97/16 - Prince George's Weekly by Prince George Citizen

June 8 10AMth to June 9 10AMth

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Podcasts bring radio drama into the 21st century

LOCAL THEATRE GROUP WIN AWARDS FRANK PEEBLES 97/16 staff

The awards poured in for Prince George dramatists, and another year of community performance came to its version of the fiscal (theatrical) year end. The annual Central Interior Zone Drama Festival was held in Kersley with four clubs staging performances: Paisley Players (PP of Quesnel), Kersley Players (KP of Kersley), Pocket Theatre (PT of Prince George) and Williams Lake Studio Theatre ( WLST of Williams Lake). The Pocket Theatre group sent a contingent performing a live radio play version of Treasure Island. “Our adjudicator, Christopher Weddell, was very supportive, gently critiquing, acknowledging our achievements, and educating every group in the development of our theatre skills,” said Andrea Mallett, a longtime Prince George participant and board member with Theatre BC. The festival is always the apex of the theatrical year for the amateur casts and crews across the area. It brings together the theatrical community and, with its focused productions and workshops, always sends participants home with more skills and experiences than they had coming in. It is also a chance to honour the year’s best, and to select one play to move on to the Theatre BC Mainstage competition. The full results for 2019 are: Best Backstage Coordination - Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Best Set Decoration - Michael Diebolt & Lana Johnson of Kersley Players (Strangers on a Glade) Best Set Design - Jamie Regier of WLST (Cherry Docs) Best Original Script - Gino de Rose of Paisley Players (Deja Date) Best Props - Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Most Creative Use of a Boa - Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Best Makeup - Kersley Players (Strangers on a Glade) Best Costumes - Kersley Players

(Strangers on a Glade) Best Sound - Katherine Benny of Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Best Lights - WLST (Cherry Docs) Best Young Actor - Niall Caffrey of Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Best Supporting Actor - Frank Caffrey of Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island ) Best Supporting Actress - Sandra Clermont of Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Best Actor - Gabriel Zamorano of WLST (Cherry Docs) Best Actress - Julie-Anne Runge of Kersley Players (Strangers on a Glade) Best Director - Merla Monroe of WLST (Cherry Docs) Best Ensemble - Pocket Theatre (Treasure Island) Best Production - Cherry Docs by Williams Lake Studio Theatre The performance deemed the Best Production will now carry on to represent the Central Interior Zone at the Theatre BC Mainstage event from July 5-13 in Port Alberni. This event is also open to members of the association to attend for networking, learning and inspiration. “The Central Interior Zone is still managing to hang in there,” said Mallett, acknowledging that all-volunteer endeavours are never easy to sustain. “We are very lucky to have Williams Lake Studio Theatre as it is a very thriving community theatre. They already have next season planned, and always have new people interested in directing productions. They have a very successful mentoring program in their club.” Mallett said some other local theatre companies have been joining in on the zone competition in recent years, including a play performed last year by Judy Russell Presents, a company renowned for musical theatre but they made this foray into drama and helped boost the community acting industry in the process. This year the newcomer was Paisley Players, there is a children’s theatre group already expressing interest in per-

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Frank Caffrey rehearses a scene of Pocket Theatre’s 2017 production of The Weir at Artspace. Caffrey was named best supporting actor at the Central Interior Zone Drama Festival for his role in Pocket Theatre’s production of Treasure Island. forming at next year’s zone festival, and perhaps more will come forward as well. The more, said Mallett, the merrier. “Our adjudicator this year, Christopher Weddell, expressed surprise and admiration at the cooperation and support between all of the groups participating in festival,” she said. “As an educator, he was delighted at the eagerness to learn and develop we all brought to the festival process. It has always been a zone that gathers to celebrate and support the accomplishments of all the clubs who participate in festival.”

One of Prince George’s winners this year, Katherine Benny, concurred with the supportive spirit found at the festival. “I had an amazing time in Kersley,” said Benny in a social media posting following her trophy. “Still being new to the world of theatre, I felt incredibly welcomed and absolutely honoured to have been awarded Best Sound. Thank you to Allison and Peter (Haley and Maides, codirectors of Treasure Island) for trusting me to design and perform sound effects for our wonderful radio play. Now... let’s do it again.”

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NEWS

97/16

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019 | 3

DEDICATED VOLUNTEER HAS FULL LIFE SENIORS’ SCENE KATHY NADALIN

97/16 Photo by James Doyle

Ginny Parsons is a lifelong volunteer, and has been volunteering with the Prince George Council of Seniors since 2003. went into the custodial division for the next 22 years and worked as a supervisor’s assistant over 275 custodians until she retired in 2003. Ginny said, “I was proud to receive my retirement bell – a genuine school bell – with my years of service engraved on it. When I retired, I had more time to volunteer and I was happy about that. Now I realize that as a volunteer, if I want vacation days, I would have to go back to work at a paying job to be eligible for vacation days.” Ginny is nearly a full-time volunteer and has accomplished much for her community over the years. She worked, along with many others, on the Save the Pine Valley Golf Course fund raising projects and she is a volunteer at the Hart Pioneer Centre. She has been volunteering at the Prince George Council of Seniors since 2003 serving on their board, working the front desk, assisting in their denture program, the Christmas hampers and many of their fund raisers just to name a few. Ginny and Lola Dawn, the PGCS executive director, are currently working on

DOWNTOWN

Pioneer Day for the next B. C. Northern Exhibition (BCNE). Year after year and at the end of each annual Pioneer Day event they ask one another if they have enough steam to commit for the next year’s event and of course Ginny always responds with a laugh and a high energized and positive confirmation. It was Ginny’s idea to start a Salmon Valley volunteer fire department. She checked all the facts with an insurance agent to verify the expected house insurance savings if a fire department was nearby. Then she knocked on the doors of her neighbors to see if they wanted it. They did, so Ginny took the required training through the Justice Institute of BC fire protection agency and became a qualified first responder trainer for all volunteer fire departments. She trained junior volunteer fire fighters and was please to see many of them go into a career as a fire fighter. They did medical call outs and saved many lives over the years and assisted along the highways and byways as needed. Ginny said, “The Salmon Valley volunteer fire department members were

CelebratInG Fun, FooD, entertaInment anD aCtIvItIeS!

on hand to help out during the Wright Creek flooding that took out the bridge that was the only road access in and out of Salmon Valley. There was a stranded south bound Greyhound bus load of people that we fed and housed over night until another north bound bus could come and pick them up to get them to their destinations. I was proud to be a part of such a great community and all those volunteers. I received many hugs over the years and I can tell you – thank you hugs are always welcomed by a volunteer.” Ginny is active in her church and volunteers at the Hartland Baptist Church. She said, “My life is full. I value my time with family and friends, I enjoy fishing and a bit of golfing. I am no Tiger Woods by any stretch of the imagination but I have a good time and I love it. “I have never been a couch potato and I don’t intend to start now. I am proud to do volunteer work – I don’t know of any other way. My reward is that it brings me personal satisfaction and makes my heart feel good. I have a few more miles left in me so I intend to just keep on going.” In partnership with

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ell know Prince George volunteer Ginny (Johnson) Parsons was born in 1943 in the former coalmining town of Nordegg, Alta. Ginny said, “I am proud to say that I was a coal miners’ daughter. I went to school in Red Deer, Alta. and got my Grade 12 here in Prince George when I was 52. I worked as a waitress at the A&W and the Chuck Wagon Café and in my spare time I volunteered at the rodeo. I was part of the reserve army in Red Deer from the age of 10 to 23. The reserve army was meant to prepare young people for the regular army. “When I was 18, I met and married Del Allen; we separated in 1979.” Ginny arrived in Prince George in 1967 and has been here ever since. She married Don Parsons, in 1989. Don was born in Pine River, Man. in 1930. He worked as an engineer for CN and Via Rail Canada for 45 years. His work career took him from coal powered trains to diesel engines and later he operated the formerly electrified spur line in and out of Tumbler Ridge. Ginny said, “Don loved the farm at Salmon Valley. I remember when we moved there; at first the kids were unhappy that we moved so far out of town. Eventually we told them that if we moved back to town that there would be no more horses or chickens. That settled everything and they were happy to stay. I was a stay-at-home mom until the kids grew up. I started a neighborhood day care, took in foster children and billeted hockey players. There were many children who passed through our home and I loved all of it. “I volunteered for Brownies, Girl Guides, Rangers, Pee Wee Baseball for Highglen Elementary and anything else to do with the children. “Don enjoyed volunteering and together we volunteered at gymkhanas and started the Salmon Valley rodeo as a fund raiser for the Salmon Valley Recreational Centre. Sadly, Don passed away in 1998.” Ginny has three daughters; Debbie (Dwayne) Thompson lives in Fort Nelson, Tina (David) Shields lives in Salmon Valley and Jody (Brad) Chimera lives in Alberta who in turn gave them six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren who are perfect in every way – which of course they always are. Ginny worked for School District 57 for 30 years. She started out as a teaching assistant for special needs children, then

