The Converged Citizen - October 12, 2017

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*October 12, 2017

The Power Of The Future

Inside

Lights,camera, Windsor

2 St. Clair enrolment

7 Board the bike bus

9 Paperback return

14 Photo By Julianna Bonnett

Sports roundup

Matthew Luppino showing off his many awards in Windsor on Sept. 26,2017. As Windsor’s art community continues to grow, more people are finding a passion for local filmmaking. See the rest of the story in page 10.

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Journalism is in fact history on the run.

-Thomas Griffith

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news Enrolment at St. Clair College reaches 10,000

Photo by Maryam Farag Michael Silvaggi, associate vice president, student services, and registrar, in his office at St. Clair College main campus.

Maryam Farag Converged Citizen Staff St. Clair College has broken the 10,000 student ceiling in enrolment this year.

The College announced it had enrolled 10,539 students by the end of the first week of the new academic year.

This represents a 12 per cent increase from 2016. The Thames campus in Chatham had a six per cent increase compared with 2016’s results.

“The quality of the programs is helpful. Over the past 10 years, St. Clair College has very much become a community partner,” said Michael Silvaggi, associate vice president, student services and registrar. “We’ve consciously tried to become more involved in the area.”

This is the second consecutive year of increases to the college’s enrolment. In 2016, the college saw a nine per cent increase in enrolment compared to 2015.

The top three programs chosen by most students in St. Clair are computer networking, international business management and the nursing program.

There are 1,100 international students today, which is a

“I don’t think 11,000 students for next year is a stretch. I think we’ll be there,” -Ron Seguin 90 per cent increase from 2016.

“We needed to look at where our growth was coming from,” said Silvaggi. “The international market is a significant source of that growth.”

Adjustments were made at St. Clair College to support international students. These adjustments include the housing system and finding homes in the community.

There has been more orientation sessions than in the past. The faculty have been helpful in assisting international students in terms of catching up what they missed when they arrive later than usual, predominantly from India, because of the visa pro-

cessing time.

There has also been assistance in getting drivers’ licenses and bus passes for international students.

“We don’t want to treat an international student any different from a domestic student. Having said that there are some realities in terms of somebody who has traveled so far in a strange environment,” said Ronald Seguin, vice president, international relations, training and campus development. “We’re reacting more because we are a school that has never dealt with this before, so we need to increase the services to international students.”

The top three countries students come from to join St. Clair are India, China and Nigeria.

They are also coming from many other parts of the world.

Some live in the college residence while others choose to live in the community.

“One of the reasons I didn’t live in the dorm is that there isn’t a kitchen or any place to cook, and I can’t afford ordering food every day and it’s also unhealthy,” said Saeed El Shibiny, an Egyptian student in the mobile applications program at St. Clair.

Seguin said they are looking at solutions to help students cook in the residence home.

This has been one of the top complaints from many of the students.

The most popular programs among international students are computer networking, international business management and post-graduate programs like human resources.

“I think we’re going to see another record in January,” said Seguin. “I think you will see 500 new additional students this January.”

There are international students coming from 65 different countries.

“I don’t think 11,000 students for next year is a stretch.

I think we’ll be there,” said Seguin.

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OCTOBER 12, 2017

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Five finger discounts cause havoc for Windsor business owners Barry Hazlehurst Converged Citizen Staff Windsor businesses owners continue to struggle with an increasing onslaught of shoplifters.

Businesses owners and their employees in Windsor have learned to spot shoplifters and their mannerisms. According to Pressreader.com many shoplifters sell the goods they steal to feed a drug habit.

Nick Angelini, an employee at a record shop in Windsor for 11 years, said shoplifting is an ever-present part of the store.

“We have many cameras in here but people still try to steal in here all the time,” said Angelini. “Once they are caught shoplifting we give them two choices: either let us take their picture, so we can identify them if they try to return, or call the police. No one has chosen option B.” Cathy Scott, a long-time employee at Red Apple, formerly the Bargain Shop, on Ouellette in Windsor also comes in contact with shoplifters on a regular basis.

“We have learned how to spot a potential shoplifter,”

said Scott. “They look around the store and watch employees like a hawk to make sure they are not being watched.”

Scott said many shoplifters are obvious with big bulges in their clothing as well as coming in with loose fitting clothes that become tight as they exit.

Steve Betteridge, public information officer with the Windsor Police, said employees must be cautious when confronting shoplifters.

“Community safety should be the number one priority when chasing a fleeing shoplifter,” said Betteridge.

“It’s better to call us immediately with a detailed description as well as the direction the shoplifter fled.”

Betteridge said it is always best to collect as much evidence as possible against shoplifters and to keep the safety of the community in mind.

According to the crime statistics page on police.windsor.on.ca there was 2850 thefts in 2016 under $5000.

Most of the items shoplifted from stores are under $5000 in value.

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news

OCTOBER 12, 2017

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Research centre in Harrow holds open house

Photo courtesy of Katie Stokes Katie Stokes is the owner of Blab Media.

Put your money where your heart is Ryan Jones Converged Citizen Staff

Photo by Ken Pastushyn A research scientist acts as a tour guide at the Harrow Research and Development Centre open house on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Harrow, ON. Ken Pastushyn Converged Citizen Staff People were able to learn about the agricultural activities the Harrow Research and Development Centre has to offer at its open house.

Visitors took guided tours on a covered wagon pulled by a tractor. The annual event took place Sept. 16. Each tour lasted approximately 25 minutes while a narrator in front described the research being conducted.

“We are here to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary which Agriculture and AgriFood Canada is a part of,” said Tom Welacky, one of 16 scientists at the Harrow facility.

Welacky works on soil and specializes in trying to control nematodes, those pesky white worms destroying soybean crops. Welacky was also one of six narrators on the tour.

“We are one of the more larger active research facilities in Ontario…but don’t tell Ottawa that,” said Lori Phillips -- a soil microbiologist at the Harrow research centre and another tour guide -- referring to the Central Experimental Farm in the National Capital Region.

Harrow is one of 20 experimental farms across Canada.

“I am producing – not crops – but knowledge,” said Phillips, who analyzes soil under a microscope to make sure it is full of nutrients.

“Most of the work we do is collaborative, part of many national and international programs.”

One example Phillips used is purposely over-watering plants with a complex sprinkler system in a plot full of soybeans and sunflowers.

This tests their resistance to white mold disease.

“We do things most farmers in their right minds would not do,” said Eric Page, a tour guide and research scientist who specializes in weeds and diseases.

“That’s how we help farmers.”

Another way the research centre is helping farmers and the refineries in Sarnia is by devoting a plot to focus on corn stover removal. Corn stover is the stock and leaves left over after the ear has been removed.

