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*March 8, 2018
The Power Of The Future
Inside
Taylor Hall returns to Windsor for jersey retirement
2 New tech
7 Drummers
8 Cosplaying
11 OFSAA swimming Photo by Jordan Ferris Taylor Hall waves to the crowd during a jersey retirement speech at the WFCU Centre.
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Arts & Entertainment........................................7 Sports................................................................9
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Quote of the Day
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Education is like driving, it is a right but it is a responsibility. -Kyle Rose
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New technologies at merged school Zander Kelly Converged Citizen Staff The new principal of St. Teresa of Calcutta Elementary School is not new to her students or staff at all. The school, located on Chandler Road, is formed with students of St. Bernard and St. Jules elementary schools, which are now closed. Elise Daragon is proud of her staff and students and the new facility she is leading. “We have a lot of technology,” said Daragon. “iPads, Chromebooks, we’re almost at a ratio of two students for every one portable device.” Technology is providing help for the computer programmers and IT specialists of the future, while staying fun and easy to learn for young students. Daragon has a long history of education in the Windsor area. She has taught at over five schools during her 35year career. Even though this is the first year students of both St. Bernard and St. Jules have shared a brand-new building, the two groups have been inte-
grated for much longer. “We did a lot of transition work and planning over the past two years,” said Daragon. “We did play-days together, we did camping excursions, we’ve done field trips together so the kids had exposure to each other already.” St. Teresa of Calcutta Elementary School has a security pass-locked entryway, secure classroom doors and all manner of advancements in education. Students can begin to learn the basics of programming by using iPads and remote-controlled robots or build their own robots out of lego with Block Coding. Suzanne McLaughlin is a kindergarten teacher at St. Teresa’s, with 16 years of teaching experience herself. She has been teaching kindergarten for much of that time and welcomes the new technologies, which will keep the parents of prospective students informed after kindergarten registration is over. “We are connected (to our parents) with Remind App and we have speaker systems
Photo by Zander Kelly A child plays in the music room at St. Teresa’s during kindergarten registration night. throughout the offices and the rest of the school too,” said McLaughlin.
St. Teresa is one of 36 Elementary Schools in the WECDSB. Kindergarten reg-
istration began in late February for the 2018-2019 school year.
Arthur Shilling and his paintings MD Zaman Converged Citizen Staff The Art Gallery of Windsor is presenting Arthur Shilling, Leah Modigliani and Hind vs Hind for exhibition in 2018. These three art exhibitions had their opening reception on Friday Feb. 16. The Final Works profiles the late Ojibwe artist Arthur Shilling and the works he produced during the last decade of his life, 19761986. During this time Shilling produced powerful portraits reflecting contemporary identity politics within indigenous culture. Shilling was born in
1941 on the Chippewas of Rama First Nation Reserve, Ontario and paints with in an expressionistic style. Elder Mona Stonefish, an AGW consultant, said in her opening speech at the reception, “We are all privileged to have such a showing as Arthur showing.” Jaclyn Meloch, a contemporary art curator, said, “We at the Art Gallery of Windsor are thrilled to share these very important paintings and portraits.” Meloch said the painter also depicted the challenges of the marginalization of indigenous people in this country.
Art curator William Kingfisher said in his opening speech, “These works are really important today.” Kingfisher also called Shilling a non-compromising painter who wanted to show strong, beautiful and complex people. Kingfisher chose to display 27 canvases which depict the artist’s thoughts, expressions and his representation of his people. There is a 30 feet long mural titled The Beauty of my People . The exhibition will remain open until May 13, 2018 from 11a.m.to 5p.m.Wednesday to Sunday. For further information visit www.agw.ca.
Photo by MD Zaman A 30-foot long mural, “The Beauty of my People” by Arthur Shilling.
