The Converged Citizen - February 26, 2015.

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CONVERGED CITIZEN

VOLUME X ISSUE 11

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FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Dating after divorce

Firefighters respond to Windsor house fire

Mark Brown Citizen Staff Reporter As the afterglow of Valentine’s Day begins to fade, members of a divorce support group heard advice from relationship coaches.

Half a dozen women gathered in Sobey’s Community Room in St. Clair Beach Feb. 17 to hear the dos and don’ts about relationships at a meeting sponsored by Divorced Divas, a support group for women affected by divorce.

Kaysandra Curtis, president and founder of the group, said the purpose of the event was to give encouragement to divorced women who are considering dating again and the tools to help them get the process started.

“It’s so important to create a

Photo by Mark Brown A firefighter pauses during a working blaze in the 700 block of Windsor Avenue. Crews were called to the house shortly after 6 a.m. and found flames shooting from the basement of the home. Damage was extensive but there were no injuries.

SEE PAGE 1

Everest College closure leaves students shocked Justin Prince Citizen Staff Reporter

Photo by Justin Prince Bobby Knight (right), a 25-year-old personal support worker student at Everest College, hugs his classmate Amanda Hunter, 27, after finding out about the closure of the college at their campus on Ouellette Avenue in Windsor Feb. 19.

An independent regulator has suspended operations for all 14 Everest College campuses in Ontario, leaving Windsor students shocked and furious.

The superintendent of private career colleges announced Feb. 19 they would suspend the college’s operating license in the province “for the protection of its current and future students” and because the superintendent was “no longer satisfied that Everest could be expected to be financially responsible in the operation of a private

career college and in the offering of its vocational programs.”

Under the Private Career Colleges Act, the superintendent, who is a private independent statutory regulator in charge of more than 420 private career colleges within the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, is able to suspend any PCC license if they are no longer satisfied it can financially operate as a private career college.

Corinthian Colleges Inc., which owns Everest College, had been attempting to sell all the campuses

SEE PAGE 1

NEWS

CONVERGED CITIZEN2 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Tax filing, trying time for many Rabiul Biplob Citizen Staff Reporter

Many taxpayers find it difficult to choose how to submit their income tax return and find the constantly changing rules make it complicated.

Many also don’t understand why they should submit an income tax return. They also find it confusing to decide whether to submit online, use software or ask for help from an income tax consultant.

People who have no income are often unsure of whether they need to file a tax return.

“Even if one has no income to report or tax to pay, one may be eligible for certain payments. In order to receive these payments, one must file a return,” said Monsur Elahi, a tax consultant in Windsor.

He said an income tax return must be submitted to receive the HST/GST credit, Canada Child Tax Benefit

payments and other provincial or territorial tax credits. Elahi also said it is important for people to get advice from an expert. If people can’t afford a tax consultant there are free clinics available.

The University of Windsor has a free consultation and support centre where international students can go to get answers about submitting their income tax return.

There are other volunteers who help individuals with their problems with filing income tax returns such as Community Volunteer Income Tax Return. CVITP works with the Canada Revenue Agency. The organizations host tax preparation clinics and arrange for volunteers to prepare income tax and benefit returns for eligible individuals who have a modest income and a simple tax situation.

Azharul Chowdhury works in a factory as a technician

Photo by Rabiul Biplob Monsur Elahi a tax consultant working in his office on University Avenue in Windsor on Feb. 19 and his wife Nasreen Akter works as a teacher in Kuwait.

“We submit our income tax return through a tax consultant. We do not have to worry about that,” said Chowdhury.

“Our tax consultant is in Ottawa and I am in Toronto

Referendum vote could impact students’ health Taylor Busch CP Editor The Student Representative Council of St. Clair College is looking to increase health benefits and costs for students if enough students vote yes in next week’s election.

According to the St. Clair College website, the last time students voted in a referendum was nearly five years ago when students voted in favour of SportsPlex facilities for the school’s South and Chatham campuses. Members of the SRC are confident students will vote yes on this issue which will benefit thousands of students for years to come.

“We are looking to expand health coverage for the students of St. Clair College so they will also be covered for vision and dental work on top of the benefits they’re already receiving from the college,” said Olivia Bauer, vice president of Downtown Affairs.

“We felt our students really

need this increase so they can be able to complete their studies without having to worry about extra costs.”

Bauer said the council spent many months negotiating the terms of the new coverage to make it as affordable as possible for students. If the referendum is passed, students who choose to keep their coverage can expect to see an extra $130 added to their tuition expenses each year they attend the college.

Students who choose to optout of the coverage will be given a refund of approximately $257.

Sanu Basheer Mohamed is an international student taking business at the college.

She said she does not support the referendum because she can barely afford her tuition and living expenses as they are now.

Brandon Williamson from the marketing program said he thinks students can benefit from increased coverage and

the college should be looking at some of the companies and unions in Windsor to find the best way to do it.

“Personally, I think it could be a huge selling point for the college,” said Williamson.

“The better our benefits are, the better our school will look to the students who are coming in because they’ll see St. Clair has benefits other colleges and institutions don’t have. It could become a huge selling point for the college and draw a ton of new students here.”

Under the new coverage, students would be entitled to $150 for glasses and/or contacts, $75 for vision exams and consultations and up to $750 for dental screenings, x-rays, minor restorative procedures, extractions and oral surgeries. In addition, periodontic and endodontic screenings and major restorative

SEE PAGE 9

and we did not face any problem with that.”

Sayeed Sultan Alamgir is the owner of a grocery store on Sandwich Street.

“I take help to file my own and for my business from a tax consultant. He does all the accounts

and tax part,” said Alamgir.

Elahi said the tax code is complex and always changing. Filing a tax return without help can be overwhelming.

Canadian tax returns are due to the Canada Revenue Agency on April 30.

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NEWS

Lower Canadian dollar isn’t all bad for Windsor Justin Prince Citizen Staff Reporter

Financial experts have been predicting a weaker Canadian economy in recent months, but the lower dollar is a good thing for the region according to Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Matt Marchand.

Since February 2014, the value of the Canadian dollar has decreased by more than 10 per cent according to the Bank of Canada. The loonie was also predicted to go as low as 69 cents U.S. by Macquarie Group and other investment banks and corporations by Feb. 2. As of Feb. 20, the value of the Canadian dollar is less than 80 cents U.S. The Bank of Canada also cut the country’s interest rates last month due to a decrease in crude oil prices.

“It’s a positive for the Windsor-Essex region and Southwestern Ontario for that matter,” said Marchand. “The low dollar will encourage people to come over from the U.S. to Windsor-Essex, but at the same time, make our manufacturing sector more competitive.”

Reynold Brash, a tool worker at Colonial Tool Group on Walker Road, agreed. He said the lower Canadian dollar has created more American business for his company.

Marchand said that along with manufacturing, the tourism industry could also see more business from the U.S. “Any advantage for tourists to cross the border … is a positive for us,” said Caesar ’s Windsor Public Relations and Communications Manager Jhoan Baluyot. “It gives them another reason to come across here for the entertainment, the perceived safety of our city and also the other tourism highlights of our city.”

Marchand also explained the retail industry could see a positive impact. He said although stores and companies were slightly unhappy about the increase in costs for equipment and products in

the U.S., the situation was a positive one.

“Our company deals with the U.S., so yes it has affected us because now our company’s invoices are up 18 per cent,” said Chris Gallant, the owner and founder of online used car search website Carcompete.com.

“Obviously that’s not a good thing when we’re dealing with the U.S. or Europe that our Canadian dollar is down, but then again, you have to look at the overall economic pressures we’re facing when our dollar is too high. This is definitely going to help Canada and especially border towns like Windsor.”

Marchand said this issue could “damper” a desire for Windsorites to shop in the U.S. He said he hoped the currency rate would lead to more Windsorites buying local.

“My wife doesn’t go shopping across the border as much because it’s now more expensive to go across the border and because the oil prices have dropped, it’s not worth to go for the gas anymore,” said London, Ont. native Dave Goodreau. “People will stay at home in Canada and it will be better for all of us.”

Marchand cautioned though that the Canadian dollar may rise at any time.

On Feb. 5, the Canadian dollar rose back above 80 cents U.S. before dropping below that total the next day.

He also said Windsor ’s economy is more unique and “currency-dependent” than other parts of Canada because of Windsor’s proximity to the U.S. Because of the unpredictability of the value of the Canadian dollar, he is encouraging his organization’s members to invest sooner rather than later.

“We’ve had some head winds in the past with respect to a high dollar so now those head winds are turning a tail wind,” Marchand said. “Right now, it’s a good opportunity to take advantage of that.”

CONVERGED CITIZEN3 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

True reflections, celebrates differences David Zoungrana Citizen Staff Reporter The organizers of a new group promoting mental health awareness dropped by the Mediaplex feb. 4.

Hailey Trealout, an editor for the LaSalle Post, and Caleb Workman, a current St.Clair College journalism student, have come together to launch True Reflections: A Celebration of Differences.

Trealout describes this opportunity as a way for people to openly highlight and express characteristics they are proud of, as opposed to focusing on the negative aspects of their own being.

“True Reflections wants to give a positive look to what other people see as negative,” Trealout said. “Often times,

we find that differences are given a negative light. For example, the gap between people’s teeth, the number of freckles one has. These are all things that can be seen positively.”

Trealout elaborated on the sensitivity of the issue, and said she herself could relate to a lot of struggles associated with mental illnesses.

“Mental health illnesses directly affect many people that I know, including myself.

I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, so it’s something that hits close to home.”

