Latest news with #Stephenville
CBC
a day ago
- General
- CBC
'It's frustrating and tiring': Another western Newfoundland daycare faces government delays
The Mi'kmaw Cultural Foundation in Stephenville is trying to open a registered child-care centre in a newly leased building, but it's stuck in a limbo period while waiting on provincial government approval to move forward with renovations. "It's frustrating and tiring. We are exhausted," Jeffrey Young, president and CEO of the foundation, told CBC News. Young applied for the child-care capacity initiative funding through the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in early January. The funding program is designed for not-for-profit organizations, like the Mi'kmaw Cultural Foundation, to develop regulated child-care services where the need has been identified. He said there was a strong response from staff in the regional office, but he is stuck waiting for an approval from the minister's office for the next phase of the project. "It's been this ongoing … silence and no responses. We were initially told by one of the employees in the department to give it a six-month period for you guys to be open. That was in January. We are coming up on six months and we don't even have Phase 2 approved by the government," said Young. The approval would allow renovations, staffing and furniture purchases for the newly rented space, which already has multiple conference rooms, playrooms, two kitchens, bathrooms and access to the outdoors. Young said he has emailed and phoned the department's current and old ministers, and contacted opposition parties about his concerns. Just 24 kilometres away in St. George's, child-care operators face similar frustrations with governments this month, as they wait to open a registered daycare to accommodate an already long waitlist. Young says he is getting calls and emails every day from Stephenville residents wanting to know when the daycare might open. "We needed this daycare yesterday, not tomorrow. People are needing this service now. If the government don't speed things up, we are going to be losing people in our community, and maybe even our province," he said. "Because the services are not here. People want to go to work." While the Education and Early Childhood Development departments wouldn't do an interview with CBC News, Angela Sullivan, a communications director, sent an e-mailed statement. "The department carefully evaluates each submission to ensure a thorough and fair assessment process. The process considers overall project timelines, commitments to other child-care projects, and long-term viability of projects," Sullivan wrote. There was no mention of the specific southwest coast daycare delays. The Mi'kmaw Cultural Foundation was established over a decade ago to preserve and promote the Mi'kmaw culture in the province. Members work on community-based programming and focus mostly on youth. The goal is to open a registered Indigenous child-care centre and offer the service and employment opportunity within the Bay St. George area. "They are not recognizing the value of the programming we want to offer," said chairperson Ang Brockway. She says culturally relevant learning for children is always beneficial. "We want them to learn from authentic people in our communities who grew up on the land and know these things. We are really committed to offering that type of learning and environment." The Education Department says the government is focused on improving access to high-quality and affordable child care for families across the province, and it's trying to increase spaces to ensure families have access to child-care services. Brockway says her foundation is sick of broken promises and their application is very straightforward with no requests for new builds or massive renovation costs. "They have agreed to the reconciliation piece. They have put it out there that they are ready to do this work. But we are coming up against these barriers that make us think … are you really ready to do reconciliation work or are you relying on the people on the ground working to make everything happen?" Brockway said. "We could have [a] culturally relevant daycare, which is something our province is really lacking." As for Young, he is sitting and waiting for government officials to call so he can move on with the next stage. He says the organization has enough money reserved to rent the large building until the end of the summer.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hudson Westbrook Is Determined to Outgrow His Viral Country Hit
'You see a really quick rise, and a lot of people don't see that you came from nothing to a hundred real quick,' Hudson Westbrook says. He's speaking from experience. A little more than a year ago, Westbrook was just another student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, working cattle in his downtime. He'd dabbled in music since he was a teenager in Stephenville, the town heavy on cowboys and rodeo west of Fort Worth where he was raised, and he'd been experimenting with songwriting for roughly a year. One viral hit in the summer of 2024, followed by a Billboard Top 30 country and Hot 100 single last fall, and Westbrook is on the cusp of bona fide country music stardom. More from Rolling Stone 'Squid Game' Teases 'Grave Consequences' in Trailer for Third and Final Season Sean Combs Trial: RICO Heating Up, Suspicious Destroyed Evidence and Alleged Rape Trump Spreads Bizarre Conspiracy Theory That Biden Was Executed and Replaced by a Robot Clone His 17-track debut album, Texas Forever — announced on Friday and due out July 25 — may well push Westbrook off that cusp. But, at only 20, he's doing all he can to keep his career blow-up in perspective on the album. 