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[] | 2016-08-29T16:46:58 | null | 2016-08-29T17:13:12 | In the Black Dragon Badges South Division, Selston won 7-1 at Teversal Reserves, Steven Radzynkski (2), Elliot Jones (2), Jamie Renshaw, Tom Widdowson and Shaun Farnsworth with Selston’s goals and Macauley Short replying. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flocal-sport%2Fcml-saturday-round-up-selston-score-seven-while-sherwood-are-beaten-1-8094786.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8094785.1472487171!/image/image.jpg | en | null | CML Saturday round-up - Selston score seven while Sherwood are beaten | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | In the Black Dragon Badges South Division, Selston won 7-1 at Teversal Reserves, Steven Radzynkski (2), Elliot Jones (2), Jamie Renshaw, Tom Widdowson and Shaun Farnsworth with Selston’s goals and Macauley Short replying.
Southwell City beat Mickleover RBL 3-1, Reece Campbell, Malaky Eshelby and an own goal responding to Sacha Markelic’s opener.
Linby Colliery also came from behind as they saw off visitors Sherwood Colliery 2-1, Jamie York for Colliery but Will Horton and Matt Murphy winning it for Linby. Blidworth Welfare opened their account for the season as they drew 2-2 with Eastwood Community. Rory Smith twice put Eastwood in front, but Brendan Williams and Sam Graney rescued a point for Blidworth.
Derbyshire clubs occupy the top two places in the Black Dragon Badges North division, both FC Bolsover and Clay Cross Town enjoying comfortable wins in Saturday’s matches.
FC Bolsover beat Bilsthorpe 6-1 at Shirebrook Academy, Daniel Russell and Josh Scully scoring twice along with Lewis Warwick and Josh Parfitt, Kyle Clarkson for Shirebrook.
Clay Cross went one better with a 7-1 defeat of Tideswell United, Ryan Booker (3), Mark Needham, Ant Lynam (2) and Ryan Watters with Clay Cross’s goals, Cavan Campbell replying.
At the other end of the table, Dinnington Town, who conceded 11 in their last game, scored 11 of their own against Welbeck Lions, who have now conceded double figures in all four of their games so far.
Matt Bradley took Dinnington’s scoring honours with five, Nicky Holland not far behind with a hat-trick. The home side’s other scorers were Aaron Fox, Adam Rotherforth and Ryan Hall, Welbeck’s Tom Wagg scoring from 30 yards with the last kick of the game.
Harworth Colliery returned from Thorne Colliery with a 4-1 win. Micky Davies scored twice and Josh Davies and Callum Hudson once each, Darren Fell getting on the scoresheet for Thorne.
AFC Bentley defeated Newark Town 2-1, Courney Peynado and Rod Pursehouse with their goals and Dom Swingler replying.
Collingham came back from two down to beat Askern 3-2. Josh Taylor struck twice in the first 23 minutes to put Askern in front, but goals from Callum Dye, Matt Milinkovic and Mario Grundy gave the visitors their first points of the season.
It was the late, late show at Stonelow Road where a 91st minute goal from Retford’s Lee Gallagher took the points away from Dronfield Town Reserves. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/cml-saturday-round-up-selston-score-seven-while-sherwood-are-beaten-1-8094786 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/7609503acbd5804f46e87df856d791eba1b0f818107a53c2ab6bf68a56b6257b.json |
[
"Lee Clarke",
"Sport.Nmsy Jpress.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T12:55:29 | null | 2016-08-25T11:57:15 | Sitting down to watch a cup draw of any nature as a Nottingham Forest fan has become a mundane task over the years. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flocal-sport%2Fforest-blog-at-last-a-good-cup-draw-for-the-reds-1-8087992.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8087990.1472122622!/image/image.jpg | en | null | FOREST BLOG: At last a good cup draw for the Reds! | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Sitting down to watch a cup draw of any nature as a Nottingham Forest fan has become a mundane task over the years.
Some of the more tedious ties in the past have included drawing teams such as Rochdale, Preston North End and Queens Park Rangers.
Defeats to the likes Accrington Stanley and Chester City also deserve a sizeable mention.
Last night became the exception for the first time in my 17-season tenure as a season ticket holder and after the Reds were the first ball pulled from the hat I fully expected to see Brighton or Gillingham pulled next, maybe even the ultimate underdogs Stanley once again.
When George Gavin of Sky Sports uttered the words Arsenal, I nearly choked on my peppermint tea.
I was fully expecting this to be a rehearsal, or a dream, such was my shock at Forest actually being handed a decent draw and under the City Ground lights too!
The 3-0 reverse at the hands of Chester will forever stick in my memory and goes down as my lowest moment supporting Forest.
Four hours and various trains to get there, peeing it down with rain for the entire 90 minutes and Gary Holt’s needless red card in the first-half all contributing to an horrific afternoon.
Arsenal is an intriguing and exciting tie for us long-suffering Forest fans and less than 24 hours after the draw, I can already feel excitement gathering among supporters on social media.
The Gunners are notorious for resting players in the League Cup and the question I ask is, after being embarrassed by Championship side Sheffield Wednesday last season in the competition, will boss Arsene Wenger make the same mistake again and name a weakened side?
If he does he could be in for a shock once more.
After a summer of inactivity in the transfer market I am not entirely sure the French manager can afford to be sacking off competitions with such ease, with sections of the Gunners faithful already calling for his head.
After waiting so long for a marquee side to arrive at the City Ground I am kind of hoping he sends several members of his star-studded squad.
Okay, so the likes of Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez rocking up on Trentside would probably ensure an emphatic defeat for the Reds, but how often are we likely to see these types of players as supporters of Nottingham Forest?
In hindsight, with Arsenal facing Chelsea in the Premier League the Saturday after their trip to the East Midlands, it is probably more Chuba Akpom, Calum Chambers and Alex Iwobi that we can look forward to instead.
Talk among supporters has turned towards tickets for the game with many seemingly unhappy that a lot of so-called ‘armchair’ fans will be at the game. You know the ones who buy a shirt, watch a few games on television and call themselves the oracle of all knowledge in relation to a certain team.
This is Nottingham Forest we are talking about.
Armchair or plastic supporters are, to me, the ones who support the likes of Manchester United while living in Mansfield, yet couldn’t navigate their way to Manchester, let alone recite the 1999 Champions League winning side.
I am sure that Forest has a lot of supporters who don’t go to the City Ground anymore.
Some might have family or work commitments now while others might just be disgruntled at year after year of disappointment.
Others might not be able to keep up with the financial implications which modern day football now has on people.
Do the above factors make it a bad thing that they want to come and be a part of a potentially special night in their club’s history? I don’t think so.
If anything they might come, enjoy being back at the City Ground and opt to come and see us entertain the likes of Aston Villa, Derby County and Newcastle United later on in the season.
A packed out City Ground under the midweek floodlights is a thing of beauty and I for one cannot wait for Arsenal to arrive!
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story FOREST BLOG: At last a good cup draw for the Reds! Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/forest-blog-at-last-a-good-cup-draw-for-the-reds-1-8087992 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/162d79a3c7832643a4fc941e0a5b5312bc4ee7626df380d887a18fd0a5092bc3.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:11:49 | null | 2016-08-23T06:31:59 | Mansfield-based artist Julian Bray’s latest work will be on display as part of a triple-bill of garden-themed exhibitions at The Harley Gallery on the historic Welbeck estate (August 27-October 23). | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Fharley-showing-for-julian-bray-1-8082370.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8082369.1471872758!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Harley showing for Julian Bray | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Mansfield-based artist Julian Bray’s latest work will be on display as part of a triple-bill of garden-themed exhibitions at The Harley Gallery on the historic Welbeck estate (August 27-October 23).
Visitors can take a rare peek into the Edwardian gardens at Welbeck with an exhibition of extraordinary early colour images – in 3-D. Dating from 1911-1928, these stereoscopic autochromes capture the gardens on the ducal Welbeck estate in their Edwardian heyday.
Inspired by the autochromes, Julian Bray’s contribution to the triple exhibition captures the romance and beauty of the century old photographs and continues his series of paintings capturing the timeless landscape of the country estate. For more details, see www.harleygallery.co.uk/exhibition/autochromes
Julian has produced 16 sterescopic autochrome-inspired works over the past eight months for his exhibition, available for sale at The Harley Gallery with prices from £250 upwards. This is the fourth personal exhibition at the gallery for Julian, who has been a commercial artist for over 20 years, and combines this work with his role as head of the art foundation course at Mansfield-based West Notts College
“This is my first personal exhibition there for nine years and I’m looking forward to it. I enjoy shapes and so the combination of flowers and buildings in the autochromes is reflected in this work.
“Harley Gallery is a very professional gallery, a real jewel in the local crown. The footfall is amazing, as is the layout, the professionalism and the high level of intellect involved in the presentation of an exhibition there.”
Julian is also a fan of the Welbeck estate. “I have a long relationship with Welbeck, I find it a fascinating place. It’s a fully functioning feudal estate complete with the tunnels, the history etc, but I still think it’s a less known than it should be, say in comparison to somewhere like Chatsworth.”
Julian continued: “I was very excited to be approached and shown the autochrome. I immediately found it fascinating and thought ‘I can do something with this’.
“The work in my exhibition is devoid of people, because as people we tend to focus in on them and I wanted people to look instead at the variety of shapes, whether natural or built.
“The paintings don’t necessarily look like the autochromes but they have captured the feel of it and I have certainly responded to what I saw.
“Stereoscopic autochromes offer a real sense of 3D depth with a very distinct foreground, middleground and background. It reminds me of theatre flies on a stage set.
“It flattens the image and yet gives it a 3D quality at the same time and that was very interesting to me when I saw it so I could see that the autochrome could be inspiring to create work for this exhibition. I am very much looking to people coming along to see it. It is gratifying that people will come along, hopefully like what they see and buy it, as it completes the circle that starts when you work on it.”
Describing what can be the complex process of creating each work of art, Julian explained: “it’s only really at the end of each work that you fully understand what you were doing. The process of creation can take you in a completely direction to the one you maybe intended when you started off.
“The process of creation is a negotiation in a sense. You set off in one direction but you won’t necessarily finish in that direction and that is fascinating to me.
“It can be exciting and frustrating sometimes because what you see in your head is never completely what comes out in your work, but it is worth it in the end.
I am fascinated by shapes and buildings. Blooms and flowers are all shapes, as much as buildings are, so you will see examples of all of them in my work in this exhibition.”
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Harley showing for Julian Bray Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/harley-showing-for-julian-bray-1-8082370 | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/1faa919a2b8f629e60ad7c99c43fd944ed8e25ff82f8ca42236d586a44237946.json |
[
"Richard Silverwood",
"Richard.Silverwood Jpress.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-29T20:47:02 | null | 2016-08-29T20:06:13 | The age-old adage goes something like this: the fastest horse wins the Guineas, the luckiest horse wins the Derby, and the best horse wins the St Leger. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flocal-sport%2Fit-s-the-oldest-swinger-in-town-but-doncaster-s-st-leger-is-still-a-big-deal-1-8094848.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8094847.1472490505!/image/image.jpg | en | null | It’s the oldest swinger in town -- but Doncaster’s St Leger is still a big deal | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | The age-old adage goes something like this: the fastest horse wins the Guineas, the luckiest horse wins the Derby, and the best horse wins the St Leger.
Sadly, that isn’t the case in this day and age. Breeding operations place more emphasis and value on speed than the kind of stamina attributes required to win Doncaster’s historic race. A Champion Stakes or the Arc are more likely to be on the agenda of the top 10f and 12f 3yos, rather than a tilt at the 14f Classic. So there is little chance of revisiting the days when Guineas, Derby or Oaks winners in the mould of Oh So Sharp (1985), Reference Point (1987) and User Friendly (1992) landed the spoils.
However, the Ladbrokes St Leger is still a big deal. It is still the jewel in the crown of a four-day festival ranked among the best in the country. One that will attract more than 65,000 enthusiastic racegoers to Town Moor next week and equate to a £25 million shot in the arm for the Doncaster economy.
It might have become fashionable to knock the race in some snooty quarters. But Leger Day is a day out beyond compare for the many doyens of Donny. And let’s face it, the race is still a Classic, for heaven’s sake. The oldest too, dating back to 1776, and one that still forms the last leg of a Triple Crown, as revered as it elusive.
Who can forget the fervent anticipation of four years ago when the crowds flocked to witness Camelot’s bid to become the first horse since Nijinsky way back in 1970 to land the Guineas/Derby/Leger hat-trick? And equally the burst-balloon-type deflation of Aidan O’Brien’s colt failing.
Who can forget either the high drama of just 12 months ago when the winner, Simple Verse, was controversially disqualified on the day, only to win the race back on appeal, leaving O’Brien, trainer of the runner-up-come-winner-come runner-up, Bondi Beach, with more heartache?
Oh yes, the St Leger continues to give, make no mistake about that. So what might the race have in store this time round?
Not surprisingly, it again revolves around O’Brien, the best trainer in the business. Notwithstanding his disappointments of 2012 and 2015, he has saddled four winners since 2001 when Milan strode to probably the most impressive victory I have seen of the great race. And a week on Saturday, he will send out the red-hot favourite, IDAHO, third in the Derby and winner of York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes, one of the main trials for the Doncaster showpiece.
A class act, the son of Galileo is almost sure to win if he stays the 14f trip. But his pedigree, his style of running and the patient way he is generally ridden instil sufficient doubts to suggest you should cast your net in search of better value.
There is still time for supplementary entries to throw a spanner in the works. But at present, Idaho’s chief rival in the market is MUNTAHAA, trained by another successful patron of the race, John Gosden, who has fielded three winners since 2006. Another not exactly bred to relish the Doncaster distance, he has made rapid improvement this term, culminating in a taking pillar-to-post triumph over 13f at Chester two weeks ago. It was only a Listed handicap, but the son of Dansili had to defy a mammoth mark of 108 against older, more seasoned rivals and also the tight turns of a track far from sure to suit such a big, long-striding colt. He’s a player.
Two horses who were behind Idaho at Epsom, RED VERDON and ALGOMETER, might well get closer faced with an extra 2f, and don’t rule out the favourite’s own stablemate, HOUSESOFPARLIAMENT, reversing Voltigeur placings. He is guaranteed to stay and will relish the galloping expanse of Town Moor. Similar comments apply to a third O’Brien contender, Royal Ascot winner SWORD FIGHTER, while ORMITO is no mug and VENTURA STORM would have to be considered if the ground turned on the Soft side.
It’s a head-scratcher that makes punters grateful the Leger Festival is not all about the main event. Classy, competitive racing abounds on all four days, while the Leger Legends contest on the opening day, featuring past jockeys, continues to delight the crowds and raise valuable money for racing charities in equal measure. Last year, it was won by Tony McCoy no less. This year, two more ex-champions, Richard Hughes and Joseph O’Brien, Aidan’s son, are in the line-up.
Day two on the Thursday is DFS Ladies’ Day, highlighted, appropriately, by a couple of Group races for fillies, the Park Hill Stakes, where Sir Michael Stoute’s ABINGDON will be primed to continue her progression, and the Sceptre Stakes, which has been earmarked by Charlie Hills for his lightly-raced 3yo, JADAAYIL.
The historic Doncaster Cup for stayers is the star attraction on the Friday when PALLASATOR will be a warm fancy to repeat his 2015 success. Vying for the limelight are three crack 2yo contests, including the Flying Scotsman Stakes won so spectacularly by the mighty Frankel six years ago. The 5f Flying Childers Stakes could throw up a thrilling duel between the unbeaten filly MRS DANVERS and Mark Johnston’s YALTA, while the Mallard Handicap on the same day might be a target for Roger Varian’s MONOTYPE.
The supporting card on Leger Day itself includes the Champagne Stakes, one of the leading juvenile heats of the season, in which RIVET and PEACE ENVOY would be interesting, and the 7f Park Stakes, which might yield as striking a winner as last year with NEMORALIA aiming to follow in the footsteps of Limato.
I’m hoping too that there might be openings over the four days for ANOTHER TOUCH, HAGGLE, EL VIP and CARTMELL CLEAVE. If not, best of luck in finding a few winners of your own.
Spectacular autumn schedule ensures the Flat season no longer fizzles out
Autumn is fast approcahing, but gone are the days when the Flat season fizzled out during September and October. On the contrary, next week’s Ladbrokes St Leger Festival at Doncaster is followed by a veritable feast of action across the world to wrap up what has been another compelling campaign on the level. Newmarket’s under-rated three-day Cambridgeshire meeting is swiftly followed by a sensational Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day in France. Back to Newmarket it is for the two day Future Champions extravaganza. On to Ascot next for the Qipco Champions Day finale, and we haven’t even mentioned the global giants of the Breeders’ Cup in the USA and the Melbourne Cup in Australia. I love Jumps racing as much as the average racing Joe, but I couldn’t even have a National Hunt horse on my mind until late October at the earliest.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story It’s the oldest swinger in town -- but Doncaster’s St Leger is still a big deal Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/it-s-the-oldest-swinger-in-town-but-doncaster-s-st-leger-is-still-a-big-deal-1-8094848 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/e816b46023f7d8b5eae78eddef697b1cbeecb3c69169ee2c3f5cafb0093a650f.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T10:49:11 | null | 2016-08-31T10:00:49 | Another quartet of top comics will be in action at Nottingham’s Glee Club. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Ftonkinson-and-co-raise-laughs-at-glee-1-8090281.json | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/tonkinson-and-co-raise-laughs-at-glee-1-8090281 | en | null | Tonkinson and co raise laughs at Glee | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Another quartet of top comics will be in action at Nottingham’s Glee Club.
Performing there on both Friday and Saturday (September 2-3) will be Paul Tonkinson, Luke Toulson, Martin Mor, and John Lynn.
Later in the month - September 15 to be precise - there’s a hometown gig for rising star Matt Forde. Matt is familiar from his many radio and appearances and is to get his own series on comedy channel in the very near future.
Glee Club Nottingham is based at The Waterfront, off Canal Street, in the city centre.
For bookings and enquiries at the venue, you can call 0871 472 0400.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Tonkinson and co raise laughs at Glee Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/tonkinson-and-co-raise-laughs-at-glee-1-8090281 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/0a2f69c692607391f536a8a7c358f1518a1c126c16f8832620041dd3fed771e6.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:48:17 | null | 2016-08-28T19:00:45 | Here are your latest record reviews to enjoy, written by Kevin Bryan | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Frecord-review-with-kevin-bryan-1-8091305.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8091304.1472221947!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Record Review with Kevin Bryan | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Here are your latest record reviews to enjoy, written by Kevin Bryan
The Cadillac Three - Bury Me In My Boots (Big Machine Records. The Nashville-based country rockers The Cadillac Three cheerfully exploit every redneck cliche in the book as they serve up this raw and gritty celebration of all things Southern. The band’s 2015 single, White Lightning, captures the essence of the trio’s intense and instantly appealing approach to music-making, and newcomers to their refreshingly adult sound would also be well advised to lend an ear to prime cuts such as Slide and This Accent.
Leslie West - Mountain (Repertoire Records). This muscular solo offering from larger-than-life guitarist Leslie West first saw the light of day in 1969 and provided the first vinyl outlet for the band which would go on to become Mountain with the later addition of keyboardist Steve Knight. The contents should be required listening for anyone who professes an interest in the development of the rock genre during the late 60s and early 70s, with Felix Pappalardi’s inventive bass lines underpinning a heavily Cream influenced set boasting classic creations such as Dreams of Milk & Honey, Blood of the Sun and Dylan’s This Wheel’s On Fire.
Vladimir Feltsman - Schumann (Nimbus). This impressive three-CD set finds acclaimed Russian pianist Vladimir Feltsman bringing his instrumental artistry to bear on a broad cross-section of keyboard works penned by one of the leading lights of German Romanticism. The entire recital was captured for posterity during the space of just five days in March 2014, and many of Schumann’s most attractive compositions are given an airing in the process, including Carnaval, Kreisleriana and the deceptively childlike Kinderszenen from 1838.
Asylums - Killer Brain Waves (Cool Thing Records). Southend’s Asylums have been described as “an irresistible cocktail of Lemonheads, Weezer and Sonic Youth,” and echoes of the finest 90s rock certainly permeate Killer Brain Waves, the band’s urgent and well nigh irresistible debut set. Their quirkily memorable material tackles subjects as diverse as austerity and gender equality via an appealing flurry of incandescent melodic hooks, with I’ve Seen Your Face In A Music Magazine and the curiously anthemic Joy In A Small Wage emerging as the pick of an excellent opener.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Record Review with Kevin Bryan Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/record-review-with-kevin-bryan-1-8091305 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/a77c3d6acc542dc0b84cde7c448bc9e9f8b82e9b93a037166ff0f7d3564da243.json |
[
"Steve Corry"
] | 2016-08-26T12:50:35 | null | 2016-08-24T11:37:09 | Can you remember the last time Nottingham Forest beat Manchester United in a final? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flocal-sport%2Fblog-when-did-forest-last-beat-manchester-united-in-a-final-in-a-long-forgotten-but-prestigious-six-a-side-tournament-1-8085770.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8085769.1472035015!/image/image.jpg | en | null | BLOG: When did Forest last beat Manchester United in a final? In a long forgotten but prestigious six-a-side tournament | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Can you remember the last time Nottingham Forest beat Manchester United in a final?
Or do you recall the time Eric Cantona played for Sheffield Wednesday?
The Guinness Soccer six tournament was an annual competition that the country’s elite took very seriously indeed.
Fellow forest fans will remember this with fondness (those old enough), because we were consecutive finalists, in both 1987 and 1988.
For the record; Cantona featured in the competition whilst on a trial, at Sheffield Wednesday.
Former Forest legend Trevor Francis allowed the Frenchman to move on to Leeds United without signing him up. (Wonder whatever happened to him?)
The G-Mex arena in Manchester played host to the event and the crowds were healthy, having began back in 1981 it had gained some serious momentum by the time Forest lifted the trophy.
The Reds were crowned champions in 1987, after a nervy encounter with Man united, who were technically on home soil.
United had fielded a host of first team regulars as did pretty much everyone else, with the exception of Coventry who played David Speedie in goal!
Forest and Man United couldn’t be separated during normal time in that final, but we took the honours via a penalty shootout.
Tommy Gaynor calmly slotted home the winning kick to elevate himself into pub quiz folklore.
The winning team photo consisted of the following players; Steve Sutton, Nigel Clough, Calvin Plummer, Neil Webb, Colin Foster, Stuart Pearce, Gary Charles, Darren Wassall and of course, Gaynor.
Considering that this all took place in mid season, December in fact, it is all the more remarkable that Forest went on to finish third in the top flight that same season. An accolade that would see you into the
Champions League today!
Could you imagine the likes of Sergio Aguero, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Eden Hazard turning out for their respective clubs, to play six-a-side, on a cold night in Manchester? Me neither but it does make a mockery
of the “over play and tiredness” gripes that reverberate from the mouth of the Premier League lion.
Such was the momentum of Soccer six, the following year 1988, every top flight club took part as well as a little club from the second division called Manchester City.
Forest once again passed their way through their opposition and progressed to the final.
When you think how Brian Clough had them playing on muddy fields back then, it was no surprise that the likes of Clough junior and Webb were untouchable on the Astro-turf.
FA cup holders Wimbledon were notable victims of the Forest fire power, the long ball specialists were well out of their comfort zone and were beaten 4-1.
Once again though, the likes of Vinnie Jones, John Scales and Dennis Wise were all in attendance.
Forest then sneaked past Norwich City to set up a second, consecutive final against Charlton Athletic.
Another thing to remember here is the tournament was played over a couple of days too. Not just your average competition at Power League followed by a session in the bar.
Forest’s side had only changed slightly from the previous year; Des Walker, Terry Wilson, Franz Carr and Brian Laws had entered the fray this time out. Such was the consistency of Clough’s philosophy;
whoever came in would play to feet at all times.
When the holders took on Charlton in their second final, you could just feel the determination of the London club and their vhairman, who was on the sidelines, shouting support. Again; could you imagine
Roman Abramovich doing that, down at the G-Mex?
In truth, Charlton outplayed Forest that night and fully deserved their silverware. They took a deserved lead through Peter Shirtliff and it wasn’t until the dying seconds of the half that Franz Carr drew us level.
The second period again belonged to the Addicks and they were rewarded with a fine winner by Paul Mortimer. The celebrations from the Londoners were something to behold, you could see that it really
meant something; the kind of attitude long gone in this country.
Worth noting too, was the £50,000 prize money for the winners; to Charlton this equated to triple the gate receipts of their recant league tie with Forest.
Ironically, Forest went on to lift the League Cup that same season and celebrated with similar elation.
How many clubs even field anything close to a full strength side in that competition these days?
Football and footballers have changed, so too have the fans to an extent.
But, looking back on the crazy days of The Guinness Soccer Six it fills me with great pride; knowing that any time I paid my hard earned cash to watch my heroes, they’d put in a shift, no matter what competition it was. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/blog-when-did-forest-last-beat-manchester-united-in-a-final-in-a-long-forgotten-but-prestigious-six-a-side-tournament-1-8085770 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/a0124769e05dd4b294c9f37cd57dd24dd03d049b1dced35a6d987048f839911a.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:47:54 | null | 2016-08-27T08:57:21 | The Nottingham Classics season 2016-17 will launch next month with Brussels Philharmonic under the charismatic conductor Stéphane Denève, performing music from Beethoven, Connesson and Respighi on September 28. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Fclassical-stars-in-new-season-1-8078530.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8078529.1471607888!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Classical stars in new season | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | The Nottingham Classics season 2016-17 will launch next month with Brussels Philharmonic under the charismatic conductor Stéphane Denève, performing music from Beethoven, Connesson and Respighi on September 28.
Renowned pianist Stephen Hough will perform with the Hallé orchestra under the baton of Sir Mark Elder, performing Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 and music from Janáček and Dvořák.
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will perform music from Britten, Korngold and Berlioz under conductor Nicholas Collon and featuring violin soloist Vilde Frang.
American violinist, Hilary Hahn, a prodigious talent with a taste for adventure, and as easy in the company of rock bands as she is with orchestras, performs Bruch’s timeless Violin Concerto No. 1 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on December. 4
Duncan Ward will conduct Sinfonia Viva and pianist Cordelia Williams as they perform music from Stravinsky, Sibelius and Beethoven. The world’s favourite guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, with Royal Northern Sinfonia, will perform a selection of music for classical guitar along with new arrangements of timeless Beatles songs.
Meanwhile, in addition to the Nottingham Classics season, Opera North will return with a week of stunning operas including Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, Britten’s Billy Budd and Puccini’s Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica.
The popular Sunday Morning Piano series also continues, with performances this season from Nicholas McCarthy, Isata Kanneh-Mason and Alexander Ullman.
For more information or to book tickets, visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Classical stars in new season Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/classical-stars-in-new-season-1-8078530 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/f4de66155c730410cc21f795f4a911de65b9418e834136a3c3930b81c0febad2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:01:45 | null | 2016-08-24T11:54:58 | The DH Lawrence Festival of Culture is back for the second year running celebrating the rich and diverse culture and heritage in and around the borough. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Flawrence-festival-of-culture-puts-eastwood-on-the-map-1-8085828.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8085827.1472036103!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Lawrence Festival of Culture ‘puts Eastwood on the map’ | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | The DH Lawrence Festival of Culture is back for the second year running celebrating the rich and diverse culture and heritage in and around the borough.
Lasting for a month, spanning August and September, the festival is packed with events, talks, workshops, funfairs and more.
The event has been organised by Broxtowe Borough Council in conjunction with a wide range of local community groups to offer a varied programme of cultural and heritage-themed events.
Festival highlights in the Eastwood area include the festival fun day at Coronation Park, the fun house comedy night at the Library Acoustic Bar, a pedal powered cinema showing the Roald Dahl classics Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the BFG also at Library Acoustic Bar, the DH Lawrence Birthday Roots Festival – live music from up and coming artists at various pubs and venues and the Lawrence Birthday Lecture Hall Park Academy.
Highlights in other areas of the borough include Wiz around Oz – an outdoor interactive theatre production for families at Bramcote Hills Park and Beeston and Colliers Wood Proms.
Broxtowe Borough Council’s events team organise the event, along with several business people in the area.
Julie Salt who runs the Dunn Lite cafe in Eastwood is on the committee.
She said the festival was great to bring trade into town.
She said: “Anything to bring business into the area has got to be a good thinng.
“The Lawrence festival puts Eastwood on the map. It’s not just local people who go to the events, it’s people living in the surrounding areas as well so if it brings people to the town then great.”
Julie will host a Blue Monkey beer festival with live music during the Roots Festival next month, and a Punch and Judy show this Saturday for the launch event.
She also has an art exhibition running for the next two weeks called ‘New Beginnings’.
The council’s cultural services manager, Alex Khan, said: “We’re really excited for the return of the DH Lawrence Festival of Culture and hope to build on the success of last year’s festival with our packed programme of events for 2016.”
The festival’s launch event tomorrow will see mascots handing out brochures around town and there will be some entertainment.
For more information or a copy of the programme, please contact Broxtowe Events on 0115 917 3695 or email events@broxtowe.gov.uk
You can now also find the programme and more information about the festival at www.dhlawrenceheritage.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dhlawrenceheritage or on twitter @DHLHeritage using #FestivalOfCulture. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/lawrence-festival-of-culture-puts-eastwood-on-the-map-1-8085828 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/021a6245ad244da88c6dd64ea8a8711a0ed723e1eff02dca2081edde60a57d08.json |
[
"Court Reporter",
"Newsdesk Chad.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T13:05:16 | null | 2016-08-24T17:03:14 | A Selston man was caught with cannabis in Kirkby three days after a court appearance. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fselston-man-caught-with-drugs-in-kirkby-1-8086679.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8072258.1472055131!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Selston man caught with drugs in Kirkby | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | A Selston man was caught with cannabis in Kirkby three days after a court appearance.
Oliver Paul Hufton, 19, of Holland Crescent, admitted possessing a small amount of the Class B drug when he appeared at Mansfield court on Wednesday.
Prosecutor David Myles said police found him with the drug on Church Hill, on June 11, when he came to the attention of officers who were dealing with a road traffic accident.
The court heard he had been in court on June 8 when a curfew order, imposed for two convictions for making off without paying, was replaced with a conditional discharge. Hufton also admitted being in breach of the 12-month order.
Isobel Peach, of the probation service, said Hufton was on the autistic spectrum and added that the curfew had been revoked because ‘it wasn’t appropriate for him to be confined to his room.’
“It is difficult to work with Mr Hufton because of his issues,” she added.
Zahra Hussain, mitigating, said to the bench: “Because this is a completely unrelated matter I would ask you to deal with this by way of a fine, or a suspended sentence to act as a deterrent.”
Magistrates decided to take no action for the breach, but fined him £80 for the drugs, with a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
The fine and costs were added to an outstanding court bill of £148, which will be consolidated and taken from his benefits at a rate of £10 a fortnight. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/selston-man-caught-with-drugs-in-kirkby-1-8086679 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/ca820adf0a85fc0bba8eca1e148a0575084f17e017cd1f8e39d656985f7749b3.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:16 | null | 2016-08-24T13:00:01 | There’s more top tribute action at The Diamond in Sutton this Bank Holiday weekend. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Fenjoy-three-top-tributes-1-8082183.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8082182.1471868723!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Enjoy three
top tributes | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | The types of cookies we, our ad network and technology partners use are listed below:
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Add This ► Add This provides the social networking widget found in many of our pages. This widget gives you the tools to bookmark our websites, blog, share, tweet and email our content to a friend. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/enjoy-three-top-tributes-1-8082183 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/1155cb0d4cec8110efb673e3f970e92c4a7879faf220f096b59153765463abca.json |
[
"Court Reporter",
"Newsdesk Chad.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T13:04:35 | null | 2016-08-24T17:04:12 | An immigration officer was more than twice over the legal limit when she crashed into a telegraph pole near Gainsborough, a court has heard. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fboozy-immigration-officer-crashed-into-telegraph-pole-near-gainsborough-1-8086682.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.7601476.1472054637!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Boozy immigration officer crashed into telegraph pole near Gainsborough | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | An immigration officer was more than twice over the legal limit when she crashed into a telegraph pole near Gainsborough, a court has heard.
Verity Cooper, 23, of Minster Road, Misterton, admitted drink driving at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The court heard her Ford Focus was found by police on Fountain Hill, Walkeringham, at 1.15am on Sunday, August 7.
A breath test revealed she had 94 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
She told District Judge Jonathan Taaffe: “Stupidity led to this situation. There is no excuse.”
Witnesses saw her car swerving before the crash.
The court heard she is likely to lose her job as a result of the offence.
Cooper was fined £500 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £50 victim surcharge.
She was banned from driving for 28 months. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/boozy-immigration-officer-crashed-into-telegraph-pole-near-gainsborough-1-8086682 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/bb9b34fe79da7ca2342f02b3ef9bd5b80aeaeeeda8ef14fd63ea7377b6388259.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:11:34 | null | 2016-08-23T16:00:44 | Here are this week’s record reviews, courtesy of Kevin Bryan. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Frecord-review-with-kevin-bryan-1-8082501.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8082500.1471875463!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Record Review with Kevin Bryan | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Here are this week’s record reviews, courtesy of Kevin Bryan.
Johnny Winter -I’m A Bluesman (Talking Elephant). Johnny Winter was a rather frail 60-year-old when I’m A Bluesman first saw the light of day in 2004, returning to the fray slightly tentatively after being debilitated for several years by a string of troubling health issues. The power and potency which had been such a feature of the veteran bluesman’s work in times past may have been sadly absent by this stage of his career, but his passion for the genre remained undimmed, and Winter devotees would be well advised to lend an ear to fine tracks such as Sugar Coated Love or the acoustic country blues of fellow Texan Hop Wilson’s That Wouldn’t Satisfy.
Colosseum - Live (Esoteric/Cherry Red). Drummer Jon Hiseman’s trailblazing jazzrock outfit recorded the original Colosseum Live at Manchester University and the Big Apple in Brighton in March 1971, showcasing some of the genuinely progressive material which had made them such a force on the concert circuit during those faroff years. This CD reissue expands on the original album with a bonus disc culled from the same 1971 shows, including alternative versions of gems such as Rope Ladder To The Moon and Skellington and an impressive rendition of the epic Valentyne Suite.
Skinny Lister - The Devil, The Heart & The Fight (Xtra Mile). This six-piece London-based band’s heady fusion of rock, folk and punk is captured in all its rabble rousing glory as Skinny Lister unveil their third studio album. This infectious package channels the spirit of admirable outfits such as The Pogues and The Clash via memorable ditties such as Hamburg Drunk and Wanted and Dexys soundalike Fair Winds & Following Seas is also well worth a few minutes of anyone’s time. Splendid stuff.
John McCusker - Hello, Goodbye (Under One Sky Records). Award-winning Scottish folkie McCusker celebrates his 25th anniversary as a professional musician with the release of this delightfully evocative package, which was penned during the quieter moments of his recent world tour with Mark Knopfler. The producer, composer and multiinstrumentalist has drawn on the services of some fine roots music performers to underpin his sterling efforts here, including two of the understated stars of the BBC’s excellent Transatlantic Sessions, accordionist Phil Cunningham and bluegrass mandolin ace.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Record Review with Kevin Bryan Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/record-review-with-kevin-bryan-1-8082501 | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/0a956406f0faeabea7b2dee9cff74bef65a8293920e719813273cad667d9a1cd.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:57:20 | null | 2016-08-24T17:57:14 | The 2016 Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse promises to be a fabulous four-day spectacular with a glamourous social scene and amazing racing including the Doncaster Cup and St. Leger Stakes. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flocal-sport%2Fwin-tickets-to-the-2016-ladbrokes-st-leger-festival-1-8086799.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8086797.1472057819!/image/image.jpg | en | null | WIN tickets to the 2016 Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | The 2016 Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse promises to be a fabulous four-day spectacular with a glamourous social scene and amazing racing including the Doncaster Cup and St. Leger Stakes.
Starting on Wednesday, September 7th, Ladies Day will take place on Thursday 8th, Gentlemans Day and the iconic Doncaster Cup on Friday 9th and St Leger Day on Saturday 10th.
Gates open at 11am, so there is plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere before the packed race cards commence and horses tackle the legendary St. Leger turf.
There will also be live music on the Hallam FM Champagne Lawn and delicious food can be enjoyed at the Racecourse’s own restaurant – The Old Weighing Room. Booking is essential.
We have teamed up with the Doncaster Racecourse to offer four pairs of County Enclosure tickets.
There will be a pair of tickets for each day of the St. Leger Festival and winners will be chosen at random and in order. For example, the first winner chosen will receive tickets for the first day on Wednesday the 7th, the second winner chosen for the second day, Ladies Day, and so on.
Simply send us an e-mail to sport.nmsy@jpress.co.uk with the subject title of ‘St Leger competition’ and with your name and contact details in the body text.
The closing date for the competition is 5pm on Friday, September 2.
No cash alternative will be available and the prize is nontransferrable.
Entrants must be aged 18 or over. A dress code applies (see www.doncasterracecourse.co.uk) and winners must present proof of ID in order to claim their prize.
Guests at Doncaster Racecourse are advised to note that the Champagne Lawn is a Challenge 21 area and only guests aged 18 and over are allowed onto the Champagne lawns. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/win-tickets-to-the-2016-ladbrokes-st-leger-festival-1-8086799 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/634a4900e7a6f1fc836868c45ab9e10320e214d0d8d5bb8d05550e807fa15e6e.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:10 | null | 2016-08-31T07:42:49 | Mansfield-born Alexandra Stenson has reached a vital step in her career as an international opera singer by being awarded a place on the Guildhall Artists | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Fsoprano-alexandra-to-sing-in-last-rose-of-summer-concert-1-8090883.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8090882.1472214032!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Soprano Alexandra to sing in Last Rose of Summer concert | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Mansfield-born Alexandra Stenson has reached a vital step in her career as an international opera singer by being awarded a place on the Guildhall Artists
Masters Programme.
To raise support for this, she is presenting a concert called The Last Rose of Summer, which is taking place on Friday, September 2, starting at 7.15pm at St. Helen’s Church, Selston.
This is a wonderful opportunity to hear the glorious voice of soprano Alexandra, supported by the talented Sarah Walster (mezzo-soprano) and Maureen Lockwood (accompanist) in a programme of popular music theatre, jazz, opera and song.