True Reflections invites people to submit self-expressive art via Facebook, Twitter and the organization’s own website. Caleb Workman said True Reflections will be

working on various projects with people.

“We started out with the idea of having just a single event. We wanted to get a bunch of people from the community, the college, high schools, grade schools, and parents in one central venue and have a sort of a walkthrough,” he said. “One of our main attractions is actually a photo shoot where we take a picture of a person, and that person is to tell us the characteristic they’d like to be noticed.”

True Reflections also announced they will be holding an event on Feb. 27, where all proceeds will be donated to mental health awareness foundations.

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CONVERGED CITIZEN4

NEWS

FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Free ice skating at Leamington complex David Dyck Citizen Staff Reporter

Photo by David Dyck Trevor Brown skates with his daughter amid a sea of families enjoying the two hours of free skating at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex.

FROM DIVORCE PAGE 1 data dating profile,” said Curtis, a divorcee who owns Curtis Coaching and Mediation in Windsor, which handles divorce and relationship coaching. “If you don’t know the kind of man you’re looking for, you’re not going to get him.”

While Curtis understands that women are looking for men who describe themselves as fit or good looking, she says single women need to look deeper.

“Does he have integrity? Is he trustworthy? Is he attentive? Is he affectionate?” said Curtis. “When you’re looking for a life partner, you can’t just go by looks.”

Curtis said it’s also important for women to look for red flags when they start a new relationship, such as men who are disrespectful, constantly late, reluctant to meet their family or break plans with them when a better offer comes along.

Relationship coach Jacques Berge spoke to the group and discussed communication.

He said body language is important for couples.

“Eye contact, body gestures, small physical touches, just being respectful to other people’s boundaries,” said Berge.

“That’s the easy part of communication.”

Berge said he also believes relationships are driven by

two primary emotions.

“There’s love and fear,” said Berge. “When you’re dealing in fear, there’s comfort, control and confusion. When you’re dealing in love, there’s trust, acknowledgment and action. If you’re in the world of love, that means there’s trust and acknowledgment. That means you have the full ability to express what it is, the way you feel, what you want and that’s what really, I think, allows for long-lasting and gifted relationships.”

Curtis said that of course, not all relationships are that way.

She pointed out that about half of all marriages end in divorce.

She said mission is to ensure that such a negative event is handled as positively as possible.

“I coach people going through divorce, both men and women, so they have a divorce that is more like an uncoupling, or untying the knot rather than becoming adversarial,” said Curtis, who also pointed out that money, not infidelity, is the top reason couples split up.

Divorced Divas meetings are generally held each month.

For further information, call 1855-600-2267 or email divorcedivas1@gmail.com.

Leamington residents were able to skate for free at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex on Family Day. Visitors coming to the complex, commonly referred to as the “Sherk,” were given two hours of free skating sponsored by the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church. The complex also offered five hours of an open gym and two hours of open pool time. This is the third year the church has celebrated Family Day with the community.

Along with skating, popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate and a giant inflatable bouncy castle, the church also offered draw prizes for rink users. Prizes included a $100 gift card for Adventure Bay, a $50 gift card for the Cineplex Odeon and two $25 prizes for Domino’s Pizza.

FROM EVEREST PAGE 1 since July 2014. Corinthian also announced after the ruling all classes would be cancelled immediately. The decision affects hundreds of students in Windsor and more than 2,400 students across Ontario. More than 450 employees are also affected. The MTCU said Corinthian has 15 days to appeal the ruling.

“This came a surprise to us as we have been working with the Ministry for the past several weeks and months to determine our best path forward,” said Everest College spokesperson Joe Hixson. “We are working with the Ministry to determine our next steps and will update all concerned parties as we gain more information.”

After the decision was announced, students at the college’s Windsor campus were upset. The students were said to be swearing and angry in a meeting with faculty at their Ouellette Avenue location. Some students claimed the president of the campus allegedly ran down the back stairwell of the building, went into his car and waited for the meeting to end.

Early childcare assistant student Paige Cadieux, who started her program two weeks ago, said some of her fellow students couldn’t take their certification tests due to the decision. Others said they had at least $30,000 in Ontario Student Assistance Program debt. Students were also given forms to file claims with the MTCU through the Training

“We just wanna love on Leamington,” said Nathan Albrecht, pastor of the F.G.T. church since 2012. “We wanna celebrate Family Day with our community.”

While the church holds many special events throughout the year, Albrecht is especially thankful for a holiday set aside just for spending time with the family, which also serves as a break in between the long interval between Christmas and Easter.

“I think it’s great our provincial government… decided to create a holiday specifically for families…

It’s a nice opportunity for families to spend some quality time together in the winter.”

One of the many families enjoying the rink was Trevor Brown, 40, who was there with his five children. He said Family Day offers a “chance to catch up when we don’t have time in our busy lives.”

According to Brenda Fischer, the supervisor of marketing events and customer service for the complex, it is the Sherk’s primary aim to get people moving. She said during the year, parents may not always be available to be with their children when they drop them off at the Sherk, but events like these give parents a chance to be active along with their children.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity if kids are off school and parents aren’t working, for them to come out. It encourages families to come out and play together,” said Fischer.

Fischer said she was also thankful for the partnership they have with the church. Along with other organizations, the complex brings activities to the municipality to “get people in motion.”

Albrecht plans to hold the event again next year and bring even more items to entice families.

Completion Assistance Fund. The fund allots $3 million for students from all 14 campuses to receive refunds or to pay to complete their training, but was not guaranteed during the meeting, according to Cadieux.

“We came to class today and it was like ‘nope, your last day was yesterday’ and no one has said anything other than ‘there’s nothing we can do for you. You have to file a claim. You have to do this, you have to do that,’” said Amanda Hunter, a 27-year-old personal support worker student at the college after the meeting while in tears. “If every school in Ontario now is closed, look at all of those people that are going to be filing a claim. How are they going to get to us in a timely manner?”

Lesley Ceshan, a 43-year-old medical laboratory assistant/technician student at the college, said she worked midnight shifts and at part-time jobs while raising a family as an adult student to pay for her schooling at Everest and had a 95 GPA in her program before the school was shut down. Because of the closure, she said some students don’t know what to do.

“Most of my classmates were almost finished the course. We had one week left in placement,” said Ceshan. “We had to leave (our placements) just to come to this meeting just to find out we can’t return to practicum. So now we’re going to have to just see what we can do and plead for ourselves to see if we’ll still be considered for a job once we’re finished (at our placements).”

Cadieux said she planned to explore her options at Trios College, another private career college in Windsor, but for most students, their futures are unknown. St. Clair College plans to consult and meet with former Everest students Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to discuss potential transfers. In a statement, the MTCU said it also plans to meet with students at each Everest campus to provide information about the next steps to take. The MTCU said one of their main priorities is “to ensure that students are provided with training completion options that will allow them to promptly complete their programs with as little disruption as possible.”

“I just want to figure out things sooner than later,” said Bobby Knight, a 25-year-old personal support worker student. “This was the career I chose and was looking forward to my future for my kids and everything. It’s just on hold right now, but you’re thrown curveballs in your life, so you just got to deal with them the best you can.”

Students are asked to contacted officials from the MTCU over the phone at 416-314-0500, toll free at 1-866-330-3395 or on their website at http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/p epg/audiences/pcc/faqnote 1.html. Staff of Everest College can also call the Employment Ontario Hotline at 1-800-387-5656 for assistance.

NEWS

CONVERGED CITIZEN5 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Pancakes or packzi on Shrove Tuesday

Ashley Ann Mentley Citizen Staff Reporter

OPINION Many people in Windsor are snubbing tradition and celebrating an ancient holiday by choosing deep-fried and jellyfilled over the classic pancake.

Feb. 17 was Shrove Tuesday, otherwise known as Fat Tuesday or Pancake Day. It is a day celebrated around

the world in various cultures as one when it is okay to eat excessive amounts of food, most commonly pancakes, and dates as far back as the medieval ages.

More recently, however, Windsorites have been known to forego the plain old pancake for something cool, hip and European – the paczki.

A paczki, pronounced POONCH-key, is a Polish dessert, according to Blak’s Bakery in Windsor.

“It’s basically a jelly-filled pastry, but also a doughnut,” said Kaitlyn Pindus, who works at the century-old bakery. “The paczki dough is very rich and it’s powdered and has filling in the middle.”

While making the two foods is similar – using up all the eggs, butter and sugar before the start of Lent, a Catholic season which historically

involves fasting – locals seem to have lost sight of the namesake of Pancake Day. A recent Facebook poll showed that 70 per cent of Windsorites prefer a paczki over a pancake.

“You can have a pancake any day of the year,” said Jessica Cameron, a Windsor native.

And it’s true. Even though there are pancake dinners held at various locations around the city to celebrate, it is the authentic European bakeries that really ramp up the paczki production in advance of Fat Tuesday.

Pindus said Blak’s starts baking paczkis the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday. On Feb. 17 alone, she estimated they sold almost 30,000 of the powdery Polish pastries.

With each paczki averaging 700 calories, Windsorites ate

over 21 million extra calories on Fat Tuesday.

And for those who have moved away from Windsor?

They just might have to settle for Aunt Jemima and maple syrup. The popularity of the paczki seems to be focused in areas with higher Polish populations, Windsor and Metro Detroit being one of them, with people from out of town asking, “What’s a ‘patchkey?’”

