*October 5, 2017
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The Power Of The Future
Inside
Biblioasis welcomes fall
4 Spray mugging
5 Dogging canines
9 Black Market Fest
Photo by Loren Mastracci David Huebert reads an excerpt from Peninsula Sinking at Biblioasis. Loren Mastracci Converged Citizen Staff A local publishing company, Biblioasis, held the last chapter of its 2017 Fall Reading Tour at its store in Walkerville. The book tour was held on Sept. 20 and featured five
prominent authors who read excerpts of their novels to an enthusiastic crowd. The two-hour event hosted more than 50 guests who enjoyed appetizers and drinks while leafing through Biblioasis’ new releases. Attendees had the unique opportunity of meeting
Canadian authors Pino Coluccio, Cynthia Flood, Kevin Hardcastle, David Huebert and Alejandro Saravia. Casey Plett, Biblioasis’ publicity and marketing coordinator, said the event brings readers into the publishing experience.
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“Writing is a pretty solitary activity,” said Plett, adding that authors spend a couple of years on a book, so literary events help them connect with readers. “When you hear authors saying the words and books
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11 Spitfires Quote of the Day Journalism is an act of faith in the future -Ann Curry
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Abandoned in Texas, home in Windsor
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Digging through history Dawn Gray Converged Citizen Staff
Photo courtesy of Moggy Cat Rescue. Lauren Edwards, Jeffrey Slavick and Laura Strathdee at the Texas border on their #MoggySavesTexas rescue mission. Angelica Haggert Converged Citizen Staff Fifteen dogs and seven cats. It was quite the van ride home from Texas for the Moggy Cat Rescue team. Lauren Edwards, Moggy Cat Rescue founder, was struck by the images of abandoned animals and overflowing animal rescues after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in August, so she and other volunteers at Moggy Cat Rescue sprung into action. “Laura Strathdee and I got talking one night about going down and bringing back as many dogs and cats as we could,” said Edwards. “We reached out the next day to a couple local rescue groups and they were all willing to take in dogs, so we decided to go for it and started fundraising and planning the trip the next day.” It only took Moggy Cat Rescue two weeks to raise the necessary funds to make the trip. Edwards credits the quick action to the volunteers. “We have a lot of amazing volunteers, including Jeffrey Slavik who came with us on the trip, and supporters,” said Edwards. Three dogs ended their trip in Detroit, staying with DAWG Rescue. Another three dogs went to the London Second Chance Auction Animal Rescue and eight dogs went to the Windsor Humane Society. All seven cats remained in Moggy Cat Rescue’s care. The animals will spend two
weeks in medical quarantine before being put up for adoption. “Some may be in foster [care] for a while before going up for adoption depending on their needs,” said Edwards. “The cats were all assessed by our vet today and other than one needing a dental surgery they are healthy and will be up for adoption soon.” The Detroit Animal Welfare Rescue Group is a no-kill non-profit shelter in Romeo, Mich., and took in three of the dogs brought back from Texas. “We were contacted to see if we could take in some puppies from Texas that were in need and we received three. They are currently in loving foster homes and will be ready for adoption soon,” said DAWG. “We have not received animals from disasters, but we have saved animals from other states and other countries like Thailand.” None of the Moggy team had ever been to a disaster rescue before. On the drive home, Edwards got attached to puppy Tex, who has a broken leg and jaw - so she adopted him. Heightened interest for the Texas rescue animals was apparent through comments on the Moggy Cat Rescue Facebook page. The animals will be available for adoption as their medical clearances permit.