Tickets are £6, including refreshments, available from Sue at 0115 8548295 and Janet 01773 810105.
For more about Alexandra, see www.alexandrastenson.com
Selston Music Festival Committee is delighted to announce its sponsorship of The Last Rose of Summer. Alexandra, who has competed in Selston Music Festivals for a number of years, completed her Post Graduate Course in 2014 with a BMus (Hons) in Vocal Studies, trained with the English Opera Company 2014-2015 and has worked with opera companies since then.
She has been awarded a place on the Guildhall Artists Masters programme, a vital step towards her career as an international opera singer, and is currently looking for support. Alexandra is doing all the work, the festival is helping with the venue and publicity.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Soprano Alexandra to sing in Last Rose of Summer concert Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/soprano-alexandra-to-sing-in-last-rose-of-summer-concert-1-8090883 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/1efd94a22c86398e4c9c237e9eecbc01966fae5a8f86fec1ea13e3522fb5390f.json |
[
"Court Reporter",
"Newsdesk Chad.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T13:08:03 | null | 2016-08-24T17:12:25 | A Mansfield teen hit his girlfriend with a telephone cable after a row about drugs, a court has heard. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fmansfield-teen-hit-girlfriend-with-phone-cable-1-8086725.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8072258.1472055131!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Mansfield teen hit girlfriend with phone cable | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | A Mansfield teen hit his girlfriend with a telephone cable after a row about drugs, a court has heard.
Mclaren Peter Holt, 18, formerly of Willoughby Court, admitted assaulting the woman when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The court heard the argument was sparked by a phone call on August 13, which Holt’s partner suspected was to do with drug misuse.
Holt accepted swinging the cable at the woman after she ripped it from the wall.
“He accepts pushing her and sitting on her knees because he was concerned about her agitated state,” said Sarah Neale, mitigating.
She said he was now living at a friend’s address and was looking for labouring work.
District Judge Jonathan Taaffe said: “I am not impressed with the fact you are not prepared to engage with the probation service.
“It is quite clear to me that you have got drug problems.”
Holt was given a 12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work.
He was ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/mansfield-teen-hit-girlfriend-with-phone-cable-1-8086725 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/247c5adbf4b9d700bd53769c455e1235e8b2b76c913859be8a7d18fcb6063147.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:49:05 | null | 2016-08-30T14:00:31 | Feature film One More Time With Feeling will screen in cinemas for one night only on September 8, launching the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album Skeleton Tree, released on September 9. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Fcave-film-to-be-screened-nationwide-1-8090874.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8090873.1472213940!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Cave film to be screened nationwide | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Feature film One More Time With Feeling will screen in cinemas for one night only on September 8, launching the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album Skeleton Tree, released on September 9.
The first opportunity anyone will have to hear any of the songs from Skeleton Tree, will be to watch One More Time With Feeling, directed by Andrew Dominik (Chopper, Killing Them Softly).
The film will be shown in 150 cinemas across the UK and Ireland including QUAD in Derby and Nottingham’s Showcase and Broadway cinemas.
Dominik delves into the tragic backdrop of the writing and recording of the album.
Interwoven throughout the Bad Seeds’ filmed performance of the new album are interviews and footage shot by Dominik, accompanied by Cave’s intermittent narration and improvised rumination.
Filmed in black-and-white and colour, in both 3D and 2D, the result is stark, fragile and raw.
Director Andrew Dominik has issued the very first public statement about working with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on new 3D black-and-white feature film One More Time With Feeling:
“When Nick approached me about making a film around the recording and performing of the new Bad Seeds album, I’d been seeing quite a lot of him as we rallied around him and his family at the time of his son’s death.
“My immediate response was “Why do you want to do this?” Nick told me that he had some things he needed to say, but he didn’t know who to say them to. The idea of a traditional interview, he said, was simply unfeasible but that he felt a need to let the people who cared about his music understand the basic state of things. It seemed to me that he was trapped somewhere and just needed to do something – anything - to at least give the impression of forward movement.”
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ 16th studio album, Skeleton Tree, will be released globally on vinyl, CD and across all digital platforms on September 9. The album began its journey in late 2014 at Retreat Studios, Brighton, with further sessions at La Frette Studios, France in autumn 2015. The album was mixed at AIR Studios, London in early 2016.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Cave film to be screened nationwide Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/cave-film-to-be-screened-nationwide-1-8090874 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/aee8b8a6b51d9570a93064dc3a5e664d38d375bc201f58b929289f887bea8a18.json |
[
"Jane Ainsworth",
"Julia.Armstrong Jpress.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T13:12:30 | null | 2016-08-06T08:59:00 | Sheffield Star Retro published the sad story of James Stuart Swift on January 23 as ‘War baby that a proud soldier dad never saw’. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbarnsley-soldier-s-moving-letters-about-son-he-never-saw-1-8053892.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8053888.1470410753!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Barnsley soldier's moving letters about son he never saw | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | Sheffield Star Retro published the sad story of James Stuart Swift on January 23 as ‘War baby that a proud soldier dad never saw’.
I had researched Stuart in detail for my book Great Sacrifice: the Old Boys of Barnsley Holgate Grammar School in the First World War and had just discovered that two boxes containing many love letters between Stuart and Maude, as well as their wedding photographs, photos of their son, Stuart’s medals and other memorabilia, had been donated to Barnsley Archives.
Peter Swift places a wreath, with a photo of the baby that his relative never saw, on Stuart Swifts grave
Readers might be interested to learn what has happened since.
Stuart attended the Holgate for three years before being admitted to Ackworth School in Hemsworth, where his family paid full boarding fees for three years because they were not Quakers.
When he left school in 1907, Stuart worked for the Midland Bank, following in his father’s footsteps.
He enlisted in the Sheffield City Battalion on September 11, 1914, aged 28.
Stuart Swift's son, James Stuart Morton Swift, as a little boy
Stuart married Alice Maude Watkinson of Sheffield in April 1915 and he became a father to James Stuart Morton Swift on March 27, 1916.
The Swift Collection confirmed my fear that he never saw his son before he was killed on the first day of the Somme.
Stuart had not been given leave to return home since going to Egypt in December 1915.
Even becoming a father did not give him any special privileges while the Army were preparing for the Big Push on the Somme.
The wreath for Stuart Swift containing photographs of him and his wife Maude, plus Maude with their baby, James
Stuart wrote: “I so long to see the little chap myself, everyone seems to think he is a fine specimen.
“It is nice to think of our little love being of such a happy disposition; I am glad he has such winning ways. I can see he takes after his little mother in those respects.”
In his last letter to Maude, written on June 27, 1916, he wrote: “ I am eagerly looking forward to getting your next letter as I expect to get the promised photo you are sending of your dear self and our little darling. Of course I have tried to picture him to myself but have no idea what he is like.”
Tragically, the proud new father did not receive it.
Serendipity inspired Peter Swift, whose grandfather was Stuart’s cousin, to buy a copy of The Star that week in January and he was amazed to see my article with photographs of Stuart.
We have been able to share more information since then as he has been researching the Swift family for some time but had not previously known about Stuart’s education or seen any photographs of him.
Peter’s children planned to take him to the Somme for the centenary commemorations for his 70th birthday present.
In a very poignant gesture, Peter took a print of the photograph of Maude with their son to place on Stuart’s grave in Luke Copse British Cemetery, reuniting them after 100 years.
Celia Wolfe, the archivist at Ackworth School, was very helpful to me while researching my book, allowing me to use their information about Stuart and letting me copy photographs of him as a schoolboy.
She also visited the Somme for July 1 as her husband Ray’s grandfather was one of the many men killed in action that day and she was visiting the graves of several old scholars of Ackworth to leave tributes.
I exchanged emails with Celia while she was in France and was able to tell her about the wreath and photos left by Peter, who had seen the wooden cross she had left. Celia paid a return visit to Luke Copse to see them for herself and was very moved.
I organised a Somme centenary commemoration for July 1 at Silverwood Scout Camp in Silkstone (originally Newhall Camp where the Barnsley Pals were billeted and trained).
I am very grateful to Paul Unsworth and his team of scouting volunteers, who allowed me to use the site free and provided practical help.
I paid tribute to Stuart along with many Old Boys of the Holgate and other local men who died in the Somme offensive on my display in the Billingham Centre and by laying photographs of the men on the altar in the beautiful outdoor chapel, where I held a Remembrance Service.
Celia and Ray had responded to my publicity, asking if anyone would like a relation to be remembered, and Christopher Gascoigne, father of eight young children, was one of 12 stories read by students from Horizon Community College and relations of three of the men.
Music played included Reveille and The Last Post on bugles sounded by twin brothers from Horizon and two popular songs from the First World War sung by Class 5 from Silkstone Primary School, to the delight of all attending.
On July 17, I received an email from Claire Marr from Cheshire, who had been shown the Retro article. Claire hoped that I might be able to help her fill in some gaps in her own family history or even have a photograph of her grandfather.
She shared some interesting details from her own family history research and reviewing my own highlighted the sad story of Stuart’s older sister Muriel Morton Swift, his only sibling.
She had married Percy Guest Wadsworth in 1911 but they did not have any children, although according to Stuart’s letters they had wanted them.
After Muriel died in 1921, aged only 40, Percy got married again to Alice Mary Beckett and they had two sons.
Percy died in 1928, aged 52, when Claire’s father was only three years old, so he didn’t remember her grandfather. Alice remarried and she never discussed her background or how she had met Percy – there were no family photos.
I wondered if Muriel and Percy might be on Stuart and Maude’s wedding photos.
I asked Peter if he had a copy of their wedding certificate to find out if Muriel had been a witness because Stuart had been for her.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t and, since the men in the photos are wearing uniform, they must be friends of Stuart’s rather than one being Percy.
I wish I could have found a photograph for her as I know from personal experience how precious it is to know what our ancestors look like.
If anyone reading this article is related to the Swift, Morton, Wadsworth or Beckett families, I would love to hear from you to fit some more pieces of the extended family puzzle together.
We will continue to remember them all.
*Jane’s book is published by Helion and Company. Website: www.helion.co.uk
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Barnsley soldier's moving letters about son he never saw Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/barnsley-soldier-s-moving-letters-about-son-he-never-saw-1-8053892 | en | 2016-08-06T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/152a2f0fb279923c46bab08b97247b726fc300bff8aab8d237c08a508cb5f949.json |
[
"Nick Charity",
"Nick.Charity Jpress.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T13:07:21 | null | 2016-08-25T16:43:16 | A Nuthall shed has been broken into by a thief, who stole a garden strimmer and also damaged a lawn mower. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fthief-breaks-into-shed-to-steal-strimmer-1-8089292.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8089291.1472139878!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Thief breaks into shed to steal strimmer | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | A Nuthall shed has been broken into by a thief, who stole a garden strimmer and also damaged a lawn mower.
Police have reported after the incident in Nottingham Road sometime between 4pm and 7.15pm on August 19, when a shed on the grounds of a care home was broken into.
They said: "A strimmer had been removed and stolen. There was also some damage to a petrol mower. Entry was over a fence at the rear of the building and a window on the shed had been broken and entry was gained."
Anyone with information about the incident should cal police on the non-emergency number 101. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/thief-breaks-into-shed-to-steal-strimmer-1-8089292 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/f42c79087246e5b3a149dac883bcb43b09f58adb8e968c27c8debfd0a89df173.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:48:11 | null | 2016-08-30T16:17:03 | American actor Gene Wilder has died at the age of 83. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Flegend-gene-wilder-s-greatest-on-screen-moments-1-8096329.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8095707.1472570203!/image/image.jpg | en | null | LEGEND: Gene Wilder’s greatest on-screen moments | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | American actor Gene Wilder has died at the age of 83.
Famous for his collaborations with actor/comedian Richard Pryor and director Mel Brooks, Wilder was perhaps best known for his performance as the titular character in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Before that he had starred in Brooks’ Broadway spoof The Producers, for which he was Oscar nominated and went on to become one of the biggest comedy actors of the 70s and 80s.
He worked again with Brooks on the likes of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein - earning another Oscar nod - and teamed up to huge success with Pryor for Silver Streak, Stir Crazy and See No Evil, Hear No Evil.
As tributes from co-stars, celebrity fans and ordinary cinema-goers poured in from around the world, pop culture blog i09 put together this compilation of some of Wilder’s greatest on-screen moments. | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/legend-gene-wilder-s-greatest-on-screen-moments-1-8096329 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/126c2e5a19d14318137bfcf7273497c735ae3259d6e4f62b1e1271b3dca2b054.json |
[
"Paul Chapman",
"Sport.Nmsy Jpress.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T12:50:02 | null | 2016-08-25T09:44:21 | With only three rounds remaining, the 20th round of Notts Premier League fixtures on Saturday sees matches where there is something at stake for at least one of the teams involved. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flocal-sport%2Fnpl-excitement-builds-with-just-three-weeks-to-go-1-8087443.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8087441.1472115747!/image/image.jpg | en | null | NPL excitement builds with just three weeks to go | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | With only three rounds remaining, the 20th round of Notts Premier League fixtures on Saturday sees matches where there is something at stake for at least one of the teams involved.
With the top three split by 33 points it’s make or break for title hopes, while at the ‘wrong end’, the bottom four are just eight points apart.
Clifton Village v Mansfield Hosiery Mills
Despite being abandoned last weekend, the home side moved up one place in the standings to ninth, but sit a mere eight points above the bottom side.
Visitors MHM have won their last three away matches, but are yet to secure their status as a top half of the table side.
Kimberley Institute v Hucknall
Kimberley’s long run without a win continued last week, their abandonment stretching the run of futility to 12 weeks.
Hucknall secured enough bonus points last week to close the gap up at the bottom of the table such that the bottom three teams are only two points apart.
Plumtree v Nottinghamshire CCC Academy
Plumtree secured a big win over Radcliffe last weekend, which enabled them to close the gap on leaders Cuckney to 11 points, and having won both of their last two home matches will be confident of keeping the pressure on this weekend. The Academy have surged to fourth place in the table over the last few weeks, and will be keen to secure that position for season’s end.
Radcliffe-on-Trent v Cuckney
The home side have just one win in the last 10 games played on their own ground, and with the leaders coming to visit and a margin of only 19 points between them and second from bottom, they will know an upturn in fortune is required.
For Cuckney, it’s 15 weeks since they last lost a match, so despite seeing their lead eaten into last weekend, they know that keeping that run going should be enough to get them over the line.
Welbeck v Ordsall Bridon
This might be the biggest game of the weekend, with these sides sitting in 11th and 10th places respectively, split by just a single point.
Defeat for either could be terminal.
Although both sides have just one win from their last 10, Welbeck’s record at home is good, just one defeat, while Bridon have just one win on their travels.
With the knowledge that the loser is likely to find themselves bottom come the end of the day this will be about who handles that pressure best.
West Indian Cavaliers v Caythorpe
Having their match at MHM cancelled without a ball bowled last week, meant Cavs lost more ground on the top two, so they will know they will have to win all of their remaining matches to stand any chance of over hauling the sides above them.
It has been 13 weeks since their last defeat, and with six wins out of nine games at Birchover Park, they will believe they can get the job done here.
Caythorpe come off a valuable win last week which leaves them needing to find 23 points over the last three matches to secure NPL status.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story NPL excitement builds with just three weeks to go Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/sport/local-sport/npl-excitement-builds-with-just-three-weeks-to-go-1-8087443 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/65373d0635993c39f50f5229cf6fb709db8422bd6090e07f53c21f8f170c361d.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:48:44 | null | 2016-08-29T12:00:24 | September gets under way at The Flowerpot in Derby with a visit to the King Street venue from Kate Bush tribute act Cloudbusting. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fout-about%2Fbush-tribute-launches-season-1-8085850.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/webimage/1.8085848.1472036697!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Bush tribute launches season | null | null | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk | September gets under way at The Flowerpot in Derby with a visit to the King Street venue from Kate Bush tribute act Cloudbusting.
Launching the autumn season at the King Street-based venue, Cloudbusting are a group of five talented musicians who love to perform the music of the legendary Kate Bush.
They focus on performing the music exactly to the original to bring all those classic songs to the live stage.
You can expect to hear all the favourites including Running Up That Hill, Wuthering Heights, Babooshka and many more.
Having performed at many venues up and down the country as well as festivals across Europe, they are no strangers to the stage and are receiving huge recognition whereever they have been performing, including the only official Kate Bush fan club.
Then, on Saturday, September 3, the visitors to The Flowerpot will be Skinny Molly.
RAW Promotions are proud to present a band who are currently touring Europe to promote their latest studio album Here For A Good Time.
Featuring the former Lynyrd Skynyrd and Artimus Pyle Band guitarist Mike Estes, Skinny Molly was founded by Estes and Nashville studio drummer Kurt Pietro.
Originally put together to do a one-off tour of Europe in 2004, Skinny Molly has, 12 years later, become one of the hardest working and popular rock bands out of the southern United States.
Solidifying the current line-up in 2008, the band boasts guitarist Jay Johnson (formerly of Blackfoot/Rossington Band), and Grand Ole Opry stalwart bassist Luke Bradshaw.
This line-up has toured relentlessly, their first jaunt found them crossing three continents in 30 days on the strength of their debut CD No Good Deed.
In 2012, word of their legendary live shows reached Ruf Records president Thomas Ruf, and Skinny Molly immediately embarked on recording their first CD for the label, the critics’ favourite Haywire Riot.
Doors open for both of these gigs at 8pm.
Admission is £12 for Cloudbusting and £13 for Skinny Molly.
Advance tickets for both of these gigs at the venue are available from The Flowerpot and RAW Promotions.
You can also go online at www.rawpromo.co.uk
..
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Bush tribute launches season Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area... | http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/bush-tribute-launches-season-1-8085850 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/49ad0d374e8ca56bcf1828e17d08447d39d65d279a760a1705afc0a797077694.json |
[
"Article Paru Dans"
] | 2016-08-30T14:52:45 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Frape-mauritius-outside-our-circle-safety.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | OF RAPE IN MAURITIUS : outside our circle of safety | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | There are a number of societal issues that have always been cast in Mauritius as taboo and viewed as horrors that should be shunned out of sight and hearing, lest our fellow man’s dignified bearing be subjected to such unpleasantries. We have become so exposed to various soul-wrenching news in the same fashion over again that we have conditioned ourselves to react in a generic manner every time we are confronted with harsh realities, all in a pitiful attempt to reduce them to mere fun facts in the back of our minds. However, let us briefly step outside our circle of safety to understand the different existing perspectives on how to deal with a delicate subject - rape. When confronted with incidents of rape, the common man almost jumps out of his seat to unhesitantly voice out sanctimonious verbosity. Others do not stop there; an array of possible consequences, ranging from castrations and insertions of iron rods to public stonings, are repeatedly suggested as the most fitting ways to deal with such impardonable offenders. The civilised person might shake his head in desperation, yet those are still the most common solutions bombarded locally at a problem that almost nobody wishes to address objectively. Instead of condemning, let us for once strive to understand the frame of mind within which those marginalised fellow citizens of ours operate - rapists and child molesters - those hopeless romantics who have so much love to offer that they cannot help but give it to people, even if the latter do not want it! Not unlike the rest of us, their character is moulded by their upbringing and the environment they mature in, hence our absolute need to recognise and categorise the different forms of rape that exist: anger rape, power-assertive rape, sadistic rape, gang rape, and alcohol/drug-induced rape. Nowadays, we are well past the male-demonising ‘she was asking for it’ justification, or any justification for that matter, since rape is a blatant act of negation upon an individual’s freedom. However, since not much research has been conducted concerning the rape situation in Mauritius, let us first begin by evaluating our attitudes towards punitive measures before even coming to the sources of motivation for sexual assaults. Punishment for any crime or offense can be justified only from 3 ends to meet that which it is inflicted upon the wrongdoer for - these are retributive, reformative and deterrent. Trying to impose the fate of the victim upon the rapist counts only as retributive punishment, and is no doubt a cul-de-sac, for the latter’s barbarism could ONLY THEN be justified towards a people who is as uncivilised as him.
Presently, for punishment to be reformative, one must consider rapists and molesters as sick patients capable of changing for the better, not as maniac criminals devoid of any chance of improvement. Unfortunately we are yet to reach that point in our Mauritian society, and partly, rightly so. The vast majority of rapists and molesters are psychologically damaged beyond repair and cannot be treated from their ‘illness’, which is the perverted enjoyment of rape. Another sad reality which most are unaware of, almost seemingly intentionally, is that most of the child molesters have knowingly or not, at some point in their lives, been sexually abused themselves. It is an extremely precarious position to be holding - that of an ex-victim and a potential offender.
Although most people do not think much of deterrent punishment, it is in fact so far the best our society can do. There is always immediate talk of implementing the death penalty every time a rape occurs in Mauritius,and it dies out as soon as it is started. Capital punishment isn't nearly as effective as being sentenced to life in prison, since a rapist/molester is someone who doesn't value life as much as he values his sexual impulses, and will most likely welcome death when he is being denied freedom. Living in a small cell for the rest of his existence, without any books/entertainment, sunlight, human contact and even being denied the liberty to end his own life is more than enough punishment for him. Let us neither forget that Gro Marcel, Gro Rafiq and Gro Suren who are already in jail, will be more than happy to welcome the rapist in their humble abode and convert him into some kind of rag doll to be tossed around for their enjoyment (it is a well-established fact that inmates do not take kindly at all to rapists and pedophiles).
This article is written to the general public in an effort to make people reconsider certain opinions they might have been holding concerning how punishment in Mauritius should be meted out, especially pertaining to the offense of rape. We definitely have no need to resort to medieval forms of punishment such as killing, stoning, castrating or anally raping sex offenders, no matter how much we might entertain them in our wishful fantasies. Such primal reactionarism does not befit us as a people, even lesser as a species. | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/rape-mauritius-outside-our-circle-safety | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/d1e5c6e08e8f28f6ac03de2704512ff155c0c2efbaab1c08a3c34e8ddfbdd06c.json |
[
"Article Paru Dans"
] | 2016-08-27T00:49:17 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Fhommage-tout-l-enseignement-frank-richard-l-excellence-avant-tout.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | HOMMAGE- TOUT L’ENSEIGNEMENT DE FRANK RICHARD: l’excellence avant tout! | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | Dans le cadre du 100e anniversaire de la naissance de Frank Richard en ce mois d’août 2016, nous proposons à nos lecteurs de prendre davantage la mesure de cette personnalité qui aura marqué plusieurs générations de Mauriciens par sa stature, sa fine érudition et son regard polysémique sur le verbe, les choses et l’expression de leur caractère éminemment humain. Alan Grihault, Chantal Touchard, Steven Obeegadoo, Armand Maudave, Clancy Philippe, Cyrille Jodhun, Françoise Labelle, George Easton, Krish Ponnusamy, Rundheersing (Manou) Bheenick, Père Philippe Goupille, Armoogum Parsuramen, Ramesh Ramdoyal, Surendra Bissoondoyal et sir Victor Glover, entre autres, rendent un hommage appuyé à cet enseignant hors pair et premier directeur du Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE) sur un site dédié: www.frankrichard.mu. En voici quelques morceaux choisis de ceux qui l’ont connu d’une manière ou d’une autre et dont la teneur témoigne des tranches de vie d’un féru de lettres qui n’a eu d’autre perspective que l’excellence durant sa riche carrière.
Sir Victor Glover : “Un talent oratoire jamais connu à Maurice”
My first recollection of Frank Richard goes back to 1945. Mauritius was in the throes of a polio epidemic and all the schools had closed down. A few teachers from the secondary schools volunteered to give talks on the radio in the subjects of the curriculum in which they excelled so that their pupils did not suffer too much owing to their enforced holiday. Although I was only 12 years old at the time, I was thoroughly impressed by, and immensely enjoyed listening to, Richard’s exposés in the field of English literature. The ease with which he crossed over from Shakespeare’s theatre to the romantic poems of John Keats via the novels of Thomas Hardy was remarkable and he displayed what has been described by Yvan Martial as “un talent oratoire jamais connu à Maurice”.
Alan Grihault : ‘Thank you, Frank, for giving us a cause’
The problem is where does one start to write a testimonial for such a great man in Education such as Frank Richard? When I worked with Frank (1977-81) he was already the Director of the Mauritius Institute of Education, while I was a humble lecturer at the Teacher Training College in Lower Beau Bassin. For Frank to have reached that ‘great height’ he must have been a remarkable teacher, which he continued to do throughout his later life through the medium of extra tuition, which he gave to a lucky few.
The MIE was fairly new in those days, and Frank was the initiator to make this hub of Educational Training what it is today; an Institution leading all that is good in Mauritian Education. I know he would be so proud to see his family, and those of us who can call themselves his disciples, who are still trying to promote the work that he started here on the Island. Thank you, Frank, for giving us a cause, and we hope we are not letting you down!
Armand Maudave : « Physiquement et intellectuellement hors norme... »
Hors norme. Il l’était physiquement, intellectuellement, socialement.
C’est bien l’impression qu’il laissa lors d’un bref passage de remplacement au Collège Royal de Curepipe où j’enseignais. Je l’ai plus souvent côtoyé alors qu’il présidait un Syndicat de professeurs du secondaire vers les années 60. Il appartenait, administrativement, à l’établissement de la « School » à Port-Louis.
Force, volonté, détermination émanaient de sa démarche. Dans la salle commune où se rassemblaient les professeurs sa truculence tranchait sur l’habituelle réserve de ses collègues. Il avait le verbe haut, le rire communicatif. Un sourire coquin concluait généralement un argument qu’il voulait convaincant, ou un passage qu’il citait de mémoire d’une page de littérature anglaise. C’est, en effet, aux auteurs en cette langue que son entourage, tant officiel que privé, avait coutume de l’associer.
Il avait été, parait-il, un des premiers à offrir de chez lui aux intéressés, en complément après les classes, un enseignement dynamique de groupe, copieusement annoté, comme le dispensent aujourd’hui de nombreuses institutions étrangères.
Clancy Philippe: “His English was Biblical”
Frank Richard was my English teacher at RCPL. His English was Biblical. He was a true master of the language and instilled the essence of the language into his students. His mastery of the language had no equal and he was universally respected for his excellence. Frank and the teachers at RCPL produced a whole generation of Mauritians who are now scattered worldwide and making Mauritius proud. Our mastery of the English language, reinforced by Frank equipped us with the means of communication to excel in our respective fields of expertise.
Frank Richard, you definitely contributed to the betterment of mankind through educating a whole generation of young Mauritians.
Cyrille Jodhun : « Frank Richard a été un père pour moi »
Il y aurait tellement, mais tellement de choses à dire sur lui que je ne saurai par où commencer ! C’était la bonté personnifiée. Humble et humain. À ne jamais refuser un service et maîtrisant Shakespeare comme personne ! De hautes personnalités défilaient à son bureau, pour un conseil, un texte à traduire ou des évaluations à finaliser. Jamais un mouvement d’humeur ou d’impatience, il faisait de son mieux pour être à l’écoute de tous, malgré un emploi du temps chargé et de nombreux coups de fil tout le long de la journée.’
Françoise Labelle : « Un sens de direction »
Ce qui me frappait chez Frank Richard était sa capacité de commander le respect. Il n’était pas craint mais respecté. On sentait sous sa commande un sens de direction. On ressentait chez tout un chacun peu importe quelle position on occupait, une fierté d’appartenir à cette institution.
Frank Richard pouvait aussi faire preuve d’humour. En tant que directeur, il avait pour habitude de prendre du temps pour faire la tournée de la cour, avec un intérêt particulier pour les roses qu’il avait fait planter. On en avait de très belles à l’époque. Durant une de ses tournées, il aperçut un étudiant qui essayait de cueillir une rose. « Êtes-vous amoureux des roses ou amoureux tout court? lui lança-t-il. L’étudiant, décontenancé, arrêta son geste, s’excusa et s’en alla.
George Easton : « A sustained inspirational figure »
I was accustomed to working on my own. Thanks to a benevolent great-aunt I had direct access to rare books by prominent British and American literary critics sent back from Aberdeen by a great-uncle who had read English there. So when I went for tuition to Mr Richard’s house in Rémono street (Curepipe Road), I unfailingly handed in my assignments. I looked forward to seeing his regular ticks and succinct comments in my exercise books. He almost always used a pencil. I was bewitched by his crisp handwriting, scholarship and incisive views. I recall him marking my essays outright while watering the flower beds in his garden. Along with a schoolmate of mine I took the bus from Rose Hill after school hours and waited for his return from work at the Ministry where he served as Permanent Secretary. When he drove into the yard, I noticed he was always seated next to the driver, leaning on his left elbow. He then popped into the room to greet us and collect our copy books. Frank Richard was my only coach for a little more than 6 months. I did not actually take the English scholarship exam again as I was admitted to hospital in October, suffering from gastrointestinal problems. Yet over the years I eagerly followed his talks on TV and radio. These were produced by the Audio Visual Section of the Ministry and later the MCA. I did not miss his educational writings in Advance and The Nation. He left his imprint not just on my mind: he was a sustained inspirational figure.
Krish Ponnusamy, CSK: « A giant in the Education sector »
It was in my capacity as an Assistant Secretary in the PMO that I serviced many high level meetings in which Frank Richard represented the Ministry of Education with an immense passion. His interventions were characterized by his great ability to build teams to devise and implement stimulating Education policies for an emerging nation. I was impressed by his vision for a well educated Mauritian population.
Frank Richard formed part of the A team of top officials, working ceaselessly to meet the innumerable and daunting challenges facing newly independent Mauritius. His invaluable contribution to the democratization of Education and the setting up of key institutions like the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE) to support the pillars of the Education edifice is written in golden letters in the History of Mauritius.
Like an untiring General, even after his retirement in 1976, Frank Richard continued to put his vast experience at the service of the Education sector by chairing the MIE Board and serving the University of Mauritius Council.
Manou Bheenick : “A booming voice which he used to great effect”
Frank — Ton Frank as we referred to him in our student conversations but would not have dared call him so to his face — was superb as a teacher of English and absolutely sans pareil when it came to English literature. He had a booming voice which he used to great effect, often taking class orating while standing in the doorway while we scribbled furiously. At other times, while we were taking turns to stand up to read some text aloud, he would be standing doing some sideways press-ups against the wall before thundering his disapproval of our attempt at pronouncing the Queen’s English.
On one occasion, I distinctly remember Ton Frank interrupting his press-ups to voice his commendation of a joint effort of a classmate of mine, the late regretted Clement Dennemont, and myself to read an unusual poem which was in the form of several couplets, with the last two words of the first line being repeated by way of an echo in the second line: one of us read the first lines and the other provided the echo effect, an initiative that amused him. He could be very scathing when he discovered any of our fellow-students surreptitiously cribbing from books of model essays and students’ notes.
Père Philippe Goupille: “La littérature prenait une dimension nouvelle”
Je garde de lui le souvenir d’un enseignant très proche de ses élèves et passionné de ce qu’il enseignait. Je me souviens encore de la manière dont il déclamait les vers de Shakespeare dans « The Tempest » et les poèmes de Keats, faisant ressortir que ces deux grands poètes étaient des purs produits de la culture littéraire anglaise, deux de ceux qui avaient été moins influencés par la littérature contemporaine des autres pays d’Europe. Shakespeare et Keats, nous disait Monsieur Richard, utilisaient le vocabulaire anglo-saxon avec ses résonances dures venant de la lointaine tradition du poème Beowulf. Ce poème était écrit en anglo-saxon avant que la langue anglaise n’ait été influencée par le latin, le français, l’italien et autres langues romanes.
Mais le plus important c’était que Frank Richard avait une manière de relier la littérature d’autrefois à la vie d’aujourd’hui. Il m’avait fait comprendre que Othello, Iago, Hamlet, Macbeth étaient tous des personnages contemporains que l’on pouvait rencontrer parmi les citoyens mauriciens d’aujourd’hui. Ainsi la littérature prenait une dimension nouvelle. Nous passions de la théorie à la vie pratique et à la formation de notre conscience et de nos attitudes.
Armoogum Parsuramen: “Le sourire aux lèvres et toujours serviable”
Il m’a beaucoup soutenu lorsque je m’étais lancé dans la réforme éducative à cette époque. Étant membre de la Tertiary Education Commission, j’avais des réunions quasi fréquentes avec ce grand monsieur. Je me souviens comme si c’était hier : chaque fois que je sollicitais son avis sur des éventuelles mesures pour l’enseignement, Frank Richard était toujours disposé à partager son expérience et ses idées. Un homme avec toujours le sourire aux lèvres et toujours serviable. Son parcours dans le monde éducatif est éloquent et est très révélateur en ce qui concerne sa carrière. Son empreinte dans ce secteur est indélébile. Frank Richard maîtrisait ses dossiers du bout des doigts.
Ramesh Ramdoyal : “Free from considerations of class, colour, race or religion”
Frank Richard belongs to that galaxy of departed teachers who, like stars during the day, are still around us although we don’t see them.
I should like to tell a little story that will tell you more about the man than one thousand words.
There was an evening function at the Teachers’ Training College (TTC).
Frank Richard was there in his capacity as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and CA.
After the function, around 11 pm, it was time to go home. As was my wont, I offered to give a lift home to the kitchen staff that had been on duty that evening. But they declined – they were going with Frank Richard who, when he was Director of the TTC, used to drop them home after evening functions.
Frank Richard has worn many hats in his life and has always distinguished himself in all that he undertook – as scholar, teacher, educationist, and administrator – at a time when people of his calibre could be counted on the fingers of one hand. But it is as a humanist that I always remember him, free from considerations of class, colour, race or religion. To him, every human being was a human being first and foremost.
All the people who knew him well used these simple words to describe him:
Li enn bon dimounn. Li ena enn bon leker.
These words at a time when Mauritian society was heavily hierarchized sum up the man.
Surendra Bissoondoyal : “He came to learn Hindi from the 'guru'”
In Form VI, I took private tuition from him in General Paper. His comments and advice were to the point. When I came back from university studies in UK, he was still teaching at the RCPL when I started teaching Mathematics there. But soon he left to take up the Headship of the Teachers’ Training College. After a few years I also was transferred to the Teachers’ Training College, where the student-teacher relationship became a colleague-colleague relationship. It was there that he showed his qualities of a natural leader who was keen to listen to the views of others. As a linguist he wanted to know about Hindi, and approached Basdeo Bissoondoyal in this connection. He came to learn Hindi from the “guru” on several occasions in his humble dwelling in Vallonville Street (now Sookdeo Bissoondoyal Street).
But our bond strengthened particularly when he became Director of the Mauritius Institute Education (MIE) in 1974 and I joined as the first Secretary in 1975. We worked closely together to make the MIE become the premier institution in education in Mauritius. It was also there that I appreciated his qualities and his sincerity. He was a man without any prejudice and without looking down on others. He was truly a great man, and like truly great men he was also a humble man. | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/hommage-tout-l-enseignement-frank-richard-l-excellence-avant-tout | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/cf9e06b6dcebce37a2fe573fc75fac774607688120124738052890f7952d87f4.json |
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] | 2016-08-30T08:51:18 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitical-cauldron-overheating.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | IS THE POLITICAL CAULDRON OVERHEATING? | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | Most sensible persons could easily perceive that, days ago, the prevailing rampant discomfiture that persisted unabated for months, caused mainly by the collapse of the fantasy of many ‘Lepep’ promises and forecasts, was starting to give way to cautious optimism. But unfortunately short-lived on account of events that surged from nowhere, ‘du jamais vu’, so to speak.
Events in the wake of the dropping of the ‘Heritage City’ project, and which looked like attempts to save face or settle scores, or both, sent a wave of ‘malaise et incompréhension’ across the country. And which even afforded Ramgoolam the opportunity to say something sensible, and true: ‘Si mo ti Premie minis, tou sala pa ti pou arrive’.
When Cabinet decided to drop the ‘Heritage City’ project, the decision was welcomed as a pragmatic one, and not a sudden plot twist brought about by some ‘ trafficking’. That the abandonment of the project could have caused irritation and deception in some quarters is something we can understand. But for it to have caused equal agitation from conception right through burial, indeed an upheaval at the latter stage, raises the most serious interogations. It is a safe guess there must be a snake (even snakes) in the grass and alien to the widespread rumours of ‘rapprochement’, and with the perspective anything can happen.
Pravind Jugnauth is the one in whose best interest it is to preserve the cohesion of the ruling team, especially in his own ranks. But the knotty issue is that he is only the Leader of the major partner in the ruling Coalition and not the Prime Minister, thus unable to take that ‘single decision’ to address any ‘qualified behaviour’ likely to imperil that cohesion or against anyone who cannot demonstrate the consistency required at that level.
To mask the present embarrassment, there is talk of ‘apaisement’. We well know that mavericks - especially those who believe they can never be wrong - cannot be made to toe the line durably. Pravind Jugnauth may play the game of ‘apaisement’; - his characteristic calm nature aiding – as a means of buying time to orchestrate the right strategy and methods to tackle the dilemma now confronting him. He must realise his ‘present position’ is a valued springboard that affords him the opportunity to prove his mettle and show his credentials as someone of the political elite deserving and qualified to vie for the supreme seat.
Of his own avowal, Pravind Jugnauth gives his advisers the latitude to speak their minds, listens to them and then takes decisions that have to be. His Advisers, in his present ‘temporary role’, cannot be limited to the officially appointed and remunerated ones, so much so that persons with the right discernment and vision will help him navigate towards ‘des eaux plus paisibles’ and prevent the political cauldron to overheat.
This must be the wish of all those who value stability, social peace and harmony as key determinants to ensure progress.
But, be that as it may, are we not heading for another phase of ………’operasyon pil gro ros’? | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/political-cauldron-overheating | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/81324532a425f6d203aefa3e7950ef8e1fff7291e917b7e08a63f0ade5f7a92f.json |
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] | 2016-08-26T13:02:10 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Fformer-yale-professor-takes-flip-side-elite-education-system.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | Former Yale professor takes on the flip side of the elite-education system | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | The values that the system is transmitting: self-aggrandizement, being in service to yourself, a good life defined exclusively in terms of conventional markers of success (wealth and status), no real commitment to learning, to thinking, and no real commitment to making the world a better place. You get to the top, or you get near the top, but you don’t actually do anything interesting there—you just sort of fulfill your function in the organization. You don’t initiate or create.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/08/qa-the-miseducation... | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/former-yale-professor-takes-flip-side-elite-education-system | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/04a7e0cf6c7274eb86058dc127930a19d3d54bfbcb425395f8d2329778db4936.json |
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] | 2016-08-26T13:01:42 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Fburkini-controversy.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | THE BURKINI CONTROVERSY | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | What is happening in the race to win power in the land of “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity” is frightening. Each party is competing to fan the anti-Muslim feeling to garner as many votes as possible at the forthcoming Presidential elections.
