Calgary musicians inspire food drive, Saskatchewan sets new record for tornadoes in 2012, Edmonton’s new bylaw, and Winnipeggers pay it forward
An afternoon of music for a good cause
Calgary musicians prove that the spirit of giving should continue after Christmas with their first annual Mountain of Food Festival. Blues musician Kirby Sewell and Folk artist Brent Tyler want to take giving to new heights, their own. Tyler who is 7-feet tall and Sewell who is 6 feet 6 inches are using their own stature for how high they want the mountain of food donated to be.
This all ages afternoon of music in support of the Calgary Food Bank will take place on January 12th from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Along with Sewell and Tyler, other musicians to name a few will include the sultry vocal and bass duo Lisa & Jocelyn, the SKA-soul band JK and the relays, and old style big delta band the 6L6’s.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children and all those going are encouraged to bring a case of non-perishable food items to help build a mountain of food bigger than the men behind this event.
Ain’t No Sunshine/ Kirby Sewell Band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47U-V5O7BIs
Source: http://beaconnews.ca/blog/2012/12/mountain-of-food-festival-in-support-of-calgary-food-bank/
Saskatchewan sees 33 tornadoes in 2012
Saskatchewan has set a new record for the amount of tornadoes ever to touch down in a year. During the summer of 2012, 33 what are known as F-0 tornadoes (meaning they cause little damage), tore through Saskatchewan, beating the previous record of 32, according to Environment Canada meteorologist John Paul Cragg. In comparison, Alberta saw seven during the summer of 2012, Manitoba only saw three.
“One of the difficulties with judging the strength of tornadoes, is that we use a scale that has to do with damage,” says Cragg. “If a tornado doesn’t hit anything, it’s really hard to tell how strong that tornado is.”
Cragg says that many photos of the tornadoes that touched town in Saskatchewan went viral and believes that with the growing population, and the amount of people with cameras more tornadoes were sighted.
Records show that most of these 33 tornadoes happened from June 15th until the end of July.
Source: http://ckom.com/story/2012-review-record-number-tornados-tear-across-saskatchewan/88303
Edmonton’s new bylaw puts limit on vehicle idling
With the New Year comes a new bylaw that puts a time limit on vehicle idling in Edmonton. The bylaw was passed by city council in May 2012 and became effective as of January 1st, 2013. When the temperature is above zero, vehicles are no longer permitted to idle longer than 5 minutes per half hour. Vehicles licensed for public transport such as ambulances, taxis and school buses, however, will be exempt.
“It’s intended, like other bylaws we pass, as a statement about what’s important to our city,” says Coun. Don Iveson. “Clean air matters and the health of vulnerable citizens matters. There will not be idling police enforcing this.”
While the bylaw takes effect on January 1, according to the community standards branch manager David Atkins, enforcement on it will remain lax until signage is posted designated what are exactly no idling zones. The fine for violating this new bylaw will be $250, but it is said that tickets will only be issued as a last resort.
Source: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Edmonton+anti+idling+bylaw+effect/7761654/story.html
Winnipeggers pay it forward 228 times over at Tim Hortons drive-thru
Winnipeggers are known for their generosity and it was a double-double dose of kindness at one Winnipeg Tim Hortons just days before Christmas. On December 21st at the Beaverhill Blvd. location the domino effect of do-gooders started around 10 a.m. when for three hours 228 people picked up the tab for the people in line behind them.
Michelle Robichaud, the spokeswoman for Tim Hortons says while paying it forward at Timmie’s isn’t uncommon, they had never seen anything like this.
“It was an avalanche of kindness,” says Robichaud. “There was a lot of excitement inside the restaurant. Staff was shouting out numbers like, “It’s up to 147!”
The good deed chain was finally broken at order #228 when the driver pulled away only paying for their own order. Robichaud was unsure what sparked the motivation for this. International Pay it Forward Day is on April 25, 2013.
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Chadd Cawson is an intern at Spectator Tribune. Follow him at: @ChaddCawson
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