Essex Free Press - July 9, 2020 by Essex Free Press

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Vol. 140

A LOOK INSIDE Tecumseh joined the nation in celebrating Canada Day PAGE 2 _______________ Essex Council meeting notes - July 6, 2020 PAGE 3 _______________ Essex Council continues to expand plan for local business support PAGE 6 _______________ Town of Kingsville celebrates Canada Day virtually PAGE 11 _______________ Kingsville, Leamington enter phase-two of COVID-19 reopening PAGE 19 _______________

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Thursday, July 9, 2020

Issue No. 27

Harrow celebrates Canada’s birthday with church service, donation collection

by Sylene Argent With there being many reasons to celebrate being Canadian, the Harrow Ministerial Association sponsored a special worship service at the Harrow Soccer Complex parking lot last Wednesday morning, which marked the nation’s 153rd birthday. Reverend Darrow Woods, of Harrow United Church, and Reverend Elise Chambers, an Anglican Priest, joined together to offer the Canada Day Community Drive-In Worship Service to the community. The idea of hosting the special service, Woods said, was to “bring people together for something positive. So much has been on the news that has been frightening and depressing.” When thinking about the region, Woods added, “This is a really good place to live. We need to be grateful for that.” He wanted to take the opportunity to remind people of the nation’s first inhabitants, and the underground railroad that led slaves from the US to this region to find freedom. Reverend Darrow Woods, of Harrow United Church, and Reverend Elise Chambers, an Anglican In order to host the event, Woods said he Priest, jointly hosted the Canada Day Worship Service in Harrow last Wednesday. connected with the Community Services Department with the Town of Essex and the around half-of-a-truckload of non-perishable planned for August, “Depending on how the OPP to ensure all regulations were followed food items and cleaning supply donations Harrow Food Bank is doing,” he said. “We to allow for a safe event. In order to keep were collected. He was impressed with don’t want to ask [the community] for too worshipers safe, as the COVID-19 pandemic the amount of donations forwarded as the much.” continues, each of the participants remained in community recently gave to the region-wide To date, even though the Province has their cars, one space apart. Miracle event the week prior. okayed churches opening back up for services Volunteers with the Harrow Ministerial “We thought of this service before the with various restrictions, Harrow United has Association helped park cars and carried out Miracle event was announced. People were not resumed masses in-person as of yet. other duties to ensure the event ran smoothly. really good about it. The Harrow Food Bank “We are still trying to figure out the best The sunny day allowed those who pulled is full, which is wonderful,” Woods said of not way to do it, so it feels like church, but keeps up to participate, the opportunity to roll their wanting to ask too much of the community. people safe,” Woods said. “The last thing we windows down to listen in. Harrow United has hosted a few food want is getting people sick.” During the event, donations were collected collections from its church parking lot since In the meantime, Harrow United Church for the Harrow Food Bank, which is organized the pandemic has started. Another may be services can be viewed at harrowunited.org. through the St. Vincent de Paul. Woods said

2 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

Tecumseh joined the nation in celebrating Canada Day

by Sylene Argent Last week, the Town of Tecumseh joined Canadians across the country to celebrate the nation’s 153rd birthday in a unique way. With COVID-19 protocols still in place, Tecumseh, and many other Canadian municipalities, offered activities, challenges, downloads, and virtual celebrations with Heritage Canada leading up to and on Canada Day. As part of the celebrations, Tecumseh residents were encouraged to not only enjoy the online festivities, but to decorate their homes and sing the national anthem from their front porches on Canada Day eve. As part of the local festivities offered, the

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Tecumseh Recreation Services hosted a youth drawing contest. Thirteen-year-old Lucas Bissonnette won the Tecumseh Canada Day drawing contest with his unique rendition of a Canadian Flag. In order to highlight some of the may things that make this nation unique, he drew things that are iconic to Canada in the red sections of the flag, such as a moose, a goose, an RCMP officer, maple syrup, loonies and toonies, and the hockey symbol. In the maple leaf, he drew provincial flags. Bissonnette was surprised his submission earned first-prize in the competition. The Tecumseh resident said he enjoys drawing occasionally, and may spent some more time pursing this creative outlet. For his first-place submission, Bissonnette earned a $25 Tecumseh

Photo submitted by Nicole Bissonnette. Thirteen-yearold Lucas Bissonnette won the Town of Tecumseh’s Canada Day drawing contest with his unique rendition of the nation’s flag. He is pictured at Lakewood Park, where his drawing, in addition to the other contest submissions, were on display until July 6.

Recreation gift certificate. The young artist said he will likely spend his winnings on enjoying public skating time this fall. Bissonnette’s drawing,

in addition to all the other submissions, were displayed along the walking path at Lakewood Park between June 30 and July 6.

DIY backyard summer activities (NC) Summers in the Great White North are short but sweet. Make the most of this time as we emerge from isolation and find ways to enjoy the outdoors safely. Turn your backyard into a haven of fun with plenty of easy DIY summertime favourite activities to enjoy. • Camping: Whether you set up a tent or build your own using blankets and patio furniture, camping in your own backyard can be your next great escape. Play a board game and tell scary stories. If you prefer “glamping,” bring a laptop or device to enjoy a movie under the stars. • Gardening: The accomplishment you’ll feel when you see something sprout is instantly gratifying. Get the whole family involved by setting up stations: one to pick the perfect spot, one to dig the hole, one to sprinkle the seeds and one to splash with water. • Sports: Host an Olympic-style tournament with whatever games you want – break out the dusty badminton racquets, blow up a beach ball or set up a table for

some water (or an alternate beverage) pong. Make a tournament bracket to keep score. • Arts and crafts: Channel your inner Picasso. Fill water guns with paint and take your shot on a canvas for abstract art. Tie-dye a t-shirt. Draw a chalk mural. Set garbage bags on the ground to limit your mess. A few best practices to keep in mind: • Tick and mosquito-repellent clothing: Don’t let the bugs get in the way of your activities. The first of its kind in Canada, Mark’s WindRiver tick- and mosquito-repellent clothing does just that, providing invisible and odourless protection against summer pests. • Sun protection: Wear sunscreen and apply it regularly. Seek shade when available. • Drink lots of water: Stay hydrated. The more water you drink, the more energy you’ll have to enjoy your time outside. • Have fun: Embrace our new normal of physical distancing and make the most of the space you do have.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

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Essex Free Press

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- Monday, July 6, 2020 by Sylene Argent Policy set to establish speed limits Essex Council adopted the Transportation Association of Canada’s “Guidelines for Establishing Posted Speed Limits” as the standard for establishing speed limits on Town of Essex roadways, and further adopted Infrastructure Services Policy. “Establishing Speed Limits on Town of Essex Roads.” Council had previously requested Kevin Girard, Director of Infrastructure, create a policy on this file. The Report to Council notes the Town of Essex has the second largest road network in the region, with close to 300km of roads. “The mere reduction of posted speed limits, without changing the characteristics of the roadway to encourage reduced speeds, has been shown to have a minimal impact on vehicle operating speeds,” Girard wrote in the report. “In addition, the posting of additional signage and/or adjusting the posted speed limit of a roadway are generally not considered

to be traffic calming measures.” The alternative to enhance road safety is through the posting of credible speed limits that match the expectation of drivers for a given roadway and its surrounding area. This policy will create a process for Administration to objectively review speed limit change requests from the public, council, and other stakeholders. It will also provide Administration and the public with an objective and reliable tool for evaluating speed limits on Town roads, provide a standard format and process for resolving in a consistent manner, complaints regarding speed limits; and reduce the workload and duplication efforts for Town staff in responding to speed limit concerns. With this policy, a petition would be required to request a change in the speed of the road. Girard said if a resident wanted to initiate the Town assessing the speed of a road, they would determine the section of road and present it to the

Director of Infrastructure. From there, the resident would circle a petition to neighbours that would be affected, and the petition would require a majority of support, of 65percent or greater, in order to initiate the survey of the road. “The policy is intended so that it will provide us with a standard process that’s consistent throughout the entire municipality,” Girard said, adding he would like to see every single request go through this policy. Girard added that the policy would ensure efforts of the Town are not duplicated. “We get a lot of complaints relating to speed, and having to review these consistently and throughout the year, poses a staff resourcing issue.” The intention is to ensure, once the petition process is complete, and deemed unsuccessful, the road’s speed would not be reviewed again for five years. A review could be requested again after the five-year term, he noted. This policy, Girard added, will help provide an object way to look at

roads, rather than making decisions based on resident complaints. Councillor Sherry Bondy would like to see speed limits, and school safety zones, on schools looked at.

