3 Great Stocks You Can Buy on Sale
Scott Levine, The Motley Fool
As the S&P 500 hovers around its all-time high, investors are hard-pressed to find great stocks on the discount rack. Although the choices aren't overwhelming, bargain opportunities certainly exist, and investors would be well-served to consider these stocks trading at a discount: Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN), NV5 Global (NASDAQ: NVEE), and Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO). Providing power and energy management solutions for a wide range of vehicles, Dana is a global leader in producing the parts that help our vehicles -- of all types -- go.
Wembley looks forward to continued growth with new land use bylaw
Wembley has a new Land Use Bylaw (LUB) that drills down into the development process to encourage commercial development, reports mayor Chris Turnmire. The bylaw was formalized following a public hearing in mid-December. Council gave the revamped LUB its final readings and passage after receiving no objections, said Turnmire. Approximately three members of the public joined the hearing through Zoom but none spoke, he said. "The last bylaw was 22 years old and it was due for a review and revision," Turnmire said. "We have a more thorough bylaw that will be clearer for the public and developers to look at when considering any future development in Wembley." The reform will go in-depth in describing the development process, making the definitions of zoning areas clearer, he said. Wembley has always had some steady growth, including approximately 9.6 per cent growth in the last census, he said. Statistics Canada reported Wembley had a population of 1,516 in 2016, compared to 1,383 in 2011. "That was exceptional, and if from 2016 we had 1.5 to two per cent growth, council would be very pleased," he said. Turnmire said all public feedback on the LUB review came before the draft, through an open house held by ISL Engineering in early 2020. Brad Quarin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Town & Country News
Sexsmith not moving forward with energy manager project
Sexsmith considered hiring an energy manager, a position to be shared with other small municipalities in the South Peace. According to the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), the program would create an energy management plan, promote conservation and save money on energy. The project was proposed by energy consultant Larry Gibson as a possible partnership with Beaverlodge, Hythe, Wembley and the town and municipal district of Spirit River. The cost of having the position was estimated at $11,300 per year for one or two years and there could be MCCAC grant funding available, said CAO Rachel Wueschner. Wueschner said the town hasn't recently received word from the other municipalities about whether they'll go forward with the project. Beaverlodge CAO Jeff Johnston said Beaverlodge council has yet to discuss the proposal. Mayor Kate Potter said she thought the project could be positive for the town, but said she recognized most of council was skeptical due to the costs and the town's tight budget. Coun. Isak Skjaveland's motion to take no action was carried. Council also amended its Election Bylaw to govern how declared candidates can pay the $100 needed to enter October's race. In mid-November council approved an election bylaw setting a fee for candidates in future municipal elections. The bylaw previously allowed payment by cash, certified cheque or money order. Wueschner recommended allowing debit and disallowing credit cards because of logistical difficulties, as the town's debit machine doesn't take credit cards. Councillors Skjaveland, Dennis Stredulinsky and Bruce Black's motions to allow debit payments were carried. Brad Quarin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Town & Country News
B.C. paramedics responded to record average of 74 overdose calls a day in 2020: BCEHS
Paramedics across B.C. responded to more calls to help someone who had an overdose in 2020 than any other year since record keeping began, according to dispatchers. B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) on Wednesday said they were called to 27,067 overdoses last year — an average of 74 calls every day, or one call around every 20 minutes. The total is up 12 per cent from 2019, according to a statement. "It's hard for every paramedic who goes to those scenes," wrote Pat Hussey, paramedic unit chief in Penticton, which saw an 87 per cent increase in calls last year. The sobering statistics are further confirmation the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the overdose crisis that has devastated the province for years. The overdose death toll for the year surpassed 1,500 in November, solidifying 2020 as a record-breaking year for lives lost due to a lethally toxic illicit drug supply. A drop in Vancouver BCEHS said every one of B.C.'s five health regions saw an increase in overdoses last year, except one: Vancouver Coastal Health saw calls drop slightly, by four per cent. The Downtown Eastside, which has historically seen more than 5,000 overdose calls in a year, saw about 760 fewer calls last year than the year before. A reason for the drop was not immediately confirmed by the service. Brad Cameron, a