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Lethbridge is a City that cares
Simple Fitness - Real World Results
HOW TO
PREVENT YOUR
TEEN FROM
“SEXTING”
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Finance Specialist
Credit challenged? Discharged from Bankruptcy? Judgements? Late payments? No credit? New to the Country?
Call Jodie at 403-317-7968 or 1-800-626-0869
Zip. Zero. Nada.
A Reading from the
Letter of Twitter Guy
to the Ephesians
Trending Topics
Condensed for your reading pleasure, here are a few of the topics that kept
Lethbridge suitably outraged this week:
#3 – Baby’s First iPhone
Lethbridge Journal - ZERO! That’s how many responses we got to
several questions posted for this issue’s The Wall.
It’s becoming a regular occurrence.
Here’s a list of issues we’ve asked for opinions on over the past month
that have received no response: the city’s snow removal efforts, proposed
fracking on the west side, the Duck Dynasty fiasco and whether or not
Alberta should legalize marijuana.
Now, in all fairness, I should point out that we got five “likes” on Facebook
and one “favourite” on Twitter for the marijuana question. But no comments.
Which begs the question: why no comments? Is it too much effort to click
reply and type a response? Is sharing opinions and thoughts via social
media passe? Are these issues which no one cares about?
And if it’s the latter, which issues DO you care about, Lethbridge? We want
to know: what issues would actually move you to respond? Drop us a line
via our Facebook page, on Twitter or at [email protected]. We
look forward to hearing what our readers are passionate about. Let’s get
responding!
A study released last week
by non-profit organization
MediaSmarts has found nearly
25 per cent of Grade 4 students
surveyed have their own personal
cell phones. The results were
largely unsurprising to parents
- who have to pay the damn bill
- but shocked researchers, who
did not anticipate that children
under 10 would require anything
B
more complex than two cans on
Behold! The ancestor of texting somebody in the same F
a string to communicate. The
room as you.
study declined to comment on
L
whether or not the little bastards are grateful for how good they have it.
r
i
#2 – Say What You Will About Arcade Fire, They Don’t
Th
Urinate in Public
S
c
Canadian pop singer Justin “First You, Then Your Mom” Bieber is in trouble once
b
again, following a run-in with Miami Police that clogged up news feeds across the
Th
internet. Following the incident - which involved drag racing sports cars, copious
L
amounts of drugs, and not nearly enough frontal nudity for his fans - Canadian
A
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has become personally involved. A longtime fan,
t
Harper immediately prorogued Parliament and promised on Tumblr he would fly to
s
see Justin “as soon as I am finished watching the new episodes of BBC’s Sherlock.”
“
Aides close to the PM say that he will devote several days to rehabilitating the Biebs
t
through the power of music, before departing to Toronto to teach Rob Ford how to
b
replace crack with love.
r
“
a
#1 – The Circle of
S
Life
b
s
Father of the Pride and
Th
Lethbridge MP Jim “Finger
b
Guns” Hillyer is facing a rare
h
challenge from inside his own
a
party, as businessman and former
journalist Doug McArthur
announced his intention to seek
the Conservative nomination late
last week. Hillyer, who largely
Jim Hillyer, pictured. Politicians often sleep for up to 20 hours
campaigned on a platform of
a day.
refusing to show up to events
or answer any questions, has declined to comment on the announcement - though
neighbours DID report a recent increase in profanity coming from his office after
the press meeting. If McArthur is successful in expelling Hillyer from the Pride
during the next election, scientists say that all the best food and mates will be his
until he too is unseated by a challenger and eaten.
James
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
2 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
Model Baron Hobbies 403-320-5775
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By Gregory Humber
For the Lethbridge Journal
Lethbridge is a city that cares - when a crisis happens to its
residents or an area, the citizens rally together. Nowhere
is this more apparent than the Save Chinatown campaign.
This past summer several buildings - the Manie Opera
Society and the Bow on Tong - were closed due to structural
concerns. This event displaced Albert Leong, who owns the
buildings and has lived at the Bow on Tong his entire life.
The Lethbridge Historical Society got a report that Albert
Leong was displaced and the buildings where in danger.
After further investigation, the organization wanted to save
these buildings, according to Kelti Boissonneault of the
society.
“The Manie Opera Society is the first building and the oldest
to be built in Chinatown in 1907, and the Bow on Tong was
built in 1918. We want to save these buildings as historical
resources,” says Boissonneault.
“There is only half a block left on one side of the street, there
are only three buildings left in Chinatown. The Manie Opera
Society, the Bow on Tong and the Chinese Free Mason
building at end of the street. We are down to the wire on
saving these last couple,” Boissonneault continues.
The Chinatown area has a sordid past - the area had a lot of
bars, brothels and rooming houses. There were only about a
hundred Chinese settlers, and they were forced to live in the
area. They were not allowed outside that district, and could
only do a set number of jobs, according to Boissonneault.
“The area is now cleaned up and now Chinatown is one of
those areas we should be proud of,” says Boissonneault.
The provincial and the municipal governments donated
$85,000 when the damage to the buildings was discovered.
The money went to stabilizing them and preventing a shift
in the structure which might cause more damage, according
to Boissonneault.
“There is still more money available through the provincial
government with matching grants. We have to raise a certain
amount of money and the government will match it once the
buildings are designated as a historical resource. The City of
Lethbridge is working on that,” says Boissonneault.
The historical society cannot ask for money from non-profit
societies or charitable foundations because the buildings are
privately owned. They had to find ways to get creative and
that’s where the Desert Wind Belly Dancers came in to help
raise money, according to Boissonneault.
Not only was Albert Leong displaced, the Desert Wind Belly
Dancers also lost their studio at the Manie Opera Society.
“It was someone from the city who sent me an e-mail that
the Lethbridge Historical Society was having a meeting
about Chinatown. So I called up the troop and said we are
going to that meeting. That is how we met the society, we are
fiercely optimistic,” says Jenn Flemming Baker, Desert Wind
Belly Dancer.
Chelsie Grenier McNabb, founder of the Desert Wind Belly
Dancers, says there was no doubt her organization would
help.
“We came up with the idea of a variety show to draw
awareness, and over the past three months we gathered
together various acts and Jenn and I picked the ones who we
wanted. Anybody we reached out to shown tons of support.
These buildings have the history of the Chinese people, but
everyone in the community has been impacted by these
buildings,” she says.
The variety show is planned for February 8 at the Yates
Memorial Theatre and tickets are $25. The event will feature
an aerialist, object manipulators, a Kung Fu demonstration,
as well various other acts. There will also be food and a silent
auction, according McNabb.
“The band Loose Kannons are writing a song for the event
and sales of the song will go to saving Chinatown,” says
McNabb.
For Albert Leong, the efforts of his community are
astounding.
“I am humbled by the response from the people - I could
not afford to fix it myself. It is one of the oldest buildings in
Lethbridge; I hope it will be around for next fifty years,” he
says.
“I hope to be back there soon.”
If you are interested in the variety show or
want to make a donation, visit Facebook at
SAVECHINATOWNLETHBRIDGE or e-mail LHS.