A team of scientists, archeologists, and historians are inviting the public to help celebrate Canada’s 150 by digging deeper into the history of Windsor. This past weekend, people could learn more about the history of the Assumption park by doing geophysical testing using machines to see what is below the ground without actually having to dig. The WeDigHistory Assumption Park Geophysics and History project is being financed by a Community Fund for Canada’s 150th and is made up of two parts: a scan-athon where community members can bring in old photos of the area to be put in a digital archive, and a geophysical survey that took place over the weekend to search for evidence of buried structures in Assumption Park. At the park, the team is hoping to find evidence of wooden buildings that once stood there from even before Canada was founded in 1867. The structures date back to the 1700s and are associated with the Huron Mission and the Assumption Church that still stands today. The “dig” used machines such as ground-penetrating radar and magnetometers. These machines send different types of signals into the ground and when they hit resistance, they bounce the signals back to produce readings. What the team is looking for are anomalies that will allow them to map out the underground remains of old structures. According to Dena Doroszenko, senior archeologist with the Ontario Heritage Trust, their goal is not to unearth the history but to protect it. “Often people think that once we do these geophysical tests that we go and dig. Well, we don’t really need to because were more interested in preservation,” said Doroszenko. Assumption Park is owned
Photo by Dawn Gray Mariam Ageli is experimenting using ground penetrating radar at the WeDigHistory Project in Assumption Park on Saturday Sept. 24. by the City of Windsor and is protected by a conservation easement obtained by the Ontario Heritage Trust, on the basis of its archeological potential. This project will also help to guide the city in any future public works done to, or near the park. “The city will have to do archeology first, whether it’s trail developments, sidewalks, tree planting because it is protected by conservation easement.” This area just east of the Ambassador Bridge has a rich history and was used by many different people during different eras, according to Guilluame Teasdale, an assistant professor of history at the University of Windsor and the project historian of WeDigHistory. “Aboriginal people, French people, British people. There used to be a lot of things on this ground right here,” said Guilluaim. “We suspect that there are artifacts, tools, remains of buildings, may even be some skeletons.” Maria Cioppa, professor in the University of Windsor’s department of earth and environmental sciences is codirector of the historical archeological study. She says she is hoping the project will help to come up with a better idea of how things have changed over our history of
more than 150 years. “We are digging into historical records and digging into the ground…although we are not doing any actual digging,” said Cioppa. “Once all the digital data is collected from the scanned historical pictures and the geophysics of the area, the project team will construct a virtual museum so people can look through history, from present day to as far back as we possibly can.” This project is being funded by the Windsor Essex Community to celebrate Canada’s 150th. Cioppa applied for the funding specifically for this project and said the timing was perfect. “History, to me, is so significant especially in this area and in the development of Canada as a country,” said Cioppa. “That’s why we thought Canada 150 would be a great time to do this.” “To process all the information gathered into a map form will take a while, it’s a lot of data. We’re hoping to have the digital history online through the Leddy Library by the end of the year. A good way to end the Canada 150 celebrations.”
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Time to pick your own apples Kylie Turner Converged Citizen Staff Apple farmers in WindsorEssex are ready for the season and Wagner Orchards expects to see close to 30,000 guests from September to October. For most orchards in Lakeshore, Leamington and Kingsville, apple harvest began Labour Day weekend. Harvest Ontario, a Canadian company promoting Ontario agritourism, said depending on the location, province and weather, the season can begin as early as August and last until November. Harold Wagner, owner of Wagner Orchards and Estate Winery, said they expect roughly 700-800 bushels of apples per acre a season. “The season begins when the apples are ripe. People often come for wedding pictures with the apple blossoms,” said Wagner. This year Wagner Orchards has a variety of apples to choose from including: Royal Gala (early September), Empire (late September), Mutsu (early October), Yellow Delicious (midOctober) and Red Delicious (late October). There are bagged apples for purchase or you can pick-your-own. According to the Ontario Apple Growers the drought in
2016 affected some of the province’s apple growing regions. The OAG represents the province’s 200 commercial apple farmers and said Ontario’s apple crop is expected to be 20 per cent less than last year. The apple crop in Ontario will be less in volume but is expected to be juicier and more colourful. “In spring it was wet and windy which affected the pollination for the apples,” said Wagner. “When the weather was dry the soil had to be irrigated to keep the crop and now the apples will size up well.” Kallie Truant, social science student at the University of Windsor, said she goes apple picking once every year. Truant went apple picking this year at Wagner Orchards and usually goes with friends or family. “The ones I personally pick always are much better apples,” said Truant. For more information about Wagner Orchards and Estate Winery view their website at www.wagnerorchards.com or visit the orchard. Other pickyour-own apple orchards can be found on the Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island website at visitwindsoressex.com.
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Windsor cyclist's take notice of bike thefts
Photo by Barry Hazlehurst Oran Amato stands with his bicycle on Riverside Drive. Barry Hazlehurst Converged Citizen Staff Bicycle theft has become an epidemic in Windsor causing cyclists to take extra precautions when leaving their bicycles unattended. Windsorites have created a Facebook page under the heading Stolen Bikes of Windsor to report stolen bikes and have the community keep an eye out for their property. The Windsor Police Service also have a bike registry which helps stolen bikes to be returned to their owners. Adam Hughes, a 16-year-old from Windsor, has had five
Photo by Angelica Haggert The TownePlace Suites by Marriot sign has been placed on the building at 250 Dougall Ave. The construction team on site said it will be another month until renovations are finished.
