Podcasts about park board

A series of events gets underway today in Minneapolis to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice movement that it sparked. A moment of silence will be held this afternoon at the intersection of 38th and Chicago where Floyd was killed.The Minneapolis Park Board is closing some parking areas around Bde Maka Ska earlier in the evening. That change is in response to safety concerns stemming from large groups gathering in those parking lots at night. The Park Board said those groups have engaged in “disruptive, illegal, and sometimes violent conduct.”The Timberwolves lost to the Thunder last night in game two of the NBA's Western Conference championship series 118-103. The Thunder now lead a best-of-seven series 2-0. The Minnesota Frost beat the Ottawa Charge 2-1 last night to knot the PWHL's Walter Cup finals at a game apiece. Britta Curl-Salemme scored both Frost goals.

A series of events gets underway today in Minneapolis to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice movement that it sparked. A moment of silence will be held this afternoon at the intersection of 38th and Chicago where Floyd was killed.The Minneapolis Park Board is closing some parking areas around Bde Maka Ska earlier in the evening. That change is in response to safety concerns stemming from large groups gathering in those parking lots at night. The Park Board said those groups have engaged in “disruptive, illegal, and sometimes violent conduct.”The Timberwolves lost to the Thunder last night in game two of the NBA's Western Conference championship series 118-103. The Thunder now lead a best-of-seven series 2-0. The Minnesota Frost beat the Ottawa Charge 2-1 last night to knot the PWHL's Walter Cup finals at a game apiece. Britta Curl-Salemme scored both Frost goals.

The Park Board strikes back at Ken Sim Guest: Aaron Jasper, Former Park Board Chair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken Sim slams BC for stalling on Park Board overhaul Guest: Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken Sim slams BC for stalling on Park Board overhaul Guest: Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver Why did India launch missiles at Pakistan? Guest: Michael Kugelman, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada How to make the perfect Cacio e pepe, according to science Guest: Dr. Ivan Di Terlizzi, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems and Lead Author of the Study There are 2 types of happiness, which one are you? Guest: Emorie Beck, Prof of Psychology at UC Davis Should Surrey hire a municipal healthcare administrator? Guest: Linda Annis, Surrey First City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Vice-Chair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vancouver park board commissioner Jas Virdi says he is being discriminated against after storming out of meeting. Guest: Jas Virdi - ABC Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will the Vancouver Park Board start charging for parking in community centres? GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszky , Vancouver Park Board Vice-Chair Rant on Park Board considering charging for community centre parking What employers need to know while navigating the U.S/Canada trade war GUEST:  Geoff Mason, Employment and Human Rights Lawyer, and partner at Miller Thomson LLP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hear from both sides about a megaproject aiming to bring downtown-style urbanism to a quiet Vancouver neighbourhood. The Vancouver Park Board has officially approved paid parking for Trout Lake and Hillcrest community centres. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to UnSpun - your go-to podcast and YouTube show for current events. In this episode, Jody Vance and George Affleck dive into a wide range of topics:

-The US tariffs are already hitting Canada's economy hard, with massive job losses in March....will this continue unabated if the tariffs remain...Diana Gibson Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation joins the show... -Is Eby really endorsing the NDP? When is Poilievre coming back to BC? Global News Leg Reporter Richard Zussman joins the show to break it all down -The Park Board's recent decision to replace the 50 metre pool at the Vancouver aquatic centre with one half the size at a time when the population is booming, physical activity levels are at historic lows and mental illnesses are increasing.has experts shaking their head, SFU prof in the Faculty of Health sciences weighs in.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to UnSpun - your go-to podcast and YouTube show for current events. In this episode, Jody Vance and George Affleck delve into an array of headline-making topics:

Today is Tuesday, March 11. Here are some of the latest headlines from the Fargo, North Dakota area. InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. For more news from throughout the day, visit InForum.com.

Next week, Vancouver City Council will get its first look at the full plan for the massive redevelopment of the Jericho lands, the Park Board will try to make biking in Stanley Park safer and more accessible, the Vancouver School Trustees will consider restoring democracy at their meetings and lots more. Redeye's Ian Mass joins us with his City Beat report.