'I took all my songs from last year,' Westbrook tells Rolling Stone, 'and I went, 'Hey, these are songs about where I am at right now.' I want this record to be where Hudson is at this point in time. That's the best way to describe an album — a point in time.' He is banking on that point in time being enough to parlay his demographic of college-aged country fans into a sustained fanbase. At a time when the artists experiencing similar rises are either teenagers — Ty Myers, Bayker Blankenship, and Maddox Batson — or in their post-college 20s — Zach Top, Wyatt Flores, and Dylan Gossett — Westbrook has managed to pull the best of both worlds into his orbit. His support shows in May at the youth-skewed Calf Fry Festival in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and the older-focused Lone Star Smokeout in Arlington, Texas, were among the best-attended sets of each festival. He's also banking on learning the ropes of both performing and fame as he goes. 'The first time I stood onstage, my legs were shaking,' Westbrook says. 'I was nervous as hell. But the more that I do it, and the more that I am myself, the more people are gonna love all this. At the same time, I've also learned that it's not mentally stable for me to sit here and try to please other people. So, I do my best to try to be myself as much as possible onstage and through my songs. 'But, now, if you go to the grocery store, and Hudson bumps into your cart and doesn't say 'excuse me' or says 'screw you' or something worse, and someone takes a video of it — you're done. That's the part that's not fun.' Being from Texas, Westbrook sports a powerful roster of musical influences to help him manage. 'The main reason I love music, really, was Cross Canadian Ragweed. And I listened to Parker [McCollum]. I listened to Koe [Wetzel]. Stoney LaRue, Randy Rogers — all those dudes. I was breaking cattle in college, but going all the way back to when I was a little kid, I just had a bone in my body meant for music. I didn't say anything about it, and I never really told my mom that I wanted to learn guitar, but they knew I loved listening to music. So, when I got my Parker on or my Koe on or my Ragweed '17' on, don't talk to me.' McCollum ended up being more than an influence. The viral song that started it all for Westbrook was 'Take It Slow,' which he put out on social media in May 2024. Nearly immediately, the comment sections were filled with comparisons to McCollum. This is mostly because the two lanky, blond Texans could be dead ringers for one another. 'Even though I listened to these influences, I found that my sound, naturally, has veered so far away from them,' he says. 'People compare me to Parker, and I get it, because I have blond hair and blue eyes, and you want to connect something to it, but it's also not how I sound.' This is evident on Texas Forever, where Westbrook's natural baritone is delivered with a twang that echoes George Strait much more than it does the range of McCollum. The album's 17 tracks are all written or co-written by Westbrook, including a fresh version of his Top 40 country radio single, 'House Again,' which has already been certified gold since its release last fall. The songwriting is straightforward, often incorporating Gen-Z slang prominently. 'On this album, there's a cool trend that's been going on,' he says. 'We've used titles that are everyday sayings, like 'Funny Seeing You Here' or 'Good Taste in Whiskey' — things that people always say that you might think are clever or whatever. So, I took my age and my demographic's slang — and just natural sayings — and used them for song titles. That's the stuff I've related to. 'I've been living rent-free in your head' is a song title, to me. 'I love a good melody and a catchy melody. I hate writing from the hook. I hate having to get that first and then going through the rest of the song. I'd rather let the song go where it wants to go. 'House Again' was written in an hour. 'Five to Nine' was written in 12 hours.' Notably absent from the project is 'Take It Slow' — a bold move given the recognition that song has with Westbrook's fans. It's by design. Westbrook appreciates the song for launching his career, but it's already been overtaken by 'House Again' as the must-play song at his concerts. He feels he's put better music out in the world, and plans to continue that trend. 'That was such a weird time for me, because so many things had to line up and go perfectly,' Westbrook says of his viral hit. 'I met a guy at Guitar Center, and he knew bass, and knew a drummer. The drummer knew a lead player. We all got together, and we went into the studio and recorded 'Take It Slow.' My fiddle player, Silas Clark, took a video of it, and I posted it. I woke up one day to ten million views. But I didn't know or care about a viral moment. As a new artist, I didn't know what good was or what bad was.' Pat Fielder, however, knows good or bad like the back of his hand. Based out of Lawrence, Kansas, Fielder is a senior buyer for Mammoth Live — one of the last major independent promotion companies left in the United States. In the wake of 'Take It Slow,' Fielder immediately put together a series of shows for Westbrook at small to mid-sized clubs across the Midwest last fall and winter. Nearly as quickly, Fielder and his colleagues found they had underestimated Westbrook's draw: The shows sold out. 