Essex Free Press - March 19th, 2020 by Essex Free Press

www.essexfreepress.com

Proudly serving the community of Essex and surrounding areas.

Vol. 140

A LOOK INSIDE Public health updates related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) PAGE 2 _______________ Essex Council Notes March 16th, 2020 PAGE 3 _______________ Kingsville’s first Annual Seedy Saturday event PAGE 8 _______________ CTMHV hangs former CAW sign PAGE 11 _______________ Ravens, Mills recognized 2019 WESPY awards PAGE 20 _______________

Looking For A Good Home

“PHEBEE” See Page 5 for adoption info.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Issue No. 11

EDHS’s Rotary Interact Club celebrates upgrades to Maforeka school - postpones Flea Market due to Coronavirus threat by Sylene Aregent At their weekly meeting last Thursday, members of Essex District High School (EDHS) Rotary Interact Club decided to postpone the annual Giant Flea Market after taking note that on March 11, the World Health Organization declared the novel Coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. John Garinger, a retired teacher who supervises this club that is focused on philanthropical efforts at the local and global scales, told the students the Ministry of Health was recommending no mass meetings be held as a precaution. “It’s the prudent thing,” Garinger said of postponing the Giant Flea Market. “I have mixed emotions. Garinger said the students involved with the EDHS Rotary Interact Club have done amazing things to raise funds for local causes and to support the local high school’s sister learning facility in Maforeka, West Africa. It is hoped they can postpone the Giant Flea Market until November, and then host it with a Christmas theme. Garinger noted 23 out of the 25 vendors were

Members of the Essex District High School Rotary Interact Club show oﬀ photos of upgrades recently implemented at the sister school in Maforeka.

very supportive in postponing the event. Depending on how the virus threat goes, the Rotary Interact Club may look to host some kind of fundraiser in May. “It is kind of sad that we can’t do more this year,” Rotary Interact Club member, Lauren Moon, said, especially since she, and a few other members, will be graduating this spring. They were hoping to wrap up the schoolyear having raised a lot of money for the Maforeka sister school. Depending on how things go, they may have to cancel other fundraisers, such as a car wash

and in-school events, that would have raised additional funds. The students are also disappointed that by postponing the Giant Flea Market, and with the possibility of having to cancel other smaller fundraisers, that they will not be able to send as much financial support to the school in Maforeka as they had planned this schoolyear. Because of the fundraising efforts these students put in last year, Garinger said the sister school in Maforeka recently received a façade upgrade, including an exterior paint job. In addition, the cement work

along the bottom of the facility has been redone and the well was also recently replaced. Last year, all of the desks and chairs were replaced. Since is was built in 2010, the facility has grown from being a school, which now has 350 students, into a community centre that is equipped with a library. The current principal at the school was formerly a student of the Maforeka school, who went on the study at university. “I think that’s fantastic,” Garinger said.

2 I News

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

Essex Free Press

Public health updates related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) - as of March 17th submitted by Windsor-Essex County Health Unit The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit continues to work with the Ministry of Health, local health care providers, and municipal partners to monitor and coordinate the response to COVID-19 as the situation evolves in the province and the community. Protecting the health and wellbeing of the residents of Windsor and Essex County remains our top priority. To date, we have 0 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex. Overall, 93 individuals have been tested for COVID-19; and 37 tests are pending. There are 441 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada and 177 cases in Ontario. An initial COVID-19 Self Assessment Tool has been posted to the Ontario Government site. Individuals who suspect they have COVID-19 can consult this tool to determine whether and how to seek further care. What is happening locally? Many of levels of government, agencies and professional organizations released strong advice, recommendations, and orders in the last 24 hours as we continue to prepare and respond to COVID-19. While these recommendations and decisions are difficult, they are all made to mitigate risks and slow the spread of the virus. Time is critical in the fight to contain the spread of COVID-19. The focus must move to essential services and anything nonessential reconsidered to maintain and enable social distancing in communities and the declaration by the province as a

state of emergency moves us forward in a consistent approach to risk mitigation. Social distancing includes maintaining a 2-meter distance between yourself and others and restricting close contact to immediate family and caregivers. To adhere to this advice, many dental offices are cancelling non-emergency services, hospitals are ramping down elective procedures and sports organizations and municipalities have cancelled events and closed their doors, all to do their part to protect the public and limit the spread of disease. The recommendations and guidance of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario and Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex were strengthened this morning with an order from the Provincial Government. Current Provincial Guidance The province is providing guidance and recommendations on a regular basis to public health. As of March 17th, 2020, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams has recommended: • All non-essential travel outside of Canada be suspended. • Anyone traveling outside of Canada should self-isolate for 14 days upon return. If symptoms develop during self-isolation, including fever and/or cough call public health at 519-258-2146 ext. 1420. • Healthcare workers and/or other essential workers are asked to self-monitor for any symptoms • School Closures for two weeks following March Break. Closure of all recreational programs and

