Vancouver rundown for Friday, May 16, 2025. A
City of Richmond employee has now been fired
following the unjustified purchase of close to
$300 ,000 worth of gift cards. The RCMP have
also been notified after a review discovered
the gift cards were purchased over a three -year
period as part of an employee recognition program
but ended up going missing. That program is also
being reworked and will not include gift cards
in the future. Other news, a suspect has been
arrested after a stolen semi rammed several RCMP
cruisers during a Wednesday night pursuit in
Langley and Surrey before ending up in the Fraser
River. At around midnight, officers attempted
to pull over a truck that was stolen hours earlier
near 24th Avenue and 156th Street. The driver
led police on a chase through parts of Langley
and Cloverdale before a spike belt was deployed,
sending the truck into the river near Bridgeview.
The driver ran but was arrested a short time
later. He remains in custody. Well over 100 speakers
turned up at a Thursday night Vancouver public
hearing in light of plans for three residential
towers on the Safeway lot next to the commercial
Broadway SkyTrain station. The developers hope
to build rental unit towers ranging in height
from 36 to 42 stories. The proposal is being
considered as part of the Grandview Woodland
Community Plan. Vancouver has landed the 2026
FIFA Congress. Delegates from over 200 countries
will gather at the Vancouver Trading Convention
Center. To discuss issues relevant to the game,
the event is expected to have a $5 million impact
on the local economy. The forecast calling for
showers on Friday, more showers for Saturday,
but a mix of sun and cloud for Sunday. For all
the details on these local Vancouver area stories,
along with those links, go to VancouverRundown
.Substack .com.