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This special Christmas episode of The Pulse Community Podcast brings Vancouver Island Christmas music to life as Santa Claus takes over hosting duties while Peter and Dave finish their holiday shopping. Santa shares enchanting stories between performances from Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands artists including Valdy, Shari Ulrich, David Gogo, Vince Warry, Zachary Stevenson, The Heels and Spirit of the West. Santa weaves timeless tales about hope, determination, and community connection.

Episode Highlights & Quotes

"Christmas isn't really about the presents under the tree or the decorations on the mantle. It's about the light we keep burning for one another—the love that waits, the door that's always open, the welcome that never fades." - Santa Claus

"Christmas magic isn't something I bring in my sleigh. It's something you create every day through kindness, through music, through the love you share with one another." - Santa Claus

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BONUS RECIPE: Download Chef Jonathan Frazier's Recipe for the iconic Juicy Lucy, a cheese-stuffed burger. https://bit.ly/S1EP9FootballRecipe

This week on the F3 Podcast with hosts Erin Frazier and Chef Jonathan Frazier of the Comox Valley turn their attention to the Minnesota Vikings as fantasy football playoffs arrive — bringing tough lineup decisions, shaken confidence, and a whole lot of second-guessing. With Week 15 underway, Erin breaks down her quarterfinal matchup, the pain of recent two-point losses.

Jonathan and Erin unpack a chaotic week that saw major stars go down, Kansas City officially eliminated, and new contenders like Denver and the Rams securing postseason berths. Predictions fly as they debate who’s actually built to survive January football in one of the most unpredictable NFL seasons in recent memory.

Then it’s time to eat — Minnesota style. Jonathan delves into the Vikings' game-day culture through food. The undisputed star of the episode, though, is the iconic Juicy Lucy — a cheese-stuffed burger that defines Minnesota football Sundays and demands patience before the first bite.

This Episode Features:

(02:30) Fantasy Playoffs Begin: Erin’s quarterfinal matchup, shaky confidence, and brutal close losses.

(07:45) Lineup Dilemmas: Mahomes struggles, Jared Goff on the bench, and trusting projections vs. instincts.

(13:20) NFL Injury Fallout: Season-altering injuries and what they mean for contenders and pretenders.

(19:10) Playoff Picture Update: Denver and the Rams clinch, Chiefs eliminated, and surprise teams rising.

(25:40) Team of the Week: Minnesota Vikings — history, identity, quarterback development, and a year to write off.

(33:00) Taste of Minnesota: Tater tot hotdish, walleye fingers, lefse, Polish sausage, and cold-weather comfort food.

(41:15) Lone Star (North Star) Bite: The Juicy Lucy — why Minnesota’s cheese-stuffed burger reigns supreme.

“The Juicy Lucy is football food at its finest. Simple, comforting, and absolutely unforgiving if you bite too soon.” – Chef Jonathan Frazier

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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This Episode Features:

(25:48) Vince Warry, singer-songwriter and tribute artist from Nanaimo, shares his remarkable journey from tribute bands honouring The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and The Cult to releasing his own EP "Like a Runaway Train" with Big Records. Teaching history and his custom History of Music and Pop Culture course by day, Warry is finding his authentic voice in Nanaimo's music scene.

(07:21) Geoff Ball from Milner Gardens reveals how their annual Christmas light display has exploded from a few thousand lights to an astounding 150,000-200,000 lights transforming over half a kilometre of gardens. Over 12,000 visitors attended last year. Ball Talks abou the special holiday glasses that turn every light into festive shapes, food trucks, choirs performing and a free RDN bus service on weekends from Qualicum Beach Civic Centre.

(14:17) Stevan Paranosic of Festive Brass discusses bringing professional holiday brass music to 10 Vancouver Island communities in December. Festive Brass will partner with local choirs including Village Voices in Parksville at Knox United Church. Tour details: https://www.festivebrass.com/

"The woman who had been in the picture with me was in stage four cancer, and all she wanted to do was see the Doors tribute before she passed away. That really hit me and I was glad that we had a good show." - Vince Warry

"We're just happy to take all these shows on the road to these wonderful locations and provide music for some of these people that maybe never get a chance to see it." - Stevan Paranosic, Festive Brass

"We have grown from a few thousand to, I'm estimating we're up around 150, 200,000 lights. Our volunteers started in September to hang them and we had a great team, probably 15 people out to every setup day." - Geoff Ball, Milner Gardens

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In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks: The Pulse Edition, Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Nanaimo councillor and former Regional District of Nanaimo board chair Tyler Brown to unpack what it really takes to run meetings that work, keep a 19-member board aligned, and steer governance without theatrics, gavels, or power plays.

