A one-teen prom on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula brings small community together
MAIN BROOK - Breanna Bromley-Clarke may be the sole graduate of her all-grades school on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula, but her prom helped bring many in her community together.
The 18-year-old celebrated the end of her high-school years on May 2 in a pink dress she says was inspired by the main character of the Barbie movie. Its vibrant colour shone as Bromley-Clarke delivered her valedictory address at the Mary Simms All-Grade School in Main Brook.
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Winnipeg Free Press
28-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Stunt performer sues Kevin Costner over his direction of a rape scene in his film series ‘Horizon'
A stunt performer has sued Kevin Costner, alleging she was subjected to an unscripted rape scene without proper warning, consent or protocols while shooting his film 'Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 2.' Devyn LaBella filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. It names Costner — the director, star and cowriter of the 'Horizon' series of Westerns — and its production companies as defendants. 'The impact of this impromptu work demand on Ms. LaBella has been profound, not only upending a career Ms. LaBella spent years building but leaving her with permanent trauma that she will be required to address for years to come,' the lawsuit says. Costner's attorney said the lawsuit has no merit, and LaBella's assertions are contradicted by both the facts and her behavior. A former gymnast, the 34-year-old LaBella has worked steadily as a Hollywood stunt performer since 2020, with credits including 'Barbie' and 'Yellowjackets.' LaBella's lawsuit says she was the stunt double for one of the 'Horizon' leads, Ella Hunt, throughout the production. The shoot included a planned sexual assault scene, shot in May of 2023, that LaBella performed much of because of its violent and physical nature, the lawsuit says. For that scene, protocols were followed, including meetings, rehearsals, the presence of an intimacy coordinator and minimal crew. But it alleges that the following day, in an unscripted scene with no warning, rehearsal or choreography, Costner directed an actor to pin LaBella down on a wagon and simulate rape. The lawsuit says Costner asked for many takes as he experimented with the violent action and did not make it clear when a shot was beginning or ending. 'There was no escaping the situation, and all Ms. LaBella could do was wait for the nightmare to end,' the suit says. It alleges that safeguards were ignored in violation of union contracts and industry standards. Costner's attorney, Martin Singer, said that while Costner wants everyone to be comfortable on his sets, LaBella's claim has 'absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions –- and the facts.' 'The scene in question was explained to Ms. LaBella, and after she performed the rehearsal in character with another actor, she gave her Stunt Coordinator supervisor a 'thumbs up' and indicated her willingness to then shoot the scene, if needed (which she was not),' Singer said in a statement. 'That night, Ms. LaBella had dinner with her supervisor, the stunt coordinator, and with the assistant stunt coordinator, and she was in good spirits and made no complaints to them. She continued to work on the movie for a few more weeks until her wrap date, and she took the stunt coordinator to a thank-you dinner.' Singer provided an image of a text message LaBella sent her stunt coordinator at the end of production saying, 'Thank you for these wonderful weeks!' Singer said LaBella 'is a serial accuser of people in the entertainment industry,' but her 'shakedown tactics won't work in this case.' The lawsuit says the rest of the shoot brought LaBella 'continuous reminders of the shame, humiliation and complete lack of control she had experienced during the May 2 filming; she experienced sudden bouts of crying on and off set.' The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as LaBella has done. The lawsuit seeks damages in an amount to be determined at trial, and it seeks a judge's order for the defendants to undergo sexual harassment training, to be required to use an intimacy coordinator on future productions and to issue LaBella a public apology. Costner sought to make the ambitious, four-part Western epic 'Horizon: An American Saga' for 30 years. The first part was released in June of 2024, but plans to release the second immediately after were put on hold after the poor box office performance of part one.
Global News
22-05-2025
- Global News
10 road trip activities that don't require screens
The Curator independently decides what topics and products we feature. When you purchase an item through our links, we may earn a commission. Promotions and products are subject to availability and retailer terms. Screens are an easy way to keep kids occupied on long trips, but it can be a bit unsettling when you realize they haven't spoken in hours because they've been lost in their games and shows. Happily, there are plenty of road trip activities that don't require screens and can help kids be a little more social while exercising their minds in fun ways. Here are 10 options—starting as low as just $7—that can be on your doorstep by this time tomorrow. Mad Libs On the Road Education disguised as fun FTW! This little book has 21 fill-in-the-blank stories that will have the whole family giggling as kids insert T-Rexes into human situations and create songs about Han Solo and Barbie. It's a great way to sneak a little reading comprehension and basic grammar building exercises into your road trip. $9.5 on Amazon Story continues below advertisement Kanoodle This game challenges players to arrange 12 Tetris-like puzzle pieces into more than 200 different 2D and 3D shapes. The patterns are easy to start, but it doesn't take long before kids' spatial reasoning skills are put to the test. Plus, it packs up into a small, portable box that can easily slide into car cubbies and seat pouches. $26.49 on Amazon The Ultimate Activity Book for Smart Girls This book is packed with 100 puzzles, games, and activities to keep pre-teen brains busy for hours at a time. There's something for every interest, from word searches and crosswords to sudoku challenges and logic puzzles. The themes and illustrations are designed specifically to appeal to the budding interests of elementary school girls. $14.99 on Amazon Rubik's Cube A true classic travel toy, the great thing about Rubik's Cube is that the fun isn't over once you've figured out how to solve it. The goal then switches to how fast you can solve it. Or learning to solve it with one hand. Or examining all the sides and then trying to solve it with your eyes closed. It's not for all kids, but those who do fall for Rubik's iconic puzzle may develop a lifelong passion. $11.25 on Amazon (was $12.99) Story continues below advertisement Road Trip Games: 50 Fun Games to Play in the Car This beautifully illustrated deck of travel activity cards can be a real lifesaver when your kids start