March 28, 2024

FAA to Close 149 Towers Due to Budget Cuts

The FAA announced today that 149 control towers will be closed early next month due to sequestration-related budget cuts, with some regional airports on the chopping block. Fodor's Travel News … [Read more...]

Cuts coming to BC Ferry service

The provincial government has wrapped up consultation on upcoming service cuts for BC Ferries.....but the next step is more consultations. Four thousand people gave input on what and where to cut ferry services last fall. Transportation Minister Mary Polak says cuts are coming. "Further discussions with the communities...as we start to plan for … [Read more...]

Surrey protests possible transit cuts

Threatened with service cuts, Surrey residents and members of council have gathered in protest. Almost 100 people are waving signs in the rain, opposing any transit service cutbacks. Mayor Dianne Watts has just told the crowd any transit cuts are not acceptable. She says the city needs more transit, not less. Watts says Translink has given her a … [Read more...]

Gordon-Levitt Cuts “Addiction” Sex For MPAA

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is set to cut out the most graphic sex scenes from his directorial debut "Don Jon's Addiction". The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is currently showing at Berlinale, is an occasionally graphic romantic comedy in which JGL plays plays a modern-day Lothario addicted to pornography. Relativity Media is … [Read more...]

PNE making cuts to prices and schedules

Prices for one of BC's most popular attractions are dropping. The organizers of Vancouver's Pacific National Exhibition are reducing the 17-day fair to 15. They say the first two Mondays are usually the slowest. Shutting down operations those days makes it easier to cut parking and general admission prices by 20 per cent. … [Read more...]

Slater cuts ties with BC Liberals

The MLA for Boundary Similkameen says the BC Liberals deliberately tried to sideline him.... leading him to walk away from the party today. John Slater says he was frozen out with no one from the Liberals returning his calls when he filed his nomination papers back in September. Slater is shaking his head at the Liberal statement that he has … [Read more...]

Translink board chair: cuts to service would require lots of consultation

A provincial government audit of Translink has suggested $ 41 million a year in cost-efficiencies could be found through implementing 27 recommendations, including reducing the frequency of skytrain during off-peak hours. The transit authority's board chair says some steps would need to be taken first before that would happen. Nancy Olewiler calls … [Read more...]

Mayor of Vancouver hails UBCM vote on Coast Guard cuts

BC's civic politicians have voted at the Union of BC Municipalities convention to ask the federal government to talk to local governments over Coast Guard cuts.  The vote echoes a similar motion passed recently in Vancouver city council.  Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson "Today was a great statement from everyone across the province … [Read more...]

Faction opposing John Cummins cuts him some slack ahead of crucial vote

After the defection of John Martin and just ahead of the BC Conservative party's AGM the faction looking to unseat John Cummins is now striking a more conciliatory tone.  Ben Besler is heading up a slate of candidates for the party's board called Friends of the BC Conservative party.  Besler is also pushing for a yes vote in a leadership … [Read more...]

Vancouver city council demands meeting with the Prime Minister over Coast Guard cuts

Vancouver city council has passed a motion, calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss the pending closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard base.  Mayor Gregor Robertson says there's a good chance lives will be lost if operations are re-located to the base in Richmond.  "As elected officials, we must continue to … [Read more...]