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news The life and legacy of Howard McCurdy Miranda Monahan Converged Citizen Staff Howard Douglas McCurdy Jr., a well-respected civil rights activist, the first African-Canadian university professor to receive tenure and Canada’s second AfricanCanadian Member of Parliament, has died. McCurdy has been called compassionate, and lived a life of historic firsts. He founded the Guardian Club, an organization to fight Windsor’s racism. “I think my father was a highly intelligent, courageous, stubborn, powerful, deeply caring man. He was a leader, pioneer and teacher who suffered neither fools nor injustice lightly,” said Leslie McCurdy, McCurdy’s daughter. McCurdy was born Dec. 10, 1932 in London, Ont. and moved to Amherstburg at the age of nine. When McCurdy tried to join the Cub Scouts at the age of nine, he was turned down and told to form an African-Canadian-only troop. This racism would only motivate McCurdy. Brian Masse, NDP, MP in the riding of Windsor-West, said in a statement made in the House of Commons on Feb. 26, social justice was McCurdy’s calling. “He never stopped advocating for people and a more equal Canada. He was a leader in every sense and was a founding member of the National Black Coalition,” said Masse. McCurdy’s family had ties
to the underground railroad. His great-great grandfather, Nasa McCurdy, was an agent on the underground railroad and helped African-American slaves escape to Canada during the 1800s. McCurdy earned two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree and a PhD. He served as Michigan State University’s president of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. He became the first person of colour to hold a tenure track position at a Canadian university. McCurdy founded the Canadian College of Microbiologists and served as its president until 1980. “My dad was the first chairman of the Board of Directors at St. Clair College,” said Leslie. In 1979, McCurdy was elected as an alderman (member of council) for the city of Windsor. He became the first African-Canadian MP for the NDP and served until he was defeated in the 1993 federal election. Percy Hatfield, a local NDP MPP, remembers McCurdy as a “great man” and his time covering McCurdy as a reporter. “Dr. Howard McCurdy was one of a kind. He was educated, charismatic, sophisticated, usually the best dressed man in the room – handsome, funny – and a man who fought racism most of his life,” said Hatfield. McCurdy won several awards throughout his life and career, including the Canadian Centennial Medal, the
Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal and J.S. Woodsworth Award for Human Rights. In 2012, McCurdy was designated a member of the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada. On Feb. 20, 2018, McCurdy died at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. It is unknown at this time how McCurdy’s legacy will be publically preserved, but his daughter would like to see him remembered for his many contributions. “I would like to see him at least mentioned in our history books. We don’t often speak of the civil rights struggle that occurred in Canada, focusing primarily on the ills that existed in the United States, but my father was one of the leaders of that fight,” said Leslie. “His legacy is preserved through his family and the work that we all continue to do, maybe not as openly and publicly as he did, but we all continue what he taught us in some way. Hatfield thinks the city should publically establish McCurdy’s legacy. “I believe the City of Windsor should consider a lasting memorial of some kind to Dr. McCurdy, but I would leave that up to them. Howard would be the first to tell you the journey his ancestors started on the road to freedom – along that underground railroad – on the path to equity and acceptance – is a journey that is far from over. Racism exists today in Canada and there is much more work to be done,” said Hatfield.
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Windsor introduces a subscription box for produce Cassidy McNea Converged Citizen Staff Windsorites have the opportunity for fresh produce to be delivered to their door. WE Box, a local food share program through Border City Urban Farms, works with farmers and producers in the area to source a fruit and vegetable-filled box. These boxes are released monthly and the cost is $25 for pick up or $30 for home delivery in Windsor. began program The October 2017. The original idea was for restauranteurs to be able to access local produce but one of the founders, Robert Ross, said he and cofounder Steve Green realized they could sell leftover stock. “We thought rather than try to be a stock type of grocery store, why not curate some of the best produce we can find? And, do a community sourced agriculture box,” said Ross. “Normally CSAs are offered by one producer and you are limited to what they offer. We thought, if we just curate this I think it would bring some value to people because we are doing all the work.” The pickup location for the boxes change each month during the winter. In the summer the location for pickup is the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market. The pickup location last month was Bike Windsor Essex. Lori Newton, of Bike Windsor Essex, said she enjoyed working alongside WE Box. “They are a very passionate grassroots group of peo-
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ple who are doing something similar to what we are trying to do here at the bike hub which is to promote sustainable, connected communities in the city,” said Newton. Windsorites have other options for grocery delivery including Loblaws which offers home delivery. However, unlike WE Box, they do not work alongside local businesses and their focus is on all types of groceries. Lee & Maria’s is also a local produce subscription box. Ross said they are not worried about competition and instead are focusing on those who appreciate local produce and want to establish a sense of community and healthy eating. Last month WE Box sold out. Sabrina Andersen, a subscriber to the WE Box since November, said it is perfect for her family of four. “In terms of value you could probably get it a few dollars cheaper but I really liked that it is supporting local,” said Andersen. “We are big supporters of the farmers' market in the summer and I really liked the idea that there was a box that went on during the winter. It is not just walking into a big box store and buying a vegetable which comes from somewhere else. They are actually grown in our county.” Windsorites looking to add fresh fruits and vegetables to their diet can support local produce one box at a time. Visit Border City Urban Farms online to learn more about the WE Box and other local initiatives.
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Reducing waste Writing the with reused space right way Grace Bauer Converged Citzen Staff
Photo by Ryan Percy Barb Bonnici sorts garbage at the Devonshire Mall’s training waste sorting station Ryan Percy Converged Citzen Staff Shoppers in Devonshire Mall’s food court in Windsor will no longer find bins being used to collect garbage. The mall managers began the new waste reduction process Feb. 12 when they unveiled a new training waste sorting station located next to Taco Bell. Shoppers who eat a meal in the food court can now follow a path of green footprints to bring their green trays to the sorting station. They will then place the trays at the accepting window and from there it will be sorted and disposed of by one of the staff. The waste brought to the station is sorted into organic waste, paper and plastic. According to their website this initiative continues a trend of green initiatives, including their energy efficient lighting and heating as well as solar charging stations. Operations Manager for Devonshire Mall, Brad Shepley, said the goal of the waste sorting station, along with other initiatives, is to emphasize that Devonshire Mall strives to be as environmentally conscious as possible. “There has been an emphasis on waste reduction,” said Shepley. “Our goal is to get to a
zero waste food court.” Some Windsorites might have concerns about the efficiency of the recyclable program. However, Cameron Wright, waste diversion manager for the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority, said it is a step in the right direction. “This program will only have a marginal impact on waste going to landfill. However, it may offer other spin-offs such as increased interest in recycling from other commercial establishments and increased awareness by the public of recycling opportunities away from home,” Wright said. The general opinion on the change has been positive. Paula Moriarty is La Vie en Rose's regional sales manager. While eating lunch she said it is good to see food waste management coming to Windsor. “There are many other malls that I travel to and they do it already. They have glass plates or ceramic plates, they don't offer any paper or anything like that and they actually have a lot less waste. So, the fact that they're doing this I think it's neat,” said Moriarty. Recycling Makes Cents is the private company that deals with both the county recyclable metal collection, called white goods, and Devonshire Mall.