Brown traces how Nanaimo moved from national-news dysfunction to a functional council, why “righting the ship” was only the beginning, and how the real work of a chair happens long before the meeting starts. He breaks down staff–council dynamics, the pressures elected officials actually face, and why healthy governance depends on clarity, preparation, and a steady hand.

Episode Highlights:

Why meetings fail and the quiet work that prevents them from going sideways

How to prepare for decisions when information is incomplete and emotions are high

What effective chairs do behind the scenes to keep debates productive

How councils can respect staff roles without surrendering decision-making

Why public anger escalates and how to set ground rules that protect everyone’s voice

Where B.C.’s Local Government Act falls short and why modernization matters for communities

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You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.

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BONUS RECIPE: Download Chef Jonathan Frazier's Recipe for Houston-Style Game-Day Brisket Rub: https://bit.ly/S1EP09FootballRecipe

This week on the F3 Podcast hosts Erin Frazier and Chef Jonathan Frazier of the Comox Valley ride the emotional waves of a chaotic Week 14 — recording live as the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs trade touchdowns, turnovers and tension in real time. What began as a check-in on Mahomes’ slow day turns into a mid-episode frenzy as Houston surges back to tie the game.

Erin recaps another fantasy week that came down to the wire, from near-victories to gut-punch losses, while Jonathan breaks down whether the Texans’ young roster is scrappy playoff material or still a step behind in the AFC race.

Then it’s time to eat — Texas style. Jonathan digs into Houston’s multicultural food scene, spotlighting everything from Vietnamese-Cajun crawfish to Gulf Coast po’boys, with a deep dive into the undisputed champion of Houston tailgates: pepper-crusted, slow-smoked brisket. Erin adds her own pick for a lighter halftime option — shrimp po’boys with a squeeze of lemon.

This Episode Features:

(02:15) – Live Game Chaos: Erin and Jonathan capture the Texans–Chiefs momentum swings as they record.

(06:00) – Fantasy Football Recap: Two-point losses, surprise WR standouts, and Mahomes leaving points on the table.

(11:40) – NFL Storylines: Injury shakeups, bubble-team pressure, and what Houston needs to stay in the playoff hunt.

(18:05) – Team of the Week: Houston Texans — defensive strengths, CJ Stroud’s impact, and why Houston’s identity is still evolving.

(27:25) – Taste of Houston: Vietnamese-Cajun crawfish, BBQ potatoes, brisket, po’boys and the city’s fusion-food roots.

(33:50) – Lone Star Bite: Erin’s pick for the perfect game-day plate — a classic Gulf Coast shrimp po’boy.

“If Houston sneaks into the playoffs, it’ll be because of that defense — they’re the heartbeat of the whole team.” – Erin Frazier

“Brisket is a weekend commitment. If you want show-stopping barbecue, you’ve got to babysit that smoker.” – Chef Jonathan Frazier

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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This Episode Features:

(09:40) Steve Patterson, award-winning host of CBC's The Debaters, discusses the show's 20th anniversary holiday tour hitting five BC cities including Nanaimo and Victoria in December. Patterson reveals about what makes the debate format work and how Canadian comedy's self-deprecating humor creates magical unplanned moments. Event details: https://debaterslive.com/

(32:37) Andy Kim, Officer of the Order of Canada and legendary singer-songwriter behind "Sugar, Sugar" and "Rock Me Gently," brings his celebrated Christmas charity show to Vancouver's River Rock Casino for the first time. Kim discusses the lineup including Tom Cochrane, while sharing his journey from leaving Montreal at 16 with $40 and a cracked guitar to creating songs that sold 30 million records. Having raised nearly $3 million for charity over 20 years, this show benefits Variety, the Children's Charity of BC. Contains the song “Whatever happened to Christmas”. Event details: https://www.andykimmusic.com/live

Episode Highlights & Quotes

"Canadians have just a way of laughing at ourselves that most countries don't. When you can fit a real fact into an argument that's also funny, to me, that's the best thing in the world." - Steve Patterson on Canadian Comedy

"Receiving such an award from my country of birth—I wept because my parents never really understood my dream, never understood why I had to leave home, why so much of my life was spent away. And this moment in time was not a gold record. It wasn't up and down the charts. It was Canada, my place of birth." - Andy Kim on the Order of Canada

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Episode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Windsor Plywood French Creek, Thrifty Foods Parksville, and Fireside Books.