It is difficult to not be bombarded by paczkis when grocery stores start stocking them three weeks ahead of time and the iconically Canadian Tim Hortons also sells them on Feb. 17. On the windsorite.ca website, there is even a tab at the top called “Where to get paczki in Windsor.” But what about the forlorn flapjack?

Emmanuel United Church was one of the few local estab-

lishments offering a traditional pancake dinner. As a volunteer and member of the congregation, Mary Dajenais is a proud supporter of the tradition.

“Even as a kid, I remember having pancakes on Shrove Tuesday,” Dajenais said.

“Whereas the paczkis, I don’t know, I feel like that’s been the last eight or 10 years.”

And although Dajenais said pancakes should always be the winner, even she admitted to eating a paczki for breakfast on Tuesday.

With more people now referring to it as Paczki Day, the future of the pancake in Windsor seems a dismal one.

Shelves at the grocery stores remained fully stocked with the ingredients while locals had to pre-order their Polish doughnuts just to ensure their availability.

University students address Blood donation is needed income inequality to make a difference Jonathan Hutton Citizen Staff Reporter Students from the University of Windsor participated in a model United Nations council at the university in Windsor on Feb. 9.

The debate, which featured three University of Windsor professors and more than 100 students, aimed to raise interest in income inequality among students, and address social and economic issues in the region.

“Income inequality is a big concern for younger generations,” said Jamey Essex.“ In Windsor and Essex County it’s pretty bad, but it’s a problem anywhere.”

According to a report called “The Rich and The Rest of Us” published by Pathway to Potential, there has been a significant increase in income inequality in Windsor since 2010. The wealthiest one per cent of Windsorites has seen a 21 per cent increase in income, while

the average resident has seen a decrease of three per cent.

The organization also published a report called “Reality Check” that says one in 10 Windsorites currently live in poverty.

“Income inequality is not simply a difference in the amount of money people have access to, it’s a problem in terms of complete access to resources and opportunities that make life worth living,” said professor of political sciences Andrew Richter.

“Currently, one small group of people control extreme amounts of wealth and resources while the majority of people are struggling just to get by.”

Since 2010, the wealthy one per cent of Windsorites has seen an average income of nearly $300,000 while 90 per cent of Windsorites live off close to $29,000.

Eric Hubberstey is the director of marketing of the Model UN and is also a student at the university.

He said the growing gap in income between the upper

and lower classes has had a huge impact on students financially and psychologically.

“Here at the university, a lot of people are in the lower to middle class range of society,” said Hubberstey. “Students are more worried about whether they can pay for their tuition than what their grades are. Many students have to apply for grants and OSAP just to attend school.”

Richter ended the debate with a message to students.

“Income inequality is the contradiction of the very nature of a free society, and our city is ground zero for the widening equalities of the world,” he said.

The Model UN holds weekly meetings on Monday and Thursdays to address current global issues. It is open to Windsor residents and students who are interested in learning more about the UN and the issues it faces.

For more information visit the Model UN’s website www.winmun.ca

Naureen Shafi Citizen Staff Reporter Canada’s blood inventory is critically low and the Canadian Blood Service is encouraging all eligible donors to make a donation.

Erin McGuey, communications specialist for Canadian Blood Services, said in order to meet hospital demand CBS collects 17,000 units of blood per week. However, they need an additional 7,500 units per week to reach adequate levels.

“People have made a big difference and saved many lives through routinely donating blood,” said McGuey. “But in recent months, an extremely low attendance at blood donor clinics across Canada has been observed.”

“Without the help of Canadians we may have difficulty in meeting the hospital demand across the country,” said McGuey.

Dr. Riffat Rahman is a pediatrician at Windsor Regional Hospital. She said blood plays an important role in regulating the body’s systems by supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissues, removing waste, trans-

porting hormones and other signals throughout the body.

She said red cells, platelets and plasma can be used separately for patients with specific conditions.

It takes about an hour to make a whole blood donation.

Donated blood is usually used within days to help save or improve someone’s life, said McGuey.

“Blood donation saved my life,” said Jennifer Grace, who received blood transfusions and blood products when she hemorrhaged after giving birth to her son. “I was extremely scared to see myself bleeding profusely.”

Grace got several units of blood in order to save her life.

She said she and her family then realized the importance of blood donation. Following the ordeal, her husband Nathan donated blood for the first time and he continues to do so regularly.

For the safety of the donor and the patients, all volunteer blood donors are evaluated to find out if they are eligible to give blood, said McGuey.

SEE PAGE 6

NEWS

CONVERGED CITIZEN6 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

A feline Valentine’s Day Ashley Ann Mentley CP Editor

Windsorites were given new choices this Valentine’s Day: the release of a sexy movie or a sale on adorable cats.

On Feb. 14, the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society hosted an adoption event called “50 Shades of Grey…Cats” as a nod to the anticipated release of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie on Feb. 13. Grey cats were offered at a discounted adoption rate for the day.

The movie, based on the popular book series by E.L. James, is known for its erotic romanticism. The series is made up of three books and has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.

“Of course, Fifty Shades of Grey is for adults only, so this promo applies to adult cats only,” read Humane Society’s Facebook post.

The executive director of the Humane Society said this is not the first promotion they have tied to current events.

“We’ll be shameless, trying to use anything we can to draw attention to adopting animals who are looking for homes,” said Melanie Coulter. “Whether it’s a holiday, the royal baby, the

Olympics, we’ve done all kinds of promotions playing off whatever’s going on.”

Coulter said they had about 15 grey cats on Saturday morning and she hoped to see them all adopted out.

Mackenzie Fleming is a Grade 12 student at Tecumseh Vista Academy. After finding out her brother is no longer allergic to cats, her family decided to start looking to adopt one.

“My mom really likes grey cats,” Fleming said. “We heard about this event so we decided to come out to see what they had. I’m not sure if we’ll end up getting a grey one or a different colour.”

Though Fleming’s mom and friends are fans of the Fifty Shades series, she said the movie didn’t interest her.

“I think it’s good that they can make a good event out of it though,” she said.

Humane Society volunteer Kimberley Krestick agreed and said she enjoys seeing them host an event that ties in with current events, but she won’t be seeing the movie either.

“It’s great because it brings people in,” said Krestick, who volunteers at least two days a week. “There are certain times when we have excess numbers of a certain

Photo by Ashley Ann Mentley London was one of the seven grey cats to find a home during the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society’s “Fifty Shades of Grey…Cats” promotion held on Saturday, Feb. 14. All adult grey cats had their adoption fees lowered to $50 for the event that coincided with the movie release of Fifty Shades of Grey colour or breed of cats so we’ll do a promotion.”

Coulter said since dogs are easier to adopt out, their promotions generally focus on cats. The normal adoption fee for an adult cat is $125 plus a $30 administration fee.

On Saturday this was lowered to a total of $50 for the promotion.

The movie brought in $258 million at the box office over the weekend making it the highest grossing R-rated February release ever, but the reviews were not so favourable. Film critic Roger Ebert gave it 2 out of five stars and Lisa Wilkinson, an Australian TV host said, “50 Shades of Grey is, quite sim-

Gluten-free product prices reduced but still high Alexandra Latremouille Citizen Staff Reporter Gluten-free products are becoming less expensive, even though they still cost more than foods containing gluten.

A 2013 study by gastroenterologist, Mohsin Rashid, found Canadian gluten-free items cost, on average, 162 per cent more than regular products. In 2008, he found they were even higher.

According to a marketing professor at the University of Windsor, this decrease is a direct result of there being higher demand for gluten-free foods.

“We see there are a lot of specific food items being offered on the market responding to allergies,” said Peter Voyer, assistant professor of marketing at the Odette

School of Business.

“It’s the ultimate desire of marketers to meet these needs — the desires of consumers — and in many cases to create those needs.”

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, roughly 10 million Canadians are purchasing gluten-free products. About seven million are doing so for non-medical reasons.

“A big thing is weight loss,” said Voyer. “The whole gluten-free notion is integrally linked to the Wheat Belly aspect related to obesity and weight loss and, in turn, issues surrounding health.”

The head of the Windsor Celiac Foundation said this tendency to view gluten-free products as a solution for weight loss is affecting those with gluten intolerances. “[People with these prob-

lems] feel the people who do not really need the gluten-free diet are making it hard for those of us who do,” said Shirley Girard, founder of the Windsor Celiac Foundation.

“Some people at restaurants and stores feel that we may just be fussy people who are on a fad kick and they in turn don’t take our needs too seriously.”

The increased gluten-free market has enabled these products to be more easily available for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

The variety of these products has increased by nearly 80 per cent between 2005 and 2010, according to Joy Kiddie, a Canadian human nutrition specialist.

An article on Real Food for Life states that the primary reason prices remain high is manufacturing costs. For

example, gluten-free bread contains 20 ingredients to compensate for the lack of wheat, each of which must be free from contamination.

Manufacturers also have to pay for the certifying and labelling of these foods.

A sales associate at Pure Nature Nutrition said she believes costs are also dependent on where stores are located.

“Some cities are more sensitive to gluten-free and prices are more mellow,” said Sarah Emerson. “When you’re in a city like this it might be a newer thing so prices will be a little bit higher. But I think it will all average out eventually because gluten-free isn’t anything new.”

Regardless of cost, Emerson said people should try a glutenfree diet for at least a few weeks to see if it positively impacts their health.

ply, the worst movie I’ve ever seen.”

At the humane society, however, the promotion was a success on all levels.

Coulter said they adopted out seven grey cats, plus 10 others and three dogs, which she considers great results in spite of the record-breaking cold weather.

