Chargers bring home medal
The Chargers women’s volleyball team have finished the provincial championships with a bronze medal, the first-ever medal in the 20-year history of the women’s volleyball program. The men’s volleyball team finished fourth provincially, with a narrow loss in the bronze-medal match. The women’s basketball team also lost in their bronze medal match while the men’s basketball team lost in the quarter-finals. In other Chargers news, players on both the men’s and women’s basketball teams have been awarded PACWEST All-Star and All-Star Rookie Team selections. In women’s basketball, third-year shooting guard Aija Salvador has been selected as a PACWEST 1st Team All-Star. Third-year point guard Ella Goldschmid and fourth-year wing/post Elyse Matthews were selected as PACWEST 2nd Team All Stars. Emma Cunningham was named to the PACWEST All-Rookie team. Over in men’s basketball, third-year player Trevor Scheurmann made the PACWEST 1st All-Star team.
Bus pass-up videos to raise awareness
Local students and BC Transit bus drivers are releasing videos in hopes of influencing budget planners to allocate more funds to peak-hour transit service. The problem has been ongoing for years, causing students to be late for classes as full buses pass by crowded stops. The UVic Student Society is also calling on students to send the message to the Victoria Transit Commissioner to demand action. The videos are available on maketransitwork.com.
New lanes for buses, bikes
Construction has begun on Douglas Street to add priority lanes for buses and cyclists. The dedicated lanes are intended to shorten transit travel times during the busy rush hours downtown by converting existing street parking into priority lanes. The new lane from Fisgard to Hillside is expected to be ready by the end of May, with a second phase from Hillside to Tolmie starting later this year.
Bricks of debt
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations has created a website, wallofdebt.ca, to raise awareness of student debt. The group sees the problem as something that affects the economy as well as Canadian families. The site’s “wall of debt” amassed over $6 billion in student posts in the first two days. Head to the site to add your own debt to the wall.
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Scraps all picked up with no place to go
Victoria’s kitchen scraps program has been successful in the effort to divert organics from the landfill. Unfortunately, the city has ended up with a surplus of scraps with no way to process them. Since the Foundation Organics composting facility had its licence suspended because of bylaw violations, the city has no local facilities that will take the scraps; they can either deposit the scraps in the landfill or send them to the mainland for processing. The Capital Regional District is recommending the latter, at a cost of around $5 million.
Artificial muscles made from fishing line
Scientists in Texas have developed an inexpensive yet powerful design for artificial muscles using fishing line and sewing thread. The filaments are twisted and will contract or expand with heat application. Because the technology can be either electric or self-powered from environmental heat, the researchers predict widespread applications. In addition to robotics, the polymer muscles could be used for heat-regulating fabric, microsurgery, and touch sensors.