[email protected].
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 3 FROM OUR DESK
Editor’s Note
Lisa Doerksen
Editor
Here at the Journal, it’s our pleasure to
be the voice of the community.
We pride ourselves on being a place
where readers can share their thoughts,
feelings, joys and frustrations.
We have a great cross-section of local
writers - columnists who are regular
folks like you or me, and who happily
share from their lives, experiences and
hearts. They get us thinking, make us
smile and - occasionally - get a rise out
of us.
It’s great to be the publication that
provides an opportunity for anyone to
make their voice heard.
For those who don’t have the time
or inclination to put together a
regular column, we try to provide
opportunities to share snapshots or
brief opinions, like through The Wall
or Tweets of the Week. The Wall,
particularly, offers readers a chance to
share their opinion on a local issue by
responding to the questions posted on
our Facebook and Twitter feeds.
But lately, we’ve noticed a lack of
responses, even on some notably
controversial topics like the proposed
fracking operations on the west side.
It’s left us a little confused - we know
fracking, for example, is a hot topic and
one people are fired up about. So why
no responses? We’ve posed the same
question on page two, where The Wall
usually runs. And we’d love to hear
from you. What topics would actually
move you to respond? Let us know!
And while you’re formulating your
response, please enjoy this issue’s
offerings provided by our fantastic
community writers. This issue we kick
off Fitness Friday on page five with
Peter Lee offering some good advice to
help us stick with those fitness goals we
all set at the beginning of the year.
And we thank Tiffany Weston for her
thought-provoking piece on page seven
about her personal journey to learn
what love really should look like. We’ve
also got Virtuous Woman Exposed on
page 12 with a very sobering piece for
anyone with teenagers and Pat G. is on
her soapbox again on page 15. We love
Pat’s soapbox!
ON TAP THIS ISSUE:
Fitness Friday! This NEW column, featuring tips from a personal trainer, comes to you
every issue courtesy of Peter Lee. His first column is on page five.
VWX is back with a thought-provoking piece all you parents of teenagers must read.
Check it out on page 12.
ON TAP FOR FEB. 14 ISSUE:
The Helen Schuler Coulee Centre is busy planning its grand opening. Get all the details
right here!
Is published bi-weekly by
Alta Newspaper Group, Limited
Partnership
504 7th Street South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 2H1
Phone 403-320-8936
Fax 403-320-8956
Email: [email protected]
www.lethbridgejournal.ca
EDITOR
Lisa Doerksen
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Art-Rageous Advertising LTD.
Jack Price
Nikki Van Eden
Nicole Twiss
Brian Price
By Jason Salt
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Over the holidays, my family decided to take
part in the free family skate events before
and after Christmas. It was a great idea for
the kids at that time, however for myself,
I had quite an unfortunate dilemma when
none of the Lethbridge skating rinks had
skate rental services available. I had to sit in
the bleachers to watch my daughters skate.
I missed out on this family skate event and
could not fully enjoy the experience with my
daughters.
Personally, I was very disappointed and
wondered why there were no skate rental
services at the rinks.
Where I am from (British Columbia), skate
rentals and skate sharpening are a common,
mandatory service at all skating rinks. I
question, why doesn’t Lethbridge have this
service?
Is Lethbridge really that far behind the
times?
Well it’s Valentine’s Day, so of course we will have the funniest and most entertaining
tweets to hit the Internet regarding this (in)famous holiday!
PUBLISHER
Coleen Campbell
Where are the
skates?
I have mentioned this issue to my many
Twitter social media network connections,
and later found out that a local sports shop
(Bert & Mac’s Source for Sports) has a skate
ADVERTISING
Brian Hancock
Dale Johnson
Bev Segouin
Falon Brovold
Bruce Friesen
Alvin Mainzer
Paul Fogtmann
Shane Knudsvig
Annie Walbner
Crystal Levenne
rental and sharpening service. I thought
that was great, but why not have a service
within a skate rink rather than all the way
downtown?
I have approached numerous people on
social media and local organizations such
as The City of Lethbridge, The Lethbridge
Journal, Lethbridge Sports Council and Bert
& Mac’s Source for Sports with the idea of
proposing a contract or agreement to have
a skate rental kiosk established at the local
Lethbridge rinks.
I would like to organize and help this
proposal to become a reality. If the
supporters for this idea want this to happen,
I encourage other people to please let the
Lethbridge community hear your voice.
Together we can have a healthier lifestyle
here in Lethbridge. Who knows where
this will go? Perhaps we could set a prime
example to other local communities that
sport and fitness programs require rental
services to become merged with the
organizations to make these community
programs work.
Let us prevent any other unfortunate people
from missing out on community sport
events and opportunities.
ADVERTISING TERMS & CONDITIONS:
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all advertising and other material is printed
by and distributed by The Lethbridge Journal. All copy and type arrangements are subject to the approval of the publisher on behalf to The Lethbridge Journal, who has the
right to refuse any advertisement or insertion. The advertiser agrees that the liability
of The Lethbridge Journal or its employees
for damages of costs arising out of error in
printing or insertion of advertisement or
any other materials is limited to the actual
amount paid for the space used by that portion of the advertisement containing the
error or the actual cost paid to have the advertisement or any other material inserted
in The Lethbridge Journal. Notice of error
is required before the second insertion. The
4 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
Lethbridge Journal will not be liable for any
other claims of damages from not printing
or non-insertion of any advertisement of
other materials.
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this newspaper are protected by copyright and may
be used only for personal, non-commercial
purposes. All other rights are reserved and
commercial use is prohibited. To make any
use of this material you must first obtain
the permission of the publisher and owner
of the copyright. For further information,
phone 403-328-4418. All views and opinions expressed in the submitted columns,
reviews and articles published herein are
solely those of the contributing writers
and do not necessarily represent those of
the Lethbridge Journal.
ONLINE
@Rock106: A teen from California posted a pic of her
blueberry muffin looking like her dog. It went viral instantly.
_________________________________________________
@tylerjstewart7: New DC comics superhero inspired by Cree
activist? Engaging students to help decide her powers and
character? AWESOME.
_________________________________________________
@pmharper: Our gov’t is helping to ensure that chemical
weapons are never again used against the Syrian people.
_________________________________________________
@CTVDarrell:: MUST SEE: More bad lip reading of the NFL.
You can thank me later.
http://youtu.be/rRqKYXcL-2U
_________________________________________________
@lethsnews: MP Jim Hillyer says he will run in the next
“election.” If history proves right it will be more of a walk or
light skip. #yql
_________________________________________________
@CTVKaellaCarr: Taber RCMP investigating compliant of
possible animal cruelty after dead dog found with head & body
injuries. Anyone w/ info call police.
_________________________________________________
@scott_mcgregor: I feel like the Oilers are like The Mighty
Ducks (movie). All they need is a fat kid and a knuckle puck
and everything will turn around.
_________________________________________________
@CBCCalgary: Flood damage costs reach $19M in Banff
National Park.
_________________________________________________
GlobalEdmonton: NYC 9/11 museum opens to public in May.
_________________________________________________
@chuchiface: First time eating at DQ.