The latest onslaught on Muslims is the ban of the burkini, which is believed to represent anti-French values. One is waiting to see the time when the law will be extended to apply to divers and nuns, who enjoy dipping into the water fully dressed for reasons of modesty. The truth is that there are no laws governing dress codes on beaches other than laws concerning undress.
France is ill at ease with the presence of 5 million Muslims on its land. Le Pen uses this settlement as a threat that France will become a Muslim country because of the rising number of immigrants. The North Africans are treated less fairly, stacked into derelict housing estates and very often pushed at the end of the queue of job seekers.
France must realize that the present state of affairs is the result of its history. Had it not colonized Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria for over a century, extracted Moroccan sovereignty from the Sultan of Fez and tried to forcefully assimilate those Arabs into French culture, even by leveling their cemeteries and imposing Christianity on them, there would not have been mass immigration to its shores. [It is good at this point to remind Sarkozy that the Jews in Algeria were not concerned in the least with the assimilation].
So, instead of accusing Muslim men that they enslave girls and women, the French Mayors, banning the burkini must ponder whether it is not they that are guilty of imprisoning Muslim girls to only watch fathers and brothers enjoying a plunge. | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/burkini-controversy | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/4101bf9c3f90e1a439ee67086570209d10bcb33c8c8400f39438290d860ea048.json |
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] | 2016-08-30T20:50:04 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Finsights-executive-coach-whos-helped-over-150-ceos.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | Insights by an executive coach who's helped over 150 CEOs | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | What got us here won't get us there. Interpersonal skills get more and more important as you climb the corporate ladder. It's not about you. It's about what other people think of you. For the most successful there's no on and off switch for caring and empathy and showing respect. It's always on. They treat everyone equally — and everyone eventually notices. It's best to focus on what's causing the biggest problem among the biggest group of people.
http://www.businessinsider.com/marshall-goldsmith-effective-leadership-2... | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/insights-executive-coach-whos-helped-over-150-ceos | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/880ae77abc0f95a0a2e32e4bc2e9f59377179950160f99cb14cf77d541e15ed0.json |
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] | 2016-08-30T20:50:24 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemauricien.com%2Farticle%2Feliminating-extreme-poverty-mauritius.json | http://www.lemauricien.com/sites/default/files/lemauricien_favicon.ico | fr | null | Eliminating ‘Extreme’ Poverty in Mauritius? | null | null | www.lemauricien.com | While reading an interview of the Minister of Social Integration in the press, I was not convinced at all on how the government was going to avoid a poverty trap and fight ‘extreme’ poverty conjointly through its Marshall Plan that was launched according to the Budget Speech 2016-17. Marshall Plan was the program of economic aid provided by the United States of America (USA) following the Second World War for the reconstruction of European countries and put forward by the United States then secretary of state, General George C. Marshall. The term ‘Marshall Plan’ is used informally to describe a governmental program that gives economic assistance.
What is ‘extreme’ poverty?
The World Bank has defined poverty as ‘pronounced deprivation in well-being.’ Poverty has been distinguished into two types by sociologists; absolute poverty (also referred as ‘extreme’ poverty) and relative poverty. Extreme poverty means people who lack the fundamental requirements (basic needs) such as adequate food, shelter and clothing. Anthony Giddens explains that, ‘It is held that standards of human subsidence are more or less the same for all people of equivalent age and physique, so any individual, anywhere in the world, can be said to live in absolute poverty if this universal standard is not met.’
How do we measure ‘extreme’ poverty?
According to the World Bank, any person living on less than US$ of $1.25 a day in 2005 prices is said to be living in ‘extreme’ poverty and it is measured by the number of people living under such conditions. In Europe, poverty is measured using the ‘Households below Average Income’ which is defined as ‘living on or below 60 percent of median income, either before or after housing costs are removed.’ It is essential to understand that this measure applies to relative poverty only.
Is it the role of the government to fight ‘extreme’ poverty?
As Anthony Giddens said, ‘ Although being poor does not necessarily mean being permanently mired in poverty, effective social policies which maximize the power of human agency will be a key part of any solution’. And we know that it is the role of the government to bring effective social policies. In Mauritius, we can explain poverty using the theory that it is the outcome of structural forces in society instead of blaming poor individuals for their own poverty. Therefore, the government can fight ‘extreme’ poverty if they can tackle inequality. The government has launched a Marshall Plan against Poverty to fight ‘extreme’ poverty though a mechanism of subsistence allowance which will cost the government Rs. 500 million over the transition period of two years. We could have avoided using public funds by dealing directly with the source of the problem and tackle income inequality by preparing a legislation to introduce a National Minimum Wage. The government has preferred to ‘assist and empower poor families’ as stated in the recent budget speech rather than increasing the wage of poor people.
The Paradox
The Minister of Social Integration mentioned in his interview that poverty trap should be avoided; therefore he is aware that the subsistence allowance is likely to trigger one but he has not stated how it can be avoided. Furthermore, in a recent interview given by the Minister on a radio, he candidly stated that in order to attack ‘extreme’ poverty, decent housing has to be provided to the needy ones. However, I wonder how on earth the Honourable Minister will meet the challenge of providing decent housing when this has not been defined neither in any local Act of Parliament nor in any Regulation under any statute or under any law of the land. Moreover while perusing the recent interview of the Minister, one can notice that he did not canvass what action would be taken to convert the noddy housing (Lakaz boîtes d'allumettes) provided by the previous regime into the present regime’s so-called decent housing formula. Therefore, once a government is offering economic aid to the poor in the form of a subsistence allowance, it becomes an assistance, which can also lead to a poverty trap. According to Wikipedia, poverty trap is defined as; ‘any self-reinforcing mechanism which causes poverty to persist’. In other words, poverty trap is a mechanism where people will make less and less effort to earn more money in order to benefit from government’s financial aid.
The Solution
In my opinion, the government should introduce legislation for a National Minimum Wage for workers. The minimum wage of a worker should be equal or more than the revised figures published in the recent Household Budget Survey of Statistics Mauritius (‘which is based on the price of the basic goods needed for human survival in a particular society’ according to Anthony Giddens) in order to reduce income inequality and help a person lead a decent life from his own effort. In the same vein, the government should take initiatives to create more jobs in the manufacturing sector and other industries because like any other countries of the world, a working class population undeniably exists in Mauritius and these people will hardly ever end up with a SC certificate, HSC certificate or even a Bachelor Degree. And, this is how the Minister can avoid a poverty trap and eliminate ‘extreme’ poverty in this country! | http://www.lemauricien.com/article/eliminating-extreme-poverty-mauritius | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.lemauricien.com/bc3dc8ac73285dd7d56a872684447aa78f6d8d9be2f3b2ccc559f946f87f7205.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:49:50 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fresidents-give-thanks-to-our-community%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/residents-give-thanks-to-our-community/ | en | null | Residents give Thanks to our community | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/residents-give-thanks-to-our-community/ | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/545b2363e193811a7d5a928d6cf940f4e0a0000831319fbe67f9e40095123a42.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:54:31 | null | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fdonald-l-king%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/donald-l-king/ | en | null | The Gazette Weekly | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | Donald L. King, 69, formally of Buckner, MO passed away June 4, 2016 in Jackson TN. Visitation was held at 1:00-3:00 p.m. Thursday, June 9, 2016 with services to following at 3:00 p.m., at Speaks Buckner Chapel, 300 Adams Street, Buckner, Missouri 64016. Burial will take place in Buckner Hill Cemetery. Donald was born on September 1, 1946 in Gallatin, MO to Carl Sr. and Wilma (Vanderpool) King. In 1965 Donald enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and proudly served our country until 1969, at which time he transferred to the Reserves and continue to serve until 1971. He was employed for over 28 years with Ronson Machine and Manufacturing in Independence. Donald was the Past President of Masons Lodge #149 in Independence. He enjoyed working in the yard and always had the best lawn in the neighborhood! Don also enjoyed deer hunting and spending time with his family. Survivors include; brother Carl King Jr.; sister Dorothy Yardley; 7 nieces and nephews, and extended family and many friends. Don is preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Harold King. Online condolences may be expressed at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Buckner Chapel 816-650-5555). | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/donald-l-king/ | en | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/51468df67d91415c215f27aec9d747380e4f4466c0040a254223388eb761dc47.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:50:56 | null | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fdoris-louise-young%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/doris-louise-young/ | en | null | Doris Louise Young | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | Doris Louise Young,age 73, passed away on May 22, 2016. A celebration of her life was held at Speaks Buckner Chapel, 300 Adams St. on Thursday, May 26, from 2-5 p.m., with a graveside inurnment immediately following at Buckner Hill Cemetery. Doris was born on August 4, 1942, in Kansas City, MO, to Leonard and Faye (Hall) Kirksey. She attended school in Levasy, MO. She married Robert Lilly, and to this union were born three children. After her children were grown, she became a CNA, and worked as a caretaker in various capacities throughout Indep-endence and Blue Springs. She later married Alan Young, who preceded her in death. Over the past ten years, Doris enjoyed travelling and spending time with her significant other, Dave West. She loved to paint and make crafts, and was very creative and artistic. She was a giving and generous person. She loved to be around her family, and certainly lived life to the fullest. Survivors include her daughter, Vicky Mosburg (husband, Scott); grandchildren, Daniel, Sarah, and Dustin; step-grandchildren, Kori, Sam, and Seth; great-grandchildren, Makenzie, Tanner, Kyler, and Isabella; and many loving nieces, nephews, and other family members who will miss her dearly. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Robert and Alan; son, Raymond; daughter, Deborah; and brothers, Denny and Bill. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the COPD Foundation or the Salvation Army. Online condolences may be left at www.speakschapel. com (Arr: Speaks Chapel 816-373-3600) | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/doris-louise-young/ | en | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/9c4faece853c27aeea1ed52d0283e73cf77355e8aadfc9ca4f927caae893f1de.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:50:23 | null | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fmildred-b-struewe%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/mildred-b-struewe/ | en | null | Mildred B. Struewe | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | Mildred B. Struewe, age 89 of Buckner, MO passed away Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at Centerpoint Medical Center. Services were held, Friday, June 10, 2016 at the Ebenezer United Church of Christ in Levasy, MO 206 W. Old Lexington Rd., Levasy, MO 64066. Burial followed in Ebenezer Church Cemetery. The family greeted friends, Thursday evening at the church. Donations may be made in her name to the Ebenezer United Church of Christ. Mildred was born April 20, 1927 in Buckner, MO to Benjamin Carl and Olinda (Nienkamp) Brockemeyer and has been a life long area resident. She had been a school teacher in the Fort Osage, Buckner and Levasy areas for over 46 years before she retired in 1992. In addition to her love of teaching, she enjoyed playing piano, singing, writing songs and her life on the farm. Her greatest belief in life was to put God first, family second and always serve others. She was a long time member of the Ebenezer United Church of Christ and the Women’s Fellowship at the church, AARP and the MSTA. She is survived by: a son, Nelson Struewe and wife Joan of Grain Valley, MO; a daughter, Nancy Hall and husband Bill of Independence, MO; a brother Eugene Brockemeyer and wife Mildred of Lincoln, NE; 5 grandchildren, Jeremy LaMastres, Carrie Keating, Kimberly Boileau, Heather Struewe, and Nathan Struewe; and 16 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister Loreen Edmondson. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Buckner Chapel (816) 650-5555) | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/mildred-b-struewe/ | en | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/b11c9019244e8fa918a86d9912e3efa4795843e5411ddb418607edb71baf5367.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:51:28 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fbuckner-chamber-of-commerce-meets%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/buckner-chamber-of-commerce-meets/ | en | null | Buckner Chamber of Commerce meets | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/buckner-chamber-of-commerce-meets/ | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/2e069ee8b6ff2238f7db1aed25404b308a475833e193269f05a8bc1b77bd1918.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:47:20 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fwater-district-16s-water-tower-nearing-completion%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/water-district-16s-water-tower-nearing-completion/ | en | null | Water District 16’s water tower nearing completion | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/water-district-16s-water-tower-nearing-completion/ | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/9b118ab7c8382d9a034a0515a8da93996bc3d1a9b40a3c79d8686b5eb44d1c97.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:47:54 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Folympic-silver-medalist-from-wellington%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/olympic-silver-medalist-from-wellington/ | en | null | Olympic silver medalist from Wellington | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/olympic-silver-medalist-from-wellington/ | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/6a8c6d63e577879947acf23c3e4a5e7a9eb0a53ffbfae3ac782f2f461955314f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:54:57 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fschool-has-started%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/school-has-started/ | en | null | School has started | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/school-has-started/ | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/e09ad2dd37be1cddb206b536b5be5e985981729a004de69e7282e4ca94d54b5b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:54:00 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fwellingtons-fair-coming-next-month%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/wellingtons-fair-coming-next-month/ | en | null | Wellington’s Fair coming next month | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/wellingtons-fair-coming-next-month/ | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/6c4d09a4062fcd7687febc5e930ac7b6f7e68580928e517ce6baeddcceb7c54e.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:51:58 | null | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazetteweekly.com%2Fon-line-newspaper-august-17-2016%2F.json | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/on-line-newspaper-august-17-2016/ | en | null | On line newspaper August 17, 2016 | null | null | www.gazetteweekly.com | null | http://www.gazetteweekly.com/on-line-newspaper-august-17-2016/ | en | 2016-07-12T00:00:00 | www.gazetteweekly.com/dc875dc4133837cf184cfb9bd4a561fad36780a347dc9e6cfeeb5d4aea1d87cb.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:58:09 | null | 2016-08-11T15:39:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Fgop-district-19-state-house-candidates.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | GOP District 19 state House candidates | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Below are the answers from the Republican candidates state House District 19 seat, which encompasses all of Putnam County and surrounding counties. The two face off in the August primary. Early voting starts Aug. 17. The primary is Aug. 30. The winner faces Democrat Joe Snodgrass in the general election.
LESLIE DOUGHER
Age: 52
Years living in area: 26 years
Family: Daughter 17, Lyndsay
Education: BS/BA Business Administration Columbia College
Current occupation: Realtor, Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty
Previous employment: Chairman, Republican Party of Florida
Military history: 25 years as a Military Spouse, 4 duty stations and PCS moves
Volunteer history: Chairman, Government Affairs Clay County Chamber of Commerce
Chairman, Small Business Development Center Board – Governor Appointment
Chairman, Clay County Republican Party
Federated Republican Women of Florida, At Large member
Planning and Zoning Commissioner
Haven Hospice Board Member
Orange Park United Methodist Church Board
Lighthouse Learning Board Member
Cattleman Member
Rotarian
Public elected offices: Chairman, Republican Party of Florida
Chairman, Clay County Republican Party
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: Clay County School Board
Other political and government experience: Chairman, Government Affairs for Clay County Chamber of Commerce
Planning Commissioner, Clay County
Endorsements received: National Rifle Association (NRA) A Rating
Unified Sportsman Gun: Pro-Gun Rating
Northeast Florida Board of Realtors (NEFAR)
Florida Association of Realtors (FAR)
Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA)
Clay County Fire/Rescue Local Professionals 3362
Florida Right to Life PAC: Support – A Rating
1. Why should people vote for you? I have a proven track record working for my community and bringing business to northeast Florida. Clay County has experienced tremendous job growth over the past 10 years. Focusing on infrastructure (such as the outer beltway), and advocating for growth has helped northeast Florida and Clay County become thriving communities.
I can advocate for businesses, and help them navigate the issues they face from burdensome regulations, by using my background, knowledge and experience at the state level.
I will use my connections and relationships with local and state business leaders to bring economic development to District 19. Some of the counties within District 19, (Putnam, Bradford and Union), have not had strong leadership in Tallahassee. They deserve and need a strong representative who will focus on infrastructure and economic development.
I am a life member of the National Rifle Association and have received an A grade. I’m also a conceal carry permit holder and will fight tirelessly to advocate for our 2nd Amendment rights. Never before has our country faced this unrelenting threat of terrorism. I am against sanctuary cities and will demand our laws are enforced to keep the citizens of Florida safe.
I will advocate for law enforcement, emergency/fire rescue and correctional employees so that they receive the funding and equipment they need to perform their job to protect the citizens of Florida.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? The corporate lease tax needs to be abolished to create a more business friendly climate. This will attract economic growth to this district.
This district needs viable infrastructure. Its roads, water and sewer systems need upgrades and improvements. The cities and counties of the district are fully aware of their infrastructure demands. They need a representative to help them tap into state resources, including the state rural grants, to help them find the funds to make these improvements.
I will support legislation that preserves, protects and restores our natural water bodies, such as the St. Johns River and Rodman Dam, along with continuing to search for highest and best use of our water. We must be a part of the Northeast Florida delegation to look at policies that preserve our existing water resources and protect the Florida aquafer. District 19 is a district of cities, small towns and a large rural farming community. Water is essential for each of these different areas.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Workers compensation rates will be going up by 20% next year and will affect businesses with more than five employees. My background in Human Resources and Workers Compensation will be an advantage in crafting business friendly legislation to protect business against costly fraudulent claims.
Educational funding is a recurrent issue. I will work to return more money to the counties and allow local control to spend it as they see fit with less strings attached from the state.
I will work with the local communities and state agencies to craft programs that provide community outreach for those in need of medical and dental services within District 19.
The counties need relief from unfunded mandates. I will approach all programs with common sense and core conservative principles.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I would create a working relationship with local governments; define the goals and objectives to be achieved that will best serve District 19. I welcome and encourage suggestions, ideas and feedback from those in the District. I will encourage and engage the constituents to help build a positive future for the community.
I will hold town hall meetings, and maintain regular office hours as well as a newsletter, (electronic and paper), to communicate with constituents on a regular basis.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? My background in community infrastructure development as well as my business background and business degree serves as a foundation for my passion for economic development and job creation. I am convinced that the hope for Florida’s future falls heavily on the opportunity for each Floridian to find a quality job. As a business owner, I am a tireless advocate for helping communities attract new businesses, encourage entrepreneurs, support employers that provide the foundational jobs for the community and provide outstanding training and education so potential businesses have a skilled workforce available and the community has flourishing employment options.
I’m passionate about protecting our 2nd Amendment and support organizations and legislation to assure our rights guaranteed by our Constitution.
BOBBY PAYNE
Age: 58
Years living in area: Life long resident of Palatka
Family: Wife Margie, Step-son Chance Clay, his wife Sara and 6 month old grand-daughter Lillian
Education: Bachelors Degree in Business, JU. MBA, NovaSoutheastern University
Current occupation: Senior Project Development Representative, Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Previous employment: Seminole Electric, 35 years.
Military history: None
Volunteer history:
*Past Chair of the Putnam Chamber of Commerce and 20 plus year Board Member.
*Past President of Sunrise Rotary of Palatka.
*Co-Chair with wife of the ARC of Putnam, 2014 and 2015, fundraising board member.
*Current Community Advisory Board Member of Haven Hospice Robert’s Care Center and original member of the Haven Capital fundraising Committee.
*Member of SJRSC Executive Athletic Board.
*Past Board Member of Treasurer of the United Way of Putnam.
*Past Board Member of LifeSouth Blood Bank.
*Past fundraising chair for the Timaquan Boy Scouts District.
*Numerous other volunteer boards and Charities throughout Putnam County.
*Served on the County Solid waste Advisory Board and Task Force.
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: None
Other political and government experience: Volunteer Capacities only, I support candidates that share common principles of high moral / ethical principles.
Endorsements received: Former State Representative Joe Pickens
Former State Representative Kelley Smith
Former Sheriff Taylor Douglas
Dr. Anand Kuruvilla, First Radiological Oncology Group
State of Florida Chamber of Commerce
Received an “A” Rating from the NRA and “Pro-Gun” from Unified Sportsman
Received an “A” from the Florida Right to Life
Supported by but not formally endorsed by:
*The Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Cattlemen and Florida Fruit and Vegetable Growers.
*Florida Banking Association
1. Why should people vote for you? I’m the ONLY conservative outsider in the race. I've NEVER run for office before. My spouse is NOT a legislator. I’m NOT in any way part of the current system we have today which is badly in need of change. I believe our district needs someone with leadership and business experience that will work hard to improve the economic conditions in our district. Someone who shares our conservative, constitutional and Judeo-Christian values.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them?
Jobs - Good paying jobs is one the biggest ways for us to no longer be one of Florida's poorest counties. We need to protect the jobs and industries we have today and work to attract employers to our area. Our state workers and Correctional Officers have had only one small raise in the past ten years. Educating and training our youth for adult life and promoting a culture of strong families will also greatly help our economy.
Illegal Immigration - We need to ban sanctuary cities in Florida immediately and penalize cities and elected officials who won’t enforce our laws. We need a President who is serious about enforcing the law and we need all levels of government to work together to combat illegal immigration.
Defending the 2nd Amendment - We live in dangerous times and people need to be able to defend themselves. There is no doubt liberals like our President and Hillary Clinton would take away our guns if they could. We must defend the Second Amendment fully.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Judicial Reform - We need term limits for the Florida Supreme Court. Whether it is protecting the unborn, same sex marriage or marginalizing Christianity, the Florida Supreme Court is totally out of control in pushing its liberal agenda by striking down numerous laws passed by the people through the Legislature and the ballot box.
The Rodman Reservoir - We need to protect the Rodman Reservoir. It is a treasure we enjoy locally and it is one of our economic engines. The environmental activists nor the power brokers in downtown Jacksonville will tear down the Rodman on my watch.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I think we need more honesty and transparency in the law making process. If the process is simpler for the average citizen to understand there will be more openness and accountability. Right now the current system has too many ways for the politicians to hide behind or blame others and get nothing done.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? Voters should know that I was raised by conservative parents that moved to Putnam County over 70 years ago. My father was a 40 year veteran of the military, landed D-day plus 3, fought in WWII and returned home where he and my mother raised 4 children with strong Ethical Christian conservative values. I am a Christian and believe in the saving power of Jesus Christ. I grew up here in Palatka. I care deeply about this county and want to see it and my neighbors prosper. I have been married to Margie for the past 19 years and we are excited about our first granddaughter Lillian. Margie and I are members of First Baptist in Palatka.
KATHERINE VAN ZANT
Age: 55
Years living in area: 22 years
Family: Husband- Charles Van Zant, 8 children, 11 grandchildren
Education: Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering, Florida International University. Also have Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, University of Miami and Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Florida State University.
Current occupation: Professional Engineer
Previous employment: Azure Engineering, Inc., my own Engineering Firm
CH2M Hill Engineers, Civil and Environmental Engineering Firm
Military history: We have two sons plus a grandson who have served in the Army, deployed to combat a total of 8 times.
Volunteer history: Current: Long term volunteer Technical Advisory Board Member for Save our Lakes, a regional water resource, community advocacy group of over 600 members.
Founder and continuing facilitator for several fulltime volunteer prison programs serving prisons throughout the region with fulltime volunteer chaplains and an adult literacy facilitator.
Pastor’s wife for Gospel Lighthouse church, a mission church serving the homeless, drug addicts and men and women who have served time in prison.
Saint Johns River Water Management District NFSEG Steering Committee
Previous: City of West Palm Beach Blighted Neighborhood Advocacy Leader.
Boys Club Basketball Coach.
After school literacy program for elementary and middle school children.
Established Prison Beekeeping Vocational Program
Saint Johns River Water Management District MFL Advisory Committee
Public elected offices: no publicly elected offices
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: no previous political campaigns
Other political and government experience: As a Consulting Engineer to City and County governments my background is in working with local and regional governments and helping them meet the needs of their constituents. This includes consulting with them on how they want to grow and what they will need to have in place to provide for that growth. In addition, I have spent the last 8 years interacting with our state government leaders and learning how to effectively pass legislation and address appropriation needs. I will be able to hit the ground running in advocating for Putnam County with our state government.
Endorsements received: FOP, Fraternal Order of Police
Associated Builders and Contractors
First Coast Manufacturers Association
Florida Health Care Association
JaxBiz
Congressman Daniel Webster
Welaka Mayor Gordon Sands
Interlachen Mayor Ken Larsen
1. Why should people vote for you? I have the experience, training and passion to best help Putnam County. I have strong relationships with major business leaders, manufacturers and prominent governmental leaders throughout the state and I’m committed to finding the best opportunities for the future of Putnam County. I also uniquely have the education and technical background to be a leading voice for the water needs of our residents, our farmers, the Saint Johns River and for Saving Rodman Reservoir. Finally, I have a proven history throughout Putnam County of listening to the residents and working hard to fully understand their needs and challenges so that resources can be found to address them.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them?
1) Meeting the Economic Development needs of Putnam County: Jobs, Transportation, Infrastructure. This can be done by providing connections between those in Putnam County who are ready to address the needs in the area and resources from outside the County.
2) Improving Education for Putnam County. I will have focused input on our state educational directives and support NEFEC (the consortium that supports our Putnam County School District).
3) Providing for the Water Resource needs of Putnam County and our State. Considering that our state is projected to be 1.3 billion gallons per day short of water by 2030, we have got to address this problem before our farmers and industries are crippled and the costs for water become overwhelming. This can be addressed with balanced scientific answers to expand our water supply.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Protecting our Second Amendment Rights
Stopping Illegal Immigration
Protecting the lives of Unborn Babies
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? First, I will be open and accessible, spending time throughout the county, listening and responding to the residents. Also, I will hold Town Hall meetings so the residents can have a place to bring their questions and concerns and hear about decisions being made in state government.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? As well as my Engineering background and Small Business ownership, I have spent a great deal of time with Prison volunteer programs, including an award winning Prison Literacy program where we train inmates how to teach other inmates how to read. I am fervent about supporting our Veterans, our Police Officers and our Corrections Officers, the men and women who have laid their lives on the line for each one of us. The FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) recognized my support for our Officers and endorsed my campaign. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/gop-district-19-state-house-candidates | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/b78443f8b5b627c0a0bdadba9cff6c4b2ed8e69532cc9f05571ab68620505801.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:58:33 | null | 2016-08-09T20:07:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Fcounty-commission-democrats-district-5.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | County commission -- Democrats, District 5 | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Board of County Commission District 5 Democratic incumbent E. Walton Pellicer II completed the questionnaire. His opponent, Mary Kay Engelking, did not. Below are the answers from Pellicer. Should Engelking provide answers to the Daily News, her questionnaire will be added. The two face off in the August primary. Early voting starts Aug. 17. The primary is Aug. 30.
E. WALTON PELLICER II
Age: 53
Years living in the area: 53
Family: Two daughters, Brenna, 12, and Payton, 15
Education: K-12 at Putnam County schools
Current occupation: Johnson & Overturf Funeral Home, funeral assistant
Previous employment: Georgia-Pacific, 1983-1974; Walt’s BBQ, 1984-2005; Self-employed, 2005-2007; Elliott Welding, 2007-2012
Military history: Not applicable
Volunteer history: Absolutely worked to help every civic, fraternal, church organization throughout our county with their fundraising efforts all over the county.
Public elected offices: Current District 5 County Commissioner
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: None
Other political and government experience: Not applicable
Endorsements received: Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, local firefighter union (IAFF #3529)
Why should people vote for you: I believe that I am doing the job that I campaigned on saying I would do. I have kept my word and want to continue to work for the betterment of and for the people of Putnam County.
What are the three most important issues you would address if re-elected and how would you address them? 1. Completion of 4-late connector highway system, i.e. 17 and 20. Working with our state Legislature to secure their funding, as well as federal funds where possible.
Continue to promote economic growth by giving incentives to any business that is considering moving here. Good clean commerce should be a top priority.
3. Continue to expand East Palatka water by continuing to lobby in Tallahassee to get state funding.
What other issues do you see as important? 1. Working to drive down our millage rate thereby helping our citizens relieve their budget issues.
2. Working to keep a balanced budget and pushing to do more for our county employees – pay scale and benefits.
What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I don’t know what can be done. There are no secrets, practically everything is public knowledge. One of the things I campaigned on and have done is make our office more user friendly and less red tape. Make it a pleasure to go through the process where government is concerned.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. Never a crime or disciplined by a board. Since elected, I have had an ethics complaint, but it was unfounded and dismissed.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give details. No bankruptcy. Yes, I have and am behind on some taxes, but have been in the past and have caught them up. There are and have been tough economic times, even I have not escaped. But I will not give up. I am a survivor.
Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I am a three-time past master Hastings Masonic Lodge #183, Past Master 1997-1998, 2015. I am the 2016 Putnam County Shriner Club 1st Vice President and was the second vice president in 2015. I serve on the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch Board of Directors. I was co-chairman of the 2014 March of Dimes campaign. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/county-commission-democrats-district-5 | en | 2016-08-09T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/72fa808c4e3ee210c48af7f07bb85cde5b2e665ee816d6be8aa883e8648315f2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:57:44 | null | 2016-08-01T09:33:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Frepublican-superintendent-schools-questionnaires.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | Republican Superintendent of Schools questionnaires | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Below are the answers from Putnam County Superintendent of Schools candidates Phyllis Criswell and Felecia Kelly Nelson. The two face off in the Republican primary. Early voting starts Aug. 17. The primary is Aug. 30.
PHYLLIS CRISWELL
Age: 61
Years living in area: 58
Family: Two grown daughters, both graduated from Palatka High School (summa cum laude-with highest honors) and the University of Central Florida.
Education: Bachelors Degree in Education from the University of Florida; three Masters Degrees from the University of North Florida - 1.) Elementary Education, 2.) School Guidance and Counseling, 3.) Educational Leadership
Current occupation: Putnam County Superintendent of Schools
Previous employment: 31 years with Putnam County School District as a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, principal, director of student services and assistant superintendent.
Military history: None
Volunteer history: March of Dimes Co-chairperson, Rotary Club of Palatka Sunrise service projects, Waterworks Committee, Keep Putnam Beautiful projects
Public elected offices: Superintendent of Schools
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: No
Other political and government experience: School Board meetings and meetings in Tallahassee with legislators and Governor Scott to discuss the needs of Putnam County students.
Endorsements received: None
1. Why should people vote for you? Voters should vote for me because I am the most qualified candidate with the knowledge and experience to make the changes that need to be made. I have already made needed changes throughout our schools:
1.) Cambridge, An advanced studies program in Kindergarten through 12th grade, as an option for parents and students.
2.) A Sixth Grade Center to better prepare our students for the courses required by the state in middle school.
3.) A partnership with St. Johns County School District and First Coast Technical for more vocational choices for our high school students.
4.) Returning Crescent City schools to three schools with traditional grade levels for better learning opportunities.
5.) Added a 6th grade honors class to Melrose Elementary School. Added Cambridge classes to Interlachen Elementary.
6.) Added honors classes to Middleton-Burney Elementary School.
7.) Returned Musical Theater to Putnam County.
8.) Returned Band to Miller Middle School.
Changing to a new, inexperienced superintendent will only stop the positive momentum and change that I have put into place.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? 1. Student Achievement, 2. School Grades, 3. Graduation Rate, Student Achievement and School Grades
To address it:
Working on improving low scores is a district wide focus. All principals will work with their teachers and reading/math coaches to develop a school plan to improve student achievement and their school grade. The plan will involve an in depth analysis of the student scores detailing students’ strengths and weaknesses. This will help teachers at each grade level know where to concentrate their teaching. Teachers and principals will monitor the progress of students, particularly those who are struggling. Principals and teachers will meet with parents to explain their child’s scores and enlist the parent’s help with their child’s learning. Principals will set aside time for teachers to meet and work together on areas of student weakness, and plan classroom teaching strategies that work best with their students. They will use prizes and rewards to help motivate students. The district level administrators will continue to provide targeted training to improve teachers’ skills in engaging instruction that is aligned to the Florida Standards. We will also continue to provide training to principals and reading/math coaches on classroom observation of teachers and strategic feedback to improve instruction and student learning. The district administrators will continue to work with the Region 2 DA Team, assigned by the State Board of Education. This Team will review our student scores, observe classroom instruction with our principals, and provide professional development for teachers and principals. The Team will, based on review of scores and classroom observation, evaluate and determine additional resources for district administrators to provide to schools to enhance the learning environment.
3. Graduation Rates
To address it:
We have developed a plan, with the Region 2 DA team, that was presented to the school board at the July 12,, 2016, meeting. Due to the success of Graduation Coaches in other school districts in Florida, we will hire 3 graduation coaches through Federal Title 1 funds. One coach will work with the schools in each area of the county, concentrating on struggling and at-risk students who are “off path” in grades 3, 6, and 9 through 12. The coaches will work with the schools to determine individual plans for each student to meet their individual needs, whether the needs are academic, economic, or family related. We have also partnered with Academic Innovations and every ninth grade student will participate in a class that is devoted to planning a future that requires graduation and post secondary education. Each 9th through 12th grade student will also have an advisory class period where the teacher will help students monitor their individual progress toward their graduation and life goals. These efforts should also help increase student test scores and school grades.
3. What other issues do you see as important? State testing continues to be a concern, especially with parents across the state. Inadequate state funding of education is a real concern. Florida is 48th in the nation in school funding, and continues to mandate changes and programs to school districts without funding them.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? All school board meetings are open to the public. As an elected official may call or email the school district office for answers to questions or to make an appointment.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? No
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I was raised in Putnam County attended elementary, junior high, and graduated from high school here. I raised my two daughters in Palatka and they both graduated from Palatka High School Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors). My father was a retired Navy Lieutenant who was at Pearl Harbor the morning the Japanese attacked. I have a great love and respect for our military and our veterans!
FELECIA KELLY NELSON
Age: 48
Years living in area: Life
Family: Husband John Nelson Jr. Children Channon, Corey and Deonna
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology Bethune-Cookman University, Master’s Degree in Special Education University of Florida, Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership Nova Southeastern University, currently working on Doctorate in Instructional Leadership Nova Southeastern University. Certified in Educational Leadership (K-12), English Grades (5-9), Exceptional Student Education (K-12), Reading Endorsed
Current occupation: Fulltime Doctoral Student
Previous employment: Putnam County School District, Teacher and Administration, St. Johns River State College, Adjunct Instructor, Palatka Housing Authority Director of Social Services
Military history: None
Volunteer history: Historic Central Academy Preservation and Community Development (President/Board member), Community Partnership for Children (Board Member), Pilot Club of Palatka, Friends of the Ravines (Board Member), Palatka Main Street Inc., Putnam County Homeless Coalition, Putnam County Historic Society, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Putnam County Republican Executive Committee (State Committeewoman and Minority Engagement Chairperson), Republican Club.
Public elected offices: Putnam County State Committeewoman for Republican Party
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: None
Other political and government experience: None
Endorsements received: C.O.R.E (Congress of Racial Equality) Niger Innis, Civil Rights Activist, Blak PAC George Farrell.
1. Why should people vote for you? People should vote for me first and foremost because I am a firm believer in truth, trust, transparency and establishing respectful relationships; elected officials should always be open and honest with the American people. I feel that many elected officials have failed in this area. I am a very genuine, open and honest person and will keep our community well informed and actively engaged with the academic affairs of our school district. The needs of Putnam County are directly aligned with my work history, education and philosophical beliefs. Secondly, in America we are dealing with a new generation of youth, millennials, whose attention will only be gained by someone whom they can relate to and whom can relate to them. I know that my approach to education is better suited in providing millennials of all racial backgrounds with the leadership, guidance and resources they need to move forward in building a stronger Putnam County. Third, for the past two decades there has been a disproportionate percentage of African-American males and females who are below Reading and Math proficiency (3-12) across Putnam County. Currently, there is a disproportionate percentage of African American students who receive disciplinary infractions and are classified as having emotional, behavior and intellectual disorders. According to the Florida Department of Education LEA (Local Education Agency) profile, overall, out of 11, 202 Putnam County students 17% (1,902) are classified as having a disability. This includes students of all racial backgrounds. Many of these students are mainstreamed into regular education classes. Most of my educational career involved working directly with special needs students and assisting teachers with special needs students (when we bring the lowest quartile up that is when the ranking will come up). Fourth, there are a high percentage of parents who are not actively engaged in school activities with their child(ren). Recognizing that there are several barriers as to why this is so, many parents are not engaged with school activities/invitations outside of sports due to a lack of interest in interacting with school personnel and the decisions that are made on the administrative level. I am very active in the communities where many parents who fall into this category live; I understand the different cultures, and have respectful and trusted relationships with this population of parents and their children. Fifth, as a conservative, I believe in balancing a budget that is solid, one that will benefit the educational needs of Putnam County overall. For the past several years I have actively attended School Board, City and County Commission meetings and recognize the strain a poor educational system has on our economy. In order for our school ranking to increase these critical issues will need to be addressed properly. Frivolous spending without a sound strategic plan that speaks directly to the needs of Putnam County students is detrimental to the overall outcome of student achievement and the overarching goals of Putnam County.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? The three most important issues are (1) Lack of teacher leadership and limited school choice (2) Lack of proper professional development in special education (3) Lack of awareness and active engagement for citizens/and tax-payers (which includes parents). First, I would address lack of teacher leadership and limited school choice by providing our teachers with opportunities to collectively establish their own autonomous schools and academic programs, Teacher-Powered Schools; magnet and charter schools thus establishing a more personable, specialized and manageable school environment; an environment that is not competitive but conducive to the vision and goals of Putnam County. There is a misconception that charter schools take away from school funding, however when charter and magnet schools (such as Cambridge) are under the auspice of the Putnam County School District, it strengthens the learning environment by giving students, parents and teachers more educational opportunities. This concept will also open the door to revisiting our priorities regarding salaries, incentives and benefits for teachers and our support staff. This concept will also attract more families thus drawing more funding back into our school system. Second, I would address lack of professional development in special education by equipping our entire school personnel and parents of special needs students with critical training and resources to better meet the needs of students with disabilities; this will require restructuring of the school environment to full-service schools based on allocation, federal and crowd funding. No student or school should go lacking. I personally feel that students with special needs and schools such as E.H. Miller have not received the proper attention that they deserve. This concept will alleviate the many issues we face in Exceptional Student Education. Third, I would address the lack of awareness and active engagement for citizens/and tax-payers by imbedding our schools into the community and into the lives of citizens (meeting citizens where they are). I will propose opening educational facilities and after school programs throughout the county to strengthen our families. I will also propose a Parent University, mentoring programs, business incubator, and other opportunities offered by the Florida Department of Education and other organizations that we have failed as a school district to take advantage of. Community engagement and awareness in each municipality (township) on the part of the superintendent and school personnel will play a critical role in student achievement thus advancing our economy overall.
