Details on page 1 and in an ad on page 17 of the February 8 issue of the South Peace News.
Vote, early, vote often!
Circle your calendars and plan to attend Carnaval de St. Isidore Feb. 17-19.
Details in their ad on page 2. We will have further information in next week’s edition.
Speaking of next week’s edition, we will try to include a lineup of everything happening on the Family Day weekend.
The Page noticed a long-time MLA with local connections was recently honoured.
Walter Paszkowski was recently enshrined in the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame. He was selected in 2020 but that nasty pandemic put a stop to any celebration so he was enshrined this year.
Paszkowski, from Sexsmith, was selected for his “instrumental vision and dedication in building the canola industry into a key agricultural economic driver in Alberta” reads the news release. The date of the ceremony was not included in the news release.
Since 1951, more than 141 Albertans have been honoured for their leadership and accomplishments in the agriculture sector. The Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame inducts individuals every two years.
As locals know, Paszkowski served as Smoky River MLA from 1988-93, then Grande Prairie – Smoky when the boundaries were withdrawn from 1993-2001.
Those pesky gophers sure landed Orkin Canada Corporation in big trouble!
Orkin pleaded Jan. 23 to failing to hold the required registration for pesticide application, thereby contravening Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
On May 26-27, an Orkin employee was observed applying the pesticide Roszol RTU directly into gopher holes. The employee was not a registered pesticide applicator for the class of pesticide into which Rozol RTU falls.
The incidents occurred at an off-leash park in Calgary.
The fine was $27,500! Yikes!
Just goes to show if you want to get rid of pests, there are laws to be followed.
In the land Down Under, Australia is removing the British monarchy from its bank notes.
Aussie $5 bank notes are the last to include the monarchy, in this case the queen. No more! The Central Bank is phasing out the $5 bills although the monarchy is expected to still be included on coins.
The new $5 note will include an Indigenous design instead of King Charles III’s mug.
Australia and Canada are similar in that the British monarch is head of state, although it is largely symbolic. Many want to ditch the monarch totally while others still take great pride in the historic connection.
It is interesting to note that the monarchy costs Canadians nothing. Only when they visit the country, and we have to provide security, do the bills kick in.
The Page figures it’s a good move to ditch Charles III’s photo on money. At the risk of sounding sexist, put somebody good-looking on there. Then it wouldn’t hurt to kiss your money good bye.
Did you see the Los Angeles Football Club of Major Soccer became the first franchise to be valued at over 1 billion?
Forbes magazine, who puts value on sports franchises each year, says the average value of an MLS franchise is now $579 million. What is worth noting is it is an astounding 85 per cent increase since 2019. This is only 3-4 years! That is an incredible return on investment.
The Page notes this because the CFL has tried forever to find a place for a tenth team, especially in Atlantic Canada. The bottom line is when you have no owner, and franchises are not increasing in value, it becomes a bad investment.
The B.C. Lions are the last expansion franchise in 1954, not taking into account Ottawa and Montreal coming in and out. Compared to other major sports leagues, that is a dismal record.
Oh well, we still love our CFL over the NFL any day!
Have a great week!