FROM PAGE 5 According to Canadian Blood Service the frequency of donation is every 56 days as this is the length of time it take for red blood cells to be replenished.

The blood is tested after donation. If any disease is detected, it is thrown away.

“When you go to donate you will be asked a number of questions to determine your eligibility, said Rahman. “If you are at least 17-years-old and in good general health, feeling well and able to perform your normal activities, you are eligible to donate blood.”

According to CBS, if you are thinking about donating blood for the first time find out if you are eligible to donate by calling your nearest blood donation centre.

CONVERGED CITIZEN7

NEWS

FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Windsor youth discuss jobs at the Windsor Star News Cafe Victoria Parent Citizen Staff Reporter Youth from Windsor and Essex County came out to the Windsor Star News Cafe on a chilly Thursday night to discuss jobs and employment in the area.

YKNOT Windsor’s Dan Brown held a forum at the cafe to discuss topics such as resume building and networking steps for youth looking for employment.

Around 30 people participated in the event. People could also send tweets with questions to the six panelists.

Others could watch the event which was filmed live and streamed on the web.

“We wanted to take it to the next level from the Windsor Gone forum that was held a month ago,” said Brown. The previous forum was held to discuss youth education and retention issues raised in Carolyn Thompson’s Windsor Gone series featured in the Windsor Star last month.

Brown had decided to flip it to something more positive with a forum to aid Windsor youth in their job search.

Six panelists from around Windsor came to the forum from different backgrounds.

These people included Danielle Mixallef, an employment consultant at St. Clair College and Nour Hachem, a

Photo by Victoria Parent (From left to right) Frank Abbruzzese, Alex Denonville, Danielle Mixallef, Nour Hachem, and Jonathon Azzopardi discussed youth employment at the YKNOT forum on Feb. 19, at the Windsor Star News Cafe project manager at St. Clair College.

“It’s not as easy as it used to be,” said Mixallef. “Right now we are in a very tough economic climate here in Windsor.”

Mixallef and the other panelists gave advice during the event. The topics ranged from resume building to interview preparation.

“You can never be skilled enough at interviews,” said Hachem. Researching the company you wish to work for and creating a professional social media page were also among the discussed topics.

Many of the youth who came out took the information to heart, including those who viewed the event over the web.

“It was well organized, very nice atmosphere, questions were answered tailored to students,” said Abdul Abdul, vice president of student services and a member of the Gay Straight Alliance at the University of Windsor. Abdul said he had learned a lot from the night about which employers he should target and how to build his resume.

“I feel it was very successful,” said Brown. “I am glad that everyone was here tonight to take part and to get the questions online as well.”

Brown said he is planning on making this type of forum a regular event and will be having more in the future. He and the other panelists urged youth to go online to the various job-help sites and to check out the employment help

Americans have strange ideas about Canadians Eugenio Mendoza Citizen Staff Reporter Many young Americans admit there are stereotypes when it comes to their perception of Canadian lifestyle.

Although Canada is adjacent the United States and is connected by a border which spans almost 8,900 kilometres, they say the Canadian lifestyle differs greatly from the typical American way of life.

Daneyale Feril, a student at California State University, Monterey Bay, said her idea of Canada involves a country consistently dealing with strong winter weather as well as heavy accents.

“Canadians would be

described as someone dressed in winter attire such as a winter vest, beanie, etc.,” said Feril. “I picture Canada as snowy with several pine trees and pine cones littered throughout the ground along with plenty of moose,” Jena Franco is an electrical engineering major at San Jose State University, also in California. She said she believes many Canadian stereotypes are over exagerated.

“From what I’ve been hearing about the Canadian image in general, they don’t seem like they are much different than Americans,” said Franco. “There is the stereotype that they apologize for everything, that they don’t

feel as cold as people do in America because of their constant cold weather.”

Franco spends her summers in British Columbia.

She has visited many other provinces and said she thinks it is the lack of education about Canada which leads to such odd stereotypes.

San Benito, California high school student Alyssa Derheim, said she doesn’t know where the stereotypes come from, but believes her views are shared by many Americans.

“As an American, I would describe a Canadian as a person that says ‘eh’ a lot and also who eats maple syrup every day,” said Derheim.

Derheim has never been to Canada and admits she doesn’t have a clear understanding of Canadians despite having multiple family members there. She said she has never felt the need to learn about Canada and believes it is not a major concern for her.

Edward Camangeg, an architecture major at the University of Illinois Chicago has visited Canada multiple times. He said the stereotypes associated with Canadians are not necessarily negative.

“One stereotype being that they end their sentences with ‘eh.’ Another is that they are the nicest people in the world,” said Camangeg.

“They’re humble people.”

“I envy Canada because they have free health care,” said Derheim.

According to all of the students, they say they would like to see America provide a free health care plan similar to Canadas. President Barack Obama attempted to establish a universal health care program in 2014, known as Obamacare.

However the program has faced considerable criticism and has, up to this point, been deemed by some Americans, as ineffective.

Americans are so well known for having misconceptions about Canadians, in 2001 Rick Mercer did a special in which he went to the United States and asked people about Canadians.

HEALTH

CONVERGED CITIZEN8 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Measles outbreak in North America

By Allanah Wills Citizen Staff Reporter

An illness that once killed many of its victims and was thought to be wiped-out in North America has returned.

The measles virus has seen an outbreak in the past few months across North America.

According to Ontario’s Health Ministry there have been 17 lab-confirmed cases of measles this year in Ontario as of Feb. 19, compared to 22 cases reported for all of 2014.

“Measles is a disease that is caused by the measles virus, a member of the morbillivirus,” said Vanessa Petrilli, a registered nurse at London’s Victoria Hospital. “It is infectious, very contagious and has no cure.”

The viral disease is spread mainly through the respiratory tract and causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and poses the threat of a serious illnessencephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain.

“Measles can lead to serious complications from ear infection and pneumonia to blindness,” said Petrilli. “In one in every 1,000 cases encephalitis can occur, which may lead to permanent brain damage.”

Once a common childhood illness, measles decreased as widespread vaccinations became more available.

According to the World Health Organization, prior to 1980,

Photo by Allanah Wills Melissa Hansen and her son Preston, 3, at their house in Windsor on Feb. 9, Hansen is an advocate for child vaccinations. measles caused around 2.6 million deaths globally each year. In 2013, it was responsible for 145,700 global deaths.

The current outbreak gained widespread attention in January when its beginnings were linked to Disneyland California, infecting 102 people across 14 states.

Courtney Nelson, an RN in the medical unit at Windsor Regional Hospital, thinks the outbreak is due to a mix of lack of vaccinations and how the contagious nature of the illness.

“One of the main reasons the measles virus has returned to North America is due to the fact that parents are not vaccinating their children,” said Nelson. “Those who are not vaccinated can contract the virus from children who have been vaccinated, making the virus prevalent again.”

Since the outbreak began, the issue of vaccinations has been a topic of much debate.

Although there is an estimated 84 per cent global immunization coverage, there is still a large group of people opposed

to vaccines.

“There’s lots of stigma behind it (the vaccine),” said Nelson. “With the media, everything gets out easier. If one child has a bad reaction it goes all over social media, and people worry.”

This worry has been around for more than 25 years. Dr. Andrew Wakefield published an article in 1988 in the medical journal, The Lancet, suggesting the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was linked to autism.

“Scientists do not know

what causes autism exactly, this is a fact,” said Petrilli.

Despite The Lancet eventually retracting Wakefield’s publication, the study launched the latest “anti-vaccination movement.”

A Google search of this term will provide dozens of websites where parents are discouraged from getting their children vaccinated.

VacTruth.com allows parents to sign up for a report that shows all the ingredients in the vaccines that children will receive by the time they are six years old, and claims parents are often pressured into getting their children vaccinated.

Melissa Hansen is a Windsor mother who made sure her three-year-old son was vaccinated.

“I am scared of the measles,” Hansen said.

“That’s why I got my child vaccinated. Measles are so contagious and I know there’s all this talk about autism, but there’s risks to everything. If parents don’t want to vaccinate, then that’s their choice and they should keep their kids at home.”

Vaccinated or not, health care officials are asking all parents to be vigilant about the symptoms of measles and if it is suspected a family member has been exposed to the virus, call a health care provider immediately.

LaSalle group takes up weight loss challenge

By Caleb Workman Citizen Staff Reporter LaSalle recreational teams have been pushing to improve the lifestyles of residents in the community with programs, activities and food.

People from LaSalle and its surrounding areas have come together at the Vollmer Recreation Complex for a sixweek time period to better their lives with a healthy eating program. According to Patricia Cabagay, the assistant developer and organizer of the program, the most recent group has collectively lost 200 pounds.

“There are six or seven people who lost over 10 pounds in six weeks,” said Cabagay.

“Several people have changed their eating habits and their exercise. Several people have also joined the gym since the introduction of the clean eating and other programs here at the Vollmer.”

Cabagay said most people don’t know there are alternatives to replace the unhealthy food they eat.

“I want LaSalle to know that there are healthier choices out there,” said Cabagay. “When you’re going in the grocery stores you know that there are certain foods you shouldn’t be eating. Especially the ones who have kids, it’s important the parents are the role models for the kids.”

Cabagay and the organizers will hold another program in

April to be called “Commit to be Fit.” This was 16-year-old Lucas Towle’s second time participating.

“When I saw the terrifying number on the scale a few months ago I got started,” said Towle. “I walked in the first time they had it and I really liked it so I got involved.”

