A Wasaga Beach grocery store held a charity barbecue event for two local teachers who will be cycling across Canada next summer, raising more than $600.
James Carson and Nancy Newman will be setting off from St. John’s on July 1 on a campaign to raise awareness about youth mental health issues they’ve named From the Rock to the Rockies.
On June 30, Mike and Cheri Dopp of Foodland held a charity barbecue for the pair.
The future of the Angus seed plant is still up in the air, but the PC government has promised to halt the Liberal government’s plan to close the facility until conducts a comprehensive review and consultation process.
Local residents, including members of AWARE Essa, lauded the announcement made July 18 by Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Jeff Yurek.
Anne Learne Sharpe said this gives “hope” for the future of forests in the province.
“With the September closure deadline approaching, we are relieved and thankful that our representatives in this new government are giving the Ontario Tree Seed Plant the consideration it deserves,” she said.
Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson, who promised the closure would be reviewed during his re-election campaign, said the government will be seeking advice from growers, forestry companies and tree associations.
“We will be doing a consultation with them, which the Liberals didn’t do,” he said. “They didn’t consult with anyone, so we are going to start from scratch to figure out what this thing should look like and what the future of the property will be.”
OPSEU president Smokey Thomas said two employees are working part-time at the facility, while four others were redeployed elsewhere in the ministry.
He said nothing has been moved or sold from the facility since the closure was made public last September.
Thomas never bought the former government’s line about the private sector being able to step in to replace the seeds grown at the plant.
“You couldn’t replicate this in the private sector, it would take you years,” he said. “They do 50 native species and there are a billion seeds a year that go around the word. It’s very efficient and I’ve never heard anything but good stuff about it. And it just makes no financial sense to close it.”
Wilson said the Liberals didn’t have all the facts.
“The ministry was convinced that 95 to 98 per cent of growers and nurseries that rely on the plant have found private sector sources, but that is exactly the opposite,” he said.
One possible solution has already been presented. Wilson said Forests Ontario, the nonprofit charity that oversees the 50 Million Tree Program, has proposed to take over the facility with a “slight” grant from the province.
If the facility cannot be saved, Wilson said steps have to be taken to ensure Ontario’s seed archive is maintained in some other capacity. He would also oppose any attempt to sell the land to developers.
While the Liberal government said it was building a modern seed archive, Wilson said there is no evidence one actually exists.
Fred Sommerville, owner of Sommerville Nurseries in Everett, also fought against the closure.
“It’s really forward thinking, because forestry is a legacy in Ontario, and that would have pretty much knocked it out, because that’s the genesis of it, the seed,” he said.
Meanwhile, AWARE Essa continues to ask residents to sign their petition to keep the facility open.
For more information visit .
Jeff Gilbert had a dream.
“I wanted to be a rock star, like everybody else,” said Gilbert, whose namesake guitar store occupies a prominent place in Orillia’s downtown.
Although youthful visions of world tours and sold-out concerts would never materialize, the local man found other avenues to satisfy his passion for music and the gleaming six-string beauties that today adorn the walls of his shop.
“There are lots of other guitar players that are way better than me,” he said. “This still keeps me in that realm.”
It was time in a Grade 10 wood-shop class at the former Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute that first nudged Gilbert toward his chosen path.
Building an electric guitar based on the hot-rodded, whammy-bar-equipped, solid bodies that were all the rage at the time proved he had a knack for creating and, eventually, fixing these sleek instruments.
The guitar was finished in an eye-catching hue of red and today occupies pride of place on a wall at his store, alongside models by the likes of Fender and other big-name builders.
“It’s not a wicked guitar, but I built it,” he said.
After high school, he enrolled in a business program at Georgian College and, as part of a class project, registered Gilbert Guitars as a business.
That set him on the road to building and selling his creations from home.
Customers came calling. Among them was local blues master Ronnie Douglas, for whom Gilbert would build a Telecaster-style model with Fender pickups ordered directly from the manufacturer.
Opening an account with Fender allowed him to bring in the parts players sought and, later, guitars.
After selling instruments out of his basement — by day he had a job cutting lenses for an optometrist — Gilbert would set up shop along Mississaga Street East, in the mid-1990s.
Initially, the store shared space with Round Again Records in the lower floor of the building that houses Becker Shoes.
He moved twice again within the same block, before a fire in an apartment above his store precipitated yet another move.
He remembers, vividly, local firefighters pitching in to rescue guitars from the walls of his shop and forming a human chain to pass the instruments to the crowd of onlookers who offered help.
“They put a helmet on me, I started grabbing guitars and giving them to the firefighters,” he said.
Gilbert then relocated to his current location, at , buying the building and doubling his floor space.
Although guitar retailers face increasingly stiff competition, as many buyers turn to online sales, commitment to service and a diverse range of offerings — from high-end and limited edition guitars to budget-friendly student models, along with an array of other offerings — has stood Gilbert in good stead.
“You can buy it here; you can take lessons here,” he said. “You come in, and you need your strings changed — we do that.”
