It seems the Field Sawmill jobs faded long ago, but it is only eight years since these resource-based, good-paying jobs disappeared. Value-added jobs for the Comox Valley, contributing to the GDP. Lost because they were not cost-competitive. How cost-competitive are the four local governments? The least cost-competitive local government needs to sharpen up or disappear like the sawmill. The timber resource Industries made tough decisions on sawmills, and politicians need to cut one government out of the local four! Forest companies continue to export logs — we need to export administrations.
My beef is with the drivers in this town who do not seem to understand that when making a left turn at a traffic light, when the light turns green you can move into the intersection and wait until you can safely make the left turn. Or when there is an advanced green light which allows several vehicles to proceed on the left turn and then, when the green arrow turns to amber and goes out you still have a right to move into the intersection and make that left turn when it is safe to do so. Mostly what happens is that when the light turns green, the vehicles sit at the white line until they can safely cross. At best, only one vehicle can make the light. Or by which time the light is turning yellow and they can’t move forward and cross because they don’t want to run a red light. When you get a green light and wish to turn left, pull fully into the intersection and wait until it is safe to make the left turn, and please allow others to do the same. There is so much traffic in this town these days that getting around is slow, but if a few more people would move into the intersection, then it would smooth things out considerably.
Nelson Mandela, a colossus of reconciliation, truth and forgiveness is gone. All nations mourn his great and gentle spirit. Yet before Nelson and beyond, beneath and above, Jesus Christ lives on reconciling the world to God through the blood of His cross. Believe.
Thank you to all the ladies from the Comox Legion Auxiliary Branch 160 for all the support of the girls donating their time and food for the LA bake sale at the Comox Centre Mall on Nov. 30. It was a huge success! Thanks to all who purchased and supported us again this year, it will make our donations to the community even better. Many thanks to the mall as well for once again allowing us space for this event.
I think I would like to see all who believe in Christmas greet all their friends with the words “Merry Christmas. sounds a little but better than “Happy Holidays” (I believe). God bless all.
I hate to spoil everyone’s Christmas but when you are comparison shopping for the cheapest turkey, remember the cheapest turkey will be the one that is raised in the poorest way. Check out the Internet. This is an online headline: Law Enforcement Investigates Turkey Factory Farm after Hidden-Camera Video Exposes Birds Being Kicked, Stomped and Beaten with Metal Bars, and Left to Die with Open Wounds and Infections. Buy free range.
A bushelful of bad experiences to the staff at St. Joseph’s General Hospital who think it is perfectly acceptable for a bunch of heavily scented visitors to pack into a room with a patient fresh from the intensive care unit with a particularly bad pneumonia. Your failure to act in the best interests of your patients and other visitors is deplorable. You are fully aware that scent chemicals contain respiratory irritants, hormone disruptors, nerve toxins, various cancer-causing chemicals and toxic petrochemicals that surely have no place in a hospital. You are also aware that some patients and visitors are unable to access the hospital’s services or visit their loved ones because of your refusal to enforce the scent policy. You prefer education over enforcement? Then educate the public about the health risks of scented products. Don’t expect that slapping a sign on the wall to do it.
I want to send a warm and heartfelt thank you to all the people and sponsors that made the fundraiser in Union Bay on Nov. 30 such a success. You helped raise more than $8,600, an amazing amount given the short notice. I especially want to thank the North Vancouver Island Chefs’ Association for their generous financial contribution and hard work in the kitchen. The food was fantastic!
In this icy weather I am truly grateful to Cheryl and Klaus at Crown Isle who phoned to see if I needed anything. As a senior with walking and health issues they frequently give me a ride to stores and medical appointments. Their concern and kindness is evidence of the true spirit of the season. A sincere thank you.
What a dork I was; I went around to two old guys in the C.V. Senior’s Village who I KNEW loved dogs; left a note under their doors saying CHEK TV had a show coming on at 8 p.m. called Must Love Dogs. Great — they’ll love this — what a nice, thoughtful good deed was I doing! Went back to my room and tuned into this show and — a great disappointment — ’twas a romantic/situation/comedy, that involved a couple meeting and each had a dog. Was a “nice” movie anyway; I kept one eye on it. I wonder what the “old guys” thought of it? If they watched it? I’m not asking!
There really are guardian angels out there — Steve, from Tilley Electrical, who came to repair a light fixture for me, on a moment’s notice, may the lights shine brightly on your festive season. God bless you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart from a very lucky and satisfied senior. Merry Christmas, Steve and family.
Thank you to all those who supported our local food bank by making the 2013 Jingle Bell Run a huge success once again. The Comox Valley Road Runners held their annual fundraiser for the Comox Valley Food Bank on Dec. 8, bringing Seal Bay Park alive with the sound of bells and festive outfits as 110 adults and children walked or ran the marked trails in support of the food bank. For $5 and a food donation they received cards from dealers placed along a seven-km or three-km route, with prizes going to those partners with the three best poker hands. In addition to those prizes there were many excellent draw prizes and great food and drinks thanks to the generosity of local businesses. In addition to a vanload of donated food, over $1,000 was raised for our food bank. The Comox Valley Road Runners would especially like to thank all the volunteers and recognize the local businesses that helped make this such a successful event: Boston Pizza, Broken Spoke, Comox Valley Nissan, Comox Valley RV, Comox/Cumberland Grind, Courtenay Recreation Association, Extreme Runners, Jim Smiley/OceanPacific Realty, Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, Mud Sharks, Ski Tak Hut, Thrifty Foods, Tim Hortons, Trail Bicycles.
It’s something that has been all but lost in our modern society, but is still alive and well in Leo and son Darren Richards, who own Airport Self Storage. We’d sold our house with a quick possession date and needed storage right away. I visited their storage facility to see what they could offer. Leo happened to be onsite at the time and said we could probably find something but the manager (Joan) was on vacation so we’d have to look around. He found a locker that was suitable and told me to go ahead and use it and we’d do the paperwork later (since with Joan away he couldn’t find it). I offered to give him a deposit but he just shook my hand and said we could settle up later. While we were chatting the subject of us having to be out of our house shortly and hadn’t found a new one to buy. Leo said they had one for rent but only short term, which was exactly what we needed. Again I offered to give them a deposit but he said it wasn’t necessary since he took my word that we would treat it right. Our dealings with Leo, Darren and Joan over the past several months have restored my faith in humanity. We’re now settled in our own place but I’m going to miss dealing with a fine bunch of people that still believe that a man’s good word and a handshake are all you need. Thank you.
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