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BONUS RECIPE: Download Chef Jonathan Frazier's Recipe forTampa-Style Grouper Sandwich: https://bit.ly/S1EP07FootballRecipe

In this episode of the F3 Podcast — Football, Fantasy & Food — Erin and Chef Jonathan Frazier of the Comox Valley dive into the surprises of Week 13 as late-season chaos shakes up playoff races and fantasy matchups. Upsets, shutouts, and razor-thin fantasy heartbreaks frame the week — including Erin’s two-point loss and Jonathan’s poolside play-calling from sunny Tampa Bay.

Spotlight team: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Erin and Jonathan dig into the Bucs’ up-and-down identity — Baker Mayfield’s hot-and-cold performances, leadership questions inside the locker room, unpredictable defence, and whether this roster can actually sneak into the playoffs. Is Mayfield the solution, or simply the latest stopgap?

Then it’s all about Gulf Coast eats: Tampa’s deviled crab, fresh mango with tajín, Cuban sandwiches, smoked mullet dip, stone crab claws, and the city’s undisputed icon — the grouper sandwich. Sunshine, seafood, spice — classic Florida tailgate flavour.

In the fantasy corner, Erin recaps a defence-heavy week, Mahomes’ big Thursday night outing, and how byes and late injuries are reshaping lineups. Jonathan relives his near-certain win that slipped away, with an 87% projection crashing in the final quarter.

This Episode Features:

(03:00) Calling an Audible: Why the Texans got bumped for Tampa Bay and how Erin ended up recording poolside in shorts.

(05:30) Fantasy Football Recap: Erin’s roller-coaster week, Mahomes’ big Thursday, and the matchup she lost by just two points.

(10:45) NFL Storylines: Surprising upsets, the Seahawks’ shutout, and whether the Chiefs are actually in playoff trouble.

(17:20) Team of the Week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Baker Mayfield’s volatility, leadership questions, and why Erin says the Bucs could sneak into the postseason.

(27:05) Taste of Tampa Bay: Deviled crab, stone crab claws, smoked mullet spread, Cuban sandwiches, and the fan-favorite grouper sandwich.

(34:20) Florida Fresh: Erin’s pick for a lighter tailgate treat — mango with tajín.

“If Tampa Bay makes it into the first round, I’m calling that a win — but they’re not going further.” – Erin Haluschak

“In this town, tailgating is fried, spicy and built for sunshine — the grouper sandwich is king.” – Jonathan Frazier

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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This Episode Features:

(22:59) Laura Palmer, host of the Island Crime podcast, discusses her eighth season entitled "My Best Friend, Bree," which investigates the 2021 murder of Bree Gamble in Victoria's Beacon Hill Park. Palmer, who recently received the Shelley Fralic Award from the Jack Webster Foundation, shares her process for selecting Vancouver Island cases, and how her podcast has generated new leads in cold cases, including developments in the Lisa Marie Young disappearance.

(06:01) Charlene Smith, the inaugural executive director of the Parksville Qualicum Community Foundation, discusses how the organization has grown to manage nearly $9 million in endowment funds over its 25-year history. Smith highlights the Neighbourhood Small Grants program, which empowers Vancouver Island residents to strengthen community connections with funding as modest as $50. The foundation has distributed over $2.5 million since 1999, supporting grassroots projects from block parties to emergency preparedness programs.

Episode Highlights & Quotes

"It's never too late to do the next right thing. You broadcast to many people here on the island and local people in these communities where we all live have information about these cases." - Laura Palmer, Island Crime Podcast Host

"With as little as $50 or $500, when neighbours have encouragement and opportunity, they can do really big things." - Charlene Smith, Parksville Qualicum Community Foundation

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Episode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Windsor Plywood French Creek, Thrifty Foods Parksville, and the SOS Christmas Program.

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