paramedic manager with BCEHS, said from anecdotal evidence and his own experience, one reason for the drop could be due to the higher availability of naloxone in the Downtown Eastside. "Pretty everybody down in that particular area knows of somebody who's got naloxone or who carries themselves. It's freely available among the safe consumption sites, harm reduction sites," Cameron said. He also noted that there appears to be greater awareness among drug users in the neighbourhood noting, for example, that many people were becoming more aware that they shouldn't be using opioids alone. "If somebody is with you when you're using and notice that you're going into respiratory distress or into arrest, they're there readily to give the naloxone and call 911 for the presence of an ambulance," he said. Dramatic increases outside Lower Mainland The increases in other rural communities were dramatic, relative to the population. There were 20 calls for an overdose in Fort Nelson, up 233 per cent from last year. Keremeos and Sechelt saw increases of 167 and 112 per cent, respectively. Terrace and Houston also saw double the number of calls compared to previous years. The BC Coroners Service said Wednesday it is not yet finished compiling monthly overdose statistics for December, nor has it finished the yearly data for 2020. Those numbers are expected in February. Even with incomplete annual data, the overdose crisis continues to be deadlier than the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. More than 1,540 people died of an overdose in 2020, compared to 1,090 people who died of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the existing overdose emergency. The supply of illicit drugs bought and sold across the province became more toxic when the U.S.-Canada border closed in March and forced suppliers to find other sources. Toxicology findings show a larger number of those who died between April and November had extreme concentrations of fentanyl, compared with previous months, according to the coroners service. Public health measures to combat COVID-19 have also hindered access to key harm-reduction services like supervised consumption sites, meaning more people are using alone. More than half of illicit drug toxicity deaths last year — 55 per cent — happened in private residences. Hussey, the paramedic in Penticton, said overdose calls have become more complex with such a high level of drug toxicity. Overdoses require multiple doses of naloxone and patients often have breathing and neurological complications.
Entrepreneurs won't pay chamber fees this year
The Beaverlodge and Sexsmith chambers of commerce are waiving membership fees for businesses this year. Both organizations are making the change to support local enterprise in 2021. "Many business owners are feeling the crunch with reduced services or closures," said Callie Balderston, Beaverlodge and District Chamber of Commerce president. Balderston said the chamber board made the decision during its meeting last week to waive the fee for 2021. The Beaverlodge chamber has approximately 75 members and it will also be free for other businesses to join this year, she said. The fee was $100 annually, but the chamber has kept on budget in past years and is in a sound enough position to offer the waiver, she said. Balderston said the chamber may consider whether certain expenses can be cut later in the year, while trying to continue supporting members. The Beaverlodge chamber is doing well, with a growth of approximately two to three businesses per year, Balderston said. The group was stable in 2020 but she noted events like the Christmas Craze had to be scaled back. "It wasn't our traditional Christmas Craze," Balderston said. Jennifer Caseley, Sexsmith and District Chamber of Commerce president, also informed members their fees are waived for 2021 via an email last week. Membership fees varied. Businesses with under four employees paid $50 per year, while members with four to five paid $75, Caseley said. The fee for businesses with more than five employees was $100. The waiver will likely cost the chamber between $4- and $5,000, but Caseley said the chamber will cope by drawing on its accounts and savings from fewer activities in 2020. The chamber would typically hold in-person mixers with food, as well as rent space for meetings, she noted. "The fee is a small thing for some companies … but for smaller organizations, that $50 is sometimes a make-or-break for whether they renew or not," Caseley said. "It was the right thing to do." Caseley said the Sexsmith chamber doesn't have any financial difficulties, but it was a challenge to remain operational. The chamber is a volunteer group and it was difficult to keep positions filled as entrepreneurs have to keep their own businesses going, she said. Brad Quarin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Town & Country News
Les avatars de la solidarité européenne : le point de vue des citoyens
Analyse des résultats d'une enquête conduite dans huit pays européens sur la vision qu'ont les citoyens de la solidarité réciproque que doivent mettre ne pratique les États membres de l'UE.
Pet raccoon hunts for almonds buried in the snow
Watch as this pet raccoon digs for almonds that are hiding beneath the snow. Awesome!