The roots of the stover stays in the soil, while the stock and the leaves can be used to produce ethanol.

“If you take out too much corn stover, crop production can decrease,” said Craig Drury, another tour guide and soil biochemist who tests it

for environmental quality.

“What we are trying to do is to have an idea of how much corn stover residue to remove for bio-fuels and keep it in the ground to crop yield.”

The Harrow research centre also planted rows of hazelnut trees for Ferraro-Rocher, the maker of Nutella chocolatehazelnut spread, which also has a plant outside of Toronto.

“Ferraro wanted to increase their hazelnut production,” said Rob Nurse, a tour guide and weed scientist, who also worked with Ferraro to produce the nuts. “Harrow is an ideal place to grow hazelnuts.”

Near the end of the tour is a soybean breeding plot to produce high-quality tofu products for the Asian market. The Harrow soybean is a popular variety which has been produced since 1950 and in 1989 the Harovinton variety was developed.

“The Asian people call it ‘the pearl’ because it is the standard of food grade tofu,” said Al Hamill, a former weed scientist. He keeps coming back to conduct tours during the open house. “I was employed here for 37 years and I never felt like I worked here a day in my life.”

A local business owner is inspiring other entrepreneurs in the city of Windsor with her passion and dedication.

It all started seven years ago in October of 2010. Blab Media was originally a partnership for five years but two years ago, Katie Stokes at “29 years young,” became the sole founder and owner.

“Blab was born when myself and my former cofounder got together and decided that there was too much red tape surrounding social media in the workplace,” said Stokes. “We had complementary skills and a mutual desire to build something new and take some chances on an industry that hadn’t found its way to Windsor yet.”

Stokes shaped Blab Media into what it is today - a business that provides supportive and inspirational services to all local businesses. Services include: social media maintenance, workshops, training, blogging and more. Stokes said Blab Media’s main purpose is to help develop a business’s online presence.

Over the years she has worked with numerous clients including home-based artisans and multi-million dollar corporations. Stokes said it is not just about money, it is about making an imprint, creating change and instilling inspiration. She said she lives by the saying, “we rise by lifting others.”

“I realized that if we all just

took some time to help each other instead of holding each other back, the world would be a better place. Less cutthroat competition and more collaborative support,” said Stokes.

Because of this collaboration, Anna Kwiatkowski was able to grow her all-natural cleaning business.

Kwiatkowski is 26 and owns Neat Cleaning Co. which uses cruelty-free and biodegradable products. These are products that are not tested on animals and are healthier for the environment because they can decompose. She said she started the business because she was tired of working jobs that did not suit her and now has 11 clients.

“Katie was actually my first client [for the cleaning business] and she helped me figure out some of the initial kinks I wasn't aware of, such as the consultation run-down, my client application form and how to reformat it...Her shoutouts for Neat Cleaning Co. on Blab Media's Instagram has helped me gain a couple dozen new followers on mine. She gave me exposure and that's honestly the best thing a new business can receive,” said Kwiatkowski.

Ultimately, Kwiatkowski said Stoke’s business is essential to Windsor because it offers support and creativity which she was able to take advantage of.

“Katie and Blab Media, shine light on the hidden gems that Windsor-Essex has to offer,” Kwiatkowski said.

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OCTOBER 12, 2017

ONVERGED CITIZEN

"The cupboards are bare"

The benefits of joining the military Justin Crouch Converged Citizen Staff

Photo by Noah Gecelovsky A man sleeping behind an electrical box in the early morning with his work boots removed and placed by his feet.

Noah Gecelovsky Converged Citizen Staff Windsor West MPP, Lisa Gretzky, is taking a stand for Windsor in Queen's Park after the Liberal-run provincial government announced 21 communities would receive portions of a $200 million fund to combat homelessness — leaving the city out in the cold.

Gretzky was outraged that, with Windsor's homelessness problem reaching crisis levels, the border city was denied any of the $200 million fund.

"Among all cities in Canada, Windsor has the highest rate of children growing up in lowincome households," said Gretzky. "Statistics Canada reports that one in four are living in low income households.

This amounts to nearly 16,000 children. There is no sound reason to deny funding to our region."

In addition, $90 million of that fund was allocated to Toronto alone to fight homelessness while in Windsor, the homeless crisis is overlooked.

A spokesperson for the Wynne government said their selection was based on "a select number of applicants who demonstrate the most effective, ambitious and comprehensive plans."

Gretzky added that "ministry officials said that Windsor’s proposal was very good, but haven’t said why our region

wasn’t selected."

A 2016 survey conducted by the Windsor Star found and put a name to 201 homeless people in the downtown Windsor area. Of that 201, 166 people were alone and 35 made up seven different families. Thirty-four of the 166 single homeless people were between the ages of 16 and 24, but there are many more unaccounted for.

Christine Wilson works at Street Help in Windsor providing meals, laundry services, free sleeping bags, mats and clothing. Street Help is also a food bank.

Wilson supports the idea of housing rather than hiding, so instead of building shelters, she wants to provide houses for the homeless to live.

"Until you have a key and rent receipt, you are homeless," said Wilson. "Take the abandoned houses and make them homes."

According to the City of Windsor's website, hundreds of Windsorites who spend at least 50 per cent of their income on rent — as well as people in unsafe living spaces — have a higher risk of becoming homeless.

In a 2013 CBC report on homelessness in Canada, it was found on any given night there are an average of 30,000 people living on the street. There are also, on average, 50,000 people across Canada each night

who are considered the "hidden homeless." This figure is made up of people who stay with a friend or family member for a temporary period of time because they are otherwise homeless.

Gretzky plans to continue working with members of the community to share the issues and raise awareness of problems that plague Windsor as well as the rest of Ontario.

"Windsor families have continuously proven their resolve… I worked hand-inhand with community members to fight for home care funding for our community and we got results," said Gretzky. "There is no reason for the Wynne government to tell dedicated organizations working to combat poverty and homeless in our community that the cupboard is bare.

This is a Liberal government that is spending over five million dollars of government money to promote their own party."

Gretzky said this competition for the funding was not the proper way to go about solving issues.

"Pitting communities against one another for resources to combat homelessness and poverty is not the way forward," said Gretzky.

"We need a government that is ready to do something about the systemic issues that push people into poverty."

The nature of an occupation in the military may seem intimidating at first, but the military can provide many benefits for its members.

Catherine Wollocombe is a veteran advocate with 35 years of experience in the military and said there are many advantages to a career in the services.

“Health benefits are comparable to that of business today,” said Wollocombe.

“Dental is provided up to 90 per cent, public health insurance program provides for benefits on the health spectrum, maternity and paternity leaves are available for full time personnel and long term disability insurance is available through a premium payment.”

