Up, up and away Approximately 550 hot air balloons take flight. Pages 6 & 7 MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2016
SPOKE
A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
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It’s time to speak up Vigil held to remember missing women. Page 2 47TH YEAR — NO. 17
PHOTOS BY DEEANNA ROLLINS
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes a mallet to a spigot in order to tap the official first keg of the 48th annual K-W Oktoberfest on Oct. 7. Approximately 700,000 people were expected to attend the festival.
Oktoberfest is ‘wunderbar’
BY NICOLE CLARK
Kitchener-Waterloo had an estimated 150,000 people line its streets Oct. 10 for the 48th annual Oktoberfest parade. Forty-six floats and marching bands travelled the parade route that stretched approximately five kilometres. Miss Oktoberfest, Onkel Hans and Tante Frieda were some of the stars at the event. Another star in attendance for the opening weekend of K-W Oktoberfest was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; he was there to kick off the festival with the official keg tapping on Oct. 7, which also included the first raising of the maypole. The K-W Oktoberfest Mobile
Maypole won the first-place festival award. It featured a tall pole with a wreath and Canadian flag which, after crowd encouragement, was raised into the air. Nine-year-oldOwen Kalbfleisch was asked which was his favourite parade float. “The one with the puppets,” he said. “Because they came up to us and started talking.” The parade filled the streets with colour, singing, dancing and German-based traditions. K-W’s Oktoberfest parade, held every Thanksgiving Monday, is more than just a way to entertain the kids and get some fresh, crisp October morning air. It is a tradition. Many families use this event
to bring their family together and celebrate. Danielle Kalbfleisch has been bringing her sons Lukas and Owen to the parade since they were born. When did she begin attending the Oktoberfest parade? “When I was, gosh, seven?” Danielle said. What keeps her returning year after year? “Just tradition and supporting KitchenerWaterloo and its German background; my German heritage.” Tradition was a sentiment felt throughout the large crowds lining the streets. Anna Alvarez, a native of Columbia, said, “I’ve been here for 27 years and I always come. I love it; it’s a tradition
to come here.” Family traditions are important, especially when it comes to the family business. This is true for Louis Tsiktsiris, a vendor who has walked the streets of the parade since he was eight. He would accompany his dad, selling popcorn and cotton candy to the eager children. Why does Tsiktsiris continue to bring his treat-filled cart to the parade each and every year? “There is hardly anyone left doing this,” he said. “It’s always busy. I’ve been coming here for 25 years.” There is also a collective feeling of togetherness that resonates with the attendees.
What is not to love about communities coming together in the name of tradition, heritage and family? Richard Friedrich, an Oktoberfest parade attendee for as long as he can remember, said what he enjoys about the event and also what draws him back every year is “all the gatherings and everybody getting together.” With all of the excitement surrounding Oktoberfest and the adult-driven festivities the event has to offer, families revel in the opportunity to gather together as a whole to celebrate the German history the community is built on.
and have our country’s attention. Canada and specifically Ontario need to be part of the green initiative and take some responsibility in furthering our economy and province in the right direction. They need to stop sidestepping the issues and deal with them head on.” Scrapping the climate change action plan, which was announced June 8, will save Ontarians approximately $2.45 from being added to their hydro bills each month. “I’ve been tasked to find ways to bring bills down,” Energy
Minister Glen Thibeault said in a Sept. 27 Toronto Star article. “When our experts said we didn’t need it, that’s when I acted.” An Ontario residential electricity bill with Hydro One is averaging around $240 per 1000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) yet the province has been producing excess power. Kesseta Black, a first-year broadcast journalism student said, “We have to push the government to subsidize it (hydro) because if we actually have it to the point where we are
exporting it and selling it, then we should find a way for our people to better afford it. The reason we are paying these high prices is because we have not went out there and started to yell and started to protest and do crazy things to make them get up out of their chairs and stop us. But if we just sit back and keep paying the bills, they’ll keep charging us the money.” While every hydro company has a basic monthly charge, energy charge per kWh and one or two other
service charges depending on the company, Hydro One ups their bills with a basic monthly charge, energy charge, line loss charge, regulatory charge and delivery charge. This last charge is made up of five smaller charges that total $82.66 per month, just a few dollars cheaper than the entire cost of 1000 kWh of Hydro Quebec’s electricity. All of Hydro One’s charges combined result in the price being nearly twice that of any other province.