Feb. 24, 2025: Guest host Robin Gill in for Jas Johal Members of Vancouver's ABC party hold internal meetings and align messaging before debates (0:07) Guest: Pete Fry, Vancouver City Councillor Donald Trump's tariffs on schedule, will take effect on March 4th (12:19) Guest: Mackenzie Gray, Ottawa correspondent with Global National Delta Hospital Closures and the messaging around it (18:26) Guest: Jordan Armstrong, Global News Reporter Americans should come to Nanaimo (26:35) Guest: Leonard Krog, Mayor of Nanaimo Metro Vancouver's special board meeting (34:49) Guest: Mike Hurley, Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board and Burnaby Mayor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 250-room floating hotel could potentially be coming to Vancouver. The Vancouver Park Board has passed a new policy for selling naming rights and sponsorships for facilities and other assets.  Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie comes on to defend his sky-high salary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Park is moving forward, after two reviews into allegations of unreported animal deaths and an unsafe workplace. Both found Orana lacked a clear core purpose and vision. It's halting incoming animal transfers for six months, while it adopts all recommendations. Board co-chair Ken Hughey says these reviews reveal what the zoo needs to do to improve conditions. "We're really clear on what we have to do in the culture space - and now we're also clear in the other spaces." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because way too much local news is happening all at once, John is joined by Josh Martin for an Emergency Episode. We take up urgent issues like the Minneapolis City Council adopting a budget for 2025 - overriding Mayor Frey's veto in the process; Council Member Vetaw horsing around while accusing others of being "unserious"; Josh discloses a conflict of interest; John admits his embarrassment at how excited he was by Council Member Emily Koski's mayoral campaign announcement speech; and we look ahead to 2025 city council candidates, including the weirdest elected official in Minneapolis, Becka Thompson, announcing she will run for office in a place that is not the part of the city she currently represents on the Park Board. Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

GUEST: Tom Digby, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The lead meteorologist for the Texas power grid said Tuesday there is an elevated chance for extreme winter weather similar to the storm that pushed the power grid to the brink of collapse in 2021. In other news, the Vatican says it no longer recognizes an Arlington monastery at the center of a bitter monthslong feud with the Fort Worth bishop over allegations the head nun violated her vow of chastity with a priest. In a statement published Monday on the Fort Worth diocese website, the Vatican called the monastery “extinct” and asked followers to pray for the women to repent. a discussion on how to boost city revenue generated from rowing clubs on White Rock Lake and Bachman Lake put a spotlight, once again, on a unique turf war between the Park Board and the City Council. On Monday, council members told park officials to reassess the city's contracts with the rowing and sailing clubs, come up with ways to raise more dollars and tamp down budgetary pressure. And weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are increasingly popular among adults, who have flocked to the new medication as an alternative to the traditional — and often ineffective — advice to “eat less and exercise more.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to UnSpun - your go-to podcast and YouTube show for current events. In this episode of Unspun, Jody Vance and George Affleck dive into the latest on Vancouver's municipal budget, discuss their experiences with social media platforms like Blue Sky and Twitter, and analyze the implications of the recent cabinet shuffle in British Columbia. They also touch on the controversial dissolution of the Vancouver Park Board, the rising property taxes, and share personal insights on current events ranging from local politics to global concerns. All that and more on UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck Visit our website to learn where to watch and listen at UnSpunPodcast.com. If you need to reach out, email george@curvecommunications.com.

Should you talk to strangers? Guest: Pete Bombaci, Founder and CEO of Generation Well Could Vancouverites determine the fate of the park board? Guest: Adriane Carr, Green Vancouver City Councillor Will compassionate care improve the homelessness crisis? Guest: Dr. Emmanuelle Bernheim, Full Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa Is ISIS rebuilding its organization? Guest: Jeff Semple, Senior Correspondent for Global News National Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Adriane Carr, Green Vancouver City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you listened to the previous episode of EarBurner (and you should), you know that Bobby Abtahi was sitting at the table at the Old Monk as Matt and Tim interviewed Mike Rawlings. When they finished the episode with the former mayor, Abtahi, a former president of the Dallas Park Board, having consumed a statistically significant number of beers, started talking about how the city got into the current mess over the management of Fair Park—at which point Tim and Matt plugged the mics back in and recorded this episode. Abtahi was on the Park Board back in 2018, when it was decided that a nonprofit (Fair Park First) would oversee a new for-profit operator of Fair Park (Spectra, which eventually became the Oak View Group), which operator is now nearly $6 million in the red and asking for a handout.  You know what? It's all very byzantine and boring, and we did a poor job of setting up on the podcast what's at stake and what happened. You should probably just skip this episode.  Remember: print makes the podcast possible. Consider subscribing to D Magazine. 