Photo by Kylie Turner Visitors at Thiessen Orchards take a tractor ride to pick their own apples.
OCTOBER 5, 2017
bicycles stolen from him in the city in his lifetime. “Three of my bikes had the locks cut in broad daylight. The other two were only left unattended for a minute and they were gone,” said Hughes. They were all taken in the area of Parent and Erie. Hughes said a heavy duty lock has kept his new bike secure for now. According to outsideonline.com cyclists should be wary of cable type locks as they are easy to snip with wire cutters. Multiple locks are always better than one as the more secure the bike appears, the less likely thieves will target it.
Oran Amato, a 28-year-old who recently moved from Toronto to Windsor, said the big city taught him how to keep his bike from being stolen. “Always use thick metal chains to secure your bike with a decent padlock,” said Amato. “The only way a thief could get through that is with an obvious bolt cutter or a power tool.” The number of bicycles reported stolen each year in Windsor is around 400. This number has increased every year since 2014.
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Out with the Family friend attempts old and in with mugging with bear spray the new Ryan Jones Converged Citizen Staff Travellers in the city of Windsor have a new place to rest their heads. After two years in the making, management has opened the doors to the Holiday Inn Express. Since the 1990s, the hotel at 33 Riverside Dr. E. has been known as the Travelodge Hotel Downtown Windsor. This is no longer the case. The official opening day for the new hotel in Windsor’s downtown core took place Sept. 21. Ironwood Management was the overseeing corporation for the renovations. Tyler McDiarmid, CEO of the company, said the hotel needed improvements. He said he hopes the fresh look will improve business finances and attract a diversity of consumers. “The hotel was in pretty rough shape when it was acquired by its current owners in 2015. The plan was to give it a complete overhaul and bring it to [a] new condition. The Holiday Inn Express brand was seen as a good opportunity to drive corporate business to the downtown,” said McDiarmid. The new style is geared
towards business travelers and has colour-coded floor levels. This helps guests remember which floor they are staying on by associating with colour rather than number. The hotel contains 156 guest rooms, a workout facility and a pool, which is still under construction. The regular room rate is $259 plus tax. Heather Nantau, director of sales for Holiday Inn Express, said the hotel is ideal for group bookings such as wedding receptions and sport events. Nantau said the biggest event that brings in the most people are Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre swim meets. “There’s the demand in the area and our hotel as Travelodge needed a refresh. There’s definitely the clientele and need for accommodation,” said Nantau. “Our biggest challenge at our hotel is our parking. It’s all how we deliver that message and set our guest expectations.” Nantau said parking space is limited on hotel grounds, but there is an accessible parking garage across the street. With city views, innovative technology and modern style, Nantau said the success is “just gonna happen.”
Photo by Kacie Cooper Windsor Police shown arresting one of two assailants involved in attempted mugging. Kacie Cooper Converged Citizen Staff In a recent attempted robbery, bear spray was used as a weapon towards a Windsor man and his pregnant wife. Andrew Shanahan and his wife, Felissya, were walking on Wyandotte Street East on Sept. 27 when two men approached asking for money. The couple recognized one of the men, who was an old friend of Andrew’s late brother. When the men asked if Shanahan and his wife had any money, he
was more than willing to help them out. However, neither Andrew nor his wife had any cash on them at the time, so they said they would return with money. The men became violent and began making derogatory comments, coercing the couple by saying, “We know your family… why can’t you help us.” One of the men then pulled out a can of bear spray and threatened to attack the couple. Unknown to the assailants, officers from Windsor Police services happened to be at the intersec-
tion of Wyandotte and McDougall where the mugging was taking place. Ashlee Hayward, a witness at the scene said one of the assailants was immediately caught while the other got away on a bike. The couple walked away unharmed and Shanahan said he is thankful that the police happened to be in the right place at the right time. Sgt. Steve Peteridge of the Windsor Police Department said no arrests have been made and no charges have been pressed.
