouver By AMY JONES edestrians and drivers need to tread carefully at the busy inter- section of Fraser Street and 49th Avenue. Rush hour turns the area into a chaos of honking cars while drivers rush to make their turns in time and pedestrians are often cross- ing too late. Two pedestrians were taken to hos- pital following an accident involving a vehicle at the intersection on Saturday, Oct. 5. The busy intersection is known to many local residents and Langara students as a hotspot for accidents. An investigation by The Vancouver Sun showed 350 accidents occurred at the intersection between 2005 and 2009. Add the surrounding blocks of Fraser Street and the intersection, and the number nearly doubles to 617 acci- dents. In the six and a half years Russell Ot- terbein has worked at nearby D&R Photo, he has seen a lot of accidents and people running across the cross- walk at the last minute. “I’ve almost been hit a few times when I run across to the street to the bank,” said Otter- bein. “Cars are always trying to sneak around on the right turn.” Mehul Bhalla, a Kinetic Wireless em- ployee on Fraser Street, has seen three accidents in three months he has worked there and said the area is al- ways congested. “It’s a small intersec- tion but a lot of traffic,” said Bhalla. There are simple things that both drivers and pedestrians can do to re- duce their risk of accidents, said Const. Brian Montague, spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department. Two basic rules for drivers and walk- ers are to avoid being distracted by mo- bile devices and to make eye contact with each other, said Montague. “Everyone talks about distracted driving but you can be distracted while you're walking too,” said Montague. “People don’t pay attention when they’re walking down the street and they make assumptions that drivers can see them. You may be in the right as a pedestrian but being in the right doesn’t keep you safe.” Steve Beck from Better Environmen- tally Sound Transportation in Vancou- ver said that the best thing pedestrians can do is time their crossing so they’re not stepping onto the road too late. “If you leave it until the last minute to try to cross then you’re increasing your likelihood of being struck by one of those cars who is also trying to do that,” said Beck. 66 Two basic rules for drivers and walk- ers are to avoid being dis- tracted by mobile de- vices and to make eye contact BRIAN MONTAGUE Earthquake prepared? Get ready to drop, cover and hold Oct. 17 at Shake- Out B.C. being held in the main foyer of A building By BILL EVERITT hakeOut B.C. Day is Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m. and Langara is having an earthquake drill and safety fair in the foyer of A Building. ShakeOut is a province-wide drill where participants practice the three essential steps for earthquake safety: drop, cover and hold on. Langara’s Studio 58 will be present- ing a 20-person flash mob that is based on the three steps. “It is a very fun concept which will definitely get to the students and help them remember what to do,” said third- term acting student Alexandra Wever, who choreographed the dance. ShakeOut at Langara is being ac- companied by a safety fair that runs until 1 p.m. Booths for safety related groups and the Vancouver Police Department will highlight general emergency planning. Dan Krefting, manager of safety and security at Langara, hopes to get the whole campus involved next year. “Td like to make an announcement on the public address system, another opportunity would be to do a whole evacuation drill,” he said. “Right now the exercise is voluntary.” Ian Malnis, a science student at Lan- gara, thought that the college could do more to increase earthquake-safety awareness. “Halfway through the semester, ev- erybody is studying for mid-terms,” Malnis said. Built in 1979, Building A is the oldest building at Langara College. The last time Building A received an upgrade was in 1991, when a stabilizing wall was built in the cafeteria. “Building A needs a complete renew- al, including a seismic upgrade. That’s our priority,” said director of facilities Wendy Lannard. Building B and the library were built to more stringent building codes. Building C received a seismic up- grade in 2009 when the Langara Stu- dents’ Union building was built. BILL EVERITT photo ShakeOut B.C. organizer, Paul Ur- sich is hosting the event on Oct. 17.