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Thursday May 26th, 2016
Deadline looms for local refugee effort
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by EVAN MATTHEWS
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The Valemount Learning Centre is reaching out to its supporters one last time before May. 31, in the hopes of bringing a refugee family to the village. Jared Smith, ESL and Settlement Assistance with VLC, said the date was set to gauge if enough public support existed. With a bank account dedicated to donations now open, VLC is still well short of its goal — meaning June could mark the end of their efforts. “We’re not close to the $17,000, but we’re getting there,” said Smith. Through the blended visa office referred program, sponsors are asked to have proof of funds to support the family. To sponsor a group of four, the government suggests having $17,000 in a bank account before applying. “Through in-kind donations, we might get away with raising a little bit less than $17,000,” Smith notes. In-kind donations include household items a family would need immediately, Smith said, like furniture, clothing, kitchen supplies, etc. He said as items are crossed off the list, the goal comes down a bit. He says they could also re-evaluate their goal to bring four people, downsizing to, say, two instead. In early January, Smith said VLC held a public meeting where pledge sheets were handed out to those in attendance. At the end of January, pledge sheets were collected indicating people were willing to give $13,000, although many more volunteered their time. “It was a way for people to say, ‘if we proceed with this I can give this amount,
Community garden expands A05
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Water wasters beware
Volume 7 Issue 21
Cont’d on A06
Photo: Laura Keil
A09
Noland Germain acts as anchor for Maddi Pickerl’s first unsupported lift during an acro-yoga session at Centennial Park Monday afternoon. A group of local acro-yoga enthusiasts is meeting regularly and invites others to join. For dates and times join their facebook group: Acroholics Valemount. See more photos A7.
Valemount TV signals going digital By EVAN MATTHEWS
The majority of Canada switched from analog to digital TV transmissions long ago, but Valemount is coming late to the party. On July 4, the Valemount Entertainment Society (VES) is
Pellet gun cruelty
launching its first local digital television channel. “In 2011 the CRTC mandated all television in the future be broadcast in digital,” said VES Coordinator and VCTV Station Manager, Gord Peters. “Smaller communities were exempt from the given deadline
to give them more time to ready for the conversion,” he said. The main reason bigger broadcasters have switched in the past, Peters said, is picture quality, and it’s the reason Valemount is switching now. “Crystal clear pictures — no more weak, snowy reception,”
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A07
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said Peters. “Digital signals don’t weaken over distance. When you receive a digital signal the picture will be clear and sharp.” Another added bonus to digital transmission is what Peters referred to as “multiplexing”. With traditional analog TV each
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Cont’d on A03
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