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Vulnerable Children, Children at Play sign policy to be drafted Kevin Girard, Director of Infrastructure, will draft a policy for Council’s approval in regards to vulnerable children and children at play signage. The policy will be drafted with the criteria stated in the report, represented Monday which includes the person requesting the sign would need to provide a physician statement of the disability of child, the application would need to be renewed every five years, and they would need to keep the Town updated on their child’s disability. They would also have to sign a liability waiver to ensure the Town is not responsible for the safety of the child and the signs do not necessarily protect their child from vehicular

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4 I Opinion Essex Free Press

Editorial &Opinion

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

Howling at the Moon ••• Comment by Sylene Argent ••• The places we can do better

Serving Essex and the surrounding communities since 1896.

Published Thursdays as an independent weekly newspaper, owned and operated by The Essex Voice Limited. A London Publishing Corporation Publication LIMITED OFFICE HOURS: Limited staff working from the office. Email or Call with submission inquiries. OUR STAFF Sandy Kennedy / Andrew Beaudoin - Office Jessica Azar - Graphic Design / Social Media / Production Lana Warwick - Graphic Design Greg Belchuk - Advertising Sales Manager Sylene Argent - Editor/News Reporter Shelley Beaudoin - Graphic Design / Production

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The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought to light many changes that need to be made locally and at the nation-wide level. I have spoken about the need to change the way our seniors are cared for in long-term homes already in this column, and am pleased this is to be investigated. I just hope actual, progressive change will follow that will not only benefit our elders who rely on these homes to care for their daily needs, but for the frontline workers who are working their butts off to do the best they can to provide for the residents’ needs with the limited time they have. We can also see there is an issue with temporary foreign workers housing. That is evident by the numbers of COVID-19 positive cases we are seeing in this industry. Though many have tried to speak out about this issue in the past, the Coronavirus has certainly made the issue more top-of-mind. What I don’t understand is why the Heath Unit is naming businesses with one case, but

not the greenhouses where there are multiple cases. This really only leave us all but guess at the reasoning. I feel especially sorry for the small businesses in Leamington and Kingsville who have had to remain closed because of the outbreak in the greenhouse industry, which is keeping these municipalities stuck in phase one of the re-opening strategy until this week. It certainly does not seem fair to these small businesses who have to wait longer. I also feel bad for the migrant workers, and local farm workers, who have to go into work with fear daily, hoping they do not get sick. It is also incredibly sad to think of those in the community, and their families, who have passed because of the virus. Dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for decision-makers, because this is certainly something that has not been dealt with before. It also seems advice from governing health official bodies has been inconsistent

for local agencies to follow with the right protocols at the right time. And, at the beginning, there were issues with getting the correct PPE into healthcare facilities and testing units. When testing, we certainly have not been consistent. At first, at the local level, we were only testing those who had left the county and had symptoms. A few weeks ago, there were random testing blitzes in each municipality. It makes it hard to determine how strong the virus is in the community, when our test base is constantly changing. I am torn when it comes to the right approach on how to deal with the virus. I do not agree with everything suggested because the advice has swayed so much since even before this became a pandemic. But, I certainly want to do my best to keep it from spreading.

LETTER POLICY The Essex Free Press welcomes letters to the editor on topics of interest to our readers. Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten and present the issues as clearly as possible in 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, and legal considerations. All letters must contain the name, address, and daytime phone number of the writer for verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. If you have a legitimate concern and cannot sign your name to a letter, please contact the editor to discuss alternative means of handling the issue.

Letter to the Editor

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Dear Editor; County Road 50 in Essex has a long history in our community. Located south of the 42nd Parallel, this quiet country road runs along Lake Erie. Historically, it was primarily used as a farming road, connecting local farms like Woodbridge, Lonspeary, Marontate, and Langlois, many of whom were awarded these lands from King George III when they took up arms against the Americans in the War of 1812. Over the years, County Road 50 grew from purely agricultural to a beautiful blend of agriculture and residential. Generations of families have been born and raised here, and, with it, fond memories of children and teens taking their bikes down County Road 50 on a hot summer afternoon to meet up with their friends at the beach. And while children have grown into parents and grandparents, and additions have been added onto homes, what has remained consistent is the quiet tranquility of our rural county road. Unfortunately, this rural charm and our residential way of life is being threatened with the installation of a winery’s Full Spectrum LED Digital Electronic Media pole sign, that did not meet Town of Essex Sign Bylaw requirements. Installed without a permit, the residents of County Road 50 are now forced to fight the Town of

Essex against the proposed amendment to the Sign Bylaw (which is less than five-years old) to accommodate this new, illegal sign. Residential concerns about this sign are numerous: light pollution, distracted driving, disruption of quality of life, and reduced property values, just to name a few. For those of us new to the area, and those who have remained for generations, we have all chosen to live in the country for a myriad of reasons. If we wanted to live across from flashing billboard-like signs, we would all live in the city in commercial districts, like Dougall, Howard, and Walker Avenues. The Town of Essex distributed a survey for the residents along County Road 50, asking our opinion. Unfortunately, we had less than two weeks to complete the survey and return it to Town Hall. As such, many residents in Essex County have not had an opportunity to complete the survey. I encourage everyone to write CouncilMembers@ essex.ca and say “no” to electric media on County Road 50 and “no” to pole signs on County Road 50.

Sincerely, Anne Marie Grant Resident of County Road 50

Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

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Essex Free Press

Essex Council notes - Monday July 6 2020... traffic. Administration had recommended Council authorize and direct the Infrastructure Services Department to no longer install signage indicating vulnerable children or children at play in the Town of Essex. It was also suggested that Council authorizes the removal of the existing signs when the existing signs fall into disrepair or when the child it serves reaches the age of majority or moves from the area. Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche was one of the Council members who was not in favour of administration’s recommendation. He believes there is a value in having these signs up, especially for the parents. “I think it just heightens the awareness of the motor vehicle drivers,” he said. He suggested, instead, administration prepare a report to track these signs moving forward. He was willing to go through the town to discover where such signs are located and see if they still need to be in place. A few fellow Councillors during the meeting noted they would help with this. If signs are not the solution, Council needs to think of a new way to approach this, Councillor Sherry Bondy said. She had feedback from individuals that when

they see these signs, they do slow down. She agrees the program needs to be tracked, and thought perhaps the model needs updating. Director of Infrastructure, Kevin Girard, said the report was drafted using a lot of evidence and studies, but was not necessary his opinion. Ultimately, administration will move in whatever direction Council decides. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen was in favour of scrapping these signs. He said there has been one near his house for twenty years or more. “If those signs worked, the transport trucks wouldn’t be doing a 110 kilometers per hour down the Arner Townline as they do every hour of every day.” He added it is not common sense to use the signs, and they are a waste of public money. Girard said the Town will have to come up with a proper way to track the signs. Community Policing survey shows mixed results Council received the Community Policing Survey Results. The Report notes that in January, Council directed administration to conduct an online survey to gauge citizens’ perceptions of the quality

of policing. The OPP provides policing in Essex by contract. The survey was issued in May, with residents able to respond online until mid-June. The survey focused on three categories related to perceptions of local policing: general satisfaction, interactions with police, and community safety. The survey was available online only, due to COVID-19. It collected responses from respondents, in the form of rating through numerical values and through garnering comments. There were 308 survey submissions. Of the respondents, 177 were from Ward 1, 37 from Ward 2, 44 from Ward 3, and 50 from Ward 4. In regards to comments submitted as part of the survey, Alex Denonville, Manager of Strategic Communications, said

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he identified common themes, and they were noted to be negative, positive, or neutral. There were mixed results, Denonville said. In regards to “overall satisfaction,” there were slightly more respondents indicating they were satisfied/very satisfied than dissatisfied/very dissatisfied. 52 percent indicated dissatisfaction in terms of police visibility. In Regards to “information sharing,” there were slightly more individuals indicating dissatisfaction, however, a large portion choose the neutral position, the Report to Council notes. In terms of “working with the community,” there was a slight favour to satisfaction. If someone had interactions with police in the last year, they were able to answer