FOR MORE PHOTOS AND STORIES ON OKTOBERFEST SEE PAGES 3, 10, 11 & 12
Was scrapping the renewable energy plan a Wynne? BY ROBERT JANES
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said the provincial government would like to see a decrease of approximately 10 megatonnes in the electricity sector’s gas emissions by 2020. However, this same government recently scrapped a plan to provide $3.8 billion for renewable energy sources. “It’s a step backwards,” said Bryan Flannery, a Conestoga second-year radio broadcast student. “Renewable energy needs to be at the forefront
NEWS
Page 2 s SPOKE
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, October 17, 2016
FILBERT CARTOONS
Would you rather: Never pay for anything, with all the money going to people like Donald Trump, OR win the lottery once a year, every year, but using the money causes someone innocent to go bankrupt? “Well, I don’t want Donald Trump to get the money. But I still want to be able to use it.” Laura Hulsman, second-year business marketing
“There’s no right choice. I really hate Donald Trump, but I have to say option one.” Erin Lehto, first-year nursing
“I think the first one, because I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Matthew Cocca, second-year software engineering
“That’s a doozy, oh man. I’ll go with two, I hate Donald Trump.” Connor Morgan, first-year journalism broadcast
“I like the money, but I feel bad. I wouldn’t want anyone to get bankrupt.” Shannon Clatworthy, first-year marketing
“As long as I still get the money. I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone. I mean, either way, someone gets screwed over.” Shelly Jamieson, second-year television broadcast
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Aboriginal women remembered in Guelph BY JOY STRUTHERS
Somber voices filled The Boathouse as Guelph residents gathered for a vigil in memory of Canada’s missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls Oct. 4. This Sisters in Spirit vigil was one of many held across Canada on this day. A small group of local drummers stood behind the building by the river and participated in a smudging ceremony to cleanse and bless. Organizers Kelly Grace and Jessica St. Peter from GuelphWellington Women in Crisis were proud to talk about this national issue at the fourth annual event. “The message we are trying to portray is that there are so many missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls across Canada we have to speak up. This can’t be happening anymore,” said Grace. The women gave emotional speeches and shared videos about aboriginal women and the challenges they face. A drum circle was led by Lois MacDonald, formerly of Conestoga College’s Aboriginal Services, who is from the Missanabie Cree First Nation. The circle sang and drummed a welcome song and then shared a blessing for the missing and fallen sisters. Women and men, young and old joined them. Local resident Dana Nuttley spoke about his ex-wife Denise Bourdeau, who was murdered before her 40th birthday. She left behind a large family to mourn her, including three children, Sean, Jessica and Brandon. “How do you tell your child that his mother has been missing for three weeks,” he said about his eldest son Sean. “All I could do was be there for support, and help pick up the pieces. And the pieces fell.” Bourdeau was found along the banks of the Grand River in Kitchener on April 17, 2007, having been missing since Dec. 31, 2006. Her death went unpunished until her abusive boyfriend was found guilty of
PHOTO BY JOY STRUTHERS
Kellie Grace frames herself in a missing person’s sign at the Sisters in Spirt vigil at The Boathouse in Guelph on Oct. 4. second-degree murder last year. David Thomas pleaded not guilty, but jurors were convinced he killed his girlfriend and dumped her body after drinking and dancing with her in a bar. Bourdeau’s family finally got their closure when Thomas received an automatic life sentence, but Nuttley’s son Sean still struggles every day. “My son fell into a deep depression,” said Nuttley. “Unwilling to talk about it or seek help he found solace in alcohol, leading to numerous arrests and many nights in jail … One senseless act of violence, and the ripples are immeasurable.” The cycle of depression and addiction is common amongst trauma survivors. “This is Sean’s story,” said Nuttley. “One of the thousands of survivors of the missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada.” Nuttley’s partner Stacey Godin and daughter Rylea accompanied him to the vigil
and Rylea shared a native American prayer she had connected with. I give you this one thought to keep I am with you still - I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow, I am sunlight on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awake in the morning’s hush I am the swift, uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not think of me as gone I am with you still - in each new dawn. – Anonymous Everyone left the building and walked across the bridge. Candles were lit and carried and the circle of people turned to face the four directions, in blessing and prayer for the sisters in spirit.