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Kennel cough outbreak in Windsor dogging canines Alyssa Horrobin Converged Citizen Staff There is a bug going around Windsor and it could affect your canine comrades, taking up to a month for recovery. Infectious tracheobronchitis, otherwise known as kennel cough, is a highly contagious (but not life-threatening) respiratory disease similar to the common cold, only for dogs. It is most commonly contracted places where they hang out such as dog shows, dog parks and boarding kennels - just about any place dogs share water or close quarters. According to Dr. Sukhpal Gill, a veterinarian at the Clearwater Animal Hospital, it has been especially prevalent in Windsor the last couple of months. "In the last two or three weeks, we are almost seeing one to two cases every day," said Gill. Symptoms can take three to four days to appear. The most common symptom is a loud honking cough which can sound like something is lodged in the dog's throat. For dog owner Drake Baird, hearing this sound from two-year-old puppy Braxton in the middle of the night brought a moment of panic. Three years earlier he heard the same sound from his previous dog. That time it
Photo by Alyssa Horrobin
Drake Baird gives his dog Braxton a daily antibiotic for kennel cough. The antibiotic lasts ten days. was something caught in his throat, which led to his pet's death. This time, a vet found Braxton had kennel cough. After that, Baird was not concerned, even when his other dog caught the cold days later. "Dogs get sick just like humans – it's not going to be the end of the world," said Baird. From now on, however, Baird said he plans to get both dogs vaccinated for kennel cough.
Baird said having the cough has not decreased either dog's energy level. The only thing hurting them is staying away from the dog park for another few weeks until they have finished the antibiotic and are no longer contagious. "There's nowhere to really take him off leash other than the dog park," said Baird. "He's a dog, he's going to chase a squirrel – I don't want him running into the road or being in any danger." Kelly French, owner and
operator of Animal Antics Behaviour Centre, said her training facility got hit with the outbreak last month and she saw a decrease in dogs coming to the centre. French said she is hoping the worst is behind them. Better safe than sorry, she takes extra care to disinfect everything in the doggy daycare if a potentially sick dog comes in. Sick dogs are also sent home. "We advise them to go home, rest the dog for a day
or two, go to the vet if it's not feeling better," said French, adding it's too risky to have the dog stay even if it may not be kennel cough. Baird said although he is not a father, he imagines this feels similar to having a sick child. "You can't do much, you just do the best that you can and try to help them sleep through the night any way that you can," said Baird. "That's the best you can do."
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Pick 'em The truth about addiction soon Angelica Haggert Converged Citizen Staff Ontario apple growers are expecting a smaller crop with larger apples this year. The inconsistent weather from drought conditions to downpour rain to hail - has caused problems with tree growth and the way the fruit was pollinated. Because of these factors, close to 200 commercial apple orchards in Ontario may find their season ends earlier this year. Local grower Wagner’s Apple Orchards in Maidstone has found the total number of apples is down. “We had poor pollination because of the cold rainy weather in early May,” said Wagner’s. “Then it got dry so that was a problem for anyone without irrigation.” Pollination problems have been on the rise since 2006, according to Pollination Canada. Pollinators include bees, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies and moths and birds, although bees provide 70 per
cent of pollination in Canada. When it is rainy or cold, bees do not leave the hives, resulting in less fruit being pollinated. Ontario Apple Growers’ chair, Charles Stevens, said although the crops may be slightly smaller, the fruit will be better. “All the rain we’ve had this year will mean larger, juicier apples with great colour because cool weather creates colour,” said Stevens in a release. Thiessen Apple Orchards in Leamington posted a notice to their Facebook page, encouraging people to come out and pick their own early on. “Mother Nature has given us a light crop this year in some areas,” the notice said. “Along with the warm weather for September, we had to begin to pick some varieties so they wouldn't fall on the ground and be wasted.” Almost 15 different kinds of apples are grown at the many different orchards throughout Windsor-Essex.
Photo by Angelica Haggert The apple crops at Wagner’s Orchards in Windsor might yield less apples this year, but the apples are definitely larger.