NEWS

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ON COLLECTIVISM AS A SOLUTION TO POLARIZATION T hese days we hear a lot about polarization; contrasting groups fighting against each other. Occasionally (too often for my taste) we introduce laws that restrict personal freedoms to favour our collective rights. The problem with that is that each individual is an individual, and not a collective organism; and strains to be free, and live, as they judge correct. This past week I heard a CBC program talking about the “Lost Boys” experiment that took place in the 1950s in an attempt to determine if the boys could be induced to hate each other to the point of violence. We may shudder at the horrifying nature of the research, but we have to remember that our society had just emerged from the unthinkable atrocities of the Second World War. There was a legitimate interest in trying to sort out how an educated society could commit the atrocities of Hitler’s Germany. A bit of further research found, on the

THINKING ALOUD TRUDY KLASSEN

British Phycological Society website, a bit of an explanation, (paraphrasing significantly): “In the experiment, called “The Robber’s Cave Experiment” the boys could indeed be made to hate each other, but when working toward a common goal, such as solving a water shortage, they were found to make peace with each other. This was used to support the idea of the ‘necessary collectivistic nature’ when studying human relationships.” Apparently, Muzafar Sherif, the author of the study, believed that a common goal would eliminate self-interested hatred and conflict. He was sympathetic to Marxism. I wish he could have studied

the Old Colony, or Old Order, Mennonites, which by then had established semi-collective communities in Canada and in several South American countries. These communities operate in Marxist, collectivist, fashion, except they are not atheist. (Their nominal “religion” is actually used as the “opiate for the people” in order to keep them under “control.”) But, I digress. Why didn’t Sherif study those who had actually lived in a collectivist community like the Old Colony Mennonites? Maybe he didn’t know about them, or about their system of governing themselves? Possibly, he tried to, but was rebuffed. Why didn’t, don’t, researchers study actual communities which practice a form of collectivism, and have done so for years? Why do researchers have to resort to trying to simulate a collective environment? Because they wouldn’t be allowed in to study these actual “collective” com-

munities. That should tell researchers something. Perhaps, to allow an outsider in, would threaten their survival. If an outsider would be let in, I can guarantee you that the methods, rules, and customs, used to sustain the collective nature of their lifestyles would be shocking to anyone used to a decent amount of personal freedom. If you have thought collectivism may be the answer to the current polarization in the Western World, I would encourage you to study those who have lived it. The books widely read, with beautiful women and pastoral landscapes on their covers, tell romantic tales of those living in these Mennonite (or Amish) communities, and give a decidedly rosy picture of life there. Instead, next time you meet someone with a Mennonite name, ask them their story, or their grandparent’s story. Some may have lost the story about life in these communities, but some will remember.

HEATWAVE FESTIVAL TO SHOWCASE CULTURE 97/16 STAFF

A heatwave is hitting Prince George this sunmmer, but it’s the good kind. When the Canada 150 celebrations were underway across the nation, Prince

George’s favourite winter music festival, Coldsnap, earned a grant to host an outdoor summertime version they called Heatwave. It was intended at the time to be a

COMMUNITY NOTICE Annual Vegetation Management Program CN is required to clear its rights-of-way from any vegetation that may pose a safety hazard. Vegetation on railway rights-of-way, if left uncontrolled, can contribute to trackside fires and impair proper inspection of track infrastructure.

with community partners to enhance one-time event, but thanks to a federal grant from the Department of Canadian and showcase many cultures. There are Heritage and their Community Support, many ways for cultural associations, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initia- groups, families, or individuals to get tives Program, it will happen again, but involved, showcase, and celebrate their in a different form. culture: with interactive information Solidly behind this initiative is Tourbooths, vending, music, dances, art, ism Prince George and the City of Prince food, and even a traditional dress fashion George. Their combined granting power, show.” joined with the federal contribution, This annual event will provide free, amounted to $75,000. high-caliber nightly entertainment “On behalf of city council, it is my plea- in Canada Games Plaza to anchor a sure to announce Heatwave – Celebrate weekend festival that “promotes cultural Cultures,” said Mayor Lyn Hall. “The aim understanding, social connectedness, of this event is to highlight Prince George and community pride,” according to the as a welcoming, multicultural, diverse, organizers. and inclusive community.” The event will be held June 21-23 and Immigrant and Multicultural Serwill connect National Indigenous Peoples vices Society (IMSS) has partnered Day, IMSS’ Day of Cultures, and the with Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Le Saint-Jean Baptiste Day. Cercle des Canadiens Français de Prince There will be daytime events in Lheidli George, and the Prince George Folkfest T’enneh Memorial Park for National Society (the organizers of Coldsnap) to Indigenous Peoples Day and all other enhance and connect a series of preevents will take place in Canada Games existing family-friendly community Plaza. The Coldsnap organizers will proevents to create a signature event that vide entertainment spanning the three celebrates culture. evenings and connecting the music to the IMSS executive director Ravi Sexena, said, “We are very pleased be working cultural festivities. Relay FortoLife Prince George | June 9 – 10, 2018

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NEWS

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TIME FOR A CIVIL DISCUSSION ABOUT ABORTION T here is perhaps no more contentious topic of discussion in Canada than the abortion issue. Even Canadian lawmakers are hesitant to debate the subject. As a high school teacher of a class called Social Justice 12, I cannot ignore the topic, and my code of ethics requires that I facilitate legitimate research and respectful discussion, all the while keeping my opinions to myself. What many people forget is that abortion is a social justice issue for people on both sides of the divide. Therefore, when I ask my students to research a topic of their own choosing and present their findings to the class, abortion is a fairly common subject. I learn a great deal from my students. The most important lesson they’ve taught me is that the issue can actually be discussed respectfully. People can hear opposing views, offer well-reasoned

LESSONS IN LEARNING GERRY CHIDIAC

counter- arguments and learn from each other, even though they may not agree. The passage of new anti-abortion laws in several American states has brought this topic to the fore. Pro-life advocates believe very strongly that human life begins at conception and that abortion is murder. Their intention, therefore, is to save the lives of unborn children. The question comes, however, as to whether these laws will actually be effective in achieving that goal. According to research, simply making abortion illegal does not reduce the incidence of abortion. It can, however, increase the incidence of unsafe abor-

ABOUT US • Colleen Sparrow, publisher and GM • Neil Godbout, editor-in-chief • Shawn Cornell, director of advertising • Call us at: 250-562-2441 or 250-562-3301

• Find us at: 201-1777 Third Ave. Prince George, B.C. V2L 3G7 • Follow us on Facebook, by going online to: https://bit.ly/2SdAmek • Visit https://bit.ly/2S9W4zW to find the location nearest you to pick up extra copies of 97/16.

S T A E M M O T S U C S ’ R hAt’s GE

lity t A u q D te An Ck. s A A b t G e n h i t Com u o y s P kee

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tions. According to the World Health Organization, these procedures are the third leading cause of maternal deaths. We also need to remember that abortion is not only an issue in the developed world, where abortion rates have actually been dropping. In the developing world, abortion rates have remained stable, despite restrictive abortion laws in many countries. What then actually does reduce the incidence of abortion? According to research by the Guttmacher Institute, when more is invested in the health of young women, abortion rates drop. With increased government spending on health care for all, abortion rates in the United States in 2014 were roughly half of what they were in 1980. I recall visiting a centre for pre-natal and post-natal health for women at-risk in my community. Though the people who ran it openly called themselves prochoice, I remarked to myself that I had never seen a place that was more prolife. Women were given support regarding their reproductive health, and they learned what they needed to do to have healthy babies. In addition, they were given support after their children were born, which included everything from getting diapers to receiving job training. It seems quite ironic that many promoters of anti-abortion legislation in the United States are also supporting cuts to public health care spending. These poli-

cies will likely result in more unplanned pregnancies and could actually make the abortion rate increase. What then is the solution? Perhaps we need advocates on both sides of the divide to be true to their preferred monikers. Pro-life supporters need to be pro-life in every aspect of the term. In particular, they need to be in favour of health and social programs which promote the well-being of all. They also need to support foreign policy that provides funding for the education and physical well-being of women in less- developed countries. If they do not, they are simply anti-abortion. Pro-choice supporters need to be open to questions regarding abortion. Do we really want to allow more boys than girls to be born, as is the case in several countries? Do we want to prevent the births of children with disabilities? If we are going to call our society democratic, we have to allow for these uncomfortable conversations. We need to talk about abortion. We cannot continue to hurl insults at one another. As my students have taught me, we are quite capable of seeking truth in an objective and respectful manner. Gerry Chidiac is a champion for social enlightenment, inspiring others to find their greatness in making the world a better place. For more of his writings, go to www.gerrychidiac.com

