TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2013
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GUIDE TO VALENTINE’S
ROCK STARS IN PARKSVILLE
Dinners, music and other, more intimate suggestions
B.C. men’s curling championship starts Wednesday — winner to the Brier
A14
A32
EDUCATION FUNDING
Candidates say system broken Both NDP and B.C. Conservative candidates say the funding formula is not working JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
Candidates for the May 14 provincial election in Parksville Qualicum Beach say the $1.1 million budget shortfall facing the local school district points to larger challenges in both the funding of education and the global economy. B.C. Liberal party candidate Michelle Stilwell, reached by e-mail from Australia, said District 69’s challenges “run deeper than just education.” “There is global economic uncertainty and notwithstanding B.C. has done quite well in its economic performance during this time, there is still a concern,” Stilwell wrote. “This is why it’s so important for us to have a strong economy. A strong economy leads to more government ability to invest in things like education.” See FOLLOW-UP, page A6 SEEDY SATURDAY
Celebrate, swap
NEIL HORNER
news@pqbnews.com
Eager gardeners lined up for half an hour Saturday morning outside the Civic Centre to get their hands on the best seeds on offer. The reason for the lineup was the popular seed swap event at the core of Seedy Saturday, an event held every spring to celebrate and promote gardening in the area. Organizer Sandy Glazier said the event was extremely busy, with gardeners snatching up their preferred varieties while they lasted. “The mornings are usually the busiest because that’s when the best seeds are at the seed swap,” she said. In all, more than 2,000 people perused the many booths both inside and outside the Civic Centre as they began to think seriously about what they plan to do in the upcoming spring planting season. This year, Glazier said, heritage varieties of squash, tomatoes and peas seemed to be the preferred favorites, along with borscht beets. Despite the crush, Glazier said gardeners seemed to find what they were looking for.
See MUCH MORE, page A6
NEIL HORNER PHOTO
SEEDY SATURDAY: Brian Cormie shows off some of his cabbages during the popular Seedy Saturday event in Qualicum Beach. Coverage starts at left and continues inside today’s edition of The NEWS.
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