Towle and many other members of the program said cravings are the hardest thing to control while attempting to lose weight.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your body size is, you need the mindset that you can’t lose easily,” said Towle. “I remember there was this guy who walked into the gym when I first started the

program and I talked to him because he wanted to know more about the gym and if he could lose 100 pounds in three months. If you have the dedication you can do it, but three months for that much weight is kind of unrealistic.”

Towle said it takes time and dedication and that is something the people coming in should keep in mind so they stick through the program.

“The program is very good,” said John Guarini, 50. “Everybody is very encouraging and it provides new ideas on how to control your eating habits and diet and help you

make changes.”

This was Guarini’s first program but he said it will not be his last. He said there are many challenges he comes across every day and the program is his biggest help.

“I think it’s going to be easier to control my eating habits moving forward, maintaining it will be the biggest struggle,” said Guarini. “It’s very hard to maintain because it’s so easy to go back to your older habits. It’s the power of saying no.”

The program in April will be held as a six week program and is open to everybody from the area. There will be guidance and tips for anyone who comes out.

GALLERY

CONVERGED CITIZEN9 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Students awarded Scholarships 1

2

3 4

5 FROM PAGE 2 procedures would be covered at 10 per cent of their total cost.

“It’s important to vote yes because as students, we already have so much to worry about and we don’t tend to think about things happening until they’ve happened, so God

forbid you break a tooth or worse,” said Bauer. “But there’s very good coverage with this new plan and I believe it will help students whose parents don’t have full coverage and don’t have an extra $750 just in case something happens to them.”

Students are encouraged to participate in the referendum by voting at one of

Nearly 500 students were recognized at the college’s Annual Awards Ceremony held at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts on Feb. 18 and 19.

Students from the Converged Journalism program at the MediaPlex, located at the corner of Victoria and University, received sholarships from local media organizations including SnapD Windsor, Blackburn Radio and TV Cogeco. the many voting stations that will be set up on college campuses from Feb. 23 to Feb. 25. Bauer said information packages and SRC members will be available to voters on those days so they can make an informed decision before casting their vote.

At least 51 per cent of students must vote yes for the referendum to pass.

Photos (left and center) by Amanda Moffat, student from St. Clair College’s Public Relations program - also a scholarship recipient.

Photos (top and right) by Kristi Pierce **** 1 - Bobby Jo Keats and Journalism Program Coordinator Veronique Mandal.

2 - Group shot of MediaPlex students with Program Coordinator Veronique Mandal.

3 - Shawn Garrity and Robert Robinson, publisher of Windsor Life Magazine.

4 - Taylor Busch and Program Coordinator Veronique Mandal.

5 - Lynette Tabor and ****

NEWS CONVERGED CITIZEN10 Symphony schedules ‘innovative’ program FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Sean Frame Managing Editor The Windsor Symphony Orchestra has announced their next season with some new ideas for the 2015-16 concert season. According to Robert Franz, the WSO’s music director, next season will feature ideas from previous years as well as innovative ideas. Some of these were demonstrated in the WSO’s current season in which the orchestra has branched out into more multimedia.

On Feb. 7 at the Capitol Theatre WSO presented Wright Flight, an original piece featuring music written by American composer Lawrence Dillon in collaboration with Franz and accompanied by three actors telling the story of Orville and Wilbur Wright.

According to Franz, this is just a taste of what will come next season wheny they will showcase American violinist Rachel Barton Pine, Broads on Broadway and much more.

“The orchestra really is a part of how the city feels about itself,” said Franz, explaining why the orchestra is important to Windsor.

“This is a place where people can come and escape the world they’re in. They can be engaged, they can be entertained, they can be

Photo by Sean Frame Robert Franz discusses the upcoming Windsor Symphony Orchestra season on Feb. 5 at the Capitol Theatre. thrilled, they can be brought to tears, they can be made to laugh. There is just so much music can provide in a person’s life when heard through a live performance.”

During the next season there will be numerous genres and performances on stage. In their current season they began with astronaut Chris Hadfield and Franz said he promises the future of the WSO will only get

better.

In late 2015 and early 2016, the Capitol Theatre will be hosting two new festivals. The first will be late 2015 and will be called Operafest and the second will be in spring 2016 titled Mozartfest which will present two concerts featuring the music of Mozart.

“The work that Robert is doing is to break down that preconceived idea of what an orchestra concert experi-

ence can be and make it something new and exciting,” said WSO Communications Manager Shelley Sharpe. “I think with this next season and with this season too, it is a great opportunity for people to try something new out no matter what you like. If you want to see opera, there is a great opportunity to come out and see a couple of different operas. If you want to see hunky firemen (Burning

Love) on stage, you can come out and do that as well, and everything in between. It sounds cliché to say there is something for everybody, but there really is something for everybody.”

The orchestra’s next show will be on Feb. 15, where Tony Award-winning American actress Debbie Gravitte will join the WSO and sing some romantic love songs.

Energy distributed via healing circles Josh Teixeira Production Team Many Windsorites are treating stress with the help of the holistic arts. One ritual involves the sharing, creating and sending of healing energy through drumming.

Drumming is a powerful form of energy creation, prayer, meditation and creativity. It activates healing and raises vibration. Any kind of drums can be used, including hand and rattle drums.

In accordance with the lunar days that fall each year, White Feather Holistic Arts is one Windsor location that creates drum circles, including heal-

ing circles.

“It’s a drum circle that’s done at the time of the full moon and the full moon is a time when energies are high,” said Tracey Rogers, owner of White Feather. “When it’s a new moon it’s about planting new things, and when the moon is full it’s when things have been planted and they’ve come to fruition and it’s time to celebrate incomplete projects.”

White Feather Holistic Arts is located on Ottawa St. in Windsor. The store offers a wide variety of healing crystals, jewelry, spiritual items, books, CDs, incense and more.

According to Rogers, drumming circles involve prayerful healing and sending out positive vibrations to people.

“We’re not really focusing in on grief as much as we’re focusing in on how to heal and get over things and to move past things, and so to energetically move to higher vibrations,” said Rogers.

Participants of the drum circle find the ritual to be relieving, leaving them feeling positive and eager to share their experiences.

“All my cares sort of go away, everything disappears,” said Sue Fischer who participated in her first drum circle in early February. “I’m just

drawn in.”

Drumming circles can be participated in for free.

Anybody can take part and no previous drumming experience is required. All age groups are welcome and drums are provided but can also be brought to the circle.

Caitlyn Lloyd, another drumming circle participant, is more experienced with them and says she visits several times a year.

“It boosts your system, you don’t feel down. It’s like a kaleidoscope,” said Lloyd.

“It’s easier I find if you have a constant sound like a drum beat. I have drum beats on my phone on my music list that I

use just to relax.”

Lloyd explained that drumming circles had a role in the discovery of a new hobby of hers in the form of paranormal activity.

“We go to businesses and private homes to do investigations, and we don’t charge anything,” said Lloyd.”

She says the spiritual side of drumming circles had her interested in paranormal activity when her friends suggested it.

The next drumming circle at White Feather will be held on March 20 following the Spring Equinox. Drumming circles are also offered at The Bloomfield House.

NEWS

CONVERGED CITIZEN11 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

A farewell to five LaSalle Vipers after so, it’s definitely something that I’m going to take with me for the rest of the time,” said Viper’s Captain Brett Langlois.

Langlois said school is now his main focus and is pursuing his career as an electrician at St. Clair College.

Chris Piganelli, the longest active Viper on the roster, said although he is also sad to go, he is ready to move on.

“It’s going to feel a little weird, knowing I’m not going to be able to play in front of a crowd again, but life goes on and you have other things to Photo by Chelsea Turnbull do,” said Piganelli. Piganelli Chris Piganelli, Korey Morgan, Graham Pickard, Nicolas Crescenzi and Brett Langlois are hon- said he may continue his oured by teammates and fans at the graduation game on Feb. 18. hockey career but school is his main focus right now. “I’ve Chelsea Turnbull in the Greater Ontario Junior oured for their graduation on kept it open but I have to go Citizen Staff Reporter Hockey League players must Wednesday Feb. 18 at their year by year with my school be between the ages of 16 and game against the Sarnia schedule, because obviously Five LaSalle Vipers will be 21. Players Nicolas Crescenzi, Legionnaires. school comes first.” graduating from the team at Korey Morgan, Brett “It’s definitely sad to see this Dan Beaudoin, is an 18-yearthe end of this season.

Langlois, Chris Piganelli and chapter of my life come to an old player on the team who In order to be eligible to play Graham Pickard were hon- end, but I’ll always be a Viper has been playing for the

Vipers for three years. He said even though they are losing good players, they will gain more.

“Obviously it’s going to hurt a little bit, since we’re losing a lot of important key guys, but in the past few years we’ve lost like pretty much half of our team every single year. So I don’t think it’s something that we can’t handle,” said Beaudoin.

Beaudoin said he thinks even without these players they’ll manage next year and bring in new recruits who will benefit the team.

With graduation on their minds, the Viper’s continued to play hard throughout the night, but the team ended up losing 6-3 against the Legionnaires Wednesday night.

The graduates will continue to play a pivotal role for the Vipers as they push for the upcoming playoffs.

Windsor Spitfires honour Mickey Renaud

Photo by Erik Zarins Despite the 3-1 loss to the Plymouth Whalers, the Windsor Spitfires honoured late Captain Mickey Renaud who passed away seven years ago. Since his death, it has been tradition to play on Feb.18 to honour his legacy.

Erik Zarins Citizen Staff Reporter On Feb. 18 2008, the City of Windsor and the Spitfires community lost a key member of the hockey club.