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

97/16

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019 | 7

This is the front page from the May 28, 1919 edition of the Prince George Citizen. You can search all of The Citizenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s archives online at pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca

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A MOSTLY HAPPY CAMPER W e, like every other winter-exhausted family in the region, went camping on the May long weekend. But we almost weren’t able to. Being the first weekend the provincial parks in this area were opened, it was busy to say the least. Forgive me for assuming that you could decide last minute to go camping. Nope. You have to plan your summer in January apparently. Courtesy of the government of BC, you can book your camping adventures online at the beginning of the year – for the entire summer. Decide not to go at the last minute, not to worry, your spot will be saved for you even if you don’t show up. Who cares that we had to drive to two parks with our cranky children in tow (two parks because the first one was completely full). Also, it was raining as it always does for us while camping. My parents headed out early on Friday morning in order to get us all a spot. We should have anticipated there would not be a spot available at Bear Lake and I guess

HOME AGAIN MEGAN KUKLIS

we should have driven out on Thursday left a tent like everyone else and then come back out on Friday after work. C’est la vie – as my mother would say. As it was, I received increasingly irritated texts from my moth narrating their quest for a camping site. I was instructed to log into the government site to try and reserve a spot but it was too late and all of the spots were already taken. They made their way to McLeod lake and luckily managed to find the last provincial site in all of Northern BC. It was a delightfully shady spot (because who likes sun) that the last time we parked there, I (my husband) had

forgotten to pack the tent poles. After we unpacked and a cracked open a frosty beverage, the rain started and we all let out a big sigh of relief because this was camping. Camping in the rain is our jam. We played cards, the kids rode bikes and rode to the playground (by themselves, even!) and we all went to bed, tired, happy, wet and cold. By some miracle of northern weather, it cleared up the following day and we enjoyed a beautiful day, a kilometer from the lake, in the shady bush site, hanging out and relaxing with our family. Years ago, camping was really, really popular and the provincial sites were huge. If you walk around Bear Lake and McLeod Lake sites, you can see a number of deactivated camping spots that, over the past decade, the parks have closed because they were going empty. I guess the economy was better and people were spending their money away from home. Well, Parks BC, open those spots back up, fix the horseshoe pits and charge less for firewood

because gas is outrageously expensive and no one can afford to go anywhere. When I was growing up, there were presentations on local flora and fauna and edible mushrooms and berries and traditional knowledge at amphitheatres around the province. Nightly on weekends, as kids we could go to the presentations, learn something new and meet up with other kids who were camping. There were structured activities, led hikes and bushcraft presentations. It was fun. Can we have that back please? It is unlikely it will happen since the parks are now government-owned but privately-run but I can remain optimist that, at the very least, the horseshoe pits will be fixed and perhaps the trail cleared by the next time I come back. Dear Parks BC (or whatever you are calling yourself these days), please reactive more sites so we don’t all have to compete, Survivorstyle, for the last available camping site. And fix the horseshoe pits. Sincerely, a (mostly) happy camper.

HEALTHY EATING OBSESSION CAN BE SIGN OF MENTAL-HEALTH ISSUES, STUDY SAYS ADINA BRESGE The Canadian press

TORONTO — While we should all strive for a balanced diet, York University researchers say the extreme pursuit of healthy eating can be a sign of mental-

health struggles. Jennifer Mills, an associate professor in York’s psychology department, co-wrote a recent paper on orthorexia nervosa, which she describes as an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating, published

in the journal Appetite. In reviewing academic literature on the subject, the authors found that people with a history of eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, perfectionism and other psychological and

behavioural tendencies were at higher risk of developing orthorexia. “There is nothing wrong with healthy eating. Healthy eating is something we Continued on page 9

We’ll give you a reason to

“Food” For Thought

Think about this for a moment. We as a society place a monetary value on cattle. A rancher ensures his cattle are fed and properly nourished in order to produce more cattle. The public relies upon ranchers to supply good quality beef that they are willing to pay money for. People in the industry have advised me that prime cows, in the 3-4 year old range are worth $2,500 to $3,500 each with the expectancy of producing calves for 7 or 8 years. When beef is sold for market, the average market value is $2.20 per pound and the average cost to process is around $450 to $500 each.

Mike Morris MLA Prince George-Mackenzie

meat in the truest sense so I think my estimate is extremely conservative. This same report also states that the annual harvest over the past 30 years has been 10,000 moose each year. Using the beef comparison in processing, the value of protein harvests would be $15 million annually. That’s not counting the hunters’ costs of going hunting. What’s the value of all the other ungulates harvested each year? What about grouse, trout, blue berries, huckleberries, mushrooms etc…? What is the intrinsic value of our biodiversity?

A recent report from 2016 “Provincial Population and Harvest Estimates of Moose in British Columbia” states the average annual provincial moose population is 172,000. If we placed the same value on moose as we have for cattle that would put the provincial moose population value at $430 million. Now we’re talking organic

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Various vegetables are displayed at the Jean Talon Market in Montreal. Eating well is important, but a new study by York University researchers says the extreme pursuit of healthy eating can be a sign of mental-health problems.

HEALTHY EATING Continued from page 8

should all aspire to,” Mills said in an interview. “But (we need) to be aware that mental-health difficulties can manifest through food.” Orthorexia has not been recognized in the standard manual psychiatrists use to diagnose mental disorders, and the York study found research on the subject is limited. But as so-called clean diets have picked up steam, Mills said there’s been growing interest in medical and research circles about the social and psychological sideeffects of a “pathological” preoccupation with healthy eating. While there’s overlap between the risk factors for orthorexia and certain eating disorders – such as poor body image, a drive for thinness and dieting – Mills said the conditions differ in key ways, particularly their motivations. People with a restrictive eating disorder like anorexia will typically reduce their food intake in order to reach a low body weight or change their appearance. But for those with orthorexia, Mills said the focus on food is about quality rather than quantity. Many people with orthorexia are proud of their bodies, she said, but are decidedly picky about what they put in them. This often involves eliminating certain types of food from their diets, such as sugar, saturated fat, gluten, animal products, artificial flavours and preservatives. For some, she said, the list of forbidden foods can grow so long that their diet may be lacking in essential nutrients, which in severe cases can lead to health hazards such as anaemia, vitamin deficiencies or excessive weight loss. But Mills said one of the reasons orthorexia tends to go overlooked, including by medical professionals, is that many people with the condition are physically healthy, even though they may be suffering psychologically. “When people go to their doctors and say, ‘I eat really healthy,’ the most typical response they’ll get is, ‘That’s great... Keep doing what you’re doing,”’ said Mills. “But they may be struggling more privately with just this sense that they’re starting to lose control, that this is actually taking away from their life.” For individuals with orthorexia, eating foods that conflict with their diets is like-

ly to cause extreme guilt or anxiety, said Mills. This distress is usually bound up in perceived risks of disease or physical impairment. But in treating their bodies as temples of health, some may lose sight of their mental welfare, she said. They may spend a lot of time and money planning and preparing meals, and can find it difficult to eat food made by others, Mills said. Some strict dieters find these sacrifices are worth it given the health benefits, Mills acknowledged. But people with orthorexia may feel their fixation on food is so all-consuming that it interferes with their work, family and social activities, she said. “When we’re extremely stressed or overwhelmed, we look for ways of coping. And for some people, having very, very tight control over their eating is a way for them to feel like they’re in control, but then the irony is that they’re not,” she said. “Being healthy mentally means having flexibility, and having time and mental space freed up for other kinds of things, and not having your world revolve around food.” Mills said one of her research team’s most surprising findings was that orthorexia occurs in relatively equal rates between men and women. This suggests the condition may be less like an eating disorder, which disproportionately affect women and girls, and more like anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder, which are similarly prevalent across genders, she said. She said diagnosing orthorexia can be slippery, because it isn’t defined by specific eating habits, but rather, a pattern of problematic thoughts and behaviours that detract from a person’s quality of life. Mills hopes the study increases awareness about orthorexia, a condition she believes is on the rise, fuelled by a culture that prizes healthy eating and wellness among its ultimate virtues. “It’s all around us: messages about how we should be doing better; we should be eating better; we should be constantly striving to improve ourselves,” she said. “I think it has a way of encouraging black-and-white thinking about food ... and (that) can make people feel worse about themselves.”