3. What other issues do you see as important? There is a need to revisit healthcare costs. We will also need to take a more analytical look at administrative costs/allocations. Both healthcare and administrative costs decrease teacher salaries as well as the salaries of other school personnel (i.e. maintenance, custodian, para-professionals, data clerks etc.). These is a strong need to recognize and award all school personnel for their professional growth; their many accomplishments/performance throughout the year; social events and festivals will be planned for our school personnel so that they will feel the recognition of their efforts. There is also a need to provide more attention and funding/stipends for our athletic department and coaches. Athletics are associated with health, wellness and fitness. Placing more attention on this department provides an opportunity to strengthen our coaches and student athletes academically, physically, mentally as well as socially. Structured study halls and activities for student athletes will be established to assist teachers in and parents in developing our Putnam County athletes. There is a need for open discussions/dialogue on the school level regarding these critical issues in formal/informal settings for school personnel to become more interested and involved in planning and advocating for recognition of their professional growth, salaries/benefits and preferred administrative costs/allocations; based on the needs of their individual schools.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? The specific steps I would take are (1) Forming: Provide the public with various development opportunities to learn about government, seek inspiration and motivation techniques to increase learning more about government, (2) Storming: establish public alliances to stay abreast on government issues that are affecting the community, seek out similar alliances in other counties and also seek external supports (3) Norming: develop, improve, refine and cultivate skills and dispositions regarding alliances and accessibility (4) Performing: Participate, assess and plan for future growth and involvement in government affairs, and (5)Transforming: Serve as a resource for others who might be interested in government affairs. Government officials are actively involved in the process therefore making government more open and accessible to the public.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. None
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. I have never filed for bankruptcy and yes I have paid taxes late however taxes were paid within reasonable time without affecting my family assets.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? My mother, myself and my younger brother and sister lived in public housing (the projects) in Palatka for 13 years. My mother worked a full-time dead end job at a local dry cleaners and received public assistance (food stamps, medicaid ect.). I watched my mother walk to work before purchasing a car. I watched her struggle to take care of me and my siblings. Although I did not raise my three children in public housing, I too was a single parent receiving public assistance until I decided I wanted better. I enrolled in college, graduated, started my career in social services and eventually crossed over to the field of education. I now have a wonderful husband of 9 years, I hold three college degrees and currently working on a fourth, two of my children are in college (bachelor and doctoral) and one is a sergeant in the military. My mother eventually beat the odds, and became successful in her career working in family child care; my younger siblings are also well educated and established in their careers. My message to single parents, young parents, widow/ers and those who might be struggling to make ends meet in any form or fashion with children or grandchildren to raise; prayer, a sound education, determination, self-responsibility and perseverance can make all the difference. I never thought I would be running for Superintendent of Schools. However, such a purpose and calling on my life confirms that my mother and my struggle were not in vain; it allows me to be a guide, a role model and inspiration for others no matter what their racial background is or rather they are old or young. My life is a living testimony that in spite of the circumstances; you can overcome obstacles. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/republican-superintendent-schools-questionnaires | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/1e77dfa1dac5718b7e152190614adc11f56c2cf4f4a24161483743190d623aa7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:59:26 | null | 2016-08-10T13:32:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Fgop-sheriff-candidates.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | GOP Sheriff Candidates | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Below are the answers from Republican candidates for Putnam County sheriff Brent Coates, Jon Kinney, Thomas T. Tipton and Tom Williams. Early voting starts Aug. 17. The primary is Aug. 30.
BRENT COATES
Age: 55
Years living in area: 19 – I was transferred to Putnam County in June of 1997 from Miami.
Family: Married my high school sweetheart, we have a daughter and son-in-law, a son, a granddaughter, a grandson and three grandpuppies
Education: High School: Poca High School, Poca, West Virginia
College: Barry University, Port St. Lucie, Florida, Bachelor Degree GPA 3.62
Florida State University, Graduate Level – Special Student – 4 Semester Hours
Florida State University, Florida Center for Public Management, Certified Public Manager – CPM Program
Criminal Justice Training
Academies: West Virginia State Police Academy, Institute, West Virginia, GPA 90.61
Florida Highway Patrol Academy, Tallahassee, Florida, GPA 94.86
Leadership Training:
FBI Great Lakes Leadership Seminar #14
Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO)
DHSMV 11th Management Fellows Class
Homeland Security – Use of Force Workshop
Line Supervision
Middle Management
R.A.C. Executive Leadership
Developing Law Enforcement Managers
Human Relations and Stress Reduction
Tactical Operations Command
Staff Inspections
Investment in Excellence
National Highway Institute - Incident Command
Use of Force
Affirmative Action/EEOC
Channeling Employee Behavior
Employee Performance
Ethics in Leadership
How to Handle People with Tact and Skill
Civil Liability Seminar
State L. E. Response to School Shootings
Risk Management for L. E. Managers
Homeland Security – Incident Command System
Homeland Security – Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
Homeland Security – NIMS Resource Management
Homeland Security – National Response Plan
Certified Instructor Training:
Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO) Faculty Development
Firearms Instructor Course
Instructor Techniques
Chemical Agent Instructor
Defensive Tactics Instructor
First Responder Instructor
Basic Law Enforcement Instructor
Cooper Aerobics Law Enforcement Instructor
DWI Instructor
American Heart Association Affiliate Faculty
Basic Life Support/CPR Instructor
CPR Instructor Trainer
CPR Update
Human Diversity Instructor Concepts
Field Training Officer:
Seminar for FTO
Administrative, Management and Supervision of FTO
FTO Program Development and Implementation
FTO Management Course
FTO Civil Liabilities
Crash Investigation:
Traffic Homicide Investigation
Seat Belt Injuries
Drug & Narcotics Training:
Selective Drug Patrol
Drug Abuse and Awareness Education
Narcotics Identification and Investigation
Search and Seizure
Prescription Drug Abuse
Hazardous Materials:
Update on Explosives
Toxicology of Chemicals
Identification of Cylinders
Infectious Substance and Bloodborne Pathogens
Hazardous Waste
Incident Command
Drug and Alcohol Recognition
Gas Cylinder Construction
Miscellaneous Courses:
Basic SWAT Course
9MM Transitional
Spanish for Law Enforcement Officers
VASCAR Operator
RADAR Operator
LASER Operator
Mandatory Retraining
DEA Gang Seminar
Police Officer Survival
Street Survival
Officer Survival
PR-24 Certification
FCIC Telecommunications
Human Diversity
Introduction to Office Automation
Personal Computer Starter
Introduction to Personal Computers
Haz-Mat First Responder
Florida Crime Information Center
Aggressive Driving Summit
Emergency Cardiac Care Workshop
Child Passenger Safety Technician
Breathalyzer Operator
Intoxilyzer Operator
Standardized Sobriety Testing
Breathalyzer/Intoxilyzer Requalification
GLOCK Transitional Course
Current occupation: Retired
Previous employment: Chief of Police, City of St. Albans Police Department, February 14, 2011 to November 18, 2011, St. Albans, West Virginia
Florida Highway Patrol, March 21, 1983 to March 21, 2011, Tallahassee, Florida
Ranks Held: Trooper I, Trooper II, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major – Troop Commander, Major – Chief of Training - Academy Director
Leadership experience:
University of North Florida – IPTM (Institute of Police Technology and Management) (Contracted)
Adjunct faculty instructor in the Criminal Justice curriculum for municipal, county, state, federal and military L. E. Officers at various locations throughout the United States, responsible for developing, administering and executing lesson plans in an effective learning environment
Florida Highway Patrol – 28 years of service - Retiring as a Lt. Colonel
Director – Chief of Training – Florida Highway Patrol Training Academy – Major
Leading, managing, directing and overseeing the Basic, In-service, Mandatory, Advanced and Specialized training of all sworn, reserve and auxiliary members. To include the Recruitment, Applicant Testing, Background Investigation and Selection of all sworn members. Develop and maintain liaison with Region XV, State, Federal and Local allied agencies. Creating and fostering partnerships in allied agencies as they related to training. $11.5 million budget. Executive SME for the Promotional Committee,
Major – Troop Commander – Troop F - Bradenton
Leading, managing, directing and overseeing the patrol operations of Troop F, the southwest ten counties of the State, with 3-District Offices, 3-Sub District Offices and a Regional Communication Center, 206-FTE, $10 million budget, established strategic plans, ensured compliance with CALEA Standards, maintained high level of discipline, worked closely with PBA (collective bargaining), Office of Personnel, Employee Relations and Legal relating to personnel matters, Creating and fostering partnerships in allied agencies as they related to traffic safety. Executive SME for the Promotional Committee,
Major – Troop Commander – Troop K - Orlando
Leading, managing, directing and overseeing the patrol operations of Troop K (Florida Turnpike Enterprise), 16-counties throughout Florida, 3-District Offices, 4-Sub District Offices and a Regional Communication Center, 274 FTE, $12.6 million budget, compliance with purchasing requirements, compliance with State and Federal overtime grant initiatives, established strategic plans, ensured compliance with CALEA Standards, maintained high level of discipline, worked closely with PBA (collective bargaining), Office of Personnel, Employee Relations and Legal relating to personnel matters, established and maintained liaison with allied municipal, county, state and federal agencies, . Creating and fostering partnerships in allied agencies as they related to traffic safety. Executive SME for the Promotional Committee,
Captain – District Commander – Troop G - Palatka
Leading, managing, directing and overseeing the three county Palatka District of Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns County, with 1-District Office and 1-Sub District Office, 32-FTE, Troop CALEA coordinator, Troop Evidence Custodian, Northern Region Tactical Response Team Commander, SME for Promotional Committee, compliance with purchasing requirements, compliance with State and Federal overtime grant initiatives, established strategic plans, ensured compliance with CALEA Standards, maintained high level of discipline, worked closely with PBA (collective bargaining), Office of Personnel, Employee Relations and Legal relating to personnel matters, established and maintained liaison with allied municipal, county, state and federal agencies, . Creating and fostering partnerships with allied agencies as they related to traffic safety. Founding chairman of the Putnam County Community Traffic Safety Team
Captain – District Commander – Troop E - Miami
Leading, managing, directing and overseeing District I, encompassing northeast Miami-Dade County, with 67-FTE, the Robbery Interdiction Detail Coordinator, compliance with purchasing requirements, compliance with State and Federal overtime grant initiatives, established strategic plans, ensured compliance with CALEA Standards, maintained high level of discipline, worked closely with PBA (collective bargaining), Office of Personnel, Employee Relations and Legal relating to personnel matters, established and maintained liaison with allied municipal, county, state and federal agencies, . Creating and fostering partnerships in allied agencies as they related to traffic safety.
Lieutenant – FHP Training Academy – Troop Q - Tallahassee
FHP Training Academy Staff member, assigned instructor duties for Basic, Mandatory, Advanced and Specialized Training for sworn members, the Statewide Coordinator for Hazardous Materials, Medical First Responder, CPR, Field Training Officer Program, Legislative Liaison for pending DUI legislation, Statewide DUI Technical Committee
Sergeant – District Supervisor – Troop L - Stuart
First line supervisor for the Ft. Pierce District four County of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie County, directly supervising 12-FTE, responded to critical incidents, unusual traffic crashes and traffic crashes involving serious injury or fatalities, alternate evidence custodian, District FTO Coordinator, Special Response Team Squad Leader, compliance with purchasing requirements, monthly inspections, annual performance appraisals,
Traffic Homicide Investigator – Troop L - Stuart
Responded to and investigated traffic crashes involving serious bodily injuries or fatalities, documenting and preserving critical evidence for criminal prosecution, preparing in-depth investigations for criminal prosecution or civil court proceedings, attending autopsies
Duty Stations:
Troop E – Miami
Troop L – Ft. Pierce
Troop L – Stuart
Troop Q – Tallahassee
Troop E – Miami
Troop G – Palatka
Troop K – Orlando
Troop F – Bradenton
Troop Q – Tallahassee
Special Duties to include:
Training Academy Recruit School Counselor/Instructor
77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 81st, and 82nd Recruit Schools
Rest Area Concentrated Enforcement (R.A.C.E.) Task Force
Gainesville Homicide Task Force
Martin County DUI Task Force
Hurricane Andrew Task Force
Statewide DUI Technical Committee
DHSMV Representative for Senate and House Committee
Sub-committee on Pending DUI Legislation
Inspector in Place – Office of Staff Inspections – Troop K
Troop G “Troop” Evidence Custodian
Troop G CALEA Coordinator
Northeast Florida Tactical Response Team (TRT) Commander
Subject Matter Expert (SME) Promotional Committee
Subject Matter Expert (SME) Promotional - Executive Committee
Subject Matter Expert (SME) DUI
Disaster Relief Response Team (DART) Statewide Commander
Value-Jet Crash (FHP) Shift Commander
Am-Trak Derailment (FHP) Incident Commander
Statewide DUI Coordinator
Statewide Haz-Mat Coordinator
Statewide Field Training Officer (FTO) Coordinator
Statewide Medical First Responder Coordinator
Statewide CPR Coordinator
Ft. Pierce District, Troop E & G, FTO Coordinator
FTO Revision Committee - Chairman
FTO Sergeant’s Committee - Chairman
Ft. Pierce District Wrecker Inspector
Troop L Safety School Bus Inspector
Robbery Interdiction Detail (FHP) Commander
Olympic Torch (1996) Dade County Detail Commander
Recognition
1991 – Palm Beach Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
1994 – State Awards Committee Award
1996 – Letter from Governor Chiles – Value Jet Crash
1997 – G.E.M. Award
1998 – Florida Distinguished Service Award – Wild Fires
1999 – Florida State Traffic Officer of the Year – IPTM/FDOT
1999 – Buckle-Up Florida – Traffic Safety
1999 – Buckle-Up Florida – Enforcement Campaign
1999 – M.A.D.D. Beyond Call of Duty Award
1999 – Governor’s Mentoring Initiative
2000 – Governor’s Mentoring Initiative
2001 – FDOT 1st Place Occupant Safety Award – Buckle-Up Florida
1980 to present (24) twenty-four letters of commendation
1980 to present (40) forty letters of appreciation
South Charleston Police Department
4th Avenue and “D” Street
South Charleston, West Va. 25301
Rank held: Patrolman
Indian River Community College
3223 Virginia Avenue
Ft. Pierce, Florida 34950
Rank held: Adjunct Faculty Member – Police Academy
North Florida Junior College
Madison, Florida
Rank held: Adjunct Faculty Member – Police Academy
Institute of Police Technology and
Management (IPTM) – University
Of North Florida
12000 Alumni Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32224
Rank held: Adjunct Faculty Member
Military history: None
Volunteer history: Community Leadership Roles
President Phoenix Republican Club
Rotary District 6970 Area 9 Governor
Rotary District 6970 Sergeant-At-Arms
Rotary District 6970 Governor Elect
Rotary Club Palatka Sunrise – Centennial President
United Way of Putnam County - President
United Way of Putnam County - Board of Directors
Putnam County Community Traffic Safety Team – Founding Chairman
The Lee Conlee House - Board Member
Putnam Community Medical Center Board of Trustees
Boy Scouts of America Northeast Florida Council Vice Chairman Timucua District
Putnam County Republican Executive Committee
Charter President of the Putnam Republican Club
American Cancer Society – Celebrity Waiters
Putnam County Safety Council – Board of Directors
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce – Associate Member
St. Johns River Community College Police Advisory Board - Executive Committee
Northeast Florida Law Enforcement Security Council
Civic Groups & Community Involvement
Rotary Club of Palatka Sunrise since 1998
Awards or Recognition:
“Rookie of the Year”
Service Above Self (2)
Distinguished Service Award
Premier Club
Rotary International Presidential Citation
Offices held:
Sergeant at arms (3)
Treasurer
Vice President
President
Board Director (8)
Assistant District Governor (2)
District Sergeant at arms
Area Governor
District Governor Nominee
District Governor Elect
American Cancer Society – Celebrity Waiter Fundraiser – 1999 Batman, 2000 Robin, 2001 SWAT, 2002 Spiderman, 2003 Spiderman, 2004 Batman, 2006 Batman, 2007 Spiderman
The Lee Conlee House (domestic violence shelter) – Board of Directors
Board of Trustees – Putnam Community Medical Center
United Way of Putnam County – Board of Directors & President
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
Habitat for Humanity- Interlachen build
Putnam County Community Safety Team – founding Chairman
Putnam County Safety Council - Board Member
Masonic Lodge – Washington Lodge #58
Florida Sheriff’s Association
Florida Police Chief’s Association
Florida Association of State Troopers
American Association of State Troopers
National Rifle Association
Northeast Florida Law Enforcement Security Council
St. Johns River Community College Police Advisory Board - Executive Committee
St. Johns County Community Safety Team
Interlachen Little League & Babe Ruth Association – Board of Directors
Price Middle School - Parent Teacher Organization
Assistant Coach – Gainesville Gold – 14 Under Girls Fastpitch Softball
Assistant Coach – Gainesville Gold – 16 Under Girls Fastpitch Softball Team
Assistant Coach – Gainesville Gold – 18U Girls Fast pitch Softball
Assistant Coach – Gainesville Gold – 10U Girls Fast pitch Softball Team
Head Coach – Gainesville Gold – 10U Girls Fast pitch Softball Team
Head Coach – Gainesville GATORS 12U Girls Fast pitch Softball Team
Head Coach – Gainesville Warriors 18U High School Division Girls Fast pitch Softball Team
Interlachen High School Football Booster Club
Interlachen High School Baseball Dugout Club
Interlachen High School Assistant Coach – junior varsity & varsity softball team
West Virginia Chief of Police Association
St. Albans Drug Task Force
St. Albans Public Safety Committee
Metro Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team (MDent) – board of directors
Kanawha County Commission Public Safety Grant Committee
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: Yes two, 2004 eliminated in the primary election and in 2012 winning the Republican primary and eliminated in the general election for Sheriff
Other political and government experience: None
Endorsements received: None
1. Why should people vote for you? There are several reasons our voters should vote for me.
I have never been employed by, associated with or volunteered for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. The majority of my law enforcement experience is with the Florida Highway Patrol and instructing with the University of North Florida’s Institute of Police Technology and Management. I do not have any hidden agendas, alliances or favoritism toward the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office or any of its members. This allows me to bring a breath of fresh air, new ideas and a global view for the delivery of professional law enforcement services to our community.
When you compare my experience with all of the other sheriff candidates it is clear I possess the highest level of education, training, leadership and command experience, the most actively involved in our community and the strongest family foundation.
My law enforcement career spans nearly thirty-two years of full time law enforcement experience, the majority with the Florida Highway Patrol, with twenty years in a leadership capacity including fifteen years at a command level and four years at an executive command level.
My education includes a Bachelor Degree from Barry University, a Certified Public Management certification from the Florida State University’s Florida Center for Public Management, over 3,000 hours of classroom training in law enforcement and criminal justice. I applied for and was selected as a Fellow for the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles Management executive leadership Fellows program.
Since moving to Putnam County in 1997 I have been actively involved in various civic groups or organizations volunteering my time to serve and help those less fortunate. I have been a member of the Rotary Club of Palatka Sunrise since 1998 serving and participating on the Scholarship Committee, the Heart and Sole Project at various elementary schools, Secret Santa Project at the Palatka Health Center, the annual Senior Luncheon at the Putnam County Fair, the annual Thanksgiving luncheon at the ARC, Vocational Service Awards and the Disaster Relief Team, where we traveled to Moss Point, Mississippi providing meals to those devastated by hurricane Katrina. I have served as a board member and President of the United Way of Putnam County, the Board of Trustees for the Putnam Community Medical Center, the Board of Directors for the Lee Conlee House and the American Cancer Society’s Celebrity Waiters as “Batman” to name a few.
My high school sweetheart and I have been married for thirty-three years. We were blessed to have raised a daughter and son. Our daughter has a bachelor degree in the medical field and our son has a vocational certification in the HVAC field. Our family has grown to include a son-in-law, a granddaughter, a grandson and three grandpuppies.
My experience, education, training, community service and family foundation all qualify me as the best candidate for Putnam County Sheriff.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? The three most important issues currently facing the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office are the recruitment and retention of qualified Deputies, the lack of diversity within the employees and the lack of sustainable outreach programs to the community.
A standard human resource practice is to conduct exit interviews with employees who decide to separate from employment. The best practice is a face to face interview, followed by either an electronic or written version several days after separation. These exit interviews can provide an invaluable insight why employees leave the agency.
A review of the exit interviews for the past twenty-four to sixty months would provide an essential snapshot identifying the specific reasons members have separated.
Another valuable tool is a “climate survey” where we interview current employees to identify what incentives motivate them to stay and negative factors motivating them to separate from employment.
After reviewing the exit interviews and climate survey interviews we will establish a list of the top five negative factors motivating members to separate from the Department.
We will establish “Quality Circles” to provide the ability to create strategies identifying specific goals and objectives to reduce the attrition rate, increase our retention rate and recruit new members. We will solicit current employees to volunteer to serve on the Quality Circles. Once those strategies have been finalized we will publicize those strategies the County Commission and the community.
Penn State University and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted a survey several years ago identifying the top ten reason officers left agencies. Although pay was identified as a factor it was seldom the top factor. Other factors were respect, appreciation, recognition and being allowed to have a voice in matters directly affecting them.
Two primary issues identified for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is the low starting salary for both Deputies and Communication Dispatchers.
For the past seven years at the end of the fiscal year the Sheriff’s Office has returned unused budgeted funds to the commission as an act of “good faith”.
The amount of funds returned to the commission varies from $400,000 to $800,000 depending upon the fiscal year.
Instead of returning all of the unused funds to the commission use a portion to provide our employees with an annual bonus. Provide a bonus of $2,000 to all sworn members, $1,500 to communications personnel, $500 to all support personnel and in “good faith” still return $200,000 or more to the commission. Obviously the amount varies depending upon fiscal year but we need to take care of our members.
The Federal mandates for employer healthcare coverage have driven premium rates up. To provide the best healthcare coverage at an equitable cost to our members we need to solicit bids from competitive vendors for the lowest premiums.
We will determine whether to stay in the Putnam County employee healthcare group, as a standalone group becoming self-insured, partner with other groups through either the Florida Sheriff’s Association or the National Sheriff’s Association or with the State of Florida Department of Management Services. The alternative providing the best coverage for our members at an affordable premium will be awarded the contract for our members.
There is a lack of diversity in the leadership positions within the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. The entire command staff, the rank of Captain and above, the middle the management positions, rank of Lieutenant and the line supervisors, Sergeants, are all white male. There are no females, African American, Hispanic or Asians in the law enforcement leadership positions in the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and that is not reflective of our community. The Correction Division has limited diversity in the Lieutenant and Sergeant ranks but they have no contact or interaction with the community outside the confines of the jail.
The best way to obtain diversity in leadership is by creating a leadership mentoring program. The program will target and identify specific members who have the desire to become visionary leaders. It will provide direct mentoring at the various ranks, training opportunities in leadership, supervision and management best practices. This will allow us to develop strong visionary leaders for the future.
There is a lack of outreach programs provided for the community. Outreach programs allow us to educate the community in crime trends, crime prevention techniques or methods, create partnerships and identify strengths and weaknesses for the delivery of professional law enforcement services.
Outreach programs provide an invaluable resource for making our community safer at little or no costs.
Such programs include could include FLEETWATCH , NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH groups, DRUG AWARENESS, EDUCATION & RECOVERY programs, TEEN COURT program, etc.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Several other issues affecting Putnam County directly related to the Sheriff’s Office is animal control, protecting our youth, domestic violence, drugs and unreported agricultural thefts.
The issue of stray and abandoned cats and dogs is a both public health and safety concern. The implementation of a “PAWS on Parole” program utilizing a portion of the old jail while creating a partnership with the Humane Society of Northeast Florida, Putnam County Animal Control, the Florida Department of Corrections East Palatka and the Corrections Division of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office will ease that concern. It will mirror the program already in place in Alachua County. The program will utilize inmates for the proper care and training of animals better preparing them for adoption and significantly reducing them from being euthanized.
The greatest asset in Putnam County is our children and we need to do more to protect them. We will place a uniform deputy and marked patrol car at every school throughout the Putnam County. Working in partnership with the school superintendent and school board members to implement the D.A.R.E. Drug Awareness Resistance Education program for all 5th graders, the G.R.E.A.T. Gang Resistance Education and Training for all Middle and High School Students, a Cyberbullying Prevention Program, a Human Trafficking Prevention Program. These programs will pay dividends in the future by protecting our children today.
Creating a partnership with our local State Attorney’s Office, our County and Circuit Court Judges to adopt a “Teen Court” for first time youthful offenders. Teen Court is comprised teens participating in the role of judge, prosecutor, defense attorney and jury at the guidance of a coordinator. Teen Court is a deferred prosecution option program for first time youthful offenders who are charged with minor, non-violent, crimes. Their peers will determine consequences for their actions, which could include letters of apology, community service, restitution to victims or other penalties deemed by appropriate by the court. Once the offender has successfully complied with the program their charges are deferred and they then become part of the Teen Court. Teen Court allows offenders who have made a bad choice to have a deferred prosecution in lieu of having a criminal record which could potentially prevent them from joining the military, entering into college or obtaining a job.
Overwhelming throughout the community is the concern over illegal drug activity. The drug activity in Putnam County is not solely a law enforcement issue, it is a societal issue and we cannot arrest our way out of it. The first step is the education, awareness and prevention programs for not only our children but everyone in the community. The second step is the creation of a Drug Task Force with representatives from the Sheriff’s Office, all the Police Departments in the County, the Health Department, the School District, the Hospital Emergency Room Personnel, the Churches and Addiction Recovery Programs. The Task Force will identify specific concerns creating strategies and solutions to address illegal drug activities. The quality of life in Putnam County is linked directly to our illegal drug activities. The third step is aggressive enforcement and zero tolerance for street level illegal drug activities.
Putnam County has one of the highest rates of Domestic Violence per capita of any County in the State of Florida. We will establish a zero tolerance for domestic violence. When our Deputies respond to a domestic violence incident and probable cause exists they will make an arrest regardless of if the victim signs an affidavit to prosecute or not. Our victim’s advocate will follow up with the battered victim and working with the Lee Conlee House coordinate counseling and assistance.
Each year throughout Putnam County hundreds of thousands of dollars in unreported crimes and vandalism are committed against our Ranchers, Farmers and Foresters. We will mirror a “Ranch and Grove” program from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office established over thirty years ago to combat agricultural thefts in the citrus industry. The program will coordinate efforts from the Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Cattleman’s Association, the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission and Forestry Service identifying and documenting agricultural thefts or vandalism to develop criminal cases for arrest and prosecution.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? With the exception of confidentiality for records or information provided by Florida State Statutes the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office should be open and accessible to the public.
The easiest way to accomplish accessibility is through the use of social media with a Facebook Page, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other media forms designed to inform.
Communications with the public is an essential key to creating trust between the public and law enforcement.
With the use of Federal Asset Sharing Funds, Department of Justice Byrne Grants and Homeland Security Grant funding every uniformed member will be outfitted with a body camera. It is not a matter of if body cameras will become mandated State law it is a matter of when. There is a lack of trust between law enforcement and the communities we serve. The use of body cameras will assist law enforcement in rebuilding trust with the community. It also provides invaluable information identifying the strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of professional law enforcement services.
At least on a quarterly basis we will hold “Town Hall Meetings” in various locations throughout Putnam County. The purpose of the meetings is to exchange information between law enforcement and community members but most importantly to listen and identify issues or concerns from our citizens.
For nearly twenty years Deputy Bruce Meade with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has successfully conducted a “Citizen’s Police Academy” for residents helping to create a better understanding of the role of law enforcement. We will implement a “Citizen’s Police Academy” mirroring the Manatee County program to assist us in establishing trust and creating transparency in delivery of services.
A great resource for exchanging information, identifying issues or concerns is the participation in the Putnam County “Ministerial Associations”. Members will be assigned as a liaison for each association.
“Neighborhood Watch Programs” are an invaluable resource for engaging our citizens in identifying suspicious or criminal activity in their respective neighborhoods. A patrol deputy will be assigned as the liaison between the Watch Program and the Sheriff’s Office so citizens have direct contact with a member who is familiar with their geographical area.
The creation of an “Advisory Board” selected with members from various locations throughout Putnam County to advise us on current or potential issues or concerns arising in the community.
Assigning members as “Community Outreach Liaisons” for our African American, Hispanic, Asian and LGPTQ communities to establish open lines of communication helping to build trust and understanding.
Allow “Ride-Along Program” where citizens can ride in the right front seat with patrol deputies during their shifts experiencing firsthand the professional delivery of service our members provide to the community.
Adopt “Community Policing Concepts” as the cornerstone for all operations throughout the Sheriff’s Office.
Contact and partner with the cellphone providers in Putnam County to “Create Mobile Apps” to create immediate access to information needed by the public.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? My father was a career Army enlisted man serving two tours of duty in Vietnam and retiring as a Command Sergeant Major after 21 years of service.
My mother has spent her entire life serving others and the majority of her adult life she was a police dispatcher.
I met my wife in Ms. Hodges American Literature Class during the second semester of my junior year in high school.
My favorite TV show as a child was “Adam-12” because it showed professional law enforcement in its truest sense.
My favorite TV as an adult is “Survivor” because it has many similarities to being a candidate for an elected office.
My favorite author is Michael Connolly because his books have both mystery and criminal aspect and he has a Florida connection.
The last book I read was “Rules for a Knight” by Ethan Hawke, a nice guide to live your life by.
My favorite place to eat is Sonny’s Barbeque.
My favorite desert is chocolate cone from Dairy Queen.
My greatest accomplishment in life is being a parent and a grandparent.
JON KINNEY
Age: 51
Years living in area: 45
Family: Wife: Becki Kinney; Sons: Jackson Lee Kinney (20, heavy equipment mechanic) and Daniel Kinney (22, student at Liberty University) and Rev. Jesse Kinney (father) and Pat Kinney (mother) (both deceased); Linda (sister) and Robert Fryer; David (brother) and Katrina Kinney
Education: Palatka High School—graduated 1983
St. Augustine Vo-Tech: Law Enforcement Certification—1984
Kaplan College: A.S. in Criminal Justice—2004
Flagler College: B.S. in Public Administration—2008
I have completed the following continuing professional education during my 29 years in law enforcement:
Agency Inspector Course
Breath Test Instructor Course
Breath Test Operator Renewal Course
Case Preparation and Court Presentation
Certified Law Enforcement Motorcycle Officer
CMS General Instructor Transition Course
CMS General Instructor Update Course
Community and Human Relations
Criminal Law
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Field Training Officer
General Instructor Refresher Course
Laser Speed Measuring Device (LSDM) Instructor Transition Course For Radar Instructors
Line Supervision
Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Investigations
Radar Speed Measurement Instructors Training Course For Law Enforcement Officers
School Resource Officer
Supervision of the Youthful Offender
Traffic Homicide Investigation
Current Occupation: On June 29, 2015, I resigned from my position as Sergeant with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in order to run for Sheriff. This was done to avoid any conflict or accusation of campaigning while being paid by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
Previous employment: Palatka Police Department: 1986–1987
Crescent City Police Department: 1987–1989
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office: 1989–2015
Instructor at St. Johns River State College: 2004–Present
Military history: None
Volunteer History: American Cancer Society Relay for Life
American Diabetes Tour De Cure Bicycle Race
Christ Independent Church Youth Mission Trip
Christ Independent Methodist Church—Youth Leader
College Park Baptist Church Youth Mission Trip
Dunn’s Creek Baptist Church Building and Grounds Committee
Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Summer Camp
Habitat for Humanity
Keep Putnam Beautiful
Mothers Against Drunk Driving—Camp Instructor
Palatka Christian Service Center
Palatka Elks Club
Palatka Little League Baseball
Palatka Police Athletic League
Palatka Pop Warner Football
Project Lighthouse Autistic and Alzheimer’s Locating and Tracking—Board Member
Putnam County Police Athletic League
Sheriff’s Office Explorer Unit
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church—Youth Leader
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: None
Other political and government experience: Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation—Assessor
Endorsements received: International Ironworkers Association
1. Why should people vote for you? I believe my resume shows I am the best educated, most qualified, and most experienced candidate seeking office as Putnam County Sheriff.
My family moved to Putnam County in 1971. Inspired by my family’s dedication to service in many capacities, I personally started my journey of serving and protecting the citizens of Putnam County after graduating from the Police Academy in 1984 and beginning my career in law enforcement in 1986. This position began my journey of over twenty-nine years’ experience, preparation, and education to earn the trust and respect of the citizens of Putnam County, with the goal of becoming Sheriff in 2016.
With this goal in mind, I was able to keep my focus on integrity while serving the community. Laying my head on the pillow at night with a clear conscience is very important to me.
I know the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and its inner workings. I am familiar with the budget and the issues surrounding the finances of Putnam County. I am confident I will make the necessary changes to benefit the citizens and members of the Sheriff’s Office of Putnam County.
My plan to reduce crime and place more Deputies on patrol will be evident from day one.
Our county desperately needs leadership, transparency, integrity, and professionalism. My goal is to bring these qualities to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected, and how would you address them?
(1) Law Enforcement Salaries and Retention of Employees. This is VERY important for many reasons. When Deputies do not remain with our agency for any length of time, we become an agency full of under-trained and inexperienced Officers. This does not serve our citizens.
Our agency has become a training ground for other agencies around us. An alarming number of Deputies live outside of our county.
I have a plan to cut down on an overly heavy command staff. Our present Sheriff campaigned on this same promise, only to add to the command staff once he was in office, leaving our Deputies and Corrections Officers with poverty-level pay. I will examine the Sheriff’s Office spending and see where cuts can be made to divert the funds to salaries. I will have a positive, transparent working relationship with the County Commission and will make our Officers’ salaries and retention at the top of the agenda at every meeting.
While salaries are paramount, I understand that treating your employees with respect is very important as well. I speak with current Deputies on a daily basis. The morale at the Sheriff’s Office is at an all-time low, which contributes to Officers finding other employment. I will improve the overall atmosphere and put in place morale-boosting practices. We will all work as a team.
These improvements will increase the level and quality of protection and service the citizens of Putnam County receive from our agency.
(2) Drug Sales/Use and its Effects on our Community. This is one of the biggest topics of concern when talking with citizens across the county. We must make this a multi-angle approach. We will be very proactive in combating the use and manufacture of methamphetamine plaguing our community. Our focus will be on illicit drugs and those who sell them and create an unsafe environment. My wife and I have both witnessed first hand the effects of narcotics on our community: I, through my twenty-nine years of law enforcement experience, and Becki through her many years as assistant clinical director of the Putnam County Medical Center Emergency Room. Drug abuse destroys families. Our Officers will be trained and equipped to help steer family members of drug-addicted persons towards help that can be obtained from numerous sources. This has never been a focus of Law Enforcement in our area but will be under my administration.
(3) Focusing on our Youth in our Schools. As a former School Resource Officer, I have seen first hand what an intervention program such as D.A.R.E. (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) can do to positively impact children’s lives. I was a D.A.R.E. instructor, and I taught in every elementary school in Putnam County. When I left the program, I painfully watched other Sheriffs remove the program from the schools and reduce the number of School Resource Officers from 14 to 11 and then to 8. The program was so powerful that after many years, I still have people recognize me as their D.A.R.E. Officer and tell me stories of how the program has positively impacted their lives. I have even had the pleasure of being in two of those former students’ weddings. I know D.A.R.E. is not the answer to all of our problems, but it is a start to becoming proactive instead of reactive to these detrimental issues in our school system and children's lives. If we can get a student to believe in himself or herself on the elementary level, then we are much less likely to see them getting into trouble when they become a high school student. Again, this isn’t a fix-all answer, but it is a great start.
3. What other issues do you see as important? The Insurance issue has become a problem that will continue in the future if it is not addressed. Although the administration saw there were dwindling funds for insurance through the county, no action was taken. This should have been acted upon long before now. I believe there has to be a way to find better insurance at better rates. I would seek information and assistance from the Florida Sheriff’s Association and other Sheriff’s Offices throughout the state to see what they are doing to combat the high cost of insurance. I would also try to work with the County Commissioners and seek ways to get our Officers higher pay and better benefits. Every employee at the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deserves a leader who is not afraid to stand up and fight for improvement in the Sheriff’s Office on every level. They deserve higher pay, fair treatment, and better benefits. I will not run from these issues, and I will not send others in my place. I will take this fight head on.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I believe government should be accessible to every citizen of the United States. Please understand, however, that if a case is being actively investigated or is at a critical stage, the public will not be allowed to see certain key information pertaining to it. Also, I will not release the names of violent crimes victims or sexual crimes victims to the public. I would be accessible to those who want to speak with me in person, and I will answer my phone and talk directly with the citizens of Putnam County. If I can’t answer the phone, I will return the phone call as soon as possible.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I love Putnam County and the citizens who reside here. I have felt welcome, and I have chosen to stay here when others have left to chase higher wages and a chance to gain rank or a higher position. I have resided continually in Putnam County since 1971. My wife also works in our county, and we support Putnam County by shopping here, dining here, and supporting other local businesses. During my career, I have watched a generation of children grow up in our community and am now seeing them raising their own children, as well. I have the experience, knowledge, education, and most importantly a PASSION to serve this community with everything I have.
I have been honored to receive many awards during my time as a Law Enforcement Officer, including:
Palatka Daily News Best Putnam Deputy of the Year: 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011
Above and Beyond Award: 2015
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) Award: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
Governor’s Award for M.A.D.D. 100: 2004
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year Award: 1998
Fraternal Order of Police Officer of the Year Award: 1993
Lake Lodge F.A.& M. 72 - Officer of the Year Award: 1993
Putnam County Sheriff Life Saving Award: 1993
American Legion Officer of the Year Award: 1992
My number-one goal is to make this a better county and a safer county for the people who live here.