'We put tickets on sale, and after a few days it became obvious that we needed to decide if we were going to let these shows be sellouts or move them into larger venues due to the demand,' Fielder tells Rolling Stone. 'We ended up doing a little bit of both. I'm not sure that my bosses believed me that he could sell out the larger venues at first, but that only lasted for a day or two.' One of the shows Fielder and Mammoth originally booked for Westbrook was at the 900-capacity Granada Theater in Lawrence, Kansas, set for early February. After selling out in the presale, the show got moved to the 2,400-capacity Uptown Theater in Kansas City — which also sold out. Westbrook took the stage at that show in a Kansas City Chiefs jersey with 'Sold Out' stitched across the back, and he had another viral moment for covering the Chiefs' best-known fan, Taylor Swift, during the set. In hindsight, Fielder says he may have stumbled upon the most concise explanation for Westbrook's appeal. 'My wife and I had her niece, a senior in college at the time, over for dinner,' he recalls. 'She said, 'All my friends who used to make fun of me for listening to country music are obsessed with Hudson Westbrook now.'' That may be a lot of brand-new pressure on Westbrook, but he plans to handle it by putting himself in front of as many people as possible. He'll make his CMA Fest debut this week before launching a full-fledged summer tour on June 7, a tour that includes major Texas shows at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels and Cook's Garage in Lubbock. He also has a run as McCollum's opener slated for July, for anyone looking to compare the two up close. In fact, that's where Westbrook will be when Texas Forever is released. If he gets his way, he'll be in McCollum's shoes a year from now. 'I want to tour the hell out of it,' Westbrook says of Texas Forever. 'The goal is to play stadiums and headline festivals. Keep working my way up, keep getting better — and stay the same person I was the year before.' Josh Crutchmer is a journalist and author whose fourth book, Never Say Never: Cross Canadian Ragweed, Boys From Oklahoma, and a Red Dirt Comeback Story for the Ages, was released in April via Back Lounge Publishing. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ballinger Head Coach Ty Lang leaves Bearcats to join Stephenville staff
BALLINGER, Texas (BCH Sports) – Ballinger Head Coach Ty Lang has left the Bearcats after four seasons to join the Stephenville High School coaching staff. Last season, Lang led the Bearcats to the playoffs after going 6-25 in his first three seasons. Advertisement He left an impact, and now he'll join a storied program as he looks to bring more success to Stephenville. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB -
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Stephenville in holding pattern as airport faces possible power cutoff
Social Sharing The lights remained on at Stephenville Dymond International Airport on Thursday. The question is how long that will remain the case — and what happens next, if Newfoundland Power pulls the plug. Earlier this week, the utility confirmed it issued the airport a seven-day "notice of disconnection" due to "outstanding account issues." The Stephenville town council met behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss the situation. One current councillor — who is also a former mayor — says there is a feeling of "dismay" in the community about the status of the airport. "Right now, at this point in time, it seems like they are facing yet another crisis, which we know very little about," Coun. Tom O'Brien told CBC News. "It's an issue that the airport has to deal with, but it has big consequences for the community as a whole." O'Brien said those consequences include the potential loss of jobs at the airport, and the impact on air ambulance service to the region. On Tuesday, Health Minister Krista Lynn Howell told CBC News that officials have been working on a contingency plan in the event Stephenville's airport can't be used for air ambulance. The minister said a helicopter could be tasked, when appropriate. Other possible options include the use of existing runways in the Codroy Valley and Deer Lake. O'Brien is concerned about that, noting that "time is critical when the patient requires an air ambulance." He said the town could be part of the conversation about possible solutions, but financial aid "can't be on the table." O'Brien noted that the airport is a private enterprise. "We've got to see what the next few days is going to bring," he said. "I guess Mr. Dymond is working on something, although we don't know what. We're just on a wait-and-see pattern right here, right now, which is not a good place to be." The airport has been beset by a cascading series of financial and operational issues since it was taken over by Ottawa entrepreneur Carl Dymond nearly two years ago. The airport is facing a $2.4-million lawsuit over the installation of a new runway lighting system. A trial is set for 2026. Nearly three months ago, the airport had its status downgraded to a "registered aerodrome." A registered aerodrome is not subject to ongoing inspection by Transport Canada, but is inspected periodically to verify compliance with regulations. An investor who helped facilitate Dymond's acquisition of the airport won a default $2-million judgment against Dymond personally. As of earlier this year, the mayor said the airport owed a half-million-dollar property tax bill to the town. CBC News has not been able to reach Dymond for comment this week. Meanwhile, Newfoundland Power said that it is in continued discussions with the airport, and power will not be disconnected on Thursday.
