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ace fishing wild catch wiki Busy studying for her national five exams, she also spent a lot of time online and on social media. She describes her use of social platforms as “second nature” and “everyone had it”. While chatting online with a boy who she thought was her age, he asked her to download another app that was an encrypted private messenger. “After we were messaging a while, he asked for pictures of myself. And I did it. I was 15,” Aoife told Scotland Tonight. But the tone of the conversation changed after she shared an intimate photo of herself. “He said he was much older than me, that he was 22. He had a degree in cyber security. The way he described himself was that he was untouchable and he was so powerful it didn’t matter what I did.” Aoife immediately experienced further threats as the man demanded more pictures of her. “I remember the bit that gave me the shock of my life was (he told me) if you don’t comply, I’ll send these photos you’ve already sent me to your Facebook family and friends. “I just felt like, you know in the movies when someone’s alone and everything just turns black. Mum and dad were down the hall and my sisters in their bedrooms, but I felt like the only person in the world. “One minute you’re 15 and having fun on a social media app and then the next thing you’re suddenly in so much trouble. You feel like you’re the only person in the world and you don’t know where to turn with it.” Despite being filled with panic and dread, Aoife remembered a helpline she’d been told about in school. Her abuser was still bombarding her with threats and demands but she managed to convince him she was logging off to go to sleep as she had school in the morning. She logged onto the and had the presence of mind and courage to report what had happened. The following day, Aoife’s teacher phoned her dad. “He sat me down and said the school had just phoned. They said you reported an incident that happened last night, tell me about it. “And then I just broke down. It was difficult. It’s one thing knowing this person has all this power over you and pictures of you. “It’s another thing having to admit to your mum and dad. But after I told them they were very supportive and my dad was like ‘we’ll phone the police and let them deal with it.'” After an 18-month investigation by the police and National Crime Agency, Aoife’s abuser, a man from West Sussex, was tracked down. Jordan Croft admitted 65 offences against 26 girls and women aged between 12 and 22. In 2022, he was jailed for 18 years and will spend another eight years on licence. Aoife joined the other victims in court and they held hands as he was brought to justice. She now volunteers for the NSPCC and wants to use her experience to help others. Seeing her abuser convicted has helped her realise what happened wasn’t her fault. “My abuser’s already in jail, he doesn’t have power over me,” said Aoife. “I can turn something disgusting and horrible into a good thing where I can help other people.” Her advice to others is clear. “Just tell anyone. Tell someone that you trust, someone you think will look after you. That will probably be one of the hardest conversations of your life but it’s so worth it.” Get all the latest news from around the country Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the countryOhio politician proposes make flag planting a felony after fight in Michigan rivalry gameJacksonville St. 86, East Carolina 78

This story was originally published on Nov. 26 and misreported fee changes related to renting SD 27 facilities, stating they had doubled when in fact they have been cut in half. Several organizers of events raising funds for student programs were surprised this year with a hefty bill in order to operate in School District 27 (SD 27) facilities. The annual Cariboo Hobby Con and Craft Fair was scheduled to run on Nov. 23 this year at Columneetza Jr. Secondary in Williams Lake, but with less than two weeks before the day organizers announced they would cancel the fair. “It is with great sadness we have to announce that this year’s Cariboo Hobby Con has been cancelled,” wrote the organizers on their Facebook page. They credited the cancellation to policy changes which led to “uncertain financial constraints that would be detrimental to our fundraiser.” The annual fair event raises funds for a volleyball club run by SD 27 employee Tim Hurley. The funds are used to buy equipment such as a referee stand and uniforms, as well as to help out students in need with travel and accommodation. Last year Hobby Con raised about $2,000 for the club, but Hurley told Black Press Media it’s more than just the money, as Hobby Con provides a space for other clubs to run their own fundraisers and for young entrepreneurs to set up their own vendors. He added that his volleyball club has served as a “turning point” for vulnerable students whose interest in the sport has kept them in school and safe. SD 27 updated its policy 730 – Community use of School Facilities – in August of this year. Changes to the policy include “more robust vetting” of events such as craft fairs, large sporting tournaments and Parent Advisory Council (PAC) events. In a statement sent to Black Press Media, SD 27 secretary-treasurer Brenda Hooker provided reasons for the policy updates. “The District updated AP730 to clarify our process and publish the applicable fees when applying for facilities use. In most cases, the cost to rent a space in our various facilities was decreased.” She wrote that fees were not always applied consistently in the past, such as whether or not the use of school equipment would be charged. When