Photo by Cade Ryan Mike Brown speaks on stage at the Truth About Addiction event that took place at the Olde Walkerville Theatre on Wyandotte Street East in Windsor. from an overdose and year. Cade Ryan attempted suicide. The thing about addiction Converged Citizen Staff People who recovered from addiction to drugs and alcohol had the opportunity to open up about the struggles they faced on their paths to recovery at an event last month. The Truth About Addiction event, organized by Spiritual Soldiers, was held on Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the Olde Walkerville theatre. The event ran from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and nearly 100 people attended. Host Mike Brown and speakers James Lucier, Bianca Oliviero and Chris Howe all spoke about their struggles with addiction and their paths to recovery. Brown was an addict for 20 years before seeking the help he needed. He is now two years sober and happier than he ever was. “I was the problem not alcohol or drugs and I feel there is no reason to be ashamed of my past,” said Brown. His struggle with drug addiction included crack cocaine and alcohol. He almost died during this time
About a year and a half ago Mike Brown and Zane Atkin started the movement, known as Spiritual Soldiers. It is a clothing line that spreads awareness of addiction and shares a positive message. Spiritual Soldiers also holds events in Windsor and London. Patrick Thanalak took over as one of the leaders after Atkin died in April of 2017. Lucier, another guest speaker who is eight months sober, said he struggled with addiction to cocaine, fentanyl and alcohol. Lucier said he got addicted because it was the first thing that made him feel acceptance. “I never felt equal to anyone else. For me to get that to go away I always acted out with an external thing,” said Lucier. Oliviero had serious struggles during her addiction as well. She was using opiates such as Percocet, Oxycontin and Fentanyl as well as cocaine and alcohol. Oliviero was not eating much during her addiction and she said she lost about 100 pounds in a
is it does not just affect the user. It takes a serious toll on the people around them. “It was a family disease and they had to live through that sober. Everyday they would wonder what chaos would be coming into their lives,” said Oliviero. Howe is now six years sober. Like the other addicts at the event, Howe found a momentary peace with his addiction. “I found a temporary peace in alcohol and drugs. The first time I drank I blacked out and every time I would drink after that I couldn’t stop myself I always drank to that point,” said Howe. According to www.spirtualsoldiers.com, 1 in 5 Canadians suffer from addiction and about 11 per cent are able to get help through treatment. Spiritual Soldiers are trying to open people's eyes to this problem. They have clothing such as hats, Tshirts and sweaters that can be purchased on their website.
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Windsor Symphony Orchestra gears up for new season
By Zander Kelly A pedestrian walks past the Capitol Theatre on University Avenue. Zander Kelly Converged Citizen Staff Symphony music fans in Windsor have a lot to look forward to as the Windsor Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 70th year with a grand list of concerts, including The Music of Star Wars. “It’s a season of celebration,” said Sheila Wisdom, executive director of the WSO. In addition to the 70th anniversary of the Orchestra, the WSO is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Canada and the 125th anniversary of Windsor. Wisdom said the Music of Star Wars concerts on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 will be special because they are set up like a competition. There will be two teams on stage and the orchestra will play something relating to Star Wars and the teams will have to either name the character or the movie it’s from. Working with the orchestra, Wisdom says, is wonderful. “There’s never a dull day and never a dull moment. At the end of the week we get to walk into a concert hall and hear an amazing performance. What’s not to like?"
This year’s concert list has “bigger” pieces of work, including a 60-musician Beethoven concert and the New World Symphony in May. The symphony will also be doing their yearly Holiday Pops concerts from Dec. 1517. There will also be a Wild, Wild West Concert in February which will feature St.Clair College music students. The Symphony has a strong relationship with St. Clair College and their music theatre performance program. “Students will be able to play with people who’ve played on Broadway,” said Wisdom, who also enjoys the atmosphere sitting in the audience during a live orchestra show. “There is something powerful and profound about sitting in a theatre and hearing music played that you know will never sound the exact way ever, ever again. To have that experience and to visually see the musicians playing, watching the trumpets and the conductors and the bowstrings on the violins, it’s very profound to share that,” said Wisdom. “The opportunity to share that experience is amazing and everyone should have it.”