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Stephenville airport could soon lose power, as N.L. fires up air ambulance contingency plans
Social Sharing It could be lights out at the Stephenville Dymond International Airport later this week, if the beleaguered operation doesn't pay its utility bill. Newfoundland Power has confirmed it issued the airport a seven-day "notice of disconnection" due to "outstanding account issues." In an emailed statement, the utility wrote that it "remains available to work with the airport to resolve outstanding account issues required for continuation of service." It marks the latest financial hardship the airport has seen since it was purchased by Ottawa entrepreneur Carl Dymond in August 2023. Dymond bought the facility for $6.90 and a payment of more than $1 million in existing liabilities. Since the sale, Dymond has been hit with a $2.4-million lawsuit by Tristar Electric, which alleges it hasn't been paid for its work to install a new runway lighting system. Earlier this year, lawyers for the airport got permission to withdraw from the case because they say they haven't been paid either. That news came on the heels of the airport being downgraded to a "registered aerodrome," meaning it is not subject to ongoing inspection by Transport Canada, but is inspected periodically to verify compliance with regulations. There are eight registered aerodromes on the island portion of the province, including those in Bell Island, Clarenville and Port aux Choix. Health minister says air ambulance plan in place In March, the province said it would continue to use Stephenville for its air ambulance service. According to statistics collected for the Health Accord and published in 2023, there were 290 air ambulance flights to Stephenville over a previous 3 1/2-year period. That amounts to about seven flights a month. Health Minister Krista Lynn Howell told CBC News the province has been working on a contingency plan in the event Stephenville's airport can't be used. "The medical professionals do this type of work, day in, day out, and there could be reasons why an airport isn't available," Howell said, citing issues like runway maintenance. "This is just another one of those examples where we had to build a contingency plan," Howell said. "And we're confident that NLHS has taken all the appropriate steps to mitigate, as much as possible, the risk factors that we can control." In a broad sense, the contingency plan could include a mix of resources and assets. That includes two runways "in close proximity" to Stephenville — Deer Lake and St. Andrews in the Codroy Valley — "that may be able to be utilized," according to Howell. "There may be a combination of road transport, air transport, or even using a helicopter in instances where that's appropriate," she said. "The folks who are making these decisions, the medical professionals, will determine what is the most appropriate asset to deploy." Council has stressed importance of air ambulance service In January 2023, before the final sale to Dymond was approved, the Town of Stephenville gave the airport $50,000 to keep the operation running. Councillors who voted to approve the grant framed their support around the importance of the airport in providing an air ambulance service. "I have to say yes, because it's the taxpayer's life that comes into play," said Coun. Myra White at the time. "And I know it's $50,000, but I look at a life, and what is a life worth?" When the deal to sell the airport was initially announced in September 2021, Carl Dymond said he planned to spend hundreds of millions and create thousands of jobs. His vision included the construction of massive high-tech drones. Those plans have yet to materialize.