asked if the district took into account what impact the changes could have on events which benefit students, Hooker wrote the district recognized there were changes in fees “by applying our policy consistently and fairly.” “Some organizers have chosen to cancel instead of moving forward, which is their choice...The district recognizes that access to our schools is important to the community and we are striving to balance the demand while covering the associated costs and conducting our due diligence for all involved,” she wrote. Hobby Con is not the only event which has been impacted by the changes. The annual Chilcotin Road Elementary School PAC Ladies Night, which raises money for the school to buy things like books, projectors and playground equipment, operated in SD 27 facilities for 11 years without cost. This year’s event, which was in April, the organizers found out they would have to pay $600 to run the Ladies Night at the school. Even the lakecity’s beloved Medieval Market, which raises money for student programs and also equips participating students with work experience, has seen quite the impact. Without any real change to the event’s layout, which as previous years was hosted at Lake City Secondary School, the total cost to run the market increased by more than $4,000 from 2019 until now. While in 2019 the market operated at a total cost of about $800, this year’s market came to a total of just under $5,000. Even in 2023, prior to SD 27’s policy changes, organizer Kirstin Lauren said custodial charges had doubled from the previous year. This was despite few, if any, changes being made to the market which would result in further custodial requirements. Custodial hours, organizers said, doubled from 24 to 48 hours without explanation. In fact, Lauren said it’s been difficult to get any clear answers from the district, and while she is hoping to maintain a relationship with the district and see the market thrive in its traditional location of several years, there needs to be better communication. Hooker told Black Press Media organizers are made aware of requirements and risks associated to holding their event before their application is approved. The biggest change the Medieval Market saw this year was in insurance fees. While costs going specifically to the district amounted to about $4,000, the market had to pay an extra $800 for third party liability insurance. Organizers were told they had to purchase the insurance this year, while in previous years this was not a concern. Lauren told Black Press Media students were still able to benefit from this year’s market, which attracted about 3,500 guests, 100 vendors and 100 student workers. “But the more money we have to pay out, the less money we have to give to students,” she said, adding all she wants is to figure out what’s going on and continue having a positive working relationship with the district. In her statement to Black Press Media, Hooker said insurance requirements have always existed. “The district is now clarifying these requirements with users and consistently ensuring the appropriate insurance is obtained. The cost to obtain liability insurance is minimal and is needed to cover both the organizers and the volunteers working any event that is not directly related to education. The district values all of our employees and volunteers and is simply trying to make sure organizers have appropriate insurance coverage in place in the case of an unexpected event,” Hooker wrote. She later clarified with Black Press that these events were simply not being insured previously, a fact which was overlooked, and the policy change was to ensure everyone’s safety. Lauren said she and other organizers are planning to meet with the district to understand why their costs have seen such an increase and what can be done to mitigate the impact on students for which the event is being hosted. Most of the fees related to renting SD 27 facilities have been cut in half, with some additional fees being added to the list. New fees include $200 for wireless access, which is available only to weekend sports tournaments and craft fairs. A small fee was added for access to the entire sports equipment room and $85 has been added for intruder alarm activation. Fees which have seen no change include non-profit adult sport groups’ use of multi-purpose spaces such as libraries and cafes, as well as field use by any type of group. Fees marked as “local delivery” and “out of town delivery” haven’t changed, nor have weekend custodial charges seen any changes. However, general custodial charges have seen a change. Non-profit groups used to be charged $30 per hour for custodial services, a custodian’s regular hourly pay, and now pay $30 per use. Other groups, such as private craft fairs and political parties, used to pay $30 per hour for custodial services and now pay $67.75 per hour. A $200 key deposit was also removed, replaced by a $30 charge to replace a fob or get an extra one. Hooker also told Black Press Media that the district does not profit from the fees. “The fees collected are applied to the direct staffing costs associated with approving the request. We are not charging rates that provide any funds towards repairs and maintenance of our facilities nor capital replacement costs,” she wrote. Tammy Woodcock Banks was one of more than 40 vendors registered to sell their crafts at Hobby Con. She told Black Press Media Hobby Con is one of the most important markets where she sells her wind chimes and Christmas cards which she makes under the name Tammy’s Creations. “I had loads of stock that I had worked on this year for the show,” she said. Banks said she was grateful to be