Continued from Page 3

questions related to police interactions. A majority of the respondents, he said, identified as being satisfied or very satisfied on all three sub questions. Most of the comments on this section, he said, were related to the quality of the service provided. There were 19 negative and 13 positive comments. Many comments, he added, expanded on crime and safety. All 20

comments were negative. Voluntary, online only survey, Denonville said, can’t necessarily be reliable to be understood as an accurate reflection of the community. Before discussion on the matter took place, Councillor Kim Verbeek wanted to table Council receiving the report until members could receive Continued on Page 10

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6 I News Essex Free Press

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

Essex Council continues to expand plan for local business support by Sylene Argent During the special Council meeting held on Monday, June 29, Essex Council voted in favour of a few different measures to help local businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. Nelson Silveira, Economic Development Officer, said the report he prepared on this matter was to provide Council with an overview of the proposals submitted by the Essex Centre BIA and the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce on business support through the pandemic. In the report, it notes the Essex Centre BIA requested financial assistance with the purchase of safety supplies for local businesses; financial support for the Summer BIA dollar program; support for businesses looking to expand patios or create outdoor seating on municipal property; and support with relaying information to the BIA regarding new regulations, funding, or best practices as it relates to operating a business during the COVID-19 emergency. The report also highlighted that the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce requested financial support for the proposed Harrow Night Market

on King Street and McAffee Street; Town assistance in closing streets and putting up barricades for the purpose of supporting store fronts to move out onto the sidewalk, with $4,000 in financial contribution from Town of Essex. It also requested financial support for the proposed Social Circle, a community gathering place designed to allow residents to enjoy a variety of foods provided via a food tuck, at picnic tables under a canopy of covered trees and tents. For this, it would need Town assistance in providing picnic tables and a $4,000 financial contribution. Silveira said administration reviewed the aforementioned proposals from both organizations. There were two requests for funding for events from the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce, Silveira said. With the events the Chamber submitted, he said there could be problems with following provincial guidelines as it relates to the pandemic. The specifics of those events included not just closing streets, but involved live music and food trucks, and that didn’t align with provincial guidelines regarding social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. These events will likely be available for funding in the future, perhaps in Phase 3 of the provincial reopening program, he said. In regards to the Essex Centre BIA’s request that Town provide up-to-date information on measures on business operations as it relates to the pandemic, Silveira said the Town regularly sends out information. The Town has heard this request,

and has since developed a webpage with resources for businesses, and increased communication. Councillor Kim Verbeek was grateful he contacted the BIA and the Chamber, but many businesses have told her the Town has not contacted them directly. Silveira said it is difficult to contact every single business. The Town relies on the BIA and Chamber, and social media, to push out messaging. Councillor Sherry Bondy added she hoped the position of the Economic Development Officer would be that boots-on-the-ground person. She said she had help form a summer student, who identified there were 150 businesses in the Harrow and Colchester area. They haven’t had anyone else from the Town call, besides her. Right now, there is a lot going on, she said. Some businesses are doing well, others are not running at capacity. “Have we reached out to them?” She added the Chamber does not represent all businesses as it is voluntary to join. She said it is a good start, but there is still a lot of work to do. She urged Council members to pick up the phone and identify which businesses are falling through the cracks. Council approves $100,000 for Business Relaunch Fund Council voted to offer the COVID-19 Business Relaunch Fund. This $100,000 program will offer around 200 businesses within the municipality of Essex with a one-time grant of $500. It will be offered on a first come, first serve basis. There are criteria to meet in order to submit a successful application. The Report to Council notes approved businesses could use these funds to assist with the costs of implementing measures to decrease the risk of virus transmission by installing physical barriers, front counter protective shields, or by implementing permanent workplace modifications needed to comply with Windsor Essex County Health Unit safety requirements. The Report to Council noted there are

around 335 active businesses assessed under the commercial class within the Municipality of Essex, so this could help around 60 percent of businesses. The grant launched on July 6, and applications will be accepted until August 31. Councillor Joe Garon asked where the funds for this grant would come from. Jeff Morrison, Director of Corporate Services, said the funds would come out of the bottom line, when the Town reconciles the COVID-19 amount. Councillor Kim Verbeek said Council needs to step up and help businesses come back from the COVID-19 blow and thrive. Council members are fooling themselves if they think the Town was going to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic with every business surviving. She loved the $100,000 grant idea. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen said he is all for helping businesses, but he does not think the grant will help. He said he has spoken to business owners, and he heard they are looking for reduced government burden. “But, by playing Santa Claus and handing money out, that money is paid for by somebody else. It is not our money, that comes from other taxpayers. So, we are going to be increasing government burden on other taxpayers to hand out these little gifts, when I am not so sure it is going to help. We should be reducing costs, not adding to them.” Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche believes the $100,000 was a good idea as he thought it was not too rich for the Town to do. Mayor Larry Snively said $100,000 equates to a one-percent tax increase. He asked if Council wanted to really put the burden on the taxpayer to fund this program? He said COVID-19 is not going to go away too soon. Councillor Steve Bjorkman said commercial businesses put a lot of money into the community, “And, they make us a lot of what we are. We need to support these downtowns,” he said.

Continued on Page 7

Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

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Essex Free Press

Essex Council continues to expand plan for local business support... Continued from Page 6

Additional safety funding for the Essex Tourism Events Fund Council also approved adding $1000 for successful events applied to the Essex Tourism Events Fund for events that will be required to follow health and safety protocols, once provincial restrictions are lifted. Businesses can apply to use parking spaces to extend sale area In addition, Council voted to accept using parking spaces in downtown cores as a temporary business space, but not applied, unless there has been a business request. This would be so long as administration has reviewed and is satisfied with the request; and that the request was made with a coordinated effort with the Essex Centre BIA or the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce. Director of Infrastructure, Kevin Girard, will also look at feasibility and safety in extending business spaces into sidewalk or parking spaces. He had concerns with putting people on the road, whether they are roped or lined off or not. He wanted time to develop a model, so when the Town is approached by a business that wants to expand a patio to the limits of the sidewalk, the Town can provide barriers or potential alternatives, including possible fees. In July, Silveira said, the Province noted it would allow restaurants and bars to extend outdoor patio spaces temporarily. The Town, he added, has taken a proactive approach on this. Even prior to the BIA request, the Town had an online application for business expansion plans and the approval process has been mainstreamed. Councillor Joe Garon said he was all for shutting down the streets to aid businesses. He wants to focus efforts on helping all businesses, not just the ones on main streets. He thinks the recommendations in Silveira’s report made for a great start. The Town needs to help businesses expand into an outdoor space, Councillor Kim Verbeek noted. Retailers need to be helped as some do not have enough space to adhere to social distancing requirements. Councillor Steve Bjorkman was never a fan of taking street parking away, but the town does have three good-sized parking lots circling the downtown. He said Council needs to do what it can to help businesses, and it does not cost the Town anything to give businesses the ability to expand stores out onto sidewalks. Vander Doelen thought closing streets could hurt a lot of businesses. “We seem to be all over the place here, trying to help people, but with contradictory plans, and with no real handle on the money,” he said, speaking of what he called a big hole in the budget for next year as costs related from COVID add up. Garon wondered how many businesses were interested in the model of extending their space onto sidewalks. During the regular Council meeting on

July 6, Director of Community Services/ Deputy CAO, Doug Sweet, said the Town has received a total of ten temporary patio applications to date; nine are restaurants and one is a retail establishment. Six of the applications were from Essex Centre businesses, one from Harrow, two from Colchester, and one was from the McGregor area. Six of the applications are on public property. Nine have already been approved. A site meeting is still needed for the tenth application. “We are all in favour of helping the businesses, there is no doubt about it.” Snively said, though he fears there will be some loss of business, but he hopes he is wrong about that. Letter will be sent to ask for municipal relief Councillor Sherry Bondy asked if there has been discussion on places that host wedding and other functions, and implementing a COVID vacancy rate as they are unable to hold those events as of right now. She wondered if Council had an appetite to lobby the government for municipal relief because municipalities need extra support. Towns, she said, still have to maintain these facilities that are town-owned. Council voted to send a letter to MP Taras Natyshak, indicating Essex is seeking municipal relief and financial support due to COVID-19, to support municipal operations. Past business support measures At the June 15 Council meeting, Council approved $15,000 for Town of Essex Digital Growth Grant in 2020. The Essex Centre BIA committed an additional $5000 to this effort. The Town of Essex Digital Growth Grant is intended to provide up to 20 businesses with up to $1,000 for a onetime, non-repayable fund to better focus on digital activities and strategies for a stronger online presence. The Town has also hosted a 12-days of giveaways campaign to promote shopping locally and launched an open for business map. Councillor Kim Verbeek hopes the Digital Grant, previously approved by Council, is getting some uptake. Council to consider newspaper ad grant At the regular Council meeting held virtually on July 6, Councillor Kim Verbeek put forward a Notice of Motion, to be considered by Council at the Monday, July 20 meeting. She will ask Council to support local businesses through a grant, funded through the Council Contingency Fund, to cover up to half the cost of print ads in newspapers during the current declared COVID-19 emergency. She said she has had great feedback on this idea so far. During the meeting, Councillor Sherry Bondy said she likes the Digital Grant Fund, but also liked Verbeek’s idea about providing funding to help businesses get an ad in newspapers as well.

