Ice time stays
An unusual amount of stress boiled in stomachs during the final game of the best-of-seven series between Alberni Valley Bulldogs and Nanaimo Clippers, Wednesday evening, March 11. At stake was ice time at Hap Parker Arena.
Powell River Regals have a best-of-three series against Williams Lake Stampeders booked for Hap Parker at 7:30 pm on both Friday and Saturday, and 1:30 pm Sunday if necessary, this weekend.
Had the Bulldogs pulled off an upset on Wednesday night and won the deciding game in their first round of playoffs, Powell River Kings would have been hosting the Dogs at Hap Parker Friday and Saturday evenings.
Smiles returned to organizers’ faces when Nanaimo pulled through with a 3-1 win in its final game. As Nanaimo was above the Kings in standings after regular season play, it will host the first two games of series two against the Kings, Friday and Saturday night.
For the Kings, they played six games against the Grizzlies to win in a heart-stopping double-overtime decision in Victoria, Tuesday, March 10.
Scoring his first ever BC Hockey League goal, Kings’ defenceman Colton Sandberg sealed the deal to send his time into the next round of playoffs.
Assisted by Carmine Buono, Sandberg found himself just forward of the blue line with a direct shot on goal. He shot and scored, leaving the Grizzlies out cold.
Alex Rawnsley, Kings broadcaster, wrote in his blog: “I called it. In the 1st overtime session I mentioned something along the lines of ‘Your logical choice for an OT winner would be [Jacob] Pritchard, [Kurt] Keats or [Jarid Lukosevicius]...but for a fairytale finish, Colton Sandberg.’ What a goal it was.”
Kings and Clippers play games one and two of their best-of-seven series at 7 pm Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, in Nanaimo, with games three and four at 7 pm Monday and Tuesday at Hap Parker. Fans can tune in to live play action on the Kings’ website.
Training help
Single parents across the province will see a change to assistance levels after September 2015.
In a press release, the ministry of social development and social innovation and ministry of children and family development announced changes to its income and disability assistance program. The change will allow single parents to train for a “meaningful job” while staying on assistance for up to 12 months.
The province is investing $24.5 million over five years to provide the opportunity to align skills and training for single parents wishing to re-enter the workforce.
The initiative will have the capacity of helping up to 16,000 single parents transition back into today’s workforce. Supports include “tuition and education costs for approved training programs that last up to 12 months for in-demand jobs; transportation costs to and from school; and full child-care costs during training,” states the release. In addition, parents who are eligible for a child-care subsidy, will receive full child-care costs for up to one year after they enter the workforce. Health supplement coverage will also be retained.
More information about the Single Parent Employment Initiative is available online.
Bill C-51 rally
Powell River residents concerned with the federal government’s proposed anti-terrorism legislation, Bill C-51, are organizing a rally as part of a national day of action.
Alfred Muma, one of several local organizers, said the rally is being organized for 10 am on Saturday, March 14, at Willingdon South, as part of Defend our Freedom National Day of Action.
Across the country people are concerned that the proposed legislation provides expanded powers for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), lacks sufficient oversight by legislators and could open the door to abuse. The bill proposes to give CSIS greater ability to monitor for potential national security threats for both domestic and international terrorists, with less oversight.