Simple Fitness - Real
World Results
By Peter Lee
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
This is the month where most people start
a new fitness program and this is awesome.
With new and exciting goals they have
specific things they want to accomplish.
Some want to lose weight, some want to gain
some muscle and everyone wants to tone
up. Starting an exercise program is the easy
part, sticking to it is the challenge. You can
go into any gym in January and it’s packed,
mostly with new people looking like they
have no idea what they are doing. Then by
February people are getting weeded out
more and more, and by March, the gym is
back to just the regulars.
It’s sad to see but I understand why gyms
and fitness in general can be intimidating.
You feel like you are being judged by
everyone in the gym, it feels like everyone’s
looking at you and it can be quite an
uncomfortable experience. To top it off you
have no idea what exercises to do, or how to
use any of the crazy machines they have so
you stick to the basics: the treadmill. You get
bored of just using the treadmill every day
and don’t notice much is changing anyway
so you start to make excuses why you can’t
go to the gym anymore.
We need to make fitness - and living a
healthy lifestyle - easy. It doesn’t have to be
a complicated thing. Most people make it
more complicated than it needs to be! You
can go to any bookstore and find over 4,000
different books on diets and exercise. We
need to cut through all the white noise and
follow simple steps.
We need to make small, simple changes in
our lives to create the body we want. You
don’t need a drastic diet plan where all you
eat is cucumbers. Calorie restriction is the
worst idea ever! You also don’t need a crazy
workout plan where you workout for hours
and hours each day, seven days a week.
These types of meal and workout plans are
a recipe for disaster because there is no way
a person could follow this type of plan for
an extended period of time. To make longlasting changes we need to make simple
changes towards a healthy lifestyle.
If you don’t know how to live a healthy
lifestyle I would recommend you get help
from a professional who knows how and
has gotten people results in the past. Take
nutritional and fitness advice from people
who look the way you want to look - not
from your out-of-shape neighbor or brotherin-law!
Every edition I will be offering a free tip to
help you live a healthy lifestyle; this week
it’s eat a protein source with every meal
and snack. Some great ideas for protein are
eggs, lean meats like chicken breast and
lean cuts of beef, almonds, cottage cheese or
yogurt. Protein is awesome because it helps
you feel full longer and is very satisfying. It
also helps to repair muscle tissue and shed
weight. You should consume one gram of
protein per pound of bodyweight you have
per day. If you find it hard to consume this
much consider using a whey protein powder
supplement. It’s a great snack!
If you have any questions or need help
achieving your fitness goals feel free to
contact me by e-mail at modbodyla@gmail.
com or visit me on the web at modbody.ca.
We offer in-home personal training as well
as online coaching.
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 5 COMMUNITY
Campbell’s Corner
Big name. . . big interview
By Mark Campbell
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Whenever a big name music act comes to town I always
make a request for an interview. Now and then for reasons
unknown but I’m not complaining, they actually say yes
to me. Such was the case for rising country super stars The
Band Perry and Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo. Actually,
Jim Cuddy has been unbelievably gracious over the years
and has acquiesced to my request every time he’s been in
All New
have arrived!
Lethbridge. This year was no different. Jim and his Blue
Rodeo co-founder Greg Keelor were just named to the
Order of Canada and Jim says while he’s been fortunate to
win many music awards in his career, the Order of Canada
is particularly special and he is quite honored. Jim is a huge
hockey fan and I asked him about Canada’s Olympic team
selection. He says the one guy he wishes was on the team
was Martin St. Louis but when you look at the roster, it’s a
pretty amazing group of players.
I loved The Band Perry. I asked them if they’d be willing to
do a couple of bits with me and they were on board. They
played along with me when I introduced them as Katy
Perry and later sang a rousing rendition of “I’m A Little Tea
Pot” for my fake upcoming children’s album. Canada has
really embraced The Band Perry and siblings Kim, Reid
and Neil love playing here. In fact they do an instrumental
version of O Canada as part of their act. They are going to
be busy for a while. Their “We Are Pioneers” World tour
continues, they’ve just announced they’re doing 20 shows
with current country superstar Blake Shelton and you can
see them on the Super Bowl pre-game show.
Powerful Fuel Efficient
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Chassis Model 24R
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Speaking of the Super Bowl, former Global Lethbridge
sports anchor Jamie Thomas who’s now with Sportsnet is in
New Jersey covering his first ever Super Bowl.
Lethbridge Musical Theatre just had their annual banquet
where the awards for excellence on stage and off are handed
out. They’re called the Lemmys. Director of this year’s
production of Peter Pan Deonie Jensen tells me that this
year’s winners are: Backstage: Joshua Doberstien; Backstage
rookie: Helena Vedres-Kuzminski
On stage: Dave Ranson; On stage rookie: Stephanie
Wickham.
Congratulations on your terrific work.
Coming to the Yates in April is the musical Spamalot
Henk Indenbosch
711 - 2nd Ave. “A” North, Lethbridge, AB
(Hwy #3; Stafford Drive Off-Ramp)
Now Looking For:
1-866-329-3933 • 403-329-3933
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put on by the almost-new theatre company Hatrix and
Danceworks. I asked director Brian Quinn about his reason
for wanting to put this one on:
“My choice of Spamalot is quite obvious. I was and still am
a huge Monty Python fan. I have the complete works of
Now For Something Completely Different, The Holy Grail,
Baron Munchausen, and Life of Brian on DVD. I also have
Fawlty Towers with John Cleese. Still, I think Holy Grail is
my favorite of them all. Spamalot was a must! The music
is clever and the script is hilarious. Monty Python fans
will be able to relate to the mostly off-beat British humor;
the coconuts used to make the horse sounds, the debate
whether a swallow can carry a coconut, the Black Knight
valiantly fighting King Arthur even after having his arms
and legs cut off!! Knights that say Ni!! Killer bunnies!!
French Taunting!! From start to finish the show is a hoot! It
won Best Broadway Musical for 2005.”
The cast includes George Gallant, Tony Deys, Jocelyn Haub,
Devon Brayne, and a “slew” of U of L drama students and
veterans of Lethbridge Musical Theatre. Bente Hansen
is musical director. She’s formed an orchestra of some of
Lethbridge’s best musicians: Paul Walker, Joan Rogers, Josh
Davies, Tom Staples, James Oldenburg, Paul Holden, Brad
Brouwer, Adam Mason, Jesse Plessis, Colleen Klassen, and
Aaron Collier.
The show runs April 15-20 and tickets are on sale now.
Some of you may remember the old Lethbridge Health &
Fitness Centre. It was run by a good friend of mine, Doug
Hodgins, back in the 80s. Doug moved out to Vancouver
and became a very successful financial planner. Now he’s
written a book called Millionaire Down the Road which
chronicles the remarkable life and investment journey of
Doug’s father Rankin Hodgins. Rankin started investing
at the age of 57 and eventually managed to create a $9
million portfolio even though he had a very modest
annual income. The story is told in a very personal and
heartwarming way and while his investment philosophy
may not be for everyone, it’s a fun read. You can find out
more at www.millionairedowntheroad.com
I was talking to my dad last week about the Lethbridge
Family History Centre. I told him I thought I’d go over
there and maybe learn a little more about our family
history. He said, “Gynecology is an interesting subject.”