They pay $0.01 per pound of paper or cardboard and $0.10 per pound of electronics and batteries, while pop cans earn $0.40 per pound. In the current system the EWSWA receives compensation for recycling from the manufacturers of the item packaging. However, new legislation is pushing to have the packaging manufacturers take on full responsibility for the recycling. Wright said this leads to only one logical conclusion. “In the long run under the new legislation EWSWA will have to decide whether what the manufacturers offer is sufficient for us to continue running recycling programs or whether we turn a part or all of our programs over to the private sector,” said Wright. Privatization movements are already saving Canadian cities money, such as Rob Ford giving half of Toronto's waste disposal to the private sector, saving Toronto almost $12 million. Devonshire Mall will have two fully developed sorting stations ready to be installed when the new food court opens later this year. With these two new stations they will hire three employees.
A local museum is educating people about a lost art form. The Chimczuk Museum located on Riverside Drive in downtown Windsor has a new exhibit called Cursive Writing: Reading and Writing the Old School Way. It is a traveling exhibit from Museum London that explores the history and importance of cursive writing. “The exhibit is really interesting,” said Craig Capacchione, Chimczuk Museum coordinator. “We get a lot of people who know cursive writing and have grown up learning cursive writing who are bringing their kids or grandkids who might not know it at all.” The exhibit will be on display until May and features artifacts showcasing the history of this craft. The roots of cur-
sive writing date back to ancient Rome, according to the Chimczuk Museum newsletter. Rebekah Cowan is a homeschooling mom of six who has decided to teach her kids cursive writing. “I do it primarily because it’s tradition… I grew up learning cursive,” said Cowan. “I believe it’s a good process to engage your kids in to develop them intellectually.” Cowan said she thinks it is an important skill because it teaches kids how to sign their name on cheques and legal documents. After this exhibit leaves, the museum will be getting new exhibits such as the Rotary Club’s 100th anniversary and one from the Museum of Nature in Ottawa, according to Capacchione. For more information visit the City of Windsor’s website at www.citywindsor.ca.
Photo by Grace Bauer Craig Capacchione, Chimczuk Museum coordinator, explains the importance of the new cursive writing exhibit.
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Flood waters recede from Chatham-Kent Matt Flood Converged Citizen Staff Flood waters have receded in Chatham-Kent but many residents are left with thousands of dollars in damages. Water from the Thames River rose into streets, homes and businesses of ChathamKent and Thamesville last week between Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. The flood caused home evacuations and prompted rescue efforts from the fire department. Plans are being made by the municipality of Chatham-Kent to deal with the mess.Chatham-Kent mayor Randy Hope declared a state of emergency Feb. 23 as information from the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority warned of flooding. The LCTVA works to watch
over the Thames River and work with communities located between Delaware, Ont. and Lake St. Clair. The flooding was caused by melting snow and heavy rainfall on the Thames River watershed.The water peaked at 5.25 metres around 9 p.m. on Feb. 24 in Chatham and by Feb. 27 the municipality of Chatham-Kent announced waters had decreased significantly. The intensity of the flooding came as a surprise for some residents. “When the flooding first happened, I figured we were safe because of the location of my house and then as it started getting closer and coming up I still didn’t overly worry about it,” said Trish Duffield, a 39 year old Chatham tenant. “It was overnight Friday night
because they (her children) woke up downstairs at 6:30 in the morning to it starting. It was panic, it was shock and a kind of defeated feeling.” While some people coped with flooded basements, others needed rescuing. “We had a rescue down the road,” said Duffield. “It appeared well coordinated, the fire department was very helpful making sure that everybody was okay and ensuring that if we needed help they could help us.” Around 13 people were rescued by emergency services in the event, but those who evacuated their homes or were rescued needed a place to go. The John D. Bradley Centre was opened at noon Feb. 23 as an emergency shelter by the municipality for anyone in affected areas with nowhere to
go. Residents were informed to bring 72 hours worth of medication and personal items as high waters were expected to be present for the next three days. The centre acted as a shelter until Feb. 25.Despite the dangers, damages and difficulties of the flood, the systems put in place to protect the town worked well, as strained as they were. Director of Engineering and Transportation Services, Adam Sullo, said the recent flood was similar in severity to the Chatham flood of 1985 where the flooding was widespread, reaching into South Chatham. After the 1985 flood more systems were put in place to lessen any future flood impact.
