Student Needs Approved!

            Yesterday, the Students Needs Committee (through councillor Jillian Merrick) proposed 6 ideas to City Council regarding ideas that students from UNBC, CNC, and SD57 wanted to see implemented. The Committee itself is made up from leadership students selected from each institution, and they meet multiple times over the school year to discuss what they would like to see in their education systems. Some of the points they brought up to Council were; better housing for students along with the addition of student housing in the downtown area, an improved transit system, and an increase in student engagement in the community along with adding more services and accessible facilities through the U Pass. Transport was one of the biggest issues the student committee addressed and it came up more than once in the meeting. The council saw the amount of people pushing for a boost in the quality of the transit system and approved a proposal to increase bus service during evenings, weekends, and stat holidays. The proposal is still waiting approval from BC Transit, but it should be implemented in September, just in time for the school year. However, it's not just about students, as some of the councillors brought up, but for all those who rely on transit. The Council unanimously voted in favour of both the transit and the 3 of the points the student needs committees brought up (the ones mentioned in this article) in hopes to help out the community some more.

Merrick stressed to council the importance in a quick approval, so the committee may receive some budgeting for the upcoming school year. She stated that the students of the committee believed that their next goal should be to take a more active role in the community. They want to not only give ideas but as well put on events that may fundraise for students groups/activities/etc , or simply get students out into the community. Merrick as well said that she didn't know exactly what the future holds for the group, but knows it gives a important perspective to issues in PG and is excited to see what happens when the group reconvenes in the school year.

-Laura Smith, Twitter: @lasmith98

ArtsWells 2016 Ticket Giveaway!

ArtsWells 2016 Ticket Giveaway!

visit out facebook page to enter

Building Bridges at the Pride Parade

Prince George will soon be seeing a lot of colour, support, and love in its streets; because this weekend is pride weekend. The PG Pride society has been planning all year for their annual pride parade, and it's expected to be bigger than ever. This year marks it as its 19th annual,and  as PG pride president, Stacey Hewlett says, they have faced a lot of challenges over the years, but the support they have had from the community has been enormous. This year the parade is proud to be called the biggest parade in PG, and the weekend includes many other great activities. To start off the festivities, there will  be a 19 + drag show on july 8th at the Coast Inn of the North. The next day, on the Saturday, is when the festival and parade happens. It all starts at 10am with the parade at 11am.  The festival includes   food and item vendors, bouncy castles, a performance by the actors of Judy Russell's Mary Poppins,  a comedian, and more! The festival will be a great event for everyone and anyone. It will go until 4pm, but the entertainment, for those over 19, doesn't stop there. At 8pm you can head over to the Civic Center for the pride dance. It lasts all night, so prepare to party! If you are still awake enough for breakfast the next day, head down to the final event of the weekend, the Phoenix Breakfast,  happening at 11am in the Coast Inn of the North. It is the last event of the weekend but certainly not the least (A cliche , but in this case definitely true) . It is to honour the recipient of the Phoenix award, one who truly embodies the idea of ‘rising from the ashes’. The beautiful award was made by the  talented local artist Wendy Young.

President of PG Pride, Stacey Hewlett, says she is overwhelmed by the support the group has received around the entire event. She states that over the years her favourite part has always been the parade. She says that it is just amazing to see the way the community gets together and helps each other. She was born and raised in PG and says that not just the parade, but the whole city has grown. This year more than ever there has been an tremendous outreach from all parts of PG. City council is putting a float in the parade, Unions have been giving support, not  to  mention the police and ambulances that are going to help supervise the proceedings. It will be a truly spectacular weekend, and I am sure many will leave it feeling touched by the outpouring of love and support PG is able to offer. The theme of the weekend is building bridges and that will be very easy witness that first hand throughout the whole weekend. To get tickets for any of these events, excluding the festival which is free, head over to https://pgpride.tickit.ca/ , and for more info check out Pg Pride's Facebook page https://goo.gl/9598fS or their website http://prideprincegeorge.wildapricot.org/