welcomed as a vendor at the Cariboo Corner market instead, but only made about one third of what she would normally make at Hobby Con. However, she said the market’s cancellation is also a big loss for the students who benefit from Hobby Con. “It’s not only us that got let down, it was the kids,” she said. When they heard the news that Hobby Con was being cancelled, Bewitching Market organizers Wanda Sheppard and Sunny Dyck decided something needed to be done. They quickly organized a new market without using SD 27 facilities so local crafters and business owners can still benefit from the holiday season. “They’re quite happy with it, they’re excited,” Sheppard told the Tribune about the almost 40 vendors who have registered for the new market called A Misfits and Mistletoe Christmas Market. The market, which will be taking place on Dec. 15 at the Ramada Convention Centre, is open to everyone and any kind of item being sold. “If you want to do goth you can do goth, if you want to do Christmas you can do Christmas,” Sheppard said. She said all she wants is to be fair to the vendors, promote their works and have fun.The Ducks will ring in December by hosting the Ottawa Senators on Sunday in a matchup of teams that are an eyelash under .500 with designs on gaining some upward momentum. They’ll enter the clash with identical .477 points percentages that situate them near the bottom of their respective divisions but not far behind a crowded pack of middling clubs. The Ducks have had more of a defensive inclination while the Senators have shown more scoring pop to date. Ducks coach Greg Cronin said his team hadn’t “had too many stinkers” of late, and that’s been reflected by their 5-3-1 record across their past nine games, with four of their five-plus-goal games this season arriving in that span. “Since we got back from that New York trip, I think we’ve been on a pretty good path in terms of playing with an identity and competing,” Cronin said. They had to grind hard on Black Friday, when they played what Cronin described as something of a postseason-style game against the Kings at Honda Center. Though they fell 2-1 to what veteran forward Ryan Strome described as a “mature, veteran team” that they couldn’t quite edge past despite playing a “disciplined, structured and north-south” game, the Ducks still felt they carried forward some positive indicators from their recent play. “It was a good hockey game. We competed hard. I thought we dictated a lot of the game. We played similar to the way we’ve been playing,” Strome said. Kings coach Jim Hiller concurred. With teams frequently playing the Southern California franchises back to back, he and Cronin get constant looks at one another’s teams during pre-scouts, and Hiller assessed the Ducks’ performance quite favorably. “I thought – we’ve played them this year, I’ve scouted them this year – I thought that’s the best game they’ve played this year. I thought they played very well,” Hiller said. Time will tell if Sunday’s match elicits similar plaudits from Ottawa coach Travis Green, who spent parts of two seasons with the Ducks as a player and is in his first year as the Sens’ head coach after previously guiding the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils briefly. Though Brock McGinn has made some progress in his return, he and Robby Fabbri remained unavailable. So, too, did Leo Carlsson, whose upper-body injury has kept him out of the Ducks’ past two matches. Cam Fowler will be a game-time decision. Related Articles Troy Terry has four points across his three-game scoring streak, while Trevor Zegras just snapped a four-gamer that saw him compile six points. For Ottawa, forwards Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson each have seven points in the Sens’ past five outings. Captain Brady Tkachuk, whom Cronin suggested could be a model for his own power forward Mason McTavish, has racked up five points during a three-game surge. Those are the three Senators scoring above a point per game this season, with Stützle’s 28 points in 22 games leading the way. When: 5 p.m. Sunday Where: Honda Center How to watch: Victory+

Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. Neighbor Tammy Murray had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues van toward reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim came to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something," she said. "He's doing that, too.” Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.”WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump's proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

With an important regular-season finale ending a short week, Mississippi has watched its dreams shift from national success to perhaps something it certainly did not want on Thanksgiving weekend: An Egg Bowl that holds only regional significance and statewide bragging rights. After their third and disappointing defeat, the No. 14 Rebels will play Friday afternoon in their annual Egg Bowl matchup against rival Mississippi State in the intrastate series in Oxford, Miss. It will not be easy putting aside the catastrophic 24-17 loss at Florida last Saturday, a soul-crushing setback that all but ended any College Football Playoff aspirations for the most talented Rebels team assembled in a long time. Coach Lane Kiffin's team slid five spots to 14th in the latest CFP rankings. The offseason outlook was rosy when Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 SEC) shelled out big NIL money and added the top portal class to fill a roster that won 11 games in 2023. But the Rebels repeatedly shot themselves in the foot Saturday against the Gators. Ole Miss' high-powered