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T H U R S D A Y , M A Y 3 0 , 2 0 1 9 | 11

AROUND TOWN Sewing Camps

Registration is now open for Sewing For Young Children and for Sewing Camps-Beginners, a pair of fiber art summer programs for youngsters being offered by the costume department at Theatre Northwest. The Sewing For Young Children classes run July 2-5 with options for morning (9 a.m. start) or afternoon (1:30 p.m. start). This class is designed for young children with an interest in learning to sew, ideal ages 8-10 years old. The class consists of 3 hours per day for 4 days. The Sewing Camps-Beginners program runs July 22-26 afternoons only starting each day at 1:30. The ideal ages are 1015 years (as young as 8 for experienced kids) with no experience necessary. It runs three hours per day, producing a project each day. Sign up at the Theatre Northwest website.

Well Fed Painters The Federation of Canadian Artists has a members’ show on display now at the Bob Harkins branch of the PG Public Library. This group exhibition by the Central Interior Chapter runs through the month of May.

Rees’s Pieces Vanderhoof painter Michael Rees is the subject of the solo exhibition on now at the Rustad Galleria in the Two Rivers Gallery.

Morrison Temptations Choices: The New Temptation is the art show by Donna Morrison on now at the Studio 2880 Feature Gallery. The show hangs until June 6.

Wittstruck ‘n’ Wine Singer-songwriter Vanessa Wittstruck is in the spotlight at Northern Lights Estate Winery on May 30. The popular local musician will perform in the bistro from 6-8 p.m.

Tuning Out Hunger A collection of local musicians have banded together to sing for everyone’s supper. Tunes For Tummies is a fundraiser on May 31 at 6 p.m. to raise cash and contributions for St. Vincent de Paul Society, which provides food and other supports to those in struggle. The event happens at the Columbus

Citizen file photo

Chili gets ladled into a bowl on Saturday at the Community Arts Council’s Spring Arts Bazaar and Chili Cookoff at Studio 2880 in 2016. The event returns this year on June 1. Community Centre. Tickets are $40 for a roast beef dinner, door prizes, shuttle bus service, door prizes, and the musical talents of Mike Amos, Steve Head, Scott LaPointe, Brock Patch, Brin Porter, John Rogers, Dale Steeves and Vocal Group (featuring Andries, Annie, Ebby, Eric, Jennifer and Sophie). Email tunesfortummies@gmail.com to buy tickets, or call Laura at 250-640-0000 or Mary at 250-617-8747.

Agatha’s Appointment The Nechako Community Theatrics Society is returning to Artspace on Friday May 31st, Saturday June 1st, Friday June 7th, and Saturday June 8th (all shows starting at 7pm) for a performance of Appointment With Death by Agatha Christie. Tickets are $20 each and available in advance at Books & Co., and at the door.

Baking Kids Kids learn the fundamentals of baking and art in the Art Monkeys Create & Bake pro-D day camp at Studio 2880 on May 31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s for kids aged 6-11 for $60. Call 250-563-2880 for information or register online at www. studio2880.com.

If you have been injured because of negligence of another person, you may have a claim.

Blackberry Wood

Tapestry Singers

Bohemian party band Blackberry Wood comes back to PG for another raucous musical event. The theatrically flamboyant carnival ensemble will be at Nancy O’s on May 31.

The District 57 Tapestry Singers complete their school year with a pair of concerts on June 1. Circle Of Friends is a show loaded with popular songs and dozens of talented youth voices. Showtimes at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at St. Michael’s Anglican Church downtown. Tickets $15 (free for ages 5 and younger) available in advance from Studio 2880.

The Ebbs Flow Local power-folk act The Ebbs performs at Trench Brewing & Distilling on May 31 starting at 8 p.m. Singer-songwriters Joe Shea (Trundled), solo artist William Kuklis, and fiddle virtuoso Finn Scott-Neff have joined forces to push their original songs into uncharted territories.

Chili Cookoff The Community Arts Council hosts its ever popular Spring Arts Bazaar on June 1 at the Studio 2880 complex (2880 15th Ave) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the main feature is the high profile annual chili cookoff. Buy an original PG Potters’ Guild bowl and get a ticket to sample some of the best chili the city has to offer, then vote for your favourite. Artists, performers and a pottery sale abounds.

Shoot, Sketch Photographer Philomena Hughes and painter Christina Watts lead a two-part arts excursion each Monday morning through the month of June. Meet up at 6:15 a.m. (a different location each week) and apply the skills of the two differing artists to your own creations made on the spot. Call 250-564-5083 or drop in to Ridge Side Art downtown to sign up for the series.

Sjohall Returns Prince George singer-songwriter Vicky Sjohall has moved to Vancouver, but she is triumphantly returning on June 4 for a Continued on page 12

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Citizen file photo

The Ebbs played their first live show at Trench Brewing & Distillery earlier this month. The band will be playing at Trench again on May 31.

AROUND TOWN Continued from page 11

solo show at Nancy O’s. Admission is $8 at the door. Concert organizers said Sjohall “brings a combination of memorable cover songs & intimate original music, with soaring vocals and stories of love and life. Vicky has toured the world with her pop band Cherrybomb, and now continues to perform and create with many musical projects. Her energy is infectious.”

Jaided Affable local recording artist Genevieve Jaide performs some of her material and hosts an open mic night at Trench Brewing & Distilling on June 7. Catch some of her infectious folk-pop and add some music of your own. Showtime is 7 p.m.

Derek Edwards

Tying In Weavers

Standup star Derek Edwards comes to the Prince George Playhouse on June 9 on his Alls I’m Saying Tour. This veteran of Just For Laughs and The Debaters is considered to be among the comic elite, as evidenced by the fact that he’s a fourtime nominee, and winner of Best Standup Comic - Canadian Comedy Awards, as well as a multiple Gemini nominee for Best Performance in a Comedy. As Rick Mercer says, “Everyone knows Derek is the funniest man in Canada.” Get seats through the Central Interior Tickets website.

The Association of Northwest Weavers’ Guilds holds its annual fiber arts conference from June 11-16 in Prince George. The event features workshops, seminars, a fashion show, exhibits, vendors’ market, awards, and more than 20 highlevel instructors all on site at the Prince George Civic & Convention Centre. Go to the anwgconference2019.com website for more info.

O yes! Oboe! Alban Classical Arts Society presents an oboe and piano recital on June 9 at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Church (3555 5th Ave). Tickets are $20 at the door.

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Judas Priest, one of the crunchiest metal bands of the glam era, roars into CN Centre on June 14 along with artful rockers Uriah Heap. Get tickets at the Tickets North website or the CN Centre box office.

The Canada Comedy Jam is coming to Prince George on June 15 at Sonar Comedy & Nightclub. Canada Comedy Jam regulars Andrew Verge, Velina Taskov, and Matt Baker are hitting Sonar Comedy Club for a hilarious showcase event. You’ve got two chances to get in on the funny before they head east on their Canada wide tour.

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Erin Bauman, known affectionately as the Panoptical Poet, has been the

stalwart host of the semi-regular WordPlay spoken word series held at Books & Company. Her next will be her last. New host Marc Sinclair will be on hand for introductions. Bauman said Sinclair “will carry on the WordPlay tradition while adding his own wonderful literary flare. Join me, the Panoptical Poet, one more time on Thursday June 20th to help me celebrate the ups, downs, and inbetweens of my time at WordPlay.” The poetry and prose takes voice at 7:30 p.m.

Ribfest Pacific Western Brewery is hosting Ribfest 2019, a three-day barbecue party (June 21-23) with world-class rib cooks from across Canada to tempt the city’s taste buds. They will be joined by complementary local food vendors, talented music acts performing live on-site, and the full power of PWB beer. It’s all free to attend the all-ages daytime portion (pay for the vendor wares you desire), with $5 cover charge for the +19 nighttime portions. All money raised goes to the many charitable causes of the Nechako Rotary Club.

Homemade Funny Prince George’s Funniest Person With A Day-Job comes back to the Sonar Comedy & Nightclub stage on July 5. If you have the material, come out for the big reveal. Limited number of spots available. Contact Sonar to sign up.

Let us know about your coming events by emailing us at events@pgcitizen.ca

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PROGRAM OFFERS FREE BUS RIDES FOR GRADS FRANK PEEBLES 97/16 staff

Prince George high school graduates will get a safe ride on the bus during this time of celebration in their lives. Prince George and 69 other B.C. communities are taking part in the GradPASS program. It gives the new grads two days in June of their choice to ride the bus for free. The flexibility is aimed at ensuring the students can get the lift they need whenever their school happens to celebrate their Grade 12 accomplishment. “BC Transit is pleased to congratulate the graduating class of 2019 for reaching an important milestone in their lives,” said Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit President and Chief Executive Officer. “Graduating high school is a great accomplishment for all students. BC Transit would like to remind graduates of the importance of choosing transit as a safe and reliable transportation option when celebrating their achievement.” GradPASS was first introduced in Vancouver in 1988 to encourage safe transportation options during prom season for recent graduates. The Victoria Regional Transit System

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adopted the program in 1990, with other communities following suit over the years. “Grad season can be a busy and exciting time for high school graduates, and GradPASS provides them with access to a free and safe transportation option,” said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Thank you to BC Transit for another year of GradPASS, and to the more than 70 local governments in B.C. and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission for their support of this increasingly popular program.” To use their GradPASS, graduates only need to scratch off their two chosen travel days (does not need to be consecutive) and show the card to their bus driver at the time of boarding. GradPASS cards will be distributed to local schools in late May. For information on BC Transit schedules, routes and service alerts in your community, please visit bctransit.com, and select your local transit system.