John Celestino is a retired colonel from the Windsor Regiment of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps who is well versed in the roles and benefits of military service.

“A soldier learns life skills that will serve him the rest of his life,” said Celestino.

“He learns how to live, train and fight as a member of a team … above all, soldiers learn to be leaders at all levels.”

Celestino has seen lifelong relationships grow between recruits.

“Recruits are deliberately subjected to grueling training … it cements the surviving

recruits in a bond of friendship and camaraderie that surpasses normal acquaintances and lasts a lifetime,” said Celestino.

Wollocombe agreed this unique bond is quickly established as personnel go through training.

Above all, Celestino believes some of the most important lessons in the military are leadership, discipline and “the ability to put the mission and the team ahead of your own personal needs ... service before self.”

Greg Childs is a regimental major who understands the value of education and training among recruits.

“Once completed, the soldier is trained on his ‘soldier qualification’ which gives him or her knowledge of the Canadian military. The next step is a leadership course.

Successfully passing this course will result in a rank promotion and generous pay increases,” said Childs.

“The pay starts at approximately minimum wage and goes up dramatically with each course completed and promotion achieved,” said Childs.

Childs admits that while the Canadian Armed Forces is not for everyone, because the work can be dangerous. it is extremely rewarding. He said the wage structure is also comparable with other jobs.

For those interested, information can be found at www.canada.ca/CanadianArmy/Jobs

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news

OCTOBER 12, 2017

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Freedom to live No tolerance for without fear vacant property Opinion

Noah Gecelovsky Converged Citizen Staff

O

nce again, America is struck by tragedy and horror after the shooting at the Jason Aldean concert in Las Vegas. This again begins the cycle of hourly news updates, graphic videos, first-hand accounts, late night hosts trying to spread a message of love, prayer and support and the overwhelming sense that the “free world” is not as free or safe as they thought.

Perhaps James Corden phrased it best in his opening monologue the night after the shooting.

“Gun violence should not be a staple of American life,” Corden said, attempting to reason with the viewers at home. “Some say it’s too early to talk about gun control. For those victims last night, it’s far too late. I heard a commentator on the news explaining that there’s no real way to prevent lonewolf mass shootings like this — and forgive me, as I’m just a foreigner and some of you may feel I have no place to say this — but how does every other developing country do a better job preventing these attacks?”

He continued to say that people cannot be surprised about gun violence like this happening with such a wide availability of guns.

The real question is, will anyone ever be bothered to do anything to prevent it?

According to statistics Jimmy Kimmel used from

Politifact, 90 per cent of Democrats and 77 per cent of Republicans support background checks at gun shows and 89 per cent of both agree about restricting guns from the mentally ill.

In the meantime, 56 U.S. senators have voted against background checks and restricting guns from the mentally ill.

If 77 per cent of your voters want you to do something, you should probably do it if you want to be reelected.

Just recently, those 56 senators postponed the vote on a bill which could potentially deregulate silencers for guns—because the biggest problem with gun violence is the noise pollution?

All the prayers, heroism, support and love from people on social media and the news as well as from the first responders and from politicians, is in vain when the American government and the American people, continue to do nothing — not a darn thing — to prevent this kind of horrific violence from happening.

The hashtags, shares and prayers are nothing but words to distance people from the tragedy.

Freedom is the life-blood of the American dream, but when these events continue to happen — with no consequence — the blood begins to run in the streets rather than through the veins of the ones who need it.

In the last two years, the U.S. record for the largest mass-shooting has changed twice. In the last 275 days, approximately 11,686 people have died due to gun violence in America. Those 11,686 cases do not include suicides.

People call it the “free world” and other countries rely on America for protection and safety, but in reality, America has its act together about as much as a boyfriend after the breakup.

Photo by Grace Bauer An abandoned garage sits in plain view on University Avenue West in downtown Windsor.

Grace Bauer Converged Citizen Staff Passionate Windsorites were asking for a proactive approach to the city's vacant home situation at a recent city council meeting.

On Oct. 2 almost every seat was filled with Windsorites, many from the downtown core, pleading their case to council members. They requested a vacant building registry.

According to city councillor Rino Bortolin, the Vacant Building Registry was proposed about a year ago by councillor Ed Sleiman. The registry would include all houses in Windsor which are deemed vacant following an inspection by a city clerk and three staff.

“Basically, they will drive around and do inspections,” said Bortolin. “There are 750 known vacant buildings in Windsor.”

Bortolin said from there they will issue an order to the city and the property in question will be added to the registry.

The vacant building registry was approved at city hall on Oct. 2, which pleased many residents.

“We have had a lot of prob-

“The registry was charged to the 2018 budget, so we hope to get this started around the beginning of January,” -Rino Bortolin

lems due to squatters, prostitutes and drug dealers. I’ve tried to call, but I don’t always want to call the police,” said Billie-Joe Werner, a Windsor resident who spoke in front of city council.

“I feel that there should be another way that we can deal with the vacant house. We shouldn’t have to call the police all the time or call 311. A lot of times, I’m not being heard.”

Many spoke about the health and safety hazards the vacant homes create in neighbourhoods.

Brenda and Wayne Portice are a retired couple from Edmonton who said they moved to Windsor two months ago because they always wanted to live here.

“We basically hopped on a plane, came for four days, found a place to live and then went home and packed everything up,” said Brenda. “When we got here is when we found out what the downtown was like.”

Wayne said they faced the same problem in Edmonton, but after making the necessary changes, were able to drastically improve the vacant home situation.

“Maybe the city can take the initiative to start to brighten up the downtown area,” said Wayne. “The river walk is fantastic.”

Bortolin said the vacant building registry is only the beginning of the process. The registry will equip the city with the knowledge it needs to move further in dealing with these homes.

“The registry was charged to the 2018 budget, so we hope to get this started around the beginning of January,” said Bortolin.

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news

Diplomats Drum Corps marches into new season

Photo by Zander Kelly Diplomats Drum and Bugle Corps director Bob Thwaites stands in front of the awards won by the Corps this past year on Sept. 30, 2017.

Zander Kelly Converged Citizen Staff Members of the Diplomats Drum and Bugle Corps have ended their fifth season with smiles and celebrations.

Bob Thwaites is the director of the Corps and said the awards night on Sept. 30 marked the end of their year.

Thwaites has been the director since he acquired the Corps in 2012 during its last months as The Spirit of Windsor.

Spirit was a notable marching band in the Windsor area, alongside the Windsor Optimist Youth Band (Est. 1966) and the KingsvilleEssex Associated Band (est.1937), both of which are still in action, celebrating their 50th anniversary and 80th anniversary respectively .

The Corps takes people of all ages from grade school to university and fashions them into talented young musicians.

“We have had drummers join us who know nothing about drumming,” said Thwaites.

