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A newcomer to political life will face off against incumbent Lethbridge MLA Bridget Pastoor.
Rob Miyashiro, executive director of the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization, won the Alberta Liberals’ nomination in the longtime Liberal stronghold, Lethbridge East. Though numbers were not released, organizers report he polled more support than Ald. Jeff Carlson, the other challenger.
Liberals were forced to reopen the nomination process after Pastoor suddenly switched allegiance late last fall — joining the governing Conservatives.
About 200 members and supporters turned out for the nomination event, officials said.
“This contest generated a great deal of energy and excitement,” added constituency association secretary Allyn Langager.
Miyashiro, educated at the University of Lethbridge, has worked in a variety of social agency settings for several decades. They include roles with the Blood Tribe Youth Ranch, the Rehabilitation Society of Southwestern Alberta and the office of the commissioner of Services for Children and Families for the provincial government.
He plans to take a leave of absence from LSCO when the election is announced.
Shooting range closed until further notice, safety cited
The Lethbridge Fish and Game Association’s shooting range is closed until further notice following a concern over stray bullets.
The city said in a news release that it received new information from the Lethbridge regional police that questions the origin of spent rifle ammunition recovered in North Lethbridge. The range in Peenaquim Park was closed following a meeting between the association and the city on Feb. 9 to allow the administration and city council an opportunity to review the concern over the next several weeks.
The matter will be discussed in private at city council's meeting on Feb. 21. The Lethbridge Fish and Game Association has planned a public meeting for Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at the association’s hut in Kinsmen Park on the corner of 9 Avenue and 10 Street South to discuss the range’s future.
There has been no decision to permanently close the facility, the city said in a news release, adding that it acknowledges the shooting range is “very well run and that the association has made admirable efforts to make it as safe as possible.”
It’s not the first time the city has shut down the shooting range property, which it leases to the Fish and Game Association. The most recent prior closure happened in April 2010, after a stray bullet hit a minivan in a northside neighbourhood. The range re-opened about three weeks later after police determined the bullet in question could not have reasonably been fired from the range.
Alberta unveils its latest Education Act changes
The Alberta government re-introduced its Education Act on Feb. 14, promising a systematic provincewide effort to go after and punish schoolyard bullies.
“I want to make sure that in the province of Alberta we have a uniform code of conduct clearly spelling out what is and what isn’t allowable in schools relative to students’ behaviour,” said Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk after introducing Bill 2 in the legislature.
“That will include verbal abuse, physical abuse, homophobic abuse, cyberspace abuse and the list goes on and on.”
Lukaszuk said school boards will submit to his department their plans on handling bullying. They will then be compared to an over-arching definition of bullying to make sure there is a one standard of what will and won’t be accepted.
“The fact is we need to standardize this, particularly as kids move from school and class to class, that this same level of expectation will be placed on them,” he said.
Sandra Dufresne, chairwoman of the Holy Spirit Catholic school division, said more details on what will be required of school boards will likely appear in the regulations and policies that will be developed after the act has passed. And until more detail is available, Dufresne said it’s hard to imagine what the final result will look like.
Barry Litun, superintendent of Lethbridge public school district, said he’s pleased to see the act discuss both rights and responsibilities and that it’s written so that students, parents and school board trustees and educators are all partners in education. While the current School Act does enable school boards to take disciplinary action for things that occur outside school and outside school hours, the new act goes much further.
This is the second time the proposed act has been before the house.
It was first introduced 10 months ago in the last spring legislature sitting, following three years of public consultation, only to be pulled again last fall for more consultation.
The new bill also allows parents more access to information on their child’s education, sets up a minister’s student advisory council, and puts in place an expanded audit committee involving third parties to make sure school decisions reflect the goals of students and communities.
The bill retained a provision to hike the minimum dropout age to 17 from 16. It also promises to fund students up to age 21 to complete their high school diplomas; the previous limit was age 19.
Become a Katimavik host family
Lethbridge residents are invited to get a taste of what sets Canadians apart and what holds them together by becoming a Katimavik host family between Feb. 26 and March 9.
Katimavik, Canada's leading national youth service learning organization, is looking for families who are willing to host Katimavik volunteers aged 17 to 21 from across Canada. Here is your chance to get to know a young person who is presently volunteering in your community while introducing them to your way of life.