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Local musician looking to make career of it
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WSO String Orchestra hands baton to audience
Photo by Zander Kelly A University of Windsor student conducts the WSO String band on Thursday, September 28, 2017. Photo by Millar Hill Teodora Taleski sings one of her songs at the Olde Walkerville Theatre in Windsor, Ontario for her EP release on Sept. 22, 2017. The EP In the Beginning features six original songs by Taleski. Millar Hill Converged Citizen Staff A local musician is giving music a shot in hopes of making a career of it. Teodora Taleski, 14 years old, has been singing ever since she can remember. At the age of four, she began playing the piano and developed a passion for music. But it wasn’t until recently, that she started writing and recording her own music. “I would sing and I would love singing. People would tell me I was a really good singer,” Taleski said. “I started taking singing lessons and from then I realized I really love music and have a passion for it.” As an adolescent going through puberty, Taleski has had to struggle with vocal changes quite often. “When I was small, I had a childish voice. I first started recording covers for YouTube
and sometimes I’d have to cut it early and come back the next week to continue recording. Whenever I would do that, there would be a difference in my voice tone because I was so young,” she said. “Now that I’ve grown out of that a bit, I think my voice is getting stronger and everything is developing pretty good.” Taleski spends roughly two hours singing or writing music each day. She said having a lot of homework during the week interferes with the time she spends working on music, but gets the most out of her time. Her father, Mende Taleski, said he sometimes worries that school and singing may interfere with one another. “It takes a lot of her time but she loves to do it,” he said. “She kind of tries to balance both and so far she has kept a good balance.” Taleski has been working on her EP, a collection of
music used to promote an artist’s work, for the past year. She released her first collection of songs to the public late last week and performed Friday at the Olde Walkerville Theatre in Windsor, Ontario. Pop stars such as Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber inspire Taleski to create music. She said she could relate to their music being a teenager. She wanted her music to be similar and took a pop approach for this EP. “Most of the pop stars write love songs, but I didn’t want to make songs about boyfriends and girlfriends,” she said. “I want to make it more general, so it could be love towards your parents, pets, siblings or anybody really.” Taleski is going to continue writing and producing music and is excited for whatever comes next. “I am going to strive. I have a lot of passion and I’m going to give it my best,” she said.
Zander Kelly Converged Citizen Staff Audience members were allowed to conduct the Windsor Symphony Orchestra’s string band regardless of prior skill. The WSO’s Conduct Us event, held at the University of Windsor on Thursday, allowed any passersby to take up the baton and try their skills at directing the band. The 14-piece string band had pieces ranging from classical numbers to Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, with the rule that when someone picks up the baton sitting on the empty stand, the band would obey. “We really want to send out the message that we provide a great variety of music. We try to mix pop with classic in a regular symphonic year,” said Peter Wiebe, assistant conductor with the WSO. The Symphony has Conduct Us events in different areas around Windsor several times a year, including at Devonshire Mall. This event is one of many the symphony does in the community every
year to reach out and develop an interest in music in younger generations. “I would say that we do a single theatre concert for every 10 or so community events,” said Wiebe. “Some people have certain impressions of a symphony orchestra, and we love to break that down.” Liam Khalaff is a biology student at University of Windsor who participated in the event. “It was fun, the band was cheerful and nice and everything,” said Khalaff with a broad smile after conducting a folk song. “If more people knew about this event, it would be fun.” Tracey Atin, founder of KordaZone theatre, was asked to read poetry between certain pieces of music. “It’s incredible having the orchestra behind you playing such beautiful music,” said Atin. All of the poetry was selected from local poets such as Peter Hrastovec.The Windsor Symphony expects to do this event again in the community.
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arts & entertainment FROM PAGE 1 signing books for people and intermingling with folks around the community, it’s great for the authors and the community." From Coluccio’s poem collection to Saravia’s novel, Biblioasis’ reads for the fall reflect the company’s commitment to Canadian literature. Pino Coluccio’s Class Clown celebrates love, death, and clowning around. The poet’s work appeared in The Walrus and received positive reviews.
Cynthia Flood’s What Can You Do uses the short story format to explore the delicate theme of adult deception. Highlighted by the National Post as “a highly accomplished stylist, whose technique is tightly calibrated and precise,” Flood’s prose earned her the Journey Prize for short fiction. Kevin Hardcastle’s debut novel In the Cage follows the story of an MMA cage fighter and his descent in the criminal underworld. David Huebert is also making a name for himself in the literary scene. His
first collection of short stories Peninsula Sinking is the winner of the CBC Short Story Prize, the Sheldon Currie Fiction Prize and the Dalhousie Review’s short story contest. Translated from Spanish, Alejandro Saravia’s Red, Yellow, Green brings an international dimension to the condition of exile forced upon his characters. All books are available at Biblioasis, which is located at 1520 Wyandotte St. E.
Windsor’s oldest comic book shop celebrates 30-year anniversary Kacie Cooper Converged Citizen Staff Border City Comics is celebrating 30 years in business, making them the oldest comic book shop in Windsor. Pat and Ken Girard along with their son Tim, have made the shop a go-to spot for those looking for classic comics and more. The business started out selling antiques. After coming across a large comic book collection for sale, the Girards changed names as well as their merchandise after purchasing the collection. From then on, Ken says, the business bloomed. When the couple first switched from antiques there was only one other comic book store in the area and they have seen many come and go since then. Despite the constant growth of online shopping and paperless books, they say business remains stable. “We get a lot of business from treating people right, and they come back and they bring people with them,” said Pat. “I figure if you treat them well, and treat them how you’d want your kids to be treated, it always comes back to you.” Although they mainly rely on repeat business and wordof-mouth advertising, the store has regular sales as well
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Flyer design by Tyson "Apex" Taylor.