“Certainly, the controls that were put in place worked, the diking that exists and the pumping station that exists worked to alleviate it,” said Sullo. The flood caught the attention of the provincial government. Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Mauro toured the affected regions of the Thames River flood. He met with community members, volunteers and emergency responders. Provincial officials will be assessing flood damages this week to decide what provincial disaster programs will be available to those affected.The municipality of Chatham-Kent is currently devising a plan to clear flooddamaged debris from the affected areas.
International students are upset about not getting part-time jobs Suraj Sasi Converged Citizen Staff Some international students at St. Clair College are finding it difficult to find part-time jobs because of the recent increase in minimum wage. On Jan. 1 Ontario’s hourly wage increased from $11.60 to $14. International students looking for part-time jobs said they are devastated by the increase. Aravindan Ravichandran, a first year student from India, studying International Business Management has been in Windsor for more than a month now and has applied for more than 20 part-time jobs. “I have applied for jobs online as well but I still have
not received a single call from anywhere,” said Ravichandran. Prem Kumar is a St. Clair College student who lost his job due to the wage increase. “The owners could not pay well after the wage increased from $11 to $14 which was the reason why people lost their jobs,” said Kumar. Some students say they are upset about not getting calls from places where they apply for work. “It is very bad I do not have that much money to cover my expenses, rent, phone bill, bus pass and grocery,” said Peeyush Yasodharan, a student at St. Clair College. Yashodharan has two years of job experience in marketing and still hopes to find a job
soon before things get worse. “I am using my student GIC right now and once that gets over it would be terrible for me,” said Yasodharan. Maria Abraham came to Windsor from India on Jan. 5, 2018. Abraham is also studying international business management and says she is outraged that employers are not hiring students from abroad. She said every year there are many students coming from other countries who have no connections in the city. She was surprised to see around 500 students at the Home Depot applying for the parttime job that was advertised. “They are completely helpless because they do not know anyone. So the government
should either notgive a visa to that many students or at least help us out in some way,” said Abraham. Wayne Riley, the employment counselor at the St. Clair Employment Centre said it is not just international students who are struggling. Domestic students are facing similar problems while searching for jobs. “It is something that cannot happen overnight and job searching can be frustrating,” said Riley.“Typically we see in this time of year that there is a reduction in part time jobs for students and on top we have this minimum wage increase effect on it.” Riley said to make sure your
resume highlights transferable skills, work experience, training and education. “St. Clair has career service centres that students can take advantage of and they help students build resumes and prepare them for the interviews,” said Riley.“It is very important to be confident and to express to the employers about what you have to offer.” Highlighting aspects of why you would be good for a particular job and why you want to work for this organization are some of the important points Riley wants students to remember while they are applying for part-time jobs.
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Protect your pet Kylie Turner Converged Citizen Staff Are you the person your dog thinks you are? During the month of February, the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society partnered with local veterinarian clinics for a vaccination drive. The project offers core vaccines for cats or dogs along with a brief health exam for $50 plus tax. Melanie Coulter is the executive director at the Humane Society and said this is the sixth year the vaccination drive has happened during the month of February. The Humane Society started offering the program when its clinic first opened to help increase services in the community. “In a lot of cases illnesses are preventable and the vaccine cost is often a barrier,” said Coulter. “We decided to
offer this program to help vets when business is slow. This could help develop relationships and care moving forward. Deadly illnesses are can easily be preventable with vaccines.” Meaghan Rasberry is a pet owner and vet office assistant student at the University of Guelph Ridgetown campus. Rasberry said there are some core vaccines that are not optional in some areas. “Vaccines are extremely important for your pets,” said Rasberry. “They are the main source of protection against potentially deadly viruses and diseases. We, as owners of these animals have a responsibility to protect them to the best of our ability. That way is by getting them their yearly vaccines.” There are 12 local participating clinics including the Humane Society in the vaccination drive. Pet owners
Photo by Kylie Turner Melanie Coulter talks about the Protect Your Pet vaccine drive. should call a participating clinic ahead of time to book an appointment. For more information about future drives check out wind-
Vouchers for feral felines Joyce St. Antoine Converged Citizen Staff Windsorites will be able to apply to have feral felines spayed and neutered at no charge starting March 7. Since 2012, the free voucher program has been offered to low income families who may apply by calling the City of Windsor. The procedure focuses on cats to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Feral cats may have diseases or lack the care of an owner. Windsorites will be offered a $75 voucher for the procedure. “The vouchers are available for 90 days. They will be redeemable at any veterinary clinic and the maximum is two for each household. Anyone
can call for an extension if they will use the voucher, but if not, they can come back and return it,” said Katherine Donaldson, executive administrative assistant for the City of Windsor. “The program runs depending on the government’s funding for it. Last year we were given $30,000 and now it’s decreased to $20,000,” said Donaldson. “There are areas of Windsor where cats roam such as Riverside, Walkerville and Central. My recommendation is when you catch a stray, apply for the voucher, and bring them to the Humane Society’s spay and neuter clinic.” The City of Windsor receives several phone calls the day of the voucher’s release from applicants wishing to receive a voucher, and
usually all are handed out by the end of the day. “Animals are an important aspect of our city, as much as it’s a shame to see strays around, this is something I recommend doing for the sake of the feline,” said Melanie Coulter, executive director of Windsor’s Humane Society. “The City of Windsor has grown domestically with a large amount of cats living the streets with several health problems, whether that be lack of food or the lack of care. So, with this voucher, it’s to make sure the cat can continue on living safely.” Calling 311, the City of Windsor’s call center, is available to provide help and answers to any questions regarding the available opportunity. Applicants must be over 18 to receive a voucher.