NEWS
Monday, October 17, 2016
Survival of the strongest
BY JAMES WELLS
You thought lifting all of that beer was going to be the hardest part about Oktoberfest? Try lifting hundreds of pounds of weight instead. The Bavarian Strongman Challenge has been an annual event for the past nine years at KitchenerWaterloo’s Oktoberfest. Ten athletes from all over Ontario came to take part in the event for a chance to be dubbed the strongest man and win $1,000. According to the event promoter, John Dungey of Powerfest Productions, this year was its first year to be hosted by the Concordia Club in Kitchener. Oktoberfest is well known for drawing a crowd, dancing to German music and yes, of course, the beer. However, on Oct. 8, the day after the keg was tapped, Oktoberfest got pretty hot and heavy. According to Sam Dube, strongman coach and announcer, the challenges that the athletes faced were based on “survival events.” “I’ve been a strength coach for over 25 years now and I’ll tell you this, some of the most difficult and challenging but beneficial strength events are the strongman events,” he said. Some athletes participate every year. “This is my fourth season competing,” said Karl Hjelholt, this year’s winner of the strongman challenge. For some, it is a new experience. “I just saw a flyer on Thursday (Oct. 6). I called John on the Friday (Oct. 7). I was like ‘Can I just jump in?’
He asked me what my back squats and deadlifts were. I told him and he’s like ‘Yes, you should be fine,’ and now I’m here,” said Matt Gibson, a first-time competitor. The event consisted of five challenges – a farmers walk, tire flip, log press, super yoke and atlas stone pentagon – each having its own set of rules and style of workout. Each of the athletes had a chance to get 50 points in total, 10 points per challenge. Points were awarded depending on which place athletes finished in, in each challenge – from 10 points for first place to one point for last place, as long as the challenge was completed. For the farmers walk, tire flip and super yoke, if the athletes were unable to finish the challenge due to injury, fatigue or the given time was exceeded, the distance from where the weights or tire were dropped would be measured and scored appropriately. The first challenge of the day began with the farmers walk. This involved athletes carrying 275 pounds of weight in each hand and walking 90 feet, then going around a pylon, and walking back, all within 90 seconds. It was a tough challenge to start with too. Half of the athletes were unable to finish. The tire flip was challenge number two. This was a full body workout, getting the athletes to use both their lower and upper body strength. It involved athletes flipping a large tire that weighed 825 pounds. Each athlete needed to get the tire past the 90-foot mark within 90 seconds. This time six out of the 10 athletes were able to finish the full 90 feet.
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PHOTO BY JAMES WELLS
John Costa, one of 10 athletes at this year’s strongman challenge, lifts a 250-pound log high above his head as fellow competitor, Matt Gibson (left) cheers him on during the log press challenge. Challenge number three was the log press, a movement that consisted of three fluid motions. Athletes had to squat down, grab a 250-pound log designed specifically for the competition, lift it onto their shoulders and then thrust it up over their heads. In order for a single log press to count, each athlete needed to hold the log up for at least a second. Number four was the super yoke, which involved athletes lifting 740 pounds in weight that was distributed evenly behind the neck and across the shoulders. The athletes needed to successfully lift the weight over their shoulders, walk 90 feet and finish the
PHOTO BY JAMES WELLS
This year’s Bavarian Strongman Challenge athletes were: (top row from left) Matt Gibson, Lance Lavallee, Wes Derwinsky, Eric Rautenberg, Eddie Warne, Jordan Foley, (bottom row from left) Karl Hjelholt, Chris Racknor, Sean Bates and John Costa.
challenge within 90 seconds. The atlas stone pentagon, the final challenge, was the cherry on top. It involved athletes lifting five globeshaped stones onto five separate pedestals within 60 seconds. Each stone had its own designated weight, ranging from 200 pounds up to 360. Before each challenge could continue, the athletes needed some time to recover. This was the perfect time for the volunteers and organizers to have a kids’ challenge. After rounds one and three, Dube called upon any young boys and girls from four to eight years old to take part in a small tire flipping challenge.