“They learn so much so quickly, because we’re always pushing them to do better.”

Andrew Busch has been one of those drummers for five years. “(The Corps) is something special. Everybody has a friendship between every single person and we all respect

each other,” said Busch.

“I’m really thankful for (Thwaites). He strives to make you excellent.”

The Diplomats can be found performing at local events on a regular basis, such as at Children’s Fest in September or at Open Streets.

The band also plays across North America, from Toronto to the American Midwest, in competitions and parades.

“It’s kind of like being on a sports team where the season is all year,” said Hannah Belle McCullough, a baritone player. “(The awards night) is one of the only times where all the members and parents get together and talk about being in the band and not have to worry about the music,” said McCullough.

The group is not funded by the government or by a club, but from the pocket of Thwaites himself.

“It costs about $35,000 a year, not including capitol,” said Thwaites.

“We would love new drums and uniforms. Our drums can be up to 30 years old, parts of our uniforms may be older. We would love a 40 piece drumline but that’s expensive.”

Lori Duquette has been the brass instructor and song arranger for the corps almost since the beginning.

“The best part of the corps is seeing the show come together over the course of the summer,” said Duquette.

"Every year it’s a new show with a new makeup and new people. I’d say that the culmination of all of that is the best part.”

The colour guard is directed by high school student Courtney Gregorian who is using the experience to shape her career plans.

“I definitely enjoy being with children and teaching them,” said Gregorian. “It really creates a bond between people who normally wouldn’t meet other people. I would like go to on to teach grade school or high school some day.”

As the band continues into its new year, Thwaites finds a personal invitation into the band to be most effective in gaining new members.

“The best way (we get new members) is that kids bring friends,” said Thwaites.

“We go to schools, we run ads in papers and on Facebook. We go through all the channels but kids bringing in friends is the best way.”

As for what is in store for next season?

Thwaites says “Stay tuned.”

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NOVEMBER 1, 2015

ONVERGED CITIZEN Feeding Windsor opens three new programs

Photo by Kaitlyn Kenney Kevin Rogers with donations from the local Windsor Essex farmers.

Kaitlyn Kenney Converged Citizen Staff People who are struggling and need help will soon be able to access more services at New Song Church.

A food club will be opening at 999 Drouillard Rd. People can get items that would not be available at a food bank, but will be available to members for a subsidized price.

They are also opening a pet food bank at the same location.

Pastor Kevin Rogers of New Song, said he has noticed more people are seeking help around the Windsor area.

“If you go to a food bank, you’ll see that the numbers are growing,” said Rogers.

Rogers said Feeding Windsor has three streams, the first one being the other churches also partnering to feed Windsor to provide services every week. Those include Throne of Grace, located at 405 Victoria Ave. and Ambassador Baptist at 3285 Manchester Rd. New Song also does weekly meals: Tuesday to Friday breakfast and Saturday night supper.

“All of those are free meals,” said Rogers. “We prepare the food in our kitchen here and deliver it to them (churches), and basically it's a project of that church or a project of our church. We put the crew of people together to

serve the food, but more to create an environment of hospitality.”

Rogers said the second stream is lunch club, the third is food club and it is the strategy of Feeding Windsor to go where the people are.

“The goal of lunch club and food club is to empower people in poverty,” said Rogers.

In May, Feeding Windsor opened a Lunch Club program at 920 Ouellette for people in the 400 building. Now, they are also opening a Lunch Club at 2455 Rivard, another lowincome building.

Rodger Fordham, co-ordinator of Feeding Windsor, said the programs help build community and prevent social isolation.

“It allows people to participate in food security,” said Fordham.

“At food club, people can buy a membership, for a single person it'll be 25 dollars and they can get 50 dollars worth of trade dollars. They’ll be able to shop in that store and buy the things that they want and need.”

Fordham said everything they do is with the support of the community and they hope to expand again in the spring to another Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation building.

Both stores will be opening on Nov. 1.

CONVERGED CITIZEN OCTOBER 12, 2017

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Board the bike bus Alyssa Leonard Converged Citizen Staff Bicycle enthusiasts in Windsor will have a new opportunity to ride on the many trails around Essex County.

A pilot project, known as WEBikeBus or Windsor Essex Bike Bus, will launch later this month, where residents and tourists in Windsor can take a bus ride with their bicycle out to different areas of Essex County for the day.

The first two day trips will be to Kingsville and Leamington.

People will be able to ride the bus while their bicycles are in a truck following behind them. The bus will make its first stop in Kingsville to allow some riders to get off and spend the day there, and will continue on to Leamington/Point Pelee to drop off the remaining passengers.

Justin Lafontaine, 42, leader of the WEBikeBus initiative, is a recognized cycle tourism advocate. He has been working in tourism development for more than 10 years, leading several cycle tourism initiatives, including the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail which takes cyclists along the shorelines of Lake St Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Erie, connecting to a 1600 kilometre cross-provincial trail.

Lafontaine recently moved to Windsor from Toronto and said he has enjoyed riding several times over the summer between the city and county.

Windsor and Essex County currently has many kilometres of bicycle and multi-use trails available, with the County Wide Active Transportation System and the Essex Region

Conservation Area working towards reaching close to 800 kilometres of pathways in the county over the next two decades.

“In my head I was thinking, I wish there’s a bus that could get me to where the wineries are and the north shore of Lake Erie and Point Pelee,” said Lafontaine.

“Instead of spending my whole day riding all the way to the county, seeing the lake and turning around and coming all the way back, I’d rather spend the afternoon touring and experiencing all the best the county really has to offer.”

Lafontaine said he has received many positive responses so far on social media about the project and hopes to be able to continue it into next year for the spring, summer and fall seasons.

“At the end of the day we want to create a connection between the city, the wineries, Kingsville and Point Pelee National Park.”

He said he also hopes to have a bicycle mechanic on hand to assist with any minor issues a rider may encounter.

According to Statistics Canada, from 2013-2014 an estimated 12 million Canadians, ages 12 or older, reported they had cycled in the previous year. Cycling was found to be more common at younger ages ― 82 per cent among ages 12 to 14 compared to 27 per cent by ages 50 or older.

Michael Haggert, a 49-yearold resident of Windsor who takes his bicycle for an approximate 15-20 kilometre ride once a week, said he is interested in the project and if the weather holds out, he will attend one of the dates.

“I don't drive and the con-

Photo courtesy of Justin Lafontaine Justin Lafontaine is a recognized cycle tourism advocate.

“Instead of spending my whole day riding all the way to the county, seeing the lake and turning around and coming all the way back, I’d rather spend the afternoon touring and experiencing all the best the county really has to offer.”

-Justin Lafontaine

nections from Windsor to the county infrastructure is poor.