sorhumane.org. “We always have the vaccine drive in February and will continue to if it is something the clinics are willing to par-
ticipate in and support,” said Coulter. “It has gotten to the point where the clinics ask us when the drive will be.”
CONVERGED CITIZEN MARCH 8, 2018
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Shoppers Drug Mart strikes deal with Aurora Cannabis Nicole Neuts Converged Citizen Staff Patients who rely on medical marijuana will now be able to access it through Shoppers Drug Mart's online store. The pharmacy chain first applied for a dispensary license through Health Canada in October 2016 and was approved in December 2017. Shoppers Drug Mart has now reached a business deal with Aurora Cannabis. Nicole Hanson, a patient who recently started to use medical marijuana for post operation pain, approves of the business move. "I highly agree with the
movement of Shoppers joining Aurora," said Hanson. "Waiting for a delivery seems odd. What if my neighbour knows I'm waiting for it? What if I'm asleep when they attempt to deliver?” Hanson has been using medical marijuana for just five days and says her pain, which should have been tremendous post-operation, has been minimal. "I believe that cannabis has massive medical benefits. I have done lots of my own research," said Hanson. "I don't believe in recreational use and I hope that it will be more acceptable in the medical world." Medical marijuana is
offered in many forms such as cooking oil, oil drops, baked goods and a vaporized form. Partnering with Shoppers, Aurora Cannabis will now be able to extend their business and their product nationwide. "Partnering with Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada's largest pharmacy retailer, is yet another validation of the scale and maturity of our company and of the demand for Aurora's medical cannabis," Aurora Cannabis CEO and founder, Terry Booth told Global News. According to greenrelief.ca, getting high on medical marijuana depends on the compound and strain. There are two strains of cannabis. One
compound is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – this strain gets you high. The other strain contains a compound known as cannabidiol (CBD), which does not get you high. Most doctors prescribe the CBD strain although some might prescribe the THC strain, but in lower amounts.Anecdotal stories from patients credit medical marijuana with reducing epileptic seizures, severe forms of turrets, anxiety, depression and some say it can even kill cancerous cells. While many physicians prescribe medical marijuana for their patients, some members of the medical community say
they are not yet convinced that it does what patients say it does. Health Canada data shows the number of clients registered with licensed medical marijuana producers jumped to more than 200,000 in June 2017, about 2.7 times greater than the 75,166 people registered around the same time last year. Registrations tripled in both 2016 and 2015. Health Canada published an information bulletin on their website for medical professionals about the benefits and harms of medical marijuana, along with a disclaimer that cannabis is not an approved therapeutic product they endorse.
These drummers can't be beat Lauren O’Brien Converged Citizen Staff Windsorites are learning how to play African djembe drums. On the last Tuesday of every month, classmates gather at White Feather Holistic Arts. The small business on Ottawa Street in Windsor sells natural healing products. Owner Tracey Rogers organizes a variety of workshops and events. She has hosted drum classes, taught by Nelson Ing, for the past four and a half years. Ing has been around drums his entire life. He studied and played Chinese temple drums with his father since he was eight.He took up the djembe in college. While leaving a concert at Pine Knob in Detroit, he walked by a group of people playing drums. He
sat down at a spare drum and began playing. “I swear, it wasn’t more than 15 or 20 minutes but somehow, the rest of the world went two hours,” Ing said. One of the reasons he said he is drawn to djembe drums is their simplicity and elegance. The traditional drum is made out of a wooden shell, a steel ring and goat skin stretched over the top.The class covers theory, rhythm phrasing and technique. Ing also talks about the importance of posture, breathing and stretching. He said he teaches the classes to create a sense of community and happiness. “We’re really just here to enjoy each other and the drums,” he said. Before class, participant Bradley Wayde Jones said he had never played before.Jones has focused on being a gui-
tarist, a writer and a singer. He said the rhythm and coordination of drums did not come naturally to him. “It’s easier when I close my eyes,” said Jones during the class. “When I close my eyes I see birds or fish migrating.” Jones said he enjoyed the class and he could not stop smiling during the two hours. “It wasn’t that it was funny. I think it just blew off that much stress,” he said. White Feather Holistic Arts is hosting a Spring Equinox Drum Circle March 20 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Spring Equinox brings the energy of change, planting intentions and new life through the high energy drum circle. Pre-registration is necessary because space is limited. They ask for a donation of $10 with all proceeds going to the Women's Welcome Center & Shelter.