“You do mean genealogy right?” “Oh ya, genealogy.” I had a
pretty good chuckle.
6 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
“Valuable Beyond Measure”
By Tiffany Weston
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
I was soooo nervous on my first day, and
with good reason since they stuck me with
the most handicapped-looking person I’d
ever seen! I felt my stomach drop out from
under me when they introduced this young
man to me as the person I was going to
have orientation with that week. Instead
of talking he made awful-sounding animal
cries and groans. He had drool running
down the front of his face, and more
snot than I would have thought humanly
possible. He could walk, but only with
assistance from someone else, and every
time you were near enough to help him
he would try to cop a feel of whatever he
could reach!!! It was my bad fortune, or so
I thought, to have to learn to change his
adult diaper. He needed to be fed but when
he’d open his mouth such a foul odor would
come out that I would have to try not to gag.
I learned later that this was a side effect of
one of the medications he needed to be on.
Every single day that week I came home
crying. Every single day I wanted to quit but
couldn’t. The fact is, disability is a reality of
this world and I wasn’t ready to face it day in
and day out. . . is anyone??
I started to look at the other workers and
realized that they weren’t faking it. . . they
really did care about these individuals. By
the end of that week, my disdain had turned
to pity and guilt. . . of course this guy was
trying to feel a boob when he could - he
was a normal 23-year-old male trapped in
a body that wouldn’t let him live a normal
life, satisfy any urges, or even let him talk
to a girl he liked! If that were my son or
brother how would I want a worker to treat
him? I certainly wouldn’t want someone
like me, someone who thought they were
better than him, someone who was so busy
trying not to breathe while she changed his
diaper that she hadn’t given any thought
as to how it felt to have to WEAR THE
DIAPER or have some snooty teenager
change it for him! I started the new week
with a new attitude - I was grateful to not
have the burden ‘these people’ had. And
He could walk better when he was pushing
something, so he got a job at the video store,
pushing the cart to put rentals back on the
shelves. His staff would help him by placing
the video on the shelf and then he’d figure
out where we had to go next. He was able to
watch all the pretty girls he wanted while he
worked and even got to smile at them when
they said hello. I have a hard time listening
to anyone cry about not being able to work
when this guy could make a living! I realized
that having a disability was not necessarily
a burden, but could also be a gift. I was not
any better, or worse off than anyone else in
that building, we were all just people coming
in for a day of work, regardless of whether
we wore the title ‘support worker’ or ‘client.’
I marvel at how different I am years after
that and wonder who I would be if he had
never come into my life and taught me to
love as God loves. I stayed in the field of
rehabilitation and discovered that Lorna
was right - I WAS good at it! I was actually
downright PASSIONATE about advocating
for disabled adults! Four years after starting
there I had to quit to move to Lethbridge
and I bawled like a baby on my last day of
work. When I said goodbye to this man, I
remember looking into the deep blue eyes
that housed his soul and thinking, “You
are so handsome!” That makes me laugh,
because it wasn’t HIM who changed - it
was me!!! How could my perception have
changed so drastically in four years??? I’m
pretty sure God had everything to do with
it. And while He was busy teaching me to
love others, I became someone I could love
as well. Available at a fine supplement retailer near you.
41183372
41183519
With Valentines Day on the way, I
thought I’d write a submission about how
ridiculous the kids expectations are getting
surrounding this holiday. I was informed
after last year that my son was the only one
in class that didn’t include treats with his
valentines. . . MUST we keep upping the
ante?! What they celebrate at school is really
friendship anyway, so why not save it for
Friendship Day and quit trying to take over
what I see as an adult holiday? But instead of
wanking, I decided to put something loving,
positive, and a bit ‘off the beaten path’ out
there. Here goes:
This is not a traditional love story, but more
about seeing someone the way God sees
them - worthy of love and valuable beyond
measure. A little more than 10 years ago I
was living in High River and working at a
drop-in day care which I loved. The problem
was, the hours were not dependable and
it was forcing me to look elsewhere - and
there wasn’t much out there! I was being
stalked by a lady named Lorna who kept
insisting that I would be great working for
her at the AIM Society, which supports
adults with developmental disabilities. The
problem was, I had really never met anyone
with a disability and quite frankly I was a
bit of a stuck-up snob. I was only 19 and
didn’t know how I was supposed to act
when confronted with someone who didn’t
know how to talk, or was in a wheel chair, or
stemming on the floor. . . and to be honest
some of them scared me! I thought it was
very odd that this lady seemed to think she
knew something about me that I didn’t, and
that I was SURE was not there! She told me
,one day to let her believe in me until I could
believe in myself. . . and I thought she was
CRAZY! I know now that God was working
through her to shape my character into how
I was meant to be.
The day came when desperation hit and
I had to take her up on her offer of a job.
because I had it so much better, I decided to
do what I could to make their lives easier or
more enjoyable. As time went on though, I
realized that I was still behaving differently
than most of the other workers there. . . why
were their relationships with their clients
so much different than mine? By this time,
I really was giving my ‘all’ and feeling quite
proud of myself. People in the community
would come up to me and say things like,
“Oh I don’t know how you do what you do,
you must be so patient. I could never do it.”
And I’d give myself a big pat on the back for
being such a wonderful person.
I don’t know when exactly it happened, but
somewhere along the line I started to feel
different when people would approach me
with that line. I started to feel indignant and
heard the insult implicated in that statement.
. . I must be soooo PATIENT?! Patience
is what you have when you are enduring
something that you really don’t want to. .
. and I realized that I WANTED to. There
was so much about this person to love, so
much that was not apparent upon our first
meeting! He was incredibly strong and loyal.
He had a wicked sense of humor! You just
had to wait long enough to know what he
was communicating to catch on to it, and
there is no one who would reward you with
a brighter smile! He was caring and a hard
worker. He did not deserve my pity. What he
deserved was my respect. He had been dealt
the most difficult cards and yet he wasn’t
wallowing, refusing to walk because it was
hard, throwing a temper tantrum because he
could, watching TV all day because no one
would expect him to get a job. . . he took the
skills he had and made the very best of it.
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 7 FEBRUARY 2014
WHAT’S UP EVENTS CALENDAR
Submit your events to [email protected] at least two weeks ahead & we will do our best to include them in an upcoming calendar. Please include: Date, Title, Location, Time & any costs. Deadline for next
calendar submission will be FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7th, 2014 by 3pm. To ensure your events are seen, contact [email protected] about advertising today!
ADVERTISE YOUR NEXT EVENT BY SPONSORING THIS CALENDAR! CONTACT 403-320-8936 or email [email protected]
SUNDAY
MONDAY
2
9
Wildrose Country
and Bluegrass Music
Society
Jam Sessions
Claresholm Legion
1pm, public welcome
The Fraternal Order of Eagles
Breakfast
Eagle Hall 631, 13 St. N.