offense turned the ball over three times, went 3 of 14 on third down, failed on two fourth-down attempts, dropped five passes and missed a field goal. Before the game, ABC's broadcast noted that the Rebels had an 84 percent chance to make the CFP. Following the loss, that number dwindled to four percent. The only way the Oxford school gets in is if there is the repeated chaos of Week 13, one that talk show host Paul Finebaum called "the most SEC carnage" he had ever seen. The Egg Bowl has been played on Thanksgiving Day 23 times, including 2017 to last season, but Kiffin feels the afternoon start on Friday is an advantage. "It helps them to know that playoffs are still alive and they get kind of the first shot to show everybody on a national stage," Kiffin said Monday, "as opposed to a Saturday game where these people that make the decisions don't necessarily see all the games because so many are going on." For the second time this month, Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby will lead his last-place Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7) against a former boss. The 40-year-old head coach faced Tennessee and coach Josh Heupel, who had Lebby on his staff at UCF in 2018 and 2019, in a 33-14 loss on Nov. 9. Now he will face Kiffin, whom he was paired with in 2020 and 2021 in their first two seasons at Ole Miss when the school led the SEC in total offense. A frequent social media user who enjoys trolling others, Kiffin took a jab at Lebby and Mississippi State when the first-year coach was hired. "We've traded texts throughout the season and had communication," Lebby said Monday. "But no, not this week. He'll continue to find ways to have fun on social. That's who he's always been and who he'll always be." Ole Miss owns a 65-46-6 series advantage and has claimed five of the past seven matches, including a 35-3 "Egg Brawl" victory by the Bulldogs in 2018 that was later vacated. Another loss to the Rebels would give MSU its first winless SEC season since 2002. --Field Level MediaPublished 4:26 pm Saturday, December 7, 2024 By Data Skrive The NBA’s 12-game schedule on Sunday is sure to please. The matchups include the Houston Rockets against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. You will find info on how to watch Sunday’s NBA action right here. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

This story was originally published on Nov. 26 and misreported fee changes related to renting SD 27 facilities, stating they had doubled when in fact they have been cut in half. Several organizers of events raising funds for student programs were surprised this year with a hefty bill in order to operate in School District 27 (SD 27) facilities. The annual Cariboo Hobby Con and Craft Fair was scheduled to run on Nov. 23 this year at Columneetza Jr. Secondary in Williams Lake, but with less than two weeks before the day organizers announced they would cancel the fair. “It is with great sadness we have to announce that this year’s Cariboo Hobby Con has been cancelled,” wrote the organizers on their Facebook page. They credited the cancellation to policy changes which led to “uncertain financial constraints that would be detrimental to our fundraiser.” The annual fair event raises funds for a volleyball club run by SD 27 employee Tim Hurley. The funds are used to buy equipment such as a referee stand and uniforms, as well as to help out students in need with travel and accommodation. Last year Hobby Con raised about $2,000 for the club, but Hurley told Black Press Media it’s more than just the money, as Hobby Con provides a space for other clubs to run their own fundraisers and for young entrepreneurs to set up their own vendors. He added that his volleyball club has served as a “turning point” for vulnerable students whose interest in the sport has kept them in school and safe. SD 27 updated its policy 730 – Community use of School Facilities – in August of this year. Changes to the policy include “more robust vetting” of events such as craft fairs, large sporting tournaments and Parent Advisory Council (PAC) events. In a statement sent to Black Press Media, SD 27 secretary-treasurer Brenda Hooker provided reasons for the policy updates. “The District updated AP730 to clarify our process and publish the applicable fees when applying for facilities use. In most cases, the cost to rent a space in our various facilities was decreased.” She wrote that fees were not always applied consistently in the past, such as whether or not the use of school equipment would be charged. When asked if the district took into account what impact the changes could have on events which benefit students, Hooker wrote the district recognized there were changes in fees “by applying our policy consistently and fairly.” “Some organizers have chosen to cancel instead of moving forward, which is their choice...The district recognizes that access to our schools is important to the community and we are striving to balance the demand while covering the associated costs and conducting our due diligence for all involved,” she wrote. Hobby Con is not the only event which has been impacted by the changes. The annual Chilcotin Road Elementary School PAC Ladies Night, which raises money for the school to buy things like books, projectors and playground equipment, operated in SD 27 facilities for 11 years without cost. This year’s event, which was in April, the organizers found out they would have to pay $600 to run the Ladies Night at the school. Even the lakecity’s beloved Medieval Market, which raises money for student programs and also equips participating students with work experience, has seen quite the impact. Without