libraries. • Closure of all private schools • Closure of all churches and other faith settings • All bars and restaurants, with the exception of restaurants that can shift to takeout/delivery mechanisms. • Long Term Care, Retirement Facilities, Hospice, and residential care facilities only permit essential visitors and actively screen visitors for symptoms and travel history, excluding entry if failed screening. • Immediately suspending all large events or public gatherings of 50 people or more. • University, Colleges and workplaces consider virtual options. Current recommendations from Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health • Practice social distancing (2m distance from others) • Bars, restaurants, nightclubs and Royal Canadian Legions should close, at minimum for St. Patrick’s Day, cancelling large scale events • All area businesses should exclude workers for 14 days following travel outside of Canada and move to work from home where feasible • Essential workers should report travel outside of Canada to their employer and self-monitor if asymptomatic, including daily temperature reading. • Seniors and high risk individuals should avoid any non-essential trips and stay home as much as possible • Anyone travelling outside of Canada

with children should self-isolate for 14 days upon return • Commuters that cross to Detroit for work purposes should consider work from home options with their employer where possible and regularly self-monitor for any symptoms including taking their temperature. • Physicians should screen clients over the phone and refer as appropriate. • Create an emergency preparedness plan to ensure you have what you need in case of self-isolation. • Wash hands with soap & water thoroughly and often. • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue. Dispose of tissue immediately and wash your hands. • Keep surfaces clean and disinfected. Stay home when you are sick; call your health care provider for advice and take the online self assessment tool for COVID-19 “Right now we have a window of opportunity to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19. We have to put public safety and community good over the bottom line. Every agency, workplace, leader and individual has a role to play in protecting the health and wellbeing of our community” says Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health. The WECHU encourages the public to follow credible sources for information about COVID-19. The WECHU monitors and updates our website daily. For up to date facts visit www.wechu.org/ coronavirus.

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Thursday, March 19, 2020

by Sylene Argent Council on Coronavirus As a measure to socially distance themselves, members of Essex Council and senior administration spread out in the Council Chambers while the meeting was hosted on Monday evening. Mayor Larry Snively hoped the Town would stay on top of the situation. Chris Nepszy, CAO, said staff continues to monitor the situation and considers what is in the best interest of the community and staff when making decisions. He urged everyone to practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings, and limit travel. Staff members, he said, are still delivering the services residents need, and are available, including over the phone. Some services are also available online at essex.ca. The Town continues to provide updates on its website. Previously, the Town of Essex closed recreation facilities and cancelled all upcoming programs and rental bookings, effective at midnight on Sunday, March 15. The closures and cancellations are tentatively scheduled to be in effect until Monday, April 6. ERCA’s 2019 Annual Report and 2020 Executive Budget Summary Richard Wyma, General Manager/ Executive Director for the Essex Region Conservation

News I 3

Essex Free Press

- Monday, March 16, 2020 Authority (ERCA) approached Essex Council to present the Essex Region Conservation Authority’s 2019 Annual Report and the 2020 Executive Budget Summary. Wyma said ERCA is facing new and unprecedented challenges, including climate change, flood watches, and shifting agricultural patterns as a result of a wet spring, and algal blooms in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair. The 2019 report, he said, highlights some of the successes in response to some of the challenges faced last year. It also noted that last year, ERCA collected over 2500 water samples and planted nearly 60,000 trees, which was lower than desired due to weather. Wyma said ERCA plans to plant 80,000 trees this year. He said in 2020, ERCA will target high priority restoration sights to continue to reach the goal of 12 percent natural coverage in the area. It will also extend the water quality monitoring program. Wyma explained ERCA’s 2020 Budget totals $10,576,317, which includes a total levy contribution of $3,386,667. This is an increase of $148,000, or $0.49 per person. The actual cost per household (for an average $250,000 home) has decreased by $0.12 to $19.57. As ERCA continues to work towards building the

Heritage Centre at the John R. Park Homestead, Wyma said $900,000 has been committed from various community groups and individuals of the $1.2M needed. Council received the presentation. Essex welcomes new Drainage Superintendent Kevin Girard, Director of Infrastructure for the Town of Essex, welcomed Lindsay Dean as the new Drainage Superintendent. Dean, Girard said, is the last missing piece to the Infrastructure Department. She has over ten-years of municipal experience in drainage, has a Bachelors of Science, her Honours in Biological Sciences, and a Bachelor of Education. She has also served as the Chapter 1 and Board Executive Secretary for the Drainage Superintendent Association of Ontario for a number of years. The Drainage Superintendent inspects every drainage works for which the municipality is responsible and reports periodically to Council on the condition of those drainage works. This individual also initiates and supervises the maintenance and repair of the drainage works, assists in the construction or improvement of the drainage works, and reports to Council on these activities. Later in the meeting, Council passed a bylaw to appoint Dean as the Drainage Superintendent

for The Corporation of the Town of Essex. Notices of Motions deferred All five Notices of Motion, that were brought up at past meetings for discussion on Monday evening, were deferred to the April 6 meeting of Council. Rob Auger, Clerk, said the movers requested their Notices of Motion be deferred. They include: • Councillor Sherry Bondy’s want for a discussion on the tendering of cold roll recycled material and pulverized tar and chip material. • Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche’s want for a discussion on the town’s policy on special needs street signs and warning signs of deer or turtle crossings. • Councillor Kim Verbeek’s want for a discussion on the consideration to install Surveillance Cameras at CoAn Park as soon as possible. • Councillor Sherry Bondy wants a discussion on an open mic night for the spring and fall. • Councillor Bjorkman would like a discussion on ways the Town could donate $100,000.00 to the John R. Park Homestead Education Centre in return for a designated Tourist Information Centre named for the Town of Essex. Continued on Page 6