Black Market Fest 2017 Joe Gibel Converged Citizen Staff
Photo by Kacie Cooper Pat and Ken Girard outside of their Windsor comic book store, Border City Comics. as their annual Free Comic Book Day on the first Saturday in May. With the resurgence of superhero movies, comic books have been making a huge comeback. “Movies and comics go together,” said Ken. “A lot more women are coming in and a lot of kids are getting into it [comic books].” The Girard family said they have met many interesting people since the business first opened and have come across even more interesting items. The couple sold an original
copy of the Amazing Spiderman issue #1 for $25,000, ten years ago and The Walking Dead issue #1 is sold for around $1,000. You can visit the Girards’ Border City Comics at 4449 Tecumseh Rd. E. in Windsor five days a week. They will be holding a 30th Anniversary sale Oct. 14, between 12 p.m.5 p.m. Ken Girard said, “We’re not going anywhere, so we’re looking forward to 31, 40, 50 years.”
From Saturday Oct. 14 to Oct. 15, The first annual Black Market Fest will take place at the Beer Exchange in Windsor Ontario for only $20 per person. This specific festival aims to bring a full day of entertainment at an affordable price for show-goers. It features around 20 bands on two stages, bringing the best of metal, thrash, grind and power violence music to Windsor. “I started thinking of killer grind bands and then that brought me to power-violence bands local and beyond that I knew people would dig. I wanted to include the hardcore scene and started finding bands of that style and that crosses over naturally to thrash genres so I also included them,” said Tyson “Apex” Taylor promoter for Black Market Booking. "I included some black
metal bands to try and get more people exposed to some great bands of that area of music. I've always been a fan of metal and technical metal so it was natural for me to include a couple bands of that neighbourhood as well.” \ The fest will also feature vendors for more sub-cultures to get involved. It will welcome the vaping crowd by designating a floor vapefriendly with local e-juice makers who will be selling their products and giving samples. The entire goal of this fest is to keep the current show goers wanting to attend and to bring in new people. “Heavy music scenes can have a distorted view from outsiders but it is such a welcoming scene and everyone really looks out for each other and lots of friendships are made,” said Taylor. “Bring a friend and come out and experience it for yourself.”
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ONVERGED CITIZEN
How to find balance between reading and school With the school year well underway, bookworms will begin to find difficulty in leisure reading while juggling schoolwork. Luckily I, Biblio Virgo, am here to give you some quick tips to an easy fix. These tips will offer you ease in finding more time to read during the busy school year.
Keep a schedule My life is made much easier thanks to my agenda. If you do not use a daily planner I suggest you do it will make a world of difference. With an agenda by your side you can evaluate your schedule to view when assignments are due and your work hours. Whenever you have a free day make a notation in your agenda saying “reading time” and be creative. These little annotations will make reading time much more accessible as you are not scrambling to find a day to dish out the time.
Road trip What motivates my reading habits during the school year is physically bringing the book with me to school. Whenever I have downtime or a break in between classes I will find a place to read, such as a cafe and unwind between the pages. Having a book on hand with you creates convenience.
Reminders You know that app everyone has on their phones, the one that barely gets used? It starts with an ‘R’ and ends in “inders?” Yes, reminders. They are wonderful things which keep me on top of my daily routines such as book blog posts and reading time. Make yourself a daily reminder at a consistent time of day saying “don’t forget to read” or whatever phrase suits your personality. You will find this will
give you more incentive to find time for reading during the day.
A.m., p.m. This tip may be one of the easiest for people to use. Put aside an hour in the morning or an hour at night to read. Catering to all early birds and night owls, leave yourselves enough time at the beginning of the day or the end of the day to unwind with a book. (Personally I am a night owl, give me an iced coffee and I am good to go).