As more businesses and services reopen, and with social gatherings increased to 10 people, we all must continue our efforts to protect each other.

Practice physical distancing, stay two metres apart.

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8 I Activity Page Essex Free Press

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

Exercise The Mind! Puzzles and activities for readers of all ages!

Just Joking! *********

Why doesn’t the Sun go to college? Because it has a million degrees. *********

What did the bee do when it was hot? Took off his yellow jacket. *********

What is the coolest letter on a hot summer day? Iced T.

BRIGHT BURN CUMULATIVE DAMAGE DANGEROUS DERMATOLOGIST

EXPOSURE EYES MELANIN MELANOMA OUTDOORS PEAK

RADIATION RASH RAYS SAFETY SHADY SKIN

SPECTRUM SUN SUNGLASSES SUNSCREEN

ULTRAVIOLET VISION

sudoku

See Activity Solutions on Page 15

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name,

Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

News I 9

Essex Free Press

Splashpads to open, Colchester Beach to remain closed for time being by Sylene Argent During the virtual special Council meeting held on Monday, June 29, and the Regular Council meeting held on Monday, July 6, Council discussed options regarding the Colchester Beach and the three local splashpads as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. Council ultimately gave a nod of approval to open the municipality’s three splashpads as soon as possible. This includes the splashpad adjacent to Colchester Beach, to be open with staff supervision required for additional safety measures. This additional measure was put in place as the Colchester Beach is to remain closed at this time. Director of Community Services/Deputy CAO, Doug Sweet, said with final approval from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) expected this week, he suspects all three splashpads will be operational by this Friday. Colchester’s facility will likely be opened last as staffing would have to be arranged. If the Town was to have all three splashpads staffed at the regular rate, seven days a week for the next ten weeks, at eight hours a day, it would cost just under $32,000. This amount was not allocated in the 2020 budget, Sweet noted. Council decided to pursue staffing just at the Colchester Splashpad.

Council also voted to keep Colchester Beach closed at this time. Sweet, through the discussion had on Monday evening, will continue to prepare to open the beach at what will later be determined as an appropriate time, with security in place. Sweet said he has been in talks with a third-party organization regarding providing security at Colchester Beach to enforce parking and smoking bylaws, as directed by Council to investigate previously. The earliest date this organization could have security at the local beach would be July 17. Sweet will continue to work with the organization to determine a date, with agreements in place, and report back to Council. The plan would be to hire the security for Fridays though Sundays, in addition to holidays, from 12-7pm, until the end of the Labour Day weekend. He estimated the cost would be around $13,000 for parking and beach security. Part of the reason to delay the reopening Colchester Beach was because some Councillors had concerns with attracting too many to the beach, which would make it difficult for patrons to socially distance themselves. With many other beaches now closed in the area for the same reason, Council wanted to avoid an influx of users in the hot weather. Council voted to

temporarily close Colchester Beach during a special meeting hosted on June 22, until better guidelines, such as until bathrooms are open and there is proper signage, can be developed to protect the community from the spread of COVID-19 and address other issues. The decision was made after grad parties took place there, and a busy weekend of patronage, which required the municipality to hire additional OPP personnel to police. Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche was not in a hurry to have the beach or splashpads opened. If surrounding beaches are not opened at the same time, he believes the Town would experience the same issues before Council voted to temporarily close the beach. He wondered if there was a way to coordinate the opening of amenities with neighbouring municipalities, however, CAO Chris Nepszy said this would be difficult to coordinate. Mayor Larry Snively said he was opposed to opening. He said he felt bad residents were locked-down at home, in extreme heat, but he did not want to take a chance with COVID-19 still prevalent in the community. “If we opened it tomorrow, our beach would be full,” he said. “No way do I support opening the beach until the virus is under control.” Councillor Chris Vander Doelen, on the other hand, was in favour of opening the beach. As far as opening splashpads, he had no doubt mothers would no everything in their power to protect their kids. “People should have access to this relief,” he said. Councillor Sherry Bondy said residents need reprieve from the heat, but she wanted to get the message out there that if social distancing regulations are not followed, the splashpads would be closed.

At the June 29 meeting, Sweet noted the Chatham Health Unit would not allow splashpads to open. Other municipalities in the area are handling the situation differently. Some are providing fencing, some are providing staffing, and some are not, he noted. “It is a mixed bag,” Sweet said. Sweet also recommended Council approve designating the parking lot adjacent to The Wreck restaurant for boat trailers, from 6am to 1pm, at which point beach visitors could use the lot as well. Council approved this recommendation. OCWA to conduct beach water quality testing for Essex At the special Council meeting hosted on June 29, CAO Chris Nepszy said the Town had reached out to its contractors who maintain its water and sewage facilities, the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), to see if its staff could be available to test the water at Colchester Beach for the summer. He also contacted the Windsor Essex County Health Unit to learn how its staff use to conduct testing, and the frequency of the testing. He learned OCWA

can conduct water quality testing. Samples pulled would be tested at a local lab. To test twice a week, it would cost $300 a week. This would go on for the duration of the summer, which Nepszy thinks would cost the municipality around $2500-$3000. If Council approved this option, the Town can provide the water quality testing service at Colchester Beach for its residents, he said. Councillor Kim Verbeek said it is important that this service is continued to be provided. Recently, the Windsor Essex County Health Unit said it would not be testing area beach water, as it usually does, due to workload issues due to COVID-19. Council voted to retain OCWA to provide water quality testing at Colchester Beach twice per week. Property tax/water/ waste water penalty and interest period extended to September 30 At the June 29 special meeting, Essex Council voted in favour of Director of Corporate Services, Jeff Morrison’s, recommendation to further extend the property tax

and water and waste water penalty and interest period until September 30. Morrison said the County Treasurers Group met on June 22 and 29 to discuss options moving forward. The consensus of the group was to approve extending the property tax and water and waste water penalty and interest waiver period until the end of September, as COVID-19 will not be a sprint in getting out. Extending the period for these municipal services is costing the Town around $30,000 per month, he noted. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen said it is perhaps time the Town puts together a running tally in regards to costs related to COVID-19. Morrison said he plans on running those updated numbers and presenting them to Council in the near future. He has run the analytics for April. There are areas where the Town has saved money, and areas where the costs have been higher because of COVID-19. Mayor Larry Snively said many Councillors are eager to see the figures.

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10 I Community / News Essex Free Press

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

Harrow’s Elvis tribute artist celebrated 50th birthday with online performance by Sylene Argent Photo submitted by Lisa Gibb. Elvis Presley tribute artist James Gibb celebrated his 50th birthday by hosting an online performance with The Silvertones band on Saturday evening. “We did this for my birthday, simply because there wasn’t anything else we could do because of

Voice Of Inspiration “When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”

the current COVID situation,” Gibb said, adding his wife, Lisa, suggested he ask the Silvertones to join in. “So I did, and they all agreed to do it. It was the first time any of us have performed in about five months.” The concert on Saturday evening was held virtually from his own Facebook page, where it is still viewable. He organized the gig as something fun to do in celebration of his birthday milestone. The Harrow resident enjoys keeping the King of Rock ‘n Roll’s music alive, and has been able to perform some of Elvis’s tunes to international audiences from his home office in Harrow during the COVID-19 pandemic through various opportunities. Gibb has been an Elvis tribute artist for 14-years, and a fan since he was just 13-years-old.