Photo by Lauren O'Brien Participants play drums at White Feather Holistic Arts.
CONVERGED CITIZEN MARCH 8, 2018
A look into professional cosplaying Kristian Beaudoin Converged Citizen Staff Halloween is not the only time for people to enjoy dressing up as fictional characters. Fans of comic books, television, movies and video games often turn a dress up hobby into a career. Cosplay, short for costume play, is a hobby where participants dress up in costumes of characters and go to events such as conventions and costume contests to show off their look. Conventions such as Comic-con encourage cosplay and holds contests for cosplayers to compete in a number of categories. Cosplaying is a hobby that participants enjoy, but with enough of a following on social media and public interest, it can be done for profit. Ezra Vanier is a student at Belle River District High School and a cosplayer. Vanier goes to conventions in Windsor such as the annual Windsor Comic-Con and recently attended the Action! 2018 convention on Wednesday Feb. 18. Vanier does cosplay as a hobby and enjoys dressing up as characters she likes such as Mavis Dracula from Hotel Transylvania and Shoto Torodoki from My Hero Academia. "I love acting and stuff so cosplay is kind of a way of becoming a character and improvisation," said Vanier. Vanier became interested in
cosplay after she discovered anime - television shows and movies, at 12 years old. She started cosplaying in 2012 and continues to do it today. She said she would even consider doing it professionally and turn cosplaying into a career. "I’ve seen lots of pro cosplayers at conventions and they sell prints of their cosplays and depending on the cosplay they could do kids’ parties and stuff as well. There’s lots of ways cosplaying can be made into a career," said Vanier. There is potential for making money from wearing the costumes, but there is also the business of making costumes where people have found a profit. Linda Creswick is the owner of Dream Costumes, a store that supplies cosplayers with materials and accessories needed to make and enhance their costumes. Creswick also takes occasional small commissions, helping people create pieces or add detail to their costumes for the best look. Creswick has been in the business for 38 years, starting off in cosplay at first before providing supplies and knowledge to cosplayers. She also helps her customers by teaching them the skills they need for their costume while also learning things for herself along the way. "You'd be surprised how someone who doesn't think they know much about it, they actually do. You learn something from everybody, so it's
really a two way street," said Creswick. As a business owner, Creswick knows what it takes to be successful. An important key to success in the business of cosplay, she said, is budgeting. With the cost of materials to create costumes, travelling to events and conventions or purchasing a booth at a convention, expenses can add up. Such conventions as the Ottawa Comic-con charge $750 for a booth. Creswick says it is important to know how to manage money. "I've seen this with businesses not just in cosplay. If you're not a business manager, if you cannot balance your own cheque book, that won't work in your favour," said Creswick. Cosplay is still a young and growing practice with the phrase itself made up in Japan in 1939. A survey in 2017 including 296 people on Cosplay Calamity reveals that 33.4 per cent of people have been cosplaying for three to five years. 42.9 per cent of people make or buy one to two costumes per year. It is unclear as to what these numbers will look in the future, but cosplaying is still going to be around if conventions continue being held. 32.4 per cent of people get their interest in cosplay from what they see at conventions. "You don't have to jump right in. You can start slow and work your way up. I'm a believer in evolving," said Creswick.
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Entertainment Roundup By Cade Ryan Music Rapper Logic released three new songs this week, 44 More which is currently 17th on the US iTunes charts, Overnight and Everyday featuring Marshmello. These songs are the first releases from Logic since his 2017 album Everybody that featured the song 1‐800‐273‐8255 which was nominated for the best song of the year. Drake’s God’s Plan music video released on Feb. 16, currently has more than 90 million views on YouTube. God’s Plan is also number 2 on the US iTunes charts. The songs Diplomatic Immunity and God’s Plan were released in the form of a two song EP called Scary Hours which was released on Jan. 19. The song Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign was released on Feb. 23 and is cur‐ rently number one on the US iTunes charts. Movies Director Quentin Tarantino announced March 1 that his forthcoming Charles Manson film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, will be released on Aug. 9, 2019. Both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have been confirmed to star in the film. Marvel Studios has announced the highly anticipated film Avengers: Infinity War will be released April 27 instead of the original release date which was May 4. The announcement came via Twitter when the actor Robert Downey Jr asked if everyone would be willing to see the movie early. Marvel Studios replied to that tweet saying “That's a fantastic idea. Done!”
