Troubadour

People in the Stephenville area can wait up to three months to see an optometrist. The wait is especially difficult for students and others whose eyesight is essential to their work. Read the full story

Everyone had a chance to get a taste of New York at the ice show New York, New York at the Stephenville Dome on April 1.

Eastlink TV hopes to produce high quality community programming from the Bay St. George region Read the full story

Lack of housing creates invisible homeless Read the full story

 By Inna Levchuk

Jane Barter, a community studies instructor, pumps up her students at the Winter Carnival -Inna Levchuk photo

Winter Carnival 2012 gave students and instructors at the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville a chance  forget everyday problems and enjoy a bunch of fun activities.

“It’s been years since we’ve had this kind of involvement in Winter Carnival and it was so nice to see so many programs together and having fun,” said Charlene Oake, student development officer at the campus.

“It’s important for school spirit, to begin with,” said Oake. “People go post-secondary to get their education, but there’s a lot more that you do at school. It’s about people skills and meeting new people.”

Oake said Winter Carnival used to be a huge event in the college. There was a beauty contest, where men had to dress up as women. The event was so popular that the Arts and Culture Centre in Stephenville had to be rented to accommodate the audience.

Oake hopes that from now on, with the help of the Student Council in collaboration with the Wellness Committee, the Winter Carnivals will get a lot more people on board.

Allison Jennings, an adult basic education student at the College of the North Atlantic, took part in the photo scavenger hunt, where the participants were asked to take extraordinary pictures.

“Winter Carnival is fun so far,” said Jennings. “Getting everybody to do different things is fun: taking pictures of a blue face, somebody being Avatar, and taking pictures of someone who is not from Newfoundland.”

The Winter Carnival was not only just about entertainment.  The RCMP, Search and Rescue, and mental health and addictions organizations had important information and interesting activities for everyone, who want to make their winter not only fun but safe.

Susan Fowlow, the instructional coordinator at the Fowlow Building of the College of the North Atlantic, enjoyed those extra activities.

“Well, I was quite intrigued with these glasses that simulate what it’s like to be intoxicated,” said Fowlow. “So you drive this little remote control vehicle around and it’s quite interesting. You really have no perception.”

After recharging their batteries with the barbecue lunch, the winter carnival participants were ready for the outdoor activities. 

Snow shoe races gave another opportunity for everyone to get some physical exercise and win prizes.

Other activities at the Winter Carnival included an open mic, a mine field game, sliding and snow soccer.

The weather smiled upon Stephenville, letting everyone get the most out of the carnival.

Special events being planned during the same week as mid-termexams doesn’t seem like an ideal situation, so the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville has re-scheduled its spirit day to encourage participation. Read the full story

Canadians spend millions of dollars for their Valentine sweethearts. The Troubadour’s Don Kettle discovers what we buy and who buys what? Read the full story

Family Literacy Day is celebrated each year throughout Canada. Literacy starts with the family. Experts say parents can help their children to learn by taking advantage of everyday activities. Read the full story

Deep snow drifts cause SCAPA workers concern Read the full story

There’s no going back now, but fossils show that Newfoundland was once near the centre of a supercontinent. Read the full story

 Dog lovers get a glimpse of Hope as vet clinic uses Facebook to raise money for operation. Read the full story

A group in Stephenville is banking on Facebook to lure a new airline to the local airport Read the full story

Seventy-year-old Base Harmon buildings in Stephenville may have outlived their usefulness. This week demolition began on one of them. Could there be any future for the the remaining derelicts? Read the full story