-Laura Smith

Get to know Prince George

You may know that Prince George is hailed as BC's Northern capital or that a big part of its success came from the fact that its in the intersection of the Fraser and Nechako. However, I doubt that many know that the original owners of the building JJ Springers used to be in ,got the job of being the towns undertakers after the Spanish flu hit and used their Ford Model T as an ambulance to deal with the sick. Not exactly the cute cozy building we now know... PG is the town we live in and for a majority of us, grew up in, yet somehow, a lot of it's citizens don't know much about its history,especially when it comes to our downtown. This is what the Prince George Public Library strives to change with its Downtown Walking Tours. Every summer since 2006 the Bob Harkins branch of the Library has been hosting the absolutely free walking tours. They happen every Tuesday and Thursday, and each year they are hosted by someone else. This year, recent high school graduate Paige Malmgren is leading the walks, and she thinks its an awesome way for PG citizens to get to know their town a little bit more. She state that you "get to learn a bunch of PG's history and see how much its changed over the years". The walk starts off at Bob Harkins branch and leads you around different historic sites in the downtown area. Malmgrens favourite spot is the building that held the original Post office building, since its the same building that stood there in 1939. Many of the historic buildings in PG have been destroyed through the numerous devastating fires downtown has faced over the years, so buildings such as that one are even more interesting.  The walk also takes you to other sites such as the courthouse, the building where the Strand theatre used to stand,and WD west studios; along with newer sites like Milan Basic's unique and colourful murals. If this interests you head over to the Library on a Tuesday or Thursday at 11am. The tours are an hour long, so get ready to learn ALOT about your city.

For more info on the tours or anything else library related head over to www.pgpl.ca

-Laura Smith

How to Spur Action in the Face of Climate Change

Michelle Connolly an MA of UNBC's Environmental Sciences Dept., Ken Edzerza of the Etzenlee Tahltan Family Clan Association, and Todd Whitcombe of UNBC's Chemistry Dept. all discuss the topic, "How to Spur Action in the Face of Climate Change"  

[embed]https://www.mixcloud.com/cfurvolunteer/cfur-climate-panel-how-to-spur-action-in-the-face-of-climate-change-20160219/[/embed]

 

Mob Bounce - Download their new album FREE!

Mob Bounce is a duo of insanely talented indigenous men. You may have seen them in the Lheidli T'enneh Pavilion during the Canada Winter Games in 2015.If you didn't, don't worry, they made their first full length album FREE for your consumption. Visit www.mobbouncemusic.com to download it and find out more about their community work.

This album is a treasure trove of diversity - there are poems, acoustic renditions, hip hop jams. Throughout the whole thing is an incredibly clear expression of cultural pride and promise for the future.

BURN SAGE EVERYDAY.

Check it out loves - Riot Grrrl

[embed]https://www.mixcloud.com/C0untessbash0ry/listen-to-mob-bounces-2015-full-length-mob-medicine/[/embed]

VICE shows Blocktreat some love

16 Feb 2016 -- Williams Lake-native Brandon Hoffman, better known as Blocktreat, was shown some love by VICE's Noisey Canada Staff today! (Happy belated Valentine's Day?)

The article, entitled "Get Lost In Blocktreat's Catchy New Single 'Hinterland Steez,'" is accompanied by the release of a single from his soon-to-come album, Exciting New Ventures In Fucking Up.  In addition to the track, Noisey featured a photo of Brandon shot by singer-songwriter Sam Tudor of Big Lake, BC. Lots of love for the Cariboo!

Indie Shuffle was first to offer a taste of the new album with the single  "Follow Your Stupid Heart." These two tracks, in addition to Blocktreat's other albums, are perfect for riding the city bus or slothing around the library until 11pm or lying on your living room floor. 

If you're keen to hear more music by Williams Lake/Big Lake locals, I'll leave my Audiomap episode here. It features Blocktreat, Sam Tudor, and many others. You can listen if you'd like.

Post by Dara Campbell

https://www.mixcloud.com/daracampb/episode-five-williams-lake/

A Riot Grrrl Love Letter To Local and BC Music

Hey sweet darlin' CFUR fans, It's no secret that this particular Riot Grrrl is in love with her scene here in Northern BC. This past summer I was lucky enough to attend several festivals in BC and like the years before they made me an even bigger fan than I was before.

I figured I would start off 2016 with a bunch of songs about love - love for music, and for people. New love, lust, old loves, true love, and the end of love, which always has something good in it if you look for it. My one true love is music, and my local scene, which has never failed to fill me up.

So enjoy my friends, and love freely.

yours truly,

Riot Grrrl #1

riotgrrrl@cfur.ca

[embed]https://www.mixcloud.com/C0untessbash0ry/a-love-letter-to-local-and-bc-music/[/embed]

New: Site C Dam Documentary - Peace Out

Everybody loves the knowledge network. Why?

Because we gain knowledge!

In this case, let's learn a little more about BC's food security, energy use, exportation, and our own energy habits. Do we want a dam on the Peace? Do you want a dam on the Peace? Whether the answers are yes or no, this film can fill in gaps that you may never knew existed...

Peace Out!