All of the children were able to successfully flip their tires, making everyone a winner. Oktoberfest events, of course, wouldn’t be the same without some traditional Oktoberfest performances that included the Black Forest band and the Prince of Polka. Oktoberfest food and drink, including beer, were also in abundance. Dube said he has great respect for the athletes, because of how difficult it is to compete in these events. “You can’t help but respect it (the sport) and understand what these men and women are really trying to do, how difficult it is to lift these objects,” he said.
PHOTO BY JAMES WELLS
Karl Hjelholt, this year’s winner of the strongman challenge, fights through the pain as he trudges toward the 90-foot finish line during the super yoke challenge.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, October 17, 2016
Theft of shopping carts a problem
Seeing shopping carts on the sidewalks and roads every day is not a new thing. The carts are deserted after being taken for joyrides or being used to transport groceries home. They are a hindrance to walkers and drivers. A solution to this problem has to arrive soon as it is getting out of hand. In Hamilton, contractors were hired to hunt down the carts and bring them back to stores. According to a 2011 article in the Hamilton Spectator, a Food Basics grocery store had close to 200 carts a year go missing. The stolen carts are either abandoned in the streets, collected for scrap or are vandalized. Some stores attached a GPS system to track them down, while others installed either a coin system or wheel-locking mechanisms in attempt to reduce the thefts, but it didn’t change for the better. In July, two Toronto men were arrested twice in one night after they were found with two shopping carts of meat being stolen from an Oshawa grocery store. Store owners have invested hundreds of dollars to buy carts, but we, as customers, don’t appreciate it. Instead, those who take the carts make the rest of us pay, since store owners recoup the cost by charging more for their products. It is a criminal offence to take the carts without the owner’s consent. People should be mature enough to put a cart back if they must use it to take groceries home. Just like a parent who instructs a child to put their toys back where they belong, so should a person put the cart back. People have asked councillors to fine people who take carts $5,000, but Coun. Bill Armstrong is concerned whether it might affect the poor as they would have to pay this amount if they were found with one. Kitchener Coun. John Gazzola has introduced a motion asking city staff to find a solution to the problem. They are expected to report back to council in early 2017. But, should we need to wait until someone gives us an instruction manual to follow? The answer is simple — return carts to the place they belong — it’s not that difficult. The views herein represent the position of the newspaper, not necessarily the author
Letters are welcome Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contacted for verification. No unsigned letters will be published. Letters should be no longer
than 500 words. Spoke reserves the right to edit any letter for publication. Address correspondence to: The Editor, Spoke, 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4
U.S. presidential candidates need to stop acting like babies.
Choose ecology over economy
Warm weather and sunny skies are often considered a great forecast for summer. But with record high temperatures set around the world, including at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, which had its hottest day in 78 years, it has become too much of a good thing. This past season saw people scrambling to find an airconditioned sanctuary or a pool during the seemingly endless heat waves. It saw farmers struggling to grow crops during a vicious drought and towns across southern Ontario forced to place regulations on water usage due to residents needing to care for their lawns so much. This intense dry spell and so much more can be directly attributed to climate change, which human’s greenhouse gases are responsible for. ”It’s never looked uglier in some parts because the grass is pretty well dead and the trees are suffering from a lack of moisture,” Dave Phillips, Environment Canada’s senior climatologist, said in a CBC news article. Meanwhile, as if to emphasize the unnatural order of things, on much of Canada’s west coast, where dryness is often the norm, torrential rains and a higher number of tornadoes were
Andrew Benney
Opinion recorded. Phillips called it, “too much weather.” It’s not pure chance that these ecological problems have begun to affect the world. The massive obsession with materialistic things that grips people has caused them to forget how mankind is part of a larger whole. People have to learn how to coexist with all other living things and how to properly prepare the world for future generations of humans. As of now all they’ll be receiving is a planet in shambles. To fix this, societies around the globe would have to fully denounce industrial culture. It would have to be demanded of international governing bodies that a sustainable use of natural resources, regardless of public demand for product, should be put in place. Earth Overshoot Day (EOD) is the date each year when humanity’s yearly consumption of resources outweighs its
ability to reproduce those resources within the same year. This year that date fell on Aug. 8, the earliest ever. This means that during a time when preserving raw materials should take precedence, humans will be using resources that are impossible to replace for 145 days. Doug Tompkins, cofounder of brands The North Face and Esprit, said in a 2013 article in The Guardian that, “The computer is a mechanism for acceleration. It accelerates economic activity and this is eating up the world. It’s eating up resources, it’s processing, it’s manufacturing, it’s distributing, it’s consuming. That’s what the computer’s real work does and it does that 24/7, 365 days a year, non-stop just to satisfy our own narrow needs.” It is simply a fact that it is not possible to sustain this type of living for much longer. Drastic change in consumer mentality and a retraction of global support for products or companies that don’t care about their ecological footprint is required. Basically, humanity needs to rethink its priorities. After all, what is technology without a planet to use it on?