9-11am, $ 5
Paw Society Annual
Pool Tournament
Shotz Billiard Club
and Lounge
1pm, $25 reg. /
proceeds go to charity
- 403 732 5708
16
23
Hawaiian and Belly
Dance Classes
Southminster Hall
6:40pm, $ 15,
403 329 8456
Young Guns Tour Brett Kissel & One
More Girl
Average Joe’s Sports
Bar
8:30pm, $25, www.
thejoe.ca
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
3
4
10
11
17
18
24
de Grandmaison Oral
History Project
Lethbridge Public
Library Downtown
Community Meeting
Room
7-9pm, 403-320-4994
25
New Media Film
Series – Drive (USA/
Winding Renf/2011)
Lethbridge Public
Library Theatre
Gallery
7-9:30pm, Free Admission
5
12
19
New Media Film
Series - The Ides of
March (USA/George
Clooney/ 2011)
Lethbridge Public
Library Theater
Gallery
7-9:30pm, Free admission
Look for 2014 Best
of the Best results,
announced in today’s
Suntimes edition!
THURSDAY
26
6
Drop’n Beats
Boys and Girls Club of
Lethbridge
6-9pm, 403-382-8221
Alberta Genealogy
Society Monthly
Meeting
Room 128, 909 -3rd
Ave N
7pm, Guest speaker
Nestor Martinez
13
20
Hedley Wild Live Tour
EnMax Centre
7pm, tickets at enmaxcentre.ca
Lecture Series Enduring Shades of
Influence
Galt Museum
7pm, 403 320 3898
27
*On 1 year contract
8 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
☛
Submit your events to [email protected] at least two weeks ahead
event
For your clude:
please in
le
•Date •Tit
n
•Locatio
any costs
•Time &
and we will do our best to include them in an upcoming calendar.
Deadline for next calendar submission will be Thursday,January 23rd, 2014 by 4pm.
To ensure your events are seen, contact [email protected] about advertising today!
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
The Fraternal Order
of Eagles Crib
Tournament
Eagle Hall
12:30pm, $10 for
2person team, register
prior 403 593 2979
Downtown Lethbridge
First Friday
Downtown Lethbridge
All-day, visit
downtownlethbridge.
com
7
TGIF
YMCA
1-4pm, 403-327-9622
21
1
15
2014 International
Peace Pow Wow
EnMax Centre
All-day 22nd & 23rd,
visit 329-7328 (SEAT)
SOME
THINGS
GO OUT OF
FASHION...
8
Save Chinatown Variety Show
Yates Centre
6-7pm, silent auction, 7pm showtime,
$ 25-$75
403 329 SEAT
14
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR
EVENTS CALENDAR SPONSORS
22
BUT
NOT
THE
MUSIC!
Events are subject to change and not all prices are included, please contact vendor or event organizer for more information.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles Steak
Dinner
Eagle Hall
5-7pm, $ 10
Charlie Russell, 50
years of living with the
Great Bears in Person
UofL, First Choice
Saving PE250
2pm, $20 general, $15
students
41183521
28
41183522
New West Theater
Presents Harvest
Sterndale Bennett
Theater
Now- March 8th,
specifc dates &
showtimes, visit newwesttheatre.com
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 9 HUMOR
Horoscopes
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
The
constellation
ARIES is
currently
undergoing
scheduled
maintenance
in order to
better serve
you! We
apologize
(Credit: The Simpsons)
for the
inconvenience
and expect full Horoscope functionality to be restored within
72 hours.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
A pre-Spring-Cleaning-Cleaning around the house will
reveal a great many secrets you thought long buried, some of
which were better left that way. While you’ll probably have
to face up to the stack of bills that has been growing in the
shadows the entire time, you still have a chance to avoid the
Mummy’s Curse by resealing the crawlspace and locking evil
inside.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
A bag mix-up after a sick workout session next week is
going to leave you with no choice but to spend the rest of
gym day in too-small yoga pants and a shirt that says “Milky
Milky Coco Puffs.” The bag also contains a substantial
amount of cash and a gun, so it would probably work in your
favour to resolve this quickly and without the police.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Your homemade Influenza vaccine is complete and ready
for human testing. The fastest way to find a test subject is to
advertise the position on Kijiji- you’ll be shocked and a little
bit excited to find out what people will let you do to them for
$20.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22)
Your calm demeanour and politeness made you easy to
like, but stressful circumstances can make it hard to keep
the front up. Like when your roommate accidentally gets
high on fumes from cleaning the house and locks you in the
crawlspace because they think you’re an evil mummy. (LRPS
claims this exact thing happens an average of twice every six
months in Lethbridge)
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22)
Despite months of saving, your ‘Travel Fund’ Piggy Bank
holds only a meagre $0.71 and some rubber bands. While
the value of rubber banding has skyrocketed relative to the
Canadian dollar as of late, it just won’t be enough to get
you inside Avicii’s Ibiza hotel room naked with a bottle of
champagne. I did hear about this posting on Kijiji though…
LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct 22)
Somebody accidentally switched bags with you at the
gym, and they’re out there stretching your favorite pair
of Lululemons right this very second. Forget the gun and
the money that were also in your bag - it took you literally
YEARS to find pants that framed your butt so well, if they’re
ruined you might not be responsible for what happens next.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21)
Everything happens for a reason. For example, the reason
you don’t remember much about January is because halfway
through the month your hands were full and you tried to
pull a plug from a wall outlet with your tongue. You would’ve
been fine too, if not for that meddling electricity!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21)
A recent spiritual or religious encounter has inspired you,
enough to write down an account of the experience with an
eye towards one day publishing it. “Chicken Soup for the
Lethbridgian Soul” will be the biggest book the come out of
this city since Anita Horrocks wrote “Breath of a Ghost.”
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19)
Let go of all your negative emotions before you return
to the Dagobah system to finish your training, lest your
anger and fear corrupt you and turn you to the Dark Side
of the Force. As a side note, remember not to pick up
your lightsaber by the wrong end again. Robot hands are
expensive.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18)
You will meet the most incredible Virgo at the house of a
local mad scientist, where you are both being injected with
homemade drugs for money. If you survive, the bonds you
forge together in that dank basement will last the rest of your
lives (which sounds like a long time, but don’t hold your
breath. No seriously, don’t hold your breath. If you do, the
vaccine will kill you.)
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20)
A cosmic distortion will throw you off your game this
week, when it swallows your significant other whole and
erases them from your timeline. There’s just so much we don’t
know about astrophysics.
ENTERTAINMENT
Video Vern’s Movie Reviews
By Video Vern
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
What a slow start to the year with movie releases, I had
to add in some Netflix television show picks this issue
just to balance it all out. There is a new show out though
that is better than any movie or show I’ve seen in awhile
and that is True Detective on HBO. If you haven’t seen it
yet, the first three episodes will be available by the time
this issue is out and you can watch it on demand for free
if you subscribe to HBO. I can’t believe how good it is, it
follows two detectives switching from the mid 90’s where
they worked on a murder case together, to 2012 where
they are being interviewed about that case. You might
think that sounds kind of boring, but take a show like
CSI, make the story ten times better, make it uncensored
with no commercials and throw in a couple of good actors
like Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, and
that’s the show. Absolutely one of the best crime drama
shows I’ve ever seen on television and there are still nine
episodes left. and the kid are sitting in a car alone and still playing the
part of grandpa and grandson which doesn’t make sense
since they are both in on the joke, they should only be
pretending around strangers. It would have been way
funnier if they just stuck with the Jackass style.
Heroes - It was taken off Netflix awhile ago, but it’s back
now. This was one of my favourite shows back in the day
and is still better than most of the garbage on now. Netflix Picks of the Month
January 28, 2014
Bad Grandpa - The story centers on Johnny Knoxville’s
classic character, 86-year-old Irving Zisman and his young
grandson, Billy. The pair travels across the United States
to return Billy to his father’s custody after his mother is
arrested and jailed. Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson
Nicoll, Zia Harris.
Review - I’ve always loved Johnny’s old man character
from Jackass, the shoplifting scenes were hilarious. He
does that again in this movie, which is sort of story-based
with pranks on actual people thrown in. It’s funny enough,
but sometimes the movie pretends to be a movie instead
of a series of pranks like Jackass. For example, Johnny
House of Cards - The second season starts in February
so it’s probably a good idea to power through season one
so you know what’s going on. If you watch all episodes in
one day I will give you a gold star sticker.
Party of Five - Just kidding, this show belonged in the
toilet back when I was a teenager and still belongs there
today. I think I watched ten minutes of an episode once,
then went and threw up. 10 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
Olympics
in our own backyard
Program & Communication Co-ordinator
Lethbridge Sport Council
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
As the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi
approach, the media showers the world
with inspiring commercials and campaigns
to rally each country. The spinoff hype and
expectations from Vancouver 2010 has
carried over to the next crop of world class
athletes! These athletes are the best in the
world at their sport and many of them as
youngsters had a dream and set goals to one
day reach the Olympic Games! 1,800 young
Alberta athletes will have the opportunity to
compete at their own version of the Olympic
Games but closer to home – the Alberta
Winter Games in Canmore/Banff February
6 – 9!
The Alberta Games sees top athletes ages 11
- 17 from eight regions of Alberta compete
against each other. More than 2,500 athletes,
coaches and officials will participate in 22
sports throughout the Banff and Canmore
municipal region. Sports include: alpine
skiing, archery, badminton, biathlon, boxing,
cross country skiing, curling, fencing,
figure skating, freestyle skiing, gymnastics,
hockey, judo, ringette, speed skating, squash,
synchronized swimming, volleyball and
wrestling.
Lethbridge hosted the Alberta Summer
Games in 2012, and is preparing to host
the 2015 55 Plus Alberta Winter Games.
These multi-sport games bring so much
excitement to the participants and the host
city. The games will provide the opportunity
for many of Canada’s future elite athletes
to enjoy their first taste of competition at a
provincial level. Contrary, this might also
be the biggest games an athlete will ever
play in. The experience can be the highlight
of a youth’s life so far. Not only are they
competing against the top athletes in their
sport, but they also build lifelong friendships
with teammates and competitors from across
the province.
I will be experiencing the Canmore/Banff
Games first-hand as a Manager for Hockey
– Zone 1. These will be my first Alberta
Games and while I look forward to the
entire experience, I’m not so sure I will enjoy
sleeping on the Games mattresses.
Athletes, coaches and managers stay in local
schools, called an “Athlete Village.” Each
team is assigned a classroom to sleep in,
each participant is provided with a mattress (we bring our own pillow and sleeping
bag), and we will be fed buffet-style at the
“Food Centre.” The host community plans
an evening of entertainment for the athletes
which often consists of a Much Music Dance
party. It is an experience these athletes, and
all participants, will be speaking about for
years to come.
It really is a mini Olympics in our own back
yard!
Keep informed!
Lethbridge Sport Council is on Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn.
Make sure you check out our new website for
the latest news and updates and
sign up to receive our e-newsletter.
For more information on sport in Lethbridge,
Visit www.lethbridgesportcouncil.ca
Canes promote reading
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Three Lethbridge Hurricanes players
visited Ken Van Cleave’s Grade 3-4 class at
Sunnyside School recently to talk about their
experiences as readers and how important
reading is to them. They talked to students
about the rigors of training, what it’s like to
live with billet families and
how and when they read.
In the top, Lethbridge
Hurricanes Lenny Hackman,
Griffin Foulk and Macoy
Erkamps watch a music video
celebrating reading with the
students.
In the bottom photo, Henry
Klassen and Hudson Procee, students at
Sunnyside School, show their books to
Hurricanes defenceman Griffin Foulk.
Sunnyside School, located just minutes from
North Lethbridge, has adopted a literacy
focus, along with all schools in Palliser
Regional Schools.
Now Looking For:
41183454
By Amy Van Buskirk
(1) Chef (1) Cook (1) Kitchen Helper
For our Lethbridge Location • 310 - 5 Street South
Fax Resumé to 403-381-1356 or
email [email protected]
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 11 Virtuous Woman
Exposed
Ooh’koonoosiin’:
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
How to Prevent your
Teen from ‘Sexting’
Sexting’ is the new thing that everyone
and no one is talking about. We are first
generation parents to this spectacle and
I think we have all been a bit blind sided
by its presence. If you are asking, ‘what’s
sexting?’ (I will not smack you - I will
not smack you) it is defined as: “an act of
sending sexually explicit materials through
mobile phones or social media.”
Now that you know what it is, do you
know how many times a day your son or
daughter is solicited to send or receive
inappropriate photos or text messages?
More than you will ever be able to
comprehend without tearing your clothes
in grief and throwing your Wi-Fi modem
off a cliff.
One minute your child is playing Angry
Birds like a mad scientist, the next minute
they’re caught up in scandal. It is not an
easy thing to recover from as a parent,
and as “whatever, its no big deal!” a teen
can rebuttal; I don’t think they recover
quickly from it either. This is a big deal
parents. This isn’t just teens being teens,
this is scary stuff. Not only are photos
being sent from one teen to another, teens
are getting hold of these private photos to
exploit, bully and destroy one another. It’s
sickening.
If you were to ask your son or daughter
about how common this is amongst his or
her friends, you should not be surprised
when they respond, “everyone does it.” Sad
thing is, they are right.
•Nearly 40 percent of all teenagers
have posted or sent sexually suggestive
messages.
•22 percent of high-school-age teens (ages
14 to 17) have been involved in a form of
nude sexting.
•Among 14- to 24-year-olds who admit to
sexting, 29 percent send these messages
to people they have never met, but know
from the Internet.
Source: http://www.dosomething.org
I understand that sexuality is a part of
puberty and a very strong pull for our
young men and women. It doesn’t help
that our teens, through the media, receive
a lot of mixed messages - thanks Miley
Cyrus - but I know that us being silent and
oblivious as parents isn’t helping them at
all. It needs to be part of our daily talks
with our kids. “Hi Johnny, how was your
day, do want pizza or spaghetti for dinner,
by the way about this sexting thing….”
How to prevent sexting:
1. Monitor your child’s devices. You
wouldn’t hand the keys to your 16-yearold and not ask them where they are going
and who they are going with. Why do we
blindly hand over phones to our kids who
have access to the world and not monitor
their activity?
2.
Know your teen’s passwords. I
know there has to be a balance between
respecting our child’s privacy and
protecting them. I feel that if it is already
a set precedence that you have a right to
check in every once and a while, then it’s
not an invasion. If you’re hacking their
friends Facebook account or reading every
message every day, that’s border-line.
3. Do not let your teens take their
phones to bed at night. This is a huge one,
and I know all the arguments in the world.
“I need it for an alarm,” (here’s an alarm
clock) “What if a friend needs me,” (they
will still NEED you tomorrow.)
When we were younger, drama, bullying,
and budding romances were subjected to
the hallways at school and - if you were
brave enough - a phone call or a jaunt
to the park, but at the end of the day
you went home, had dinner with your
family, and went to bed. Now, kids are
surrounded by their drama 24/7 and it
isn’t healthy. No to mention the million
studies showing how keeping phones and
devices of any kind in the bedroom is bad
for sleep and depression.
4. TALK, TALK, and TALK to your kids.
Despite what the eye rolls will tell you, you
are the biggest influence in your teen’s life.
HELP your son or daughter
5.
know how to respond whenever they are
pressured. Once you’ve dealt with a few
stalkers in college you learn quick how
to brush them off. Our young teens are
trying so hard to maintain their reputation
that they don’t want to look stupid. Or in
teen language an LG or LB. (Little Girl
or Little Boy) Talk together and come
up with a phrase or a line they can say
when pressured that they feel comfortable
saying.
6. Know your kids apps, know the sites
they are on, know their friends and know
your teen. In our home, we Google every
new social app that is requested. Some
with shocking reviews: Kik, for example,
“a pedophile’s playground,” Snap Chat, “A
sexter’s dream,” - need I say more?
7. Talk to their school, are they talking
about it? Be an advocate. Your children’s
school needs to be addressing this issue, a
lot of it is happening in math class.
8. Explain the consequences to your
child – colleges and businesses are
reviewing applicant’s social networks, they
can be criminally charged, it can destroy
their reputation… etc. This is a new
epidemic we call playing with fire.
I always think that it would have been so
much easier to be a cave-mother. “If you
see a Sabertooth run!” or “Watch out for
T-Rex,” now T-Rex and Sabertooth are
disguised as fun, fulfilling, and free and it’s
getting harder to guard our teens because
they just don’t see the danger. Gathering Together
By Katty-Jo Rabbit
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
In case you didn’t know, workshops are held
at the Aboriginal Opportunities Employment
Centre every last and first Wednesday of the
month. All of the workshops are free and
there is a lot of opportunity to participate
if you’re free during that time. Usually they
occur from 9 - noon, refreshments are
provided and it is a good way to get informed
on all the great programs and opportunities
there are.
So to provide an update and encourage all
community member to join us, here is a brief
over view of what is going on at the AOEC
office. February 5 Trent Frank, Recruitment Officer
for Lethbridge College will be presenting on
how to apply to the Lethbridge College and
providing an update on all the new programs
available through Lethbridge College.
February 12 is the big day of the 4th Annual
Career and Resources Fair at the Lethbridge
Lodge, everyone is welcome to attend, if
you’re an employer looking to diversify your
company then feel free to sign up for this
event as there are still seats available. This
event is open to everyone, as this is a great
time to network and explore the options
available in the Lethbridge community. This
event will start at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.
12 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
February 19 Petty officer 2nd Class Stephan
Morrison of the Bold Eagle program will
be present to provide an overview on how
to apply to the Military Recruit training
program. He will also present information on
the Culture Camp.
And finally, February 26 will be a meet and
greet for the Aboriginal Peoples support
group, where individuals looking to connect
with others are encouraged to come down to
the AOEC office at 6:30 p.m. to enjoy some
networking and program planning as this
new group will be meeting every month on
alternating Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. - 8
p.m. This is a group is focused on providing
additional supports to individuals who are
in transition and wanting to do some selfassessment in relation to the Medicine wheel.
So if you or someone you know is interested
in participating in these great information
sessions feel free to stop by and join us.
AOEC is also a great way to connect with
the other Aboriginal Professionals, with free
coffee and employment supports; watch out
for our next round of workshops; as we have
scheduled for a presentation on traditional
Blackfoot games and an overview of plant
knowledge used by the Blackfoot.
If you have any questions or would like to
inquire, please call 403.320.7699 for more
information.
Keep up-to-date on what’s trending in the world of wedding
planning, hit the hot spots in the local dining scene or keep in
the know on staying fit with the
Lethbridge Herald’s special publications!
Watch for them daily in your Lethbridge Herald or visit
mylh.ca special sections to view all of our special publications.
41183524
We have something
for everyone!
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 13 NHL’S ‘EAST’ DEFINITELY THE
‘LEAST’
By Bruce Penton
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
There’s no doubt this year that in the National Hockey League, East is least and West is
best.
A huge discrepancy in win-loss records was starkly apparent when the 30 NHL teams
hit the mid-January point. As it stood, only four of the Eastern teams - Pittsburgh,
Boston, Tampa Bay and Montreal - had more points than the eighth-place team in the
powerful West.
Funny thing is, when you think of the NHL and power, a number of Eastern
Conference-related thoughts come quickly to mind: Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin,
and, thanks to the Toronto-centric announcers on the national sports channels, one
would think the Leafs are a powerhouse, too. Sorry, Leaf Nation, they’re not. Still.
The Leafs and their 53 points would be a sickly ninth in the Western Conference, where
the eighth and final playoff spot was held down by Minnesota Wild and their 55 points.
Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh had 70 points in mid-January, which would
have put them third in the West, behind Anaheim and Chicago, both of whom had
suffered only eight regulation-time losses in 49 games. St. Louis Blues also had a mere
eight defeats.
While the bulk of the NHL’s power lies in the West, it’s theoretically easier for a Western
team to make the playoffs, since only six of the 14 teams will miss out. The East, which
consists of 16 teams, disqualifies eight teams for post-season play.
But when they start playing for keeps in April, watch for Pittsburgh or Boston to be
as strong a Stanley Cup contender as the West representative. Why? Because of the
extraordinary power in the West, where nine of the 14 teams were at .500 or better,
the road to the Cup final will be a lot more strenuous for the team that finally survives.
The Eastern rep in the final, by comparison, will have a relative breeze through the first
three rounds. Only five of the East’s 16 teams were at .500 or better in mid-January.
• Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: “Recent terrorist bombings in Russia have raised
safety concerns about the upcoming Sochi Olympics, and increased security measures
will be obvious. For example, downhill skiers will now slalom through metal detectors.”
• Some memorable broadcasting hilarity from Jerry Coleman, who died recently at 89,
snipped from Dwight Perry’s ‘From the Sidelines’ in the Seattle Times:
— “They throw (Dave) Winfield out at second — and he’s safe.”
— “Willie Davis is not as young as he used to be.”
