A brand new Rankin

A brand new Rankin
Here and NOW column by By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby NOW assistant editor
Published Aug. 14, 2002

Past and possibly future Burnaby city councillor Lee Rankin welcomed a new addition to his family last month.
Henry Venkat Rankin weighed into the world at eight pounds, 15 ounces on July 8.
"We are thrilled. This is a dream come true," says new mother Ragini Rankin, who was visiting relatives in Washington State when young Henry decided to make an early appearance in the world.
The healthy and hale youngster has hazel eyes and brown hair, but in other respects is almost a spitting image of his father, reports mom. "We both very badly wanted to have a child, but I also wanted a child that looked exactly like Lee. So this is a double pleasure for me."
The new father has taken the past month off work to help mom with chores around the house, but he plans to return to his law practice this week, just in time to start up his campaign for city council this fall.
The couple, who have been married for 11 years, recently moved into a roomy new Deer Lake home, where young Henry apparently has his own roomful of toys.
The child will have a well-rounded background and has been blessed in churches representing all sides of his family - Hindu, Jewish and Protestant.

LORENZA SHOOTS FOR MISS CANADA

Lorenza Sammarelli, who was featured on the front page of the Burnaby NOW last fall when she helped paint the new community mural on the side of the Dolphin Cinema, has won the Miss B.C. International pageant and will now represent the province at the Miss Canada pageant in Toronto on Aug. 24.
Samarelli, a 24-year-old Vancouver resident, works as a skating instructor at the busy Eight Rinks facility and has a very proud grandmother who lives in the city.
She will be joined at the national tournament by other four other B.C. pageant winners.

REGGAE SINGER HAS A HIT

Local reggae singer Ras Jahronimo has had a busy time since returning from his homeland of Jamaica last winter.
The Burnaby resident has been getting lots of airplay on radio station The Beat 94.5 FM with his newly released CD In Jamaica which he recorded last winter while holidaying back home.
This Friday, Aug. 16, he'll be sharing the stage with two of the Caribbean's hottest musical acts when Tanpo Metro and Vevonte play at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver.
Jahronimo's songs Black Man Story, More Love and In Jamaica are part of the growing collection of reggae music being released by Lower Mainland artists this year. Tickets are $30 at the door.