By Alfonzo Galvan | Sahan JournalOn a sunny weekend in August, Brittany Rosas homed in her food options near Minnehaha Falls.Several vendors were offering fruit slices with chamoy and tajin, fruit-flavored water and fried wheat pinwheels also known as chicharrones.As Rosas purchased a cup of lemonade for her two kids and a bag of chicharrones, another customer bought a cup of watermelon for $5 from a nearby vendor.The unlicensed vendors were clustered in the high-traffic area near Sea Salt Eatery — and they kept a wary eye out for park police. None wanted to speak on the record.The vendors began appearing at busy parks and highway medians more than a year ago. Efforts by park police and city officials to issue citations only led them to temporarily retreat. Many are asylum-seekers from Ecuador who don't yet have a permit to work legally in the U.S.The city first attempted to address the issue in 2023, according to Minneapolis Health Department spokesperson Scott Wasserman who said they worked with St. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church holding educational classes on how to become a licensed food vendor.But a year later the problem persists.Now two Minneapolis officials are trying another approach. Council Members Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury are developing an ordinance with city staff that would create a license or permit for food vendors to continue selling while being in compliance with city code.“The reality is that right now, folks are not allowed to do it, and they're getting letters saying to stop doing what they're doing,” Chavez said. “And they're being given routes to get permitted, but the permits that exist wouldn't allow them to do what they're doing.”Chavez said unlicensed food vendors can create health risks if fruit and other food isn't properly prepared. He said he is also concerned about the potential of labor abuses or trafficking.“I think a permit can help prevent that, or at least be a part of preventing them from happening,” he said.Several city departments are currently weighing in. Chavez and Chowdhury met with city staff on Friday to determine the proposed ordinance's next steps.After the meeting Chowdhury said an added goal is to create a support system so vendors can access supplies — including carts that store food at the proper temperature — so they can become eligible for a license.In drafting their proposal, the duo said they have to adhere to state laws on food storage and refrigeration.“The hope is next spring, people have a place where they're able to sell and vend freely. They feel supported by our communities, by local government, and we're bringing more people into compliance,” Chowdhury said.For now, an option presented to some vendors in Minneapolis has been to register for the state cottage food producer permit, based on a 2015 state law that allows people to “make and sell certain non-potentially hazardous food and canned goods in Minnesota without a license.”But Chavez said that's a step in the wrong direction.“That isn't going to address the issue. And people might apply, but it isn't actually going to address the root issue that people are struggling with,” Chavez said.A cottage food producer permit could allow vendors to sell homemade baked goods and pickled fruits and vegetables, but it still wouldn't allow them to operate on city sidewalks or in traffic.The issue is one of “equity” according to Chowdhury, who said some vendors don't have the available knowledge or resources because they're still new to the country.Things like licensing or permit fees become barriers for new vendors trying to become compliant.“When it comes to folks that are immigrants, new to our community, that's an incredible barrier. So if we're going to do economic empowerment, that's the barrier that we want to help resolve and so I'm 100% supportive of waiving these fees,” she said.Claudia Lainez, the workers' center director at COPAL, said the nonprofit organization has been monitoring the growth of street vendors across the metro specifically because many of them are undocumented.She said the majority of vendors tend to be women because men, even undocumented, tend to struggle less to find employment. The women have the obstacle of finding child care and that's why street vending is appealing to them.She said access to information in Spanish is a key barrier for those who might want to comply with local rules. “We have had many cases where people ask ‘What can I do?' But no, this information is not accessible in Spanish,” Lainez said.Since the ordinance proposal is still in the early stages, Chavez said there are still many questions.One is whether to establish fixed locations for vendors. Another is how to limit the number of vendors in a given spot.Chavez said some licensed vendors have told his staff that they're losing business due to increased competition. And a major question the council members have addressed is accessibility to information since the vendors are mostly Spanish-speaking.They've said it's important to make the process simple and easy for future vendors, regardless of legal status.Even without documents like Social Security numbers, Chavez said there would be ways for vendors to apply, such as by using an ITIN, or individual taxpayer identification number, which undocumented individuals can use for tax purposes.The IRS website says even undocumented residents are required to file income taxes every year.Chavez said it's crucial to find a solution that protects public health but also acknowledges the pressures that are pushing recent immigrants to sell food in public spaces.“I'll just center the humanity aspect that these people are just trying to make a living,” he said. Many of the vendors are “literally just trying to pay their rent and pay for their life.”Pushback from licensed vendorsThe presence of the vendors has sparked concern and complaints, especially from licensed vendors.At a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meeting in early August, Michael Auciello, owner of Brooklyn Mike's Italian Ice cart, said he was tired of “illegal vendors” coming and opening fruit stands and cutting into his revenue. Auciello said he's seen about a 50 percent drop in revenue this year as unlicensed vendors pushed into city parks.“A lot of the food trucks out there and vendors have given up. They're selling their trucks. They don't want nothing to do with this baloney no more,” Auciello said.According to him, vendors have to buy a daily permit to operate at city parks, and some parks only allow up to two permits. The daily permits are $35 on weekdays and $100 on the weekends.But some days this summer the parks he's worked at have had up to five different vendors, even though the cap was two.He's complained to the Minneapolis Park Police and the Park Board with limited success.Chavez said Minneapolis police officers are no longer giving citations to unlicensed vendors.“They give them a paper with resources, because a lot of them also need more support beyond just being able to sell some food on the streets,” he said.Park Police spokeswoman Robin Smothers said they also haven't given out any citations to any unlicensed vendor but clarified that spotted vendors are not allowed to operate uninterrupted.Auciello said he's seen Park Police confront unlicensed vendors but not escort them away.“Dear God, I wish,” Auciello said. “I think it's not fair to the licensed vendors.”An ordinance passed by the city wouldn't automatically affect how parks operate, according to Chavez.“The Park Board has to make their own decisions on if they're going to allow people at their parks but at city streets we can make a program to allow some of these individuals to be able to sell fruit or whatever we decide with these permits,” Chavez said.The Minneapolis Park Board still has final say on who can sell on their property.Currently, only a mobile food vendor licensed with the City of Minneapolis can apply for a daily permit to operate at the parks.On Friday, Chowdhury said there's been ongoing talks with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.“Our biggest goal right now with MPRB is to be proactive and build a really strong partnership and relationship, because at the end of the day, we want the same things. We want people in compliance and able to be entrepreneurs in our city,” she said.

