Maryssa Barras
The Silhouette Intern
Alumni Association hosts Welcome Wednesdays
Starting on Jan. 23 the McMaster Alumni Association will be hosting Welcome Wednesdays. Once a month students will be welcome to visit the Alumni House for free coffee and bagels from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Members of the Student Relations Committee will be present for information on how to get involved on campus. Registration is required and free at alumni.os.mcmaster.ca.
New mentorship program launched
On Jan. 23, Communication Studies and Multimedia unveiled a new mentorship program where upper-year students are paired with first and second-year students. A meet and greet social was held to introduce and pair up mentors with mentees. This program was the result of a student-led initiative and will have continued socials for mentors and mentees to bond.
City of Hamilton issues cold weather alert
There is a cold weather alert for the City of Hamilton as of Jan. 18. Cold weather alerts mean that temperatures are expected to go to or below -15 C. The cold weather could reach up to 10 degrees lower than average for this time of year, is expected to last all week, and could potentially warm up over the weekend. Students should be advised that the cold-warm trend will continue for the weeks to come.
Humanities launches Experiential Ed. centre
The Faculty of Humanities is launching the Humanities Target Learning & Experiential Education Centre (HTLC). Funded by the Faculty of Humanities and full-time Humanities students, the HTLC was passed by students through the McMaster Humanities Society Referendum with the goal of increasing career exploration an experiential opportunities for Humanities students, and will be hosting events throughout the semester for interested students. The official launch is on Jan. 21 in CIBC Hall at 10:30 a.m. Students, faculty and staff are all welcome.
Study finds 905 residents oppose austerity cuts
A new study by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) found that over two thirds of residents in the 905 region of Hamilton do not want the governments deficit-cutting agenda to compromise the quality of university education in the province. 86 percent of residents oppose university funding cuts, and 75 percent oppose shifting the cost of higher education onto students with higher tuition fees.
Compiled by Farzeen Foda, Alex Rockingham and Karianne Matte
A mess at Hess: overcrowding leads to fines
One crazy night in Hess Village stirred up months of chaos for owners of two downtown Hamilton nightclubs. Last winter, two Hess establishments faced legal action for overcrowding during an all-ages event, which violated fire code regulations. The investigation concluded on Oct. 31, resulting in a final penalty of $1,000 for the operators of RokBar Night Club, and $2,000 for the owner of Elixir Night Club & Lounge, both located on Hess Street South. Fines for such violations may reach tens of thousands of dollars, but because the nightclubs admitted to their faults, the fines were reduced.
Westdale muggings unfruitful for suspects
A series of potentially related muggings in the Westdale area has Hamilton police seeking the help of residents in identifying culprits. On Oct. 27 around 11:30 p.m., two similar street muggings occurred, with matching suspect and vehicle descriptions, while three Nov. 1 muggings also had matching descriptions. Police are investigating the Oct. 27 events in the area around Longwood Rd, King St. W., Haddon Ave. S. and Main St. W. Though the suspects were armed with what’s being described as a tire iron or pipe, no victims were injured, and in all three cases, the suspects fled empty-handed. Anyone with insight on the matter is encouraged to contact Det. Jo-Ann Savole at 905-546-3818 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Bad drive ends up in bunker
At 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 5., Hamilton police found a man passed out behind the wheel of a small SUV in a sand bunker on the Hamilton Golf and Country Club course. Police say that the man, heavily intoxicated, drove onto the course, crossed a green and a fairway, hit a shed and then finally ended up trapped in the bunker. The 22-year old, who was charged with impaired driving, blew more than two times the legal alcohol limit.
Poppy thief
A thief who is specifically targeting donation money meant for Canadian veterans is menacing the city of Hamilton. The so-called “Poppy-Box Thief” began a spree of robberies on Tuesday morning at a Tim Hortons in Stoney Creek at around 5:30 a.m, ordering a coffee then stealing the poppy donation box. The suspect has since repeated the act at three more Tim Hortons locations in the Hamilton area, making off with half a dozen boxes.
Compiled by Karianne Matte and Alex Rockingham
Cane-wielding phone bandit arrested
Hamilton Police have arrested a woman who they say is a cane-wielding phone bandit. Around 1 p.m. last Tuesday, a 21-year-old woman was robbed of her cell phone and beaten with a cane by a woman at the corner Mohawk West and Upper Paradise road. The police located the woman, a 50-year-old Hamilton native, suspected of committing the robbery within the area and charged her with robbery with a weapon. Police declined to reveal the suspect’s name as she was released on a promise to appear in court on Nov. 7.
Pan-Am velodrome project axed
The Hamilton City Council has decided to kill the controversial velodrome project. After a lengthy debate at City Hall, the council decided to cap its proposed contribution to the cycling centre at $5 million, a mere fraction of the $22.5 million that was requested. Pan-Am Games CEO Ian Troop said the city’s offer was not enough to go through with the project. He then said the 2015 Pan-Am games “will pursue discussions with other municipalities who have expressed interest in this significant legacy facility.”
More Ontarian students are choosing to go to college
Colleges Ontario recorded their highest ever first-year enrollment this fall. Colleges Ontario says that student enrollment in Ontario’s 24 applied arts and technology colleges has risen more than 20 percent than five years ago. More than 116,000 first-year students have enrolled in full-time classes this fall. Colleges Ontario released statistics that showed that, even during a recession, more than 83 per cent of college graduates were hired within six months of graduating.
Ghosts, goblins and ghouls for half price?
While the Waterdown Rotary Club’s haunted house has come to an end, its contents are being sold and all the proceeds will be collected for charity. The haunted house, a long-standing Waterdown attraction for decades, had helped raise money for the alleviation of worldwide poverty. The owners have said they will continue to donate all the money they’ve earned from setting up these household haunts to charitable funds.