SPOKE
IS PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE Editor: Joy Struthers Assignment Editor: Scott Blinkhorn Advertising Manager: DeeAnna Rollins Spoke Online Editors: Matthew Evangelista, Andrew Benney
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Monday, October 17, 2016
NEWS
Fawning over flora what invasive species are and given a large wrench to go remove the buckthorn plants, which were being called the invasive species. They used the wrenches to clamp onto the small shrubs and pull them out of the ground, including the roots. Buckthorn is an actual invasive species. Native to Eurasia, it was brought to North America during the 1880s and is invading a lot of our native species today. Many of the days’ activities were based around trees.
BY RILEY LINSEMAN
The Waterloo Region Museum, in co-operation with various forestry officials from the area, have been putting on an annual Forest Festival for four years to date. This year the festival was a two-day educational program on Oct. 6 and 7 for Grade 6 and 7 students, teaching them about the environment. Over 400 students attended, according to Dave Neufeld, education co-ordinator of the museum. The event featured presentations and hands-on activities including information on forest ecosystems, stewardship, conservation, species at risk and the impacts of climate change. The day included all sorts of fun activities and games for the children, some even taking place in the village buildings. The heritage village includes a wide variety of old-time, 1914 businesses, even a train station that has a schedule from the year. Some other businesses include a blacksmith’s shop, where kids were shown how to forge some tools like a chisel, a pick and horseshoes; a meat shop where butchering techniques were discussed (but there was no graphic content), a carpeting shop, a repair shop and a general market. Everything is nice and cosy and convenient, and oh-sodifferent from modern times. “It’s like a whole different world inside the new world,” said Duncan Wey, an employee at the museum who was teaching the kids about leather working. Wey loves the time he spends in the village. He’s a big believer in the ways of old. “Everything today is made to be thrown away … Back then they built things to last.” But there’s so much more than just the heritage
PHOTO BY RILEY LINSEMAN
Russ Pound, one of the interpreters who dress in authentic 1914 clothing at Waterloo Region Museum’s Doon Heritage Village, trimmed logs during a Forest Festival Oct. 6 and 7.
village to enjoy at the festival. Activities for the children were everywhere, including in the village, up into some old homes which were once actually lived in, and even farther out into the forested outskirts of the museum’s property. One of the first activities, before even entering the village was Oh! Deer – a unique take on tag where one student is chosen from the group to be a hunter, or rather a pioneer; because deer aren’t the only thing the seekers are after. The rest of the group stands with their backs toward the seeker and make shapes with their hands to illustrate which
essential resource they are. Hands together in a triangle over their head represented shelter, fingers for antlers represented deer (or food) and there was another symbol for water. After being told what resource they were, the seeker was sent off and the other kids were told to turn around and show which resource they were. Later, the volunteers announced that the game was over because all the deer went extinct and explained to the kids what extinction is. After returning to the village, the children took part in Buckthorn. This activity elaborated on their lesson about invasive species. They were given an example of
BYE-BYE FALL FESTIVAL PIE Conestoga Students Inc. handed out apple and pumpkin pie in the lower Atrium on Oct. 6 as part of their fall festival that helped to raise money for CSI’s food bank. PHOTO BY BRANDY FULTON
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Participants learned how to determine when and why trees should be cut down, and that there are restrictions. If a tree is over 16 centimetres in diameter, it can’t be cut down. Trees that thick tend to be older and their wood is not as durable. Plus, it can be a danger to the people cutting down the trees and the ecosystems around them. There were a total of 22 activities in all, so many that not even the kids on the trip could participate in them all.