It makes the ride a bit riskier than I would be comfortable with,” said Haggert, adding that he only bikes out to the county a couple of times a year.

Haggert said with the new project, instead of two to three trips a year, he may make up to six or more.

“If I could take my bike on transit to Amherstburg, then ride to Harrow, then transit back into the city, or other similar destinations, then I

could see doing this almost weekly.”

The pilot dates for the WEBikeBus are Sunday, Oct. 15 and Sunday, Oct. 29. The pick up and drop off spot in Windsor is located at Church Street and Pitt Street West with the departure time at 10 a.m. and returning at 6 p.m.

The cost for the round trip will be $25 for adults and $20 for those 18 and under. For more information, check out www.webikebus.com.

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health & lifestyle

VegFest returns to Windsor

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OCTOBER 12, 2017

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Photo by Christina Chibani Liz Munsterhjelm sits at the front desk inside Casa Chavela.

Photo by Grace Bauer Attendees walk around the WFCU Centre at VegFest on Oct.1.

Kylie Turner Converged Citizen Staff The second VegFest in Windsor attracted hundreds of people interested in learning about the ethics of the food they eat.

The event was held at the WFCU Centre Oct. 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event’s agenda included vegan cooking demonstrations, motivational speakers, kids’ activities and more than 60 vendors.

The keynote speaker was Ingrid Newkirk, president and co-founder of PETA. VegFest’s stated mission is to “celebrate kindness towards animals, stewardship of the earth and the well-being of people, and to live happy, healthy lives while being conscious and compassionate.”

Steve Palombo, founder of Windsor’s VegFest, used to attend the event with his wife and wanted to organize one in Windsor.

Palombo said he has been a vegan for four years but has always had an interest in nonmeat eating and made the decision because “it felt right.”

“Consciousness is being raised,” said Palombo.

“Compared to a hundred years ago, people are more aware. It is a more rapid move to be healthier.”

-Steve Palombo

“Compared to a hundred years ago, people are more aware. It is a more rapid move to be healthier.”

Meaghan Marton attended VegFest and manages a Facebook page called “The Sweet Life Of Being Vegan.”

Marton said she started the page about two years ago, shortly after watching a documentary called “Earthlings” which showed animal cruelty in farm factories. She said it was impossible to watch without feeling sadness, anger and guilt. Marton thought her page would be a fun way to share

her new life of plant-based living and share with others how much of an impact it made on her life.

“It opens your mind and taste buds to so many new flavours,” said Marton. “You become a more compassionate person to all beings.”

Andrea Docherty is a local registered dietitian, sports nutritionist and owner of Andrea Docherty Nutrition.

She said there are many benefits with a healthier diet including more fibre, antioxidants and less disease. She said to replace meat with a plant-based diet it needs to be well-planned in order to get zinc, protein and iron.

Docherty said plant-based diets are a big trend and recommends getting professional advice.

“It is helping people maintain healthy weight, heart health, getting more fibre, antioxidants and lessens saturated fats,” said Docherty.

“People are saving money by buying chickpeas and legumes for protein.”

Palombo said the event did well and was diverse and has become so successful it will need a bigger hall for next year.

Fashion around the world Christina Chibani Converged Citizen Staff With Windsor being one of the most diverse multicultural cities in Canada, Casa Chavela is meeting the needs of those who are looking for fashion styles from their own cultures.

Casa Chavela, an international clothing store, means “Liz Place” in Spanish and is the oldest standing store in Windsor selling international fair trade clothing from more than 40 countries around the world.

It has been open since July 1985 and recently celebrated 32 years in business.

“We are very careful where we buy our clothes from, even from India and Nepal," said store owner Liz Munsterhjelm. “They're all fair traders, we don't buy from any factories.”

According to the World Fair Trade Organization, fair trade is "a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.”

Munsterhjelm said when she first opened, most of her clothing came from Latin America and Spain. She now carries clothing from other countries including Afghanistan, Argentina and Peru.

Casa Chavela has found success comes from the downtown multicultural scene and tourists.

“I will have an 18-year-old girl come in and she will buy a funky pair of genie pants or a guy that will come in and buy a Mexican jacket,” said Munsterhjelm.

With a cozy and upbeat atmosphere, Casa Chavela offers fashion styles for all ages, ethnicities and genders.

“I like to dress funky and different, so shopping at Casa Chavela helps me find unique clothing from countries I would love to travel to,” said Jocelyn Schwalm, 23, a regular customer.

“I have friends from all different cultures, so shopping here helps me find something for each of them,” said Schwalm. “I love that it is fair trade clothing...that makes me feel better when I shop.”

Casa Chavela is open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 405 Pelissier St.

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The return of the paperback

Photo by: Julianna Bonnett Elaine Weeks at her home in Windsor on Sept. 28,2017.

Julianna Bonnett Converged Citizen Staff Back and better than ever.

According to a recent study conducted by Booknet, it appears that a large number of young people are not as interested in digital reading as might have been expected.

Booknet stated the reading public is ditching ebooks and returning to the old-fashioned printed word. In Canada, ebook sales accounted for only 16.8 per cent of total sales, a decline of 19 per cent from the previous year. The average ebook cost has increased by seven per cent in the last year, while a paperback has increased by three per cent.

Kathleen Westlake, a local author and manager at Mad Science, said ebooks are not as nostalgic as a paperback.

"Paperbacks appeal to those who don’t like reading digitally or, in most cases, just like the ‘feel’ of a book in their hands, the motion of turning a

physical page. Being a local author, I know that you can't sign an ebook like you can a paperback," said Westlake.

Westlake said the wholesale cost of a paperback book is under four dollars on a small print run. "I’ve seen ebooks, mainly textbooks, which are selling for up to $100 or more.

Essentially, the book’s value isn’t in its print format, but rather all the things that it takes to get it to the reader," said Westlake.

While reading a paperback book is good, some studies have found that animation and audio in ebooks seem to help children identify printed words. According to National Literacy Trust, children's reading abilities have improved since using ebooks. The study also found that ebooks are more appealing to children.

"Printed copies of books will always dominate, but I think ebooks have benefits to a lot of people,” said Elaine Weeks, a local author and publisher.

"I feel like audio books will

become more popular in the next few years. With an audio book, you can just listen to it whenever. To be fair, there was more interest in ebooks when they first came out. Now it seems like more people want to go to a book store and hold a physical copy of a book in their hands. On the other hand, I've heard that ebooks have benefited children and even adults. I guess the use of different text and colour has drawn an interest to people.”

According to Booknet, sales of paperbacks accounted for 54 per cent of all book purchases in 2016 but have skyrocketed in sales in 2017.

With the rise in sales of paperback copies of books, not everyone wants the return of the paperback.