THOMAS T. TIPTON
Age: 51
Years living in area: 51
Family: Married to my lovely wife, Tammy. Tammy is a teacher at Kelly Smith Elementary School. My mother worked for the late Dr. Hall and at Putnam Community Hospital. My father was a plumber in Palatka for many years. I have 2 sisters. My sister Janey retired from the State of Florida. She and her husband, Tim, a retired state trooper, currently live in Las Vegas. My sister Lolly retired from Peniel Baptist Academy. She and her husband Jim, who retired as the Palatka High School band director and currently directs the theatre program at Palatka High, live in Palatka. Tammy and I have 6 children. The oldest three are from my previous marriage. Tanner is 24 years old and is the head pro at the Palatka golf club. Taran, 21, just completed his redshirt freshman year at Warner College where he plays baseball. Teyler, 19, graduated from Palatka High last year where he played baseball. Andrea and Trevor are 16 years old and are from Tammy’s previous marriage. I recently adopted them and they now carry the last name of Tipton. They are beginning their junior year at Palatka High. Our son Trenton, 11, is about to start 6th grade.
Education: Graduated from Palatka High in 1983. Attended St. Johns River Community College on a baseball scholarship. Attained an AS degree in criminal justice from St. Johns. Graduated from St. Johns Police Academy in 2002.
Current occupation: Currently employed as a police officer with the Palatka Police Department.
Previous employment: Worked at the Palatka Police Department from February 2004 to December 2013. Went to work for the Putnam County Sheriffs Office as a bailiff from December 2013 to February 2014. Returned to the Palatka Police Department in February 2014 to present.
Military history: None
Volunteer history: I have coached numerous teams for the City of Palatka, the Putnam County Recreation Department, Palatka Babe Ruth, South Putnam Babe Ruth and the YMCA. Taught RA’s at First Baptist Church. I have coached men’s softball and baseball travel teams.
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: None
Other political and government experience: None
Endorsements received: None
1. Why should people vote for you? I was born and raised in Putnam County and I have never left for any reason. I have and am currently raising a family here. Therefore, the safety and quality of life in Putnam County is very important to me. I will bring new life to the Putnam County Sheriffs Office. I will make it an organization we all can be proud of. I will bring responsibility, accountability and the right leadership to progress forward. I will be accessible and fight for my employees. Great leaders are born, not made. I will lead the Putnam County Sheriffs Office to new heights and bring the respect that this community deserves.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? I believe the first issue that must be addressed is the morale at the sheriff’s office. Bobby Bowden said the most important element in building a winning program is the morale of the troops. I believe I can drastically improve the morale at no cost to the taxpayers. The second issue would be the command staff. It needs to be downsized. There is no way someone should be on the command staff that has been terminated from another law enforcement agency for falsifying a report. This alone could save a large amount of money that could be used to help other struggling employees. The third would be to improve the salary and benefit package that is offered. This would also improve the retention of employees.
3. What other issues do you see as important? I believe it is important to connect with the youth of our county. I plan on expanding the PAL program. I plan on sponsoring a baseball team out of my own pocket. I plan on working closely with the school system and bringing the DARE program back. It is important that we keep attacking the drug problem we have in this county. We need to work closely with other agencies as well as the state attorneys office to get the maximum penalties against repeat offenders. As a county, we must make every effort to bring businesses here. That will take maximum effort from everyone in the community and we must all be willing to make sacrifices and concessions.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I will be a sheriff that is accessible. I will have an open door policy that will allow both the public and employees the opportunity to voice concerns without feeling they will be targeted because of their feelings. I would like to meet with the local neighborhood watch groups monthly and hear their concerns.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? Approximately 6 years ago, I had a small “bump” appear on the right side of my neck. Over time, it grew larger and progressed to be the size of a baseball. After seeing several physicians, my wife made me an appointment at Shands in Gainesville. I saw an ENT who did a biopsy. It was discovered I had lymphoma. I took the 12 week FMLA leave from work. There was about a 2 week period from the time I was diagnosed to the time I started chemotherapy. I missed no work during that 2 week period knowing I had cancer. I worked until 6:00 am the day I started chemo. I went through 4 rounds of chemotherapy and 17 rounds of radiation. I went back to work after using 10 weeks of leave. When I went back to work, I was still going through treatments. When I started the treatments, I weighed about 125 pounds. Today, I weight between 175-180 consistently. I believe, through my experience, that prayer is the best medicine. This is one of the reasons I have said from the beginning of this campaign that I will pay out of my own pocket to have “In God We Trust” put on every marked sheriffs office vehicle.
TOM WILLIAMS
Age: 64
Years living in area: Moved from Miami to Putnam in 1998 (18 yrs).
Family: Married to my wife, Leah this Valentine’s Day will be 25 years, we have 4 children, my 3 our 1.
Education: I have a high school diploma and attended Miami Dade Jr. College, I have several hundred hours of specialized police training, a certified police instructor (expired), I also have several hundred hours of business and administrative classes and seminars.
Current occupation: I currently own TMT Auto Clinic in Interlachen which I purchased in 1998 and am a part time police officer with the Interlachen Police Department since June 2000.
Previous employment: I retired from the Metro Dade Police Department in 1998, I was there from 1981 as a reserve officer until 1986 when I went full time, prior to that I owned my own business’ from 1973 to 1986, 2 full service, service stations, a garage, a parts store and machine shop.
Military history: No military service.
Volunteer history: I have an extensive community involvement and volunteer history, Town of Interlachen special events, Lions Club, American Legion, Eagles, VFW, Society of St. Vincent DePaul, St. Johns Catholic Church, all the local public schools, Babe Ruth Baseball, Rotary Club events and others.
Public elected offices: No government elected office but was elected as the Chairman of the Putnam County Republican Executive Committee of which I still am.
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: I have ran for the sheriff 3 times, didn’t win the office which makes the bid unsuccessful but I don’t think it was a total loss I learned a lot about the county and local politics.
Other political and government experience: My other government experiences are: I was appointed to the Putnam County Planning Commission in 2004, the Putnam County Contractors Review Panel and the Disciplinary Board in 2008 which I still serve on, I was appointed by the governor to the Northeast Florida Planning Council and served close to 2 years.
Endorsements received: To date I have received two endorsement, Niger Innis, National Civil Rights Activist and George Farrell President of the Blac Pac Org.
1. Why should people vote for you? With my business resume along with my law enforcement experience my involvement with the county government and community, I am the only candidate that has all these attributes that can offer the citizens a completely new well rounded and outside approach to operating the Sheriff’s Office. I have worked in the public sector all my life; I understand what it takes to and know how to treat people with the respect they deserve. My platform pledge is to give the citizens a triple a Sheriff’s Office by being Aware – Accountable – Approachable at all times while maintaining a fully transparent Sheriff’s Office, I will practice what I pledge not just say it to get elected, my integrity is more important to me than the job and I will not give that away to anyone or thing.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? Man power, public perception and money. Most of the problems are related to the low salaries. Not being part of the office at this time I can only speculate that some monies are wasted putting that aside the county needs to promote itself and broaden its tax base we can’t continue to increase taxes, borrow money, rely on grants and ask for more MSBU’s. We are not going to keep employees without better compensation, this goes for the county as a whole, my plan to combat this short term is to seek and recruit retired able law enforcement personnel who have a pension and can work for the lesser amount who are already trained thus saving money / time. I know this will work as I have already talked to several who have said they would be interested some part time some full time. This would work for awhile, giving the economy and county time to build. The public perception can be nurtured by listening, building trust and respect.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Another issue is the low morale of the employees, and I hear the innuendos about the lack of respect, being in business as long as I have I tend to think most of the morale problems stem from the low salaries, which bring us back to the money woes. When you have seasoned officers not making any more than new and no expectations of improvement you’re going to have problems. Maybe it’s time to rethink brick and mortar and put employees first.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I have stated since 2004 (my first run) that I will have a citizens review panel, I will have senior personnel attending homeowners associations and public meetings thru out the county. I’m not a proponent of quarterly meetings as like most they are not well attended, people tend to participate in their own clubs and meetings we need to participate with them at their convenience not ours. I will increase citizen and volunteer participation within the department.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details: Never been charged with a crime let alone a conviction, never had an ethics violation filed against me, was disciplined 3 times by the Metro Dade Police Department 1. 1989 son involved in an auto theft ring, sustained complaint against me was; that I should have known and taken appropriate action, I received a 20 day suspension, looking back I should have paid better attention, not giving an excuse but a lot was going on my dad was here in Putnam dying, my first wife was divorcing me and yes my son was on probation, 2&3 one record of counseling 1991, written reprimand 1990 both were for being discourteous to a citizen. No other complaints or incidents. I spent another 9 years working for Metro Dade receiving numerous accolades and awards before retiring to Putnam County.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. Never filed bankruptcy or been delinquent on any taxes.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I think I have given a lot of information about myself but in addition I am in very good health I take no medication of any kind, I took a business I bought in 1998 for $35,000 and built it to a value of over a million which shows my ability to deal with all kinds of people. I was told by many when I bought the business I wouldn’t last a year because I was from a big town and people would not deal with me, I’m starting my 19th year at the same location with a data base of over 7500 names. I do know how to deal with people. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/gop-sheriff-candidates | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/429a3edd06ca2a9cdd9d2a47c05041d0a8c19d203df2473575429d178e952dbd.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:55:23 | null | 2016-05-18T17:44:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Ffree-publications%2Fdestination-putnam.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | Destination Putnam | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | Do you think the city of Palatka should allow Sunday morning alcohol sales?
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[] | 2016-08-26T12:57:19 | null | 2016-05-20T06:59:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews-your-way-palatka-daily-news-introduces-new-website.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | News your way: The Palatka Daily News introduces new website | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | The Palatka Daily News is pleased to present two exciting upgrades to its service: our brand new website and e-Edition, a digital version of our newspaper.
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We hope you enjoy the new website and e-Edition. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news-your-way-palatka-daily-news-introduces-new-website | en | 2016-05-20T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/7455aa2d8f82e3f2f612c0e15f9e5c4830b653f90db5adbeab1398dedb41a365.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:54:55 | null | 2016-05-19T13:49:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fus-facebook.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | Like Us On Facebook | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | Do you think the city of Palatka should allow Sunday morning alcohol sales?
Choices Yes No I don't know I don't care | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/us-facebook | en | 2016-05-19T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/27bba24eea566fca9e937ffd144d6f709184ac20dfb5a017efb714fecd58a536.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:59:49 | null | 2016-08-01T14:39:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Fdemocratic-candidates-putnam-county-tax-collector.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | Democratic candidates for Putnam County Tax Collector | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Below are the answers from Putnam County Tax Collector race, Linda Lee Frank and Linda Myers. The two Democrats face off in the August primary. Because there is no Republican candidate in the race, the winner of the August primary will be Putnam County’s tax collector.
LINDA FRANK
Years living in area: 40 plus years
Family: Husband, Andrew Horvath; Daughters: (3) and Sons (3), Courtney Lee Hiller, Thomas Bryson, Nicole Ann Horvath, Kristan Horvath, Chad Horvath, Dakota Horvath; 2 Beautiful Grandchildren, Logan Hiller and Ella Lambert
Education: 1989 High School Diploma CCHS; 2014 Miller Motte College AA Degree
Still) BA Degree Criminal Justice and Forensic Science and Minor in Business Administration
Current occupation: Putnam County Schools (Kelly Services)
Previous employment: Putnam County Schools (Para-Professional {Teacher’s Aide} Substitute Teacher, Reading Coach); Bookkeeper and Accountant for Sarasota Dry Cleaners; Receptionist for Ford Dealer Ship in Bradenton Florida; Guarentee Title Company Title Policy Writer and Receptionist; ISE International Students Area Representative; Supervisor of Elections Putnam Co. (Assistant Clerk)
Military history: None
Volunteer history: Cancer Benefits, HaLeigh Closet, PTO President for over 5 years for PCS
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: None
Other political and government experience: None
Endorsements received: Yes
1. Why should people vote for you? The reason why I should be elected to this position of Putnam County Tax Collector is that I believe all tax payers have a voice and must be heard. Yes, it might take more time and more effort but who is really paying me to do a job they expect to be done correctly and that is the tax payers. I believe in hard work and nothing is ever gotten easily as you know all my campaign money I have worked every minute of with fundraisers in not the air conditioning but in that hot sun. Dedication with your employees and community make a better environment to build together a community that we all want to be a part of but also watch our children and grandchildren live in. I am a multitasker I have held down two jobs and still went to college full time and completed my college AA Degree with perfect attendance and received a 4.0 I also am currently still working a full time job and currently seeking my BA Degree and have perfect attendance and a 4.0 I am one that will do everything I can to find a correct answer and the proper way to handle things. I am trust worthy person I believe that everyone needs a chance to prove themselves if given this change I will show that I will work hard for not just myself but for the tax payers of this community and make it a bigger and brighter future for our children and grandchildren.
The reason for me running for this selected office is because I believe that the budget and financial overspending. I believe that this organization can insists on delivering world-class service and finding ways for government to do business better, faster and most certainly economically. I believe that public perception of the tax collector’s office we must have the public participate so individuals, governments, institutions and companies or any other entities that are affected by the tax collector’s office bring forth to the public and give them the interest of what is happening with their tax payer’s money. Knowledge is a key factor of growth and community strive in this area is lacking in this office due to how the moral of the office is handled. When morale is low then it affects the customers of our community. To boil it down in a nutshell we need change and change is a must in order to grow and prosper as a community and not continue to be in debt.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? First and foremost, the budget and financial overspending in this office. I believe that this organization can insists on delivering world-class service and finding ways for government to do business better, faster and economical. Not only this but unnecessary spending has to come to a halt. Secondly, the other areas of the Tax Collectors Office we need to look into making changes should be that of the Business Tax Receipt. With having our customers (Business Owners) having to do multi-step process and the turnaround times taking sometimes up to a week or even longer to process. This doesn’t not make the business owners happy because they are having to take time out of what they need to be completed and driving back and forth between Planning and Development and the Tax Collectors Office. This could be a friendlier and cost effective process if this turned over to Planning and Development since they are the ones whom regulate and sign off on all the approvals before the Tax Collector can even issue the license.
I believe issues are that we need to work with other tax collectors statewide on legislative policy issues and correct those that need to be corrected. We need to see how other communities are growing and find a way for us to build upon that instead of having so many empty businesses around in our areas. Next, we need to take a look into employee concerns. Why are so many employees leaving the tax collector office (12) while this tax collector has been in her term. So we need to have some concerns on the reasoning behind these issues and correct them. I believe with great leadership and dedication to our employees we can do this together as a team not as one. Then we need to have better quality training for our faculty and staff in the areas that they are lacking. Knowledge is a key factor of growth and community strive in this area that we are so lacking in the tax office. Without the knowledge we don't function properly and tax delinquent bills go out when the property owner has already paid them. This also is a costly factor in our area. Finally, public perception of the tax collector office we must have the public participation so the individuals, governments, institutions and companies or any other entities that affect them bring out the public interest of what is happening with their tax payer's money.
3. What other issues do you see as important? To help rebuild the Palatka area all the empty businesses with no business in them. Give the public the chance if they want to rebuild the business area a healthy start and helping hand in doing so. This way it fills the area and they are also paying the taxes on this so it a win all around. We bring jobs, make the taxes, bring outsiders to our community. The empty homes that are being torn that could be bought and fixed up and turn a profit even if small. This way it will bring in new people to our community and allow them a chance to live here with their families.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? I would like to see that we have substations and or the locations we have now at each end of the County possibly a couple days a week for the convenience with extended hours. This will make the flow easier on the citizens of Putnam County to get in and do the things they needed to do but couldn’t get off in time to do these. Or those that had the problems with services on line to come into our branches and allow us to service them and answer all their questions. I have an open door policy for anyone of the citizens of this county to come and speak to me about any of their problems with the department.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. None
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I am a person who is willing to strive at her job. I believe in hard work and dedication. I am that person whom is willing to listen to the county and have their voices heard on the things that they want and how to get every last penny saved for our county to put us back on the right path instead of the one that is continuing to decline more and more. I am not out to give you just and answer so you will walk away. I will find the correct answer and if I don’t know the right one at the time I will certainly search it out till the end. I believe in truth, honesty and that ever since tax payer has a right to know where their important tax dollars go and why. If just given the chance to prove to you I am willing to help, make a change for Putnam County I can honestly tell you will not be sorry for casting you vote for me because I believe your tax dollars are just that your tax dollars not mine and you have a right to say what they are spent on and how.
LINDA MYERS
Years living in area: 40 years
Family: Married to Vernon Myers. Have 6 children and 10 grandchildren.
Education: University of Florida. BS Science Major, BS Accounting Major, Masters Degree in Accounting.
Current Occupation: Putnam County Tax Collector.
Previous Employment: Owner/Operator of Dunkin Donuts/Baskins Robbins Store for 30 years, Certified Public Accountant in private practice for 22 years.
Military History: Raised in a career U.S. Air Force family. Father retired as Lt. Col. After serving for 30 years spanning WWII, Korean War, and Viet Nam War.
Other political and government experience: Served as County Commissioner from 1998 to 2006 and as Chairman of County Commission in 2000 and 2004. Served as Chairman of the Northeast Florida Regional Council, as Chairman of the Northeast Florida Community Action Agency, as Chairman of the Florida Small County Coalition, as Rural Representative for the Florida Dept. of Transportation 2020 Transportation Plan, as Chairman of the Florida Association of Counties Trust, as Chairman of the First Coast Workforce Development Board, as Board Member of the Regional Community Institute, and other local, regional, and statewide bodies.
Endorsements Received: Northeast Florida Association of Realtors.
1. Why should people vote for you? I am asking the voters of Putnam County to vote for me to continue as their Tax Collector because our tax dollars are serious business. With a Master Degree in Accounting, as a 20 year practicing Certified Public Accountant, and as a 30 year successful business owner/operator, I am uniquely qualified to continue to serve the people of Putnam. I bring the proper educational background, retail business experience, and sound judgement required for this office.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? For the past three years I have addressed and solved many issues.
I will continue to provide a higher a standard of service to our citizens by reducing wait times and efficiency of service.
I will continue to build a team together philosophy focused on providing efficient service to our clients utilizing to the maximum all available resources in the most effective manner.
I will continue to analyze and refine all operations of your Tax Collector’s Office both financially and operationally to produce the best product at the lowest cost to our taxpayers.
3. What other issues do you see as important? I will continue to search for opportunities to bring other services to our three local tax collectors offices. Recently added birth certificate in-house processing and concealed weapons permit processing are examples of additional functions which we have brought to our office. The more services added, the more we become a one-stop facility, thereby reducing the burden on our citizens.
4. What specific steps would you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? In the past three years your Tax Collector’s Office has been engaged in numerous outreach activities around our County in order to make certain our citizens have the information they need to make informed decisions. In this same time period we have conducted seminars for our businesses to assist them with title issues for car dealerships, we have conducted tourist development workshops for our lodging industry, as well as presenting other opportunities for our businesses and citizens to be better informed.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? No.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal or local taxes? No.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? My present and former community activities include President of Putnam County United Way, Treasurer of Habitat for Humanity, President of Lee Conlee House Domestic Violence Shelter, Board Member of Palatka Christian Service Center, member of Palatka Sunrise Rotary Club, an ordained elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Palatka, Palatka Elks Club Citizen Of The Year, President of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Person Of The Year Award and numerous other activities and honors. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/democratic-candidates-putnam-county-tax-collector | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/09bea3babc04cce083e73beecdbea633af7024f3dd72c2c800b0bba47dfd9798.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:56:51 | null | 2016-08-10T20:07:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Fdemocratic-sheriff-candidates.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | Democratic sheriff candidates | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Below are the answers from Democratic candidates for Putnam County sheriff Gator DeLoach, Carl Perry and Ricky Wright. Early voting starts Aug. 17. The primary is Aug. 30.
GATOR DELOACH
Age: 37
Years living in area: 37
Family: wife: Jennifer
sons: Mason, Parker and Knox
Education: Graduate of Palatka High school and St Johns River State College Criminal Justice Academy
Current occupation: Captain of Administrative Services, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
Previous employment: Workforce Development Coordinator at St Johns River State College, Support Staff at Johnson-Overturf Funeral Homes, and Land Management Specialist with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Military history: N/A
Volunteer history: Rotary Club of Palatka, Feed the Need of Putnam County, former Babe Ruth League assistant coach
Public elected offices: N/A
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: N/A
Other political and government experience: N/A
Endorsements received: Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy, Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith, Union County Sheriff Brad Whitehead, Baker County Sheriff Joey Dobson, Putnam County Fire Rescue Professionals
1. Why should people vote for you? As a husband, father of three, and law enforcement officer, I understand how important it is to keep our community safe. We must be aggressive to reduce crime, with a goal to improve the overall quality of life in Putnam County. I will work every day to make Putnam County an even better place to live, raise a family and grow a business.
After joining the Sheriff’s Office 15 1/2 years ago I quickly rose through the many ranks and units of the Sheriff’s Office. I have worked in a variety of positions including the School Resource Unit, Missing Persons, Drug Unit, Property Crimes, Major Crimes, and finally my current position as the Captain over Administrative Services. I have a wide-range of experience and a true understanding of the Sheriff’s Office.
I will take the job of being Sheriff very seriously, always remembering who my bosses are – the citizens of Putnam County. No one will work harder than me to keep Putnam safe.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? Attrition, Recidivism, and Community Relations
One of the greatest problems facing the Sheriff’s Office is the loss of experienced employees to surrounding counties. It’s no secret Putnam County is not a wealthy county, like some of our oceanfront neighbors. This means we do not have the tax base to pay our employees as much in comparison to those communities. What we can do is find innovative ways to become more cost effective and save some money to help close the gap. We all know that salaries, particularly large salaries can be attractive, but salaries are not the only thing that makes a work environment attractive. One of the ideas I have is to work with local realtors to find affordable living arrangements in Putnam County for deputies. There are many landlords who would be willing to lower their costs to have reliable payments and the safety from responsible deputies. Another step we can continue to take is a scholarship for local members of the community to go through the law enforcement academy to become deputies in their home community. By hiring locally we increase the likelihood a deputy will continue to work for the Sheriff’s Office because he or she is able to make an impact in the lives of those they care for.
Recidivism is a difficult issue that we will need to work in collaboration with our judicial partners to help solve. A study from the National Institute of Justice indicates more than two thirds of inmates released will be re-arrested within three years of release. That means statistically speaking two thirds of the people the Sheriff’s Office arrests are repeat offenders. I believe there are ways we can look at making things better. One such option is a work release program in which person’s incarcerated for non-violent crimes would have an option of maintaining their employment during their time in jail. I would also like to seek out an option of providing an educational program for inmates seeking to better themselves during their time incarcerated.
We’ve all seen the news and are aware of the issues facing our country as a whole. I believe as Sheriff it will be important to ease the divides we see highlighted on the news of late by building stronger ties between our community and law enforcement. This can be done in a variety of ways including public engagements to educate the public on the laws, current crime trends, and steps they can take to protect themselves. Most importantly, the Sheriff’s Office as a whole has to understand that we must always present ourselves in a manner that is always respectful and responsive. The best way for us to reach these goals is through children. Children are our future and it is our responsibility to build an environment in which they do not fear law enforcement but look at them with care and trust.
3. What other issues do you see as important? The crime rate in Putnam County has dropped significantly over the past few years and we must continue to work diligently to further this trend.
Domestic violence (where there is a violation of an injunction) is one of the most common violent crimes we see. Unfortunately, domestic violence also has a high rate of recidivism. With technology that is readily available I’d like to establish a program for monitoring the perpetrators of domestic violence to reduce future violence in the homes of our citizens and to enforce “do not contact” orders.
The farmers in our community often fall victim to crime, which others may view as minor or unimportant. I feel our agricultural community is very important to our local economy and would like to create an agricultural deputy who will be able to address the specific concerns of agri-business.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? There are several steps already in place for this. The Florida Sunshine Laws are the national standard for open records. With few exceptions, most records are readily available upon request.
The sheriff’s office also participates in a semi-annual touch a truck program where members of our Special Operations Group bring out all sorts of our specialized equipment to let the community come and ask questions about their use. One of the most commonly liked pieces of equipment, but also the least understood, is our MRAP. To the untrained eye, the MRAP looks like a massive tank or some other weapon of war. However, the MRAP is not weaponized and is really nothing more than a big shield on wheels, designed to not only to protect deputies but also allow them to safely evacuate citizens from dangerous situations.
If elected Sheriff the office will be open, accessible, and provide records at request.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. I’ve never been convicted of a felony or disciplined by a licensing board. However, to be transparent, there was recently what I view as an unmerited ethics complaint filed against me which I believe was intended to undermine my campaign. That complaint became public and was dismissed by the Florida Commission on Ethics on August 3, 2016.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No, thankfully I have never been in a position where I was unable to honor my financial obligations.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I’m a 4th generation Putnam Countian and a lifelong resident. I was recently blessed by the birth of my twin sons so I am now a proud father of three. I have a vested interest in the future of Putnam County. If elected Sheriff I will do my best to guide the Sheriff’s Office and our community safely into the future.
CARL PERRY
Age: 65
Year living in the area: Five
Family: Wife of 44 years, one son here in Florida and one son in Ohio
Education: Rio Grand College (southern Ohio) and Lorain College (northern Ohio)
Current occupation: Retired law enforcement
Previous employment: Ohio Correctional System and owner of a security agency in Ohio
Military history: U.S. Army 1968-1972 (two tours in Vietnam); National Guard (Ohio), 1977-1980 all enlisted; Ohio Military Reserve (component of National Guard), attained rank of lieutenant colonel.
Volunteer history: Crescent City Raiders football public address announcer, 2013-2014
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: In early 1980s lost by 51 votes to incumbent for city council in Elyria, Ohio.
Other political and government experience: N/A
Endorsements received: None as I don’t want the impression that I owe anybody for their endorsement.
1. Why should people vote for you? I am honest and will treat all the citizens of this county and visitors passing through. I believe in being firm, fair and consistent. The good, ole boy system is out the window with me. If you break the law, you will pay the price of the violation.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them? Enforcing the laws as they are written. Respect for all the people. In order to get respect, you must first give respect. Reducing the command staff as I feel it is too big and overbudgeted and hire more deputies to bring down over time.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Intensify the training in public relations and establish a citizen review board, pay raises.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? Transparency, as long as it does not interfere with the investigations. Open door policy.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. Yes, bankruptcy in 2000. It has been satisfied.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I am an ordained minister and associate pastor at New Life Church of God in Crescent City.
RICKY WRIGHT
Age: 51
Years living in area: 36 in Putnam County (15 in Clay County)
Family: Melissa (wife) & Miayah (daughter)
Education: Graduate of Vincennes University, A.S. Degree
Current occupation: Captain (Chief of Detention Administration) Clay County Sheriff's Office
Previous employment: Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Youth Academy & Palatka Police Department.
Military history: None
Volunteer history: (35 years of service) - Palatka Recreation Department, Communities In Schools of Putnam County, St. Johns River Athletic Association, Putnam Athletic League (South Putnam A.A, Palatka Pop Warner, West Putnam Pop Warner), Southeast Region Pop Warner (FL, GA, AL & MS)
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: N/A
Other political and government experience: None
Endorsements received: Sheriff Rick Beseler, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
1. Why should people vote for you? I am passionate about people. I am passionate about this profession and have been for 32 years. I have the leadership ability that is needed to operate the Office of the Sheriff and work closely with other constitutional officers and to solve issues. Having both law enforcement and detention experience is vital to operating a sheriff’s office successfully. I care about our youth and I have invested in their lives for 35 years. You will not get business as usual with me as your sheriff. I will move this agency forward because I believe in the concept of engaging our deputies with the community we service and being proactive and not just reactive. I will protect taxpayers money and use it to make your neighborhoods safer and not for my personal agenda.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them?
* Drug dealers and abuse
Local drug taskforce where the concentration is on the dealers. Working closely with other local and state services to offer help to those willing to accept our help.
* Increase salaries for our deputies.
Eliminated budget waste – combine job assignments – eliminate top-heavy positions.
* More Deputies in neighborhoods
Develop and use a volunteer/civilian program that would move the deputy out of the office and back into your neighborhoods
3. What other issues do you see as important?
* Recruitment and Retention
* The need to develop a volunteer program that will help save taxpayers money
* Better training in mental health and diversity
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public?
* Town/Community meetings to hear directly from the people we serve
* A real open door policy – access to me, the Sheriff
* Social media initiative that would allow more access to my office
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? First and foremost my faith will keep me humble. Having humility keeps me grounded. I will be a strong sheriff, but my prayer life will not decrease, it will actual increase because I don’t think you can be successful in anything without prayer.
I have a strong commitment to the youth in our community. I believe that we must engage our youth and their families to help provide them with an opportunity to reach their highest potential.
I am committed to protecting citizens who have become victims of crime(s) and will increase that effort as your sheriff. | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/democratic-sheriff-candidates | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/e7f49275345a01d02e3aec7e7976931cd4b1182051aa0ab8e996bef6a3a77ad2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:55:53 | null | 2016-08-01T15:21:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palatkadailynews.com%2Fnews%2Fcounty-commission-republicans-district-1.json | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/misc/favicon.ico | en | null | County commission -- Republicans, District 1 | null | null | www.palatkadailynews.com | In mid-July, the Palatka Daily News asked candidates in August elections to tell our readers more about themselves. Candidates received extensive questionnaires and were given more than two weeks to complete the questionnaires. Below are the answers from Board of County Commission District 1 Republican candidates. The two face off in the August primary. The winner advances to the November general election and face Democrat Harry L. Banks. Early voting starts Aug. 17. The primary is Aug. 30.
ROBERT BLEY
Age: 48
Years living in area: 18
Family: wife of 23 years Carolyn Bley, 2 sons Garrett and Eric, 5 grandchildren- 2 in Putnam County schools
Education: Advanced optics, electronics, machinist, engineering and management training through U.S. Navy, courses with credits equal to a bachelor degree. Associate degree from SJR State, 95% complete bachelor of arts from St. Leo University.
Current occupation: Inventor/manufacturer (currently on hold while campaigning)
Previous employment: U.S. Navy veteran 10 years, worked for numerous construction related companies, contractor/builder in Missouri and Illinois, ran a small business having contracts with Winn Dixie, multiple business start-ups utilizing my own patented inventions, worked with hydrogen business in Clearwater to build business model into national company, countless hours of research and development of new products to solve problems for the blind or curb pollution leading to many innovations yet to be marketed.
Military history: U.S. Navy 1986-1995 (honorable discharge)
Volunteer history: 2nd Vice Commander of American Legion Post 45 Bert Hodge in Palatka, beautification committee projects in Pomona Park, keep Putnam Beautiful cleanup volunteer, Personally devote my time and equipment to maintain roads and cut weeds along roads in my neighborhood that the county does not maintain
Public elected offices: Never run for office before
Any unsuccessful political campaigns? None
Other political and government experience: Nearly 10 years of federal government experience through military enlistment
Endorsements received: Many personal/none professional
1. Why should people vote for you? My plans have been designed to improve the quality of life and infrastructure over time. Other plans will lower costs of projects currently ongoing leading to a reduced landfill assessment immediately after implementation. My commitment to open government and policies ensuring the public greater access to officials, records and staff. An ability to research and evaluate problems using scientific method. Dedication to see projects through to the end and devote as much time as required to do so.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them?
A) First is the budget and reserves: My plan is to reduce/cut spending on programs that have not produced results, work with departments to find ways to be more efficient through workshops with oversight committees made up of voluntary professionals and staff, reform methods of reporting overspending so we are not surprised when we are over-budget by requiring staff to report current spending and give a running balance monthly to Commissioners
B) Taxes/Fees: We need to understand that you cannot tax a county into prosperity. My plan includes lowering taxes through policies that enable a stronger Industrial Base including direct and indirect incentives for new start-ups. I have a proposal to end the county funding of professional firefighters at 3 locations to deal with fires and lowering the fire fee while working with the volunteer fire departments to replace their aging equipment and promote volunteers. Look at reforming the tax deed sales to promote ownership and increase tax revenue through county guaranteed deeds at auction.
C) Landfill Improvements: I have a plan to reduce the special assessment by mining Phase 1 utilizing existing staff and equipment to transport excavated waste to active cell while purchasing/leasing separators and other equipment through the duration of mining activities (up to 3 years). Total cost will be equal to what was paid to mine the first 5 acre portion last year saving the county Millions of dollars while providing airspace (landfill capacity) for future waste. Proposals will be made to introduce a specialized recycling industry utilizing incoming waste separation in partnership with local businesses. This will include tire materials (mulch, roadbed), plastic construction materials (blocks, beams, landscape products) electronic waste recycling for plastics and precious metals, ferrous and non-ferrous metal recycling resulting from the breakdown process of incoming truck loads of residential waste.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Contracts being accepted by staff without following proper bidding procedures.
Poor quality roads requiring resurfacing within months of completion.
Lack of access to records from certain departments or agents working for the County.
Policy of holding public meetings to promote a tax and calling it “informational” with no public comment or input allowed.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public? Propose a policy to stop “Informational Meetings” by requiring any public meeting held by staff or elected officials to include a time for public input during the meeting.
I will hold public town hall meetings monthly in my district and encourage other commissioners to do the same.
Propose monthly public workshops with all department heads and elected officials required to present their current budget/spending summary as well as ongoing project statuses while answering questions and concerns from the public. If an answer is not available at that time the citizen will be given their information within 10 days and an update will be provided at the next workshop on that status.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. Yes: Bankruptcy, chapter 7, personal, 2007- (Credit Re-Established)
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? I am fiercely competitive, able to accept constructive criticism and form new perspectives as evidence is evaluated, constantly researching solutions to complicated problems enabling informed decisions. I am patriotic and support other Veterans for God and Country. Able to work well with others while providing mutual respect. I never ask more of someone else than I am willing to do myself.
BILL PICKENS
Age: 56
Years living in area: 56
Family: Wife – Holly Pickens, sons – Ian Pickens and Bobby Pickens
Education: Crescent City High School 1978
Current occupation: Self-employed – Business Owner (Peninsular Auto Parts and P&F Mini Storage
Previous employment: None
Military history: None
Volunteer history:
* Rotary Club of Crescent City – 28 years. President in 1993-94 and 2007-08.
* Began the “Swine and Wine” fundraiser that has lasted 22 years and raised over $100,000 for education and youth sports.
* Coached youth sports (South Putnam Little League and Pop Warner Football)
* President of the Crescent City Quarterback Club 2007, 2009-10.
* President of the Georgetown-Fruitland Volunteer Fire Department, 2014-2016. Board member 2011-2013.
* Crescent City Presbyterian Church Session 1994-99, 2003-05, 2009-14.
* Finance Chairman of South Putnam Church 2013-current.
* Putnam County Chamber Board Member 2013-2015, Executive Committee 2013-2014.
Public elected offices: None
Any unsuccessful political campaigns: No
Other political and government experience: Putnam County Planning Commission 2013-2015 Vice Chair (2015) and Member of the Oversight Committee 2015-2016
Endorsements received: Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR)
1. Why should people vote for you? I am qualified for the position of County Commissioner because I have operated two businesses in this county for 30 plus years – managing employees, payroll and budgets in both good and bad economic conditions. I have lived in Putnam County my entire life, which has given me an understanding of the challenges facing our community. I have been extremely involved in many community service projects. I am prepared to be part of the Board of County Commissioners to make Putnam County a better place to live, work and raise a family.
2. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected and how would you address them?
* Economic Development – Continue to work with the Chamber of Commerce to attract businesses and promote a more positive image in our county. In addition to working with the Chamber there needs to be a collaborative effort between our school officials, the college, the city and other community and business leaders all working together with the common goal of improving the county as a whole.
* Balancing the Budget – the reliance on the use of reserve funds to balance the budget must come to an end. My goal would be to analyze the utilization rates of the current county departments and make reductions that will least affect our population.
* Promote a Positive Image for Putnam County – Focus on our positives such as the natural beauty of our county. Encourage buying local - Promote a live here buy here mentality to increase our sales tax dollars.
3. What other issues do you see as important? Improve the quality of life for all Putnam County Citizens – focus on the areas of health care, schools, business retention and improved recreational facilities for youth and adults.
4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the public?
As a county commissioner I will be accessible to the citizens of the county through phone and/or email. I will listen and respond. I will also be more than willing to have face to face conversation to listen to concerns of the public.
Entertain the possibility of a percentage of the commission meetings to be held at 5:00 in an effort to increase citizen participation.
I plan to have quarterly town hall meetings within my district and I will be a willing participant in town hall meetings throughout the county.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime (felony), been disciplined by a professional licensing board or organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give details. No.
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your federal, state or local taxes? If so, please give the details. No.
7. Are there any personal details about yourself voters would be interested in knowing? In operating an auto parts store and a mini storage facility for 30 plus years I have listened to my customers to understand their needs. I will be a commissioner that listens and hears the needs of Putnam County citizens and responds to those needs.
Through my community service I have learned how to work with different groups and people to reach a common goal. The commission has to work as a whole group in order to move our county forward.
It is important that we all remember that we are all in this together! | http://www.palatkadailynews.com/news/county-commission-republicans-district-1 | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.palatkadailynews.com/a200505abad8c4fcbcae6d123d4afed066de67457bfb064df84760135dad342e.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:14:08 | null | null | Representative of Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation says it doesn't support efforts to stop oil and gas development | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fopinion%2Fletters%2F388602211.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/64474BCLN2007DonnyWesleyjrLelu7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | LETTER: U.S. foundations protecting salmon | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Re: Tree spikers cling to Lelu Island (B.C. Views, July 20).
Tom Fletcher seems to believe protecting salmon is not only bad, but dishonest. He suggests it’s an effort to cover up an international plot to kill B.C.’s oil and gas opportunities and Alberta’s oilsands.
His column falsely asserts that, along with other groups, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has “poured money into anti-LNG campaigns in B.C., as they funded opposition to oilsands development before them. Indeed, the record suggests the long project to establish what environmental front groups named the Great Bear Rainforest was a strategy to stop hydrocarbon exports from western Canada, even as U.S. sources ramped up production.”
The foundation’s Wild Salmon Ecosystems Initiative supports groups working to ensure that all factors – social, environmental and economic – are fairly respected in development decisions. It does not fund efforts to stop oil and gas development.
Salmon support a huge economy that provides jobs, social and cultural benefits. And, in British Columbia, unlike many other parts of North America, we still have a chance to keep most salmon watersheds intact. This is why the foundation supports the efforts of communities to protect these fish. This means ensuring that scientific evidence is fully addressed in project development, including siting decisions.