FEATURE
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Monday, October 17, 2016 The burners inside hot air balloons are fired off at the 2016 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Flyers fill the sky at fiesta BY ROLAND FLEMING
Looking up to the sky, a scarecrow, a fire hydrant and a dragon can all be seen floating by. It seems like a bizarre dream, a fantasy world, but it’s not. It really happens. It has been called the most photographed event in the world. It is a gathering of people from many nations, all coming together to take to the skies. It is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest hot air balloon festival in the world. Up to 100,000 people can be found within the park on any given day of the festival. Last year the total attendance was almost a million people. Several hundred of those were the pilots and crew who were in charge of flying and retrieving the approximately 550 hot air balloons that were registered to fly this year. Pilots from 20 different countries were in attendance. Many were from Canada while others came from faraway places such as Taiwan, Australia, countries all around Europe and a couple from South America. A typical day at the fiesta started around five in the morning. Hundreds of vehicles drive out onto the launch field to their designated launch site. As you can imagine the launch sites are quite close together to accommodate the massive number of balloons that will ascend in quick succession. At 6 a.m. the daily laser light show begins. Colourful laser beams cross the field in sync with music that plays across the park. Every morning, before the
mass ascension begins, the pilots attend a briefing in which they talk about the current weather conditions. They discuss when and if they will be able to take off that morning. Once they are given the green light they start what is called “cold inflation” where cold air is blown in from large fans to partially inflate the balloons. As the balloons inflate they bump up against each other and the space between them is swallowed up. When given permission by the launch directors they will take off and join the mass ascension to decorate the sky. At the festival a launch director is called a “zebra” and can be found dressed in black and white. The first to take off in the morning are the balloons called the dawn patrol. This group inflates their balloons and take off before the sun rises. Next up are the ride balloons. Inside these balloons are the paying passengers who get to experience the sight of the fiesta from the air. All of the other balloons will take off shortly after that. A lot of these balloons are small, non-commercial ones that people are just flying for fun, but there are also what are called “shapes.” These balloons have a nontraditional shape. This could be anything from a diamond to some sort of animal or even Darth Vader. The organizers pay for “shapes” to fly in the festival based on what they think people want to see. Once the balloons are aloft, that is when the chase begins. Most people have seen a hot
air balloon in the sky. What they don’t see is what happens once they land. As well as having a pilot, every balloon has a chase crew. For most crews the festival is a very different experience. “The main difference is the safety conditions, there is a lot more people … a lot of people around your fans and around your lines and your balloon, everybody wants to get in there and get the picture, so you have to do crowd control,” said crew member Mackenzie Wilson. The fiesta is also a different experience for many of the pilots. But instead of working with the crowds on the ground, they are working with the crowds in the air. “When you’re flying a balloon, you want to be focused … when you’re having 600 balloons around you … it’s not normal. It doesn’t happen every day,” said balloon pilot Chinthaka Jayasinghe, who was participating at the event for the first time. “Just fly your balloon … do your job right,” said Jayasinghe. Although there is a lot happening in the air and on the ground, the most important thing is to just keep focused on the task of flying. After the pilots have taken off, chase crews must fight through the crowds to exit the launch field. One crew member will walk in front of the vehicle to clear the way for the driver, making sure no bystanders get hit. Crews must simultaneously keep a close eye on their balloons amongst the hundreds of
others in the sky. Using radio communication and GPS they will try to meet their pilots upon landing. They also help to inform their pilot of any balloons that are flying above them. Once they locate their pilots, they will pack up their equipment and return to the park. But this is often easier said than done. Some landings are smooth with easy vehicle access and other landings can be a little rougher. “We hit the ground … we started tipping over due to winds … a camera flew off someone’s neck … then the entire basket slid over it … totally ripping it to pieces,” said Wilson, of one of their landings during the festival. But losing a camera is certainly not the worst that can happen. On the first day of the festival two balloons hit powerlines and a couple more hit trees. Fortunately no serious injuries were reported at the festival this year. Local balloons repair shops were kept busy repairing the many rips and tears that occurred. Rough landings are not the only problem for balloonists though. Road and property access can also present challenges. “We ended up going down a few roads that had dead ends and were blocked off due to the festival,” said Wilson. There are many areas that a balloon can land in that may not have easy vehicle access. Some fields are gated and locked with padlocks. Albuquerque police are kept busy working as escorts for chase crews and dealing with any issues that may arise between balloonists
and landowners. After the mass ascension there is usually some competitive ballooning. Different games are played where pilots are scored on their accuracy for different tasks. It may be trying to land in a specific spot or dropping something out of the balloon to hit a target. After the morning, balloons are usually grounded until the evening because weather conditions are not ideal for flying. During the day there are plenty of vendors around the park to check out. In the evenings they have balloon glows. Balloons will not take off, but will stand upright on the ground. Pilots then will put fire into the balloon and dozens of balloons will all flicker together like lightbulbs. They time their burns far enough apart so that the balloons stay grounded. They do not want to be taking off in the night because powerlines cannot be seen in the dark. So what does a day working at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta look like? “Insanity … It’s super crowded and a lot of fun,” said Wilson. “Flying in the festival, it’s like a dream come true … to fly in that, it’s an achievement,” said Jayasinghe. And that is just a peek into what happens in a day at the world’s largest hot air balloon festival. It is a spectacular sight to behold. The best way to experience it though, is to see it. The festival is held at the beginning of October each year for nine days.
