News for Youse: Community centre plan, teacher bargaining starts, and penny being phased out

Community-centre issue on park-board agenda  This evening, there will be a special Vancouver park board meeting at the West End Community Centre to hear a staff report on the community-centre association partnership agreement. 

City of North Van densification vote  City of North Vancouver council is expected to vote tonight on a plan to include 350,000 square feet of private development in the upgrade of the Harry Jerome Recreation Centre. More details are available here.

Burnaby deals with community plan  Burnaby council will vote tonight to endorse draft proposals to amend the Sixth Street Community Plan, which covers 204 acres east of the Edmonds Town Centre.

Public-school enrolment expected to decline A report going to the Vancouver board of education reports that enrolmment is projected to fall by 1,050 full-time equivalents next year.

Teacher bargaining starts  The B.C. Teachers' Federation and the B.C. Public School Employers' Association begin negotiations today after both sides agreed on a framework agreement. It ensures a facilitator will be available from the beginning of contract talks.

Phasing out the penny  Today, the Royal Canadian mint ceases distributing one-cent coins.

Skull of Richard III located  University of Leicester researchers say they have proven "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the remains of King Richard III have been found under a parking lot in their city. He died in 1485.

Rosa Parks centenary  It's the 100th birthday of U.S. civil-rights hero Rosa Parks, who, in 1955, refused to give up her seat in the whites-only section on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

Power failure at Super Bowl  The Mercedes-Benz Superdome has revealed that an operator opened a breaker yesterday after an abnormality was detected in the electrical load. This resulted in power being partially cut during the Super Bowl, which the Baltimore Ravens won 34-31 over the San Francisco 49ers.

Canada defeats Spain at Davis Cup  Milos Raonic defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Vancouver yesterday. This helped Canada advance to the second round of the Davis Cup World Group past the first-ranked Spanish team.

Luongo in goal again  Roberto Luongo will start his fourth consecutive game tonight in Edmonton after allowing just three goals in three games for the Vancouver Canucks.