Epidemiologist Dr. Isaac Bogoch checks in with The Morning Show to answer the latest COVID-19 questions.
In the opening moments of a Golden Globes night even more chaotic and confounding than usual, co-host Tina Fey raised a theoretical question: “Could this whole night have been an email?” Only the next three hours would tell. Well, sure, it could have been an email. But then you wouldn't have had Chadwick Boseman’s eloquent widow, bringing many to tears as she explained how she could never be as eloquent as her late husband. Or Jane Fonda, sharply calling out Hollywood for its lack of diversity on a night when her very hosts were under fire for exactly that. Or Chloé Zhao, making history as the first woman of Asian descent to win best director (and the first woman since 1984.) Or 98-year-old Norman Lear, giving the simplest explanation for his longevity: never living or laughing alone. Or Jodie Foster kissing her wife joyfully, eight years after very tentatively coming out on the same telecast. Of course, there were the usual confounding results and baffling snubs, compounded here by some epic Zoom fails. But then we had the kids and the dogs. And they were adorable. Next year, can we still have the kids and the dogs, please? Some key moments of the first and hopefully last virtual Globes night: AN OVERDUE RECKONING The evening began under a cloud of embarrassing revelations about the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its lack of inclusion, including the damaging fact that there are no Black members in the 87-person body. Fey and co-host Amy Poehler addressed it early: “Even with stupid things, inclusivity is important." Winners like Daniel Levy of “Schitt's Creek” and presenters like Sterling K. Brown referred to it. Jane Fonda made it a theme of her powerful speech accepting the Cecil B. DeMille award. And the HFPA made a hasty onstage pledge to change. “We recognize we have our own work to do,” said vice-president Helen Hoehne. “We must have Black journalists in our organization.” “I DON'T HAVE HIS WORDS” The best-actor award to Chadwick Boseman for “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” had been expected. That did not dull the emotional impact of his victory. His widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, tearfully accepted in his honour, telling viewers that her husband, who died of colon cancer at 43 before the film was released, “would say something beautiful, something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside of all of us that tells you you can. That tells you to keep going, that calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history.” But, she said poignantly, “I don't have his words." Co-star Viola Davis could be seen weeping as Ledward spoke. She was not alone. PREDICTABLE ZOOM FAILS It was obvious there were going to be awkward Zoom fails. It started early, when the very first winner, Daniel Kaluuya for “Judas and the Black Messiah,” was on mute as he accepted his award, leaving presenter Laura Dern to apologize for technical difficulties. Thankfully, the problem was resolved in time for the actor to speak. Jason Sudeikis, whose charmingly rambling speech ("This is nuts!") and rumpled hoodie signalled he hadn't expected to win, finally realized he needed to “wrap this puppy up.” And winner Catherine O'Hara ("Schitt's Creek") had some perhaps unwelcome help from her husband, whose efforts to provide applause sounds and play-off music on his phone while she spoke lost something in translation, causing confusion on social media. Oh yes, and there were those conversations between nominees before commercials — did they know we heard them? KIDS AND PETS, STILL BRINGING JOY Still, the virtual acceptances from winners stuck at home had a huge silver lining: happy kids and cute pets. When Mark Ruffalo won for “I Know This Much is True,” two of his teens could not control their joy enough to stay out of the camera shot. Not to be outdone, the adorable young daughter of Lee Isaac Chung, writer-director of the Korean-American family drama “Minari,” sat in his lap and hugged him throughout his acceptance for best foreign language film. “She’s the reason I made this film,” said Chung. Winner Jodie Foster ("The Mauritanian") also had a family member in her lap: her dog. Also seen: Sarah Paulson's dog, and Emma Corrin's cat. LOVE FOR BORAT, SNUB FOR BAKALOVA ... AND EXPOSURE FOR GIULIANI Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova, breakout star of Amazon’s “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” had been widely expected to win, but lost out to Rosamund Pike ("I Care a Lot") who saluted Bakalova's bravery. In her movie, Pike said, “I had to swim up from a sinking car. I think I still would rather do that than have been in a room with Rudy Giuliani.” The former New York mayor's infamous cameo was also the butt of jokes from “Borat” star Sacha Baron Cohen, who called Giuliani “a fresh new talent who came from nowhere and turned out to be a comedy genius ... I mean, who could get more laughs from one unzipping?” Baron Cohen, who won for best actor in a comedy, also joked that Donald Trump was “contesting the result” of his win. A FIERY FONDA Did you expect anything less from Fonda? In her memorable DeMille award speech, the multiple Globe winner extolled the virtues of cinematic storytelling — “stories can change our hearts and our minds” — then pivoted to admonishing Hollywood. “There's a story we’ve been afraid to see and hear about ourselves,” she said, “a story about which voices we respect and elevate and which we tune out: a story about who’s offered a seat at the table and who’s kept out of the rooms where decisions are made.” She said the arts should not merely keep step with society, but lead the way. “Let's be leaders,” she said. ZHAO MAKES HISTORY When Zhao won best director for her haunting and elegant “Nomadland,” she was the first Asian American woman ever to win that award. But that wasn't the only way she made history: it was the first directing Globe for a woman in nearly 40 years, since Barbra Streisand won for “Yentl." Her film, a look at itinerant Americans, “at its core for me is a pilgrimage through grief and healing,” Zhao said. “For everyone who has gone through this difficult and beautiful journey at some point in their lives, we don’t say goodbye, we say: See you down the road.” With Zhao's win, the road widens for other female directors. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Norman Lear is 98, not 99. Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press
Emma Corrin just won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Princess Diana.