Monday, October 17, 2016
FEATURE
Clockwise from top left: A pilot lights off his burners in the night sky at the 2016 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, Oct. 1 - 9; Balloons prepare to take off from a crowded launch site; A cow-shaped balloon floats by; A balloon lands within the city, Darth Vader and Yoda face off; A dog floats amongst many others; A Wells Fargo balloon lifts off into the sky; Pilot Chinthaka Jayasinghe inflates his balloon; Balloons wait for the green light to join the mass ascension; A frog leaps across the sky. PHOTOS BY ROLAND FLEMING
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Singers are given ‘a shot’
BY BRANDY FULTON
The fourth season of the singing competition The Shot is coming to Kitchener this November. With over 200 contestants, this season will be the most intense and best season yet. The Shot was started in 2014 by C.J. Allen, who is the executive director of the competition. He used to live abroad in South Korea where he worked as a professional in the entertainment and music industry; That country had a singing competition to bring students together and when Allen returned to Canada, he knew that he wanted to do something in KitchenerWaterloo to unify the region and its students. “There is all kinds of talent, not just in KitchenerWaterloo, but all over Canada,” said Chris Hussey, digital content specialist for The Shot. After three seasons, this year’s competition will be the first that is open to everyone over the age of 16, not just University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College students. Hussey said there are only 15-20 performers from the region; the rest are either from other cities in Ontario or from outside the country.
One person is even from the Bahamas. Contestants were able to apply online for the competition and will participate in the first round of auditions on Nov. 4 and 5. The semifinals and finals will be live streamed on the Internet for friends and family who are not able to make it to the competition. Co-ordinators for the event have made it clear they will not broadcast the event on TV. “We want to make it more about the talent and less about the show,” said Hussey. Last year contestants were allowed to have another person on stage with them playing an instrument, but that is no longer allowed. Hussey said, “The show remains a solo event because it’s all about promoting confidence in the performers.” The finals will be held on Nov. 26, with a time and location still to be determined. The winner will receive opportunities to start their music career and $25,000. Co-ordinators of The Shot encourage residents of the tri-city area to come out to the live event and support competitors, but, if that is not possible, to watch the live stream at www.eventastic.com
Monday, October 17, 2016 NEWS URBAN SKETCHERS CO-FOUNDER SHOWS OFF ART PIECES
PHOTO BY MEGHAN WEATHERALL
Brenda Murray, one of the founders of the Kitchener-Waterloo Urban Sketchers group, poses with art pieces at their third annual art show held at Kitchener City Hall on Oct. 6. The group was founded in 2013. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
THE HOCKEY BATTLE BEGINS
PHOTO BY ANDREW BENNEY
Conestoga College’s intramural hockey season kicked off Oct. 3. The Dan So team was victorious over the Individuals 1 on Oct. 5 at the Activa Sportsplex, moving them into first place overall. Above, two Conestoga students battle for the puck.
FUN & GAMES
Monday, October 17, 2016
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Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of October 17, 2016
Crocodiles can’t stick their tongues out.
