Tag Archives: MIck Sweetman

Environment

Deep Water Recovery executives say shipbreaking operations aren’t polluting Union Bay

By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On a stormy day at the end of September, the vessels at Deep Water Recovery’s site in Union Bay were being pummelled with rain. Robert Bohn Senior, one of the company owners, and operations manager Mark Jurisich were clad in high-visibility clothing and gumboots.

The two men were leading myself and The Discourse Nanaimo reporter, Mick Sweetman, on a tour of the property. It was the first time The Discourse was offered a visit to the site, though we have been reporting on the shipbreaking situation in Union Bay since October 2023.

Continue reading Deep Water Recovery executives say shipbreaking operations aren’t polluting Union Bay →
Transportation

Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River on strike

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River went on strike Friday morning citing wages as the key reason for the job action.

While this shuts down public transportation for tens of thousands of people, the union and employer agreed to keep operating the HandyDART buses for people with disabilities.

Continue reading Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River on strike →
Spirituality

Nanaimo celebrates first night of ​​Chanukah

Editor’s note: According to the Jewish Independent, Canada is home to the fourth largest Jewish community in the world, (after Israel, the United States, and France). They do not all adhere to Judaism. 52,000 of the 282,015 of the ‘Jewish’ respondents to the 2021 census also stated they follow another religion. The article did not state the numbers of Jews who were agnostic or atheists, only that ‘more than 40% of Canadian Jews have attended Jewish day schools. ‘

Some religious statistics: 100 Campbell River residents stated their ethnic origin was Jewish in the 2021 census, and 50 people stated their religion was ‘Jewish.’ Christians are now officially a minority. Only 33.2% of the city’s population stated they were ‘Christians,’ which does not necessarily mean they attend church services. 63.7% of the the city’s respondents stated they have ‘no religion’ and ‘secular perspectives.’ The 2021 census listed 35 people of Jewish ethnicity on Cortes Island, but only 15 following Judaism. Of the remaining population: roughly 70% had no religion, 19% were Christians and 9% follow other faiths. The only place where the majority of Jews appear to follow their ancestral faith was Area C, where there were 25 Jews and 25 people following Judaism. Roughly 78% of the population stated their beliefs were secular, 20% were Christians and a little more than 2% followed other faiths.

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

Nanaimo’s Jewish community marked the first night of ​​Chanukah with the lighting of a giant Menorah at Maffeo Sutton Park.

Organized by Chabad of Nanaimo the event attracted hundreds of people to mark the start of the holiday celebrating the triumph of light over darkness.

Continue reading Nanaimo celebrates first night of ​​Chanukah →
Cost of Climate Change

Marine heatwaves a threat to B.C.’s shellfish industry says expert

Editor’s note: The shellfish industry is one of Cortes Island’s principle employers.

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

This summer was hot, not only for us, but also for the life in our oceans as marine heatwaves swamped B.C’s coastal waters. According to researchers, sea temperatures off northeastern Vancouver Island reached 21 degrees Celsius in July, boiling kelp alive.

In the first week of August the average global sea surface temperature reached a record-breaking 30 degrees Celsius.

Continue reading Marine heatwaves a threat to B.C.’s shellfish industry says expert →
Community, Sports

Blind man swims across the Georgia Strait to Nanaimo

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

“Go Scotty!” shouted a voice from the shore of Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo as Scott Rees finished a 30 km swim across the Georgia Strait on Sunday.

Though he could hear the cheers, Scott Rees couldn’t see who was yelling, as he had just completed the 11-hour open water marathon swim while completely blind.

Continue reading Blind man swims across the Georgia Strait to Nanaimo →