~ Paulo Coelho

Essex Council notes - Monday July 6 2020... the actual surveys, not just the summary of the surveys. This motion did not pass. Denonville said when issuing the survey, it was noted the results would be anonymous, so identifying info would need to be removed before presenting that info to Council. Verbeek was pleased with the survey and the way the report was laid out. Her issue was that the survey was designed to be able to present any

problem areas to the OPP. When there are 19 negative comments on past interactions with the OPP, unless Council members can read those comments, they can’t know if the negative interaction was because someone got a speeding ticket or if they were dissatisfied with police who responded to a call. Councillor Joe Garon reminded everyone of Maclean’s magazine that noted Essex was the sixth safest place

in Canada in 2019, in regards to comments on the community not being safe in the survey. He would like to see more police visibility in the community and more enforcement on things, like speeding. Overall, he thinks the OPP is doing a good job. Councillor Sherry Bondy wanted the Police Services Board Chairperson, Councillor Verbeek, involved with any decision and any meetings. She thought

this Board should be brought in sooner to see the comments. The Board should have called a meeting to see the results, as well. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen said he takes the survey results with a large grain of salt. The tip off for that, he said, is when people thought crime increased or increased a lot. “I mean, that is just so obviously, laughably wrong that you have to wonder about the rest of their responses.” His own personal interactions with the OPP over the past few years have been excellent, but does agree visibility is an issue. He questions the Councillors so anxious to get their hands on the survey comments. “You got to know the governance rules don’t allow the chairperson of one body a sneak peak at a report prepared by another body,” he said. He wondered if they were

Continued from Page 5

looking to find comments that support their preconceived notions. Verbeek said there is no agenda in wanting to see the comments. It will help Council understand what respondents said. Mayor Larry Snively said it is puzzling that the OPP will not comment on the number of officers on duty at a time. He said the Town pays a lot of money for policing. He doesn’t know why that information can be released to the Town. Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche said he understood why the officers on duty info is

not released to the public, but thought it should be shared with the CAO and the Police Services Board to have a better understanding of what the Town has in terms of policing. Verbeek agreed Council needs to unite to push for these answers. Council had a desire to bring the reps of the OPP before Council to discuss the survey. Council Notes for July 6 will be continued in the July 16 edition of the Essex Free Press.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Essex Free Press

Community I 11

Town of Kingsville celebrates Canada Day virtually by Garrett Fodor As COVID-19 and social distancing measures are still in place, the Town of Kingsville found a new way to celebrate the nation’s birthday last Wednesday, while still bringing people together. Kingsville was still one of the two municipalities left in phase one of the COVID-19 pandemic reopening plan, as of last week, but that did not dampen their spirits or celebrations for Canada’s 153rd birthday. While residents were not able to gather in typical fashion to watch performances, sing O Canada, and enjoy cupcakes and fireworks, residents did their best to keep the tradition going by switching to hosting the festivities virtually. In order to make the shift to digital, the Town of Kingsville received the Canada Day grant, allowing for the festivities to go virtual, for no added cost. “While we knew it would not resemble any of our traditional family and local fun activities at the recreation centre, we still wanted to bring about the feel of community participation and attempt to have the public contribute their own messages and images of Canadian pride,” Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos said. “While we couldn’t set this up from one central location as per usual, we reached out to our community and found 19 very willing partners to help us distribute cupcakes from their businesses. It proved to be very well received and enhanced our focus on supporting local during the pandemic,” he added. Leading up to Canada Day last Wednesday, residents were treated to digital performances by entertainers Mighty Mike, Bex in Motion, and the Fire Guy, which began on June 29 on the Kingsville Parks and Rec’s social media pages. Residents enjoyed a virtual fireworks display from the comfort and safety of their own home. Santos was impressed with how supportive the residents and businesses were of the celebration. Santos said he is glad the town and residents were able to celebrate Canada’s birthday safely, while continuing with their traditions, even in these unique times. He is optimistic going forward. “I would like to acknowledge the collaborative effort and community spirit shown here in Kingsville,” Santos said. “From our residents and businesses, to the regional support offered to include our town in promotions, this helped us celebrate in this unique year. Many hands truly came together to applaud our nation, all the while remaining socially distant.”

Because residents could not gather at the Kingsville arena to enjoy celebratory cupcakes, they were distributed to 19 Kingsville businesses, which volunteered to hand them out to customers who came in from June 29 to July 1.

Bex in motion twirls two fire circles during the Town of Kingsville’s virtual Canada Day celebrations.

Members of Music Moves Kids, led by Director Erin Armstrong, sing “O Canada” as apart of the Town of Kingsville’s virtual Canada Day celebrations on July 1.

12 I Classifieds Essex Free Press

Classifieds

PLACING A CLASSIFIED AD: Classified ads can be submitted in person, by phone or fax or email from Mon. to Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. All classified and personal ads require payment, prior to print. We accept Visa | MasterCard | Debit | Cash | Cheque. CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS TUESDAY BY 10:00 AM

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FARMING _____________________ WANTED Farm Land to Rent Cash or Share Crop Call Jeﬀ Siefker (cell) 519-796-1240 or (home) 519-776-9501.

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SERVICES _____________________ MARTY’S SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS  Tune-ups, repairs, & service on snowblowers, riding lawn mowers, chainsaws, & more! 519-733-0986, (c) 4-tfn 519-965-5918. _____________________ HOUSE CLEANING  Reliable and trustworthy Europen (Polish) cleaning lady with years of experience. Call: (226)350-7598. References available upon request. 27-1t*

KENNETH YARDWORKS  Spring Clean Up. Sod, mulch, eavestrough cleaning and repairs, power washing. Trees & bushes trimmed or removed. Loads to the dump. Fully licensed & insured. Free estimates. Call Kenneth: 519-982-0362. 11-tfn

_____________________ HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES AVAILABLE – Mature & Experienced lady. Call for more information: 519-776-1109. 27-1t*

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FOR RENT

_____________________ GARAGE FOR RENT - 245 Talbot St. South, Essex, Ontario. Available August 25-7t 1, 2020. Call: 519-326-3594.

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HELP WANTED

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Phone 519.776.4268

FOR RENT

_____________________ FOR RENT - Briarwood Apts, 26 Alice St N, Essex. 2 bdrm $1,100 + hydro. To view call 519-253-4431. Available September 1, 2020. 26-3t _____________________

STORAGE

_____________________ STORAGE FOR LEASE - in Essex. Approx. 1 acre outdoor, fenced-in storage. Call: 519-776-4875 for details. 02-1t _____________________

HELP WANTED

_____________________ HELP WANTED: Aphria Inc. is looking for Greenhouse Production Associates to join their team. Duties include daily crop maintenance, harvesting, crop rotation, inventory counts, and cleaning of greenhouse. No public transportation available. Located in Leamington, ON. Compensation starts at $14.00/hour. Full time hours Monday through Friday. Please apply at careers@aphria.com or mail resume to P.O. Box 20009 269 Erie St. S. Leamington, ON N8H 3C4. 9-t _____________________

HELP WANTED

OUR COMMUNITIES. OUR HOME.

The Town of Lakeshore has career opportuni es for the following posi ons: Equipment Operator Parks and Sports Field Maintenance Operator Temporary Water Treatment Operator in Training For further informa on please visit our website at www.careers.lakeshore.ca The Town of Lakeshore is an equal opportunity employer. Accommoda ons under the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabili es Act (AODA) will be provided upon request.