As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have released details of who can expect to receive a shot in the coming weeks. Here's a list of their plans to date: Newfoundland and Labrador The province says it is in Phase 1 of its vaccine rollout. Health-care workers on the front lines of the pandemic, staff at long-term care homes, people of "advanced age" and adults in remote or isolated Indigenous communities have priority. Chief medical health officer Dr. Janice Fitzgerald has said Phase 2 will begin in April if vaccine supply remains steady. The second phase prioritizes adults over 60 years old, beginning with those over 80, as well as Indigenous adults, first responders, rotational workers and adults in marginalized populations, such as those experiencing homelessness. Adults between 16 and 59 years old will be vaccinated in the third phase of the rollout, and Fitzgerald has said she expects that to begin this summer. --- Nova Scotia Health officials in Nova Scotia announced Tuesday that vaccination rollout plans for the month included the province's first pharmacy clinics. Prototype pharmacy clinics will launch in Halifax and Shelburne on March 9, Port Hawkesbury on March 16 and Springhill on March 23. Nova Scotia plans to have vaccine available to at least 75 per cent of the population by the end of September 2021. --- Prince Edward Island Health officials in Prince Edward Island say they will shift their focus to getting a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to all adults by July 1, even if it means delaying the second shot for some. Chief medical officer Heather Morrison has said people over the age of 80 will get a second dose based on their existing appointments. Going forward, she said, other residents will get a longer interval between their first and second doses, but she didn’t specific how long that will be. --- New Brunswick The province is also focusing on vaccinating those living in long-term care homes, health-care workers with direct patient contact, adults in First Nations communities and older New Brunswickers in the first phase, which lasts until at least March. The next phase is scheduled to begin in the spring and includes residents and staff of communal settings, other health-care workers including pharmacists, first responders and critical infrastructure employees. The government website says once the vaccine supply is continuous and in large enough quantities, the entire population will be offered the shots. --- Quebec Quebec started vaccinating older seniors Monday, after a first phase that focused largely on health-care workers, remote communities and long-term care. In Montreal, mass vaccine sites including the Olympic Stadium opened their doors to the public as the province began inoculating seniors who live in the hard-hit city. The government announced last week it would begin booking appointments for those aged 85 and up across the province, but that age limit has since dropped to 70 in some regions, including Montreal. Quebec announced Tuesday it had reached a deal with pharmacies that will allow them to start administering COVID-19 vaccines by mid-March. Health Minister Christian Dube said about 350 pharmacies in the Montreal area will start taking appointments by March 15 for people as young as 70. The program will eventually expand to more than 1,400 pharmacies across the province that will administer about two million doses. The Montreal region is being prioritized in part because of the presence of more contagious variants, such as the one first identified in the United Kingdom, Dube has said. --- Ontario The province began vaccinating people with the highest priority, including those in long-term care, high-risk retirement home residents, certain classes of health-care workers and people who live in congregate care settings. Several regions in Ontario moved ahead Monday with their plans to vaccinate the general public, while others used their own systems to allow residents aged 80 and older to schedule appointments. Toronto also began vaccinating members of its police force Monday after the province identified front-line officers as a priority group. Constables and sergeants who respond to emergency calls where medical assistance may be required are now included in the ongoing first phase of Ontario's vaccine rollout, a spokeswoman for the force said. A day earlier, Toronto said the province expanded the first phase of its vaccination drive to include residents experiencing homelessness. The provincial government has said it aims to begin vaccinating Ontarians aged 80 and older starting the week of March 15, the same day it plans to launch its vaccine booking system, which will offer a service desk and online portal. It has said the vaccine rollout will look different in each of its 34 public health units. When asked about the lack of provincewide cohesion, Health Minister Christine Elliott said that public health units know their regions best and that's why they have been given responsibility to set the pace locally. She also says the province will soon share an updated vaccine plan that factors in expected shipments of the newly approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The province will do that after getting guidance from the federal government on potentially extending the time between first and second doses, like B.C. is doing, of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to four months, Elliott says She also says Ontario seniors won't receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since there's limited data on its effectiveness in older populations. --- Manitoba Manitoba is starting to vaccinate people in the general population. Appointments are now available for most people aged 94 and up, or 74 and up for First Nations people. Until now, vaccines have been directed to certain groups such as health-care workers and people in personal care homes. Health officials plan to reduce the age minimum, bit by bit, over the coming months. Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of the province's vaccine task force, has said inoculations could be open to all adults in the province by August if supplies are steady. --- Saskatchewan The province is still in the first phase of its vaccination rollout, which reserves doses for long-term care residents and staff, health-care workers at elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure, seniors over the age of 70 and anyone 50 or older living in a remote area. In all, nearly 400,000 doses are required to finish this stage. The next phase will be focused on vaccinating the general population by age. It hopes to begin its mass vaccination campaign by April, but there if there isn’t enough supply that could be pushed back to June. Saskatchewan will begin immunizing the general population in 10-year increments, starting with those 60 to 69. Also included in this age group will be people living in emergency shelters, individuals with intellectual disabilities in care homes and people who are medically vulnerable. Police, corrections staff and teachers are among the front-line workers not prioritized for early access to shots. The government says supply is scarce. The province said this week that it may follow British Columbia's lead in delaying a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine to speed up immunizations. The government says it hopes a national committee that provides guidance on immunizations will support waiting up to four months to give people a second dose. If that happens, the province could speed up how soon residents get their first shot. --- Alberta Alberta is now offering vaccines to anyone born in 1946 or earlier, a group representing some 230,000 people. Appointments are being offered through an online portal and the 811 Health Link phone line. Shots are also being offered to this cohort at more than 100 pharmacies in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton starting in early March and the government has said there are also plans to include doctors’ offices. Health Minister Tyler Shandro has said all eligible seniors should have their first shots by the end of March. But he said Monday that the province will not give Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone over the age of 65 after the National Advisory Committee on Immunization expressed concerned there is limited data on how well it will work in older populations. The first phase of the vaccine rollout also included anyone over 65 who lives in a First Nations or Metis community, various front-line health care workers, paramedics and emergency medical responders. Phase 2 of the rollout, to begin in April, is to start with those 65 and up, Indigenous people older than 50 and staff and residents of licensed supportive living seniors’ facilities not previously included. --- British Columbia British Columbia will extend the time between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines to four months so all adults could get their initial shot by the end of July. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says evidence from the province and around the world shows protection of at least 90 per cent from the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The province launched the second phase of its immunization campaign Monday and health authorities will begin contacting residents and staff of independent living centres, those living in seniors' supportive housing as well as homecare support clients and staff. Seniors aged 90 and up can call to make their appointment starting next Monday, followed a week later by those aged 85 and over, and a week after that by those 80 and up. Henry says the approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine means some people will get their first shot sooner than planned. She says B.C. will focus its rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine among essential workers, first responders and younger people with more social interactions who would have to wait longer to receive their first doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. It's now possible that all adults could get their first shot by July, Henry says. --- Nunavut The territory says it expects enough vaccines for 75 per cent of its population over the age of 18. After a COVID-19 vaccine is administered, patients will be tracked to ensure they are properly notified to receive their second dose. Nunavut's priority populations are being vaccinated first. They include residents of shelters, people ages 60 years and up, staff and inmates and correctional facilities, first responders and front-line health-care staff. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories its priority groups — such as people over 60, front-line health workers and those living in remote communities — are being vaccinated The territory says it expects to vaccine the rest of its adult population starting this month. --- Yukon Yukon says it will receive enough vaccine to immunize 75 per cent of its adult population by the end of March. Priority for vaccinations has been given to residents and staff in long-term care homes, group homes and shelters, as well as health-care workers and personal support workers. People over the age of 80 who are not living in long-term care, and those living in rural and remote communities, including Indigenous Peoples, are also on the priority list for shots. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021. The Canadian Press
Arya Peruma got into coding at the age of seven, and the 15-year-old from Mississauga is now helping educators spark that same passion in more elementary students while also boosting the efforts of girls and other youth often underrepresented in technology. Peruma is currently researching DNA microarrays to see if artificial intelligence can be used to predict someone’s risk of developing cancer, but the 10th-grader has yet to take a dedicated computer science class, which, in Ontario, is first offered in Grade 11. “By then, it’s already too late to learn,” she says. “The passion for the subject matter starts when you're really young, and in order to spark the interest, you have to be exposed to it, and the younger the better. “It’s something that is really vital and crucial to learn, not just if you want to go into the field of computer science or programming, but it’s something that will develop cognitive skills, critical thinking and so many more really integral problem-solving skills.” Coding concepts are included as early as Grade 1 in a new math curriculum the Ford government unveiled last year. “This is definitely a step in the right direction, but I think more needs to be done,” Peruma says. To help spread the word, she started the Coding for Young Minds community group in 2019. So far, some 5,000 students around the world have taken up her offer of free live tutoring sessions on various aspects of coding and programming. “It's really important to me because especially thinking back to how many barriers they were for me to access supplemental education, it made me think that if I have these barriers, what would the barriers for other students be?” she says, pointing out that online programming and coding classes can be prohibitively expensive and not particularly approachable for younger learners. Top tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Google have consistently reported workforces made up overwhelmingly of white and Asian men since the companies began releasing diversity reports in 2014, a fact critics say creates a web of subtle biases that exclude minorities. Peruma will be taking her project to another level this year, creating a three-part free virtual workshop series for educators wanting to know how to engage their students in the topic. “One thing I really like to be able to do is connect everything back to real life,” she explains. “When you're talking about algorithms with younger students, we can compare it to a cooking recipe and tell them that it's a step-by-step procedure just like a cooking recipe.” Late last year, Peruma helped cut the ribbon on an in-person coding lab in Mississauga. For now, she mostly uses the space to host her virtual tutoring sessions, but once COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed, the space will offer local students access to equipment including a 3D printer and tailored training to accommodate special needs. Morgan Sharp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer
Dozens of people braved the cold in Richmond Hill, Ont., Tuesday to get vaccinated against COVID-19. York Region began vaccinating people over 80 on Monday and initial appointment slots were quickly filled up.
MARYHILL — The proposed gravel pit on Shantz Station Road, a controversial project proposed near Maryhill, is moving through the review phases for development. Most recently, the Region of Waterloo’s ecological and environmental advisory committee gave a green light, saying that after the company made some revisions to its plans, the project meets all policy and legislative requirements. The committee is a group of experts that advise the region on development applications, environmental assessments and other environmental matters. In turn, the Region of Waterloo is a commenting body on this project. The decision to approve the project’s applications will be made by Woolwich. Capital Paving, a Wellington County-based aggregate extraction company, applied for a licence to remove aggregate above the water table, a zone change to allow for aggregate extraction on current farmland, and an Official Plan amendment in 2019. The site is outside the areas the township currently designates for aggregate extraction in its Official Plan, and extracting there will require an amendment. To access the pit, Capital Paving may use an older driveway that runs through a wetland. The driveway was used in the early 2000s for truck access to a now-closed gravel pit. This access road will be paved and widened, and an extension built to the extraction area through a neighbouring woodlot. Though this wetland area is habitat for species at risk, the committee believes the proposed access route makes more sense than the alternative of an access route to Foerster Road. This route would be longer, more costly, run along a township road that would need to be upgraded to accommodate the increased truck traffic, and could endanger pedestrians crossing between sections of a golf course. The ecological and environmental advisory committee gave recommendations to lessen the project’s environmental impact. These include planting more trees to make up for the damage, prioritizing planting the trees in the preliminary stages of the project and implementing a formalized agreement with the neighbour to ensure trees are retained over the years, according to Ken Hough, who presented about the project at the committee’s February meeting. Also, once the pit is in its rehabilitation phase, the committee recommends the extension through the woodlot be taken out and the road through the wetland be put back to its original size. Ecological passages to allow amphibians and reptiles to move across the access road were also recommended, though this was considered unnecessary by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Hough said. Overall, the access road “was a bit contentious but ultimately probably as good as we could achieve,” Hough said at the meeting. An amendment to Woolwich’s Official Plan would allow for aggregate extraction outside the designated area. The Hopewell Creek Ratepayers Association is a community group opposed to the pit. The group cites concerns with how close the project will be to Maryhill, a possible reduction in air quality, increased truck traffic and negative impact on nearby businesses. “Shouldn’t aggregate mapping adopted by the region count for something?” says a letter last year from the group to the township and region. “Shouldn’t this mapping give citizens some certainty about where an aggregate proposal could arise?” “It is very common when an application becomes public pretty much anywhere in Ontario, there’s going to be certain degree of opposition,” says George Lourenco, the resources manager for Capital Paving. “I don’t know of a single application in the entire province that isn’t going through issues with a community or a certain number of neighbours that are nearby the operation.” “I think it’s important to understand that gravel is only located in certain locations in the province. Mother Nature didn’t bless us with gravel everywhere. So we can only go to those places where it’s located and has a good enough quality and a certain amount, or a certain size of deposit to be able to warrant going for a licence.” Lourenco also says the aggregate industry stresses that aggregate extraction needs to be close to where it will be used. The Ontario Stone Sand and Gravel Association estimates that adding one kilometre to the route of all aggregate trucks in Ontario would burn approximately 2.5 million extra litres of diesel fuel each year. Other completed reviews and discussion about the project are on the Township of Woolwich’s ongoing projects page on its website. Leah Gerber’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories about the Grand River Watershed. Email lgerber@therecord.com Leah Gerber, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Waterloo Region Record
"The Soul of a Woman," by Isabel Allende (Ballantine) Acclaimed writer Isabel Allende’s short memoir, "The Soul of a Woman" is a bold exploration of womanhood, feminism, parenting, aging, love and more. This short, but mighty memoir opens with a proud declaration that Allende has been a feminist since kindergarten, and from there launches readers into an enchanting examination of the life she has lived ever since. Now in her late 70s, Allende reflects on her life, from her childhood and parents to her experience becoming a mother and grandmother. The memoir is a chronicle of her fierce advocacy for herself and for the power of women, and it is also an ode to the many people who shaped her. With humour and wisdom, Allende offers poignant observations on topics like ambition, the lack of respect we show to aging people and the #MeToo movement. Spending time with Allende within these pages is a true delight. The book is conversational, contemplative, and relatable. Allende is self-deprecating and jubilant, writing as if she is chatting over coffee and scones with an old friend about the lessons life has taught her. The book will no doubt make you think about these big concepts in new and personal ways. —- Read more about Molly Sprayregen at https://www.mollyspray.com. Molly Sprayregen, The Associated Press
VANCOUVER — The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says the market is heating up so fast that home sales in the region doubled between January and February and have climbed by more than 70 per cent since last year. The board says February sales in the B.C. region totalled 3,727, a 73.3 per cent increase from the 2,150 sales recorded the year before and a 56 per cent spike from the 2,389 homes sold the month before. February sales were so strong that REBGV says they were 42.8 per cent higher than the month's 10-year sales average. The board says the region saw 5,048 new listings in February, up from 4,002 the year prior. The MLS home price index composite benchmark for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver reached just over $1 million in February, a 6.8 per cent increase. REBGV says the market is shifting in favour of sellers because housing supply listings aren't keeping up with the demand and competition among homebuyers is pushing up prices. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2021. The Canadian Press
A recent controversy over the consistency of butter reflects the need for evidence rather than anecdotal data.
Two recent graduates of the Civil Engineering Technology program at St. Lawrence College have launched a bursary to support upper year Civil Engineering students. Braedan Rogers and David Logan, 2020 graduates of the program, wanted to give something back to future students in the Civil Engineering Technology program. Last year was the inaugural year for the bursary, and the duo hope to increase the amount available to the recipients through donations. “We found most, if not all, of our classmates never applied for any funding as the prevailing thoughts on most bursaries was they were so competitive, what was the point," Logan said. "Our classmates worked in industry during summer breaks, and really struggled hard to get decent grades as it is very challenging subject material." The list of bursaries available at St. Lawrence College is quite lengthy, but the duo say most rely on grades, extra-curricular activities, and volunteering, which students with jobs find difficult to fit into their days. The Solid Ground Award is awarded to returning students who are enrolled full-time in the Civil Engineering Technology program, are passionate about their field, and interested in pursuing a career in Civil Engineering. When asked how they fund the bursary, Logan said they decided to run it through SLC Alumni. “It keeps everything really easy and allows for donors to get charitable tax receipts,” he said. “When talking with the coordinators, we expressed how the main goal of this was to support a Civil student who was passionate about future work in the Engineering field,” Logan continued. “As such, we really only had one criteria: the student had to be a second or third year civil engineering student in good standing. This allows the most amount of students to apply. With help from the Civil faculty, one student is selected.” Last year the Solid Ground Award provided $500 to the recipient. The duo say their ultimate goal is to provide a full year’s tuition. “Breadan and I have committed to fund this for a minimum of three years. We each donate $250 a year, with my share coming through my business ‘Wise Cracks Kingston’,” Logan shared. “We feel this is worthwhile and important. There are many roles in the civil [engineering] world that need new bright talented workers,” he said. “Kingston, and eastern Ontario, have many companies that need people with the skills learned through the Civil Engineering program at SLC. The hope is that each year we can grow the amount of donors, and in doing so help the donors get the skilled workers they need!" “We hope to make this a sustainable award that can be counted on for years,” Logan added. Those interested in donating to this bursary are asked to contact SLC Alumni. Mention the Solid Ground Award to ensure your donation goes directly to support the Civil Engineering bursary. Students can apply for the bursary through the SLC website. Jessica Foley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, kingstonist.com
Iceville at Mosaic Stadium has closed for the season following a successful two months. The event cost the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) $20,000 to host. With over 13,000 people lacing up skates and attending Iceville, CEO Tim Reid said it "might have been the best investment we ever made." "Watching others get down to the field level for the first time was part of the magic of Iceville. For so many of us, we don't have that opportunity to be at ice level, or field level, and look up at the stadium. It really is a remarkable feeling for people," Reid said. Over 200,000 people registered to skate at Iceville, but the season was cut short due to the warming weather. "With Iceville, we have found an opportunity even through COVID-19 to bring our community together," said Tim Reid, CEO and president of Regina Exhibition Association Limited. "We ironically saw more bookings in the winter months during COVID-19 than we saw in a traditional, regular operating year," Reid said. Iceville, which was Saskatchewan's largest outdoor skating rink, was created with the goal to provide a new recreational opportunity for Regina. "Since the pandemic hit we've been forced to find new ways to adjust and continue life in as normal a way as possible," Regina mayor Sandra Masters said. "Getting outside in any form has proven to be not only a great escape for us but a necessary health break for many of us." Reid says REAL was overwhelmed by the support. The event will return next winter prior to the holiday season. WATCH | An overhead look at Iceville inside of Mosaic Stadium in Regina Supporting the Regina Food Bank While thousands attended Iceville over a two-month period, it also helped raise money for the Regina Food Bank. Over 5,500 pounds of food was raised through the event, which will create over 5,000 meals for the community, said John Bailey, CEO of the Regina Food Bank. During the pandemic, the demand for food has increased. In 2021, 110,000 people used the Regina Food Bank, which is an increase from the 80,000 the year before, Bailey said. "We're really growing our need which is unfortunate, but what we are incredibly grateful for is the support of our community and making sure neighbours feed neighbours."
NEW YORK — Kohl's reported mixed results for its fiscal fourth quarter, delivering a 30% increase in profits but a 10% drop in sales. Results handily beat Wall Street estimates. Online sales growth remained strong, up 22% for the latest quarter, and accounted for 42% of net sales. The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, company also issued a per-share forecast for the current year whose top range beat analysts' expectations. It also expects solid revenue growth. The earnings report comes out as Kohl’s is fighting back against an investor group’s efforts to take control of the department store chain’s board, arguing that it would derail its progress and momentum. The investor group nominated nine members for Kohl’s board of directors as it looks to boost the company’s stock and its financial performance. The group owns a 9.5% stake in Kohl’s. Kohl's has been pushing various initiatives to attract shoppers including expanding its activewear and home area. The department store's program with Amazon to accept eligible Amazon items, without a box or label, has done well. It said Tuesday the initiative has resulted in 2 million new customers in the past year of whom a third are younger. Late last year, the department store chain announced that Sephora will replace all cosmetics areas at Kohl’s with 2,500 square foot shops, starting with 200 locations in the fall. It will expand to at least 850 stores by 2023. Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass told The Associated Press during a phone interview on Tuesday that the chain is seeing a momentum in its business, and called the Sephora shops a “game changer." And while shopping at its stores are not yet back at a normal rate, she believes that Kohl's will recover some of that. She also noted that Kohl's will be ready when shoppers start going out more, but that casual dressing will still be important. Kohl's earned $343 million, or $2.20 per share, for the quarter ended Jan. 30. That compares with $265 million, or $1.72 per share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings was $2.22, well ahead of the $1.01 per share that analysts forecast, according to FactSet. Sales reached $6.14 billion, down from $6.83 billion in the year-ago period. But results surpassed the $5.88 billion that analysts had expected, according to FactSet. Kohl’s expects net sales for the current year to increase in the mid-teens percentage range. The company also forecasts that per-share range should be anywhere from $2.45 to $2.95 for the year. Analysts forecast $2.65 per share, according to FactSet. Shares rose 50 cents to $57.49 in late morning trading. Anne D'Innocenzio, The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine — A court in Belarus on Tuesday handed a half-year prison sentence to a journalist on charges of revealing personal data in her report on the death of a protester, part of authorities’ crackdown on demonstrations against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Katsiaryna Barysevich of the independent Tut.by online news portal has been in custody since November, following the publication of an article in which she cited medical documents indicating that protester Raman Bandarenka died of severe injuries and wasn’t drunk — contrary to official claims. Bandarenka died in a hospital on Nov. 12 of brain and other injuries. The opposition alleged that he was brutally beaten by police who dispersed a protest in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Bandarenka’s death caused public outrage and fueled more demonstrations. On Tuesday, the Moskovsky District Court in Minsk sentenced Barysevich to six months in prison and a fine equivalent to $1,100. It also handed a two-year suspended sentence to Artsyom Sarokin, a doctor who treated Bandarenka and shared his medical records with Barysevich, and fined him the equivalent of $550. Belarus has been shaken by protests ever since official results from the Aug. 9 presidential election gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office by a landslide. The opposition and some poll workers have said the election was rigged. Lukashenko’s government has unleashed a sweeping crackdown on post-election protests, the biggest of which attracted up to 200,000 people. Human rights activists say more than 30,000 people have been detained since the demonstrations began, with thousands beaten. The United States and the European Union have responded to the election and the crackdown by introducing sanctions against Belarusian officials. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition challenger in the vote who was forced to leave the country under pressure from authorities, said that Tuesday’s sentence demonstrated that “the truth has become a crime for the regime.” “Lukashenko's resignation and new elections are needed to end the horrible political and legal crisis,” Tsikhanouskaya said. “We are confident that after he steps down all those who were convicted on political grounds will be rehabilitated.” The Associated Press
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times eastern): 11:15 a.m. Quebec is reporting 588 new cases of COVID-19 and eight more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus. Health officials say hospitalizations rose for a third consecutive day, up by 16 today, for a total of 628. The number of people in intensive care dropped by one, to 121. The province says it administered 16,458 doses of vaccine Monday, the first day of Quebec’s mass vaccination campaign for the general public. Quebec has reported a total of 288,941 COVID-19 infections and 10,407 deaths linked to the virus. --- 10:30 a.m. Ontario is reporting 966 new COVID-19 cases and 11 more deaths from the virus. The new data is based on 30,737 tests. There are 284 hospitalized people in intensive care and 189 people on ventilators. The province says it administered 22,326 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine since the last daily report. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2021. The Canadian Press
SAN ANTONIO — Artifacts collected by Phil Collins went on display Tuesday at the Alamo after the legendary musician donated the items to the state of Texas. The “Phil Collins Collection Preview” includes a brass cannon used by the Mexican Army during the Battle of the Alamo and the original battle orders that called for the attack on the Alamo. The temporary exhibit is on display through April 25. Collins donated his collection of more than 200 artifacts to the Texas General Land Office in 2014. “We are beyond excited to finally share some of the amazing artifacts Mr. Collins so generously donated,” said Kristi Miller Nichols, the Alamo's director of archaeology, collections, and historical research at the Alamo. “The public has been very interested in seeing the Collins Collection. It has been an honour to care for and preserve these artifacts over the years.” During the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, nearly 200 defenders died following a 13-day battle with Mexican forces led by General Santa Anna. The Associated Press
C’est par souci de réduire leur empreinte écologique et pour encourager les autres à suivre leur exemple que huit élèves de l’école Le Tremplin, à Chambly, confectionnent et vendent leurs propres produits zéro déchet. C’est grâce à leur enseignante et à leur éducatrice, Mylène Duchesne et Nathalie Gauthier, qui les ont initiés au tri des déchets et sensibilisés à leurs répercussions sur les fonds marins et les animaux, que les huit garçons de niveau primaire ont commencé à nourrir un intérêt particulier pour la réduction de leur empreinte écologique. Une école pas comme les autres L’école Le Tremplin, située à l’intérieur du Centre jeunesse de la Montérégie sur la rue Salaberry, accueille des jeunes âgés de 10 à 21 ans, placés tantôt sous la Protection de la jeunesse, tantôt sous la Loi des jeunes contrevenants. « En partant, ce sont des élèves qui ont vécu des choses difficiles, apporte Nathalie, et pour qui le papier et le crayon fonctionnent très peu. De là l’intérêt d’enseigner au travers de projets », complète Mylène. « Nous avons un groupe de huit élèves de niveau primaire et ce sont tous des garçons. Ils habitent ici, de trente jours à un certain nombre d’années. Certains peuvent voir leur famille la fin de semaine, contrairement à d’autres. Ils ont vécu toutes sortes d’épreuves, mais ça leur apporte une profondeur et une maturité. » Une idée qui a germé Déjà avant de leur inculquer ses valeurs, Nathalie ne jurait que par les produits zéro déchet, faisant ses propres shampoing, savon à linge, produits de beauté et ménagers artisanaux à la maison. « Avec la COVID, les enfants se désinfectent régulièrement les mains avec des produits chimiques qui les rendent sèches. J’ai donc amené à l’école l’une de mes crèmes et j’ai vu que ça a piqué la curiosité des élèves », raconte l’éducatrice. « On s’est mis à parler beaucoup d’environnement avec eux. Puis un jour, une autre classe de l’école a lancé son propre service de café. Les élèves de cette classe recevaient des commandes des professeurs de l’école le matin et leur apportaient leurs cafés avant la première période », entame Mylène. « En voyant cela, les élèves de notre classe ont réclamé d’avoir leur propre compagnie. Nathalie et moi leur avons demandé quel genre de projet on pourrait faire. À l’unisson, ils ont répondu qu’ils voulaient réaliser ‘’des projets pour sauver la planète’’! » Il a fallu se trouver un nom, des logos, choisir des produits que l’on pouvait fabriquer, calculer combien ça nous coûterait à produire et comment faire du profit. Ils ont même appris à faire des recettes, on a pu leur faire confiance pour se mettre aux fourneaux et ils se sont bien appliqués à la tâche. Lorsqu’ils utilisaient les huiles essentielles, les gens passaient dans le corridor en commentant leur appréciation des effluves et c’était gratifiant pour eux. » C’est ainsi qu’ils ont créé toute une gamme de sept produits distincts. La Maison du zéro déchet Nathalie étant une habituée de la Maison zéro déchet de Chambly, elle et Mylène leur en ont expliqué le concept. « On a dû obtenir la permission des parents, ce qui n’est pas chose facile, pour les amener avec nous afin qu’ils visitent la maison. Là-bas, on leur a expliqué comment ça fonctionnait, la pesée des pots des clients pour éviter d’utiliser des sacs en plastique, etc. Les propriétaires ont été très gentils, nous ont super bien accueillis, ont pris le temps de parler aux garçons et même de leur donner des bonbons végétaliens. Éventuellement, sans que l’on s’y attende, ils nous ont dit que si l’on en venait à créer notre marque ainsi qu’un produit vraiment fini, ils seraient ‘‘honorés’’ de vendre nos produits sans même toucher de commission. Les garçons, Nathalie et moi n’en revenions pas. » Les jeunes artisans et entrepreneurs verts vendent présentement plusieurs de leurs produits à la Maison du zéro déchet, sous la bannière Tannants mais... écolos, une marque qu’ils ont créée à leur image. Leurs cakes à vaisselle, baumes corporels et pains nourrissants, disposés sur un présentoir, ont commencé à se vendre comme des petits pains il y a deux semaines. Les deux pédagogues s’avouent fières de l’accomplissement de leur classe, qu’elles voient comme la génération des citoyens écoresponsables de demain. Chloé-Anne Touma, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Journal de Chambly
An Oro-Medonte-area developer has pleaded guilty to doing work — without a permit — on a protected property and has been ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and rehabilitate the disturbed land. Crestwood Park Holdings Inc., through its principal, Tom Rennie, admitted to undertaking development on the land at 99 Mount St. Louis Rd., in Oro-Medonte Township, near Concession 7, through which the Coldwater River flows, between Aug. 23, 20117 and Nov. 13, 2018 without permission. According to an admitted statement of facts read into the court Monday, two bridges and a staircase were built on the property without a permit. “This is a win for the environment,” John Olah, the lawyer representing the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) which has jurisdiction over the area, said following the hearing. But a neighbour questions whether the fine will be a sufficient deterrent for developers in the future. “It would appear the bar has been set low for any company considering undertaking development on environmentally protected lands in the province,” said Robert Young, who lives on 65 acres next to the Crestwood land. “How are developers going to view this adjudication? “These two bridges were constructed in the Coldwater River valley on environmentally protected lands by Mr. Rennie without the knowledge of the NVCA and were intended to be used commercially for future patrons of Mr. Rennie’s proposed new Webers restaurant,” Young added. Young said one of the bridges was constructed, in part, on his property without his permission or knowledge, and he was concerned future patrons using the bridge would end up on his side of the property line and impact “the pristine, natural river valley environment.” Crestwood’s Rennie was jointly charged, but the charge against him was dropped. “The purpose of erecting the foot bridges was to allow access to the remainder of the property (the eastern portion), which was inaccessible due to the river,” Rennie wrote in an emailed statement after the hearing. “I acknowledge my mistake of not obtaining a permit for this particular purpose, and in accordance with the restoration order have removed the southwest bridge and am making agreed-upon modifications to the northeast bridge. “I am pleased this matter has now been resolved with NVCA and I look forward to having continued access to the entirety of the property," he added. The idea, Rennie said, was to create foot bridges for safe passage over the river. The staircase to the river was allowed to remain. In addition to removing one bridge and remediating the affected land, the accompanying order mandates Crestwood to submit a removal and restoration plan and provide a certification of implementation by June 1. It must also prove to the NVCA that the design of the northeast bridge crossing addressed the control of flooding, erosion, pollution and conservation issues, and that it is designed only for pedestrian use. Rennie, the owner of the iconic Webers restaurant on Highway 11 which serves as the unofficial gateway to cottage country, had been working toward establishing a gas station, community facility and two restaurants — including another Webers — on 8.5 acres of land along Mount St. Louis Road in Moonstone, near the local ski resort and Highway 400. Last summer, he sought a minister’s zoning order for a future rest stop on the property zoned rural/agricultural and environmentally protected. According to the NVCA, much of the property consists of wetlands, a cold water creek which accommodates cold water fisheries species, such as brook trout, and is therefore regulated for wetlands, flood plain and erosion hazards. Marg. Bruineman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, barrietoday.com
RAINY RIVER — Two people are facing drug-related charges following a traffic stop in January. Rainy River Ontario Provincial Police conducted a traffic stop for a highway violation on Jan. 20 shortly after 8 p.m., according to a news release issued Monday, March 1. Police say an investigation at the traffic stop led officers to locate and seize evidence of controlled substances including a black pistol-style pellet gun, and personal use amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl and oxycodone. Johnathan Hendrickson, 22, of Kenora has been criminally charged with obstructing a peace officer and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Austin Laxdel, 25, of Stonewall, Manitoba, has been charged with two counts of possession of a controlled. Karen Edwards, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source
Since Myanmar's military seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, security forces have detained more than 1,000 people, hundreds at protests and many more in raids - often at night. As well as Suu Kyi and her cabinet, the detainees include doctors and teachers, actors and singers, and other civilians who took part in daily protests, according to figures from The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). Founded by ex-prisoners of the former junta, the AAPP now finds itself recording a new generation of political detainees.
Kids who aren’t even a twinkle in their parents’ eyes will benefit from a new school on Line 4 North. A partnership 11 years in the making will begin the physical ground work to build a joint community hall and public elementary school in the coming weeks. “It’s really a wonderful opportunity for the entire Oro-Medonte community,” said Coun. Ian Veitch during the Feb. 24 council meeting, before approving the motion to let the tree clearing begin. Reaching back to the township’s Strategic Plan of 2010, it was determined a community centre along the Horseshoe Valley Road corridor, providing recreation, arts and culture, should be considered. The wish-list item drew a little closer to a reality in 2013 when a 19-acre plot of land was purchased by the township. The Simcoe County District School Board had plans to build an elementary school in the area and a partnership was born of the need to share tax dollars and acreage. “It’s definitely unique within our board,” said Andrew Keuken, manager of planning with the school board. There are existing shared-use school and municipality agreements, such as the collaboration of space within Elmvale District Secondary School and a shared library at Nottawasaga Pines in Angus, but no partnerships of this sort in Simcoe County, he said. Mayor Harry Hughes has seen this project through since its inception and said the partnership is one of a kind. “It has turned out very well for us,” Hughes said of the initial purchase of the land. “That school was the only school in rural Ontario that the Ministry (of Education) granted funding to build during that intake. And that would be because we had the land and that partnership agreement in place and I think that would be instrumental in the ministry’s considering to give the money in order to build a school.” Line 4’s as-yet-unnamed centre will include a fitness centre, a multipurpose area for hosting meetings and gatherings, an 8,000-square foot gymnasium, as well as external trails. The school’s 36,324-square-foot portion will host three kindergarten classrooms, 11 regular-sized classrooms, a learning centre and library. Council approved the funding of about $7 million, which will pull $4.4 million derived from development charges, $2.5 million in debt issuance and another $150,000 from its parkland reserve account. Hughes said he hopes to see the new community hall and school open in fall 2023. Cheryl Browne, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Barrie Advance
