The Canadian Real Estate Association just reported that Calgary has recorded the most dramatic decline in residential MLS in Canada for the first quarter of the year. That number, 35.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. Edmonton was behind Calgary at 29.8 per cent. Just over 6,354 sold and 15,794 listed...

Wendy’s fast food chain has rejected two purchase proposals to buy the hamburger chain. John Tetzen, the owner of the master franchise from the Interior of B.C. for the popular eatery, sits on the owners committee for these negotiations. All of a sudden they had a deal with Nelson Peltz the owner of the Arby’s fast food restaurants. Pam Thomas-Farber, the daughter of founder Dave Thomas and the original Wendy's, was not happy with the deal. She is quoted as saying if Dave was alive he would not be happy with the outcome...

Do you need professionally made tickets for your event? Contact Danna Pedersen at Pacific Ticket Printing. She does a great job in producing the tickets you should have to make your event work. Her phone number is (250) 826-8497...

We are hearing some terrible stories about companies selling long-term gas contracts but the promised savings have not happened. In the last couple of years since we were faced with choices, have you paid more than if you had stayed with Terasen? I have noticed an increase in phone soliciting by the private energy companies. They all have the same story, "Are you sure you are getting the best deal from Terasen?" I guess we are in for another summer of them calling at the door carrying their fake Terasen bill to show us how we are not getting a good deal from the gas company. I for one like Terasen. Be careful in what you do at your front door or on the phone. Do some checking, ask some questions. If you sign a contract and then decide later you don’t want this deal, then it is going to cost you to get out of your contract...

According to a news release on my desk, forty three per cent of the local business owners are over the age of fifty and are planning to sell their business sometime in the next ten years. If you are in the same position and you don’t have a plan, the Economic Development Commission is holding a seminar to help put you on the right road. If you choose to sell your business or bring a current employee into the family you will need some help. This seminar is scheduled for May 13 at the Royal Anne Hotel. Call (250) 469-6280 for more information...

The national "Do Not Call List" is scheduled to be in place on September 30, 2008. If you don’t want any more of those calls at dinnertime or when you’re watching you favorite TV show you have to register. There is no cost to sign up. You can register any Canadian phone number including your fax machine. The toll free number to register hasn’t been released yet but we are expecting it to be announced very soon...

There is another $1 million deal between the Kelowna Rockets and the Astral Media group for another five years of junior hockey broadcasts...

Five Indian Bands in the B.C. Interior are opposing a new ski resort proposed by a Calgary developer. Westscapes Development started their process three years ago for a permit from Victoria to permit a four-season resort and ski hill at Juliet Creek, which is ten miles east of the Coquihalla Highway. The resort would also include an 18 hole championship golf course, aquatic centre, spa and conference facilities...

In the last thirty five years the population growth that has occurred in B.C. and Alberta has been ten times that of Saskatchewan and five times more than Manitoba. Those populations haven’t changed much since 1931. That has begun to change. The population in Western Canada grew by 72 per cent between 1971 and 2006. That compares with 42-per cent in the balance of the country. There is no question about the prosperity and growth in the west...

Sun-Rype’s TV commercial and print campaign for their new 1.36 litre contoured bottles is a brand new adventure for Sun-Rype juice users. After all those years of using the Tetra–Pak format this is a major changeover. It wasn’t all that successful over the years and a new package was needed to compete in the juice market today. The new package has a reclosable top. Now there is some juice left in the refrigerator! I like the new package. It certainly presents well on the shelf...

There is a new addition to the funky cultural section on Ellis St. The new spot is located at 1282 Ellis and is called "Truffles Chocolate Café". Sherry and her partner Murray have created some interesting fare...

I was reading a report from Washington State on the price of fuel at the pumps. The article in the Bellingham Herald said the demand from Canadian motorists is the only explanation for higher gas prices in Whatcom County. Bellingham has below average wholesale prices and above average retail prices and that may be due to how close the city is to Canada. Canadians are filling up before they returned home and the U.S. visitor filling up before going into Canada. They have the highest gasoline prices for any city in the State. Whatcom has one pump for every 82 people.

We are going to see $1.50 a litre gasoline ourselves by summer. I still don’t think the tourism business will be affected as much as some of the analysts think it will be. There will be some minor changes in our driving habits but will we give up a holiday? We really don’t have the ability to forecast the future for this commodity. No matter what happens to the price of oil at this point the price at the pumps will remain high until autumn. That's when the experts will pop up in these commodity things and say that oil will go down. Somewhere into the 90s...

Galen Weston, the young and CEO of Loblaw’s Foods (SuperStore and Extra Foods), is doing a super job for the company’s President’s Choice line, one of the top house brands in the world. He was doing a commercial with two apple growers who also produce and apple crisp desert for PC. His comment was “if you don’t like this desert we will give you your money back.” Galen, you don’t have to worry, that is a fabulous product...

Pam Anderson is his business partner. Yes, that "Pam Anderson" and former NHL'er Geoff Courtnall has joined the actress on a project on six acres of waterfront property that her family has owned for fifty years. They had met through some charity events. Arcadia is the operating name for a project that will someday be on the water at Ladysmith. The waterfront acreage is zoned for 112 units...

One thing you find out when you make a mistake is how many readers you have and boy, the mail came in on this one. Brett Butt, who we just enjoyed at his sold out concert this month, is married to Nancy Robertson (Wanda) not who I said. Thank you for all the help. Don Leyland’s daughter Cindy did the makeup for Nancy before her audition and also her makeup for the wedding...

What’s this, 1450 condos available between Big White, Peachland and Kelowna?..

Lufthansa has started a daily non-stop flight from Calgary to Frankfurt. This was a service in the 1980's. Passenger travel went for a bust. It was discontinued. It is back now and serious about the future...