Where You Can Vacation And Be Home The Same Day
TNT The Naked Truth
Don Pitcairn
Foxtail Barley Threat To Dogs
In what has now become a yearly PSA, here is my sixth installment on Foxtail Barley or Spear Grass (horde um jubatum) that is a threat to your furry friend if you are a dog owner. Last year's TNT on this prickly subject was on July 29 titled "Foxtail Barley, Spear Grass and Your Dog." While I have done my best to bring this pet threat to both the public and other media outlets, there are many people who are blissfully aware of the risk this plant poses. The needle-like seed heads called awns can easily get in dog's mouths, ears, eyes or paws and even travel to their lungs or heart. Unfortunately little is being done to manage its spread and with our warmer drier weather, foxtail barley is moving from marginal growth areas right into people's manicured lawns. It is now going to seed a month earlier than usual this year due to the dry and hot conditions.
Here is what the American kennel Club has to say about foxtail awns and reducing their threat to the health of your dog.
Preventing Problems From Foxtails and Other Barbed Awns
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Keep your yard clear of foxtails and other tall grasses.
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Trim your dog's hair during foxtail season.
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Avoid taking your dog to areas or hiking trails where you see foxtails or any overgrown fields of tall grasses.
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If you do walk through any area where foxtails are growing, check your dog for visible seeds, especially between the toes. Run a fine-toothed comb through their coat and look for awns in their fur. Also check their ears, face, and mouth. Remove any barbed awns before they start to burrow with a brush or tweezers.
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If the awn is embedded and surrounded by red and swollen skin, take the dog to your veterinarian.
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If your dog starts to exhibit strange symptoms of illness, especially sneezing or breathing problems, see your veterinarian right away. Mention that you’ve been in a place where foxtails were growing.
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If there’s a strong chance you won’t be able to avoid locations where foxtails grow when you’re out hiking or hunting with your dog, consider covering their paws with dog booties.
The City of Surrey posted the following on signs at the Dogwood Dog Park and Blackie Spit Dog Park several years ago after I reported foxtail barley growing there to the manager of the Parks Department.
Foxtail barley is a native grass present within this off-leash park. Please note the following:
Foxtail barley has sharply barbed seed heads that can cause sores in the nose and mouths of animals. The barbs allow seeds to become lodged in animal fur, leading to further spread. Surrey Parks currently has a remediation program in place to remove the seed heads from the plants that grow inside this off-leash park. If you see this plant inside the off-leash park, please report it to our service request line.
This brings me to the current situation down at Crescent Beach. In November of 2025 Surrey Council voted to allow dogs at Crescent Beach with restrictions. Posted signs read that leashed dogs will be allowed year-round, with summer access (May 15–Sept. 15) limited to weekdays, excluding statutory holidays. If you walk throughout Crescent Beach and Blackie Spit, you can find many areas where foxtail barley is growing wild. This entire walkway plus Blackie Spit should have been checked for this pet hazardous grass before it was opened up to dogs during the summer months. A sandwich board for the new dog regulations was even put next to a planter surrounded by foxtail barley. There are no signs across Crescent Beach warning about foxtail barley and its threat to pets, plus nothing posted on the City of Surrey website either.
The Blackie Spit off-leash dog park is still infested with foxtail barley, which is completely unacceptable. For Surrey parks, in particular dog parks and areas where owners walk their dogs, it is important for them to control foxtail barley in high pedestrian traffic areas where residents will be walking their pets. Eradication measures need to be undertaken along the Crescent Beach walkway that is now a year-round destination for dogs. In the last year the amount of spear grass growing along the walkway has easily doubled. If you live in White Rock and think this is only a Surrey problem, I have seen foxtail barley growing in alleys, unkempt areas, along the promenade and even in cracks in the sidewalks across the City By The Sea.
If you are a dog owner who frequents Surrey parks with your four-legged friend, please familiarize yourself with foxtail barley's characteristics and report it with an exact location to any of the following contacts:
Office phone, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm: 604-501-5050
Here is a media release about the year round use of the Crescent Beach walkway for dog walking.
Naturally yours,
Don Pitcairn
Local News
June 22, 2026
White Rock Council Today
Four regular council meetings left in this term
White Rock Council Monday Agenda
Monday, June 22, 2026
Attend the upcoming White Rock City Council meeting.
White Rock City Council meeting at the White Rock Community Centre in Council Chambers at 4 p.m.
Unable to attend the meeting?
Watch the WORLD CUP today on a giant screen
The City of Surrey will broadcast over 100 of the FIFA WORLD CUP games on a giant screen in the Surrey City Hall Plaza.
Some of the games will have live performers on the plaza between games.
For the upcoming games schedules and event information, visit surreysoccerfanzones.ca
Today's games - Monday Junes 22
NOTE: CANADA'S NEXT GAME VS SWEDEN 12 NOON WEDNESDAY
Candlelight Solstice Gathering
Have you ever visited the SPIRIT GARDEN in South Surrey?
You have probably driven by it a hundred times.
The beautiful garden is located @ 2860 140street. This tranquil setting was created and is maintained by The Mara's Jon and Joan. Over the years the garden has been a place when individuals can honour a loved one wby placing a plant in the garden.
This Saturday (June 27) the 17th annual CANDLELIGHT SOLSTICE evening will see the garden lit up by candles carried by visitors honouring the memory of a loved one who has paassed on. The event is uopen to everyone. Come join the celebration after 8 p.m.
