Notes From Around Nanaimo Mar. 15, 2011

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Nanaimo Unemployment Rate: jumped to 11.6% in February as the size of the labour force grew by about 3,400 people. The unemployment rate in the province also increased by 0.6% to 8.8% while the national rate stayed at 7.8%.

Daily News Staff: have been nominated for five provincial and national awards for writing, photography and advertising. The awards are given by the Canadian Community Newspapers Association and spotlight noteworthy news coverage. The awards winners will be announced in Vancouver April 30.

Harmac Gets $9 million: The federal government has given Nanaimo's Harmac pulp mill another $9 million which is the second installment of a total $27 million the mill will receive from the Green Transformation Fund. The purpose of the funding is to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance at the mill.

Josiah Stefani Wins ICBC Contest:  A panel of judges awarded Josiah Stefani, from Dover Bay Secondary School in Nanaimo, a MacBook Pro computer as the top prize winner on Vancouver Island for his creative ad about speeding. His ad will also be featured in posters and in next year's high school agendas. "Because many teens are influenced by the virtual world, they don't grasp how delicate and valuable life really is," said Stefani. "I have attempted to make it clear through my ad that their life is not a video game, and it must be protected. Rather than living life like a video game, it shows what it might be like if a video game was more like real life." You can see Josiah's entry HERE.