"I'm not all for paperback books anymore. I’d rather use an ebook," said Aleksandra Matoski, worker at Chrysler Canada and self-described bookworm.

"My kids have used ebooks a lot. I noticed when they were younger that they were more attracted to reading. I think it’s the feel of an electronic in a child's hand that excites them, it’s something shiny and interesting."

Some people prefer to hear their words over seeing them.

With the digital audio book industry trending, the latest statistics from the Audio Publishing Association show that audiobook sales have totaled more than $1.77 billion in 2017, up to 20.7 percent over the previous year.

“Although opinions differ, what really matters is that people are still interested in the written word,” said Westlake.

Photo by: Julianna Bonnett Roger Wurdemann at Juniper Used and Rare Books on Oct. 3, 2017.

The power of the written word Gabrielle Zevin once said, "A place is not really a place without a bookstore."

Many people cannot say their hobby is their vocation but Roger Wurdemann, owner of Juniper Used and Rare Books can. No matter what kind of stories you like to read, Juniper is a book-lover's paradise.

According to Wurdemann, he found his love for books growing up in Toronto.

"I used to go to the library every day after school. My friends and I would visit the local bookstores. I just kind of caught the bug, I fell in love with vintage bookstores. Just the feeling of being surrounded by books from such a young age is what made me want to open this establishment. I opened the store in 2006, not expecting much, but I thought 'why not let's give it a try'," said Wurdemann.

Located on Ottawa Street, Juniper welcomes readers and

local authors. All together there are 45,000 used and rare books in the store alone.

Room to room, floor to floor you will find books on every imaginable subject. Rare books, cookbooks, self-help books and mystery books are among the store’s features.

Wurdemann said what makes them different from other bookstores is their individuality and their rare books.

"We have a first edition Tom Sawyer book, which goes for over $4,000. We have a good amount of rare Shakespeare books,” said Wurdemann. “That’s something that we can offer that other bookstores like Indigo cannot offer. We have rare and used books that you can't find anywhere else in Windsor."

While Juniper, like many other independent bookstores, faces competition from large corporate chains and online retailers, Wurdemann said he is confident in Juniper and its future.

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arts & entertainment Kurlis Mati Converged Citizen Staff As Windsor’s art community continues to grow, more people are finding a passion for local filmmaking.

Many have reached their dreams and made a name for themselves outside of the city in places like Los Angeles and Toronto.

Vy Nguyen, a local filmmaker and associate with the Windsor International Film Festival said there is a steady improvement in the number of people who are interested in film in Windsor. Nguyen said she is happy with her personal growth throughout her filmmaking experiences.

“I’ve met so many people that I’ve enjoyed working with and learning from. I think my sense of initiative has also vastly improved,” said Nguyen. “I am always talking to local filmmakers just to see what they have lined up and offer help when I can.”

Nguyen said Windsor is more difficult compared to places such as Vancouver and Toronto.

Windsor has an increasing

“I have a dream journal and I write down all my dreams. If I can’t think of an ending (for a film) or where the film is going, I go to sleep and figure it out in my sleep.”

-Matthew Luppino

number of events revolving around film such as the Windsor International Film Festival. Some filmmakers from the Windsor area take their films to other international film fests and even win awards.

Matthew Luppino, a 22year-old local filmmaker of films such as A Blink of an Eye and recently the short film True Colours, said he comes up with a lot of his ideas because he is a lucid dreamer.

“I actually get my best ideas

when I am asleep,” said Luppino. “I have a dream journal and I write down all my dreams. If I can’t think of an ending (for a film) or where the film is going, I go to sleep and figure it out in my sleep.”

Luppino said he started making films when he was around 16 or 17 years old and his 12 movies have earned him eight international awards.

With many films there is an extensive crew needed to put on the production.

Phil Bakos, a stagehand, said he helped Luppino on various films.

“I've helped Matthew a few times as basically just another hand on set because most of the times it was just him basically doing everything,” said Bakos.

The Windsor International Film Festival starts on Oct. 30 and ends on Nov. 5 and is hosted at the Capitol Theater and St. Clair Centre of the Arts.

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Entertainment Roundup!

Music:

Movies:

Rocker Tom Petty died at the age of 66 on Oct. 2.

Petty suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu and was taken to the UCLA Medical Center but doctors could not revive him. Petty was the lead singer of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers who were very popular in the 1970s, with hit songs such as Free Fallin, American Girl and I Won't Back Down.

Blade Runner 2049 is coming to theatres in Windsor on Oct. 6. This movie is the long awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed 1982 film Blade Runner directed

by Ridley Scott. Lead actor Ryan Gosling and director Denis Villeneuve are both Canadian actors in the sequel.

Comedy: George Lopez is performing at Caesars Windsor on Oct. 21 at 9 p.m. His tour started on Oct. 6 and will end on Dec. 30. The show at Caesars will be his only show in Canada on the tour.

Theatre: The LADO: National Folk Dance Ensemble of Croatia is coming to the Capitol Theatre on Oct. 11 at 8 p.m.

LADO is a group of 39 professional performers who dance, sing and have 14 virtuoso musicians who play a total of 80 different traditional instruments.

Jane Eyre, the portrayal of women Amos Johnson Converged Citizen Staff Charlotte Brontë’s gothic romance novel, Jane Eyre, was performed by the University Players from Sept.

22 – Oct. 1 at the Essex Hall Theatre.

Jane Eyre is a gothic romance story which explores the natural passion and desires of women. The story is about Jane, an orphaned girl who is limited to working as a governess in Thornfield Hall, where she meets the master of Thornfield, Mr. Rochester.

“She (Jane) is fighting against social norms and fighting against her own feelings, internal battles and having the strength to go for what she wants,” said Eva Flores, 20, who plays the characters Mrs. Fairfax and Mrs. Reed.

Polly Teale’s adaptation explores the twisted love between Jane and Mr.

Rochester, as well as the two sides of Jane. There is her “normal” side, wanting to be accepted and then there is her “passion-driven” side, portraying her inner self, which she hides in order to be accepted.

Haolun Xu, 23, is studying communication, media and film at the University of Windsor and enjoyed the show.

“The lights, the songs and the special effects are incorporated well…the actors can perform so heartily,” said Xu. The show is two hours long and stays true to the source material in terms of text, according to the actors.

Xanath Fuentes Natanson, 21, who plays Abigail, Helen, Adele and Mary Rivers, explained what it is like playing multiple characters.

“You have these clear dif-

Photo By Doug MacLellan Lauren Fields (Jane), left, Alicia Plummer (Jane’s inner self), centre, Cole Reid (Rochester), right, at the Essex Hall Theatre. ferentiations between your characters, part of the beauty is also finding similarities between (them),” said

Natanson.