The business remains family-run, with Gilbert’s wife and one of four sons helping out part time, along with a nephew.
I am running for Town Council as I care deeply for the Town of Penetanguishene and want to make a positive impact on the future growth and direction of the town. I want to give back to the town in appreciation for the benefits given my family over the last 6 generations as citizens of the area.
I have witnessed the value that strong jobs, strong housing, and strong leadership have on our community and want to be a voice for all three in council. When I say that I am “Committed To Community, Dedicated To Progress,” I mean it. I have been working in healthcare since 1978, and, for the past 21 years, I have been proud to serve as a Registered Practical Nurse at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. I have witnessed the tremendous impact care has on bettering the lives and the health of our community. It is this level of care and passion for our community that I want to bring to town council.
I have a proven track record of leadership experience and giving back to the community through volunteering. I have served as the Vice-President of OPSEU Local 329 at Waypoint for the past six years. I have also served on the Council of the College of Nurses of Ontario for 8 years. My community involvement has spanned a wide variety of organizations including with the Georgian Bay Métis Council, the Villa Care Centre and the The Penetanguishene Centennial Museum Board Advisory Committee. Through all of these experiences I have gained valuable knowledge dealing with budgets, long term planning, and policy development.
I will be a voice for economic development and community revitalization at town council. My core values are built on a foundation of care that will serve you, your family, and the generations to come:
➔ Building local tourism
➔ Advocating for local business
➔ Supporting our senior community
➔ Strengthening housing options for families
➔ Building better roads and direct traffic routes
If you have questions, comments, want to get involved in my campaign, or just share your passion for our community, please contact me; you can visit me online at voteronlepage.ca, email or call .
Thank you for reading; please remember to vote.
Chef Dario Tomaselli believes anyone can cook.
Over a nearly 40-year culinary career, the Barrie resident has run well-known kitchens across the world. He currently teaches cooking and helps budding restaurateurs develop their businesses. Now, he’s bringing that longtime passion for the kitchen to the inaugural three-day Medley Food and Drink Festival, which takes place at the July 20 to 22.
“The word ‘medley’ tells you everything you need to know,” he said recently while sitting in the Flying Monkeys Brewery, which is helping organize the event. “This is an opportunity to connect with yourself and other people through food, drink and music. It brings me back to my childhood and memories of Italy. The biggest message is about connection. Who said you can’t cook? We want to strip away the pretentious part and keep it simple. Enjoy cooking. Focus on your kids. Create a community. Food is a memory and an expression of a feeling that brings you back to being a child.”
So what is one of his most fond food experiences? The rustic, simple breakfast of stale bread, milk and coffee his grandmother would serve each morning before school.
Home cooks should focus less on producing professional-quality meals and more on what their families will remember and enjoy, Tomaselli said.
“There’s nothing wrong with eating macaroni and cheese, just research the type of products you’re putting in,” he said. “You can create using local ingredients. You can customize for people who want to be vegan or vegetarian or just want to eat well.”
Tomaselli and his wife, author Anita Heidema, co-founded the healthy lifestyle brand Passion is Cooking. They will showcase fun summertime recipes during the event.
“People who really understand food and drink will be coming there,” she said. “Dario is the chef, I’m the non-chef. People are intrigued with Dario and what he does with food. We’ve combined his 38 years of being a chef and what I do — healthy lifestyle (strategies) — and getting people reconnecting in the kitchen.”
More than 60 vendors will participate in Medley. Other culinary experts will also be on-hand, while five bands — including The Dirty Little Swing Thing, Northern Harbour and Fish Head — will provide entertainment.
A kids zone, skydivers, VIP zone, food demonstrations, tastings and contests, and car and boat shows are also scheduled.
“The festival is an opportunity for us to showcase our passion for creating exceptional culinary and beverage experiences while celebrating Barrie and its surrounding communities,” Medley Corp. partner Phillip Moore said. “We are overwhelmed by the amount of support and interest we’ve received and can’t wait to kick things off.”
Tomaselli said Barrie residents are fortunate to live in a “food belt.”
“I’m fascinated every Saturday morning by the (Barrie Farmers’ Market),” he said. “That’s the healthy way to start your weekend. We spend a lot of energy focusing on what type of fuel we put into our car and less time on the type we put into our system. It’s insane.”
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit .
The Town of Innisfil has temporarily closed a new playground on Mapleview Drive East after it flooded Aug. 20.
Staff was working to fix the situation, but the additional rainfall Aug. 21 may delay their efforts. As the park is still under warranty, a contractor was coming to investigate.
The waterfront park was completed recently and includes a swing set, large and small play structure. There is also a basketball pad off to the side. The new design incorporates features of the lake. There’s a scope for kids to look out to the water, and a panel with a compass on it.
While waiting for the park’s wood-chip bottom to dry up, staff is suggesting residents try driving to in Stroud to entertain the children.
After a brief absence, the rainbow flag and its message of inclusiveness is fluttering out over Clearview Township.