— “Winfield goes back to the wall, he hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It’s
rolling all the way back to second base. This is a terrible thing for the Padres.”
• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “This just in: Nancy Kerrigan will be a skating analyst
for NBC during the Sochi Olympics; no word yet if Tonya Harding will be featured as a
hard-hitting reporter.”
• Blogger Torben Rolfsen, on Sidney Crosby beating Eddie Lack in the shootout on the
day the Olympic team was announced: “I like to think of that as Canada 1 Sweden 0.”
• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times, before a recent football playoff game: “The weather
forecast calls for a 100-per-cent chance of rain for the Seahawks-Saints playoff game.
Or, as we call it in these parts, Saturday.”
• Greg Cote again: “Marlins radio broadcasts switch from 790 The Ticket to WINZ940
next year. Fans who listen to Marlins games on radio are split. One said he liked the
change, the other isn’t sure.”
• Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald: “After Peyton Manning shouted ‘Omaha!’
repeatedly during Sunday’s game, Omaha’s Chamber of Commerce expressed interest in
hiring him for a promotion. The best news: We’d only have to close four libraries and six
swimming pools to afford Manning.”
• Dickson again: “President Obama welcomed the champion Miami Heat to the White
House on Tuesday. Obama was excited to see LeBron James. It was the first time the
president has met anyone more powerful than himself.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “A Winnipeg psychic predicts the Blue Bombers will
struggle in 2014. He also says Maria Sharapova will grunt, Blake Griffin will dunk, and
the Cubs have always stunk.”
• Another one from Currie: “Having the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders at the recent F1
race in Texas was so popular, word is organizers plan to do it again in 2014. Possible
event title? Vroom with a View.”
• Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “The Chicago Cubs say that some of the
reaction to their new mascot was “despicable.” Many Cubs fans think that adjective
should be reserved for the team’s play on the field.”
• Kaseberg again: “I don’t want to say the Carolina Panthers were poor sports, but after
losing to the 49ers, they went in and taunted the locker room clean-up crew.”
Care to comment? Email [email protected]
Volunteer Lethbridge Gift Wrapping Volunteers
Volunteer Lethbridge would like to acknowledge all of the volunteers who helped with the Gift
Wrapping Program at Park Place Shopping Centre over the 2013 holiday season. Thanks to
the dedication and hard work of ALL the gift wrapping volunteers, the program was a great
success! There were over 140 volunteers from all walks of life who came together to help with
the program. Collectively, they donated a total of 2199.25 volunteer hours. What an amazing
accomplishment, not only for Volunteer Lethbridge and the volunteers, but for the community
as a whole. Aside from contributing to a successful program, these volunteers helped to bring
the community together by building a fun and positive experience for all to enjoy. Volunteer
Lethbridge would like to thank the volunteers for wrapping up a great season!
14 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
made to improve
the
OPINION
Magrath and Scenic Drive
It’s Just Me
With Pat G.
Support for Sochi
Traffic turmoil
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
It’s soapbox time again,
people. I have been much
too nice for far too long.
There are so many issues
to choose from, I really
don’t know where to start.
For the time being, I will
leave the Golden Key
matter alone. There have
been an ample number
of letters and columns
written regarding the
oil drilling issue. I think
it is time to wait until
we all have much more
factual information
before we draw any hard
conclusions. Instead, I
would like to revisit an
ongoing problem that just
never seems to improve.
Traffic flow! Or should I
rephrase – traffic backup!
More specifically, the
main arteries on the
south side of the city.
The last time I addressed
this subject, I challenged
members of city council
to drive south on Mayor
Magrath Drive any day
of the week starting
around 3 p.m. It is
obvious no one took up
the challenge because no
real attempts have been
flow of traffic. I realize
that I am in no way an
expert when it comes to
planning efficient ways
to rectify the problem. I
can, however, offer a few
suggestions to the powers
that be.
First off, why not consider
rerouting some of the
southbound traffic; that
would lessen the load on
Mayor Magrath Drive.
How about opening up
28 Street South, thereby
providing access to the
Costco/Wal-Mart area
and all those other stores
and restaurants at the
south end of the city? As
it is, the only people who
make use of 28 Street
South are those who live
on or near the street. It
must be nice to have your
very own private access
road. I was under the
misguided impression
that streets and avenues
were provided for the
convenience of all, not
just a few.
Secondly, and I know
I am repeating myself,
do something about the
intersection of Mayor
south. A horrendous
bottleneck occurs where
three southbound lanes
are funnelled into two
and then back to three
after proceeding through
the intersection. That
problem could be solved
by repositioning the traffic
light and allowing the
far right lane to proceed
south, eliminating the
congestion. There is
ample green area for a
turn lane onto Scenic
Drive through part of
the tourist information
property. I realize there might be
engineering problems to
contend with and maybe a
few disgruntled citizens to
pacify, but I am sure with
a little bit of effort, these
things can be overcome.
After all, we aren’t a
one-horse town anymore.
Let’s move into the 21st
century – and let’s move
the traffic.
Until next time. . .
Pat G.
Daniel Braun, a local Canadian Tire dealer, signs a piece of a “We All Play for Canada” flag
that’s being sent to Sochi to encourage Canadian Olympians to go for the gold.
The flag is stitched together from over 490 pieces with signatures and personal messages from
staff at stores across Canada.
Canadian Tire’s sports marketing brand campaign, “We All Play for Canada” takes aim at
rallying Canadians to get kids active. As Canadians, we are all united by play - it makes us
stronger, happier, more creative and more tenacious as individuals, as communities and as a
country. Whether it’s playing road hockey in the street, cheering on our Olympians or taking
our kids to the park, we all play for something bigger than ourselves.
Former staff invited to
school birthday celebration
Submitted to the Lethbridge Journal
Former staff of Jennie Emery Elementary
School in Coaldale are invited to join current
staff and students for a 20th birthday party,
from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., Feb. 7 in the school
gymnasium.
Pat Hrynczuk, spokesperson for the event
and a Grade 1 teacher who has worked at
Jennie Emery since students first moved in
on Feb. 7, 1994, says the event will include a
brief program, displays of photos from the
past two decades and time for former and
current staff to reconnect and visit.
“We have always had a really good team who
care about kids and each other,” Hrynczuk
says. “This school has always had a warm,
inviting feeling, and we want to celebrate that
spirit on our 20th birthday.”
Former staff of the school are asked to RSVP
by phoning 403-3452403.
Jennie Emery
Elementary serves
about 470 students
and children who
attend early learning,
kindergarten or Grade
1-4 programming. The school also has
provides a before- and after-school PLAY
program for children up to 12 years of age.
The school is located at 1101 22 Avenue,
Coaldale.
The school was named for Mrs. Jennie Emery,
whose teaching career spanned 41 years
in southern Alberta. For many years, she
maintained a presence at the school bearing
her name, attending Christmas concerts and
other events. Mrs. Emery passed away in
October 2013 at the age of 102.
Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected] LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca 15 Accounting and
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16 LETHBRIDGE JOURNAL • WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2014 • www.lethbridgejournal.ca Have something to say? Send us an email to [email protected]
HR Management