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Sorry Sheryl Sandberg and your utopian vision of the solidarity of women, but Grace ain't no lean-in type of woman. Girlfriend's all about the power and the glory (and the money). But maybe Zimbabwe's just had enough of the Mugabes. |
Every year around this time, I usually write a column about hunting—and make mention of the great grouse hunting we have right across Sunset Country. |
We’re now a good way through the 2016 season and I’m going to say that this year has been one of the best I can ever remember for grouse. |
These tasty birds probably are my favourite thing to eat on this entire planet and they are so much fun to hunt. |
It’s no secret we have a long winter up here in Sunset Country. So like many anglers, I try to keep the boat wet as long as the weather permits. |
We still have at least a few weeks of open water left before things start to freeze up—and the fall season offers some of the best fishing of the year for several species. |
Since all of the bass tournaments are finished, it really allows me a lot more time to focus on fishing for other species. |
The bass tournament season in Sunset Country wrapped up this past weekend with the fourth-annual Frank McClymont Memorial Tournament, which took place Saturday in Kenora. |
Frank McClymont fished bass tournaments in Northwestern Ontario since they started back in the late 1980s and was a positive influence on many of us who eventually got involved with tournament fishing over the years. |
He was friends with everybody in the fishing community before he was taken quickly from us back in 2012 after a tough fight with cancer. |
The 12th-annual Whitefish Bay Fall Classic bass tournament took place over the weekend in Sioux Narrows. |
In what is becoming a trend for our fall tournaments on Lake of the Woods, Winnipeg angler Ted Stewner once again found himself atop the leaderboard after the two-day event. |
Stewner, who usually fishes with his wife, Louise, was teamed up with friend, Steve Ellie, for this event and their consistency over two days was rewarded with a $5,000 first-place prize. |
This past weekend was a busy one across Sunset Country for anglers competing in fishing tournaments as four were taking place. |
LaBelle’s Birch Point Camp on Rainy Lake hosted a one-day bass tournament on Saturday, and there was a two-day musky tournament in Nestor Falls, a two-day bass tournament at Shoal Lake, and the two-day Rainy River Walleye Tournament in Rainy River. |
My good pal, Dennis Favreau, and I have fished the Shoal Lake Last Chance tournament together since 2001 so we have a lot of history fishing that event and have been fortunate to win it a few times. |
Just about anyone who enjoys fishing has a “bucket list” of places where they would love to wet a line if they ever got the chance. |
For me, there are several high-end bass fishing lakes that have been on my list and then a few special places (usually remote) that offer world-class fishing for something. |
I would love to go anywhere in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, or Labrador. |
Last week, I had the chance to knock one place off my “bucket list” when I visited Lake Nipigon to catch world-class brook trout. |
The 21st-annual Bassin’ For Bucks tournament took place over the weekend in Sioux Narrows with a full field of 125 teams participating in what many consider one of the most fun events we have in Northwest Ontario. |
Great weather greeted anglers all weekend and the fishing was pretty good overall—despite slightly lower weights than we’ve seen over the past few years. |
This past week has been a busy one for me after a few weeks of focusing most of my time on bass tournaments. |
It was fun and productive, though, as I got the chance to do some multi-species fishing around home and get some work done. |
I spent six-straight days on the water last week as I did some guiding for bass and walleye, filmed a couple of TV shows, and also got to spend a day on Lake of the Woods with Bob Izumi and a small crew that he brought up to our part of the world. |
The 12th-annual International Falls Bass Championship took place over the weekend on Rainy Lake and the Rainy River—and another successful event is in the books. |
A full field of 60 teams showed up again this year to participate in the event, and several tournament records were set by eventual winners Nathan Brigham and Brett Meyers of Emo. |
This tournament has a unique format in that anglers spend one day fishing on Rainy Lake and one day on the Rainy River—two totally different bodies of water. |
When it became a reality a few years ago that I would get the chance to fish the Walmart FLW Tour bass tournament circuit, it really was a dream come true for me. |
Competing on a big stage against the best bass anglers in the world was something I had wanted to do for a long time and, thankfully, great sponsor support has allowed me to get to do it. |
While there certainly has been some sacrifice in travelling around the U.S. all year to fish in bass tournaments, the opportunities that have come from my doing this—and the friends that I’ve made—have been a blessing, for sure. |
Police would like to speak to this person, who may be able to help their investigation into the theft of meat from two supermarkets. |
At around 10.50am last Wednesday, January 30, two men entered the Co-op store on John Street, Market Rasen. |
They then put large quantities of meat into a Sports Direct bag and left without paying. |
At 11.21am the same day, they entered the Co-op store on High Street, Caistor and again put large quantities of meat into a bag, and exited the premises without paying. |
One man has been arrested in connection with this incident. |
If you recognise the person in the photograph, or have information, contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting Incident 118 of January 30. |
Alternatively, email force.control@lincs.pnn.police.uk putting Incident 118 of January 30 in the Subject line. |
Five Sydney architects have been shortlisted in a competition to design a new aquatic centre at the heart of the $8 billion Green Square development. |
Five Sydney architects have been shortlisted in a competition to design a new aquatic centre in the middle of Sydney's $8 billion Green Square development. |