Polarization in B.C. politics - view from the front line (0:34) Guest: Aman Singh, BC NDP MLA for Richmond/Queensborough Vancouver Park Board continues the fight to modernize its mandate (13:30) Guest: Tom Digby, Park Board Commissioner The Rustad Rebate - the key to housing affordability in B.C.? (20:32) Guest: John Rustad, leader of the B.C. Conservatives 2024 Grey Cup Festival tickets go on sale! (36:22) Guest: Riley Wiwchar, Executive Director of the 2024 Grey Cup Festival Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Vancouver Park Board continues the fight to modernize its mandate. Guest: Tom Digby - Green Party Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vancouver's Integrity Commissioner has released two reports highlighting the strained relationship between Mayor Ken Sim's office and some park board commissioners. The reports were released shortly before a council decision to freeze ongoing investigations by Commissioner Lisa Southern, pending a third-party review of her office. A special council meeting is set to consider the review and suspension of Southern's investigations. Premier David Eby stated that the province would not address the request to abolish the park board until after the provincial election. Guest: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: How did Neanderthals go extinct? In 2010, scientists discovered that early humans and Neanderthals interbred, impacting modern humans' circadian rhythms, immune system, and pain perception. However, the reverse gene flow—how humans influenced Neanderthals—remained unclear. Guest: Dr. Joshua Akey, Professor at the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics Seg 2: Scott's Thoughts: What's worth spending the money on? Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Seg 3: View From Victoria: How could we re-structure our health regions? The Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer is here with his take on the day's headlines. Seg 4: Is the stock market going to crash? Wall Street experienced its most significant drop in nearly two years amid increasing fears of a slowing U.S. economy. The threat of a recession is a significant concern, potentially impacting both current economic policies and future political strategies. Guest: Dr. Steven Pressman, Professor of Economics at The New School in New York City Seg 5: How significant is the Chilcotin landslide breach? People are being advised to avoid the banks of the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers due to water breaching a dam caused by a large landslide. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing assessments and updates provided through a newly launched information portal. Guest: Tyler Olsen, Managing Editor of the Fraser Valley Current Seg 6: Scott's Thoughts: Should we have tighter border restrictions on dogs? Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Seg 7: Should BC be doing more to prevent ER closures? There have been 70 emergency room closures in Interior Health and Northern Health in July alone, with double-digit closures in communities like Williams Lake, Chetwynd, and Prince Rupert in 2024. The closures, primarily due to staffing shortages, included recent shutdowns in Mackenzie and District Hospital and Chetwynd Hospital. Guest: Adrian Dix, BC's Minister of Health Seg 8: Why did the Park Board launch a complaint against the mayor's office? Vancouver's Integrity Commissioner has released two reports highlighting the strained relationship between Mayor Ken Sim's office and some park board commissioners. The reports were released shortly before a council decision to freeze ongoing investigations by Commissioner Lisa Southern, pending a third-party review of her office. A special council meeting is set to consider the review and suspension of Southern's investigations. Premier David Eby stated that the province would not address the request to abolish the park board until after the provincial election. Guest: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Southern, the first integrity commissioner for the City of Vancouver, has had her work suspended by a vote from the majority party on city council. The office's investigations will not resume until a third-party review of her work is complete. But, Southern preemptively released two reports just before the council could potentially halt her work. They detail the contentious relationship between Vancouver's Park Board and Mayor Ken Sim's office. Guest: Pete Fry, Vancouver City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Council & Park Board drama, housing targets and no fire stations in my backyard