In an Aug. 1 ceremony attended by council members, representatives of the Canadian military, and members of Fierté Simcoe Pride, Mayor Chris Vanderkruys and Brandon Rhéal Amyot hooked up the flag to a pole outside of the township’s Station 1 and raised it to the top.
Amyot, the president of Fierté Simcoe Pride, noted it had been a couple of years since the township has been able to raise the flag, but they credited the municipality for “taking a leadership role in making a safe and inclusive Simcoe County.”
The municipality was one of the first in the county to raise the flag several years ago at the start of Simcoe Pride.
Fierté Simcoe Pride held a series of rainbow flag raising events in communities across the county to kick off two weeks of Pride activities.
“Flag raisings are very important for the LGBTQ community, to see the visibility in the area,” noted Alana Keenan, who travelled to the event from New Tecumseth. “It’s important for the LGBTQ community to come out and support each other … it’s great to see so many coming out.”
It’s no surprise Innisfil’s Freshii opened on Canada Day.
The Canadian-born franchise was opened by Matthew Corrin more than a decade ago and has now grown to more than 400 stores worldwide.
Innisfil location owner Tappinder Jhajj owns a store in Bolton and saw the opportunity to bring the chain to Alcona.
Freshii offers fresh salads, wraps, salad bowls, burritos and soups, along with fresh squeezed juice and smoothies.
“The concept is healthy fast food. There is no freezer in the back. Our carrots are carrots, not pre-packaged frozen ones.”
Everything starts out as a vegetarian dish and you can add your protein, whether it’s tofu, falafel, chicken or steak, Jhajj said.
Barrie police are fully co-operating with an Special Investigations Unit investigation into the death of 32-year-old Olando Brown, Chief Kimberley Greenwood said Tuesday afternoon.
In a brief statement given to a handful of local reporters June 26, Greenwood said the force is required by law to stay mum on the “events and circumstances” that lead to the death of Brown on June 22.
“This was a very tragic incident, one which touches family, friends and our whole community,” she said. “I recognize this is a very tragic incident that is difficult for our community. But legislation prevents the Barrie Police Service from speaking (about) this incident.”
Brown was arrested and arrested Friday around 2:30 p.m. Shortly after arriving at the police station, he went into medical distress. Officers provided first aid and contacted County of Simcoe paramedics.
Those paramedics took Brown to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Greenwood said she has the “utmost trust and confidence” the province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) will conduct a “thorough, timely and complete investigation”.
“Barrie Police is committed to our community and we will continue to deliver service excellence,” she said.
Greenwood directed all inquiries to the SIU before exiting the room.
A video taken by a bystander and posted on YouTube shows two officers grabbing Brown and telling him to stop resisting while they force him to the ground. The officers used “on body” Taser shots to subdue Brown. A third officer also joins in to hold him down.
The arrest took place in downtown Barrie, near the Five Points intersection.
Three SIU and two forensic investigators are assigned to the case. Three subject officers — the Barrie police officers involved in the arrest — and one witness officer have been designated.
In an interview with Simcoe.com June 24, Brown’s friend and ex-spouse Donna Dubois said she is convinced the officers used the Tasers too much, which she believes led to Brown going into cardiac arrest.
The charges that led to Brown’s arrest were not released but Dubois said they were related to a “minor domestic” incident with his girlfriend when Brown grabbed her phone.
Dubois said Brown came to Canada from Jamaica with his grandmother 18 years ago when he was 14, “to try to find a better life”.
In a social media post Tuesday evening, Mayor Jeff Lehman admitted the lack of information surrounding the case is “frustrating”. But he also stressed the need for patience.
“The sudden death of Mr. Brown is a tragedy, for everyone involved, and most especially a family now grieving their loss,” Lehman, who sits on the police services board, said. “I understand the concerns in the community. However, the SIU must be allowed to conduct their investigation into what transpired. With the SIU investigation underway, it means I can’t comment further.”
— With files from Rick Vanderlinde
Orillia’s Canada Day committee is planning double the fun with a two-day celebration at Couchiching Beach Park.
“We did two days last year because of it being the 150th (birthday of Canada),” said manager of operations Brian Hare. “We decided to do it again this year because of it being on the weekend.”
The festivities begin June 30 at noon with food and craft vendors, a beer garden and an evening dance.
In lieu of the usual midway — cancelled this year after organizers were unable to secure one — is a free children’s fun zone with inflatables.
“Canadian Tire stepped up, so now it is a free event for both days,” Hare said of the sponsorship that will allow families to enjoy the fun zone at no cost.
July 1 kicks off with a pancake breakfast at the pavilion followed by the Wheely Great Parade, in which the young, and the young-at-heart, travel around Terry Fox Circle “on anything on … wheels.”
Face painting, a reptile display, music and the main parade are among the activities on tap for Saturday.
Fireworks light up the sky at dusk.
Organizers are encouraging visitors to the park to purchase a $2 Canada Day button, with proceeds going to support the event.