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RIGHT: The Horror of Delores Roach features Tony nominees Daphne Rubin-Vega and Bobby Cannavale in an unhinged tale based on the play Empanada Loca. Gimlet Handout photo

FAR RIGHT: The Truth is an audio short story series, with each episode a new story to enjoy The Truth Podcast handout photo

FICTION PODCASTS ON THE RISE

Serial podcasts bring the radio drama into the 21st century MICHELLE HARVEN Special To The Washington Post

Now that a majority of North Americans have listened to a podcast, it’s fair to say the medium has gone mainstream. Within a surge of new shows catering to all kinds of listeners, there’s been a wave of fictional audio dramas that breathe

new life into a format first popularized by the radio dramas of the 1930s. Today, podcasts offer similar serialized storytelling with creative flair and growing budgets. Some shows are even getting picked up for screen adaptations. Gimlet’s Homecoming got the Amazon Prime treatment with Julia Roberts, while mystery thriller Limetown is being

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turned into a Facebook series starring Jessica Biel. (Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) Like the podcast world in general, there’s more audio fiction than one person can consume, but here are a variety of shows that deserve a time slot in your dishwashing playlist: The Horror of Dolores Roach

Adapted from the play Empanada Loca, by Aaron Mark, the podcast includes captivating performances by Tony nominees Daphne Rubin-Vega and Bobby Cannavale. After Dolores (Rubin-Vega) is released from prison, she wanders the streets of a now-gentrified New York, disoriented by the drastic transformation of her former neighborhood, which is now overrun by spandex-clad women sipping green smoothies. Reminiscent of Sweeney Todd, the story turns sharply into an unhinged tale of survival that’s so gripping Blumhouse Television recently acquired the rights of the Gimlet production for a TV show. Alba Salix, Royal Physician

Alba Salix is a comedy built on fairy tales and bad attitudes. Set in a kingdom with an abundance of fantastical characters, creators Eli McIlveen and Sean Howard ambitiously and gradually build an extraordinary, transporting world. We follow the life of the royal family’s head witch, Alba Salix, along with an accidentprone fairy and sardonic ex-monk. Fruit

From the mind of Issa Rae, creator of HBO’s Insecure, comes the story of a black football player navigating his sexuality in the hypermasculine arena of professional sports. Rae was inspired by “hearing stories about football players who couldn’t come out,” she told the Guardian in 2016, and Fruit does feel realistic. When the NFL’s first openly gay player, Michael Sam, kissed his boyfriend on national television in 2014, he sent the sports world into a frenzy. Rae’s compelling story effortlessly unfolds, practically guaranteeing a binge. Adventures in New America

An audio drama list would not be complete without at least one show from the Night Vale Presents crew, who put audio dramas on the map with Welcome to Night Vale. Adventures is a more complex production, with the same creepy approach. The show is a fun romp in a dystopian future where Tetchy Terrorist Vampire Zombies from space endanger New York – and occasionally break out in song. A cranky man diagnosed with cancer and a friendly sociopath make an unlikely duo who take on the space zombies in what the creators call “the first sci-fi, Afrofuturistic, political satire, buddy comedy.” The Truth

Radiotopia’s The Truth is an audio short story series. Each episode creates a new world, complete with brilliant voice acting and captivating writing. Start with Everybody SCREAM!!! for the inner monologues of a highly competitive spin class or Meet Cute, about what could have been after a great first date immediately precedes a premature death. Don’t miss The Off Season, which takes inspiration from the Me Too movement and tells the suspenseful story of a popular news host sent to an isolated home in the Hamptons after a deluge of sexual misconduct allegations. We’re Alive

This horror show will get your heart pumping and send you scrambling for the next episode. Initially envisioned for television by military veteran Kc Wayland, the show follows a handful of survivors, some with varying degrees of military expertise, as they attempt to defend an L.A. apartment building against a swarm of zombies. In this post-apocalyptic world, zombies are fast-moving and, maybe most terrifying of all, intelligent. We’re Alive is masterfully written and action-packed with sound design that will make you jump out of your seat. Harven is an audio producer based in the Washington, D.C., where she works on podcasts such as Force for Hire and DC Diary.

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QUEBEC BECKONS THOSE ON BICYCLES CALVIN WOODWARD The Associated Press

MONTREAL - In Montreal each spring, an epic bicycle festival demonstrates how 25,000 people can let the good times roll without bumping into each other too much. In Quebec City and its hinterlands, cyclists plunge into a history shaped by French explorers, the Roman Catholic Church, aboriginal culture and British conquest. In Charlevoix, an island provides a perfect loop for lovers of quiet roads and eye-candy vistas of mountains you don’t have to climb. Then there is the south shore of the St. Lawrence, where the panorama of river, sea, sky and flowers defines the magic of bicycling in Quebec in ways that words cannot. Those treats are mostly thanks to Route Verte, Quebec’s gift to the cycling world. It’s a vast network of trails and bike-friendly byways that is about to get another growth spurt. Quebec’s “green way stitches together wild places, pristine villages and a few buzzy cities in a rich, French-flavoured tableau. It’s the masterwork of Velo Quebec, the bicycling association and Route Verte’s steward. Since 2013, I’ve gone to Quebec each year, often several times a year, to sample more segments of the network and return to the best. Sprawling over 5,300 kilometres, Route Verte is a handful to get to know, requiring more time than most people have and more legs than are under me. And the network will be undergoing its largest expansion in a decade with 900 more kilometres. Within my geographic range of experience – Montreal east to the Gaspesie region and the Eastern Townships north to a lake trail lined with wild blueberries – there are plenty of great tours. Here are some: MONTREAL BIKE FESTIVAL & RAIL TRAIL

Montreal’s cycling culture turns into a rolling party at the Go Bike Montreal Festival, anchored by two family-friendly rides that close downtown streets to traffic and take over the city-island. The premier event, Tour de l’lle on June 2, typically draws 25,000 people on bicycles and countless more cheering them on from neighbourhoods along the 50-kilometre route. Music, dance and acrobatics (Quebec, home to Cirque du Soleil, specializes in the circus arts) are part of the mix. Before the Sunday ride comes Tour la Nuit , which launches some 10,000 cyclists at sunset May 31. This year, the cyclists will circle inside Montreal’s Olympic Stadium for the first time since “Chariots of Fire” greeted their arrival in the 1980s. “It’s the wow moment for Tour La Nuit,” says Joelle Sevigny of Velo Quebec. Nearby, the offroad P’tit Train du Nord rail trail runs 230 km between the

AP photo

Quebec City’s iconic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac dominates the city skyline from the ferry crossing the St. Lawrence River. Riverfront bicycle trails on both sides offer easy cycling and striking views. Montreal outskirts and Mont-Laurier on Route Verte No. 2. About half paved, half smooth crushed stone, the “little train of the north” trail offers well-spaced amenities, intriguing inns and a shuttle service. THE BLUEBERRY TRAIL

Veloroute des Bleuets circles Lac SaintJean, a lake so big it resembles the sea. In late summer it makes good on its promise of wild blueberries for trailside scavenging. The lake circuit runs for 256 km on trails, quiet roads, village pathways and occasional paved shoulders. Signed as Route Verte No. 8, it meets the standards that are the hallmark of all designated routes in the network: Inns with Route Verte accreditation must offer healthy food choices, safe storage for bikes and tools while campgrounds must make room for cyclists even if full. The route perfectly suits self-supported touring. But it’s also part of Velo Quebec’s summer extravaganza this year, the Grand Tour, a week of fully supported cycling. QUEBEC CITY & RAIL TRAIL

Quebec’s historic capital, like Montreal, has extensive bicycle paths for commuters and several of prime interest to visitors. Starting at the ferry terminal, the Promenade Samuel de Champlain

path going west borders the riverfront for 12 kilometres, looping onto a narrow walkway on the bridge crossing the St. Lawrence and joining with another trail in Levis. The Levis trail offers a spectacular view of Quebec City and a chance to return on the ferry, closing a 30-kilometre loop. Nature is nearby. The JacquesCartier trail runs more than 80 km on stone dust through forest and meadow. THE RIVER/SEA

This is where I always go back to, no matter where else I go. On Route Verte No. 1, spread over more than 2,000 km cyclists can go along the south shore of the St. Lawrence for a week or more, seeing the river widen going eastward into the wild beauty of the Gaspe Peninsula until the far shore disappears and the sea, somewhere, begins. My hotspot is a day ride from the river road at Notre-Dame-du-Portage to Kamouraska and back, about 70 km in all. In this wide panorama, the sky seems always etched with drama, as stormy sheets of rain and shafts of sun sweep over the mountains on the other side, the river churns in hues of brown and blue, and mist half swallows islands. The Kamouraska canola fields make for a brilliant yellow carpet and village homes

– a kind of folk art in themselves – are lined with gardens. Sunsets are routinely extraordinary. ISLE-AUX-COUDRES

In the mountainous Charlevoix region, cycling tours are for huffing-puffing people but there’s an exception: a jewel of an island 15 minutes by car from Baie-Saint-Paul, an art and tourist hub. Isle-aux-Coudres is reached by a free car ferry. The road hugging the shore is 27 km and the scenery is stunning.