Mickey Renaud was 19 years old when he died of a rare heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which causes the muscles inside the heart to tighten and reduce the flow of blood which can cause sudden cardiac death. His teammates were pallbearers at his funeral.

Upon hearing the news, the Spitfires retired Renaud’s

number 18 the following day.

His banner was raised on Sept. 25, 2009 at the first home opener played at the WFCU Centre. When the arena first opened the road leading to the arena was named “Mickey Renaud Way” in his honour.

Charities and scholarships like Mickey’s Run and the Mickey Renaud Memorial Scholarship have kept his spirit and legacy alive.

One legacy in particular is the memorial window that fans inside the WFCU Centre pass during game days that displays his hockey stick, family photos, fan letters and

remembrance, commemorative pucks and a mini Calgary Flames Stanley Cup- the team which drafted him.

Another is the locker stall from Windsor Arena where the Spitfires had previously played for 84 years. Renaud’s stall features his skates, pads, helmet, gloves and his jersey, all of which have remained untouched for seven years.

Hannah LeClair, an early childhood education student at St Clair College, recalls her memories of the late hockey player.

“He had massive impact on Windsor. He gave our team hope of a Memorial Cup and a reputation not to be misjudged,” said LeClair. “When I was in Grade 4, my class was doing a skating trip with the Spitfires and I remember him being just so fun and full of life.”

Renaud started his junior hockey career with the Tecumseh Chiefs of the former Western Ontario Hockey League in 2004. He began playing with the Spitfires in 2005. Throughout his career he gained a reputation as a “fan favourite” player due to being a Tecumseh native.

At the 2007 NHL Entry Draft he was selected by the Calgary Flames in the fifth

round 143rd overall. He attended the Flames training camp before being cut from the team and sent back to Windsor. He was named the Spitfires captain at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

His dream of being in the NHL would tragically be cut short.

Fast forward to 2015 and the legacy lives on throughout the Windsor Spitfires community.

The 2015 Mickey Renaud night drew 4,781 fans to the WFCU Centre to watch the Spits play against the Plymouth Whalers. Despite taking a 1-0 lead after one period of play, Windsor eventually lost 3-1.

Before the game, several exSpitfire players took to Twitter to pay their tributes to Mickey Renaud.

Edmonton Oilers forward Taylor Hall tweeted, “Remembering a great captain and an even better person today. RIP Mickey.”

Buffalo Sabres defensemen Mike Weber tweeted, “Wishing I was with my @SpitsHockey family today to remember a great friend and leader Mickey Renaud. #OurCaptainForever.”

Orlando Solar Bears forward Brady Vail, who spent last season with the Spitfires,

tweeted, “Remember #18” along with a tribute photo of Renaud.

The Calgary Flames paid their respects to the young prospect tweeting “Today we remember Mickey Renaud, who passed away 7 years ago.

RIP Mickey.”

OHL Tonight broadcaster Angelo Aversa joined the broadcasting team for the Spitfires a year after Renaud’s passing but still had memories about how much of an impact the teenager had on the team.

“I started working for the Spitfires the year after his passing and I was part of the first night that they paid tribute to him.” said Aversa.

“My biggest memory of him is just the way he competed following his draft with the Calgary Flames. He came in here early on and he really showed what it took to get to the next level and you can tell how hard he wanted to work. I wasn’t around the team, but from the stories I heard, you just knew how much this team is meant to him and his teammates and that was the first memory I’ve had of him.”

SPORTS

CONVERGED CITIZEN12 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Saints go marching into the playoffs Michael Hugall Sports Editor

Photo by Taylor Busch St. Clair College Saints forward Shannon Kennedy leaps over Niagara forward Miranda Ross, left, during the final quarter of their game at St. Clair College SportsPlex in Windsor on Feb. 15.

Saints beat Niagara 66-54 Taylor Bush Citizen Staff Writer The St. Clair College women’s basketball team defeated the Niagara College Knights at the St. Clair College SportsPlex in Windsor on Feb. 15.

Forward Shannon Kennedy led the team scoring 23 points and secured the team’s home court advantage for the opening round of the playoffs.

After trailing at the half and again in the third quarter, the Saints scored 26 points in the final frame to earn the win.

“I am very pleased, our character showed very strongly in that game,” said Saints head coach Andy Kiss.

“Some things didn’t go our way in the beginning, but I thought that in the fourth quarter our conditioning really showed off and we were able to win that quarter 26-9 so we’re very happy because we needed to win this game.”

The Saints have now secured at least fourth place in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Western Division and will have a shot at third place if they defeat the Fanshawe Falcons

Sunday, Feb. 22 at the SportsPlex.

Kiss said Kennedy came through for the team in the final quarter, leading them to the victory. Last year, she was named most valuable player by the OCAA for Western Ontario and this year, she is currently tied for second in scoring and third for blocking in the province.

“Personally, I feel good and as a team I feel good too,” said Kennedy. “Id rath suceed as a team than individually. As a team if we get, gold I’ll be happy with that.”

Knights head coach Mike Beccaria said his team was tired from playing the Lambton Lions just 12 hours prior.

“This is the third time we’ve played the Saints this year so we know each other very well and we have a bit of a rivalry going on,” said Beccaria. “But both teams played very well and Shannon was unbelievable at the end. So naturally, we’re a bit disappointed, but we’ll be alright.”

The St. Clair Saints basketball program are hoping to see a large turnout when they kick off their playoff season at home on March 1.

The St. Clair Saints women’s basketball program is headed into an Ontario Colleges Athletic Association playoff birth following a 66-54 victory over the Niagara Knights Feb. 15.

The game against Niagara was a “must win” for the Saints as they have secured fourth place in the OCAA Western Conference as well as a home playoff game.

St. Clair has won five of its last six games and is led by second year forward and cocaptain Shannon Kennedy who is averaging 19.1 points per game.

“We are not just happy to be here,” said Kennedy. “We are looking to make a long, deep run into the playoffs…. and we aren’t going to settle.”

Kennedy said the team’s focus is solely on facing the Fanshawe Falcons in their final regular season game.

That game could determine third place in the OCAA West Divison, as Fanshawe currently sits two points ahead of St. Clair in the standings with 24 points on the season.

St. Clair’s head coach Andy Kiss has a combined 15 Windsor Essex County Secondary School Athletics titles to go along with six provincial championship tournament appearances. He is confident that his players are capable of playing for an

Photo by Ian Shalapata Shannon Kennedy (14) sets up the pick for Sarah Bondy as she pushes past a Niagara Knight player at the top of the key. The Saints won 66-54 and now sit in 2nd place, in the OCAA West, two games behind Humber. Sunday at the SportsPlex.

OCAA title.

“Our short term focus is on getting to Scarborough, Ont, and bringing home OCAA gold,” said Kiss.

He added that all players who make up his team have roles to play come playoff time.

“I consider every single player important, regardless of how many minutes they play or points they score, we need all 11 people who make up our team to be successful,” said Kiss.

Lauren Pizzicaroli, a freshman on the team, is averaging 4.2 points per game this season. She said this team has had a “turning-point” moment which has bound the players together for the upcoming playoffs.

“Our ‘buzzer beater’ loss

against Humber was a turning point in our season,” said Pizzicaroli. “We realized that not only can we compete with the best teams in Ontario, but have the potential to medal in OCAA (championship).”

Kennedy said if anyone will be able to take St. Clair into Scarborough, and win games it will be coach Kiss.

“His philosophy is to apply pressure, take advantage of the opposition’s weakness and leave everything on the floor as a team,” said Kennedy.

Playoff dates have yet to be announced for the Women’s team, however coach Kiss said the team is still going to take the rest of this season “one game at a time.”

Practice makes perfect Michael Hugall Citizen Staff Reporter High school students from across Michigan gathered at Joe Louis Arena for the Detroit Red Wings’ media day Feb. 13 Aspiring journalists from Saline to Warren congregated inside the Joe Louis Arena’s Olympia Club to take part in an interactive press conference with notable sports personalities from professional media and the Red Wing organization.

Red Wing’s general manager Ken Holland was among the sports personalities on hand. Holland who has been with the club since the early

1990s, said this event has been part of Red Wings culture since he’s started.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for students who are going to school and want to get into journalism,” said Holland. “I think that if you can help them (students) gather knowledge in the pursuit of their passion… I’m glad we can help them out one day a year.”

Holland said he thinks it is important for Red Wings’ personnel to handle the media via league regulations. He said fans want to get as close to the action as possible.

“You can only let them get so

close,” said Holland. “We need to get our story out and that’s what the media does.”

It seems as though the message might be getting out faster to the public in the near future as many students said they enjoyed their time at the event and want to pursue a career in journalism.

Nick Warner, 16, an aspiring journalist, said he was excited to be given the opportunity to ask questions to members of a pro hockey team which he loves.

“I follow the Red Wings a lot and it’s been a great expe-

SEE PAGE 13

SPORTS FROM PAGE 12

“I think it’s a great opportunity for students who are going to school and want to get into journalism,” said Holland. “I think that if you can help them (students) gather knowledge in the pursuit of their passion… I’m glad we can help them out one day a year.”

Holland said he thinks it is important for Red Wings’ personnel to handle the media via league regulations. He said fans want to get as close to the action as possible.

“You can only let them get so close,” said Holland. “We need to get our story out and that’s what the media does.”

It seems as though the message might be getting out faster to the public in the near future as many students said they enjoyed their time at the event and want to pursue a career in journalism.