Orana Wildlife Park says it told MPI about all its animal deaths, after claims of poor welfare standards.  More than 20 current and former staff have detailed multiple animal deaths to 1News, some which went unreported. MPI is doing a rapid assessment of the zoo's conditions - due back tomorrow - but say it wasn't told about any deaths. Board member Ken Hughey says all deaths were notified, and they've taken measures since. "Those sort of deaths, often with the benefit of hindsight, may be preventable. We absolutely accept that, and we learn as we go - we are a learning-based organisation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Chair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has written an open letter to its Vancouver counterpart to support maintaining an independent park board. Guest: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The B.C Lions home opener kicks off against the Calgary Stampeders Duane Vienneau, President of the B.C Lions The Week That Was in BC Politics Keith Baldrey, Global BC Legislative Bureau Chief  Vancouver Park Board declares war on goose poop Dana McDonald, Environmental Stewardship Coordinator with the Vancouver Park Board How is West Vancouver responding to B.C's zoning legislation? Mark Sager, District of West Vancouver Mayor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vancouver Park Board declares war on goose poop Dana McDonald, Environmental Stewardship Coordinator with the Vancouver Park Board Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you love dogs?? Do you love cute art in a board game? If you answered yes to one or both of those questions than do we have a great game for you!! In today's video we are talking about Dog Park a game where you recruit dogs into your kennel to take them on luxurious walks through the park! Dog Park is a mid-weight, competitive set-collection and point-to-point movement game in which players take on the role of dog walkers who recruit, walk, and care for their dogs over four rounds. What do the bards think??You'll have to watch to find out!You can find Dog Park for yourself at:hhttps://amzn.to/3KJXieIJason and Robbie have the goal of introducing non-gamers to the amazing world of tabletop gaming. With over 35 years of modern board gaming experience, we strive to open newer gamers to a variety of games that may be fun and exciting for them. Whether it's the theme, mechanics, or length of the game, we hope to demystify the negative stigma that often accompanies tabletop gaming and help players realize the tabletop gaming world is for everyone!We hope you accompany us on this journey … and join us at the table!Be sure to follow us on Instagram as well!https://www.instagram.com/bards_of_the_board/Chapters:0:00 Intro2:20 What We've Been Playing21:30 Dog Park1:03:30 Cookie Scale1:12:00 Final Thoughts

Welcome to UnSpun - your current events podcast and YouTube show. Every week, Jody Vance and George Affleck unspin the latest news in local, provincial, and federal politics, and much more. This week, George and Jody take a deep dive into why the City of Vancouver, Park Board or government in general do not seem to get a handle on long-range planning and, in particular, why a pool in Vancouver can be so difficult to maintain. Is it the pool or the pool overlords? I think you know where this will go. Meanwhile, bloated budgets in Vancouver are standard now and continue to cost taxpayers billions. But this week, the target is the mayor's office and how one city councillor is calling bluff on Mayor Sim's largesse. And finally, BC United and BC Conservatives. Maybe there really is a coalition? George has a theory. Tune in and find out what it is. All that and so much more on UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck Visit our website to learn where to watch and listen at UnSpunPodcast.com If you need to reach out, email george@curveccommunications.com

Welcome to UnSpun - your current events podcast and YouTube show. Every week, Jody Vance and George Affleck unspin the latest news in local, provincial, and federal politics, and much more. This week, Go Canucks Go! There is nothing to unspin there. But over at ICBC, we all get $110 back, but why can't the good drivers be rewarded more and the bad drivers not rewarded at all. In Vancouver, politics are getting in the way of an upgraded seawall but hey, it involves Park Board, so it's always about politics. And trouble in Delta where Mayor George Harvie has lost the trust of his Council. This puts Delta on the one-to-watch list for local politicos and journalists. All that and so much more on UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck Visit out website to learn where to watch and listen at UnSpunPodcast.com

GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszk , Vancouver Park Board Chair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feds give the B.C government a thumbs-up on banning drugs in public spaces GUEST: Elenore Sturko, BC United MLA for South Surrey and Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addiction, Recovery and Education New poll reveals how people would feel if Justin Trudeau resigned from office GUEST: Hamish [HAY-MISH] Telford, Professor of Political Science at University of the Fraser Valley A mother's reaction to Ottawa approving B.C's ban on drugs GUEST: Deb Bailey, member of Moms Stop The Harm Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story premiering at DOXA Film Festival  GUEST: Geri Mayer-Judson, Show Contributor  Bottoms up! Park Board approves Alcohol on Beaches re-pilot program for Summer 2024 GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Chair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vancouver Park Board stands ground on Stanley Park tree removal despite public criticism GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Chair of the Vancouver Park Board Are streaming services no longer worth the price we pay for? GUEST: Geri Mayer-Judson, Show Contributor OUR ENERGY FUTURE - Does the road to zero emissions in BC include Nuclear Power? GUEST: David Novog, Professor of Engineering Physics at McMaster University, and Director of the McMaster Institute for Energy Studies Wild Canadian 'super pigs': feral invaders wreaking havoc across North America GUEST: Gail Wallin, Executive Director of the Invasive Species Council of B.C Is it time to walk away from the carbon tax? GUEST: Max Fawcett, Lead Columnist for Canada's National Observer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Chair of the Vancouver Park Board Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legislators propose a bill to deal with the mental health affects of climate change. State Trooper Ryan Londregan should never have been arrested much less charged with murder. Mpls park board ups the ante. It now cost almost a million dollars for 8 days of skating. Johnny Heidt with guitar news.Heard On The Show:Domestic call in Oakdale results in gunfire exchange, standoff; suspect in custodySocial justice group makes pitch for Minneapolis to ‘cancel ShotSpotter'Consumer prices rose 0.4% in February and 3.2% from a year ago Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Legislators propose a bill to deal with the mental health affects of climate change. State Trooper Ryan Londregan should never have been arrested much less charged with murder. Mpls park board ups the ante. It now cost almost a million dollars for 8 days of skating. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show: Domestic call in Oakdale results in gunfire exchange, standoff; suspect in custody Social justice group makes pitch for Minneapolis to ‘cancel ShotSpotter' Consumer prices rose 0.4% in February and 3.2% from a year ago Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next week, Vancouver City Council is going to consider a massive social housing development in East Vancouver. Also, on the agenda, expanding free public Wi-Fi in the Downtown Eastside and an update on City plans to dissolve the Park Board. Redeye collective member Ian Mass joins us with his City Beat report.