We are proud supporters of the Great Bear Rainforest, not because we are “anti” anything else, but because this is a unique region. Like the Amazon and the Great Barrier Reef, it is recognized by experts around the globe as one of the planet’s most important and unique natural wonders.
It is a region that deserved to be protected on its own merits – a fact so clear that federal, provincial and First Nation governments came together with industry and environmental groups to ensure it would be. To portray this impressive collaboration as an anti-oil and gas does a disservice to the broad array of Canadians and First Nations that prioritized its preservation.
The Moore Foundation supported this as part of our commitment to assist groups that seek to protect wild salmon habitats along the West Coast. People, issues, organizations and funds cross the Canada-U.S. border all the time. There isn’t anything unusual about Canadian environmental groups requesting and receiving donations from international foundations that share the same environmental goals.
Ivan Thompson, B.C. Program Officer, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Vancouver | http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/letters/388602211.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/49ad24d0267661f2dd6f458a5861192b331046e46aa69f0d2842c00a9dce0c8b.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:03:35 | null | null | Construction industry disruption expected as new tax threatens deals, says Finance Minister Mike de Jong | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F388480111.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/901BCLN2007constructiontownhouseBP7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Government shrugs off foreign real estate fallout | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Premier Christy Clark and her ministers aren't concerned about a backlash or downturn in B.C.'s hot urban real estate market from their sudden decision to impose a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers in Metro Vancouver.
Housing Minister Rich Coleman said Wednesday the development industry was "taken aback and a bit grumpy" after Premier Christy Clark announced Monday that the new tax takes effect Aug. 2.
Clark confirmed Wednesday that there would be no exemptions to the new tax for real estate sales that were signed but not registered before the deadline. That includes pre-sold condos that were purchased before construction, if they are going to buyers who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong said tax changes are generally done on short notice, and the government expected there would be some cancelled sales as a result. But the purpose of the tax was to discourage foreign sales and replace them with sales to B.C. residents, he said.
"Part of it relates to the fact that properties going on the market are being scooped up so quickly." de Jong said. "This disruption, this change is taking place in a market where there is incredibly strong domestic demand."
The government intends to put the revenue from the foreign buyer tax into a housing affordability fund, but Coleman said there will be no return to government directly building social housing projects.
New initiatives will be announced in September, with incentives for builders to create more rental housing. The province already provides rent subsidies to 20,000 families to keep them in market housing, and that approach has better results than concentrating low-income people in government housing, Coleman said. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/388480111.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/01d9bc76c2624f15662c9d3b637844f84c53e99ee36a1c471687efe8a32a4dba.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:20 | null | null | Learn to Fish program offers instruction and loaner equipment to help children aged 5 to 15 catch a trout | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Flifestyles%2F381548981.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/69540BCLN2007Rainbowpembertonfishfinder7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Free fishing lessons for kids [with video] | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Courses offer loaner equipment and training in casting and proper fish handling.
Children aged five to 15 can take advantage of fishing instruction sessions being held around the province by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. this summer.
The Learn to Fish program has been running since 2006. It provides loaned fishing gear as well as instruction on how to cast and retrieve, identify different fish species, handle fish properly and fish ethically within the regulations.
Locations and registration information for Learn to Fish courses is available here.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. is financed by revenue from B.C. fishing licence sales.
A sample of the instruction videos available on the society website: | http://www.vicnews.com/lifestyles/381548981.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/86073afb6aa2d2e1aff6337892bc535d35a4f59b31e9f326424cae10b0127398.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T12:58:54 | null | null | Music made before the 1800s has a special place in Rondallyn Perras’ heart. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F389191621.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/17910vicnewsVN-EarlymusicsocietyPAug0516-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Concert revives music from the pre-1800s | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Montreal’s Arion Baroque Orchestral will be performing J.S. Bach: Mass in B Minor, along with conductor Alexander Weimann and eight internationally-renowned soloists as part of a concert put on by the Early Music Society of the Islands on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Christ Church Cathedral.
Music made before the 1800s has a special place in Rondallyn Perras’ heart.
The Victoria resident has always been interested in music from the medieval ages, the Renaissance, and up to early classical music.
“I love the drama of it. It’s like opera in many ways, there’s a lot of passion, a lot of the time there’s nothing too quiet about it. It can make quite a splash, that’s what attracted me to it,” said Perras, who played the violin as a child.
“Plus there’s a lot of ecclesiastical influence and I quite enjoy that. It’s a historical perspective...It’s just a general appreciation for the arts and music in particular.”
One way she’s been able to continue her love for early music by being the president and board chair of the Early Music Society of the Islands.
The volunteer-run society, which has roughly 200 members, mostly aged 50 years and older, was founded in 1985 to promote an interest in historically-informed performances of music composed before 1800.
Years ago, Perras began attending the annual society concerts. Shortly after she was asked to help at a book sale fundraiser for the society and has been hooked ever since.
According to Perras, music before the 1800s is different compared to other types of music in that it encourages audiences to learn more about the music both beforehand, with the pre-concert talks (talks before the show that sometimes include a back and forth with the artistic director and artists spokesperson) and after.
“There’s a visceral part, where you can just go in and enjoy, but you get hooked. You say ‘why was this composed and when?’ and you go into the history of it as well,” Perras said. “It’s quite an educational component, but it gives people a basic understanding and hopefully helps them enjoy the music more.”
Every year the society presents an annual concert series of music from the middle ages to the early classical age at the Alix Goolden Performance Hall. However, this year, the summer concert is moving to the Christ Church Cathedral for a co-presentation of J.S. Bach: Mass in B Minor this week.
As part of the performance on Saturday, Aug. 6, conductor Alexander Weimann will lead eight internationally-renowned soloists and Montreal’s Arion Baroque Orchestra on period instruments.
In the past, the concerts have drawn anywhere from 250 to 800 people.
Tickets can be purchased at the McPherson Playhouse, Long and McQuade, Ivy’s and Munro’s Books or at the door. | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/389191621.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/7cee2bd8420bdb78b0bd6e2f8b1005377fc172b35fb1f8a0c8aa721da20ecffb.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:13:34 | null | null | Premier Christy Clark isn't going into next year's election with a promise to jack up Canada's only significant carbon tax | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fopinion%2F391051701.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/42735BCLN2007ClarkPolakNissanLeaf7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | BC VIEWS: B.C. fails to save the planet | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Premier Christy Clark and Environment Minister Mary Polak plug in an electric car at an announcement of the government's latest climate change plan in Richmond Aug. 19.
A B.C. Liberal operative was out with the online spin hours before Premier Christy Clark confirmed the much-leaked news in a Friday afternoon announcement at an obscure location in Richmond.
The, er, freeze is continuing for B.C.’s ground-breaking, world-saving carbon tax, which hasn’t changed since before Clark was elected in 2013.
The spin was Olympic-themed, with a picture labeled to show B.C. as a swimmer far out in the lead in the pool, to symbolize that it’s the other provinces that need to catch up in the race to save the planet.
Clark has been saying that for years, and there is merit to it. Even without a tax on “process emissions” such as from cement kilns, B.C.’s carbon tax encourages imports of non-taxed cement from the U.S. and China.
Alberta business professor Andrew Leach, who advised the Stephen Harper and then Rachel Notley governments on greenhouse gas policies, summed up the problem this way.
“Until the rest of the world has policies that impose similar cost, you’re not actually reducing emissions to the extent you think,” Leach said. “You’re just displacing the emissions and the economic activity to other jurisdictions.”
Alberta is moving to join B.C. with a modest carbon tax, but the NDP government plans to spend the proceeds rather than return them in income tax as B.C. has done. And Washington state and most of the rest of the world have no carbon tax as such, so their businesses benefit from B.C.’s “climate leadership.”
B.C.’s foreign-funded eco-radical community was, needless to say, appalled. The Pembina Institute’s Matt Horne and career protesters Tzeporah Berman and Merran Smith were named to the premier’s advisory committee last year, along with business, academic and aboriginal representatives.
They concluded that increases to B.C.’s broad-based tax on carbon fuels should resume its upward march in 2018.
Other committee members, including the mayors of Surrey, Comox and Burns Lake, were not heard from. Public discussion on this issue is now reduced to a staged conflict between those who demand a holy war on deadly carbon dioxide “pollution,” and those who don’t care if their grandchildren perish in a hell-fire of fossil fuel use.
We’ve just come off another El Nino year, like the hot year of 1998. Regular readers will recall the last time I discussed this topic was this spring, where I questioned the premier’s dire warnings of another horrendous forest fire season.
What followed has been one of the slowest forest fire seasons in the last decade, although dry conditions have finally emerged this month. Climate predictions, like next week’s weather forecast, are less than consistent.
I am regularly sent messages calling me a “climate change denier,” the nonsense term that continues to be used by federal Environment Minister Catharine McKenna among many others. I know of no one who denies that climate is always changing, at times dramatically.
If you wish to believe that paying an extra seven cents a litre for gasoline in B.C. is helping to slow the very gradual increase in temperatures we’re seeing in the northern hemisphere, you are free to do so.
You may even be persuaded to take a government subsidy and buy an expensive, short-range electric car. Me, I’m off to Prince Rupert and Revelstoke pretty soon, so I’ll stick with my little four-cylinder gas sipper for now.
Hydro-powered B.C. represents a small fraction of the less than two per cent Canada contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. We’re not the problem, and no, the world is not looking to us for guidance.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc | http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/391051701.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/3adc5593414c11d9858024d436d7381724615930bcef6cb86f018425563761d0.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-29T18:50:51 | null | null | Province has alternatives if Canada Post employees begin strike action | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391636531.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/40679BCLN2007CanadaPostMailboxwikim7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | B.C. prepares for possible postal disruption | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The B.C. government's plan B for income assistance cheques and other time-sensitive documents could be re-activated as the long-running Canada Post labour dispute reaches another deadline.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is in a legal position to strike as of Monday, but postponed threatened rotating strike action after weekend talks with a federal mediator. Its initial action would be an overtime ban rather than a full-scale walkout that would disrupt mail delivery.
Canada Post served lockout notice in July, with the two sides far apart on issues including pension changes for future employees and pay for rural carriers.
Income assistance, rent subsidy and other B.C. government payments are not affected if they are direct deposit. For mailed cheques and information, updates on possible postal strike effects to the Ministry of Social Development will be available as necessary at this website or at 1-866-866-0800.
Phone and online contacts are set up for questions about affected provincial departments:
• Ministry of Advanced Education and StudentAidBC online here.
• Ministry of Children and Family Development 1-877-387-7027
• Medical Services Plan payments online here or 1-877-405-4909
• ICBC inquiries 1-800-663-3051
• Family Maintenance and Enforcement program 604-660-2528
• Public Guardian and Trustee online here or 604-660-4444
• Vital Statistics 1-888-876-1633
• WorkSafe BC online here or 1-888-967-5377 | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391636531.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/6543ee0f62e464c482084bfb2b7ad10d28c550743404a970b22c9c842f39ac34.json |
[
"Pamela Roth"
] | 2016-08-26T13:11:11 | null | null | The former St. Andrew's School on Pandora Avenue is in the midst of being torn down in order to make way for a new $70-million development. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391223111.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/15844vicnewsVn-homefinder-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Demolition of former school underway for new Pandora Avenue development | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The former St. Andrew’s School on Pandora Avenue is being torn down to make way for the construction of a new $70-million development, which will include 209 rental units amongst two buildings — one six storeys and the other four.
The former St. Andrew's School on Pandora Avenue is in the midst of being torn down in order to make way for the construction of a new $70-million development.
The development, bordered by Pandora Avenue, Mason and Vancouver streets, was put forward by a division of Bosa Properties in 2013, but has undergone a number of changes since then after immense public backlash to the height of the building, concern with traffic volumes, the tower overshadowing the Mason Street Farm and lack of green space.
The 200,000-square-foot building now includes 209 rental units amongst two buildings — one six storeys and the other four. There will also be a large ground-floor commercial space that could include an urban grocer, bank, smaller retail stores, as well as 11 affordable rental units. Construction should be completed by February 2019.
Last August, more than 600 signatures were collected from residents of the North Park neighbourhood as part of a petition against the development. Residents were concerned the shopping would bring more traffic into the neighbourhood, creating congestion, and the tower would overshadow the neighbouring Mason Street Farm — a significant provider of food for local restaurants. Some also weren't happy with the lack of green space and the way the developer approached the community.
“The developer came in and told us this is the way it’s going to be. There wasn’t any dialogue,” said resident Charles Joerin, who felt a bit better once he heard the developer was making some adjustments to the project.
In the end, the petition garnered 1,200 signatures and more than 100 residents attended the two public hearings — the first in August and the second in October.
Approving the development was one of the most difficult decisions Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps has made during her four years on council. She voted in favour because of the balance of amenities it added to the community, noting the development is on par with the North Park Neighbourhood Association’s community plan drafted for the area in 1996.
“What we’re seeing now come forward 20 years later after an official community plan process, where that didn’t get changed. We’re seeing something that has much less height and density that could be there come in,” Helps said at the time the development was approved.
A year later, Jenny Farkas, president of the North Park Neighbourhood Association, said residents still have some lingering concerns when it comes to what businesses the development will house and how it will impact businesses already in the community. In the spirit of good neighbourhods, however, residents are learning to embrace the development.
“It's going to be in our neighbourhood for a long time. The decision has been made and we want to be good neighbours with the people that live there and the businesses and the developer,” said Farkas, noting residents have had good communication with the developer, but they just don’t have the same vision.
“I hope that will continue and they are open to having conversations with us and help problem solve.” | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391223111.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/cf50b132491a661f4c6ec61bc9623f77c3f6ed9f7ef9903833a0469046315979.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T20:51:16 | null | null | Workers could take job action as early as Thursday -- right before the Labour Day long weekend. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391776381.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/3630vicnewsEmpressWikipedia.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Empress Hotel workers give 72-hour strike notice | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Unionized workers at the Empress Hotel gave 72-hour notice of job action on Tuesday morning, right before the Labour Day long weekend.
The earliest a strike could begin is Thursday morning if a deal cannot be reached.
“The ‘new’ Empress has a dirty secret: the renovations have led to harm and stress on the people who work there,” Stu Shields with Unifor said in a statement.
He said staff are being forced to work overtime because they aren’t enough people on shift. Some have worked 60 days straight.
The hotel announced its renovation plans earlier this year, including in the popular Bengal Lounge.
“The renovations are incomplete if the staffing levels remain stuck in the past,” Shields said.
Uniform Local 4276 represents nearly 500 workers at the Empress, including those in housekeeping, groundskeeping, serving, engineering and guest relations.
More to come. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391776381.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/040448c436c07af9071438acff90fe6e3c8840e924dd79565af3073e9252b5c2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:48:53 | null | null | 15 Questions: With Vanya McDonell, co-executive director of the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fcommunity%2F391223561.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/16102vicnewsVanyaMcDonell-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | 15 Questions: With Vanya McDonell, co-executive director of the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association | null | null | www.vicnews.com | 1. It's Sunday morning, what are you having for breakfast?
Pancakes and lots of whipped cream.
2. If you didn't do what you did for a living, what would you be? A dancer or a theoretical physicist. It’s a toss-up.
3. What's playing in your music player right now? Goat.
4. What's your biggest pet peeve?
Whiners. Morning glory. Also, when you’re cooking dinner and you get a piece of rice stuck to the bottom of your sock. It’s the worst.
5. What's the best thing about living in Victoria?
The community — I love the interconnectedness of all the people who call this wonderful place home.
6. What's your favourite movie(s)?
Has to be the Princess Bride. It sounds cliché but I love it every time I see it.
7. Which person, alive or dead, would you have dinner with? Noam Chomsky. I think he is one of our time’s most original thinkers, and would love to hear just a few pearls of wisdom over some spaghetti and a glass of wine.
8. What's your favourite vacation destination?
Any Gulf Island. I have two young kids and we don’t get very far from home these days, but it feels like paradise to me.
9. If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Flying. It’s a classic superpower for a reason.
10. What's the one thing you haven't done that you'd love to do?
That’s a long list — but I’d love to hike the North Coast Trail sometime in the near future.
11. If you could see one concert, what would it be?
Alice Coltrane.
12. What is your favourite TV show?
Right now I’m loving Broad City.
13. What's your dream car?
I’m not much of a car person but I wouldn’t say no to a fully decked out camper van.
14. What is your favourite place to dine?
Spinnaker’s is one of my favourites; yummy food, great beer and an incredible view.
15. What are your words to live by?
Fake it till you make it. | http://www.vicnews.com/community/391223561.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/97801eb6eaa42dc5b12a836720810cb79384578b7af92d70f02877c3c8d44e05.json |
[
"Canadian Press"
] | 2016-08-26T12:53:49 | null | null | Whether it's home screenings or community viewing parties, much of Canada will be tuning in for iconic rock band's final bow | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F390688221.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/56997CPT122356039.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Televised Tragically Hip show an 'unprecedented event:' CBC | null | null | www.vicnews.com | TORONTO – Few Canadian television events qualify as a momentous occasion for the nation, but Saturday's Tragically Hip concert promises to be special.
It seems like much of the country will be tuned into CBC's live broadcast of "The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration" from Kingston, Ont., when factoring in home screenings and community viewing parties.
Yet how many people will watch is anybody's guess at this point.
"This is an unprecedented event for us," said Jennifer Dettman, CBC's executive director of unscripted content.
The sentiment is true on many levels, she adds.
The last stop on the Hip's "Man Machine Poem" tour is widely expected to be their final performance, as lead singer Gord Downie is facing terminal brain cancer. After tickets to the tour sold out within minutes, fans launched a campaign urging the CBC to carry the band's Kingston show as a live TV event.
Dettman wouldn't speak to the contract negotiations that led to the Hip agreeing to the broadcast.
"CBC made both a competitive and financially responsible offer to acquire the broadcast rights, and we're thrilled to be able to offer this national celebration to as many Canadians as possible," she said.
The concert won't just be on the main CBC network, it will also be broadcast through various other platforms such as CBC Radio One, the CBC website and its YouTube and Facebook channels.
With so many viewing options, that will make it tough to capture how many eyes and ears are focused on the Hip this Saturday.
That's where ratings agency Numeris comes in. The Toronto-based company tracks viewership figures by using meters and viewing diaries prepared by a panel of Canadians representative of the population.
Their data shows that most huge audience draws are typically live programming, led by major sporting events.
The Super Bowl is the biggest TV event nearly every year — drawing about six million to eight million viewers in recent years — while a handful of other annual celebrations like the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and Grammys are perennial favourites too.
The gold medal game of the men's hockey tournament at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics is considered to be the most-watched broadcast ever in Canada. It drew 16.6 million viewers, according to data from Numeris, about double the number of people who tune into most Super Bowls.
Those kinds of numbers will be hard to beat, even for a rock band with as much Canadian clout as the Hip.
Numeris spokesman Tom Jenks wouldn't guess how many viewers will tune into the CBC broadcast, but acknowledges it'll probably be a pretty big number.
The agency said it will be counting every public screening — from restaurants to movie theatres to community viewing parties — and each person streaming the concert on their phone. Viewers who playback the show on their DVRs within seven days will also be included in the final numbers.
"Our system captures all viewing," Jenks said.
Potentially driving those numbers higher is the decision make the Hip's concert a one-time broadcast, with no encore presentation and no availability on on-demand platforms.
"Our goal was to bring the experience of this live concert to Canadians in that moment," Dettman said.
"I'm sure the band will figure out what they will want to do with the concert afterwards."
She said the goal is to give all Canadians the same "crescendo" feeling that will ripple through the arena in Kingston.
"Our goal is to bring the experience ... to as many Canadians as we can," she said.
"The idea that we're all together experiencing this moment at the same time is really special."
Follow @dfriend on Twitter.
David Friend, The Canadian Press | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/390688221.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/7196e55bcad43d5edd150b85f7de09b5aa77fa6e93713a4078af4e3409f8c6e2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:44 | null | null | If you walk above the Dallas Road cliffs on a summer night, you might notice small flitting shadows darting close by. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fcommunity%2F391223221.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | COLUMN: Bats vamping over Dallas Road cliffs | null | null | www.vicnews.com | By Barbara Julian
If you walk above the Dallas Road cliffs on a summer night, you might notice small flitting shadows darting close and seeming more corporeal than any shadow has a right to be. These, you realize, are bats, and for some their presence is a good reason never again to walk the Dallas Road cliffs at night.
Figures in a centuries-long literary tradition of evil, bats are few people's favourite wildlife species. Yet from a biological point of view they’re fascinating, and perform some welcomed services. Their fast and sure-winged movements are guided largely by sounds which they send out and continuously receive back as echoes from objects around them, including objects as tiny as the insects they eat. They use vision as well, contrary to the popular idea that bats are blind. The mammal brain evolved out of the optic nerve, but bat brains evolved also to receive information from waves of sound.
Even if we appreciate their brains, however, we cannot shake the idea that bats might entangle themselves in our hair, and that their faces, claws and brittle wings are beyond ugly. The thought of thousands of them squashed upside-down in dank dark caves is the stuff of nightmares, sustaining a long tradition of vampire lore. The vampire was a corpse who left the grave at night and sucked blood from cattle or persons innocently asleep in their beds. The corpse was typically that of a heretic, and its emergence signified the stirrings of evil. The cave-grave symbolism, plus its evil-looking demeanor, gave the role of vampire to the innocent bat. There are species that do consume blood but they exist in Central and South America; the 16 species found in B.C. are insect-eaters.
Bats copulate in fall before hibernating for winter. The females delay ovulation and store sperm until fertilization takes place in spring. Males and females live separately, but some species engage in interesting unexplained extra-evolutionary sexual behaviours not describable in a community newspaper. They give birth to one infant at a time, perhaps three over a spring and summer. Babies are large at birth and cling to their mothers for a month or more, during which time she must eat prodigiously to maintain her own and her offspring's weight. That is why a bat can eat 2,000 to 6,000 insects per night and up to 600 mosquitoes per hour.
Where, though, do bats roost during the day and for winter hibernation? The cave lifestyle of non-local bats is intriguing. Among some species a class of baby-sitting females mind the infants (as in whale and wolf societies) when mothers go out hunting at night. How does a mother bat know, when she returns at dawn with food, which of the thousands of baby bats massing in a cave is her own? Some chemical, hormonal, molecular knowledge is at work which science hasn't explained, some universal attachment of mother to offspring.
Local bats though usually nest not in caves but in hollow trees, attics and abandoned buildings (contributing to the
“Halloween bat” imagery). No one wants them in attics, and urban forest is disappearing, so as for all species habitat loss is a major threat. Two other threats, wind turbines and the fungal disease called white nose syndrome, haven't yet reached Victoria.
Mythology and our built-in squeamishness about ugly, black night creatures has made bats, along with rats and snakes, one of the unloved wildlife species, yet their usefulness in snapping up mosquitoes has encouraged some to put bat houses in their yards.
If you’re one of those, the website of the Habitat Acquisition Trust has a page on how to build a bat house at hat.bc.ca. | http://www.vicnews.com/community/391223221.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/094f907a0f6d3cc106171dd1def2430978fac055849682edcb61b44f57ffa72c.json |
[
"Tim Collins"
] | 2016-08-26T13:08:08 | null | null | The process should be easy enough. You visit your doctor for an examination and are prescribed a drug. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Flifestyles%2F377284261.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | Taking your medicine has some issues | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The process should be easy enough.
You visit your doctor for an examination and are prescribed a drug to address your particular medical problem. Your pharmacist fills that prescription and you're well on your way to recovery.
But according to a new study released by the Canadian Association for Retired Persons (CARP) and Shoppers Drug Mart entitled “Pharmacist Interventions in Medication Adherence,” 50 per cent of Canadians with chronic diseases are non-adherent to their medications. The study goes on to say that one in three prescriptions go unfilled or, even if they are filled, are not taken.
The reasons vary, said Omar Alasaly, a pharmacist who has been working in Victoria for eight years.
“Sometimes people's symptoms disappear and they stop taking the medicine too early, or sometimes they just can't afford the medicine,” said Alasaly. “Sometimes they just forget to take the pills.”
The instructions that accompany prescribed drugs can also be problematic if not followed exactly.
For example, taking a pill with food or after a meal can ensure that the medication is effective and doesn't cause harm, yet this instruction is frequently ignored.
Stopping medication without a doctor's advice or taking pills only intermittently can also have serious consequences.
The report indicates people need to be more diligent, not only for their own sake, but for society as a whole. Nation-wide, 69 per cent of medication-related hospitalizations are due to non-adherence to prescription protocols. Those hospitalizations increase the cost of health care by an estimated $7 to $9 billion annually.
“This is why it's so important that pharmacists build relationships with their clients and engage in one-on-one consultations. The health care system is under enough pressure without adding preventable costs arising from people not taking their medications or taking the wrong medications in the wrong way,” added Asalay.
He said his consultations with clients often highlights problems which prompt him to contact the client's doctor with a request medications be reviewed, particularly when clients have visited more than one doctor and received multiple prescriptions.
The situation is of particular concern for an aging population. A national survey conducted by CARP reported that 53 per cent of CARP members are taking four or more prescription medications at any given time. It's not uncommon for seniors to be juggling a dozen different drugs simultaneously.
Since older Canadians are more likely to deal with adherence issues, the report suggests that pharmacists help to simplify the process through the use of compliance packs; cards or containers that organize medications in weekly (or daily) packaging that helps to ensure that the correct medications are taken at the correct time of day and in the correct way.
But according to Alan Cassals, adjunct professor and policy researcher at the University of Victoria, the problem may have deeper roots than prescription adherence which involve the over-prescription of drugs in the first place, particularly to seniors.
“Older people see lots of doctors and specialists and are frequently prescribed drugs that have no life-saving or substantial quality-of-life benefits,” said Cassels. He added that a part of the approach for dealing with individuals taking their medications in an inappropriate manner should be to reduce the number of medications being prescribed.
“Doctors have to do a much better job of consulting with patients to ensure that there is a rational and necessary reason for every prescribed drug,” said Cassels. “It's much harder for a doctor to talk a patient out of a drug than it is to issue a prescription and get them out the door, but that approach sometimes results in a massive and unnecessary number of prescriptions.”
Cassels agreed that pharmacists can and must play a role in preventing the overuse of prescription drugs.
“They're the ones that see the prescriptions coming in from a variety of doctors and can help to stem the use of unnecessary drugs or those with questionable health benefits,” said Cassels.
He added the role of pharmacists can be problematic. Since pharmacists work for pharmacies whose business model depends on selling drugs, it's not often in their company's best interest to try to encourage customers to consult their doctor in an effort to cancel a prescription.
He emphasized there are some excellent pharmacists who take patient welfare very seriously, but adds it's often not easy to do the right thing.
Asalay agreed, but maintains pharmacists must look at the long-term; building relationships and earning the trust of their clients and the community.
“Health care is expensive and prescriptions need to be appropriate and taken in a responsible manner. We all have a role to play,” said Asalay. | http://www.vicnews.com/lifestyles/377284261.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/1dfd048e08fa76e13720c57206263e5fa329c0e97932aae7f471694ec6c1c01c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:12:03 | null | null | The Victoria HarbourCats have set a new West Coast League (WCL) record for wins in a season Sunday afternoon. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fsports%2F389617381.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/61804vicnewsVN-Harbourcats-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | HarbourCats set new record for wins | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The Victoria HarbourCats set a new West Coast League record for wins in a season Sunday afternoon as they beat the Yakima Valley Pippins 11-4 at Royal Athletic Park.
By Christian J. Stewart
The Victoria HarbourCats have set a new West Coast League (WCL) record for wins in a season after they drubbed the Yakima Valley Pippins 11-4 Sunday afternoon in the season finale for both teams in front of 2,506 fans at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria.
The win moves the HarbourCats 2016 record to 40-14 and surpasses the previous win total of 39 set by the 2011 Wenatchee AppleSox. Sunday’s attendance also pushed the HarbourCats season total to 60,466 for the season, also a new WCL record.
Leading the way Sunday for the HarbourCats were a trio of players with multiple hit games including Brad Pluschkell with three hits, including a home run and three runs scored, Griffin Andreychuk with two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored and Ben Polshuk with two hits, two RBIs and a run scored.
The HarbourCats would make it known early that they were gunning for win 40 as they scored four runs off Yakima starter Zach Haggett in their very first at bats, keyed by a two-RBI double from Polshuk and an RBI-single from Ryan Anderson.
They would add another in the second to hold a 5-0 lead before Yakima would finally get to Victoria starter Kyle Mora for four runs in the top of the fourth, highlighted by a two-run home run from Jay Schuyler.
After Mora kept the Pippins from causing any further damage in the top of the fifth, Indigo Diaz came on for the sixth and did the same and then watched as the HarbourCats broke the game open with another four runs in the bottom of the frame, keyed by two-RBI singles each from Andreychuk and Polshuk.
A solo home run from Pluschkell in the bottom of the seventh made it 11-4 and then it was left to Diaz, who pitched into the eighth, Matt Lautz who pitched in the eighth and ninth and closer Colin Ashworth, who came in with one out in the ninth, to shut it down and secure the win.
The HarbourCats hit the road to Bellingham on Tuesday for Game 1 of the North Divisional Series against the Bells. They are back Wednesday night for the first baseball playoff game at this level in almost 50 years, as they host the Bells in Game 2 of the series. | http://www.vicnews.com/sports/389617381.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/449d10a8f259e7467828c9693ed1ce9f70416d7eef616643dcebd77805cabb9a.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:10:04 | null | 2014-02-04T00:00:00 | Guns intercepted at Pacific region border crossings up 116 per cent compared to this time last year | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391214101.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/12413BCLN2007Gunsabb-HuntingtonCBSA2014-2.4.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | U.S. border gun seizures double | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Guns seized from visitors entering Canada at the Huntington-Abbotsford border crossing, 2014.
Canadian Border Services Agency has seen a 116 per cent increase in the number of firearms seized in the Pacific Region in the first half of 2016.
With a 10 per cent increase also recorded in the Prairie region, the CBSA is working with U.S. officials on a firearms awareness campaign to remind Americans about restrictions on bringing guns into Canada.
"Attempting to smuggle firearms across the border can result in immediate forfeiture, hefty fines and even significant jail time," said Kim Scoville, CBSA's regional director general for the Prairie region.
Visitors entering the border inspection line should declare any firearms at their first opportunity. Border services officers will take possession of the weapon if it is declared, but the visitor has the option of shipping it back under CBSA supervision or surrendering it without prosecution.
The RCMP has procedures for visitors bringing firearms into Canada | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391214101.html | en | 2014-02-04T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/1778abc109d9e3b3b67cfac25be20ecf0532358fc70114d55d775fcd20d36b62.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T13:00:06 | null | null | A 15 per cent tax imposed on foreign investors in Vancouver could create more interest in Victoria's housing market. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F388554281.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | Provincial tax could push more buyers to Island: realtor | null | null | www.vicnews.com | A 15 per cent tax imposed on foreign investors in Vancouver could create more interest in Victoria's housing market, says one local real estate agent.
Earlier this week, the provincial government announced it will be imposing a new 15 per cent tax on property purchased in metro Vancouver by non-Canadian citizens or residents, in an attempt to deal with the spiralling costs of real estate in the city.
The tax, which is expected to take effect Aug. 2, will not extend to municipalities outside metro Vancouver, such as Victoria, and will be used to support affordable housing and rental assistance initiatives.
New data released by the provincial government said foreigners bought 9.7 per cent of homes between June 10 to July 14 in Vancouver (representing $885 million worth of residential real estate), significantly higher than the earlier tally of 5.1 per cent issued by the province a few weeks ago.
Tony Joe, a realtor in Victoria and the president of the Asian Real Estate Association of America's Vancouver chapter, said in the short-term the tax will generate interest in Victoria's already hot housing market.
“A lot of investors who have been thinking about Vancouver have also considered Victoria as well. I think it's possible that it might tip the scales and have them be a little more interested in Victoria than in Vancouver,” said Joe, who specializes in foreign investors. “The overall thought is all of a sudden Victoria looks like a 15 per cent better deal.”
While the tax is meant to discourage foreign investors, Joe believes many who have their heart set on Vancouver will simply pay the tax. However, there will be some who won't want to pay, which could result in them moving to other areas of the province, including Vancouver Island, other areas of the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan.
According to Joe, Victoria used to be seen as a quiet town compared to other larger cities. However, that view is quickly changing and more foreign investors are seeing Victoria as a city where their children can be fully immersed in Canadian culture.
“One of the major appeals of Victoria, especially regarding their kids, is that they're sending their kids here and they're getting much more of a total language immersion because when they're in Vancouver, the kids literally don't need to speak much English because their surroundings and social networks remain very Chinese,” said Joe, adding many of his clients are newcomers — some of whom have lived in Vancouver for two to seven years and have decided to sell their home and move to Victoria, or are purchasing a second property for their children.
“They come over here, Victoria remains very Anglo. To many of the Chinese, when they think of North America, they feel Victoria is more North American than Vancouver.”
Joe believes if the tax does help slow down the real estate market in Vancouver, sellers looking to cash in on their homes and move to other areas will be left in the dust — an affect that could trickle down to Victoria.
In the long-term, Joe is also concerned that foreign investors who do decide to pay the tax and want to sell their place 10 or 15 year down the road will look to recoup all of the costs, including the tax, which will drive the value of the property up as well. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/388554281.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/6c35ee3fdbaf4c8c6b22f02f7c4514226cc8f0f97c3a28c545c237ca723cc22b.json |
[
"Canadian Press"
] | 2016-08-29T16:50:14 | null | null | Federal labour minister advised to allow temporary foreign workers as a backup to Canadians as B.C. aims to build LNG plants | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F391580541.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | Libs looking at foreign workers for liquefied gas projects | null | null | www.vicnews.com | OTTAWA – The federal labour minister was told earlier this year to give a positive signal to liquefied natural gas companies on the use of temporary foreign workers, but only if Canadians were considered first for jobs.
Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk's officials told her in February that it was inevitable that companies would need temporary foreign workers to proceed with energy projects in Western Canada.
In a Feb. 1 briefing note, Mihychuk's officials write that the federal government can speed up how quickly it processes applications for temporary foreign workers, but couldn't waive requirements for liquefied natural gas projects.
The briefing note, prepared ahead of Mihychuk's meeting with David Keane, president of the BC LNG Alliance, recommends "signal support" for temporary foreign workers "on the condition that Canadians are considered first for available jobs ... and only used as a measure of last resort."
The Canadian Press obtained a copy of the briefing note under the Access to Information Act.
In an interview, Keane said Mihychuk didn't give any indication of how the government would decide on the issue of foreign workers involved in projects. He said the message Mihychuk provided was that the government wanted to review the temporary foreign worker program.
He didn't want to speculate about what the message from department officials may mean for the fate of projects that require federal approval.
Thousands of temporary foreign workers are expected to be needed to work on any of the 20 separate liquefied natural gas projects being reviewed in British Columbia, including the Pacific Northwest LNG project that the federal cabinet has to decide on this fall.
The briefing note says unions are unlikely to speak out publicly about the use of temporary foreign workers because they know the majority of jobs will go to union members and that Canadians will be first in line for jobs.
Keane said the plan is to hire a workforce derived from local aboriginal communities and provincial residents before looking across Canada.
"There will be probably a requirement, and I think everybody recognizes this, for temporary foreign workers to be able to build this industry, but we have a plan in place and are developing the plan and refining the plan to make sure that we look at Canadians first before we bring in temporary foreign workers," Keane said.
Jordan Press, The Canadian Press | http://www.vicnews.com/business/391580541.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/e13908c1514947abf4d8878f4236934738b9b59392ab888463fbcd44dd6f70af.json |
[
"Shannon Lough"
] | 2016-08-26T13:10:15 | null | null | Two months after having an endoscopy Joan Dudoward received a letter telling her that the endoscope used was not cleaned properly. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391353941.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/73852princerupertWEB.Joan-Dudoward.SL.35.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | VIDEO: Prince Rupert woman treated with unclean medical equipment, Northern Health, B.C. Centre for Disease Control confirms more than a hundred affected | null | null | www.vicnews.com | A routine check-up at the hospital has turned into a nightmare for a Prince Rupert woman.
A month-and-a-half after having an endoscopy to inspect her nose and throat, Joan Dudoward received a letter from Northern Health stating that the endoscope used at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital was not cleaned properly.
From April until the end of June 2016, the endoscope, which is a flexible tube with a light and a camera used in nonsurgical procedures, was being cleaned with the wrong cleaning solution to disinfect the equipment. There were 104 patients affected and Dudoward was one of them.
“I was majorly stressed out,” she said in an exclusive interview with the Northern View. “I'm a cancer survivor. I try to keep my health up for my mom, I'm a caregiver for a 95-year-old woman.”
Dudoward had gone to the Prince Rupert hospital for an endoscopy on June 29 at 3:30 p.m. after complaining to her physician about reoccurring plugged ears and a sore throat. She received the letter from Northern Health on Aug.24, which stated the error did not impact the diagnostic outcome of the tests and the process error has been corrected.
The letter also states that the BC Centre for Disease Control has been consulted and “the risk of a patient being exposed to a virus as a result of this process error is extremely low.” The contact number for the director of acute care services is offered in case she has any other questions or concerns. Dudoward has many.
She called to find out why the instrument wasn't cleaned, what had happened and how many people had gone through the procedure before and after her. “She said she's not permitted to tell me anything about this,” was the response Dudoward said she received.
The vice-president of medicine for the Northern Health authority, Dr. Ronald Chapman, was quick to respond to media inquiries and stressed the importance of transparency. He said, based on previous experience, once they realized the mistake had occurred they consulted the BC Centre for Disease Control as well as the Northern Health infectious disease specialist in Prince George.
“The risk for the patient is extremely low. We're not concerned that it will at all have any negative impact on their health,” Dr. Chapman said. He added that it's Northern Health's policy to make patients aware even if the risk to them is low. “We believe it's important to be open with those patients and to be fairly transparent so at least they are aware of the mistake. In this case, we don't recommend any particular follow up or tests for the patients.”
This type of process error has happened before, Dr. Chapman confirmed. Not with the same scope, but he said there are many different endoscopes used and each are made by different manufacturers that have various recommendations on how to clean the equipment.