Nick Warner, 16, an aspiring journalist, said he was excited to be given the opportunity to ask questions to members of a pro hockey team which he loves.

“I follow the Red Wings a lot and it’s been a great experience for me,” said Warner. “I’ve learned that (journalism) is a tough experience. There is a lot of being away from family, but it has its perks as well.”

Warner said his favourite

part of the event was watching the Detroit Red Wings practice as he gathered information to ask questions to head coach, Mike Babcock and players Dan Cleary, Stephen Weiss and Luke Glendening.

“If I could be one person that I looked up to today it would be Kevin Allen (USA Today’s main hockey writer),” added Warner.

Also on hand was 18year-old student Patrick Canavan from Saline, Mich. who said his favourite experience was being able to ask questions to the panel veteran sports journalists which included Allen, as well as Detroit Red Wing play-by-play announcer Ken Kal of 97.1 FM the Ticket.

“It really gave me a lot of tips on how to approach things from now on,” said Canavan.

Canavan sees this to be an event he would recommend to fellow students who are still undecided as to whether a career in journalism is right for them.

“Take a chance and go,” said Canavan. “If you don’t like hockey, go, if you like sports and you like being on camera and you like journalism go and see what happens.”

In an industry that has been said to be dying because of the age of social media, events like media day at Joe Louis Arena serve a practical purpose for students aspiring to be journalists.

Sports Brief Michael Hugall Citizen Staff Reporter

Women’s Volleyball at home to take on Durham The St. Clair College women’s volleyball team will host a playoff match this Saturday, Feb. 21 against the Durham Lords at the St. Clair SportsPlex The Saints are looking to advance to the Ontario College’s Athletic Association championship in Ancaster, Ont. Feb. 26-28.

The Saints ended the

regular season in a tie for third place with a record of 12-6 and are currently ranked fifth in Ontario.

Both St. Clair and Durham come into this contest having won eight of 10 games.

St. Clair is led by thirdyear left side hitter Helen Wiebe who is fifth in the OCAA averaging 3.06 kills per set, as well as second-year libero Monica Roch who led the OCAA in digs with an astounding 297 this season.

First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.

CONVERGED CITIZEN13 FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Siddall MLB has a conflicting proposal

Photo courtesy of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Blue Jays play-by-play announcer Joe Siddall prepares to call a game during the 2014 season.

Photo courtesy of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Christian Bouchard Citizen Staff Reporter

With offence on the decline and strikeouts soaring, Major League Baseball is looking to reduce the size of the strike zone.

Rule 2.00 of the Major League Baseball rulebook defines a strike zone as “that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level line at the hollow beneath the kneecap.”

MLB’s Playing Rules Committee must approve any changes to the rules. The committee will be paying close attention to the strike zone this upcoming season and changes could potentially be implemented as early as 2016. The last time MLB officially changed the definition of the strike zone came after the 1996 season.

The strike zone has expanded significantly since 2009, as a result of loss of offensive production. Runs per game fell to 4.07 in 2014, the lowest mark since 1981.

According to research conducted by Hardball Times writer Joe Roegele, the size of the MLB strike zone has grown 40 square inches, from 435 in 2009 to 465 in

2014.

Joe Siddall, the current play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays and former Detroit Tiger’s catcher, said he believes MLB is thinking of shrinking the strike zone in an attempt to increase offensive production.

“MLB wants to attempt to bring back some offence to the game,” said Siddall.

“They think if they shrink the strike zone just a bit, it may give a small advantage back to the hitters and hopefully help teams score more runs.”

The problem, however, is that MLB is also looking for the length of games to be shortened.

“The problem is that the issue conflicts with the issue that they have with wanting more offence created at the same time,” said Siddall.

Siddall also said too much time is being wasted in game and with just a couple minor adjustments, MLB could have the best of both worlds.

“I would suggest MLB not to allow hitters to take unreasonable amounts of time out of the batters box,” said the retired catcher. “The same goes for pitchers on the mound and not allow mound visits to last too long. When the TV commercial is over, play is ready to be resumed immediately between

innings.”

Whether the change to the strike zone happens or not or the average game time is reduced in the upcoming seasons, fans will likely play the biggest role in the final decision, according to Jeff Watkin, catcher for St. Clair College.

“Sports are about money now,” said Watkin. “People don’t pay to watch good defences or how a pitcher plays the game mentally against hitters. They want homeruns and runs scored.”

In 2013, 6.7 million people watched the annual MLB Homerun Derby, according to data obtained by SportsMediaWatch.com.

According to MLB, the strike zone itself is said to be the ultimate cause of diminishing offence, pitchers have also been getting significantly better over the years as well. Since 2009, a total of 24 hitters have been thrown.

MLB came up with a solution to give the hitters a better advantage back then. The pitchers mound was lowered from 15 to 10 inches and the strike zone was reduced.

“I think they should leave the strike zone and perhaps lower the mound again as they did after the 1968 season,” said Siddall. “This gave a slight advantage back to the hitters and pitchers Earned Runs Average went up.”

ENTERTAINMENT CONVERGED CITIZEN14 Poetry alive and well thanks to local poets FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Photo by Ryan Adams Benny Alexander, the host of TOAST, reads his poem ‘Frequency’ off of his cell phone during the poetry event’s 2nd anniversary that was held on Feb. 17 at Phog Lounge.

Ryan Adams Cititzen Staff Reporter It is often said that poetry is a dying art, but the local poets reading their works at Phog Lounge in Windsor every

month would say otherwise.

On the third Tuesday of each month Windsor writers gather at Phog to share various forms of poetry. The gathering, known as TOAST, was started well before current host, Benny Alexander, took over

two years ago.

A poet in his own right, Alexander, 28, said poetry should be present in all communities because it is a unique way for writers to express themselves.

“It is incredibly important

University Film Festival Kassandra Coates Citizen Staff Reporter The University of Windsor ’s Film Festival has decided to release a new movie called Blight.

Blight is set in a fictional 1910s town with a mysterious illness. It is a thriller about the lengths families will go to to protect one another.

Douglas Cunningham, the director of the movie, said the film centres on socially-damaged characters trying to stay together in an increasingly hostile environment.

“I wanted to tell a story about characters that have to adapt and survive in a state of chaos,” said

Cunningham. “It’s at this breaking point, desperate and bankrupt, that they interact.”

It took nearly two-and-ahalf months to make the film and is currently still in the process of being edited.

They had a crew of eight local performers and 25 volunteers taking part in all kinds of tasks.

A U of W drama student, Madison Gignac said she was thrilled to be one of the actors in the film.

“I love acting, it’s my passion. So when I got this opportunity, I took it right away,” said Gignac. “The cast and crew were just amazing.”

The producer of the film,

Nat Dupes, said it was quite a struggle coordinating a whole cast and crew of students with various schedules, but they made it happen.

“We shot early mornings and weekends mostly, especially since our location was in Essex and based out of Windsor,” said Dupes.

Dupes said she is currently working on an ongoing project that has special effects and is planning to submit it into the festival as well.

The film will be shown to the public at the film festival in mid-April, with tickets being sold at the university starting in March.

for someone to express what they are feeling,” said Alexander. “And poetry is a very good expressive tool.

It’s cliché for a reason.”

Alexander said poetry is not a lost art form and he credits social media and an online community of poets for keeping it alive.

“Button Poetry is a fantastic resource for any poet that enjoys the art,” said Alexander. “They have a YouTube channel, which is a great resource for spreading poetry to the masses.”

New poet Ryan Lengyel said social media helps poets who want to share their work and who want to read other poets’ works through online communities.

“2014 was probably the most visible year for poetry thanks to social media,” said the poet. “Artists like Patrick Roche and Neil Hilbron earned millions of views on YouTube which is unheard of among independent poets and that’s a credit to the introduction of sharing online.”

Lengyel said he believes the poetry scene in Windsor will continue to grow as more people learn about modern forms of poetry including “slam poetry.”

Slam poetry is described as a type of poetry expressing a person’s personal story or

struggle usually in an intensely emotional style. Slam is one of many modern styles keeping the art form from dying out, said Alexander.

Emily Hope Brogan is a 25year-old published writer and editor for Kenning Journal, a literary magazine in Delaware. She said poetry has to be viewed through a wide lens and new readers must look past poetry of the past to help keep it alive.

“I think poetry is very alive,” said Brogan. “But I think to see that, you have to look at poetry with a wider lens than just remembering poetry as the boring rhymes written by dead British guys they were forced to read in high school.”

Brogan, who has had her poetry published by Red Paint Hill Publishing, said social media and a thriving online presence is a benefit to the art of poetry and she can’t see how social media could ever hurt poetry in the future.

Thanks to events like TOAST, venues like Phog Lounge, The Green Bean Café in Windsor and various online communities, poets have many places where they can read their own work or the work of someone else in an attempt at keeping poetry alive.

CONVERGED CITIZEN 15

ENTERTAINMENT

FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Birdman and Boyhood race for Academy’s biggest prize Ryan Adams Citizen staff reporter The Grand Budapest Hotel In typical Wes Anderson fashion, The Grand Budapest Hotel delivers a hilarious and heartfelt tale that blends Anderson’s distinctive style and quirky visuals with touching character drama.

The film stars Ralph Fiennes who plays a renowned hotel concierge at the Grand Budapest and newcomer Tony Revolori as his new lobby boy. The two become quick friends as they get caught up in a wild conspiracy with Fienne’s older love interest.

Anderson himself is up for two personal nominations this year, one for original screenplay and the other for best direction.