Breaks are healthy It is important to maintain sanity while completing homework and projects. Do not overwork yourself. If you have already been studying for
an hour, take a half hour to sit back, pick up a book and read. This will allow your mind to unwind and relax. While your mind regains its strong focus you are also getting reading time. It is a win-win situation. I hope you find these tips helpful, insightful and inspiring. Next week I will be reviewing The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. Until next time, keep on reading. - BV
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sports & fitness
C
OCTOBER 5, 2017
ONVERGED CITIZEN
Spitfires open season with a name familiar to Red Wings fans Todd Shearon Converged Citizen Staff The 2017 Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires have started their season with nine new players including one with a familiar name. Detroit born Igor Larionov Jr., 19, shares the same name as his father who won three Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998 and 2002 playing for the Detroit Red Wings. The hall of famer was in attendance to watch the Spitfires’ season opener Sept. 21, his son’s first game in a Windsor uniform. “It’s good (to have my father watching me play),” said Larionov Jr. “I’m pretty much used to it. He’s a pretty big guy in hockey, but to me he’s just my dad. I just try to play my best and if he has some pointers or tips I’ll always listen.” Larionov Jr., who agreed to terms with the Spitfires on a
standard Ontario Hockey League player and education package on Sept. 19, was originally a 14th round selection of the Saginaw Spirit (#230 overall) in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. “It’s so easy to say things about your own son,” said Larionov. “But I know he’s got a lot of skill, a lot of talent and a big hockey IQ.” The Detroit native spent two years with the Honeybaked U18 program before playing 25 games with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season. “It’s nice (for him) to be back close to Detroit,” said Larionov. “It’s 40 minutes from the rink and kind of like coming back home and playing. Now he’s got to get comfortable and start making things happen on the ice.” It didn’t take very long for Larionov Jr. to get comfort-
able as he scored his first goal as a Spitfire less than three minutes into play during the team’s second game of the season Sept. 22 in London. “It’s a young team now and they’ll be doing some rebuilding process but it will take them 10-12 games to gel and get the chemistry going,” said Larionov. “I could see them playing a good system and playing good as a team.” Larionov, a 2008 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who is also known as The Professor, said his son is able to anticipate the play of game, seeing the ice well and making the other players better around him. As one of the older players on the team with prior CHL experience, Larionov Jr. said he wants to help the younger guys and likes to contribute each night to help the team win. “He’s a gifted player offen-
Photo by Todd Shearon (Windsor) Igor Larionov Jr. playing his first game as a Windsor Spitfire on September 21, 2017. sively,” said Windsor Spitfires head coach Trevor Letowski. “When he’s got (the puck) he’s dangerous. He can bring people to him and distribute the puck and can slow the game down a bit. We needed some skill like that, so it’s good.”
The Spitfires were perfect during their opening week defeating the Saginaw Spirit 3-1, London Knights 5-2 and Guelph Storm 4-0 respectively.
Sports roundup By Jordan Ferris Windsor Spitfires
NHL
The Windsor Spitfires are off to a hot start this season. After starting the season with a 3‐1 win over the Saginaw Spirit on opening night, the Spitfires would go to win the next two games against the London Knights 5‐2 and Guelph Storm 4‐0. During this span, goaltender Michael DiPietro won the award for both the Ontario Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week.
Vegas Golden Knights have begun their first ever preseason and are closely approaching the regular season. This preseason has seen the Golden Knights put up a 3‐2‐1 record with their next game Oct. 1. The Golden Knights’ wins have come against the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, and Anaheim Ducks. The Montreal Canadiens have also had a noticeable preseason as they have yet to win a game and have a record of 0‐6. This start has many hockey analysts talking about the Canadiens inability to score as having scored only nine goals in the six‐game span and have allowed 25 to be scored on them.
MLB Major League Playoffs are quickly approaching. The MLB playoff pic‐ ture has become very clear over the last couple of weeks. Now with only one wild‐card spot available, the Colorado Rockies could clinch the spot as early as Sept. 23. The American League wild‐card game will see the New York Yankees play the Minnesota Twins Oct. 3. The winning team will then face the Cleveland Indians in the American League division series (ALDS). The Boston Red Sox will be facing off against the Houston Astros in the other ALDS. In the National League, the picture is a little less clear, as there are still two teams fighting for the last wild‐card spot. The closest team being the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies could seal the spot as early as Sept. 29. The team that does secure the last spot will play the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League wild‐card game Oct.4.
NFL The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are set to play each other Oct. 1. Both teams are yet to win so far this season, this game will allow one of the teams to add their first win while the other holds a record of 0‐4. The only other team to join the Browns and Bengals in the winless section is the L.A. Charges. They will look to change that Oct. 1 when they go up against the 2‐1 Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs will look to continue without a loss and a 4‐0‐0 record when they face the Washington Redskins Oct. 2. The Chiefs have yet to score fewer than 20 points in a game.