The novel was originally published in 1847. Although it faced controversy for its por-

trayal of society’s treatment of women, it did not stop it from becoming a hit.

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YQG WORKS

Local film contest for youth features $5K in cash prizes Chelsea Humphreys Converged Citizen Staff Thousands of dollars are up for grabs as the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media & the Creative Arts partners with The Film Camp for Kids and Youth to hold a contest for youth in the tri-county area.

Anyone aged 11 to 25 from Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and SarniaLambton can submit films that either celebrate something or someone from their

area or celebrate Canada.

“The sort of larger idea of it is to start building a film industry in Windsor which will be, I think, important for this sort of art culture in the area and helping local businesses,” said Aaron Fauteux, youth program coordinator at the Film Camp. “The idea is to start young and get them interested. It’s not just supporting the camp, it’s also supporting the media arts centre, which I think is important and good for the community.”

The contest will include $5,000 in cash prizes available

for each age group.

Submissions are due Oct. 20.

The Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media & the Creative Arts is a non-profit organization that operates the Film Camp for Kids and Youth every summer. It started as a project five years ago with 25 kids in a two-week camp and has grown into nine weeks of summer camp, featuring a young authors camp for creative writing, a photography camp for high school students and an overnight camp out in Harrow. At the end of each film camp session,

the kids screen the films they created over that week to their parents.

“Everyone really likes it,” said Fauteux. “I think local businesses like it too because we go to them for sponsorships ... at the end of every summer."

Fauteux said one of the events many local businesses help sponsor is their annual Open Air Cinema held right in the downtown core where they showcase selected films made by the kids throughout the summer before screening a family film. In return for their

sponsorship, local businesses get their logo displayed on the big screen.

The camp is also funded by various grants and sponsorships from local businesses and is located downtown at 586 Ouellette Ave., Another building on Ouellette is currently undergoing renovations and in the next three years will be the home of the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media & the Creative Arts.

Local percussive dance group makes a comeback Josie Richards Converged Citizen Staff A local group is stepping back onto the scene with their modern form of expressive afrocentric dance.

After a one-year break, the student group Sistas Taking Action for a New Direction (S.T.A.N.D.), has reformed.

“Step is making music without music,” says copresident Ashley Yeboah.

“You make music with your body, hands and feet through stomps, claps and

things like that.”

What was once just for University of Windsor students has now broadened its membership criteria to include non-university students as well.

This form of percussive dance is not well known in Canada, but is very popular across the river in the U.S. according to Yeboah. Step originated as a form of communication between slaves in the 17th century and continues to play a huge part in American fraternity and sorority culture.

The group was founded in 2013. Originally membership

“You make music with your body, hands and feet through stomps, claps and things like that.”

-Ashley Yeboah was limited to women of diaspora descent, meaning individuals who originated from Africa but have been dispersed. But in years past, the group has opened up to include men as well.

“We’re definitely looking for new members on our step team,” says Yeboah. “You

don’t have to be a woman or at student at UWindsor to even be on the step team.”

Membership has ranged from six to 12 individuals, but this year, Yeboah said, they hope for more. They expect to see many new faces that are willing to learn the art form

and to be open to different aspects of cultures that are unlike one’s own.

According to Yeboah, this year you can watch the step team perform at Diverse Expressions, Windsor Sports Weekend, Afrofest and other events that have yet to be determined.

For those interested, tryouts will be held this fall at the University of Windsor. Visit www.facebook.com/UofWindsorST AND for more details.

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The Lying Game by Ruth Ware 4 0ut of 5 stars (sent by Simon and Schuster Canada) Just when you think you know what’s going to happen and you think you have the story figured out … you don’t. And the deck is shuffled again. ~ Biblio Virgo Growing up, your parents teach you right from wrong. They attempt to steer you towards an appropriate path in life, only wishing you come across success and happiness. A redundant phrase to take you to this destination is: Never tell lies.

Throughout life, you come to realize that truth possesses great value, that once broken it can never be mended.

What happens when the lies go too far, reaching a point where truth no longer exists?

What happens when feelings are hurt, relationships lost and souls die?

In Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game, the reader is always standing on their toes, trying to peer over the upcoming pages to see what suspense the events will bring. In this work of mystery, serious matters are acknowledged and a group of girls face one of the most difficult parts of their lives, as their past is dug up, set on display and there is no longer a place to hide. Kate, Isa, Fatima and Thea have serious matters to consider.

In this novel I did not have a least favourite character, but I did have a favourite, and that was Kate.

Right from the get go you can tell Kate is rough around the edges and for good reason. She comes from a difficult past that forced her to be anything but pliable.

When things start to build and become more difficult throughout the novel, Kate manages to keep this hard edifice, not breaking down into waves of emotion, though you can tell she wants to. In the group of friends you can tell Kate is the most cool and collected.

Just when you think difficulty has hit you at maximum capacity, the end of the book comes. Here is where I was blown away by beauty and emotion. Behind that hard facade, Kate has a heart of gold. Not only does she keep life-changing secrets for someone she loves but she also makes an enormous sacrifice, changing the entirety of the book.

I really liked how Ware would transition from past to present throughout the novel. This made it easier for the reader to be their own detective and try to piece things together.

Due to mature subject matter of sex, drugs and alcohol, I recommend this book for any mystery and thriller lover aged 16 and up.

And remember …

Welcome to…

Don’t.

The lying game.

Tell.

This is the first book I have read by Ruth Ware and I really enjoyed her writing. I will most definitely need to add The Woman in Cabin 10 and In a Dark, Dark Wood to my to-be-read list.

Due to the fact that the book was set in Great Britain, it contained a lot of English jargon. This not only added humour, but also a sense of culture, as it was interesting to view different terms used in other areas of the world.

Another thing I liked and felt strengthened the book was its writing tense: first person. I admire the intimate feeling of reading a book from a character’s perspective rather than from the author’s. When it is told from the author I feel more detached, as though not everything is sinking in.

The novel consisted of four female characters and was told from Isa’s point of view. Isa is one of the four girls, a supporting character. This worked. Ware did a stunning job with the writing, but I would have loved to see the story from Kate’s perspective. I felt the story was more about Kate than any other person and I would have loved to experience her emotions and feelings on a deeper level throughout the novel.

Lies.

Next week I will review Love Her Wild by Atticus. Until next time, keep on reading.

- BV

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Women’s basketball unbeaten Kyle Rose Converged Citizen Staff The Lancers women’s basketball team have started the season experiencing exhibition bliss as they piled up two straight wins at the St. Dennis Centre.

The lady lancers beat Montmorency College 59-56 and Humber College 82-77.

With these two wins the Lancers are now 2-0 in the season. Their next game comes Oct 6 as they travel to Montreal where they will play in the UQAM Citandins tournament. Their first round match up comes against powerhouse Quebec squad Université du Québec à Montréal Citandins.