As part of Katimavik's program, volunteer youth spend 12 days with a host family in the region in order to get a better sense of the culture and local life of the community. For some volunteers, this is also an excellent opportunity to benefit from a full-fledged linguistic immersion. This precious experience will be filled with discoveries for both the host family and the volunteer(s). Each family that hosts a Katimavik volunteer receives a stipend to offset costs.
How can you become a billeting family? Contact Katimavik at 403-693-3090, ext. 2205 to discuss opportunities.
The Katimavik group arrived in Lethbridge on Jan. 4 and will live in the community for the next three months, before heading to Quebec City to continue their six-month program. The group is comprised of seven young women and four young men and are supervised by a Project Leader who lives with them. These volunteers are working five days a week at local not-for-profit organizations including: the Lethbridge Food Bank, Family Centre, Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG), Galt Museum, St. Micheal's, St. Therese, 5th on 5th Youth Services, and the Lethbridge Sports Council.
For more information, visit www.katimavik.org, the blog at www.gokatimavik.com, or get social on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
2012 Alberta Cup tickets, schedule available
The schedule and ticket package prices for the 2012 Alberta Cup being held at Lethbridge’s Nicholas Sheran Arena April 26-29 is now available.
AA tournament pass which includes all 20 games of the event is $40, and a day pass for admission to four to six games is $15, according to an announcement made by Hockey Alberta, in partnership with the host committee. The final game of each day goes for $5. Children under 12 will be admitted at no charge.
Tickets and packages are available at the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association office in Adams Ice Centre.
The tournament's complete schedule is available at www.hockeyalberta.ca.
“We had an extremely successful event here in 2011 and we are excited to build off that momentum into this year’s event,” Alberta Cup host committee co-chair Bob Bartlett said in a news release. “We are very pleased to offer a variety of affordable ticket options that will give everyone the chance to come watch the top bantam-aged hockey in the province.”
This will be the second consecutive year the event will be hosted in Lethbridge. In 2011, the Calgary South Flames won the championship after defeating the Northwest Sharks in a shootout while the event set a record financial profit netting more than $42,000. Proceeds from the 2012 Alberta Cup will once again go to benefit Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association and the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Alumni Association.
Music equipment missing
It has the makings of a sad country song.
Sometime during the evening of Feb. 13, a locked trailer along the 800 block of 21 Street South was entered, and music equipment and two suitcases containing cabling were taken.
The equipment is described as a Red SVI King Keyboard in a bag, Takamine guitar and case, snare drum, kick pedal, drumstick bag and sticks, stage lighting and fender amp.
Police also found that culprits tried but failed to break into another trailer the same night in the 700 block of 21 Street South.
Anyone with information is asked to call Lethbridge regional police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Showcase creativity during Summer Games
The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge aims to have Alberta Summer Games athletes and their families brush with local creativity during their time in the city.
The AAC is inviting artists, street performers and buskers to submit proposals by Feb. 29 to participate in what an exciting showcase of local talent. During the games July 26-29, the AAC is plans to host an Art & Wine Stroll one evening with busker-style performances downtown; an artistan market at The Gate July 28; and street performers and buskers, various locations, including along the art walk, and at various sports and VIP events July 27-29.
Proposal forms and more information can be obtained from www.artslethbridge.org, by phoning the Allied Arts Council at 403-320-0555 and contacting Muffy McKay at
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Leisure centre study continues
A few days remain to participate in the city’s study on a proposed leisure centre. Residents have until noon Feb. 24 to fill out a questionnaire posted on the city’s website, www.lethbridge.ca, under Things To Do.
The answers will be reviewed by the study’s consultants before they move forward in the next part of their research.
The purpose of the study is to determine if there is a need in the city for a future leisure centre, and to examine what components could be included as a part of this type of facility.
The study comes at the request of city council after hearing from residents that there is a desire for such a centre. Public open houses were held on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
“We envision a facility that would have the potential to be the community hub with programming and activities available for all citizens of our community,” Ashley Matthews, the city’s recreation and culture manager, said in a news release.
While this is only a study, the city says, the work done now will help guide the process should the city move forward in the future to build such a complex.
The final report from this study is expected to be presented to city council in May.
The centre, planned for a site close to the city’s new westside high schools near Whoop-Up Drive, will begin with a 10-sheet curling rink and two side-by-side hockey arenas with NHL-sized ice. A $10-million federal grant, announced in January, signalled a go-ahead for plans on hold since last summer.
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