making you realize just how much of a confined space your car really is. Each card contains rules for simple games—like I Spy and Never Have I Ever—that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. Just pull one out, read the instructions, and let the fun commence. $28 on Amazon (was $33.5) You may also like: 50 Scratch-Off Adventures and Family Night Games for Kids & Adults – $54.99 Hasbro Gaming: Jenga Classic Game – $24.99 Mattel Games Pictionary Board Game – $20.98 Foldology Foldology turns origami into a game. Each sheet of paper needs to be folded in a precise way to create a picture. Printed folding lines serve as a general guide, but you'll need to work out the specific folds required to complete each image. It's packaged as a pad of 100 sheets, with the easiest ones on top and the toughest at the end. $30.31 on Amazon (was $32.49) Story continues below advertisement Melissa & Doug Take-Along Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles If your tiny tots love jigsaws, this pair of magnetic farm-themed puzzles is a must-have for your next road trip. It's smartly packaged in book form. The mixed up pieces are magnetically attached to one page, letting kids examine them as they choose which ones to place on the puzzle board on the opposite page. Genius. $13.99 on Amazon Scratch & Sketch Extreme Fantasy Art Fantasy-loving tweens and teens will find hours of creative fun in this art activity book. Use the included fine-tipped stylus to trace along the white lines of each intricate drawing, revealing the dazzling metallic tones beneath. Bonus: 20 blank pages at the back of the book let kids scratch out their own freestyle fantasy drawings. $17.99 on Amazon Little Sticker Dolly Dressing Snow Princess How do you make a princess story even better for young readers? By letting them customize the young royal's regal fashion as she walks in the snow, gathers winterberries, and goes ice skating. This little book is filled with cute illustrations and more than 200 stickers for kids to peel and paste to make the story their own. $10.95 on Amazon Story continues below advertisement Would You Rather: Travel Edition Would you rather have your kids spend hours staring at a screen playing Pokemon or have them interact with the whole family and use their brains to noodle out the best answers to fun questions (like whether it would be better to live your whole life outside or inside)? We know which one we'd choose. $6.99 on Amazon You may also like: Happy Salmon by Exploding Kittens – $30.00 Taco vs Burrito – $19.97 Pressman Charades for Kids – $9.97
Global News
17-05-2025
- Global News
How a one-teen prom on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula brought a community together
Breanna Bromley-Clarke may be the sole graduate of her all-grades school on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula, but her prom helped bring many in her community together. The 18-year-old celebrated the end of her high-school years on May 2 in a pink dress she says was inspired by the main character of the Barbie movie. Its vibrant colour shone as Bromley-Clarke delivered her valedictory address at the Mary Simms All-Grade School in Main Brook. In some ways, her event in the community five hours drive north of Corner Brook, N.L., was similar to graduations at larger schools across the province. During the day, photographs were taken of the young woman in her stunning dress. She proceeded to the gym, which was fully decorated, and roughly 85 guests sat down to a delicious meal. The valedictorian's 10-minute speech included gratitude, memories and a description of plans to attend nursing school at the Memorial University campus in Corner Brook. Story continues below advertisement Bromley-Clarke even quoted from William Shakespeare's character Brutus from the play 'Julius Caesar:' 'It's not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves' — a line she learned while studying English in an online course offered by the provincial Education Department. But Mayor Ian Brenton said in an interview Friday the local graduation ceremonies are major occasions for this community of about 200 people, which takes pride in each of the 16 students in the kindergarten to Grade 12 school. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It brings the town together for a celebration of our youth and that's an important thing,' said Brenton, who said he's particularly proud of Bromley-Clarke, who over the past 12 years has raised about $45,000 for the Janeway children's hospital in St. John's, N.L. The school's principal, Amanda Parrill, said she finds the ceremonies honouring a single student as meaningful as gatherings at larger schools she's known. 'It was a very personal celebration for this single graduate. Breanna actually presented flowers to the special women who attended her graduation. For example, her Mom, other family members, teachers, her diabetic nurse and dietitian, all received carnations from Breanna,' she wrote in an email on Saturday. In an interview Friday, Bromley-Clarke described 'pros and cons' to the one-person event. 'It was nice in terms of decorating (the gymnasium) as there was nobody to argue with over my choices,' she said, laughing. Story continues below advertisement However, she acknowledged missing out on some of 'those popular things that people at larger schools do.' There was no seeing the sunrise together with classmates after late-night gatherings. And there's little point in having a 'senior skip day,' when graduating students collectively miss a day of school, with no classmates to spend it with. There will be no 20-year-later reunions to recall a shared night. But the young woman made the best of it. Together with her family she travelled to Guelph, Ont., in the summer to purchase the spectacular dress. Money was raised for the event with a yard sale and ticket sales. She invited members of a volleyball team from another school 70 kilometres to the west, which she'd joined due to a lack of players at her own school. The colours and the theme of the decorations all fell to the graduate and her mother, Regina Bromley-Clarke, and her father, Scott Clarke. Local businesses were well-represented at her graduation, including the convenience store owner and two hunting and guiding outfitters. Brenton, who is an advocate for economic development in the region, said that alongside pride he feels a little sadness at the small graduations, as he realizes it signals the declining fortunes of some Northern Peninsula communities. He said it motivates him to work harder to attract new businesses in hopes the number of children and teens might gradually rise. Story continues below advertisement 'Honestly,' he said, 'it makes me sad to see how small the school has grown.' 'I mean, nobody wants to see these towns dwindle and die.' The young graduate said she doesn't know where she will head after university, admitting it may not be back to the picturesque, small town, far from urban life. But she won't forget May 2, 2025, and her special night. 'I've always felt, and will always have, a sense of pride in my school and community, even though it's small,' she said.
