Posts tagged yxe
A StarPhoenix Community Blog
Graduation Pow wow at the University of Saskatchewan
The Trouble With Alvin
By Charles Hamilton and David Hutton, The StarPhoenix
Less than an hour after Alvin Cote is released from the drunk tank, he is back on the street, trying to bum 15 cents so he can buy another bottle.
“It’s open at 11: 30, right? I gotta get there,” Cote laughs, slouching on a green metal bench across the street from the police station’s detention cells. He spent the night there after being arrested for public drunkenness.
The stench of booze still hangs heavy on his breath. Cote’s teeth are rotted or missing, his lips swollen. As he talks, remnants of food are visible between the large spaces on his teeth. Crumbs spill onto his filthy sweat pants, and his oversized parka.
Alvin Cote has been arrested for public drunkenness 843 times, more than any other individual in Saskatoon in the last two decades, according to records confirmed by The StarPhoenix.
In 2009, he occupied the drunk tank 109 times. The police detention cells have become his makeshift shelter. There are nights or mornings when he shows up banging on the police station window at the tail end of a bender, looking for a place to sleep.
“I give Alvin a couple of years at the most,” says Staff Sgt. Brian Mitzel, a veteran cop who has come to know Cote well over five years as a supervisor at the police detention cells. “There have been nights where I thought he was going to be dead by morning.”
Alvin is a character of the streets, his hunch noticeable even at distance. He has a stringy grey beard and moustache, and wears large glasses. All cops working downtown know him by name.
Alvin (Taken with instagram)
#moon over #snow drifts #yxe (Taken with instagram)
Canada Post today issued three new stamps as part of the Art Canada series. These particular stamps are based on the work of Saskatchewan sculptor Joe Fafard.
Fafard has received numerous honours for his work, including being named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1981. He is well known for his cows and currently lives on an acreage near Lumsden, Sask.
Bridges, The StarPhoenix’s urban weekly published each Thursday, has received an international design award for a portrait photo of local yoga instructor Ryan Leier.
The Sept. 15 cover shot of Leier standing on his head, taken by Bridges photographer Andrew Spearin, received an award of excellence in portrait photography in the 33rd annual Best of News Design competition held by the Society of News Design (SND), an international non-profit organization.
The awards were judged by 21 newspaper professionals from seven countries over three days at Syracuse University in New York.
“Receiving this award from an international contest that is highly regarded within our industry is a great honour,” said Spearin.
“Bridges being recognized among other Canadian publications such as the National Post, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and La Presse is extraordinary for a smaller-market publication with a fraction of the resources, and publishing less than a year.”
There were more than 10,000 entries from 39 countries.
Five newspapers, including the National Post, received the distinct honour of World’s Best Designed Newspaper.
“It is especially exciting, with this being my first award since working as a professional photographer over the past four years,” added Spearin. “The SND publishes a book of the winners each year and I own two volumes that I use as inspiration. I have always aspired to have my work recognized by this contest.
“Of course it would never have been possible without the story by Charles Hamilton and Ryan Leier’s ability to stand on his head long enough to capture the award-winning moment.”
Only eight publications in Canada, including Bridges, received awards.
In the Postmedia organization, which includes The StarPhoenix, the National Post won 59 (second most of any publication in the contest), Calgary’s Swerve Magazine won two and The Calgary Herald took one.
Bridges won a Society of News Design Award of Excellence for portrait photography! Thanks to Ryan Leier for standing on his head so Andrew Spearin could take this award-winning cover photo.
The 33rd annual international news design competition received over 10,000 entries from 39 countries this year. Bridges is one of eight Canadian publications to receive awards, including the National Post being named World’s Best Designed Newspaper and received 59 awards. The Calgary Herald and Swerve Magazine received a combined three awards. Other Canadian winners include La Presse, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and The Grid (also named World’s Best Designed).
It is exciting to be recognized amongst these world-class newspapers, less than a year since we began publishing. Our readers in Saskatoon can now know they receive a world-class publication on their doorstep every week.
Winner of SND award of excellence for photography portrait. (Taken with instagram)
Andrew photographed a snowy owl near Colonsay at dawn on Sunday morning.
I photographed a snowy owl at dawn today near Colonsay, Saskatchewan.
Unfortunately this is as close as I could get, with a 300mm plus 1.4x extender. Stalked him through a farmer’s field, and fortunately it wasn’t a typical frigid prairie morning.
I read it in The Star! Bridges!
Read The StarPhoenix #yxe (Taken with instagram)
Some more archival photos i shoot for @persephonethea play called the 39 steps
It is a great show.
Heres the pitch on http://www.persephonetheatre.org/
“The Tony Award winning vaudevillian spy comedy The 39 Steps is a wacky mixture of mystery, mayhem and murder. Richard Hannay is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: a beautiful woman, an accusation of murder, a missing finger and wild chase across the moors of Scotland. He just doesn’t know it yet. Don’t miss this hilarious nonstop caper!”
#yxe #citypark (Taken with instagram)