Why are most Vancouver high rises not family friendly? GUEST: Michael Geller, President of The Geller Group, Architect, Planner and Real Estate Consultant Premier confirms no dissolution of Park Board until after the election GUEST: Dan Fumano, City Columnist for Vancouver Sun and The Province  The Week That Was in BC Politics  GUEST: Keith Baldrey, Global BC Legislative Bureau Chief The 96th Academy Awards: Who'll Win, Who Should Win, and Who's Overdue. GUEST: Rick Forchuk, TV Week Magazine columnist and CKNW contributor The Future of Commuter Rail in B.C GUEST: Mario Peloquin, CEO of Via Rail Canada The Wrap - How do we fix politics & If you were to create a local statutory holiday that's peak Vancouver, what would it be? GUEST: Leah Holiove, TV Reporter and Radio Host GUEST: Sarah Daniels, real estate agent in South Surrey; author and broadcaster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GUEST: Dan Fumano, City Columnist for Vancouver Sun and The Province Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GUEST: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This story comes to you from Sahan Journal. MPR News is a partner with Sahan Journal and will be sharing stories between SahanJournal.com and MPRNews.org.By Andrew Hazzard and Cynthia Tu | Sahan JournalA new federal grant will provide Minneapolis with $8 million to pay for ash tree removal on private properties in disadvantaged neighborhoods, a significant relief effort after millions of dollars in removal costs were assessed against homeowners' property taxes. The U.S. Forestry Service grant comes from funding in the Inflation Reduction Act. The city applied for the grant in coordination with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, which condemns ash trees on private property in response to the infestation of the invasive emerald ash borer beetle. The Minneapolis Park Board has condemned more than 18,000 ash trees since 2013.  Homeowners with condemned trees either paid directly for their removal, or the city paid and assessed the cost—or added the cost as a fee—onto the homeowner's property taxes. Property tax assessments on tree removals total more than $7.3 million, according to the Park Board. Neighborhoods targeted by the new federal funding, such as north Minneapolis, disproportionately paid for previous tree removal via property tax assessments, leading to increased monthly costs, Park Board data show. “We're really grateful to have these resources,” said Kelly Muellman, environmental manager with the Minneapolis Health Department. But those resources can't be used retroactively, meaning there's no relief in sight for thousands of homeowners who are currently paying off tree removals that were ordered by the city.Minneapolis' ash tree removal policy is aimed at addressing the green beetle that is killing ash trees across the Midwest.Several Minneapolis homeowners told Park Board officials at an October board meeting that they're frustrated by the policy, that the costs are impacting family budgets, and that homeowners who are people of color, senior, and low-income were particularly affected.Perhaps no one is more familiar with tree condemnations than Melissa Newman, a resident of the North Side's McKinley neighborhood. Seven trees on her property have been condemned due to Dutch Elm disease or emerald ash borer since she bought her house 17 years ago. The city's forced removal of affected trees and subsequent property tax assessments are  hardships, said Newman, adding that her monthly costs have increased between $150 to $200 as a result. “I inherited the tree trying to create the American dream of homeownership,” Newman told Sahan Journal.https://sahanjournal.github.io/ej-areas/The funding applies to U.S. Census tracts considered to be environmental justice areas by the federal government, which includes almost the entire North Side, parts of northeast Minneapolis, and a large swath of south Minneapolis, including the Phillips and Cedar-Riverside neighborhoods. The city originally applied for a $29 million grant from the U.S. Forestry Service. The $8 million it received will help hundreds of households, but could go fast. The city and Park Board are also pursuing a $500,000 grant from the state for the same purposes. It's unclear how far that money will stretch, or how many ash trees remain on private property citywide. Minneapolis officials say there are at least 12,000 trees remaining on private property in the environmental justice areas targeted by the grant, but also acknowledge that the Park Board doesn't have good estimates on the true number.The average tree removal in Minneapolis costs around $1,500. The grant also covers stump grinding, which isn't included in the current average cost of tree removal, and replacing trees. Minneapolis city tree program manager Sydney Schaaf said the city is still waiting for detailed instructions on how the grant can be used, but hope it will ease the burden to homeowners and help build back lost canopy. A flawed processHomeowners in the areas targeted by the grant are more likely than homeowners in wealthier neighborhoods to pay for mandated tree removals via property tax assessment. Homeowners in more affluent neighborhoods typically paid out of pocket to hire a contractor of their choice to remove a tree, according to Park Board data.   