_____________________ HIRING! LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE and LANDSCAPE LABOURERS, $18/hour, Experience necessary. Fax your resume to (519) 723-2336. 1-tf _____________________ HELP WANTED: Greenhouse and Packing line Labour. General greenhouse labour, duties include pruning, picking, planting and cleaning of greenhouse. Packing line labour, duties include inspecting, weighing and packing produce on assembly line. Lifting, bending and standing is required. Must be able to work all shifts. Rural area. No public transportation available. No speciﬁc education required. Experience is an asset. Rate of pay- $14.20. To apply please email: katie@policellafarms.com Or Mail to Domric International, PO Box 218, Ruthven ON N0P 2G0. 24/tfn

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_____________________ Buying or selling a farm? Do you know the right questions and answers? Farm Experienced Realtor Carl Idzinski, Keller Williams Lifestyles Realty - Brokerage. 519-817-8891. 22-tt _____________________

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_____________________ CASH PAID for antiques, costume jewellery, furniture, gold, sterling, coins, tools, complete estates. We take it all! Free appraisals. Call 519-727-8894. 1-tfn _____________________ WANTED - Buying for Cash GOLD + STERLING JEWELRY, ALL COINS - Mint sets + Loose Coins, Windup Watches, Military Items. KEEP AD 10% extra with this ad! Dan Jones B.A.B.Ed.52 yrs Exp. House calls available. 519-818-1805. 19-11

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WANTED _____________________ CASH PAID for scrap cars and trucks. Free removal. Please phone: 519-776-1361 or 519-791-5046. 46-t _____________________ WANTED TO BUY: 14’ Boat & Trailer. Ask for Jim: 519-736-6616. _____________________ WANTED: Used pair of hearing aids at a reasonable price. Need some, quick. Call: 519-733-3837fo rmo rei nformation.

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

16 Centre St., Essex contact@essexfreepress.com

519.776.4268

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AUCTION SALE

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Jack Morris

Auc ons Inc.

Farm Machinery Auc on Sale Online Only for Robinson Farms, c/o Doug Robinson. Equipment located at 2517 Talbot Trail, approx. 11 km east of Wheatley between Campbell Rd. & Coatsworth Rd. Auc on begins to close Friday, August 7 at 6:00 pm Well cared for, stored inside equipment includes Case IH 7210 Magnum FWA, Case IH 120 Maxxum FWA, Case IH MX110 Maxxum & Ford 5610 tractors; Case IH axial ﬂow 2166 combine; Case IH 1020 grain head; Great Plains no ll drill; White 6600-15 row and White 6600 -6 row planters; Sunﬂower 1234-18 wheel disc; Salford 450 – 21 cult; other good llage; gravity wagons; MS R1915 – 500 gal sprayer; black 2012 Ford F150 Lariat supercrew pickup; Cub Cadet 50” cut zero turn RZT lawnmower; etc. Preview from Jul 27 to Aug 1 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm We will be assisted by Jacob Auc ons. Bidding opens Fri. July 31. Catalogue and bidding will be at jacobauc ons.hibid.com Proprietor: Doug Robinson, 519-324-6876 Auc oneer: Jack Morris, 519-687-2530 Details & photos at www.jackmorrisauc ons.com

Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

Essex Free Press

Ad Feature I 13

14 I Personals Essex Free Press

FromThe Heart

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BIRTHDAY ANNOUNCEMENT

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To place a personal notice, email your photo and content to contact@essexfreepress.com or drop by our oﬃce at 16 Centre St., Essex. Personal notices must be received by Monday at 12:00 noon to appear in the Thursday edition. _______________________________________________

IN LOVING MEMORY

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In Loving Memory of a Dear Father & Grandfather

Ernie Allen June 18, 1923 – July 7, 2004 We never need a special day, To bring you to our minds. For days without a thought of you, Are very hard to ﬁnd. ~ Always in our hearts ~ Love Your Family _________________________________________________________

OBITUARIES

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IN LOVING MEMORY

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In Loving Memory of a Very Dear Husband, Dad, and Papa

Ron Ray ont February 21, 1944 – July 9, 2015

Time slips by and life goes on, But from our hearts, you’re never gone. We think about you always, we talk about you too, We have so many memories, but we wish we still had you.

Forever in our hearts and always on our minds. ~ All our love, Sharon, Rod and Rosalyn, Jodi and Edwin, and families _______________________________________________

In loving memory of

Shirley Amelia Brown (Stuart) February 5, 1933 - July 9, 2013 It is sad to walk the road alone, instead of side-by-side, but to all there comes a moment when the way of life divides. You gave me years of happiness, then came sorrow and tears, but you left me beautiful memories, I treasure through the years. Alone but not quite alone, I face an empty chair, but sometimes in silence, I imagine you are there. My companion for so many years, no longer here with me, and yet in some mysterious way, you keep me in your company. I’d like to think when life is done, wherever Heaven may be, you’ll be standing at the door, up there to welcome me.

Love you forever & ever and always, Dear Heart... ~ Norm xoxo ~

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

NAMESPETRA, Margaret M. - passed peacefully at Erie Shores Healthcare, on Saturday, July 4, 2020, just 3 days short of her 99th birthday. Beloved wife of the late John F. Namespetra (1997). Adored mother of JoAnne Namespetra (Pat Delmore), Irene Namespetra, late Steven Namespetra (2015) and William Namespetra (Liz). Proud Grandma and Great-Grandma of Kim Sullivan (Mike) and their children, Liam, Iain, Gwyneth, Virginia and Rebecca, Megan Barefoot (Jeff ) and their children, Elliotte and Emmersenne, Melanie Namespetra and children, Lucie, Toby and Hugh and Nicholas Namespetra (Marie) and their son, Hayden. Dearest sister of Helen Demko (late Mike), Julia Palencar (late Steve), late Steve Bena (late Mary), late John Bena (Elena), late Joe Bena, late Mary Pribula (late John) and late Frances Newman (late Frank Bellis). Dear sister-inlaw of late Andrew and Anna Namespetra, late Mary and John Belis, late George and Anna Namespetra and late Frank and Helen Namespetra. She will also be remembered by her many nieces and nephews. Margaret was a 70 year member of the C.W.L. and a lifelong member of Holy Name of Jesus Parish, since 1937. She always welcomed any company with open arms and loved baking and serving others. She especially loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren and any time spent with them. Visiting will take place at the Reid Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 87 Maidstone Ave. E., Essex (519-776-4233) on Thursday 2-6 p.m. Mass of the Resurrection at Holy Name of Jesus Parish, 146 Talbot Street South, on Friday, July 10, 2020 at 11:00 am. Interment Heavenly Rest Cemetery. Due to COVID restrictions, visitation and mass are limited to a specific number of visitors. ONLY THOSE WITH AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE ALLOWED IN. PLEASE BOOK AN APPOINTMENT AT www.reidfuneralhome.ca TO SECURE A DESIGNATED TIME TO PAY YOUR RESPECTS. All visitors must remain in their cars in our parking lot until their designated time and one of our staff members comes to invite you into our facility. Everyone must wear a mask at visitation and at Mass. Friends may share memories and make donations at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

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OBITUARIES

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DROUILLARD, Leo Joseph “Sparky” - Leo passed away peacefully at the Royal Oak LTC on July 3, 2020 at the age of 94. Reunited with his wife, Helen, who passed on February 7, 2020. Dear father of Richard (Deborah), Jerome (Rebecca), Robert (Debbie) and Ken (Marion). Cherished Pip of Cherie, Darryl, Kerri-Lynn, Cory, Courtney, Jeﬀrey, Stephanie, Ashley and James. Great-grandpa of Sierra, Colsen, Steele, Addisyn, Nolan, Ellery, Jerome, Layla, Scarlet, Thomas and Bentyn. Brother of the late Frank, late Paul, Lucille Bondy (late Romeo), late Julia, Rose Landry, late Rev. Robert Drouillard, Anna, late Mike and Claire. Brother-in-law of the late Earl (Cecile), late Gordon (Mary-Ann) and the late James. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Leo was the longest standing member of both the Knights of Columbus # 2844 and St. Clements Parish in McGregor. He was a lifetime dairy and cash crop farmer in Colchester North Township and served as a former School Board Trustee. Leo was also a beloved baseball coach and his nickname “Sparky” was very appropriate. Special thanks to Royal Oak LTC -Mulberry neighbourhood (Dr. Kelton, PSWs, nurses, kitchen staﬀ and housekeeping) for the excellent care of our dad. Visitation was held at the Kennedy Funeral Home Ltd. (519-776-7378) 128 Talbot St. N, Essex. The funeral mass was celebrated at the St. Clements Parish (Walker Road in McGregor). Interment followed at St. Clements Cemetery. Donations may be made to the St. Clements Building Fund or to the MS Society. You may send your condolences online at www.kennedyfh.com.

