And the answer was yes

Re: "A special message" from Rob Akimow, Richmond Review, Nov. 15-16 edition.

As we turned the corner a man in a dog costume handed me The Richmond Review, Rob took me by the hand and told me to open up the paper to page 12.

Shock and disbelief brought a flood of tears to my eyes when I saw the photograph of him holding my engagement ring. He had done it! He pulled off the most romantic engagement ever without me suspecting a thing.

I think I said yes a dozen times, jumping around and crying in the rain on the busy street corner where we held hands on our first date.

Rob slipped the ring on my finger and that was itI saw my forever standing in front of me.

Rob, I love you so much. You are so full of romance and passion that you inspire me everyday.

I could never have imagined a proposal that was so elaborate, yet so genuine and intimate.

I can't wait to experience what lies in front of us.

Thank you for the vibrancy that you bring to my life, thank you for the laughter that gets me through the day, thank you for choosing me to grow old with and thank you to The Richmond Review for being such a special part of our day.

Accused's release sparks concerns

The recent release by the courts of Mr. Leonardo Da Vancouver pending his upcoming Vancouver trial on sex related allegations has raised real concerns by the citizens of Richmond and community leaders.

The Richmond RCMP certainly understands these concerns and I want the community to have confidence that we will do everything we possibly can to ensure the community's safety as a result of Mr. Da Vancouver residing in Richmond.

We are working with our law enforcement and community partners to ensure timely and open communication and a prompt response should there be a violation of his release conditions.

I will ensure that the community's expectations are met whenever and wherever possible and encourage anyone with information in regards to Leonardo Da Vancouver and any possible release infractions to immediately call 911 or contact the Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212.

To provide general information contact Cpl. Leslie Roseberry at 604-207-4726.

Dim on Finn

It is very interesting that Finn Slough in Richmond has been featured recently in a couple of metropolitan daily newspapers and on the television.

I have personally walked that area for many years and it is a disgrace!

If these dwellings were anywhere near a residential area I think that the local bylaws would see the disappearance of this eyesore.

Holistic program bids adieu

The Holistic Night program run by the Richmond Women's Resource Centre at Caring Place regrets to announce that the Monday, Nov. 17 session will be the program's last.

Richmond Women's Resource Centre has been serving the community since 1976. Due to cutbacks by the provincial government, the centre is in peril of having to close its doors.

The monthly Holistic Night program was designed six years ago as a community public service and information night, introducing Richmond residents to alternative health modalities and complementary therapies through guest speaker presentations and affordable hands-on sessions. It is with mixed feelings that we make the difficult decision to cancel this program.

Heartfelt thank you's to all the individuals that have made this program so successful:

the public that attended these sessions,

the many practitioners who volunteered their skills and services,

the guest speakers who shared time and expertise,

the organizers behind-the-scenes.

And to the Richmond Women's Resource Centre for their support in making this program possible.

What an amazing gift it is to network with each other.

MP's questionnaire was right on track

Letter writer Doug Symons (Nov. 8-9) gets it exactly wrong when he all but accuses MP Joe Peschisolido of skewing issues to reflect what Joe "might like them to be."

Joe reflects issues as they befit Richmond and serve us well. Our community has a fairly unique kind of small town, small "c" conservatism. That is, conservatism without the bigotry; without the old ethnic divide. We are traditional but far from rigid; in fact, very forward looking.

Joe seeks to deepen that sense in us; he brings it out well and serves as a contrast to the shenanigans "back east". People need to remember that "Western alienation" got its impetus from values, from a sense of the aspirations of a community. And, yes that is a yearning for things as we "might like them to be" rather than simply giving in to things as they are.

From his well-known defense of traditional marriage to his recent vote for harsher sentences for street racers, Joe reaches for our higher intuitions. Agree with him or not.

When Joe crossed the floor to the Liberals he took our values with him. Why don't the "Jumpin' Joe" judgmental Jehosaphats at least concede that? Why, if Joe had compromised, ChrŽtien would have made him deputy prime minister by now.

On the other hand, Raymond Chan, who is fighting Joe for Richmond's Liberal nomination, has not been forthcoming on social issues. instead, he is touting his old Ottawa connections and ability to "deliver" for Richmond. But we are not hiring a lobbyist.

An MP is a part of the soul of a community. In any case, Joe is no slouch at getting funds for local projects, as we saw in the recent matter of the airport/Vancouver rapid transit line. So social issues would be a tie-breaker.

We need to know that challenger Chan's aggressive membership drive in our large Chinese community addresses these concerns and is not American style politics of playing the race card. We need an MP who not only knows the needs of Richmond but indeed knows what Richmond needs to be.

Turncoat vs. Earthworm

Welcome to Richmond, the land of fantasy. Where else in the country are the voters given such a choice in the upcoming federal election. Just think, we are able to choose from two members of the Liberal Party. (Local Liberal Party members will choose, not votersed.)

One of them has firmly established himself as an opportunistic turncoat, firmly convinced of his right to do what is in his own advantage, and to hell with what the voters chose.

The other, has a massive and magnificent record of nothingness, being noted only for his propensity to attend mainly ethnic style meetings, and maintain a profile so low, he could provide suitable competition for the most diligent of earthworms.

Oh yeah, I forgot, he boasts of all the tax dollars he has brought to the communitywhoopee, it probably totals in single digits of the totals paid by Richmond residents, but after all, La Belle Province needs the money.

Richmond Review staff member Rob Akimow has a special message...

I have dragged you downtown under the false pretense that we are doing our Christmas shopping. We should be standing on the spot where we first held hands.

You have just received a call on your cell phone from your best friend Suzanne, who has just told you that there is a really great article in the today's edition of The Richmond Review. A mascot dog has just handed you the newspaper, and if you haven't already figured this out from the photograph, this is your wedding proposal.

I remember the first moment we met, which I can't say for a lot of things. You had on a beige suit and I sat next to you. I told all my friends about how I sat next to this hot girl who was flirting with me, to which they replied "Ya right, why would a hot girl flirt with you?"

The next thing I remember was computer class, you asked to borrow my Discman, then you dropped it on the floor. Well, I knew then this was something special.

Over the course of our relationship we have created some nicknames for each other. Some of my favourites are Nagasoarous, Beastie, Monster face, Miss Mew, Bear, and my personal favourite, Munkin (for those of you playing the home game a Munkin is a Monkey and a Pumpkin put together).

You are much much better looking than me and you make me smile and laugh

more than any other person in history, you bring me juice and vitamins every morning, and make sure I get out of bed and on my way to work, you put up with my bizarre obsession with Bruce Springsteen and pizza and you try and make sure I eat my veggies and don't bite my finger nails.

I can honestly say there is no other person I would want to spend my life with. I love you more than words can say. I know we will have some ups and downs, but I can't wait to start the ride.

Now everyone dreams of a love lasting and true

But you and I know what this world can do

So let's make our steps clear that the other may see

And I'll wait for you

if I should fall behind

Wait for me

Bruce Springsteen

Richelle Hartney will you marry me?