NANAIMO REGION
E&N repairs on hold despite $20M for fix Provincial statement sheds light on why it’s taking so long, and it’s ‘safety,’ according to a memo. A3
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Albertans set to go to the polls s
Terror suspect called mall attack ‘childish’ Jeremy Nuttall said idea to plant explosives in a mall was ‘not my thing,’ and he wanted a ‘full on’ attack. A7
Premier Jim Prentice announces ces May 5 will be election day Nation & World, A9
The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Radio Waves After 67 years, the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association is not only still going strong but remains an essential part of the city’s disaster response network
EDUCATION
Cedar students may get bus to Ladysmith ROBERT BARRON DAILY NEWS
Activity Centre. The date of the celebration was selected because it was on that day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris, said Yvonne Findlay, secretary of NARA. According to author H. Ward Silver, there are an estimated three million ham radio operators worldwide. “A lot of people look at ham radio as an old man’s hobby, which it isn’t,” said Findlay. “I got into it for the emergency side of things, coming from the U.K. to a place that’s known for earthquakes.” NARA are always seeking new members and funds for aging equipment, and will host a workshop at the end of May. For more information go to www.ve7na.ca or email naratraining@gmail.com
Secondary students from Cedar may be given the opportunity to take school buses to Ladysmith next year. Trustees in the NanaimoLadysmith school district are expecting a staff report to be tabled later this month on the costs of providing bus service for students from Cedar Secondary School, which closed in June, to Ladysmith Secondary School for one year. Trustee Stephanie Higginson said staff were directed to prepare a report on the costs of the bus service after learning through a recent review of the district’s transportation department that there are a number of extra buses that could be used for the new route. “Based on that, a motion was made by (board chairman Steve Rae) to find out the costs of running some of them on that route next year,” Higginson said. “There’s a possibility that CSS may reopen, but it wouldn’t be ready in time for school in the fall, so it would have to wait until the following year, if the board makes that decision.” Many in the Cedar community have been critical of the old school board’s decision to close CSS and transfer its students to John Barsby Secondary School, with many students preferring to attend LSS if their school was to be closed for good. But district staff said in a previous report that the cost of establishing a new and permanent bus route between Ladysmith and Cedar for the students would be expensive, costing $980,000 to purchase the buses and an annual operating cost of $256,000. In related news, staff members will present the public feedback to the board on Wednesday from the Your Voice 2015 initiative in which the district gathered input into what people want for the future of local schools. The public meeting will be held at the Shaw Auditorium in downtown Nanaimo beginning at 6 p.m.
JChadwick@nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4238
RBarron@nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4234
Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association club president Ron Gibson talks with a friend over the radio at the club’s headquarters in the Departure Bay Activity Centre. [JULIE CHADWICK/DAILY NEWS]
Group to celebrate its founding with open house
T
here’s a world map on the wall of the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association’s headquarters on Wingrove Street that stands as a testament to the far-reaching capabilities of amateur radio. Festooned with coloured tacks clustered on every continent, each represents an area where amateur radio enthusiast Ron Gibson made contact through his equipment. “I sat here in this room one night with two other guys to do a contest night,” said Gibson. “We made contacts to everybody on that map up there, all over the world.” Once contact is made, radio call signs and information are shared and postcards then exchanged to mark the time and date in which it occurred. To illustrate Gibson pulls one off the bulletin board which came from New Zealand. It’s all part of the elaborate sub-
» Use your smartphone to jump to our website for updates on these stories or the latest breaking news.
Sun, some cloud High 15, Low 4 Details A2
culture that is amateur or ham a business, and when it does, radio. the attitude changes,” said GibMuch of this will be on disson. “When disaster comes to play April 18 when NARA Nanaimo and here we are, we’ve celebrate both World got no grid, we’ve got Amateur Radio Day and no communications, the association’s 67th can’t make phone calls, anniversary. that’s it. We’re dead in An open house is the water. But now if planned at 1415 Wingthe citizens have people rove Street to mark the who live off Vancouver occasion. Island who want to get There will be demonword to their loved ones, strations of voice and so where do they go?” digital modes of ham This is the most radio and a fox hunt, practical and essential Julie where a radio transmitapplication for ham ter is hidden and has to radio, says Gibson, who Chadwick be found on a certain fre- The Write feels it is crucial to keep Profile quency through various the technology active search techniques. for these emergency Despite the fun aspects scenarios. of amateur radio, Gibson Emergency preparedstresses there is also a serious ness will be covered at the side to it that must never be April 18 event by members of underestimated. the Coastal Emergency Com“It’s a hobby, and every once munication Association, who are in a while, the hobby turns into also housed in the Departure Bay
Duffy defence goes after staff in PMO
High schoolers helped to get tech experience
Defence depicts alleged conspiracy by prime minister’s senior staff to force a sitting senator to repay expenses he never believed were wrong in the first place. » Nation & World, A9
Michigan students from hard-hit areas are joining robotics teams because local universities are making space and materials available at no charge. » Digital, B1
Local news .................... A3-5 Markets ................................A2 B.C. news ............................. A7
Editorials and letters ..... A4 Sports .................................. B2 Scoreboard ........................ B4
Classified ............................ B6 Obituaries ........................... B6 Comics ................................. B5
Crossword .......................... B5 Sudoku ................................. A2 Horoscope .......................... B7
Nanaimo Daily News, nanaimodailynews.com and Harbour City Star reach more than 60,000 readers each week in print and online. General inquires: 250-729-4200 | Newsroom: 250-729-4224 | To subscribe: 250-729-4266 | Copyright 2015. All rights reserved
$1.25 TAX INCLUDED