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SEGUIN, Helen Elizabeth - passed away peacefully at Hospice, surrounded by family on Friday, July 2, 2020 at 91 years of age. She is now reunited with her husband, Eugene, and her late son, David. Loving mother of Phillip (Marie), Christine Brown (Wayne Stinson), Denise Seguin and Roxanne Walent (Jeﬀ ). Proud Grandma of 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Dearest sister of David Otto Montgomery and predeceased by her siblings, Earl and Laverne. Helen was a devoted member of the C.W.L. and Alhambra, and a lifelong member of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Woodslee. Music was her favourite passion and she always loved her games of Bingo. Visiting took place at the Reid Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 87 Maidstone Ave. E., Essex (519-776-4233) on Tuesday, July 7. Mass of the Resurrection at St. John the Evangelist Parish, 1690 County Road 46, Woodslee on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. Interment St. John’s Cemetery. Due to COVID restrictions, visitation and mass were limited to a speciﬁc number of visitors. Memorial donations may be made by cheque to Hospice of Windsor Essex County. Friends may share memories and make donations at www. reidfuneralhome.ca

What’s Going On... JULY 15 - KINGSVILLE BLOOD DONOR CLINIC - Lakeside Park Pavilion - 315 Queen St., Kingsville.1-7pm - Make appointment at: www.blood.ca. AUG. 11 - ESSEX BLOOD DONOR CLINIC - Essex Masonic Lodge - 30 Laird Ave., Essex.1-7pm - Make appointment at: www.blood.ca. HIATUS HOUSE: oﬀers counselling services in Essex County. Women’s Fresh Start group therapy is once a week. For info or to schedule an intake appointment, call the 24-hour Hiatus House helpline at 519-252-7781. SUN COUNTY LYME AWARENESS SUPPORT GROUP oﬀers monthly support for Lyme disease patients, family, & friends. Look us up on Facebook for updates.

Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

Community Hub I 15

Essex Free Press

If you have moved or gotten rid of your landline, or if you have an e-mail, please let the parish oﬃce know in order to keep an up to date parishioner list. Please stay healthy and stay safe!

best for our congregation. The Essex Area Food Bank is available to anyone who needs assistance at this time in the gym, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Hours open 8:30 - 11:45am.

Bethel-Maidstone United

Brooker News

The church and building are currently closed for services, meetings and rentals until further notice. We encourage you to listen to Rev. Paul’s weekly podcast. It can be found at: radiopublic.com/white-collar-a-diﬀerent-type-85AnBN We anticipate having news in the coming weeks on how we plan to resume services. Stay tuned! Messages and emails are checked on Thursdays. Our contact info is : bmuc@xplornet.ca or (519) 723-2284. You can ﬁnd us on the web at: www.bethelmaidstone.com.

submitted by Ruth Newman

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Trinity Church

sponsorship by:

Fresh food. Friendly neighbours 191 Talbot St. S., Essex

519-776-4255 Salvation Army Essex Church submitted by Carolyn Barnett

Our Food Bank will operate by appointment only. Please call Vicki at: 519-776-4628 to make arrangements. Please keep in your prayers, all who are aﬀected, in anyway by COVID-19.

Essex Christian Reformed Church submitted by Beverley Van Huizen

If you would like to live-stream a worship service, see: www.chathamgrace.com The service will begin at 10:00am. During these uncertain times let us keep calm and focus our eyes looking to our Risen Lord! We encourage all to keep in contact with each other through telephone calls or texting, while the church is closed. Visit Essex CRC online to listen to a past sermon or two. www.essexcrc.ca.

Woodslee United Church submitted by Sue Holman

Regular Church Service as been cancelled. If you miss a mass service, please go to our website: Woodsleepatoralcharge.ca. Click on ‘Sermon’ and hear Rev. Carl’s spiritual message. Please stay safe and know that God loves you.

Holy Name of Jesus Parish Church submitted by Wendy Cunningham

Our Churc at regular Mass times, but only at 30% capacity. It is a ﬁrst come ﬁrst serve basis so come early. Enter only at the back entrance of the Church. Ushers will be there to seat you in the church. There are reserved spots for handicapped. Daily Masses are at 8:30 a.m. from Tuesday to Friday followed by Adoration until 10 a.m. Please enter from the Fairview Ave. doors only. Face masks are strongly recommended. Please see full details on the guidelines to attend from our website at www.hnj.dol.ca We welcome Fr. Seejo John as our new Administrator! He will remain as Administrator at St. Clement’s Church as well.

As we continue to navigate through this diﬃcult time, know that we are still hard at work to provide you with the spiritual resources that you need. Visit our website (www. stpaulstrinity.org), social media or contact us by phone at: 519-776-7711. Stay safe and we hope to see you soon.

Maidstone Cross submitted by Wendy Cunningham

Congratulations to all the 2020 Graduates and may God bless you in your future plans. Our Family of Parishes has been delayed due to the pandemic. The activation date has yet to be determined by the Diocese of London. Thank you to all of our front line workers who are keeping us safe. Please keep in your prayers all of the people who are sick, shut-in, and in Hospice care. Please stay healthy and safe!

Church services at Brooker will resume this Sunday, July 12 at 10am. Weather permitting, we will gather at the home of Ruth Newman at 10am for a service in her backyard, under the trees. Please bring a lawn chair and respect social distancing and a mask for close contact. If weather is stormy, we will meet at the church. Rob Cornies will bring the message. Continue to remember those in prayer who are not well and those in nursing homes.

We hope all our church family is well. Let’s keep each other in our prayers, while we are apart. It was nice to see the turn out to help in the Miracle Food Drive a couple of weeks ago. Rev. Chris is doing a great job as she continues to give us our Sunday service and keeps us in tune with lovely music. Stop by the outdoor library and pick up a book to enjoy. Keep in touch with each other and stay healthy and safe until we can be together again. A message from “The Little White Church” in the Cemetery in Cottam.

Activity Page Solutions....

Continued from Page 8

Exercise The Mind: SOLUTIONS

Harrow United Church submitted by Larry Anderson

Please visit our website for updated messages on when services will begin. Our Minister, Rev. Darrow Woods, along with our HUC faith community, sincerely welcome you to join us! www.harrowunited.org.

Essex United Church Essex United is looking toward a September reopening. There are many guidelines and protocols to put in place and we want to do it right for you and what is

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I Thursday, July 9, 2020

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Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

News / Business Directory I 17

Essex Free Press

Province amends Smoke-Free Ontario Act protecting youth from vaping • Specialty vape stores will no longer be permitted to have indoor displays and promotions that are visible from outside their stores. Many vapour products currently available deliver higher concentrations of nicotine per puff than older types of e-cigarettes and even tobacco cigarettes. Since nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can have adverse effects on the developing brain, it is important to regulate these products to ensure they are not available to young people. The wide availability of youthappealing flavours is also contributing to an increase in youth vaping that has been seen across North America. These new regulations will limit the settings in which these high nicotine/flavoured products can be sold, to those which restrict access to people under the age of 19. This amendment adds to the protections put in place at the beginning of the year. Restrictions came into place, which prohibited the promotion of e-cigarette/vapour products inside and directly in front of convenience stores.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s (WECHU) Tobacco and Vaping Enforcement Officers (TVEOs) are designated to enforce these regulations. Since the SFOA, 2017 came into effect in October of 2018, WECHU TVEOs have laid 47 charges related to vapour products/e-cigarettes. This included 15 charges related to selling a vapour products to a person who is less than 19-years-old. Eric Nadalin, Manager of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at the Health Unit supports the province’s introduction of further regulatory measures under the SFOA, 2017. “It is important that measures continue to be taken to reduce the appeal, access, exposure, and de-normalize vapour products to protect youth.” Nadalin said. “We continue to work with our community partners to educate youth about the harms of vaping and provide resources for parents to talk to their children.” Individuals with questions related to the SmokeFree Ontario Act, 2017 can contact the WECHU at 519-258-2146 ext. 3100, or visit their website at www. wechu.org.