The team travels to Regina the following weekend to participate in the University of Regina Cougars tournament.

The team’s preseason schedule is a tough one especially against the teams in Montreal and Regina. However, with the first two wins at home,

Photo taken by Windsor Lancers photography staff Photo of team in huddle during a timeout. head coach Chantal Vallee has complete confidence in her team that they will escape both weekends with the win.

“We have a great group of girls this year on the team and I strongly believe we are more then capable to take care of business this weekend,” said Vallee.

The Lancer ladies are lead

by fifth year standout Cheyanne Roger who averaged 11.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG last season for the team.

Social media staff member Jenny Forshawe has been taking pictures for the Lancers for three years and said she knows how well the women can compete, especially Roger.

“Cheyanne is really competitive and I've often get some really good shots of her even in practice,” said Forshawe. “My photos have gotten major attention especially on Instagram and have people talking about Lancer athletics.

The Lancers first regular

season OUA action comes Oct. 28 when they take on the visiting Guelph Gryphons.

Last year the lady Lancers started the season with seven straight wins before losing to the Ryerson Rams. With a great start to the season so far, the lancers look to keep the momentum going.

Lancers baseball looks to build off defeat Cody Rusan Converged Citizen Staff The University of Windsor men’s baseball team, in advance of their regular season, played an exhibition game against the St. Clair Saints.

The Lancers jumped to an early lead, Oct. 4, backed by strong pitching and good defensive play. However, the Saints would not stand for defeat and battled to keep the

game close. Ultimately, the Saints would win 4-3 in walkoff style with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.

Though this was only an exhibition for the two teams, the Lancers plan to build off of this defeat.

“We come out here in preparation for our league games and get everyone in, let them get their reps in,” said Lancers right fielder, Chris Rinaldi-Ross. “We’re in the gym three times in the morn-

ing and three times at night.”

The Lancers also saw doubleheader action against the University of Michigan Oct 1.

The Lancers fought hard and split the day against Michigan.

“That was a big series to open up our season, it’s our first year in division one for NCBA,” said Lancer’s shortstop, Adam Pickel. “We’ve been going well for the past couple of years in division two. We’re trying not to change too much from there,

we were very successful there.

We went two years in a row to the World Series there.”

The University of Michigan finished their 2017 campaign with a 42-17 record. In the series against the Lancers, the Wolverines would take Game One with a lopsided result of 6-1. Game Two held more excitement and life from the Lancers group as they would take that game 8-6.

“Michigan is a very tough

team to beat, as any American team, they have good pitching and good hitting,” said Rinaldi-Ross.

As the season gets underway for the Lancers baseball team, things are looking up.

The team plays out of Amherstburg and will host Central Michigan University on Saturday, Nov. 4 for a double-header. The first game will be played at 12 p.m. and will be immediately followed by game two at 2 p.m.

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St. Clair Saints prepare to host the OCAA tournament Cade Ryan Converged Citizen Staff The St. Clair Saints men’s baseball team will be hosting the OCAA Provincial Tournament this year on their home field.

The Saints are looking for their fifth straight provincial title. The OCAA tournament starts Oct. 20 and ends Oct. 21. There will be four games on the first day and on the second day the finalists will compete for the gold medal. All the games will be played at Lacasse Park in Tecumseh.

The Saints have a strong team this year with a record of 10-4, although, they are off to a slower start than last year when they lost only three games.

Head Coach, Dave Cooper, said he is not worried about

the pressure on his team to repeat as champions.

“Playing at home is a huge advantage. You don’t feel the pressure as much, you get to sleep in your own bed and we get to play at the park that we are used to playing at, plus we have a great group of hard working guys,” said Cooper.

The Saints have a much different team than last year with 15 first-year players.

Outfielder Carson Burke is one of the rookies on the team but he does not think that having a large number of new players on the team will hurt their chances of winning the OCAA. “We have a good roster with a bunch of guys who want to win. We are all really excited to play and host the OCAAs,” said Burke.

Outfielder Austin Oulds is a second-year player who knows what it takes to win an OCAA championship. He is putting pressure on himself to perform.

“The second and third year players on this team, including myself, have to step up and play our best baseball of the season to set an example for the rookies,” said Oulds.

The team has seven more games to play before the OCAAs. They host a doubleheader with the Fanshawe Falcons on Friday, they compete against Kellogg Community College and the George Brown Huskies on Saturday and then wrap up the weekend with a doubleheader against the Seneca Sting on Sunday.

Photo by Cade Ryan Garik Godard lines up for a pitch in the St. Clair Saints 4-3 victory on Oct. 4 at Lacasse Park in Tecumseh.

Sports roundup

By Jordan Ferris

MLB

NHL

The wild card games are in the rear window and all divisional matchups are set.

On Tuesday, the New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-4 in New York. The Twins scored three runs in the top of the first inning, catching most by surprise. However in the bottom of the first, the Yankees responded by getting three runs of their own. Aaron Judge added one more in the bottom of the fourth, hitting his first career MLB postseason home run. With this win, the Yankees are now set to play the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. The Arizona Diamondbacks played host to the Colorado Rockies for the National League wild card game on Oct. 4. Building up their score fast, the Diamondbacks scored a total of six runs within the first three innings and were able to chase Colorado’s starting pitcher from the game. Colorado would bring the score difference to one run on two separate occasions but could never take a lead in the game. As well, Arizona relief pitcher Archie Bradley became the first ever relief pitcher to hit a triple in the postseason. After winning the game 11-8, the Diamondbacks now move on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. Other series included the Chicago Cubs going against the Washington Nationals in the other NLDS while the other ALDS series has the Boston Red Sox playing the Houston Astros.

The NHL regular season began Oct. 4 and two of the matchups were allCanadian showdowns.

The Winnipeg Jets played their home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a game they most likely wish they could get back. The game seemed to start on the right note for the Jets, who had three power play advantages within the first 11 minutes. This good fortune for the Jets would run out quickly with the Leafs scoring three goals within the last five minutes of the period. Toronto would hold onto this lead adding four more goals in the game and finishing with a final score of 7-2. The Leafs new addition Patrick Marleau manage to score two goals in his debut with the team.

The Edmonton Oilers hosted part one of the Battle of Alberta with a game against the Calgary Flames.

The game got started on a fast pace and saw Oilers’ captain Connor Mcdavid get his first goal of the season 11 minutes into the game. The game also saw a fight between Zack Kassian and Tanner Glass.

Mcdavid earned his first hat trick of the season and also became the first ever Oiler to score a hat trick in a season opener. Goaltender Cam Talbot also notched his first shutout of the season in the 3-0 Oilers win.