Very successful photo session last evening at Crescent Beach with my "mission" to get a decent image of the Andromeda Galaxy and its 2 small companion galaxies - our closest galactic neighbours - The skies cooperated beautifully!
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is a barred galaxy and is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way. It has a diameter of about 152,000 light years, and is approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth.
The Andromeda Galaxy is among the brightest of the Messier objects, and is barely visible to the naked eye from Earth on moonless nights, even when viewed from areas with moderate light pollution.
The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are expected to collide with each other in around 4–5 billion years, merging to potentially form a giant elliptical galaxy.
Seestar S50 All-in-One Smart Telescope. The Seestar S50 is a perfect blend of telescope and camera, providing exceptional experiences for astronomy and landscape observations.
It serves as an ideal companion for exploring the marvels of the universe, whether you're indoors or outdoors.
Sport BC has announced the finalists to be celebrated at the upcoming 57th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards taking place on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The event, to be hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell, recognizes the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport in the 2024 season. Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University.
Female Athlete with a Disability
Danielle Ellis (White Rock, BC) – Sitting Volleyball
Julia Hanes (Vancouver, BC) – Para Athletics (Seated Throws)
Maggie Manning (Salmon Arm, BC) – Para Ice Hockey
Danielle Ellis is a Canadian sitting volleyball player and captain of the national team, preparing for her third Paralympic appearance at the Paris 2024 Games. Born on November 17, 1991, in White Rock, British Columbia, Ellis lost her right leg below the knee due to cancer shortly after birth. She discovered sitting volleyball at a Trinity Western standing volleyball camp in 2007, a pivotal moment that introduced her to Paralympic sports.
Ellis has been a key member of the Canadian women’s sitting volleyball team since 2009, with a brief hiatus from 2012 to 2015. She has been instrumental in the team’s successes, including a historic debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships. Ellis was named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2020 World ParaVolley final Paralympic qualification tournament, where she helped Canada secure a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics????.
Outside of volleyball, Ellis enjoys French cuisine and has a passion for cooking. She is also an avid traveller, often sharing her experiences and culinary adventures on social media. Ellis studied at the Justice Institute of British Columbia and is a paramedic, showcasing her dedication to serving others and her community. Her resilience and leadership make her an inspiring figure both on and off the court????.
January 20, 2024
Running The Gauntlet
Radio station CKNW started the media firestorm last week on how much money Lower Mainland mayors are paid to attend meetings. Over the weekend CKNW'S sister television station GLOBAL TV jumped into the fray. With calculators in hand GLOBAL reporters tallied up the shocking numbers local mayors are paid to attend METRO VANCOUVER and TRANSLINK monthly meetings.
Viewers found it shocking local mayors are paid OVER $500.00 to attend monthly meetings. The meetings are scheduled to last for 2 hours. This does not mean the meeting will actually run the full length of 2 hours. If the meeting goes a few minutes over the 2 hour time limit the mayors receive over $1,000.00.
On Friday as the mayors arrived for the monthly METRO VANCOUVER meeting a GLOBAL reporter was on hand trying to speak with mayors as they arrived.
Including our mayor MEGAN KNIGHT. It was unclear if Surrey mayor BRENDA LOCKE was in attendance. Mayors are also able to attend the meeting via ZOOM meeting software from the comfort of their home or offices.
Watch the full GLOBAL NEWS story
Finally
The Old Sandpiper location on East Beach / Opening this week for take out, the full open pub end of month.
Cutting is planned to defund a school that supports at-risk youth goes against Surrey Schools' values of inclusivity and personalized learning.
The district’s stated commitment to meeting the needs of all students, especially those from diverse backgrounds, cannot be achieved by reducing resources for those most at risk. A district that abandons students who are already struggling cannot be trusted to support all learners.
Students at the White Rock Learning Centre often face challenges that make them unfit for mainstream school environments. A significant number are 2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC, or have disabilities - communities that often experience marginalization and discrimination. Cutting funds for the Learning Centre will further alienate and marginalize these students. The Surrey School District cannot claim to value diversity while removing the safe space and community that marginalized youth need to thrive.
We pay a lot of property tax to live in south Surrey and especially White Rock. If you search what your money pays for, the The City of Surrey website will return the following list of services: public safety and city infrastructure; road maintenance and waste collection; parks and recreation facilities; and. emergency and fire services (the underlining that you see was put in by myself for emphasis). Most of us realize this but I think it is time to ask the cities of Surrey and White Rock to actually be accountable for the services they pledge to provide. In this TNT I take both of them to task for the absolutely abysmal condition of some of the roads in the Semi-Pen.
Discover "Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum" at the White Rock Museum and Archives starting today, Tuesday January 21.
This compelling travelling exhibit, created by the BC Black History Awareness Society in partnership with the Royal BC Museum, reclaims and retells the rich history of Black British Columbians and their incredible stories of strength and resilience from Black leaders, spanning from the past to the present and into the future.