“The health sector is run by human beings and it's fairly complex. If mistakes do happen what we encourage our staff to do is to make management aware so they can learn from that experience,” he said. “I'm happy to say where those mistakes have happened in our environment, a process has been put in place and we haven't had any repetitions after some of those learning experiences.”
For the 104 patients that were affected by this incident, Dr. Chapman said their general practitioners have been notified and if they have any questions they can speak to them and the infectious disease specialist. They can also contact Northern Health's Patient Care Quality Officeto register a complaint.
For Dudoward, who had a bone marrow transplant in 2011 to battle leukemia, she is concerned and has already scheduled a meeting with her physician in early September.
“I'm thinking that my body is not going to be able to fight off infection like I was able to before the cancer because chemo takes a lot out of your body so this is like a bomb exploding in my life,” she said. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391353941.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/d87812fa6604b1b486dc73c3cc37e4560a41d207db06d7634ff37078bc7c4c58.json |
[
"John Mckinley"
] | 2016-08-26T13:13:51 | null | null | Is the time ripe for Vancouver Island communities to add a bit of brutal honesty to their marketing efforts? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fopinion%2F385888681.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/25952BCLN2007Deerlogoweb.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Welcome to Vancouver Island: or not | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The marketing company Rethink has come up with this edgy branding campaign for the community of Bowen Island.
Bowen Island apparently believes in the promoter’s axiom of "there’s no such thing as bad publicity."
The community, located a 20-minute ferry ride offshore of Greater Vancouver recently approved a brand campaign with such pointed slogans as “Bowen Island: tell your friends it’s awful here” and “Welcome to Bowen Island, don’t forget to leave.”
The point was to do something edgy that captured the Island’s unique character and fierce protectiveness while emphasizing its identity as an amazing secret that its residents would love to keep.
Not unexpectedly, the campaign hasn’t been met with universal applause. Commentary on a CBC website story reporting on it includes words like “ignorant,” “typical,” “cliquey,” and “insular,” though it’s not entirely clear if the posters are describing the campaign or the island itself.
That said, this initiative appears to be doing exactly what marketing campaigns are supposed to do: get noticed. And it sparked the obvious question: could Vancouver Island communities benefit from the same type of unconventional thinking? Should we try marketing that embraces our perceived flaws?
Consider how more conventional thought hasn’t exactly shown a lot of success in giving Vancouver Island communities brands that stick out.
“Discover the possibilities,” “Meet and stay,” “Getting here is easy,” and “Wildly sophisticated, economically unconventional.” If any of these existing slogans immediately made you think of the Comox Valley, you are far more attentive than most.
Thank the marketing gods for finally coming up with “Better choices, better future,” because, really, you can’t get much more uniquely Comox Valley than that.
Right?
So with that in mind, are we ready for Duncan: “You’ve seen the highway strip, how could it possibly get worse?”
Or Port Alberni: “Once you’re over the Hump, it’s all downhill from there!”
Or Qualicum: “Those under 50 need not apply.”
The area around the capital would seem to have all kinds of potential for this kind of campaign: “So special we need 13 town councils to make it work,” or “There’s life north of the Malahat?” or how about that timeless classic “Our (effluent) don’t stink.”
Out on the west coast we could go with Tofino: “Beers, bongs, bears, beards, boards, and buckets of yuppies” and Ucluelet: “If you can’t afford Tofino, we’re right next door!”
Lake Cowichan could be up front with the tourist crowd by saying: “We want your money, not your drunken tubing and speedboat racing.” Chemainus: “We may roll up the sidewalks at 5 p.m., but those pictures on the walls are there around the clock!” Ladysmith: “Avoid the crowds, visit any day except Light Up!” The North Island: “Because real men don’t do wi-fi.”
The good folks in Campbell River could tweak their well-established existing slogan into something a little more modern. How about: “The where-the-salmon-used-to-be capital of the world.”
The Hub City, Harbour City and Bathtub Capital monikers all created decent traction for Nanaimo. But if we really wanted to reflect how it is perceived, we could try: “Where the malls are!” or “As fun and friendly as our city council!” or even “More fentanyl than you can shake a syringe at!”
And it doesn’t have to stop at the community level.
For a more regional Island-wide campaign, we could try: “A pot shop already on every corner, and it’s not even legal yet!” or “Come for the craft brews, stay for the Lucky!” or “Old trees, hug one while you still can!”
Or we could just play it low-key and safe and do what Merville did: simply go with something informative. The slogan for this Comox Valley hamlet is the unforgettable “Merville: named for Merville, France.”
How about “Vancouver Island: Like Vancouver, but with less cars, less pretension, more Island and a better sense of humour.”
It just might work.
(For a look at some of the existing Vancouver Island marketing slogans, click here.) | http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/385888681.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/5b12b512be6fe3bc32a76b0db20579c1ec858bea0659027eddbdde01320fcf36.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:02:47 | null | null | Local women realtors making a difference joined with Real Estate Victoria for a special reception at the Victoria Golf Club. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F385080151.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/94175vicnewsRealEstateWomen2website.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Victoria realtors gather for celebration | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Realtor Shaunna Jones reacts after picking the lucky key that unlocked a lock and won her Nygard clothing from Sears at the Real Estate Victoria's Women in Real Estate event at the Victoria Golf Club.
Real Estate Victoria held a special reception at the Victoria Golf Club to celebrate local women realtors who are making a difference in their community through charities, such as 100+ Real Estate Agents Who Care, Habitat for Humanity and other initiatives.
Sears Canada representatives were on hand to show off their Nygard fashion design. Sears also held a contest to give away some of the fashion product. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/385080151.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/b84d0b0b2a8fe20d8504c2dd98f02b5b5b43763c8e86b77dd9d81039f34b030f.json |
[
"Pamela Roth"
] | 2016-08-26T12:59:17 | null | null | When Mike Delamont thinks about filming his first comedy special at the Royal Theatre, he's swept with a wave of excitement and terror. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F388955981.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/102vicnews_DerekFord_MikeDelamont1606276303hires-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Comedian bringing big laughs to Royal Theatre | null | null | www.vicnews.com | When Mike Delamont thinks about filming his first comedy special live from the stage of the 1,400-seat Royal Theatre, he's swept with a wave of excitement and terror.
Scheduled to air on American television some time this fall, the critically acclaimed Victoria comic will make history by becoming the first local comedian to perform at the Royal Theatre with a routine he's been building for the last few years.
“It's kind of the best of the best of what I've been doing,” said the 32-year-old, who was the first local comedian to play the McPherson Playhouse in 2012.
“It's about my life and my wife and my career and the silliness that tends to follow me around.”
Growing up in Esquimalt, Delamont loved British comedy and would often put on his own shows entertaining friends. After high school, he began performing at fringe festivals and joined Victoria's Atomic Vaudeville, doing sketch comedy and his own shows such as the critically acclaimed God is A Scottish Drag Queen (which has become one of the highest grossing shows on the international fringe circuit, leading to three sequels).
His first time doing standup comedy was in 2011 after he moved to Toronto with hopes of furthering his career. But it was difficult to get hired so a friend suggested he do an open mike night. The gig challenged Delamont to find his own voice.
Eventually, Delamont was discovered when he sent a tape to the producers of the Halifax Comedy Festival and Investors Group Comedy Tour. He didn't make the tour that year, but they booked him dozens of shows, adding him to the Halifax Comedy Fest and Montreal's Just for Laughs.
Since then, Delamont has found much success, being a three-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee and now a semi-finalist in SiriusXM's Top Comic competition. He also recently performed in the Main Room of the Comedy Store in Los Angeles alongside Tom Green and Russell Peters — an experience Delamont describes as “very cool.”
“Comedy is kind of like its own little club. There's those of us who flew there in economy and some who flew there on their own jets. Once in that room, it doesn't matter,” said Delamont.
“Everybody talks to each other and there's no level of hierarchy because everybody has been in the exact same position of struggling and trying to get stage time.”
Before he steps on stage to tickle the funny bone of his audience, Delamont often feels an uncomfortable calm and spends much time rehearsing transitions between jokes, which he says is the most important part of the show. His material is created from every day stuff, with his wife helping pen some of his best jokes. In the funny stories he tells on stage, Delamont admits he’ll always be the buffoon.
Delamont isn't sure where his career will take him, but he keeps thinking about a sign that was in his high school home room that said: if you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting.
“It's been a weird career path. I try to do one thing every year that scares me, which has been okay in the past. One day it will bite me,” said Delamont, who spent half of last year on the road since 95 per cent of his shows aren't in Victoria. During one show in Winnipeg, people waited for hours to get tickets at the door.
“It's so absurd people would do that and then you come to your home town and it's, I guess we'll see him. Victoria is home, but people really have no idea what my life is like. It's a whole heap of fun silliness.”
Delamont's show at the Royal Theatre takes place on Friday, Aug. 5. Voting for the SiriusXM Top Comic competition opens at 10 a.m. on Aug. 2. Votes can be made once a day at siriusxm.ca/topcomic. | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/388955981.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/d96a3defd7c8caf64944a37f039fbdd85551112308652e1400e8f3c6169501b9.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:37 | null | null | 15 Questions: With Melanie Mahlman, president and CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fcommunity%2F390707031.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/62542vicnewsMelanieMahlman-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | 15 Questions: With Melanie Mahlman, president and CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation | null | null | www.vicnews.com | 1. It's Sunday morning, what are you having for breakfast?
A latte, plain yogurt and cereal.
2. If you didn't do what you did for a living, what would you be?
I think I have my dream job, but maybe a career in international relations?
3. What's playing in your music player right now?
Jesse Cook.
4. What's your biggest pet peeve? Rudeness.
5. What's the best thing about living in Victoria?
The natural beauty that is all around us, and the people.
6. What's your favourite movie(s)?
The Philadelphia Story and, Bedtime for Sniffles (a Christmas movie my dad always played for us).
7. Which person, alive or dead, would you have dinner with? Eleanor Roosevelt.
8. What's your favourite vacation destination? Italy.
9. If you could have one super power, what would it be? To make everyone kind.
10. What's the one thing you haven't done that you'd love to do?
Learn a second language.
11. If you could see one concert, what would it be?
Aretha Franklin.
12. What is your favourite TV show? The Good Wife.
13. What's your dream car?
1955 BMW Isetta 300.
14. What is your favourite place to dine?
Agrius by Foi Epi
15. What are your words to live by?
Conduct yourself with grace. | http://www.vicnews.com/community/390707031.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/1d0e222249c9556202bea3bfa45026ec3dc85ab12beb22f6203fb7ce4dcbf182.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:00:57 | null | null | Four per cent rate hike already in effect, more to come as BC Hydro looks for savings to offset slow industrial demand | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F388687371.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/9960BCLN2007DamRevelstokewiki7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | BC Hydro rates rise as demand slows | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Revelstoke dam on the Columbia River is due to have a sixth water turbine added, but Site C is BC Hydro's priority today.
BC Hydro is going ahead with its planned four per cent rate increase this year and deferring more debt to future years as it revises its electricity demand forecast downward.
The provincially-owned utility has not asked for an increase in its government-imposed rate plan despite a revised demand forecast with $3.5 billion less revenue over the next 10 years. BC Hydro has filed a three-year plan with the B.C. Utilities Commission that would increase rates four, 3.5 and three per cent in the next three years. The four per cent increase is already showing up on customer bills as an interim increase.
With the Site C dam on the Peace River and other upgrades amounting to $2 billion a year, the plan includes additional deferred debt until 2023, when Site C is due to be completed. BC Hydro CEO Jessica McDonald said the long-term nature of capital projects means its capital cost savings don't start until the next decade.
BC Hydro has also cut some of its familiar Power Smart activities, such as the fridge buy-back plan and incentives for energy efficient light bulbs.
McDonald said BC Hydro is seeing lower revenues due to two warm winters and downturns in mining and forest products. It still projects growing overall demand as population and economic growth continue.
NDP energy critic Adrian Dix said the new deferred debt represents roughly $500 for each of BC Hydro's two million customers, and it is a political move to get the B.C. Liberal government past next year's election.
The 10-year rates plan imposed by Energy Minister Bill Bennett in 2013 overstated demand to justify the construction of Site C, and translates to a 28 per cent rate increase. It allows the utilities commission to regain control over approving customer rates by 2020, after five years of political direction.
Dix said with the new demand forecast and commodity prices expected to remain low, BC Hydro should have added a sixth turbine to its Revelstoke dam for $450 million before embarking on the $9 billion Site C project. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/388687371.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/72908bfe084dc8b2437a200c1b445a1a9371ab3aacf9798920128cedd8780707.json |
[
"Pamela Roth"
] | 2016-08-30T16:51:13 | null | null | After eight days, city crews were able to finally remove a five-foot long snake from a pipe at Quadra Street and Balmoral Road. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391752111.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | Snake finally removed from city pipes | null | null | www.vicnews.com | While waiting for a speciality camera to arrive in a truck stuck in traffic on the Malahat due to a forest fire last week, city crews decided to pop open the lid of a manhole covering a section of pipe a snake had been living in for the past eight days.
After discovering the five-foot long snake on Aug. 17, and a few failed attempts to retrieve it, crews were hoping this time it would be close by. Much to their surprise, the snake was there the moment the lid was opened.
“We didn't expect it to be right there. They were very happy,” said Mike Ippen, manager of utility operations for the City of Victoria and supervisor of the crews who found the snake.
Crews first discovered the snake when a video camera was placed down a section of pipe at Quadra Street and Balmoral Road to check for a possible soft spot or sinkhole. Animal control was called and a trap was set with mice to coax the snake out of the pipe. Heating pads were also placed inside the manhole, but the snake refused to budge, even shedding its skin a few days later.
Ippen was hoping crews wouldn't have to resort to plan B — digging up the road. Others questioned whether the snake could just be left there and would move along once the weather got cold.
“There was that sense of where's it going to go? It could go anywhere,” said Ippen, who's surprised it didn't take longer to remove the snake. “It would be surprising and scary for a lot of people to meet on their front lawn.”
Crews have seen some odd things appear in city pipes, such as dead rats and personal items that fall through grates, but Ippen said they've never come across a healthy living snake. Smaller snakes have appeared in some of the city's storm drains, but they've never been quite this long.
The snake is now in an aquarium with animal control. Crews believe it's someone's pet, but aren't sure how it got into the pipe. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391752111.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/a1f750db2c249359aac87b7d86454b97b015ec07fd74b57715218a50249059c8.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T13:12:15 | null | null | Roller derby may seem like a hectic sport, but for Esther Beauregard, it's a huge stress reliever. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fsports%2F391171041.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/96099vicnewsVN-RollerderbyPAug2416-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Roller derby unlike any other sport | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Skating around a track and knocking players over in roller derby may seem like a hectic sport, but for Esther Beauregard, it's a huge stress reliever.
In the hours leading up to a roller derby game, Beauregard admits she still gets butterflies. However, as soon as she laces up her roller skates and hits the concrete track at the Archie Browning Arena in Esquimalt, the butterflies go away and the adrenaline kicks in.
“The adrenaline pretty much wipes everything else out. When you see an opportunity to take a really big hit on someone your brain shuts down and your body takes over. When you get off the track you just think 'yes I want to do that again and again',” said the 28-year-old.
“It's a really good stress reliever.”
Modern roller derby started roughly 10 to 12 years ago in Texas. It is a full contact sport in which five members of the teams skate in the same direction around a track. Both teams have a jammer, who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. All the other players are blockers who try to stop the opposing jammer.There is no punching, kicking, hits to the head or clothes lining, however, players are able to do hip and shoulder checks.
Players must wear helmets, mouth guards, elbow and knee pads, wrist guards and roller skates.
Beauregard, who plays with the local league called Eves of Destruction as a blocker, first read about the sport a few years ago. While attending post-secondary school in Ontario, she decided to hit the track and try it out. As soon as she returned home in 2012, she joined the league.
She had never used roller skates before and admitted much of her first practice was spent falling on her bottom. But since then, she's gotten the hang of things.
“It's not like any other sport that you see around right now. You're going from offence to defence all the time, you can actually be playing offence and defence simultaneously. It's a really big mental game to get your head around that,” said Beauregard, whose derby name is C-3Ph0 and is a blocker with The Hardcores.
It's a sport that has continued to grow in popularity among women on Vancouver Island. The league, which began in 2006, has five teams and 70 players, officials and volunteers. The season runs from March to September, with teams playing against each other as well as against teams from up Island, Vancouver, and Washington State.
“It pushes the social gender norms of society to a point. It's a little bit irreverent. People don't take it too seriously, but at the same time it's still a really difficult, athletic sport to participate in,” said Beauregard, adding she's had a few bumps and bruises in the past.
The Eves of Destruction's season finale takes place Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Eagle Ridge Community Centre in Langford. For more information about the league or tickets visit evesofdestruction.com. | http://www.vicnews.com/sports/391171041.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/e444a848da7994c722646cb461dc2b1c9cbced2edf79ea780ebb704e1beb7627.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:01:53 | null | null | Gold mine near Prince Rupert shut down last summer for permit violations, owners charged for failing to report spill | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F390008831.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/31694BCLN2007minebanksislandgold7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Banks Island miners face 18 pollution charges | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Two men and a mining company in receivership have been charged with 18 pollution infractions related to their shut-down gold mine on an island near Prince Rupert.
Benjamin Mossman and Dirk Meckert are scheduled to appear in Prince Rupert provincial court Sept. 7. Also charged is Banks Island Gold Ltd., which went into receivership after being shut down last year for provincial permit violations.
The Yellow Giant mine was ordered shut down by the Ministry of Environment in July 2015 after a tailings spill was reported on a tip. There is one charge of failing to report a spill of a polluting substance, and the other 17 charges are for failing to comply with permits.
North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice raised the issue in the legislature this spring, after receiving a letter from the Gitxaala First Nation referring to two separate tailings spills. Rice said the ministry did not inspect the operation for 15 months, until receiving a complaint.
NDP mining critic Norm Macdonald told the legislature a worker at the mine "became fed up, put his job on the line, sent the ministry and me a tip and pictures that documented what was going on there."
Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said the mine was shut down when the situation was brought to its attention. The mine's 90 employees lost their jobs.
The province has a $420,000 security bond from the mining company, to provide ongoing monitoring. In March the mines ministry and Banks Island Gold removed explosives from the mine site and in May ministry technical staff assessed the hazardous materials on site.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service, which recommended the charges, would not comment on the current condition of the Banks Island site, because it is evidence for the prosecution. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/390008831.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/35bde3be87141840d08f3b10ec0783dcdda668efd6a72ee616f22d667a81ac05.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:03 | null | null | Fibre artists will gather in Fairfield this weekend for the annual Fibrations. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fcommunity%2F390706681.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | Calling all knitters! | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Fibre artists will gather in Fairfield this weekend for the annual Fibrations.
Held in Porter Park on Sunday, Aug. 21, the day will feature up to 60 vendors sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm about knitting through demonstrations and hands-on activities.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit kbnfibres.ca for more information. | http://www.vicnews.com/community/390706681.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/fc58e817f874691db8faabbb15ccbb694dde5bd3efa826449daa17e039f86f31.json |
[
"Canadian Press"
] | 2016-08-26T12:54:17 | null | null | Tragically Hip kick off tour's final show with fan favourites | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F390816951.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | Downie calls out to Trudeau during Tragically Hip's final show of tour | null | null | www.vicnews.com | KINGSTON, Ont. — The Tragically Hip mixed fan favourites, newer songs and some politics on Saturday night during the final show of their "Man Machine Poem" tour.
Lead singer Gord Downie, who started the show wearing a metallic silver suit and hat with a "Jaws" T-shirt underneath, hugged and kissed his bandmates before they stepped on stage at the K-Rock Centre in the group's hometown of Kingston, Ont.
Minutes earlier, as the raucous sold-out crowd waited for the band to emerge, an impromptu rendition of O Canada broke out and a banner reading "Thank You Prime Minister Downie!" was passed around the arena.
The band immediately gave fans what they wanted to hear, starting their set with four straight hits from the classic album "Fully Completely:" opener "50 Mission Cap," followed by "Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)," "Wheat Kings" and "At the Hundredth Meridian."
The Hip then segued into their latest album "Man Machine Poem," with four tracks including the single "In a World Possessed by the Human Mind."
Before "Machine," Downie launched into one of his trademark onstage rants, calling out to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in the crowd for the show. Trudeau's official photographer tweeted a photo of the prime minister and Downie embracing before the concert.
"Well, you know, prime minister Trudeau's got me, his work with First Nations. He's got everybody. He's going to take us where we need to go," Downie said from the stage.
"It's going to take us 100 years to figure out what the hell went on up there," he continued, "but it isn't cool and everybody knows that. It's really, really bad, but we're going to figure it out, you're going to figure it out."
Many anticipate this will be the band's final tour, given the recent news that Downie is battling terminal brain cancer.
Before performing the "Road Apples" song "Fiddler's Green," Downie seemed to reference the outpouring of support from fans in the wake of his diagnosis.
"Thank you, people, for keeping me pushing and keeping me pushing," he said, which prompted a "Gordie!" chant from the audience.
After playing 21 songs, Downie and his fellow bandmates — guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, bassist Gord Sinclair and drummer Johnny Fay — embraced and prepared to retire for a pre-encore break. Downie was left alone on stage to take in the roaring ovation.
After returning for a few more songs, Downie again spoke about his fondness for Trudeau.
"Thank you to the prime minister for coming to our show, it really means a lot to all of us," he said.
"We're in good hands, folks, real good hands. He cares about the people way up North, that we were trained our entire lives to ignore, trained our entire lives to hear not a word of what's going on up there. And what's going on up there ain't good. It's maybe worse than it's ever been, so it's not on the improve. (But) we're going to get it fixed and we got the guy to do it, to start, to help.
"Thank you everybody. Thanks for listening to that. Thanks for listening, period. Have a nice life."
David Friend, The Canadian Press | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/390816951.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/aa17f8222fb951448de1ab643a19a128a0b89d4a7fd56d33196f0401f9c1a852.json |
[
"Canadian Press"
] | 2016-08-26T12:57:59 | null | null | Game that gets users out in real life with smartphones had required Canadians to find workarounds before Sunday | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F387179451.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/29783BCLN2007pokemongo.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Pokemon Go officially launches in Canada, virtual reality game crashes app's servers | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Prospective Pokemon trainers can officially download the mobile gaming sensation Pokemon Go in Canada as of Sunday afternoon.
The augmented-reality game launched in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan earlier this month.
But before Sunday, Canadians had to find workarounds to play the game north of the 49th parallel.
The game sends players into the real world to search for the mythical digital pocket monsters known as Pokemon, who appear onscreen when users hold up their smartphones in various locations at various times of the day.
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Canadian gamers embrace Pokemon Go
On Sunday afternoon, it was announced on the app's Twitter page that the game is available for download in Canada on Android and iOS devices.
But the app's servers overloaded in the hour after the announcement, and wannabe players had to wait a little longer before they could register an account.
The Canadian Press | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/387179451.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/1130e594f3c4157684b318019d0a0a6d8c29989441d3390459e9a87afd586a3e.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T13:11:51 | null | null | David Marshall can't help but chuckle when he thinks about the first time he djayed for the Victoria HarbourCats. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fsports%2F389079241.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/63974vicnewsVN-HarbourCatsDJPAug0316-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Behind the scenes with the Victoria HarbourCats DJ | null | null | www.vicnews.com | David Marshall is the official game-day DJ for the Victoria HarbourCats during home games at Royal Athletic Park.
David Marshall can't help but chuckle when he thinks about the first time he djayed for the Victoria HarbourCats.
It was three years ago when Marshall was hired to play music at a baseball game. While he had experience playing music for the Victoria Grizzlies hockey team in the West Shore, this was a whole new ballgame.
“It was terrifying,” said the Malahat resident with a laugh. “It was a learning curve for me for the first little while. I didn't know a lot of the rules of when you play stuff and the timing. I had to learn that stuff because it's a different way to see the game.”
Marshall admits it took him about half the season before he was hitting all the right spots, musically, adding he built his sound bank by researching what music MLB teams were playing.
But one song at a time, Marshall has fine-tuned his skills djaying at each of the 33 home games at Royal Athletic Park in front of thousands of baseball fans.
As the game-day DJ for the HarbourCats, Marshall is responsible for playing all the tunes during the warm up, to players' walk-up songs, to all the music and sound effects in between.
For Marshall, who is a community support worker by day, playing music for others is a passion that began when he was a child.
Marshall's step father worked for Molson Canadian and helped get him into dozens of concerts from Motley Crue to The Cure. As a teenager, he also played drums in a band before eventually making the transition from making music to playing it. Over the years, he's djayed at more than 300 weddings in Vancouver, Williams Lake and Victoria.
“Music has always been a part of who I am ever since I was little,” said the self-proclaimed music fanatic.
Now, after three years of playing music for baseball fans in Victoria, Marshall believes he has hit the musical sweet spot — knowing exactly what songs to play in certain situations.
If it's a tense game, he'll play songs that are more aggressive, or if there's a foul ball and there's a few seconds in between the next play, he'll put on If You're Happy and You Know It.
If the HarbourCats are down a few runs, Marshall plays music that gets the crowd pumped like Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson, Boom by P.O.D, and the home-run song Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Kool.
With a list of roughly 250 to 300 songs to choose from every game, Marshall said the type of music he plays also depends on the energy from the crowd. Generally the audience responds well to music from the '60s and '70s, such as Louie Louie by the Kingsmen, anything by the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, and songs that are “bouncy and fun.”
“You have to have everything because there's so many different personalities. You can't just stick to one style of music because people will get bored and you don't want that,” Marshall said, adding a crowd pleaser is AronChupa's song Little Swing that one of the HarbourCats' players walks up to the plate to.
“People are here for the ballgame, I'm just the colouring . . . to make it so they're not bored and they're having fun.” | http://www.vicnews.com/sports/389079241.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/585e46fed347a346ecbbae1aeb4aead9df49c97c23df82dfb5b0bfab85510a66.json |
[
"Canadian Press"
] | 2016-08-26T13:09:42 | null | null | Notice means delivery could be cancelled as early as Monday | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391302051.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/68221BCLN200782072cranbrookdailyCPweb.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Postal union issues strike notice after it says Canada Post refused special mediator | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The union representing most workers at Canada Post has issued a 72-hour notice of job action as it tries to bargain a collective agreement with the Crown corporation.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says the notice spells out what actions it is planning, but stops short of a full-blown walkout.
CUPW national president Mike Palecek says Canada Post forced the labour disruption by refusing to accept a request from the federal labour minister to continue negotiations with the help of a special mediator.
But a spokesman for the agency says that's not the case.
The union's strike mandate was set to expire at midnight.
The two sides have been in negotiations for more than nine months but are far apart on key issues including pay equity for rural carriers and proposed changes to the Canada Post pension plan.
The Canadian Press | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391302051.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/bf4dd4f92561d98730b02ec5811552cba56a08d606b85fcb76e47791b6d906c0.json |
[
"Arnold Lim"
] | 2016-08-26T12:55:42 | null | null | Watch video of what makes the Fringe Festival special to art enthusiasts across Greater Victoria | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F389807901.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/41831vicnewsSlideshow.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | VIDEO: The Fringe Festival is back | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Check out our video on the sights and sounds of the 30th anniversary of the Victoria Fringe Festival happening Aug. 22 to Sept. 5, 2016. | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/389807901.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/17a367cb579d545ae54bf0aaa032114cf7be5b69174825e77c43d9edd55f2411.json |
[
"Don Denton"
] | 2016-08-29T22:52:23 | null | null | The Victoria Royals held the first day of their main training camp for the 2016-17 Western Hockey League season | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fsports%2F391660721.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/48795vicnewsVN-VictoriaRoyalsCamp20161online.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Victoria Royals back on the ice for training camp | null | null | www.vicnews.com | It may be sunny and hot outside but the ice is in and hockey is back.
The Victoria Royals held the first day of their main training camp for the 2016-17 season this morning at the Save On Foods Memorial Centre.
Head coach Dave Lowry and his staff were running drills on the ice through the morning. Familiar faces on the ice for the first session included goalie Griffen Outhouse and Jack Walker.
The Royals' first pre-season game will be September 2 in Kamloops against the Blazers with their first home pre-season game September 10 against the Vancouver Giants.
They kick off their season at home Friday, September 23 against the Prince George Cougars. | http://www.vicnews.com/sports/391660721.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/e9fd1f698de3f889a4535149466553c312e4dab89f9ebd65afc6f2e18d16e3ca.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:07:26 | null | null | Collector plates will be available next year for modified as well as stock cars made between 1958 and 1974 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Flifestyles%2F389536851.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/25111BCLN2007Chevrolet_Camaro1969-wikim7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Collector program expanding to 'muscle cars' | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Modified versions of the 1969 Camaro SS and other popular vehicles will soon be eligible for B.C. collector plates, allowing occasional use for parades and car shows.
The B.C. government is expanding its collector vehicle licence system to include eligible modified cars made between 1958 and 1974, to capture the popular "muscle car" era of the 1960s.
The ICBC collector plate program gives car enthusiasts a lower-cost licence plate that allows occasional use for parades and classic car shows. ICBC plans to take applications starting in 2017 for eligible modified vehicles up to 1974, and replica cars resembling North American production cars from 1942 and earlier.
With strict rules that the cars must be in "collectible condition," changes will take in modified popular cars from the Dodge Duster to the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, as well as replicas of the popular Ford "deuce coupe" from the 1930s.
Premier Christy Clark announced a break for older cars this spring, allowing vehicles from 1940 or earlier and their replicas to run without fenders or mud flaps when the highway is dry and paved.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone said the collector car industry is significant for B.C., with registered collector vehicles having doubled to 26,000 in the past 10 years.
"We want to see this specialty vehicle program remain viable, preserve vehicle history and evolve with the times," Stone said. "That's why we are opening up the opportunity to owners of specialty cars within the 'muscle car' era."
Currently, the standard collector plate is available to cars 25 years or older, as well as discontinued or limited production vehicles 15 years or older. It requires a stock engine with no performance enhancements, no rust, dents or "significant wear and tear" of the interior.
Modified vehicles from 1958 or older are currently eligible for collector plates, if they retain the shell of the original body but have parts replaced or modified in the chassis, engine, suspension, steering or brakes.
Owners have to apply for a collector or modified collector plate, with purchase and parts bills, photos and inspection reports.
Applications for collector and modified collector programs are available on ICBC's website, www.icbc.com, and can be dropped off at Autoplan brokers. | http://www.vicnews.com/lifestyles/389536851.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/1079d8ed034a1c36ecd39ce74ef415f1e2626e9af7dfc8f25924c1a01d96b88b.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-30T20:51:15 | null | null | Some urban districts struggle with overcrowding, special funds for declining rural schools, bus service to take effect | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391773061.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/2045BCLN2007Schoolstudentblurwide-BJ7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | B.C. school enrolment up for second year | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Students return to public school next week, with changes to curriculum and some provincial exams.
Students are returning to class next week in most of B.C.'s public schools, with enrolment expected to be up province-wide for the second year running.
Education Minister Mike Bernier says early forecasts show about 529,000 students, an increase of 2,900 from last year. But that increase is centred on fast-growing school districts, while many rural areas continue to struggle with declining student numbers.
Among changes that parents and students will see this year is a new curriculum in place up to Grade 9, with a test year for changes in the senior grades. Bernier said the new emphasis on collaboration and communication skills does not mean a watering down of the basic skills, and is designed to improve students' ability to work at modern jobs.
Report cards are to continue this school year, but the ministry is reviewing its system with an eye to providing more frequent updates. Parents are being consulted on the changes, Bernier said.
Foundation Skills Assessment tests in grades four and seven are also continuing after years of protests from teacher unions, but that program is also being examined for possible changes. FSA tests will be "enhanced" but not eliminated, Bernier said.
Provincial exams continue for graduates in math and English, but science and social studies will now be assessed at a classroom level rather than school-wide tests, Bernier said.
The ministry provided a series of top-ups to education funding this year, for bus service and to keep selected rural schools from closing. Applications are still being taken for a transportation fund until Sept. 30, requiring districts to drop across-the-board school bus fees to qualify.
Districts may still charge transportation fees for international students or those from outside a school catchment area.
NDP leader John Horgan highlighted the crowding in Surrey school district, where 7,000 students remain in portables despite an expansion program. The NDP says the B.C. government's claim of record per-student funding ignores a reduction of education funding as a share of the provincial economy.
"Since 2001, the B.C. Liberals have dragged public education funding in this province from the second best in Canada to the second worst," Horgan said. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391773061.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/8a8bae98acee5057040fceb02cfe8ab6fe216b8be3b94cc177f291db0c945c62.json |
[
"Pamela Roth"
] | 2016-08-26T13:10:33 | null | null | Jesse Brown never gets tired of seeing the look on people’s faces when they walk through the gate of the Mason Street City Farm. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391171221.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/96202vicnewsVN-masonfarmPAug2416-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Urban agriculture growing in popularity | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Jesse Brown, co-owner of the Mason Street City Farm, shows off some of the lettuce grown on the quarter acre farm that produces four tonnes of produce a year.
Jesse Brown never gets tired of seeing the look on people’s faces when they walk through the gate of the Mason Street City Farm.
“It’s just total aghast at this space that they’ve wandered into,” said Brown, the co-owner of the quarter-acre urban farm, located amongst homes in the North Park neighbourhood.
“They say things like we’ve lived up the road for 30 years and had no idea you guys were here. Some just look around and share stories of when they lived on the Gulf Islands or when their grandmother was an avid gardner and farmer. They just appreciate coming to a place in the middle of the city where you don’t even almost see the city.”
The Mason Street City Farm has been in the community for nearly 30 years, but was taken over by Angela Moran in 2006. Brown jumped on board five years ago.
The pair and a few staff harvest their garden twice a week, producing 150 pounds a week of salad greens for 12 local restaurants. An hour or two of work is also needed every day tending to the mix of cherry tomatoes, poblano peppers, beats, kale, carrots, bulk fennel, chickens and fish grown through an aquaponics system.
The farm also feeds 11 families a week through a community-supported agriculture box program, runs a small plant nursery, and provides various educational opportunities teaching residents the necessary skills to run an urban farm.
For Brown, the farm has become an urban agriculture educational hub.
“It’s kind of also acts as a real community building centre in a space that acts much like a park,” said Brown, who enjoys the compost aspect the most on the farm.
“It’s life, death, sex, reproduction, you’re creating this primordial stew. That’s a farmers job really — is not necessarily to grow food, but to grow fertility and that’s our contribution to the biosphere in some ways.”
Local urban agriculture is nothing new in Victoria, with several mini farms scattered throughout the city. But it’s growing in popularity, and may get even more popular if the city goes through with bylaw changes that would permit small-scale commercial food production everywhere in Victoria, provided it doesn’t negatively impact neighbours.
According to the city, the changes would expand the range of potential sites for new urban food production businesses to include commercial areas, vacant lots, residential properties, rooftops, institutional properties and other underused sites.
Those wanting to sell food, however, would be required to obtain a business licence for offsite sales (such as retail locations and restaurants) and on-site sales (such as food stands and farm box pick-up locations). A year-long licence would cost $100 while a three-month licence is $25. The changes would also eliminate the need for a development permit.
Brown said the proposed changes are long overdue and will help a lot of people who are growing food rest easier knowing the service they’re providing will not get shut down just because a neighbour doesn’t like the idea that someone is picking up food from their property.
His only concern is with a proposed update to the Official Community Plan to clarify that developments such as housing, office and retail buildings will be considered a higher priority than small-scale commercial urban food production — a move the city says is to balance food security and production with its objectives for new housing and development.
The proposed update also has other urban farmers concerned, claiming it will reduce the power farmers have to oppose built development that will hurt their ability to grow food.
If the city is serious about a green economy that includes urban food production, Julie Ford, an urban farmer with City Harvest and Welland Legacy Orchard, said councillors must consider the long-term tenure of farms a priority.
“Food production is fundamentally linked to a place in a way that other businesses are not,” said Ford. “If the land upon which I farm is legally subservient to other kinds of development there is no security for my business and I cannot continue to invest in its growth.”
A public hearing on the matter will be held at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. For more information visit victoria.ca/growinginthecity. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391171221.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/da10244adb48150fe5dfb417821867209e98e279acc72bb3146499e3c6ab0d76.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T13:11:43 | null | null | The first time Daniel J. Pierce stepped into an old growth forest, it took his breath away. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391223331.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/15960vicnewsVN-TreedocumentaryPAug2616-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Fernwood filmmaker shines spotlight on logging industry | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Fernwood’s Daniel J. Pierce has created a new film called Heartwood: A West Coast Forestry Documentree about coastal communities uniting to defend the last few pockets of old-growth temperate rainforest on the West Coast.
The first time Daniel J. Pierce stepped into an old growth forest, it took his breath away.
Pierce was near Port Renfrew when he decided to stop at Avatar Grove, an old growth forest known for its ancient red cedars and Douglas-firs.
Growing up in Ontario, Pierce never came across the types of massive trees found on the West Coast, let alone an old growth forest. What he saw astonished him.
“There were these giant, living-room-sized western red cedars that were just planets unto themselves. They have full grown trees growing off them and all these ferns. They are their own ecosystem,” said Pierce, adding he has since visited a number of other old growth forests.
“There's this stillness and quietness that you don't want to disturb. The whole place felt so lush and dripping with life.”
That moment sparked a years-long passion for old growth forests on the West Coast and the need to protect them. It is also the inspiration behind the 30-year-old Fernwood resident's latest project: Heartwood: A West Coast Forestry Documentree.
The series follows coastal communities that are uniting to defend the last few pockets of old-growth temperate rainforest on the West Coast and demand a transition to sustainable, second growth, value-added forestry in the province. In particular, the film focuses on Cortez Island and the community conflict with Island Timberland, a coastal logging company.
Over the past four years, Pierce has made plenty of trips to the coast, interviewing people, mayors, MLAs, regional directors, First Nations chiefs and coastal community members about forestry issues on Vancouver Island.
“It broke my heart to know that all over the place, up and down Vancouver Island, was a forest and now it's gone and if we keep cutting down those last few pockets, no one would know that that was there. Very quickly does collective amnesia start to set in and people will forget. They won't believe that we had trees that big,” said Pierce, noting he is not anti-logging.
“I think logging should just be done in a more sustainable, long-term way than the way it's currently being done based on short-term shareholder profit. Forests just don't exist on that short of a time scale . . . We need a change in how we think about forestry.”