 
June 20, 2026
Together for White Rock:
Municipal election team slate announced at pier
Electric Scooters (E-scooters)
E-scooters are not permitted on public property
This means in Surrey & White Rock you are not allowed to ride an e-scooter:
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on a public roadway
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on a public sidewalk
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within a park
Related laws / bylaws
Enforcement of e-scooter use on public roads and sidewalks falls under the jurisdiction of the Surrey Police Service and the RCMP in White Rock, as it constitutes a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Where you can ride
E-scooters are permitted on private property.
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For safety, the Province recommends scooters with a motor under 500W and a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
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Riders must be at least 16-years old.
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Parents are encouraged to ensure their children understand and follow safe riding practices.
June 19, 2026
Surrey Police Board Under Fire In First Meeting After Chief Firing
The first Surrey Police Board meeting since since the controversial ousting of former Chief Norm Lipinski fell into chaos when members of the public when allowed to address the board, called for their resignations.
Residents vocally critical of the board, causing an adjournment for over 10 minutes after pointed questions around transparency and why Lipinski left.
At least two mayoral candidates sitting Surrey councillor LINDA ANNIS and former mayor DOUG MCCALLUM were present for the meeting.
The meeting of the Surrey Police Board this past Wednesday descended into chaos, with members of the public asking pointed questions about why the Surrey Police Service's former chief was let go earlier this month. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
The first meeting of the Surrey Police Board following the ouster of its former chief was marked by backlash from the public, who demanded transparency and answers weeks after the shock departure of Norm Lipinski.
When the board was eventually able to complete the meeting, a motion regarding the chief constable's ability to speak to the public caused controversy, too.
The motion, passed unanimously, says that the chief constable and senior executives must not publicly comment on intergovernmental affairs or publicly criticize decisions of the board.
It also states the chief constable must not publicly criticize "municipal or provincial government or officials," or offer personal opinions framed as organizational positions.
Ryan Buhrig, the president of the Surrey Police Union, said the optics of the motion — coming so soon after Lipinski's ouster and right before a municipal election — were extremely concerning.
"The public would expect that a police chief can speak honestly and openly about public safety issues that affect the community," he said.
Buhrig said that the "instability and political drama" around the Surrey Police Board was not productive — both for the force's recruiting efforts and for day-to-day policing.
Lipinski, the first chief of the Surrey Police Service, was let go on June 2 in a decision that sent shockwaves through B.C.'s second-largest city by population — which is dealing with a rash of extortion cases and gang-related shootings.
His departure was followed by that of the chair of the police board and another board member, with former board chair Harley Chappell claiming there was political interference at play behind Lipinski's ouster.
Surrey is still in the process of a contentious policing transition from the RCMP to a municipal force, with the Surrey Police Union saying a lack of answers around Lipinski's departure is leading to a lack of public confidence in the board.
That was on full display at the Wednesday board meeting, which saw residents vocally critical of the board, and an adjournment for over 10 minutes after pointed questions around transparency and why Lipinski left.
Sunday Funnies
Thought for the Day
Yell It Like It Is
Dave Chesney
Friday June 19, 2026
" I Don't Want To Belong To Any Club That Will Accept Me As A Member "
Groucho Marx
Today (Friday June 19) @ 12 noon I will be part of the Electoral Group announcement in Memorial Park.
TOGETHER FOR WHITE ROCK is the banner a number of us will be running under in the upcoming October civic election. If successful this will be my fourth term as a city councillor. My first as a member of a slate.
I was married last summer and the past three terms have not been a walk in the park, I have the scars to show it, I was not sure a fourth term was in the books for me.
The recent bi-election caused by councillor ERNIE KLASSEN'S defection to federal politics, and councillor MICHELLE PARTRIDGE quitting council created two vacant spots at the council table. In the subsequent bi=election Councillor MANNING was returned and newcomer SUSAN BAINS also secured a seat on city council.
Very quickly councillor TREVEYLAN and myself felt in lock step with the two two newcomers. Chris and I had served in the previous term of council with ANTHONY MANNING so he was no stranger and SUSAN BAINS instantly gained our respect.
In the past three elections I ran as a total independent. The reason, I didn't see any other candidates other than the late HELEN FATHERS who I felt any connection with.
As a result of that I was on the outside looking in at slates that controlled everything that happened at the council table. Year one it was WAYNE BALDWIN'S led COALITION and the second term saw DARRY WALKER'S DEMOCRACY DIRECT in charge. This past term what the Peace Arch News referred to as a secret slate, Mayor KNIGHT and councillors LAWRENCE, CHEUNG and PARTRIDGE held the majority of the votes and ran the show.
These past few months with the two new members added from the bi-election it became evident very quickly we held a similar vision for the future of White Rock. The decision to join in together and run on a slate in 2026 took some long conversations to ensure we all were comfortable moving forward as a group.
It was then decided we needed to build out our slate. First choice was LAURA CORNALE or simply "Laura" as all of White Rock knows her from the many years of creating and building one of the most successful businesses in the city, LAURA's COFFEE CORNER. The final member to be chosen for our slate was White Rock resident CONRAD KING, a professor at the University of British Columbia where he majors in Political Science. Perfect fit.
I firmly believe if we are successful in securing enough votes to have the majority of votes on White Rock council, the positive changes in our community will be evident in short order. Over the coming months our platform will be shared by all of us collectively and individually.
Today is just the first day.
The future looks bright. A new day may be dawning in White Rock.
Thank you
David Chesney / Editor Publisher and Third Term City Councillor
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