Aries
Typewriter is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
March 21 April 19 Today you’re going to become the you that you’ve always wanted to be. You must be open and honest about yourself, and be confident in decisions that you’ve made.
Taurus April 20 May 20
Turn a new page in the book of your life, starting by prioritizing those around you, and appreciating life for what it is.
Gemini May 21 June 21
Now could be the time for a friend who you used to be close with to answer a difficult question.
Cancer June 22 July 22
If a younger person gives you a suggestion you hadn’t considered, contemplate it. Go with your instinct on this one.
Leo
July 23 August 22 Consider making time to listen to a new radio station. Also, you’ll realize that which you’ve been seeking.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 Nobody is going to tell you what to do. You’ll have to decide that for yourself, and today may be your day to decide.
Libra
September 23 October 22
A cat’s jaw cannot move sideways.
You’ll remember something from your childhood that will make you think about how you treat those who are closest to you. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
Scorpio
Elephants are the only animal that cannot jump.
October 23 November 21 If it’s a time of uncertainty in your life, then think it out and do the right thing. Realize that you can’t win every battle, but you can always do your best.
Sudoku Puzzle
Sagittarius November 22 December 21
Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1-9, without repeating any.
Are you wondering about rekindling an old flame? Now is a turning point, and the past could finally be let go.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
If you need guidance, then don’t put it off. When in doubt, consult someone wiser than you.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
This week you have the choice to make a new start for yourself. To start, just look out for the people around you and appreciate each moment for what it is.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 You should give someone you love a word of encouragement. Answering questions for others will answer questions for yourself, and the answers will become clearer.
Ephram Strange dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension on a regular basis. He also enjoys young adult novels and taxidermy.
Word Search
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FEATURE
Monday, October 17, 2016
Oktoberfest parade floats
Ten marching bands participated in the parade including one from the City of Burlington (above) and the Falun Dafa marching band (below). The parade was also host to 36 floats that made their way down the route for the hour and a halflong event. A returning crowd favourite was the inflated Kitchener Ranger (left), crouched and ready for any opponent to come his way.
Photos by Nicole Clark
Monday, October 17, 2016
FEATURE
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through Kitchener-Waterloo
The Oktoberfest Mobile Maypole, above, a float carrying a tall pole with a wreath and Canadian flag which was raised into the air after crowd encouragement, won the first place festival award. Below, the City of Burlington’s marching band carried their flags with concentration and precision.
Onkel Hans was present throughout the parade in more than one form; the giant, inflated Hans had to duck under the street lights as he passed. Above, Hans stands on a float in a traditional Oktoberfest hat. Lukas, Owen and Danielle Kalbfleisch, below right, were spectators at the parade. Danielle has been bringing her sons to the Thanksgiving Day festival since they were born, attending herself since she was seven years old.
Monday, October 17, 2016 NEWS OKTOBERFEST HAD LOTS TO DRINK AND EAT
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PHOTO BY SHARON SAMUEL
Hungry Oktoberfest participants could purchase a sausage on a bun, a cookie and a drink for $5. Above, Sandra Brook (from left), Coun. John Gazzola and Libby Pease sell tickets for the meal. Proceeds went to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region.
PHOTO BY SHAFAQ PARWEZ
The crowd eagerly awaits the arrival of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Kitchener City Hall on Oct. 8. Trudeau was in Kitchener to perform the annual Oktoberfest keg tapping, which officially kicked off Canada’s largest Bavarian festival.
Katrina Snider, left, an event management student at Conestoga College, drops a freshly cooked stack of pancakes off to a fellow Conestoga student at the 35th annual Oktoberfest breakfast at Bingemans in Kitchener on Oct. 8. Above, Professor Phillipe Saraiva of Conestoga College’s culinary arts program flips pancakes with Conestoga grad Janessa Good at the Oktoberfest breakfast. For video story, visit www.spokeonline.com. PHOTOS BY SCOTT BLINKHORN
Participants line up to shoot at the second Oktoberfest archery tournament, called the Running Boar, on Oct. 9. Many archers showed up to take part in the contest during a sunny and cold Sunday morning. For video story, visit www. spokeonline.com. PHOTO BY MELODIE LARIVIERE