Close to 150 Australian and international architects entered designs. All five finalists are from Sydney, but the judges say there’s no chance this was home-town favouritism. |
The contest was run anonymously: judges only learnt the finalists’ identities after they were selected. |
“Often large-scale projects go to larger-scale firms who have a track record,” Carey Lyon, a Melbourne architect and the chairman of the independent five-person jury, said. “This [was] an opportunity for any smart, intelligent designer to put in a proposal. |
Architects submitted designs for a 1.6 hectare development on Joynton Avenue opposite the old South Sydney Hospital site incorporating a playground, synthetic sports field and exercise circuit adjacent to the swimming centre. |
“We asked for a sustainable design that mingled swimming, running, training and spectating,” lord mayor Clover Moore said. |
The $50 million project follows plans for a new $40 million library and plaza recently awarded through another design contest. The City says construction of the centre, which includes an outdoor 50-metre pool, indoor 25-metre pool and gym, will begin by 2016 and take two years. |
Short-listed designs include sunken pools surrounded by wetlands evoking the region’s pre-industrial heritage and a moonlight cinema. |
Thirty-four-year-old architect Andrew Burns submitted a design that combined a park, playground and pool building within a single fence bounded by a garden. |
“Rather than a sports ground where you have people on the centre and spectators outside we've tried to put everyone as a participant in the middle,” he said. |
It will be the council area's sixth pool complex, following the revamp of Prince Alfred Park Pool in Surry Hills, which opened in May last year. |
The estimated $8 billion, 278-hectare Green Square development lies four kilometres south of the CBD and is Australia's largest urban development. It encompasses Beaconsfield and Zetland and parts of Alexandria. |
Developers say construction of 10 major buildings on the site is expected to begin by December. |
The City expects 40,000 people will reside in the area when the long-delayed urban renewal is completed by 2030. |
The city says it will spend up to $450 million on Green Square projects including childcare facilities, a creative centre, public art and drainage over the next decade. |
The five short-listed architects will have 10 weeks to prepare more detailed designs and budgets for the competition’s second stage. |
Elaine Luria got a late start in her bid for Congress, but of all the candidates seeking to unseat Virginia’s incumbents in the House of Representatives she was the busiest so far this year in the critical work of fundraising. |
However, the $373,375 she raised though March 31 still leaves her war chest a long way behind incumbent Rep. Scott Taylor, R-Virginia, in the race to represent the sprawling Eastern Shore-to-Williamsburg 2nd Congressional District, the latest campaign finance reports of the Federal Elections Commission show. |
After the spending needed to get a campaign going, Luria was left with a balance of $291,175 as of March 31. Taylor has $842,961 after raising $536,535 in the first three months of the year. |
Luria, a Navy veteran and business owner from Norfolk, got a big leg up from ACT Blue, a national political action committee that promotes Democratic candidates. It gave a total of $172,978 during the quarter, acting as a conduit for Democrats from around the nation. |
It’s yet another sign that there is significant interest outside Hampton Roads in swinging the 2nd district, which went 48 percent to 45 percent for Donald Trump in 2016 but 51 percent for Democrat Ralph Northam in last year’s gubernatorial race. |
One big question is the level of local interest. Taylor netted $153,167 from people living in the district, Shad Plank’s review of the FEC filings show, Luria’s total was $47,408. |
The other Democratic hopeful in the race, Virginia Beach teacher Karen Mallard, raised $24,717 so far this year, and now reports a total balance in her campaign fund of $14,099. |
Taylor faces a Republican challenger, former James City County Board of Supervisor Mary Jones. She raised $31,661 in the first three months of the year, and has $22,986 on hand. |
Luria and Mallard are seeking the Democratic nomination in the June 12 primary, while Taylor faces Jones in the GOP primary that day. |
In the 1st District, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, raised $248,581 and has more than $1 million on hand. Democratic hopefuls have raised far less: John Suddarth raised $36,114; Vangie WIlliams, $26,245 and Edwin Santana raised $12,901. |
In the 3rd District, where Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, is so far the only candidate registered with the FEC, he reported raising $66,285 in the quarter. |
The big money is still focused on Northern Virginia’s 10th district, where Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-McLean, is seen by many analysts as among the most vulnerable GOP members of Congress. She raised $810,386 in the quarter and now has $1.8 million in her campaign fund. All in all, the six Democrats seeking their party’s... |
Money flows are also suggesting two other GOP strongholds are targeted by Democrats this year. In the Piedmon region’s 5th District, where incumbent Rep. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, raised $125,924 in the quarter, four Democratic challenges raised a combined total of $472,205. In central Virginia’s 7th District, Rep. Da... |
Money isn’t votes, of course. But money woos votes. And money — especially how much and where it comes from — can be an early signal of how campaigns are organizing themselves. |
Want to get bills passed through the Virginia General Assembly? |
If you’re after big numbers, seniority, a committee chairmanship and expertise in the often arcane legal issues that come before the Courts of Justice Committee all help. Just ask state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, sponsor of 22 successful bills this year. That’s the most of any legislator. |
It adds up to a pretty impressive batting average of 69 percent of the 32 bills Obenshain sponsored, double the average calculated by the Virginia Public Access Project. |
Expertise also paid off for Del. Keith Hodges, R-Urbanna. Out of his heavy 25-bill workload, he won support for 17 measures, largely dealing with dredging the small waterways his watermen constituents rely upon for access to the Chesapeake, regulation of medications (Hodges is a pharmacist), and drainage and groundwate... |
Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment’s 60 percent success rate came despite the impasse over the two budget bills he sponsored, the heaviest lift of any General Assembly. Some of Norment’s measures — a tweak to state ethics law to speed reporting of conflicts of interest forms, some bridge and highway designation items... |
Seniority isn’t always a factor, though. Del. Emily Brewer, R-Suffolk, had success with half of her bills, helped by her passionate advocacy on foster care and adoption issues. Five of her proposals were enacted. |
State Sen. Monty Mason, D-Williamsburg, ran into some unexpected opposition for a bill on irrigation wells, as well as the usual challenges that so far haven’t discouraged him from pushing to broaden access to a special tax credit for community non-profits or to give James City County the power to ban people from keepi... |
Del. Gordon Helsel, R-Poquoson, won support for two of his five bills, dealing with mental health awareness training for firefighters and the other with the display of used cars. He didn’t have luck with a measure that would allow watermen to cut through oyster sanctuaries when they have dredges on their boats or with ... |
That last was an issue for Del. Brenda Pogge, R-Norge, too. Her measure intended to make it a state goal that children who are deaf or hard of hearing be linguistically ready for kindergarten and literate in English by grade 3 was one of nine bills she sponsored that didn’t gain traction. Pogge won support for thee of ... |
State Sen.Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, also had a 3-for-12 record. Once again, she faced the opposition of the 8-7 Republican majority in the Senate Education and Health committee to her continuing effort to allow women to refuse the current requirement for a fetal transabdominal ultrasound before having an abortion. But he... |
Del. David Yancey, R-Newport News, took on an astoundingly heavy 44-bill load this year, his first as chair of the House Transportation Committee. He won support for 12 — a 27 percent success rate — including a bill for a tax credit for employers who offer training or internships for middle school and high school stude... |
Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport News, won support for four his his 22 proposals, including one to make it harder for pimps to get bail and another to help people pay court fines by doing community service. Mullin played a central role in major new legislation opening public access to court records. His bill on the subject ... |
Del, Marcia Price, D-Newport News, won support for three of her 13 measures, including a new student loan ombudsman office. |
Del. Jeion Ward, D-Hampton, won support for two of her 12 proposals, including one that opens more options for juvenile justice officials to deal with truants. |
There was one legislator who batted 1.000, by the way. Del. Thomas Wright, R-Lunenburg, got the General Assembly’s nod for all three of his bills. Seniority (17 years), expertise (one of his bills on groundwater permit reflected his chairmanship of the State Water Council) and time to focus on a limited number of propo... |
At least for a box score. |
Africa activists warned US President George Bush on Friday that “real” leaders keep their promises, as he met Aids victims just hours after Congress limited funding for his multi-billion dollar plan to fight the virus. |
Bush jetted into Uganda for a four-hour stop on an African tour highlighting the proposed $15-billion plan, which originally drew a warm reception from the pro-Africa, anti-Aids lobby. |
But on Thursday, a House of Representatives committee in Washington approved a $2-billion Aids spending package, about a billion dollars less than allowed for under the plan Bush signed in May. |
Africa lobby group DATA, co-founded by U2 rocker and Africa campaigner Bono, expressed extreme disappointment at the move. |
“It is deeply disappointing that the House turned away from America’s promise to Africa by proposing deep cuts in spending promised to fight Aids and poverty,” said Data Executive Director Jamie Drummond said. |
“As the cameras are clicking in Africa, the House is cutting funds in Washington, DC,” said Drummond in a statement. |
“While the president is holding the hands of people in Africa, he needs to be forcing the hands of people in Congress. |
“This is what the president has asked for, and now the president and the Congress must work together to make good on their promise by delivering the resources that will save millions of lives”, Drummond said. |
US Secretary of State Colin Powell late on Thursday expressed disappointment at the House’s move, but officials said they would try to make up for the shortfall during the five-year plan. |
“We will make the best use of the money that Congress has provided to us,” he said. |
The full Senate voted to allocate the $3-billion, so the amount allocated under final spending bills will be subject to haggling among the administration and the two Houses of Congress. |
Lawmakers and officials pointed out that the figure of $3-billion was supposed to be a ceiling for funding, rather than a stipulated amount of spending. |
Argonaut Group Inc., based in San Antonio, announced it has closed on the sale of an additional 210,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $26.75 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions, to Raymond James & Associates, in connection with the exercise of the over-allotment option gr... |
The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including capital contributions to its insurance subsidiaries and funding for potential acquisitions. All shares subject to this offering were registered under Argonaut Group’s existing Form S-3 shelf registration statement de... |
Headquartered in San Antonio, Argonaut Group is a national underwriter of specialty insurance products in niche areas of the property and casualty market. |
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