Whiplash Whiplash combines tense drama with awe-inspiring musical performances, particularly in the film’s third act, along with knockout performances from the two leads, upand-comer Miles Teller and veteran actor J.K. Simmons.

Teller plays the film’s promising young drummer, with Simmons playing his cut

throat and beautifully intense musical coach. Throughout the film the chemistry between them makes it seem as though the two have been working together for years.

J.K. Simmons, at age 65, gets his first-ever nomination in a supporting role.

Boyhood Director Richard Linklater, who has directed other ambitious films including the Before Midnight trilogy, has again created something that has never been done before.

Linklater filmed the movie over a 12-year-period. The result was a movie that is both heartfelt and incredibly real.

The film chronicles the life of a young boy played by Ellar Coltrane and his family, made up of Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, both of whom are nominated for supporting roles this year.

The creative direction of Linklater landed him a nomination for Best Director as well as a nomination for Original Screenplay this year.

Birdman Birdman may have been the most ambitious project of the eight nominees this year if it weren’t for some other nominees. However, Birdman still

delivered a style and concept that was wholly original.

Director Alejandro González Iñárritu edited the film to make it seem like the entire thing was one continuous shot. This was well done and helped land Iñárritu a nomination for Best Direction.

Michael Keaton starred in this tale of a washed up actor from an old superhero franchise as he attempts to revive his career and mend family affairs before the opening of his Broadway play. This was Keaton’s first leading role in six years and his performance got him nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

The Imitation Game The Imitation Game, an Andrew of adaptation Hodges’ novel, is based on the true story of World War II mathematician, Alan Turing, and his success in cracking the German enigma code.

The cast includes Kiera Knightley, Matthew Goode and Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch.

Cumberbatch was the powerhouse in the film as he brought a very misunderstood character to life on the big screen in a remarkable performance that helped him to

his first ever Oscar nomination.

American Sniper American Sniper is the story of Navy SEAL sniper, Chris Kyle and his struggles with his role in the war in Iraq.

Bradley Cooper plays Kyle, who wrote the book the movie is loosely based. The book recounted his time overseas and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that stemmed from the acts he carried out while fighting.

Cooper is on a bit of an Oscars tear right now as his Best Actor nomination for American Sniper gives him three nominations in the last three years.

He is definitely one of, if not the most, prolific actors working today.

American Sniper was well shot, landing a nomination for Achievement in Film Editing, but could have focused more on Kyle’s suffering with PTSD that was so prevalent in the book.

The Theory of Everything In a year with many great performances, one has to look at what Eddie Redmayne and Felecity Jones were able to accomplish in The Theory of Everything and admire their

The big winners of the 2015 Oscars Best supporting actor: JK Simmons for Whiplash Best supporting actress: Patricia Arquette for Boyhood Best director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman Best actor: Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything Best actress: Julianne Moore for Still Alice Best picture: Birdman Last Year’s Big Winner Best picture: 12 Years a Slave Best Directer: Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey ( Dallas Buyers Club) Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)

By Allanah Wills

The Last Five Best Picture Winners 12 Years a Slave (2013) Argo (2012) The Artist (2011) The King’s Speech (2010) The Hurt Locker (2009)

dominance of the screen.

The two were able to bring to life the relationship of famed physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife, Jane Wilde, as they dealt with the struggles of Hawking’s diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The film is nominated for five Oscars including Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay but it is the film’s original score from acclaimed composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, which really impressed.

Selma Continuing the run of biographical films in the Best Picture category Selma is the account of celebrated civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his dangerous three month long campaign for equal voting rights.

The film was solidly acted by male lead, David Oyelowo and although he wasn’t nominated, there is consensus by critics that there is a bright future in acting for the 39year-old British actor.

The most notable aspect of the film was the song nominated for Best Original Song, which was written by artists John Legend [John Stephens] and Common [Lonnie Lynn].

ENTERTAINMENT CONVERGED CITIZEN16 Local musician putting Windsor on the map FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Anthony Sheardown Citizen Staff Reporter

When Jarret Sorko was 13 years old, he picked up a guitar and knew he had found his career – but little did he realize he would find success in the comedic music genre.

In high school, he played guitar in a band, Flaming Yawn, but it was never enough. Inspired by his favorite band Sum-41 and comedian Bo Burnham, he began to write his own material.

“I saw Bo Burnham for the first time in 2009. He was starting off on YouTube. He wasn’t that big back then, there were about 50 people at his show,” said Sorko. “After that, I started writing comedic songs and performing them at Leo’s Komedy Korner in Windsor.”

Sorko started doing home recordings in 2009 and found success when he wrote the local hit song Yo I’m From Windsor Dude. It was released in March 2011.

Sorko had the idea for the song when he was using YouTube and searched “Windsor Ontario.” When he found nothing he wanted to write a signature song so that when people searched for “Windsor,” his song would come up.

The song went viral and YouTube was sending him emails.

“By the end of the first week of the song being out it had 40,000 views and the Windsor Star wrote a story,” said Sorko. “It had an insane amount of views. I was surprised. I remember I had a Blackberry and it was going off so much I had to turn off the notifications.”

Windsorites are pleased that Sorko put a positive light on Windsor and is publicizing the city’s name.

“I met Jarrett through comedy back in July. The cool thing is before I met him, I had heard about him and seen a few of his music videos so it was essentially meeting a local celebrity,” said Chris Mailloux a 23-year-old St. Clair College student in Windsor. “Overall, I think he has helped put a spotlight on Windsor, his song 519 being a great example. Every single word in that song is Windsor and in the end, it’s a great piece of art that helps make people truly appreciate Windsor.

Mailloux also said the 519 song helps people be more appreciative of Windsor. Other fans say it is bringing more attention to the city.

“I think Jarrett has done a great job at revamping the comedy scene in Windsor especially with the release of his 519 video,” said Elyza Macher, a 24-year-old University of Windsor student studying Kinesiology. “Before the video, I know a lot of peo-

ple were unaware that Windsor even had a comedy scene.”

Sorkos new album is called Jarret Sorko 4 Mayor. The album consists of five songs intersected with skits.

On Feb 15, Sorko recorded his newest music video for the song All Over Your Face at the The Windsor Beer Exchange downtown. For this particular shoot, which was sponsored

by Macleans Brewery, Sorko did something a bit different.

He filmed the video in a concert and party type scene. he invited friends and Windsorites who wanted to attend the shoot.

The style of the video was Sorko on and off stage partying and performing with fans as the fans danced and had a good time. There were also other creative aspects shot for the video by Mike LeClair.

Sorko has very loyal fans who say they love his music and think highly of him. He was signing autographs after the show.

“Besides being super talented, Jarrett is a genuinely nice, down to earth and humble person,” said Macher. “Even though I have Jarrett’s newest album on my iPod and listen to his songs all the time, they always make me laugh. The video shoot was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

Sorko said the videos for the album are almost finished.

“We have four videos other than this one wrapped up now

Photo by Anthony Sheardown Jarret Sorko is posing for a photo on the set of his newest music video at the Beer Exchange from this album,” said Sorko. came out tonight, I knew “There is one more that I am about half the crowd. We got a actually going to do a surprise sponsor from MacLeans brewrelease for, hopefully soon.” ery as well for the video Sorko said they had been tonight. The first 20 people planning this video for about that came out, beer was on eight months. The last video us.” they shot was in May of last People had a lot of fun and year. thought it was cool that “We hardcore planned this MacLeans Brewery sponsored video the last two weeks,” said the shoot.

Sorko. “I think 40 to 50 people

Comic book industry explodes following cinematic growth Rhiannon Lotze Citizen Staff Reporter Movies based on comic books are all the rage in theatres and their growing popularity may also be increasing comic book sales.

Since 2010, more than 10 movies based on comic books have appeared in theatres and at least three more movies are coming this year. Five television shows based on comic books have also been released since 2010, making it one of the biggest industries in entertainment.

According to

www.comichron.com, average sales for the comic book industry have increased by millions of dollars each year since 2010. This correlates with the increase in popularity of movies and TV shows.

Windsor has become a hotspot for comic book lovers, boasting several comic book stores and studios.

Rogues Gallery Comics is one of the stores in downtown Windsor dedicated to comic book sales.

“It’s all of a sudden become popular to be a nerd,” said Shawn Cousineau, owner of Rogues Gallery. “We’ve seen an immense hike in business

from not only the movies but from the TV shows as well.”

Cousineau also said sales have increased in memorabiliabased comic books.

Sellers of comic books aren’t the only ones who have noticed a spike in their popularity because of recent movies.

“I think the movies have inspired more writers which has increased the popularity of the comics,” said Courtney Pike, a comic book collector.

Pike owns more than 100 comics and has been interested in them for years. She also said while the movies are generating popularity for the

comic books, the original comics are what created the initial interest in the movies.

However, some say that comparatively speaking, the comic book industry is not as popular as it once was.

Tony Gray is the owner of GlassMonkey Studios Inc., a local comic book company.

He writes and illustrates several original comic book series, such as Tales of the Incredible Conduit.

“The sales of the comic books haven’t been as dramatically influenced as you might expect. Sales are extremely good… but back in the 60s and 70s, a top selling comic

book would sell 600,000 to 700,000 every month. Now, a top selling comic book might sell 100,000 a month,” said Gray, who has been in the business for 14 years and has worked for DC Comics.

Despite this, Gray said since there is a wider variety of comic books and they are now more expensive, it makes up for the dip in numbers sold and means that comic book sales have been very successful.

With over 40 comic book movies scheduled for the next five years, the comic book industry is expected to continue growing.