ESTRIADE

A web of bike trails and designated cycling routes connects cities, farmlands, vineyards and towns in the verdant Eastern Townships. Among the trails, Estriade goes for 100 km offroad, mostly paved and bordered by dozens of sculptures by international artists along a section. The townships are a region of lakes, Victorian homes, orchards, covered bridges and resorts, maintaining a patina of England over a decidedly FrenchCanadian culture.

IF YOU GO:

Full planning resources for cyclists at routeverte.com and check tourism sites for the regions you’re visiting via quebecoriginal.com

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efore people actually went to outer space, they went there with their imaginations. Authors wrote about what they thought space and space travel was like. These books are called science fiction.

How many words can you make with the letters in the word SPACESHIP?

Science fiction books are often about the future, or they take place on other worlds. These books often feature machines and tools that didn’t exist when the book was written. And sometimes there are interesting alien creatures!

Use the Decoder Ring to discover the name of this terrific book by Jon Scieszka, which is available at your local library. Find the letter on the outer ring, then replace it with the letter on the inner ring. A kid scientist and inventor is determined to win the Midville Science Prize. With the help of his robots Klink and Klank, he designs an amazing flying bike. It sounds like a sure winner of the Science Prize until his rival T. Edison steals his plans. It’s science facts, fun and adventure.

Zita the Spacegirl By Ben Hatke

What Makes It Science Fiction? Read about each of these books. Then check off the reasons each one is considered a science fiction book.

From the Earth to the Moon

By Jules Verne

In this book, written in 1865, three men build a giant cannon called the Columbiad to launch themselves to the moon in a bullet-shaped capsule. Jules Verne called the Columbiad a “spaceship.” Some people say that this was the first time in history that the word spaceship was used.

In this 2011 book, an earthling named Zita is transported to a mysterious planet after her friend is kidnapped by an alien. She leaps to the rescue but has to deal with humanoid chickens, angry robots, weird creatures with tentacles, a friendly giant mouse, and the impending destruction of the planet she’s standing on. Wow!

This book is science fiction because it:

Takes place in the future. Takes place in another world. Features technology that didn’t exist when this book was written. Has alien creatures.

This book is science fiction because it:

Takes place in the future. Takes place in another world. Features technology that didn’t exist when this book was written. Has alien creatures.

T B F K D T B F C

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet By Eleanor Cameron

Some things that were imagined by people years ago are real today. Look through the newspaper with an older family member. Ask your family member if they can find anything in the paper that was not invented when they were children.

They must have a mascot to be successful, he warns, so they grab a chicken and blast off into space!

This book is science fiction because it:

Takes place in the future. Takes place in another world. Features technology that didn’t exist when this book was written. Has alien creatures.

To reveal the punchline to this riddle, fill in the blanks using the letters found on this robot’s data screen.

Q: What kind of books do planets like to read? B, 2 G, 5 D, 6 B, 5 F, 2 E, 3 G, 5 G, 5 C, 4 D, 1

Can you imagine that?

This book, written in 1954, follows two boys who respond to a newspaper advertisement looking for a homebuilt spaceship. They build one out of tin and scrap wood and bring it to the advertiser. He makes a few modifications, gives them special fuel, and tells them they must visit the mushroom planet.

Giggle Grid

S G P F E

Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.

UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION STORIES CAPSULE AUTHORS LAUNCH FLIGHT FUTURE SPACE ALIEN EXIST GIANT READ TIN

Find the words in the puzzle. How many of them can you find on this page?

A N H C N U A L U E S

I T H O G O R S

R T N E I L A R C F

P F W

D C T

P F D B U P D D T G U H D H G

Libraries aren’t just places where you can get books. They’re resources for community and cultural events, you can get movies, magazines, access to computers, audio books and much more. Someone who holds a library card gets all these privileges. And best of all—it’s FREE! How do you get a library card? Just visit your local library with a parent. The library will have them fill out a permission form and that’s all you do! Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow written directions.

O M O A T S E R I U H G N R C V P E E T

T T H G I L F A N U

U I N N F E A D C R A T U E X I

S T E E

E L U S P A C I O N

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Tell other kids about a book you think they should read this summer. Have fun describing the book, but don’t give away the ending. R0021655366

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KEANU REEVES IS MAKING A COMEBACK, BUT DID HE REALLY EVER LEAVE? TRAVIS M. ANDREWS The Washington Post

Ahh, the comeback. Hollywood blogs and gossip rags are filled with stories of actors making these supposed things. Everyone from Matthew McConaughey to Tom Cruise to Robert Downey Jr. have had their late-stage careers described by some modified version of the word “renaissance.” But there’s a slight difference with Keanu Reeves. McConaughey graduated from breezy rom-coms to gritty character acting in projects like Mud, Killer Joe and True Detective. Cruise overcame his unflattering public persona as an ardent Scientologist to earn the reputation of the hardest-working man in Hollywood, pushing himself to the limit to be our premier action star (forgoing the tough Oscar-bait films of his youth). Downey walked the path of sobriety and kick-started the biggest film franchise in Hollywood history: the Marvel Cinematic Universe and all the superhero movies it entailed. Reeves, on the other hand, just continued doing the things for which he was always excelled. There was no big controversy. No tarring and feathering by an outraged internet mob. No public descent into addiction. Just a string of forgettable movies that slowly faded his star. Until now. The reason? John Wick. Last weekend, the 54-year-old’s latest film, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, debuted at No. 1 at the box office. The third installation in the hard-R, kung fu-inspired action series, in which he plays the titular character, began in 2014 and made the once-beloved actor relevant – and lucrative – again (Parabellum pulled in $57 million in its first few days). Reeves nabbed his breakout role in 1986′s disturbing River’s Edge, which is about a group of teenagers dealing with the aftermath of their friend killing his girlfriend. His performance led to a series of hits, cracking open the gates of stardom. Soon, Reeves was starring in many of the most popular films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, spanning genres from comedy (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Parenthood) to drama (My Own Private Idaho and Dangerous Liaisons) to action (Point Break). By the time he became the face of Speed with Sandra Bullock in 1994, Reeves was a bona fide star and an unstoppable force in Hollywood. But his stardom achieved supernova in 1999 with the beginning of The Matrix trilogy. The idea of him ever needing a Keanussance might have seemed insane. However, things started to slowly change. He played in a series of forgettable indie movies (Thumbsucker and Ellie Parker), some well-received ones (A Scanner Darkly), some silly rom-coms (the muchmaligned The Lake House) and a few big swings that mostly missed (Constantine). Then came the internet. Stills of Reeves’s films – and even candid shots of him – were turned into memes. While the sudden “memefication” of everything, particularly all things Hollywood, proved to be a particular boon to some actors (they helped distill Jeff Goldblum’s quirkiness in a way that delighted fans, for example), memes about Reeves often positioned him at least partially as the butt of the joke. His facial expressions, which