This is Pierce's third long-form documentary. He also created a one-hour documentary called The Hollow Tree about the restoration of the hollow tree in Stanley Park in Vancouver.
While he has most of the interviews needed for the documentary, Pierce is in the process of a second crowdfunding campaign to generate funds to help move into the post-production phase. During the first campaign, he raised $10,000 to film the movie, most of which he shot himself, with help from his brother.
The money will be used to hire a composer, colour creator, sound designer and animator to create a broadcast standard piece.
Pierce hopes to release episode one of the five-part series in spring of next year, just before the provincial election in an attempt to put the logging industry back on the political agenda.
For more information about the campaign visit indiegogo.com and search Heartwood: A West Coast Forestry Documentree. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391223331.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/70468b8a0f52925fa0b1b3b0488842f2e42b46680ba9806aba9a7aa82ca3d46d.json |
[
"Don Denton"
] | 2016-08-29T22:50:53 | null | null | The Victoria Royals held the first day of their main training camp for the 2016-17 Western Hockey League season | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391660721.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/48795vicnewsVN-VictoriaRoyalsCamp20161online.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Victoria Royals back on the ice for training camp | null | null | www.vicnews.com | It may be sunny and hot outside but the ice is in and hockey is back.
The Victoria Royals held the first day of their main training camp for the 2016-17 season this morning at the Save On Foods Memorial Centre.
Head coach Dave Lowry and his staff were running drills on the ice through the morning. Familiar faces on the ice for the first session included goalie Griffen Outhouse and Jack Walker.
The Royals' first pre-season game will be September 2 in Kamloops against the Blazers with their first home pre-season game September 10 against the Vancouver Giants.
They kick off their season at home Friday, September 23 against the Prince George Cougars. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391660721.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/aba5b71159c1e06c67f7b46f582d2f64b488952e6ef5162eca583e1a5dec3f24.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T13:12:31 | null | null | Athletes from Vancouver Island dominated the medal standings during the B.C. Summer Games last week. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fsports%2F388554501.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/44969vicnewsVN-BCGamesroundupPjuly2916-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Vancouver Island athletes dominate at B.C. Games | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Thirteen-year-old Victoria resident Laura Rincon (centre) brought home gold in the 100 metre breaststroke and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke. She also brought home gold, alongside teammates Malia Prystupa, Mareya Valeva, and Amber Crack, in the 200-metre medley.
Athletes from Vancouver Island dominated the medal standings, bringing home the most medals from any other zone in the province during the B.C. Summer Games last week.
In total, Vancouver Island-Central Coast (zone 6) won 171 medals — 65 gold, 48 silver and 58 bronze — the most out of seven other zones from around the province at the Games in Abbotsford between July 21 to 24.
Thirteen-year-old Victoria resident Laura Rincon brought home gold in the 100 metre breaststroke and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke.
“I was really happy. It's a really big meet and I was really excited to be able to win some medals for my zone. I was really proud of myself,” said Rincon, a St. Andrew's Regional High School student and athlete with Pacific Coast Swimming.
“I wanted to touch the wall first because I knew at the end it would be worth it. I really put everything I had into it.”
Rincon also brought home gold, alongside teammates Malia Prystupa, Mareya Valeva, and Amber Crack, in the 200-metre medley.
While the team had never swam together before (and only having one 45-minute practice prior to the competition), the girls were able to swim their hardest, despite the challenge of having a number of other races happening around them.
Crack, who swam freestyle, admits she was nervous off the block but cheers from her teammates helped inspire her.
“It gave me a lot of energy. As the third person touched the wall and I was about to dive in, we were in first place. It was really up to me to get us going and win,” said the 13-year-old Victoria resident.
Rincon and Crack weren't the only ones to top the podium.
Victoria's Emma Glawson helped lift her softball team to a gold medal win as well.
“This win was special to me because this was the first championship that I went to that had other sports in it and all these different teams that were there,” said the 15-year-old outfielder. “It was amazing. With all the different athletes, it almost felt like the Olympics to me.”
The trio agreed attending the B.C. Games was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in a multi-sport competition and meet athletes from different sports — one they will cherish forever.
Up next, Rincon and Crack have set lofty goals for themselves. Rincon will be competing at nationals in Calgary, while Crack hopes to one day swim for Team Canada at the Olympics.
Other athletes who won medals include Cameron Wallace and Hannah Stevens, who picked up gold in the boys/girls 420 sailing category.
The B.C. Summer Games are a biennial celebration of sport and community, bringing together more than 3,600 athletes to compete in 18 sports, including baseball, basketball, equestrian, lacrosse, synchronized swimming, triathlon, volleyball and wrestling. For the full results visit bcgames.org. | http://www.vicnews.com/sports/388554501.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/b77e1ea599b17f05b0c4a3b79d4b7a6434b9ebc44bf75971459ebf05cdae1f3d.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:00:32 | null | null | Vehicle traffic up 5% with no net fare increase and discounts offered for vehicles pulling boats and travel trailers | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F391094851.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/59772BCLN2007ferrySpiritofBC7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | More discounts coming as BC Ferries traffic rises | null | null | www.vicnews.com | BC Ferries sailings have been busier this year, thanks in part to strong tourist traffic and no net fare increase.
BC Ferries plans to continue its campaign of price promotions this fall and next spring in an effort to maintain increased passenger and vehicle traffic.
First-quarter results for the Crown corporation show passenger traffic up 2.5 per cent and vehicle loads up 5.1 per cent for the three months ended June 30, compared with the same period in 2015.
Buoyed by a strong tourist year for B.C. and no net fare increase, BC Ferries carried 5.3 million passengers and 2.1 million vehicles in April, May and June. The 1.9 per cent average fare hike was erased by a reduced fuel surcharge due to long-term contracts for cheaper diesel fuel.
Helped by reduced operating costs and higher retail sales from terminals and on-board gift shops, net earnings were $27 million for the quarter, up from $18.8 million in the same period last year. Revenues were up 4.9 per cent to $219 million, while costs for the quarter went up 1.5 per cent to $178.6 million.
BC Ferries CEO Mike Corrigan released the first-quarter results at the corporation's annual meeting in Victoria, where he also announced that unspecified pricing promotions will be offered this fall and next spring. This year BC Ferries has been offering discounts on over-length vehicles pulling boats or travel trailers.
Corrigan also announced he will be stepping down as CEO at the end of the fiscal year next March. He was promoted in 2012 to replace former CEO David Hahn, and presided over a controversial service review that saw sailings reduced on money-losing routes.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone praised Corrigan for reducing operating costs and embracing new technology, including three new medium-sized ferries using liquefied natural gas fuel that have been built in Poland.
LNG retrofits are also scheduled for the Spirit of B.C. and the Spirit of Vancouver Island, the workhorses of the main Tswassen-to-Vancouver Island route.
Corrigan's term also saw the first cable ferry in the BC Ferries fleet, the Baynes Sound Connector to Denman Island. Stone said the cable ferry cut fuel costs by half. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/391094851.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/51efa3409be6d9a4fb96861ea3171e3f640b2913cfeb18e5b71568c55be60401.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:07:54 | null | null | Totem symbolizes Coast Salish tradition of respectful listening, with little effect on ill-tempered debate in Victoria | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Flifestyles%2F379233101.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/77020BCLN2007talkingstick7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Talking stick tradition comes to B.C. legislature [with video] | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Aboriginal elders brought a Coast Salish talking stick into the B.C. legislature this week, in a solemn ceremony that had little lasting effect on the heckling and interruptions of political debate in Victoria.
A replica of the totem pole on the grounds of Government House, the ornate stick represents the right to speak and receive a respectful hearing in aboriginal tradition. It was carved by Songhees artist James Delorme and presented to former Lieutenant Governor Steven Point in 2011 at a ceremony to mark the official naming of the Salish Sea.
Current Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon was on hand May 11 to present the stick to B.C. legislature Speaker Linda Reid, with a ceremonial prayer in the SENCOTEN language by elders Elmer George and Mary Anne Thomas.
"We present it to everybody this House but also to everybody that may come through these doors in the future," said Chief Ron Sam of the Songhees Nation.
Reid said in a statement the talking stick will remain in the legislature until the next election in May 2017.
After the ceremony, Reid continued her struggle to maintain order in the rancourous debate of question period, which has declined more frequently into shouting matches as the next election approaches. | http://www.vicnews.com/lifestyles/379233101.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/c24edfb344fcf9bb8588f6c1ba25a7cb46b05d73fb9491b1511b95ec20a75868.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:13:37 | null | null | Are commercial operators scalping public campsites to foreign tourists and leaving B.C. folks out in the cold? Not exactly. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fopinion%2F386487041.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/12099BCLN2007ProvincialcampsitePaulJosephwikim7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | BC VIEWS: The great campground crisis explained | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Monck Provincial Park at Nicola Lake. Campsites fill up on weekends, and not with foreign tourists.
Wealthy foreigners snapping up the best properties at premium prices, and then in some cases using them only in prime times.
Occupancy permits trading on classified websites, even rumours of resellers working the passing traffic like rock concert scalpers. The B.C. Liberal government maintains the problem is primarily a lack of supply, and vows to build more.
It’s B.C.’s other real estate crisis, campsite spaces. And mostly it is a summer-time media invention.
An urban radio station poll last week asked if there is something wrong with BC Parks’ online campsite reservation service, and more than 80 per cent of participants agreed there was.
They’re likely misinformed about what is wrong, especially if they’re going by the exaggerated or flat-out false information they’ve heard as this issue was inflated into a national story.
It got going just before the Canada Day long weekend, when popular campsites are always booked solid. Reports claimed European tourists were buying package tours that included BC Parks campground reservations, for which they were paying twice the selling price.
In our 24-hour, social media gossip swamp, this kind of thing gets out of hand quickly. A Salmon Arm company, Canadian Camping Adventures, was named in news reports as working with European travel agencies, buying reserved camp spots for $18 to $38 a night and reselling them for $70.
NDP and Green Party politicians jumped on the bandwagon, shocked that the people’s parks would be exploited like this. One problem: they’re not.
The Salmon Arm couple who built the tour business said the $70 figure comes from adding up all the hotel rooms, camp bookings and activities on the route and dividing by the number of days. The tours are designed around activities and private RV camping facilities, with BC Parks campgrounds often midweek stops along the way.
The business was besieged by threatening phone and email messages, and had to take its Facebook page down after it was inundated with abuse.
The environment ministry pulled together its latest statistics on use of the BC Parks online reservation system. Commercial tour operators account for less than one per cent of bookings, and many of their customers are from within B.C.
In fact, three quarters of all provincial campground reservations are from British Columbians, 14 per cent are Albertans, 2.8 per cent are from elsewhere in Canada and 3.6 per cent are from the U.S. The entire continent of Europe accounts for 6.6 per cent of bookings.
Considering that the B.C. government spends gobs of money on its “Super, Natural B.C.” ad campaign to market our great wilderness to the world, perhaps opposition critics could reacquaint themselves with reality before leaping for cheap media hits.
The reservation system shows plenty of spaces, even at the most popular BC Parks campsites. Weekends are scarcer, and holidays like the upcoming B.C. Day weekend are snapped up as soon as the 90-day window for booking campgrounds comes around.
One trick used by savvy B.C. campers when a long weekend approaches is to book a maximum two-week stay starting on their first day of eligibility, 90 days away. The second week stretches beyond the limit to the high-demand week that is not yet available for booking.
Then they cancel the first week, get a refund for it, and hold onto the coveted long weekend spot.
Environment Minister Mary Polak says creating more campsites in B.C. parks is the ultimate answer. Of course that will attract protests about paving paradise to put up a parking lot.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc | http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/386487041.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/ceef755d29f2298f54d3c67fa42eebcb3ed16528c1a8d16d922ee8ceed0bc645.json |
[
"Staff Writer"
] | 2016-08-26T13:04:20 | null | null | Photographers from across the province competed in amateur competition | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fcommunity%2F391187111.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/2985abbotsfordAmateurphotographjers.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Voting open for People's Choice Amateur Photography Competition | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Cameras were the focus as 70 photographers from across B.C., including Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Kelowna and Nelson, competed in the fourth annual Next Generation BC Amateur Photographer of the Year Contest at the recent Abbotsford International Airshow.
Sponsored by London Drugs and Black Press Media, the contest took place Aug. 12-14, as participants captured their best air, crowd, static, and wildcard shots.
Photographers experienced close-up action at the airshow including Friday's twilight show, and earned the "hot-side" tour at the airshow where they shot exclusive aircraft including the F-35, CF-18, FA-18, Breitling Jet Team, the Snowbirds and more for a chance to win the title of B.C.'s next Amateur Photographer title.
Awarding categories also include The Best in-air photograph ($750 grand prize), The Best ground/static scene photograph ($500 prize),The Best crowd scene photograph ($250 prize ), The Best video submission ($500 prize) all courtesy of London Drugs and honorary acknowledgement for Best Wildcard entry.
For the People's Choice Award Winner, the time has arrived for the public to vote on their favourite photo and be entered for a chance to win BC Lions game tickets.
For voting and contest information, click here. | http://www.vicnews.com/community/391187111.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/bcf57e36b9d080f9e7a8fc0a775ee86f928ed1bb3ad88d4b9455c355d1c7b58e.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T13:12:47 | null | null | While they came back empty-handed from the Canadians, the lessons learned for one local little league baseball team outweighs medals won. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fsports%2F389300761.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/71586vicnewsVN-LittleleaguebaseballPAug0516-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Canadian championships a learning experience for local baseball team | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The Greater Victoria (district seven) intermediate baseball team show off their medals after winning provincials in Langley last month.
While they came back empty-handed from the Canadian championships, the lessons learned for one local little league baseball team far outweighs medals won.
Last week, the Greater Victoria (district seven) intermediate baseball team competed in Calgary at the Canadian championships, for the first time since Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders played in 1999.
The team consisted of 12 players from Central Saanich, Beacon Hill and Hampton between the ages of 11 and 13, many of whom have never played on a national stage before.
The first game, Victoria took on host Fish Creek and lost 17-5. The second game they played Lethbridge, losing 24-1. The final game against Lethbridge was a difficult one to swallow as they lost by one run, 9-8.
Overall, the team finished in fifth place, but according to team manager Morley Wittman, players walked away with valuable lessons.
“We struggled with the ability of some of our kids to just buckle down and just carry on. It was good learning for everyone. A lot of kids learned 'hey, I can't quit. I can't blame somebody else. I have to look in the mirror and carry on and do my own thing',” he said, adding each player grew as a person.
“The biggest thing that we developed was the experience to understand that kids from Ontario are exactly the same as kids from Victoria. We're just as strong, it's just a matter of trying to put the whole package together.”
For years, most little leagues haven't had an intermediate team. However, last year, as a way of keeping kids at Centennial Park, Wittman decided to revive the program.
“We didn't have any expectations of going anywhere, we just thought, 'hey, let's go to provincials' and have a good time,” he said, adding many of the younger players have expressed interest in returning to the program next year as well.
“We're growing slowly. Going forward, (the Canadians are) really going to help the program. It's going to open people's eyes to the fact that we can compete at a higher level of baseball . . . it makes it a little more exciting for some people.”
Next year, the Central Saanich and Victoria little leagues also hope to start a junior baseball program for 13 to 14-year-olds. | http://www.vicnews.com/sports/389300761.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/b40178261099e39b8321cb2aa97696ab01583e4171ab790651427e337589a38c.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T16:49:50 | null | null | For Jacqueline Zweng, getting out and riding her bike throughout Greater Victoria is the best form of therapy. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391223651.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/16144vicnewsVN-Cancerlady2PAug2616-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Cyclist battling cancer teaches daughter life lesson with ride | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Jacqueline Zweng enjoys a laugh with her seven-year-old daughter Hailey. Jacqueline, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, is taking part in this year’s Ride to Conquer Cancer.
For Jacqueline Zweng, getting out and riding her bike throughout Greater Victoria is the best form of therapy.
Several times a week, Zweng will head out and cycle along the Dallas Road waterfront, the Galloping Goose or the E&N trail.
“When I'm on my bike, my mind focuses, my anxiety lowers, I just feel amazing on my bike,” said the 38-year-old Greater Victoria resident.
Cycling has become especially important to the single mother since she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer on Nov. 13, 2015.
A few months prior to her diagnosis, Zweng noticed a lump on her chest.
She went to the doctor to get it checked out, had a mammogram and shortly doctors discovered a tumour.
“I was very shocked. I think everyone has preconceived ideas of what it means. I still find it hard to believe that I have cancer,” said Zweng, noting she had been very healthy and active before the diagnosis. “It's very overwhelming to be told how sick you're going to be when you don't feel sick in the first place.”
A few weeks later, she had surgery to remove the tumour and started chemotherapy almost immediately after.
The diagnosis was especially hard on her seven-year-old daughter Hailey. During the first few weeks of Zweng's diagnosis, Hailey was afraid to touch her, fearing she would catch her mother's illness. In the weeks following, Zweng has chemotherapy every three to four weeks over an eight-month period which resulted in her losing her hair, but it was the thought of her daughter that kept her going.
“I don't have an option sometimes to have to take care of myself when I have to take care of somebody else. She definitely helped me push through,” Zweng said.
“There's a lot of insecurity when it comes to losing your hair and your body changes. But children don't see those things. They just love you anyway. There's a lot of strength in that. She's really been encouraging.”
Despite her diagnosis, Zweng also never stopped riding her bike. In between treatments and whenever she felt better, Zweng would hop on her bike and go for a ride to keep herself “levelled and centred,” and to be a role model for Hailey.
“That for me was the best possible therapy,” she said, adding she continues to ride in between her current radiation treatments.
Zweng is one of hundreds of people participating in this year's Ride to Conquer Cancer, a two-day annual cycling fundraiser from Vancouver to Seattle for the B.C. Cancer Foundation .
In the past, Zweng has participated in the Boomer's Legacy Ride from Comox to Victoria, and decided to surround herself with like-minded people all cycling for a common cause.
More importantly, Zweng hopes to teach her daughter that she can do anything she puts her mind to.
“The thing that I hope I taught my daughter through this experience is be strong through something that is really horrible, but that it's also okay to be vulnerable. We've cried together, we've laughed together, we've accomplished things together,” Zweng said.
“I hope she learns at the end of the day that you really can do anything that you put your mind to. I hope she grows up believing that about herself.”
The B.C. Ride to Conquer Cancer takes place on Aug. 27 to 28. For more information visit conquercancer.ca. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391223651.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/a078a5da07b225da77f295fb89eee14f2d5ca3c0c1766c4f68155ad9f3299bb1.json |
[
"Kendra Wong"
] | 2016-08-26T12:56:09 | null | null | Not many people can say they've worked for the Queen at Windsor Castle, Andrew Bailey can. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F390707281.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/62671vicnewsVN-FringeFestivalPAug1916-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Play details local man's brush with Royalty | null | null | www.vicnews.com | Andrew Bailey describes his encounter with the Queen at the Golden Jubilee, celebrating her 50th year on the throne, in his show Me, the Queen and, the Coconut, being performed as part of the 30th annual Victoria Fringe Festival.
Not many people can say they've worked for the Queen at Windsor Castle. Even less can say they've stood next to her with a coconut in hand. Andrew Bailey can say he's done both.
For two summers between 2001 and 2002, Bailey, who grew up in Greater Victoria, was hired to work at St. George's — the Queen's private chapel in the English country of Berkshire in the U.K., where he brushed shoulders with many heads of state, Fergie, Princess Eugenie, Margaret Thatcher, and most notably, the Queen.
As a servant, Bailey was responsible for cleaning the church, sweeping and dusting before it opened to tourists. During the day, he would stand by the door and answer tourists' questions, and at night he would take part in church services and special events. Sometimes he would begin work as early as 6 a.m. and work until 10 p.m.
“It was one of the most enjoyable jobs I've ever had,” said Bailey, adding he lived in the lower ward, while the Queen lived in the upper ward of the castle. “I was just there enjoying the history of the place.”
While Bailey enjoyed the job, he admitted he lost his faith a few years prior after learning he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Growing up in a religious household, Bailey often looked up to his grandfather, who was an Anglican priest at Southwarke, a cathedral on the south bank of London.
Despite his loss of faith, Bailey still felt the need to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become a priest. While he was attending university, a friend of his, who worked at St. George's at the time, told him to apply for the position. Shortly after, Bailey, who was 22 at the time, was on a plane to London for the interview.
“I had this dream job. I really wanted to be like my granddad and I really wanted to be a priest. I was in this perfect position. But I could never tell him that I lost my faith in God,” Bailey said. “It was this dream situation, but there was this part of me where I couldn't fulfill it even though I'd been working for it my whole life.”
However, just prior to the interview, his grandfather passed away.
Bailey's relationship with his grandfather, failing to fall in his footsteps and his experience at Windsor Castle are the centre of his show, Me, the Queen, and a Coconut on at the Victoria Fringe Festival next week.
Me, the Queen, and a Coconut, which Bailey describes as fun, hilarious and poignant, also recounts the true story of his first encounter with the Queen. Bailey was at the Golden Jubilee, celebrating the Queen's 50th year on the throne, and happened to be at the same street party as her.
The street party included games, one where participants knocked over milk bottles with a ball. Having played baseball when he grew up, Bailey won and was awarded a coconut.
Shortly after, he started talking to a woman about where he grew up, when suddenly the Queen showed up and started a conversation with the woman.
“I didn't know what to do, the Queen was talking to the woman next to me, not me. I stood there awkwardly and holding his coconut looking like I didn't know what do to. At that moment this Royal photographer came and snapped a picture,” said the now 37-year-old.
Bailey noted he had been a part of other meet and greets with the Queen, but she never spoke to him.
“We made eye contact one time, so I gave her a nod and she gave me a nod back,” he laughed.
The Victoria Fringe Festival, which is the second oldest fringe festival in Canada, includes 53 shows by locals Paper Street Theatre Co., David Elendune, Kathleen Greenfield and Ingrid Hansen, and Shawn O’Hara, among others, at various venues across Victoria.
This year, the festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a number of events, including a museum with artifacts and relics from the past three decades at the Intrepid Theatre offices.
“All the shows are independent theatre, it's not mainstream at all. They're not shows you'll see at the Belfry,” said Katt Campbell, guest producer of the festival, noting there were roughly 200 companies who wanted to be a part of the festival.
“These are all independent artists and as such, all of the ticket prices goes right back to the artist . . .
There's just a lot of really different ways of expressing ourselves and we really need to encourage independent artists to stretch their wings and explore these things.”
The first screening of Me, the Queen, and the Coconut is on Friday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $11.
The Victoria Fringe Festival runs from Aug. 22 to Sept. 4. For more information and a full schedule visit intrepidtheatre.com. | http://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/390707281.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/7b913881e25e3fe96214909ccca86e2a94107badf68daa09cf600e7413e5519f.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:13:20 | null | null | Premier Christy Clark has pulled out the duct tape to fix up rural schools, school buses and the minimum wage | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fopinion%2F390325601.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/3565BCLN2007ClarkOakesruralschools7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | BC VIEWS: Premier Red Green’s fast fixes | null | null | www.vicnews.com | A totally spontaneous expression of gratitude breaks out for Premier Christy Clark and Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes at the Quesnel rodeo after a rural school fund was announced in June.
Comedian Steve Smith, better known as Red Green, is touring B.C. in September, reprising his popular TV series in which he fixes every conceivable problem with duct tape.
Green’s “I’m Not Old I’m Ripe” tour hits Chilliwack, Victoria, Nanaimo, Courtenay, Surrey, Vernon, Kelowna and Prince George.
His formula for deploying the handyman’s secret weapon has proven so popular that Premier Christy Clark may have been inspired. She’s had quite a flurry of hasty repairs in the last few months. Here’s a recap.
The B.C. minimum wage was starting to lag behind other provinces, even after the overhaul it received in 2015, where annual increases are tied to inflation.
Like Red’s truck tires, there has been a lack of inflation, and a surge of government spending back east leaving B.C. in the dust. B.C.’s wage rose 20 cents last year and was set to go up by another whole dime this fall.
There was that familiar ripping sound in May as Clark and Jobs Minister Shirley Bond announced the September increase will be patched up to 40 cents, with another 40-cent increase next fall. Two wraps should hold it until after the election.
Remember the episode where Red taped two old Hyundai Ponies side by side to make a handyman’s Hummer? The school system has seen that kind of work in recent months.
The first roll was applied by Education Minister Mike Bernier when he announced in March that the ministry’s “fix-it fund” was going from $35 million to $40 million. Then in mid-May, he announced 80 successful projects. The “fix-it fund” had fattened to $45 million, and Bernier was just getting his sleeves rolled up.
Hey school districts, remember the $25 million in “administrative savings” the ministry demanded for the second year in a row? Now that you’ve squeezed that from your budgets, Bernier’s good news at the end of May was that the government’s giving it back to use for “front line services for students.”
One of those services could be “maintaining schools despite falling enrolment in certain regions,” Bernier announced May 31, foreshadowing the next layer of repairs.
Sure enough, a “rural schools fund” was rolled out on June 15. Clark and Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes made the announcement in Quesnel, where Kersley and Parkland elementary schools were going to close.
Also eligible for a special fund was Okanagan-Similkameen, where Osoyoos high school students were going to be bused a half hour to Oliver. This is hardly unusual in rural schooling around B.C., but these are swing ridings, you see.
Kootenay Lake district declined the opportunity to keep Yahk elementary open, with an anticipated fall enrolment of zero students. This all comes during the annual ritual combat between the ministry and Vancouver school board over keeping half-empty schools open.
Bernier had one more roll in his overalls. School bus service, one of those things jettisoned or saddled with hundreds of dollars in fees per student as districts scraped up those “administrative savings,” was selectively saved with another $15 million fund announced last week.
There have been a few other country fixes. They’re not going to ban weddings on farms any more, for instance.
That old jalopy in the back yard you’ve been trying to soup up and get back on the road? Soon you can get a collector plate for that thing, which is perfect if you can only get it running once or twice a year.
To paraphrase Red, if the voters don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc | http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/390325601.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/97ac4a68a4f768d073f937309102b7ce5741528c074e9746c04283a532413e8f.json |
[
"Tim Collins"
] | 2016-08-30T16:50:32 | null | null | Last year alone, more than 86,000 children were treated at B.C. Children’s Hospital. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fcommunity%2F391751401.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/93359vicnewsVN-hospitalfundraiser-WEB.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | Eleven-year-old local an ambassador for children’s hospital | null | null | www.vicnews.com | In February, 11-year-old Emma Locke launched Two Hearts, One Wish, a charity to raise money for B.C. Children’s Hospital through the sale of handmade bracelets. So far, she’s raised $2,865.
Last year alone, more than 86,000 children were treated at B.C. Children’s Hospital and nearly 550 of those patients came from the Greater Victoria region.
The hospital is the only full-service hospital dedicated to children in all of B.C. and the Yukon. Many of those cases were life-threatening.
Colleen Aird, philanthropy coordinator for the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, said the hospital provides hope, even a second chance at life for the most vulnerable of the population — children.
That’s certainly been the case for one young lady who, with a remarkable level of poise and courage, entered the hospital in May 2016 to have a hole in her heart repaired by the surgical team at B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Her name is Emma Locke, and even before birth, it was discovered that she had a small hole in her heart. The condition, known as atrial septical defect, was congenital (Emma’s older sister required open heart surgery by the age of three although her younger brother was born without the defect).
As Emma grew, it was hoped the hole would mend itself, but although she thrived in life and grew to be an active, happy little girl, tests showed the hole in her heart was growing bigger.
Surgery was required.
Naturally the idea of heart surgery might reasonably be expected to cause a level of stressful, almost paralyzing anticipation. Not for Emma, who lives in Langford.
“She is an amazing little girl, that’s certain,” said her mother, Jennifer. “Starting about November of 2015, we talked about her surgery and Emma wanted to do something to raise money to help support the hospital.”
Emma said she wanted to help buy equipment for the hospital.
“I wanted to do something to help other kids,” she said. “I know there are other kids like me and I wanted to help buy equipment for the hospital so they could keep helping (those children).”
So in February of 2016, only months before her own surgery, Emma launched Two Hearts, One Wish, a charity to raise money for the hospital through the sale of handmade bracelets.
The initiative has been successful, not only in raising $2,865 to date, but in engaging school friends, neighbours and others who have been inspired by the little girl’s courage and selflessness.
Emma has become an ambassador for the hospital’s cause, appearing at a series of events to tell her story, sell bracelets and encourage the generosity of potential donors.
On Sept. 10 at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa, Emma’s story will be one of many told at a gala fundraising event dubbed Harvest on the Harbour — A Night Under the Stars. The night will feature a silent auction, a four course meal, live music and dancing. Emma's story will be told to those in attendance and event organizer Nicole MacKinnon, the hotel's director of sales and marketing, is certain her story will resonate with those in attendance.
“Emma, and others like her, is what this event is all about,” said MacKinnon. “We’re thrilled to be able to host this event to raise money and awareness of the wonderful work being done at the hospital.”
Tickets for the event are available at deltavictoriagala.com. | http://www.vicnews.com/community/391751401.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/4efb4c0fd1cef8eb0c89f0901fb5abe91f9ccd716fe98df1d2b423c06b994025.json |
[
"John Arendt"
] | 2016-08-26T13:08:20 | null | null | B.C. Day, on Monday, Aug. 1, is an opportunity to celebrate this spectacular province. See how well you know British Columbia. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Flifestyles%2F388492001.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/60468summerlandimage.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | B.C. DAY TRIVIA QUIZ: How much do you know about British Columbia? | null | null | www.vicnews.com | B.C. Day, on Monday, Aug. 1, is an opportunity to celebrate this spectacular province. See how well you know British Columbia. | http://www.vicnews.com/lifestyles/388492001.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/f3472ebc24b1e1cd6a089d0360e7ff580fb18eeb73efe7b6bd383f83ffe6429d.json |
[
"Tom Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-26T13:03:11 | null | null | Designer of Kicking Horse and Jumbo resorts gets approval to proceed with $175 million project east of Prince George | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fbusiness%2F390477731.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/66407BCLN2007Oberti-Oberto7web.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | B.C. approves Valemount glacier resort plan | null | null | www.vicnews.com | The B.C. government has approved a master development plan for a new year-round ski resort in the Cariboo Mountains west of Valemount.
Valemount Glacier Destination Resort is a $175 million project led by Oberto Oberti, who designed the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden and the controversial Jumbo Glacier Resort proposal west of Invermere.
The Valemount plan includes lifts and gondolas that would carry skiers and sight-seers to the summits of Mount Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Mount Arthur Meighen. Its vertical drop of 2,050 metres would be higher than Whistler-Blackcomb and the largest in North America.
"There are very few places in the world, and none in North America, where you go and ride a lift to the very top and the glacier is below you," said Jill Bodkin, a director of the company.
Valemount is a remote community of about 1,000 residents near the Alberta border east of Prince George. The region is west of Jasper National Park, which attracts visitors from around the world.
On the project's website, Oberti says people will travel to Switzerland for this kind of mountain resort experience, so a three-hour drive from Prince George isn't an obstacle to success.
Valemount Mayor Jeanette Townsend called the master plan approval "exciting news." She said the community attracts visitors who stay there to avoid the expensive accommodation in Jasper and the resort will take it to the next level.
Chief Nathan Matthew of the Simpcw First Nation said his community has been involved since the beginning, and he sees the project as an important economic development for the northern part of Simpcw's traditional territory. | http://www.vicnews.com/business/390477731.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/2bfea59a65eb64d88ef9f486efaafc8b0ba3f269fcc38fb15ff946b42b4e5848.json |
[
"Jeff Nagel"
] | 2016-08-26T13:10:53 | null | null | $60 a year increase for most drivers once optional auto insurance increase is included | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391304001.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/52753BCLN2007CarcrashLangleyfile.jpg?t=12345? | en | null | ICBC seeks 4.9 per cent basic rate hike as crashes, costs climb | null | null | www.vicnews.com | ICBC wants to increase basic auto insurance rates by 4.9 per cent – the fifth straight annual increase – as it continues to grapple with rising numbers of crashes, claims and dramatically increasing costs.
The typical driver will pay $3.50 a month or $42 a year more for basic insurance if the hike is approved.
But the corporation is also raising optional rates by 2.8 per cent so the average customer who buys both basic and optional insurance with ICBC will see their insurance bill rise $5 a month, or $60 a year.
ICBC CEO Mark Blucher said the basic rate hike would have been much worse – 15.5 per cent translating into a $130 annual premium increase – had the province not approved another major transfer of $472 million from the optional to the basic side of operations.
A compounding factor has been the long decline of interest rates, which result in less investment income revenue to ICBC.
"These external pressures have really created a perfect storm and it's a really significant challenge for the organization," Blucher said in an interview Thursday.
ICBC had raised rates 5.5 per cent a year ago, and the province's rate smoothing policy requires the annual change be within 1.5 per cent of the previous year's increase.
The number of crashes has climbed 15 per cent in two years and damage claims are up 11 per cent.
Vehicles are increasingly reliant on technology and expensive materials that have become more costly in recent years as the loonie sagged against the U.S. dollar.
Despite much safer vehicles, injury claims have soared to $2.4 billion, up 60 per cent from $1.5 billion in 2008.
"We've seen no evidence that these strong trends are abating," Blucher said. "In fact, if anything, they're continuing to escalate going forward."
Blucher also noted there are more cars on the road in B.C. today – 3.1 million up from 2.8 million in 2011 – and people are driving more because of cheaper gas, contributing to more accidents, particularly in densifying urban areas.
And he pointed to personal injury lawyers as an aggravating cause of ICBC's spiralling claims costs.
"B.C. is the only province in Canada where you can sue another motorist for even a minor traffic accident," Blucher said, noting an increase in lawyer-represented claims and advertising by injury law firms.
Internal operating costs have been cut by $186 million a year, and ICBC is counting on more savings ahead, through its modernization program, by more aggressively combatting insurance fraud and from a hoped-for drop in distracted driving as motorists respond to stiffer penalties.
But transfers from the optional side to bolster the basic side will likely be needed for the foreseeable future, Blucher said, because basic premiums can't keep up with rising costs.
In a surprise move, the B.C. government will this year forgo extracting its usual $160-million annual dividend from ICBC's optional side into general revenue.
"Forgoing the dividend this particular year is one strategy amongst a litany of others we're employing to get that basic trate increase down," Transportation Minister Todd Stone said.
Stone said the $514 million the province has transferred out of ICBC in dividends since 2012 is small compared to the $1.4 billion over the same period that has been shifted from the competitive optional side to basic to apply downward pressure on basic rates.
The minister would not say if the government would permanently give up the ICBC dividend.
Adrian DIx, the NDP critic for ICBC, said the dividends to government have exceeded $1.2 billion since 2010 and predicted they'll resume after next year's election because the BC Liberals are "addicted" to using ICBC as a "profit centre."
Dix said the reliance on shifting huge amounts of capital from optional to basic raises troubling questions.
"Next year they've got to find that $472 million," Dix said. "What they've done is create a disaster at ICBC and their only hope is to deceive the voters until after the election."
He said ICBC's new move to hire more claims staff underscores problems with completing the computer modernization that was supposed to make operations more efficient.
"The transformation project has taken longer than World War 2 and is not close to finished."
ICBC's basic rates rose 11.2 per cent in 2012 and at least five per cent every year since.
The new rate hike is subject to B.C. Utilities Commission approval.
ICBC Rate Pressure Charts | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391304001.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/10d6bf34baea082d89065b41f58927f43c65856cf5b6e58b3a86d87bc4ceb9c5.json |
[
"Pamela Roth"
] | 2016-08-26T13:09:53 | null | null | When Margaret Lucas and her colleagues finished dividing up the funds for grant applications last year, her phone started to ring. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vicnews.com%2Fnews%2F391223461.html.json | http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/BlackNewsMedia-CLR.png?t=12345? | en | null | City tweaks grant consideration process | null | null | www.vicnews.com | When Victoria councillor Margaret Lucas and her colleagues finished dividing up the funds for various grant applications last year, her phone started to ring.
A few agencies questioned why they didn't get as much money as they did the previous year. It was because they were at the bottom of the list, Lucas explained, and the city had already distributed most of the $640,000 available from the strategic plan grant program.
“We started to say we only have $30,000 left, so we have 10 people so let's divide it up. I don't think that's an adequate way to do that,” said Lucas, who recognized a need to make the grant consideration process more professional.
“Having to not give people money or an organization is never easy, but I would like to see it on a much more merit-based system.”
In 2016, the city received approximately $1.2 million in grant applications, but only had $640,000 to dish out from its strategic plan grants — a valuable resource to community groups undertaking a wide range of services in the city.
In order to make the evaluation process more merit-based than political, the city will be embarking upon a one-year pilot next year that includes the establishment of an external grant review committee.
During a meeting last week, a number of options were presented to city councillors on how the committee can be structured while leaving council with the ultimate decision making authority.
When it comes to weighing criteria for grant applications, city staff recommended a pre-determined evaluation matrix that would give value to issues and establish an ability to prioritize — a system, noted Lucas, that is also followed by the Victoria Foundation and United Way.
For Mayor Lisa Helps, the matrix is the most important step in the process.
“We need to give out grants based on the merit of the project, not based on dividing up a limited pot and hope everyone gets something,” said Helps. “How do we know what we give priority to? That is a decision for this table that will help to guide the committee.”
Coun. Ben Isitt, however, is not a fan of the idea, and expressed concern about the level of expertise amongst the people who could be selected to serve on the committee. He also believes the process used in the last two years is already efficient and fair. Out of the 70 applications received last year, between 90 and 95 per cent were supportable, he added.
Coun. Chris Coleman threw his support behind the proposed changes, but noted at the end of the day there's still not enough money for the number of applications that come forward with deserving causes.
“Of course it's going to be a hard process...there's a lot of good, worthy groups that come forward, trying to do their work and their needs are based on core funding that we supply,” said Coleman, noting city staff already narrow down the applications for council.
“Recommendations will come to us and we will still get into the same discussion because there will still be some applications that perhaps get 100 per cent of their funding request and others that get little or none.”
Once the committee and its terms of reference have been confirmed, a report to council on the evaluation matrix will be brought forward in October. A notification to all organizations will also be issued about the changes to the strategic plan grant program. | http://www.vicnews.com/news/391223461.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.vicnews.com/a8821aa1a1346abadf9720fbfd74a709cfadefa4b6fb13faa7af843c566f9b88.json |
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