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Whole lotta shakin' goin' on at the Bluesfest Noah Gecelovsky Converged Citizen Staff The lineup for the highly anticipated LiUna! Bluesfest Windsor 2018 has finally been released and blues fans are in for a good weekend this summer. On Feb. 21, LiUna!625 members and the Canada South Blues Society held a press conference at the Windsor Star News Building in Windsor, Ont. to release the details and information for Windsor’s 2018 Bluesfest. At the press conference, LiUna! Bluesfest president Rob Petroni discussed the lineup of performers, sponsors for the event, the latest ticket sales and schedule layout. He said several annual goals have already been met. “We will be increasing everything from the bands to the experience, to our footprint getting larger on site this year,” said Petroni. “The lineup starts the minute we end the festival, but it’s always a moving target. This year I’m proud to say we booked every-
body a lot earlier...and we’ve already surpassed online ticket sales. We haven’t even released the headliners yet.” Some performing acts will include: Sugaray Rayford, Pat Travers Band, Johnny Lang and highly acclaimed blues artist Beth Hart. Local Windsor blues artist South River Slim will be making his second consecutive appearance at Windsor’s Bluesfest. “It’s great to be invited back,” said Slim. “They’ve changed it more this year too with different setups and there are more changes of course to come.” Slim played on the second stage known as the Bluestown stage between performances last year to keep the music going all day. The original plan was to have Slim play on the main stage, but he prefers a more intimate atmosphere with his crowd. “I like being closer to people to see their faces — I usually jump off stage too,” said Slim. In previous years, Thursday,
Photo by Noah Gecelovsky South River Slim (left) sings at Windsor Star News Building for LiUna! Bluesfest Windsor 2018. Friday and Saturday were only available for people over the legal drinking age (19 and up) and Sundays were be designated as “family day” for all ages to come and enjoy the event. This year however, the
LiUna! has made all four days 19 and up and brought in a surprise twist for the Sunday acts. The Bluesfest will take place at Windsor’s Festival Riverfront Plaza from July 12
to July 15 and will feature big headlining acts as well as more surprise acts that are yet to come. Early bird tickets start at $30 for a single day, $80 for three days and $100 for the four-day event.
An 11-year adventure Ryan Jones Converged Citizen Staff A local author shared her new book with family, friends and supporters over the weekend. Last Friday, Feb. 23, Veronique Mandal read aloud from her novel, Getting Off: A Criminal Lawyer’s Road To Redemption, at Eatery 101 located in St. Clair College’s main campus, 2000 Talbot Rd. W. With the book 11 years in the making, Mandal released her novel Dec. 7, 2017. The book is a biography of Don Tait who was a headlinegrabbing Windsor lawyer, known for defending difficult cases. Mandal writes about how his success was affected by his battle with alcohol and
drugs. Mandal and Tate met in Costa Rica. “I said, ‘If you ever survive this and you’d allow a biography about your life, give me a call.’ And so, that was the end of it,” said Mandal. Five years later, Tate gave Mandal a call, setting the book in motion. Mandal said he wanted to share his experience with rehab and addiction to provide truth on the matter. Peter Hrastovec is a lawyer and supporter of Mandal’s novel and said “it is a fascinating read.” Mandal said her favourite part about writing the book was self-discovery. “As a reporter, having the opportunity to track down this fugitive and then be able to continue following his life the way I was able to do for that
decade, I went through trauma of my own. And all the spiritual things he talked about in his redemption years really had an impact on me,” said Mandal. Mandal said about 2000 copies have been sold through Amazon and Windsor-Essex bookstore platforms - 5000 copies sold makes for a Canadian bestseller. Mandal, a local journalist and professor said she is currently working on a book of poetry, which is halfway complete. Prior to the Tait tale, her last published book was the fictional The Pink Hat. As a tip for writers, Mandal said people need to write everyday and to not let writers block get in the way. “Never live a day without a word,” said Mandal.
Photo by Matt Flood Veronique Mandal signs Getting Off: A Criminal Lawyer’s Road To Redemption.
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Looking for Alaska by John Green Rating: 5 stars Miles likes last words and great perhapses. Growing up in Florida, Miles chases a great perhaps by attending Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama. ‘That’s why I’m going. So I don’t have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.’ He does not expect to make friends easily due to his awkward personality, but he does. Soon his new friends become family. One member is Alaska. It is complicated. She is complicated… …but she is one of Miles’ great perhapses. — John Green’s writing definitely tops the charts, making him one of my favourite authors. He writes in such a way that paints vivid visuals in the
reader’s mind. He is a “little things” writer. What I mean by this is that he puts great dedication and detail into each character (even supporting ones) so the reader can fall in love with each individual’s personality. If I had to point out one thing I did not like it would be the predictability that came with the storyline, but the talent of Green’s writing outweighed this flaw. — My favourite character is - surprise - Alaska. I talked to a good friend of mine when I was about three quarters of the way through the novel and I told my friend that I tend to find bits and pieces of myself melded into favourite characters.
