Amy Blanding, releases controversial single despite backlash

In April 2024, local musician Amy Blanding performed a song that would completely disrupt her life, eight months later she’s finally prepared to release that song, Sunbirds, on January 31st.

Known for her material that challenges authority and demands change, this track took aim at global powers, our own government, and ourselves. Blanding describes her efforts to outline the ways in which we are all complicit in the oppression of others, and bring attention to Palestinians affected by conflict between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force. 

She felt the backlash though, including her removal from her post at Northern Health. She countered with a lawsuit and told CFUR News, “Again, I consider it my responsibility to use the stage that I have to share those stories and make space for those voices. Sunbirds is the same.”

Sunbirds is available January 31st on her Bandcamp page with all proceeds going to Wear the Peace. - Ian Gregg, CFUR Due North

Story also available on frequency news, 88.7 FM in Prince George—Lheidli T’enneh, and cfur.ca/listen-live Mon-Fri 7:30am & 5pm PST

CFUR Radio Society’s journalist, Ian Gregg is funded by the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) through the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC).

The Great Planetary Alignment Arrives To Prince George Skies, provides solid month of great date nights

Across the skies of Prince George - Lheidli T’enneh the planets are quite literally aligning, in a celestial event known as the Great Planetary Alignment. Visible planetary alignments are somewhat common but you do have to wait for them, as the next one of note is in 2040. Speaking to CFURadio on the topic is Malhar Kendurkar, President of The Prince George Astronomical Society, who has spent less than a lightyear viewing the cosmos through the lens of the Prince George Observatory west of town near Nadsilnich, or West, Lake.

While viewing times are optimal now, the phenomenon should remain visible until about mid February. If you can’t make it out to the observatory for one of their 7pm Friday evening open-houses, Kendurkar recommends looking to the SW, and viewing the planets through a typical pair of binoculars, as they greatly amplify your ability to see Uranus and Neptune.

The Great Planetary Alignment is represented virtually with Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Saturn visible in the image which represents the SW corner of the sky, at 6:15pm January 24th.  Night skies over our region will look very similar provided visibility is clear until late February. - - Ian Gregg, CFUR, Due North

Starry Night Picture Credit - stellarium-web.org

Observatory Pic Credit - https://pgrasc.org/wp/

Story also available on frequencynews.ca, 88.7 FM in Prince George—Lheidli T’enneh, and cfur.ca/listen-live Mon-Fri 7:30am & 5pm PST

CFUR Radio Society’s journalist, Ian Gregg is funded by the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) through the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC).

CN centre 30th anniversary celebrations include a paint job - 20250122

It applies to most objects, that after 30 years of use, it’s time for a fresh coat of paint. That’s the philosophy manager Glen Mikkelsen applies to the city’s largest venue, the CN Centre, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary with a bright new look and a splashy mural executed by local artist Mercedes Minck.

The old forest green of the HVAC system and steel girders have had their brightness level dialed up to a clean cream hue. A lone vacant wall remained after the makeover, begging to be filled with something beautiful. That’s where Minck stepped in with her brush and palette.

Now rivers, hills, forests, skies, and the critters that inhabit them (including humans) are represented. She took a macro perspective on the community when creating the piece, “It’s just based on the community of Prince George, our wildlife, and how we sit in the natural world.”

Story also available on frequencynews.ca, 88.7 FM in Prince George—Lheidli T’enneh, and cfur.ca/listen-live Mon-Fri 7:30am & 5pm PST

CFUR Radio Society’s journalist, Ian Gregg is funded by the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) through the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC).

BANDCAMP