Lindsay May at Unitea
Singer-songwriter Lindsay May—who has been described as sounding like a mix of k.d. lang, Linda Ronstadt, Alison Krauss, Kathleen Edwards, and Lucinda Williams—will be in concert at Unitea in Ashcroft on Thursday, March 8 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. May also plays the acoustic guitar and mandolin and has toured extensively, and she will be bringing her alt-country music, engaging stage presence, and gift of the gab to Ashcroft.
Tickets are available in advance (call 250-457-1145) or at the door.
ISPARC youth sport camps
The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation Council is offering lacrosse, basketball, and soccer camps at Desert Sands Community School and a softball camp at the Ashcroft HUB, all on Saturday, March 10. All four camps are free, and open to all area youth.
The lacrosse, basketball, and soccer camps are from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the school, while the softball camp is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the HUB. Equipment is provided, but all participants should wear proper footwear and bring a water bottle (softball camp participants should bring a softball glove if they have one).
To register for the lacrosse camp, go to http://bit.ly/2oqqKwR; for the basketball camp go to http://bit.ly/2CFViPm; for the soccer camp go to http://bit.ly/2BQOrG8; and for the softball camp go to http://bit.ly/2GHn7ZV. For more information, contact Michelle Webster at mwebster@isparcg.ca, or call (250) 306-2391.
BC Flood and Wildfire review launches online survey
While it is continuing its meetings in communities throughout the province, the BC Flood and Wildfire review has now launched an online engagement survey for those who cannot attend a meeting, but who want to provide feedback about last year’s flood and wildfire events.
The BC Flood and Wildfire Review — an independent review of flood and wildfire practices, commissioned by the Government of B.C. — will examine the 2017 flood and wildfire season to determine how the province can better plan for and respond to these events in the future.
To take the survey and provide feedback, go to http://bit.ly/2GLmZZl.
COFI seeks 2018 Forestry Scholarship applicants
The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) is launching its 2018 scholarship program and is seeking students entering post-secondary programs to apply. Ten $1,500 scholarships are awarded to students who are enrolled in professional, technical, or trades studies at specific Interior institutions with the goal of pursuing a career in the forest industry.
“COFI is pleased to support the next generation of students as they pursue their education goals and learn about the forest industry of the future,” says Susan Yurkovich, president and CEO of COFI.
“The forest industry is the backbone of the B.C. economy and continues to be the primary employer in 140 communities in the province. By pursuing an education that leads to a career in the forest industry, students are setting themselves up for a successful career in an industry that leads the world in sustainable practices and is driven by research and technology.”
Since 2007, COFI has offered scholarships intended to encourage the next generation of leaders to choose a professional, technical, or trades career in the forest sector. Last year COFI increased the grant from $1,000 to $1,500 in recognition of the growing financial commitments of post-secondary programs.
For more information about eligible institutions and how to apply, download the application at http://bit.ly/2CI3TAS. Applications are due by March 31, 2018.
Have your say on improving access to information
A new public engagement website provides the people of B.C. with an opportunity to provide input on ways to improve how Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and privacy protection operate in B.C.
As part of its work to improve public accountability, the B.C. government has launched public consultations on access to information and privacy protection. Members of the public can learn more about the freedom of information and privacy protection process as they participate in this next phase of stakeholder engagement by visiting the govTogetherBC website at http://bit.ly/2Fw2u3r.
British Columbians are being asked to participate in online discussions and provide written feedback on topics related to privacy and access to information, including what records should be released without an FOI request, timelines for responding to access requests and fees that can be charged, and what should happen when your privacy is breached. There will also be opportunities to learn more about how FOI and privacy work in B.C. and elsewhere in the world.
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) covers approximately 2,900 public bodies in B.C. and helps to ensure your personal information is protected.
The engagement survey closes on April 9, 2018.
Electricity demand soars
Freezing temperatures resulted in a 10 per cent increase in overall provincial electricity demand on February 18 and 19, 2018 compared to the Sunday/Monday of the previous week. Demand for electricity is expected to remain high as the cold snap continues, and BC Hydro is preparing for near-record breaking peak loads.
BC Hydro records the highest demand for electricity in the winter months between 4 and 8 p.m. on weekday evenings. This is when British Columbians come home, turn up the heat, switch on the lights, do laundry, and make dinner.
Residential electricity use can increase, on average, by 88 per cent in the colder, darker months. BC Hydro is reminding customers of simple ways to save power during the winter months, such as keeping the thermostat at an ideal temperature of 16 C when away from home or sleeping, 18 C when cooking or doing housework, and 21 C when relaxing at home, and installing draftproofing around windows and doors to keep the warm air in and cold air out.
For more ways to save this winter, visit powersmart.ca.
Oscar oddities
The 90th annual Academy Awards will be handed out on March 4. In the run-up to the ceremony, here is a final Oscar oddity.
Academy Award recipients used to be announced with the line “And the winner is …” However, there times when it should have been “And the winners are …”, as there are six occasions when there was a tie for the winner in a given category: the first in 1932, the latest as recently as 2013.
In 1932, the Academy rules stated that if a second-place nominee was within three votes of the winner, both would receive awards. Thus it was that in that year, actors Fredric March (for Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde) and Wallace Beery (for The Champ) both took home a Best Actor Oscar (March had received one more vote than Beery).
By 1950 the “three vote margin” rule had been eliminated, but there was a legitimate tie between the winners in the Best Documentary Short Subject category. In 1987 two films tied in the Best Documentary Feature category, and two films tied for Best Short Film (Live Action) in 1995, while in 2013 Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall tied for Best Sound Editing.
The most famous tie, however, was in 1969, when presenter Ingrid Bergman opened the envelope revealing the Best Actress winner, only to find that veteran Katharine Hepburn and newcomer Barbra Streisand (for The Lion in Winter and Funny Girl, respectively) had tied, with 3,030 votes each. It was Hepburn’s 10th nomination and third win, while Funny Girl marked Streisand’s film debut. Hepburn was not at the ceremony, but Streisand was, and greeted the Oscar statue with her first line from the film: “Hello, gorgeous.”
editorial@accjournal.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter