All posts by SHLF

How a humble family breakfast is driving a Barrie chef to share his love of cooking

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 .

Innisfil playground floods prior to rainfall

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.

Here is where Clearview is flying the rainbow flag

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.”

Freshii offers healthy options in Innisfil

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.

‘Very tragic incident’: Barrie police chief speaks out on Olando Brown investigation

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

Double the fun at Orillia’s Canada Day celebrations

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.

Inna Shafir — Innisfil Ward 4

Hello.

My name is Inna Shafir. I am a mom of three unique, successful children and a happy wife. I’ve been living in this beautiful town for almost three years. I am running for council in Ward 4 because I  want to  represent multicultural life and family values of our town, on council.

Criteria:

• I will promote projects related to the support of local parks for residents of Innisfil.

• Creation of highly skilled jobs

• Expansion of the local road in both directions, to Highway 400

• Creation of more accessible places for sports, family entertainment and for every resident of the city

• Graduated from the University of Moldova — marketer, chartered accountant. In Canada, I changed my professional activity — I got an insurance broker licence.

• Great experience in charity events, charity garage sales. Two annual city festivals were held. And of course, daily volunteer help in the form of information, advice.

Issues I will champion:

• Questions of family, useful pastimes for all residents of Innisfil

• Questions of medical care, without queues

• Questions on changing the status of the city beach — more benefits for the city’s residents

• Questions on the timely clearing of snow from local roads

Campaign office: 1012 Abram Crt, Innisfil, L9S 0K3

Telephone: 

Barrie’s KKP is now Allegra Marketing

Now, Kwik Kopy Printing Barrie is taking the next step in its evolution with a rebranding that accurately reflects the breadth of its capabilities.

Renamed Allegra Marketing — Print — Mail, the centre and its owners, Susan and John Morton, are offering a fresh approach to design, marketing, print and mailing services with enhanced service offerings.

“This change reaffirms our commitment to Barrie, our neighbours and the customers we serve,” said John, whose parents first opened the business in 1984. “We look forward to deepening our client relationships while providing more companies in the region with our broader range of products and services.”

Allegra is independently owned and operated and is a member of Alliance Franchise Brands network, a world leader in marketing and visual communications.

Visit

Orillia prof delves into the mind of Trump with provocative lecture

Is Trump a narcissistic psychopath?

The question is bound to generate lively discussion during a kickoff event for a thought-provoking lecture series aimed at residents with a thirst for lifelong learning.

“It’s not political,” said Scott Maclagan, a member of Third Age Learning (TAL) Orillia, established in partnership with Lakehead University. “It’s going to be an analytical kind of presentation.”  

The attention-grabbing topic is the focus of an Aug. 28 talk by Dr. Beth Visser, assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies and psychology at the Orillia campus.

Visser will explore all sides of the controversial U.S. president’s personality during a one-hour address in the main lecture hall starting at 7:30 p.m.

The talk will be followed by a ‘W(h)ine and Jeez’ reception in the second-floor art gallery.

Proceeds will go to support a series of stimulating talks this fall — organized under the Third Age Learning banner and aimed at the over-50 crowd.

“It is a no-credit opportunity to get some higher education,” Maclagan said. “You don’t have to write an exam.”

Tickets to the fundraiser are $20 and include the wine and cheese event.

To register, go to lakeheadu.ca and look for Third Age Learning under the community engagement and lifelong learning section.

Jonathan Pita — Adjala-Tosorontio Ward 2

My name is Jonathan Pita. I recently moved to Adjala-Tosorontio because I fell in love with its beauty and small-town feeling. I am currently an electrical apprentice and I live with my girlfriend, who is a high school teacher. We both appreciate the history in this township and enjoy exploring its corners and meeting its residents. We also look forward to raising a family here, sending our children to school here, and working together to keep our home town an excellent place to be.  

According to Adjala-Tosorontio’s website, the main role of council is to “represent the public” (www.adjtos.ca/council). I believe Ward 2 has not had its interests fully represented, especially in key votes. I, however, pledge to listen to the constituents of my ward. My vote is not mine alone. It represents the concerns of Ward 2.  

I look forward to an efficient and transparent council. I am committed to maintaining positive relationships with residents, fellow councillors and municipal staff. This also involves the wise use of tax dollars toward responsible development and municipal planning.

I also intend to maintain Adjala-Tosorontio’s rural and small-town atmosphere. This means overseeing controlled development that does not place a burden on existing residents. It also means ensuring that all Ontario Municipal Board/ Local Planning Appeal Tribunal guidelines are followed during development. One of the major concerns is well water sustainability. It is also important to maintain our roads and bridges, many of which are below ministry standards.  

Residents should also have access to an affordable lifestyle. I am interested in keeping water rates low. I believe that future water and sewage connection to new or existing infrastructure should be optional. I also intend to work toward bringing high speed internet to our municipality.  

I am always interested in talking to and meeting with residents. They may call me at or email at