Summit Entertainment handout photo by Niko Tavernise

Keanu Reeves stars at John Wick in Jown Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The John Wick series has thrust Reeves back into the limelight as an action star. generally run the gamut between bewildered and stoic, were played for laughs. There was a still of a shocked Reeves from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure that became known as Conspiracy Keanu. It was usually accompanied by text exploring fake conspiracies so ridiculous that they’re funny. One reads, “What if the CIA invented dinosaurs to discourage time travel?” Another, called Sad Keanu, came from a paparazzi shot of a sorrowful-looking Reeves sitting on a bench, eating a sandwich. People often Photoshopped him out of the shot and into other absurd situations, such as sitting on the edge of a cliff or on the McDonald’s golden arches. While these images proliferated, Reeves starred in another large-budget film, 2013′s 47 Ronin, but it was a box-office bomb. Mostly, though, he focused on personal projects, such as his directorial debut, the Chinese-American martial arts film Man of Tai Chi. He also released the “grown-up picture book” Ode to Happiness, produced the documentary Side by Side and continued his various philanthropic efforts. The result was that the largely out-ofsight actor was supplanted by the meme in the cultural consciousnesses. The memes didn’t really bother Reeves personally, though they might have changed how a younger generation viewed him. As Alex Pappademas wrote in GQ last month: “He regards his own meme-ification from a disinterested distance. Actually participating further in the process is not for him, but he’s also not judging anybody who does play along. ‘People doing dances, people doing mannequin stuff or whatever – those people, they look like they’re having fun and doing some cool (stuff),’ he says politely. To actively seek further meme-ification – hey, it’s Sadder Keanu – wouldn’t feel like a creative act, he doesn’t think.” But the John Wick series transformed him into an action star once again. The franchise is predicated on a simple but absurd story. It follows Wick, the world’s best assassin in a universe full of them; they operate out of a global chain of hotels called The Continental The first film opens with Wick in retirement, having finally gotten out to marry a woman with

whom he fell in love. But now he’s a widower, and he receives one last parting gift: a puppy. Not long after receiving the furball, though, a Russian mobster kills the dog in a petty act of insolence, forcing the principled Wick out of retirement. After that – and for three movies now – he kills everyone who tries to do him in (which is a lot of people) with anything at his disposal, from guns and swords to

pencils, books and his own bare hands. The result is pure, beautiful, balletic action. Now Reeves’ late-night press tour appearances, rather than memes of him sadly eating a sandwich, are going viral. A clip of Reeves stunning Stephen Colbert and his audience on The Late Show earlier this month became social media’s topic of the week. After a generally humourous conversation about the actor’s new action thriller, Colbert asked his long-haired guest, “What do you think happens when we die, Keanu Reeves?” The question, clearly meant to be a setup for a clever quip, saw Reeves lean back, take a deep breath and think as a somber look spread across his face. “I know that the ones who love us will miss us,” he finally responded, silencing the host, who smiled in appreciation. Reeves’s thoughtful answer was clipped and passed around the internet for days after as fans watched the sweet moment in preparation for his ultraviolent movie. And if we had to bet, there are likely many more sweet moments to come, as we’re not done with that bloody world just yet. The third John Wick film sets up a clear cliffhanger that begs for a fourth, and its expanded universe will spread to television with the upcoming Starz series The Continental. All of which is to say: Keanu Reeves is back, baby. But then again, he never really went anywhere.

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HOMEMADE PAD THAI IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK BECKY KRYSTAL The Washington Post

I’ve never met a noodle I didn’t like, but the rice noodles in pad thai I love the most. First, there’s that texture: Springy but pliable, and soft but not mushy. Then, the sauce that coats them: salty, sour and sweet. The combination is hard to top. For those reasons and more, pad thai is a popular takeout staple. In our house, especially when we’re eating with a group, it’s part of every order from our favorite local spot. But having made this recipe several times, I can tell you that – surprise! – there is no magical power imparted by the plastic carryout container. You, yes YOU, can make pad thai that tastes exactly like what you’d get from a restaurant. (Pad thai only came into being as a Thai national dish in the 1930s, even though it shares a lot in common with Chinese cuisine. It remains more of a street food than a home-cooked staple there.) Given how popular her Spicy Lemongrass Soup (Tom Yum Gai) was with readers, I naturally turned to chef-owner Nongkran Daks of Thai Basil in Chantilly, Va. Daks rode her pad thai recipe to fame in 2009, when she beat chef and TV host Bobby Flay in a battle on his goodnatured Throwdown series. Flay didn’t do himself any favors by using (gasp) mint and soy sauce in his version, though you’d still be hard-pressed to find a better rendition than Daks’s. Daks, a Thai native, has stayed true to the spirit of the original, using such ingredients as dried shrimp, preserved radish and palm sugar. We also added tiny

Washington Post photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Pad thai is a staple of Thai takeout menus, but making pad thai with shrimp at home isn’t difficult. matchsticks of bright red pressed tofu, which is also typical. All those will probably require a trip to an Asian market or an online purchase. If the specialty Asian ingredients are hard to come by, fear not. We tested the recipe without them, substituting brown sugar for the palm sugar, too. While the flavor wasn’t quite as well-rounded in savory depth, it was still good, and probably loads better than a lot of what you find in to-go boxes. I do, however, suggest you spring for tamarind concentrate, or three tablespoons of tamarind pulp soaked in warm water for 20 minutes and then strained. (Tamarind is available at Indian markets, if that’s

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In the spotlight Darren Neufeld of Blake Productions sets up a projector for the B.C. Natural Resources Forum, which starts tonight at the Civic Centre. The forum, which will bring industry leaders and high-level political figures like federal minister of natural resources James Carr to the city, runs through Thursday.

Key witness testifies at murder trial Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

key witness in a trial for three men accused of a drug-related murder recounted what she saw and heard during the fatal shooting of a Prince George man two years ago. Darren Sundman, Kurtis Sundman, who are brothers, and Sebastian Martin each face a count of first-degree murder in the Jan. 16, 2015 death of Jordan Tayor McLeod, who was 24 years old at the time. Recounting events in the hour or so leading up to the shooting, Stacey Stevenson said she was in the back of a friend’s mobile home in Vanderhoof when Darren Sundman entered the room and told her to grab her belongings. Stevenson complied, the court heard, and went out to the kitchen where she saw McLeod sitting on a bar stool in the middle of the room. Darren Sundman tried to convince McLeod to unlock his phone but he refused and Sundman grabbed the phone away from him, Stevenson said. From there, they filed out of the home and into a pickup truck where Kurtis Sundman got into the driver’s seat while McLeod got into the passenger side. Stevenson sat in the middle back with Darren Sundman sit-

She said they took off and made their ting behind McLeod and Martin behind the driver, resting a shotgun between his knees. way onto a logging road where they dumped the body – it was found off the With Kurtis Sundman “driving crazy” Kaykay Forest Service Road northwest of and “going quite fast” they headed to the city, the court has heard. In the hours Prince George and, after driving through that followed, they also retrieved McLeod’s the city, travelled east on Highway 16. car from Vanderhoof and abandoned it Stevenson said Darren Sundman began north of Williams Lake after hitting McLeod with the butt of a handgun and then, just As she bent over, rolling it down a gully and setting it on fire. as they passed Prince George The Sundmans and StevenRegional Correctional Centre, placing her head son were arrested a matter of McLeod was told he would between her hours later in Quesnel after have to jump out of the truck knees, Stevenson they tried to steal an all-terwhile it was still moving “or rain vehicle and then failed to he knew what was going to said she heard evade police. happen to him.” a shot and then Under questioning from They turned onto Upper Crown prosecutor Joseph Fraser Road and soon afMartin say “I got Temple, Stevenson spent ter, McLeod did jump out. him boss.” much of Monday setting the Kurtis Sundman pulled the scene. She and Darren Sundtruck over and the three men man had been living together jumped out. Stevenson got as girlfriend and boyfriend in Vanderhoof into the front because Martin had accidenwhere he had been working at a pellet plant tally set off a can of bear spray. in the community. As she bent over, placing her head He had been selling cocaine on the side, between her knees, Stevenson said she heard a shot and then Martin say “I got him with Stevenson keeping track of debts owed boss.” Stevenson, who turned tearful as she to him. But in late summer 2014, Sundman quit his job and they began using methamtestified, said she then heard a second shot and, when she looked up saw all three make phetamine heavily while selling cocaine to cover their bills. their way across a ditch and into the bush By December, Stevenson said she broke where they pulled McLeod’s body from the up with Sundman because she “just had trees and put it into the back of the pickup.

enough of everything” and was planning to move out. At about that time, Sundman was introduced to McLeod as a supplier. Stevenson said she began communicating with McLeod via text messages and phone calls behind Sundman’s back and when he and his brother left for Merritt, she stayed behind. Stevenson packed her bags while the Sundmans were away but when she convinced McLeod to pick her up and drive her to Prince George for New Years Eve she left them behind. While in Prince George, Stevenson stayed with some friends and then, for a brief time, with McLeod. While with him, McLeod asked Stevenson to text Darren Sundman and ask if he had the money he owed McLeod. “Yes, I have his f---g money,” Sundman tersely replied. She said McLeod had been friendly to Sundman in previous conversations but also a “little bit rude,” because he wanted Sundman to pay up. McLeod had “no real reaction” to Sundman’s text, Stevenson said. McLeod asked Stevenson for some photos of her and, in response, she sent him some portrait shots. McLeod drove her back to Vanderhoof and instructed Stevenson to “pretend like nothing happened,” because he wanted his money from Sundman. Stevenson’s testimony continues today at the courthouse.