any real change to the event’s layout, which as previous years was hosted at Lake City Secondary School, the total cost to run the market increased by more than $4,000 from 2019 until now. While in 2019 the market operated at a total cost of about $800, this year’s market came to a total of just under $5,000. Even in 2023, prior to SD 27’s policy changes, organizer Kirstin Lauren said custodial charges had doubled from the previous year. This was despite few, if any, changes being made to the market which would result in further custodial requirements. Custodial hours, organizers said, doubled from 24 to 48 hours without explanation. In fact, Lauren said it’s been difficult to get any clear answers from the district, and while she is hoping to maintain a relationship with the district and see the market thrive in its traditional location of several years, there needs to be better communication. Hooker told Black Press Media organizers are made aware of requirements and risks associated to holding their event before their application is approved. The biggest change the Medieval Market saw this year was in insurance fees. While costs going specifically to the district amounted to about $4,000, the market had to pay an extra $800 for third party liability insurance. Organizers were told they had to purchase the insurance this year, while in previous years this was not a concern. Lauren told Black Press Media students were still able to benefit from this year’s market, which attracted about 3,500 guests, 100 vendors and 100 student workers. “But the more money we have to pay out, the less money we have to give to students,” she said, adding all she wants is to figure out what’s going on and continue having a positive working relationship with the district. In her statement to Black Press Media, Hooker said insurance requirements have always existed. “The district is now clarifying these requirements with users and consistently ensuring the appropriate insurance is obtained. The cost to obtain liability insurance is minimal and is needed to cover both the organizers and the volunteers working any event that is not directly related to education. The district values all of our employees and volunteers and is simply trying to make sure organizers have appropriate insurance coverage in place in the case of an unexpected event,” Hooker wrote. She later clarified with Black Press that these events were simply not being insured previously, a fact which was overlooked, and the policy change was to ensure everyone’s safety. Lauren said she and other organizers are planning to meet with the district to understand why their costs have seen such an increase and what can be done to mitigate the impact on students for which the event is being hosted. Most of the fees related to renting SD 27 facilities have been cut in half, with some additional fees being added to the list. New fees include $200 for wireless access, which is available only to weekend sports tournaments and craft fairs. A small fee was added for access to the entire sports equipment room and $85 has been added for intruder alarm activation. Fees which have seen no change include non-profit adult sport groups’ use of multi-purpose spaces such as libraries and cafes, as well as field use by any type of group. Fees marked as “local delivery” and “out of town delivery” haven’t changed, nor have weekend custodial charges seen any changes. However, general custodial charges have seen a change. Non-profit groups used to be charged $30 per hour for custodial services, a custodian’s regular hourly pay, and now pay $30 per use. Other groups, such as private craft fairs and political parties, used to pay $30 per hour for custodial services and now pay $67.75 per hour. A $200 key deposit was also removed, replaced by a $30 charge to replace a fob or get an extra one. Hooker also told Black Press Media that the district does not profit from the fees. “The fees collected are applied to the direct staffing costs associated with approving the request. We are not charging rates that provide any funds towards repairs and maintenance of our facilities nor capital replacement costs,” she wrote. Tammy Woodcock Banks was one of more than 40 vendors registered to sell their crafts at Hobby Con. She told Black Press Media Hobby Con is one of the most important markets where she sells her wind chimes and Christmas cards which she makes under the name Tammy’s Creations. “I had loads of stock that I had worked on this year for the show,” she said. Banks said she was grateful to be welcomed as a vendor at the Cariboo Corner market instead, but only made about one third of what she would normally make at Hobby Con. However, she said the market’s cancellation is also a big loss for the students who benefit from Hobby Con. “It’s not only us that got let down, it was the kids,” she said. When they heard the news that Hobby Con was being cancelled, Bewitching Market organizers Wanda Sheppard and Sunny Dyck decided something needed to be done. They quickly organized a new market without using SD 27 facilities so local crafters and business owners can still benefit from the holiday season. “They’re quite happy with it, they’re excited,” Sheppard told the Tribune about the almost 40 vendors who have registered for the new market called A Misfits and Mistletoe Christmas Market. The market, which will be taking place on Dec. 15 at the Ramada Convention Centre, is open to everyone and any kind of item being sold. “If you want to do goth you can do goth, if you want to do Christmas you can do Christmas,” Sheppard said. She said all she wants is to be fair to the vendors, promote their works and have fun.