THURSDAY March 19, 2015 Vol. 30 • No. 23 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
COMOX VALLEY
ARTS
SPORTS
Shane Koyczan plans to get emotional at the Sid page 19
Brad Gunter named University Athlete of the Year page 25
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Swanson’s star power continues to grow Comox youngster selected as a finalist in internationally renowned song contest was genuine. What did she see in Stella? “I saw a little girl who wrote Comox songstress Stella Swan- killer hooks and knew how to tell son can add John Lennon Song- a story in a song.” With the John Lennon Songwriting Contest finalist to her writing Contest, all ever-growing resume. songs go through That’s in addition an adjudication to her stage experiI thought it process, and this ence in Les Misérables year, one of the and creating her first would be fun to CD, I’m Not a Bunny. enter the song, and judges was FerAnd Swanson is I was not expecting gie from the Black Eyed Peas. just nine years old. “It’s really neat “I thought it would anything. It’s kind to think she lisbe fun to enter the of crazy. tened to Stella’s song, and I was not Stella Swanson song,” said Karen. expecting anything,” Although Swanshe said. “It’s kind of son didn’t win, she crazy.” The title track was submitted was one of three finalists, a feat to the contest after local singer/ which garnered her prizes which songwriter and former contest included a music store gift certifiwinner Helen Austin introduc- cate, a magazine and an input to er Swanson to the program, hook a guitar to an iPad. “It feels really great. I’m getexplained mom Karen Pantuso ting a lot of people coming up to Swanson. “It’s really neat; we entered on me in different stores … and lots her advice, and it’s the one song of people telling me they’re listenthat Stella wrote all on her own,” ing to the CD in their car,” she explained. she noted. ... see SWANSON■ 7 Austin said her encouragement
Erin Haluschak Record Staff
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Good crowd at BWS awareness event ... Page 3
Bears awakening from winter slumber ... Page 5
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Nine-year-old Comox songstress Stella Swanson was named a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Illegal back road dumping ‘starting to get out of hand’ Scott Stanfield
Cherry blossoms!
Record Staff
Vandals have been damaging property, firing shotguns and setting fires around the Comox Dam.
People are using the back roads near Comox Dam as dumping grounds. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Members of the Courtenay and District Fish and Game Club are tired of seeing the surrounding area used as a dumping ground. The sides of roads in certain spots are littered with freezers, fridges and mattresses. On Thursday, someone added a chesterfield and love seat to the mess — the same spot where a freezer had been dumped and later picked up. “This is starting to get out of hand,” club
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caretaker Dave Munk said. “There’s other areas where there’s a total of seven mattresses, couches, seats and La-Z-Boys, and then freezers and fridges.” Colake Road, which crosses Comox Logging Road, is a common spot to dump behind trees. “It’s an eyesore coming from town out here all the time,” Munk said. He’s concerned the situation is worsening due to a recent increase in tipping fees at the Cumberland dump.
... see DUMPING■ 7