Watts makes P.G. stop on Liberal campaign tour Arthur WILLIAMS Citizen staff awilliams@pgcitizen.ca Liberal leadership candidate Dianne Watts says it’s time to reboot the B.C. Liberal Party and she’s the one to do it. The former mayor of Surrey and MP for South Surrey – White Rock was in Prince George on Monday, promoting her bid for the job of leadership of the opposition. The B.C. Liberals will elect a new leader on Feb. 3. “I offer the B.C. Liberals a fresh start,” Watts said. While good work was done by the former Liberal government, she said, “there was a level of frustration” by the voting public which resulted in the loss of 11 seats in the 2016 election. She said her experience building coalitions and leading a government in Surrey would help her to unify the Liberals and present a united front in the next provincial election. Her experience in local government has taught her that one-size-fits-all solutions don’t work for B.C., she said. “Every community is unique, and every community has unique issues,” Watts said. “As a former mayor... we deal with things on the front line. We deal with homelessness,

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we deal with crime, we deal with first responders.” Supporting local leaders and communities to develop local solutions to local programs is key, she said. B.C. municipalities have limited options when it comes to raising funds, she said, and it may be time to consider giving municipalities more tools to allow them to meet their needs. However some of the common threads she has heard while travelling B.C. are concerns about health care and affordability. While the Liberal party in B.C. is the party of business and entrepreneurship, she said, it’s also important to focus on social programs to meet the needs of British Columbians. In order to achieve that, the province will require a strong, stable government – something that is unlikely under a proportional representation system. The NDP have pledged to hold a mail-in-ballot referendum this year on changing the province’s electoral system. Watts said the NDP are jumping the gun and should first ask voters if they want the province’s electoral system changed. Then, with a mandate of the people, gather public input and present voters with a number of options. “It should be decided by the people.”

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more convenient.) The tamarind not only lends the dish its appealing color, but its unmistakable tart and sweet base. Shrimp, eggs, bean sprouts and roasted peanuts are all classic ingredients that fill out the dish in flavor and heft. If your friends and family are anything like my co-workers, you’ll be fighting them off for every last bite. We liked serving the pad thai on a giant platter for maximum visual impact, but if you feel like something is still missing compared to your standard restaurant order, I’m sure you’ve got a few carryout containers hanging around. PAD THAI WITH SHRIMP Active: 45 minutes | Total: 1 hour 45 minutes 2-3 servings This easier-than-you-think recipe is a ringer for the Thai takeout staple. With chewy rice noodles folded into a sweettart sauce, it’s an irresistible dish that also happens to be easy to adapt to your taste. The recipe comes from chef-restaurateur Nongkran Daks, who famously beat the marquee chef of Throwdown With Bobby Flay in a 2009 pad thai battle. You may find that this recipe is spicier than your typical pad thai. Feel free to reduce or omit the amount of crushed red pepper flakes. MAKE AHEAD: You will have leftover pad thai sauce, which Daks recommends making a day in advance. It can be refrigerated or frozen for up to several months. The rice noodles need to soak in cold water at room temperature for an hour. Where to Buy: Preserved radish, dried shrimp and pressed tofu are available at Asian markets. So is tamarind concentrate, although some well-stocked grocery stores (and Indian markets) carry it, too. If you don’t find the ready-made tamarind concentrate, you can make your own tamarind juice by soaking 3 tablespoons of compressed tamarind pulp in 1 cup of warm water for 20 minutes and then straining. INGREDIENTS For the sauce 1 cup tamarind concentrate (may substitute juice made from tamarind pulp) 1 cup palm sugar (may substitute light brown sugar) 1 cup water 1/2 cup fish sauce 2 teaspoons fine sea salt For the dish 4 ounces medium-width dried rice

noodles (about 1/8 inch) 4 to 5 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 8 fresh or frozen/defrosted shrimp (21to 25-count), deveined; peeled, if desired 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, finely chopped (optional) 1 tablespoon sweet preserved radish 3 1/2 ounces pressed tofu, sliced thin into 1/2-inch-long pieces (optional) 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts (about 1/2 ounce) 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions or garlic chives 2 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and drained Lime wedges, for serving STEPS For the sauce: Combine the tamarind concentrate, palm sugar, water, fish sauce and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about one hour, until the mixture is syrupy and darker in colour. As it reduces, you may need to further reduce the heat to low to prevent it from scorching. Meanwhile, start the noodles for the dish: Place them in a bowl and cover with cold water; soak for one hour (at room temperature). Heat four tablespoons of the oil in a 12inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry just until golden brown. Add the fresh/defrosted shrimp, stirring constantly until they are opaque and just cooked through, for one to two minutes. Transfer to a plate (the garlic stays in the pan). Drain the noodles well, then add them to the same skillet you used to cook the shrimp. They will try to stick together, so separate them as you stir, adding a splash or two of water. Then add five tablespoons of the pad thai sauce, stirring until everything is thoroughly incorporated. The noodles should be soft and moist. Add the dried shrimp, if using, the preserved radish and the pressed tofu, if using. Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and toss to incorporate. Use a spatula to clear a space at the center of the pan for frying the eggs. If the pan seems dry, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Pour in the eggs, then use the spatula to cover them with the noodles in the pan. Once the eggs are set, stir the noodles until everything is well mixed. This should result in cooked bits of eggs, both whites and yolk, throughout the noodle mixture. Add the crushed red pepper flakes (to taste), peanuts, scallions or garlic chives and half the bean sprouts. Toss to incorporate and just heat through, then transfer to a platter. Serve right away, with the remaining bean sprouts and the lime wedges. VARIATIONS: If you prefer pork, substitute one cup of thinly sliced lean meat for the shrimp. For a vegetarian version, substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce, and use 1/2 cup diced tofu instead of the shrimp. Nutrition (based on three servings) | Calories: 530; Total Fat: 26 g; Cholesterol: 220 mg; Sodium: 1610 mg; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 16 g; Protein: 17 g. (Adapted from Nongkran Daks, chefowner of Thai Basil in Chantilly, Va.)

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WARM WEATHER BRINGS DIFFERENT RISKS FOR DRIVERS W elcome to the time of year that many British Columbians eagerly await; sunny, warm conditions that translate into beach weather and enjoyment of the great outdoors. However, the onset of great weather also brings some inherent cautions. It’s no secret that forest fires have become an increasing cause for alarm in many areas of the province. Yet, each year many of these blazes are the result of carelessness in one form or another, including drivers who toss cigarette butts from their vehicle windows. Everyone needs to be conscious of the fire hazard and apply common sense. The second caution is one that drivers, particularly those who are parents of young children or pet-owners – need to observe and be responsive to. Each spring and summer, medical professionals and first responders warn drivers about the dangers associated with leaving a small child or pet in a parked vehicle. Yet, each year we read media reports that illustrate the tragic outcomes that can often result. The first and only rule is simply to never leave your child or pet unattended in a vehicle during warm

NEW CAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF BC BLAIR QUALEY

weather, period – even for a few minutes. The heat inside a vehicle can quickly become dangerous or fatal, even when the windows are cracked open. Unfortunately, there are instances when a child is left unattended for no other reason than their presence has slipped the mind of a parent who may be overwhelmed, distracted or exhausted. People often assume that because something is important, it will stay top of mind, but that isn’t always the case. Consider the number of times you might drive to a specific destination but don’t recall every aspect of the journey. It’s muscle memory that at least in part has guided your journey, and many of the functions were simply instinctive. Police and safety advocates suggest parents develop routines that will help. This may include leaving a personal item you may require at your next stop — like a purse, brief case

Maps are examples of apps that or cell phone next to the child as an connect to a vehicle’s radio and once additional reminder. Likewise, it may the engine stops, the driver receives involve texting the other parent to an alert. confirm drop-off. Car seat A number of manufacturers are vehicles now have Unfortunately, also getting involved technology in place and in some cases, to remind drivers there are instances offering built-in alarm that a rear door was when a child is left functions thanks to opened prior to a innovative chest clips trip. The Hyundai unattended for no that alerts parents if Santa Fe goes one the vehicle has turned step further and other reason than off or if the driver’s includes technology their presence has cell phone has left the that continues to vehicle, but the child is monitor the rear slipped the mind of still clipped in. seat for motion a parent who may As a parent, establish after the vehicle is a specific routine, do parked and all doors be overwhelmed, your research and are locked. Subaru examine the latest has announced that distracted or technology that may coming in 2020, exhausted. provide an added level all Ascent trims of security because will come a with nothing is more important than the a new rear seat reminder to assist health and safety of your loved-ones. in preventing a child or a pet from For the latest information on accidentally being locked and trapped careers in automotive, visit: https:// in the vehicle. Apps have also been developed to carsandjobs.com/. remind parents that a child may be in — Blair Qualey is president the back seat after a vehicle has come and CEO of the New Car Dealers to a stop. Using Bluetooth technology, Association of BC. You can email him Precious Cargo, Kars4Kids and Google at bqualey@newcardealers.ca.

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