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submitted by WECHU The Province of Ontario has amended the Smokefree Ontario Act, 2017 to further address the prevalence of youth vaping. These amendments strengthen the restrictions on youth access to flavoured and high nicotine vapour products to protect youth under 19 years of age, from the harms associated with vaping. These new regulations align regulatory measures for vapour products closer to that of current regulations for tobacco products. The new amendments which came into effect July 1, 2020 include: • Restricting the sale of flavoured vapour products to specialty vape stores and licensed cannabis retail stores. Other retail stores can only sell tobacco, menthol, and mint flavoured vapour products; • Restricting the sale of vapour products with high nicotine concentrations (greater than 20 mg/ml) to specialty vape stores;

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18 I Opinion / Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

ASSIST supports Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association

VW Westphalia bus 40 years later On a recent visit to Dimilo Auto Body on Oak Street West in Leamington, Mark Dimilo showed me a VW Westphalia bus in its final stage of restoration. “Bill, you could get a good story out of this one.” He was right, and here is the story straight from the owner, Robbie Roberts: “Hi Bill. I bought my 1979 Ready for camping! VW Westphalia bus brand new in early 1980 at Richmond Motors in Chatham. It’s a ’79. Over its life, it has gone to the Yukon several times, and the east coast several times as well. Its major trip was through Eastern and Western Europe for a year with my wife and three young daughters in it. We had a year away from work. “Subsequently, we left it parked in England for three years and used it when we went over on summer holidays. We shipped it home around 1994 or ’95. “I’m working on my third engine and really have no idea how many miles are on the body. Lots, I’d say. The engine is a 1.6 litre air cooled originally with hydraulic lifters but those were changed at one engine swap. The motor is fuel injected and originally gave about 24 mpg. It is of course a manual transmission with a 4-speed gear box. “I remember crossing the US border at Sarnia on a trip to Yukon to paddle the Yukon River and the clutch cable snapped. We had to push it over the bridge and since I had a spare, we replaced the cable between the end of the bridge and the US Customs Office in Port Huron. If it happened today, I’m sure they would push the bus into the drink. “Over the years we bounced all over the UK and in spite of the fact that one could put 40 UK land masses in Canada, we never saw it all! My wife Carol died in 2000 and my daughter and I return periodically to feed what I believe are the same ducks! “On one of our years off, we rented a small cottage in France near Montelimar. We bussed down, put our daughter in school, and rough camped the area in the bus on days off. Great fun!” I’m always looking for stories. Email billtsherk@sympatico.ca.

READ US ONLINE & IN PRINT contact@essexfreepress.com issuu.com/essexfreepress

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519.776.4268 www.essexfreepress.com

Representatives of ASSIST presented a cheque to the Windsor-Essex County Therapeutic Riding Association last Saturday.

submitted to EFP On Saturday, July 4, ASSIST presented a donation, of $5,000, to the Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association (WETRA). The donation will help finance the cost the variety of WETRA run, equine assisted programs, to help people with Orthopedic, neurological, medical and psychological problems. Nearly 200 persons with special needs receive therapy at WETRA each week. About 80 percent of those who are enrolled in the program are children who have developmental, emotional or physical disabilities.

ASSIST is a federally registered charity that promotes the benefits of physical activity. The organization’s goals is “Putting Kids in Sports,” as been helping financially vulnerable families register their children in local minor sports associations for more than a decade. ASSIST has raised more than $100,000 and have placed hundreds of children n basketball, hockey, baseball, football and other sports associations. The ASSIST organization is thrilled to be able to help such an excellent organization as WETRA and is grateful for the donations made to them over the years to help fulfill its “Putting Kids in Sports,” mission.

Thursday, July 9, 2020 I

Community I 19

Essex Free Press

Leave Those Kids Alone featured in Tune Up the Parks

Local band, “Leave Those Kids Alone,” consisting of Addisyn Bonadonna, 9-year-old drummer, Alex Bonadonna, 12-year-old lead guitarist and vocalist, John Dorman, 14-yearold keyboardist and vocalist, and Timothy Hole, 16-year-old lead vocalist and guitarist, performed virtually for the ACT Committee’s Tune Up the Parks summer concert series on Monday, June 29.

Kingsville, Leamington enter phase-two of COVID-19 reopening by Sylene Argent On Monday, the Provincial Government announced the municipalities of Kingsville and Leamington would be allowed to enter phasetwo of the COVID-19 reopening plan as of the following day. “Better late than never, we’ll put it that way,” MP Chris Lewis said in

reaction to hearing the news. “At least we can get our small businesses opened up and at least start to develop some type of the economy back and get things moving.” Lewis said he knows the temporary closure of small businesses during the pandemic has been incredibly difficult for many. Hopefully, the Provincial and Federal

governments, he said, can supply more resources to help them get on their feet a lot quicker. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Lewis said, did say at the onslaught of the pandemic, that no individual or business would be left behind. “Well, for the last twoand-a-half weeks, I know two municipalities that Continued on Page 20

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by Sylene Argent Windsor-Essex County’s very own “Leave Those Kids Alone” band was featured as the performing talent during the Tune Up the Parks summer concert session on the evening of Monday, June 29. Because of COVID-19, Tune up the Parks is currently taking place virtually, and can be viewed via the Town of Essex’s social media. The band includes four youth musicians - nine-year-old Addisyn Bonadonna on drums, her 12-year-old brother Alex Bonadonna on lead guitar and vocals, 14-year-old John Dorman on keyboards and vocals, and 16-year-old Timothy Hole on lead vocals and guitar, who enjoy using their talent to wow a crowd, with the accompaniment of bass player, and Dad of two of the bandmates, John-Paul. According to the band’s online, social media, these young, talented musicians are products of the Canadian Conservatory of Music, and well-known local musician, Pete Palazzolo. This band enjoys playing classic rock

covers, music created well before these young musicians were born. During last Monday’s session, the group performed an array of tunes, including Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run,” U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and REO Speedwagon’s “Roll with the Changes.” This is not the first time this band has turned heads within the municipality of Essex. Last year, these talented musicians played at the Essex Fun Fest and at the Harrow Fair. Virtual tips for the band can be forwarded to jpbonadonna@hotmail.com. Last Wednesday’s Tune up the Parks concert was an encore of Karen Morand’s performance, which was featured in June. This gospel/folk singer-songwriter can be followed via her website at: www. karenmorand.com. Last Monday’s performance was an encore presentation of Doug Biekx. Links and information about the full lineup of scheduled performance can be found at the Town of Essex website: www. essex.ca.

20 I News / Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, July 9, 2020

Kingsville, Leamington enter phase-two of COVID-19 reopening... Continued from Page 19

were both left behind.” He attended a rally in Kingsville last week, and had full intention on speaking about their needs, while in the House of Commons this week. With the phase two news, he said his personal focus will be on those businesses in Kingsville and Leamington. Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos said that rally was to bring to light the impact Leamington and Kingsville faced being left behind while everyone else was able to move forward. The announcement

of being able to move into phase two, Santos said, is welcome. Being left in phase one meant businesses couldn’t open doors, while still having to pay bills without cashflow. Being left behind in phase one the additional time, he added, was a real threat as businesses down the road were able to open. “It’s a breath of fresh air, and certainly support that was needed for our businesses to be able to open,” Santos said. “Without them, there is a significant risk [in the] long-term for local jobs.” He said they will

continue to work at getting to the next phase. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Santos is aware of six Kingsville businesses that have closed, from varying sectors. He has heard those in Kingsville are ready to support their local businesses. Around a month ago, Kingsville started discussions with its BIA and downtown businesses on opening up the streets for businesses. Now that it is welcome to enter phase two, Santos said hopefully that pilot could be started this Friday.

The plan is, for different periods of time on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, to close Main Street and Part of Division Street. With this, restaurants will be able to extend patios into the street, and retail establishments will be able to open up floor space onto the sidewalk and street as well. Santos said it is still all hands-on deck in terms of responding to the concerns with the positive tests continuing to come out of the greenhouse sector. “We have all the players in place to help respond to testing and the needs that come out of the testing.” Plans are being made, he added, across Leamington and Windsor

Kingsville Mayor, Nelson Santos

with hotels to get spaces for those needing to selfisolate, but need the space to do so. Santos said he said he sees a lot of opportunities

coming ahead for businesses in Kingsville. This could include relief packages from the municipality.

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submitted to EFP With COVID-19, many people Community Living Essex County (CLEC) supports cannot fully participate in usual

day support activities, like attending exercise classes, cooking classes, and making crafts. To offset the costs, CLEC is raising funds to purchase supplies and technology and develop virtual day support, with a “Put your money where your mask is” campaign. Only 250 (reusable) cloth masks will be available, for a minimum donation requirement, with a goal of raising at least $6,250. “We have created a unique idea to not only help us raise money to develop virtual day supports, but to encourage people to be safe and wear a mask, it’s a win-win for the people we support and our communities, ”Karen Bolger, Executive Director of Community Living Essex County, said. To learn more about the fundraising campaign visit communitylivingessex.org