Alaska presents a blunt and hard personality on the outside, but under the surface is different. She struggles with emotional and mental battles that threaten to break her at any minute. I admire her strength and perseverance to take life day by day. — Another thing I admire about this novel is its philosophical element. It is thought provoking. It makes you question things like death, afterlife and how people affect other people. — I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Gender and age do not matter as the content is versatile in every aspect. There comes a time when we realize that our parents cannot save themselves or save us, that everyone who wades through time eventually gets dragged out to sea by the undertow — that, in short, we all are going. — BV
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Diving into OFSAA 2018 Kylie Turner Converged Citizen Staff High school students from all over Ontario were in Windsor for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) 2018 swim meet. The OFSAA swim meet took place at the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre from Feb. 27 to 28. There were various hotels with accommodations for OFSAA competitors coming from outside of Windsor to choose from including Caesars Windsor, Holiday Inn Downtown, Holiday Inn Express Downtown, Quality Inn & Suites and Towneplace Suites by Marriott. Other hotels offering accommodations were Comfort Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites
FROM PAGE 1 Cody Wall Converged Citizen Staff One of Windsor Spitfires' all-time greats was in Windsor Feb. 25 to reflect on memories tied to his jersey retirement. The Windsor Spitfires honoured Taylor Hall, 26, by raising his jersey to the rafters, making him a member of a select group that includes Ed Jovanovski, 41, and Hall's former teammate Ryan Ellis, 27. Hall joined the Spitfires in 2007 after he was selected second overall in the Ontario Hockey League draft. He spent the next three seasons playing for the Spitfires, totaling 183 games and recording a total of 280 points including 123 goals. In the three years Hall played for the Spitfires, he helped lead the
and Holiday Inn Ambassador Bridge. Danielle Parent is the WECSSAA & OFSAA Swim Convenor. She said this is not the first time Windsor has hosted the OFSAA swim meet. “This is the third time in a row we have hosted OFSAA,” said Parent. “Me and my team bid on hosting it and got approval for two years in a row. Toronto was another city that bid for 2019 and 2020. No one took 2018, since we did two years in a row and we had fun with it we thought why not a third year.” There were 18 different schools participating in swim events. There were events for senior and junior boys and junior and senior girls. Junior events for OFSAA 2018 were 200m medley relay, 200m freestyle relay, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle,
100m I.M., 50m fly, 50m back and 50m breast. The senior events included 200m medley relay, 200m freestyle relay, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m I.M., 50m fly, 100m back and 100m breast. Open swimmers competed in 200m medley relay, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m I.M., 200m I.M., 100m fly, 100m back, 100m breast and 400m freestyle relay. All para swimmers were scored with the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) point system and participated in 50m freestyle, 100 freestyle and 50 back. Students from Toronto, Sarah Arnott, Ava McDonald and Ella Darby participated in the 200 I.M. relay and came to Windsor from Toronto. “We’re competitive swim-
team in back to back Memorial Cups in 2009 and 2010. "It's an amazing day, always love coming back to Windsor and to have my number up in the rafters it's a tremendous honour along with the other guys that are up there," said Hall. Hall made his impact from the moment he joined the Spitfires by setting a team record in most goals by a rookie with 45, and winning both the OHL and the Candian Hockey League rookie of the year awards. However, most Spitfire fans remember Hall for his plays during the playoffs and taking his game to another level, scoring a total of 76 points in 44 playoff games. Hall won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Cup award both in 2009 and 2010 for the most valuable player in the Memorial Cup finals.
"There's a lot of great names and I said it down at the riverfront when the Spitfires won their second Memorial Cup. This guy is flat out maybe the best Spitfire of all time," said sports reporter Steve Bell of AM800 CKLW. Hall's career with the Spitfires topped off with going first overall in the 2010 NHL entry draft to the Edmonton Oilers. During the off-season, Hall often returns to Windsor to visit old friends and his billet family with whom he keeps in contact. Last season, when the Spitfires won their first Memorial Cup since Hall's departure from the team, Hall was in attendance. "Coming back with all the guys for the Memorial Cup last year was one of the most fun weekends I've had in a long time," said Hall. "Seeing everyone after a couple years. Seeing how everyone's doing."
Photo by Grace Bauer High school students compete at OFSAA held in Windsor, Ontario. mers so it was a chill meet because it was just for school,” said Darby. For final results from this
year’s competition you can find them online at http://www.ofsaa.on.ca/swimming.
Hall was joined on the ice by his parents and his Spitfires' billet family for his jersey retirement along with Spitfires' General Manager Warren Rychel, 50, and Steve Bell, who has covered the Spitfires for almost 40 years. "There will never be another Taylor Hall," said Rychel. "There will never be a special team like the one we had. Those two teams were simply incredible." During Hall's speech, he thanked members of the Spitfires organization, his billet family, his parents and Spitfires' fans for his time with the team and his years in the city of Windsor. Hall then watched as his jersey was raised to the rafters and left the ice to a standing ovation.Hall's legacy in Windsor is felt both within the city and by the team, with current players looking up to
Hall and his career. Tyler Angle, 17, a member of the Spitfires, scored two goals with Hall in attendance following the jersey retirement. "A guy like him who's obviously doing really good in the NHL right now and for him to come down here and have some words like that, it's really nice to see and obviously it encourages us to try to be like him," said Angle. Hall is now in his second season with the New Jersey Devils and even though it has been eight years since he has played for the Spitfires he still thinks back about his fond memories with team and city of Windsor. "It was such a great time in my life really. We were going to high school here, playing on a great hockey team," said Hall.