North Side residents disproportionately paid for tree removal via property tax assessments, Park Board data show. Around $2.8 million have been assessed in north Minneapolis in the last decade.North Minneapolis homeowners experienced a high rate of tree condemnation, too. When Minneapolis ash tree condemnations peaked in 2021, with 6,095 trees marked for removal citywide, roughly 42 percent of condemnations happened in North Side neighborhoods, according to Park Board data. More than half of the roughly 3,000 households citywide who paid for tree removal via property tax assessments in 2021 were in north Minneapolis. Approximately 16 percent of the 2,164 tree condemnations issued from the start of 2023 through October were in North Side neighborhoods, according to Park Board data.Click here.https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/supIX/7/In 2021, the Park Board condemned five trees on Newman's property in north Minneapolis. Her yard is fenced in, but one day there were green marks on her trees and a hanger on her doorknob telling her the ash trees had to go. She had 60 days to either cut the trees down on her own, or allow the Park Board to handle it by sending over the lowest bidding contractor. Two were small enough for a neighbor to remove, but three were removed by the city and assessed against her property taxes. One of those assessed trees straddled the property line, and Newman split the $800 charge with a neighbor. But two other trees were deemed “special” by the Park Board (for reasons Newman said were never satisfactorily explained to her), and the removal involved a crane, driving the combined removal cost to $2,700. All told, after an $80 flat fee the Park Board imposes on all assessed trees and a 3 percent interest charge on the assessment, removing the two trees cost about $3,100. Newman's yard used to be full of trees, and her dog would lie in the shade. But now, the grass dies easily in the summer heat, and Newman has to hack away at the tree stumps left behind. “It's completely open,” she said of her property. The Park Board does not target any particular area of the city for ash tree condemnation, said Philip Potyondy, sustainable forestry coordinator, with the Park Board. It's possible that ash trees are more common in some parts of the city, he said, adding that ash borer also tends to spread exponentially, and may have accelerated in the North Side in 2021 and 2022. “This has impacted people in every part of Minneapolis,” said Potyondy. Emerald ash borer is a persistent beetle, and it will infest and kill ash trees in time. But the infestation can be prevented with insecticide treatments implanted into a tree like an intravenous tube. Potyondy said the city's 12 staff tree inspectors only condemn ash trees that show signs of infestation. Those signs include woodpecker damage and thinning canopy at the top of the trees. They don't confirm the presence of disease through testing, but because the beetle is so pervasive, any ash tree in the region that has not been treated will essentially become infested at some point, Potyondy said. Newman said she would have been happy to spend around $200 every couple of years to treat her trees and prevent emerald ash borer infestation. The branches seemed fine and new leaves blossomed each spring. But the Park Board doesn't inform people that treating trees is an option. In 2010, the Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution advising against using insecticides to treat emerald ash borer, Park Board forestry director Ralph Sievert told the board. “We have been omitting that information when we're communicating with constituents,” Park Board Commissioner Billy Menz said of the treatment option.Community pushback The Park Board altered the assessment process after community pushback led by the Harrison Neighborhood Association and the nonprofit, Hope Community.Mitchel Hansen, outreach director with the North Side's Harrison Neighborhood Association, is leading the charge against private ash tree condemnation. He became interested in the issue after hearing from several neighbors about costly assessments, and feels that the process is flawed and contradicts Park Board equity goals. “I see this as being unfair. I see this as something we can easily solve,” Hansen said. Schaaf and Muellman, the city health department employees, said the Harrison Neighborhood Association's advocacy work inspired the city to apply for the federal grant.Last May, the Park Board temporarily halted the assessment process to make changes.The Park Board now requires tree removal companies to first examine the trees in order to get more competitive bids for removals that will be assessed against a homeowner's property taxes, Potyondy said. Previously, only special trees with difficult removal circumstances would get in-person inspections from companies bidding to remove them. The city also now offers all homeowners the choice of repaying the tree removal debt on their property taxes over five, 10, or 20 years, reducing the monthly cost with longer payment periods. Previously, the assessment was automatically set for a five-year period.There is now also an exemption for seniors and veterans who can demonstrate economic hardship to defer the payments until the property is sold.  