A number of folks have asked the question of why Mr. PG is flying the flag of Portugal this week. It even made its way onto r/vexillology, a subreddit devoted to the study of flags (“Perhaps it was the context of being in Northern BC that threw me off,” the original poster said, after being perplexed about what the flag was). The answer is, of course, that anyone in the community can apply to have Mr. PG given accessories to promote various events and causes. In this case, it’s the Portuguese Cultural Society of Prince George behind the flag in advance of their weekend celebration of Portugal Day, a national holiday to mark the 1580 death of poet Luís de Camões.

According to the latest census there are just over 900 people in Prince George who identify as Portuguese, with the society founded in 1981.

Letters to the editor

I’ve received so many tips on different mascots this city has and I love it and I will be compiling them all. Meanwhile, though, here’s a note from Diane on the need for different housing in Prince George:

I don’t have an off-hand list of senior-oriented housing slated to be built but I do know it’s one of the priorities identified by the city and developers are interested so I’m sure we’ll see more. Not sure it will be enough, though.

More school board election stuff:

The Citizen has published a survey of what each candidate thinks about SOGI while My PG Now has published the first half of their candidate surveys. You can advance vote today and the forum at Vanier Hall is Thursday night, with the election Saturday the 17th.

Quick news:

• Two RCMP officers charged with manslaughter in the death of Wet’suwet’en man Dale Culver have pleaded not guilty.

• Foothills and 18th — the road toward the Aquatic Centre where a bunch of new apartments have been built — is getting converted to a roundabout.

• If you’ve been having water issues in the Hart, here’s why.

• The weather this year has been odd. While temperatures are unseasonably warm — 12 degrees above seasonal, according to the CBC climate dashboard — gardeners have also had to worry about things dropping to below zero overnight, though that will be warming up.

• You know what else is warming up? The housing market.

• Warm weather means a campfire ban is coming back.

• 'Someone is going to die,' Prince George nurses' union head warns of staff shortages at the hospital.

• Smart kids: a Vanderhoof teen is off to an international beekeeping competition while “a College Height Secondary School student's effort to lessen the effects of fast-moving landslides has earned her a silver excellence award at the Canada Wide Science Fair.”

• The Quesnel Gold City Classic Rodeo is now a qualifying event on the road to Texas.

• RCMP arrest two repeat offenders after reports of stolen vehicle on Chief Lake Road.

• UNBC, CNC to benefit from new provincial internship, co-op program funding.

• BC aviation scholarship named after Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan.

• College of New Caledonia support staff ratify new contract.

• Primetime Wrestling makes donation to St. Vincent de Paul.

• Downtown events set for July.

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