The city made 885 assessments worth about $2 million before pausing its assessment process earlier this year. When the pause ended in October, the city began collecting payments from those homeowners, who are ineligible for the new federal funding.Click here to view the maphttps://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/supIX/7/Most condemned ash trees are not assessed against property taxes, according to Potyondy, and the majority of removals are paid by homeowners out of pocket.“This is an absolute priority of mine,” Bangoura said. ‘The ship has sailed for me' Schaaf, Minneapolis' tree program coordinator, said she understands homeowners' frustrations about the assessment process and the fact that the grant money can't help retroactively. “It's hard because a lot of these people that are having to have a tree removed already live in areas that have some of the lowest tree canopy in the city. A lot of them really love trees, and they really don't want to have to remove their tree,” Schaaf said. Amoke Kubat didn't want to get rid of her ash tree. She bought her home in the North Side's Cleveland neighborhood in January 2021. While she was unpacking, she noticed a man in her backyard eyeing her large ash tree. He told her it was infested and tagged it for removal. Suddenly, Kubat had to figure out how to remove it and pay the bill. The Park Board gave her a list of contractors to call. She got estimates, some as high as $10,000. The tree didn't come down until August 2021, and in the meantime, an ash tree in her front yard was condemned as well. The backyard tree was huge, Kubat said, measuring 32 inches in diameter, according to Park Board records. Kubat was assessed more than $6,000 to remove both trees; the process was stressful. Her yard isn't the same anymore. There's nowhere for the squirrels to go and the birds seem confused, she said. Following the policy for all condemned and assessed trees, her contractor was paid only to cut down the trees, leaving large stumps in her yard that sprout small trees, which will be expensive to remove.  “We loved the tree,” Kubat said. Kubat thinks the presence of ash trees should be noted during the inspection process of buying a home. She spoke with neighbors on the North Side and realized the issue was affecting many others. She's glad there's money to help now, but believes the process of identifying and removing affected trees is flawed. “The bottom line is the ship has sailed for me. It's on my bill,” Kubat said. ‘A slap in the face' One day early this past summer, a crew showed up to Willis White's house in the Jordan neighborhood to cut down a massive ash tree in his backyard. White, 54, was confused, and said he didn't know the tree would be removed that day. A data request on White's removal shows that letters about the tree were sent to the house starting in January 2022. White said he and his wife bought the home with their daughter originally, and she officially transferred the property to them last year. The letters to the house were addressed to White's daughter. They'd received a letter about the tree and had been shopping around for a contractor, White said, but hadn't hired anyone yet. He wishes someone from the Park Board would have knocked on the door or called to make sure they knew someone was coming to cut the tree for a hefty fee. According to a records request, White's tree was determined to be special, and the city obtained three removal bids ranging from $10,000 to $7,200. “It's really difficult,” White said of the removal cost and the circumstances. According to White: The removal took a toll on the yard. The contractor had to take down a chain link fence to bring in equipment, and didn't properly repair it. Workers had to shut off power to his house, and lowered an outdoor power cord to the ground, which was left when they finished and had to be rehung by White and his son. The remaining stump is large, and White hasn't looked into how much it will cost to remove. The Park Board cut some 40,000 ash trees in public parks and on streets, but never ground the stump on the boulevard in front of White's house. The stump sprouted dozens of tiny trees this year, creating an overgrown mess. White's tree is the seventh most expensive removal handled by the city since 2013, according to Park Board data. His cost — measured by the diameter of the tree's trunk — was $226 “per trunk inch,” much higher than the median price of $69 per trunk inch in 2022.Click here.https://sahanjournal.github.io/trunk-cost-distribution/Removal prices vary widely. White's 30-inch diameter tree was assessed at $6,800. Kubat's 32-inch tree cost $3,000; the smaller, 20-inch tree also condemned in her yard went for the same $3,000 price. Although Park Board data says White's tree was assessed for $6,800, the bill for his removal was more than $7,500 after fees and interest, according to a records request and a letter sent to White's home.  “There's no rhyme or reason why they price what they do,” said Newman, the McKinley resident who was assessed more than $3,100 for removals. Newman said it's not that she's unwilling to pay, but that there were no alternatives to cutting the offered and no answers given about why her trees were determined to need special removal techniques throughout the process, despite her regularly reaching out to Park Board staff. She doesn't want to see her neighbors get price gouged, and she's mad that no relief is coming to people who are currently paying off assessments. “It's such a slap in the face,” Newman said. Learn more about Sahan Journal's data analysis for this story.