4 I Opinion Essex Free Press

Editorial &Opinion

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

Howling at the Moon ••• Comment by Sylene Argent ••• WWII Navigator McCloskey’s story continues to be recognized

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 OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 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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OPINION & COMMENT The opinions expressed on these pages are those of their original authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Essex Free Press, its Editor or Publisher.

One of the neatest stories I have had the pleasure of writing was the article I wrote around last Remembrance Day about Maidstone resident, Mark McGuire, finding the grave of WWII Navigator, Edward J. McCloskey, who was also of Maidstone. McCloskey went Missing in Action during WWII, and McGuire, having grown up in Maidstone, knew of that story. In early September of 1989, McGuire was a professional hockey coach, and his career brought him to Orléans, France. While there, he befriended a man who would eventually bring his family to the Commonwealth Cemetery. There, the crewmembers of an RCAF bomber, that he witnessed as a child crash near his mother’s farm in 1944, were among the Canadians buried there. McCloskey’s grave ended up being in that cemetery. Because of that find, McGuire was able to bring closure to the Navigator’s family. The odds of finding McCloskey’s grave was so small. I don’t think McGuire, or anyone, would have

found the grave had they set out to try and find it. It was like knowing a certain needle was missing, but, by coincidence, finding the right haystack, then locating that proverbial needle within. I love writing about, and coming across WWII stories. We owe so much to those who put their lives and limbs on the line so that we can all enjoy the freedoms we have today. After the story was published in this paper, I contacted Brian Weaver, an Essex Native who now is involved with the Legion’s Dominion Command, who connected me with an individual who was able to produce the names of McCloskey’s fellow squadron members. I hope the other families know, or will know, where their loved one is buried if they do not already. What was an extremely neat, and unexpected, bonus to this story was that MP Chris Lewis recently mentioned the article and McGuire’s account of finding McCloskey’s grave in the House of Commons. I have written in this column before

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.

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Commentary - OFA

that it wasn’t until I became a reporter, did I really begin to understand the importance of Remembrance Day and recognizing the sacrifices veterans and fallen soldiers made, and continue to make, to protect our freedoms. I knew it was important before, but my understanding really deepened. When I first started reporting 11-years ago, there was a small group of WWII veterans who were able to get to the cenotaph on Remembrance Day. But, sadly, each passing year, this group became smaller and smaller. Over the years I have had the priviledge to connect with many of those veterans and write some interesting stories about their accounts. And then, I had a mission to ignite a sense of understanding in others. So, I am so pleased this story continues to press on, and I hope it reminds us all why it is so important to continue to recognize our veterans and fallen soldiers and the sacrifices they made.

OFA welcomes updates to Ontario’s Drainage Act by Louis Roesch, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Ontario’s Drainage Act is one of the oldest and most unique pieces of legislation in the province. For more than 160 years, farmers have relied on the Drainage Act to regulate the construction, maintenance and repair of municipal drains. An essential part of rural Ontario’s infrastructure landscape, more than 45,000 kilometres of municipal drains run through the province, servicing approximately 1.75 million hectares of cropland. Proper drainage is critical to support agricultural productivity and food production. Drainage also enables agricultural sector growth by delivering environmental and economic benefits like improved crop yields, reducing nutrient loss and soil erosion, providing natural habitats and flood protection. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is proposing changes to the Drainage Act. Suggested changes include maintaining the legislation’s stringent environmental standards while reducing burdens, streamlining approvals and addressing stakeholder concerns. To learn more about OMAFRA’s proposed changes, visit https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-1187. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) recently responded to OMAFRA’s consultation and discussion paper on changes to the Drainage Act. OFA welcomes initiatives that streamline Drainage Act processes and improve drain performances. In our written submission, OFA answered consultation questions and expanded on areas of concern within the Drainage Act. Our recommendations include: • Support for a simplified process to update the

engineer’s report to changes to drain design during construction • Formally recognize the Drainage Act and Conservation Authorities Act protocol in regulations • The need to consider additional protocol updates based on recent amendments to Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act • Reconvene the groups that collaborated on the original Drainage Act and Regulations Team (DART) protocol and task them with developing Drainage Act and Conservation Authorities Act protocols for new municipal drainage construction and improvements to existing municipal drains • Increase awareness of drainage related rights and responsibilities of property owners and how to address drainage related concerns OFA was one of the stakeholder groups that developed the DART Protocol in 2008 – a means to streamline approvals for routine municipal drain repair and maintenance projects that met Conservation Authorities Act permitting requirements and supported compliance with Drainage Act requirements. Visit ofa.on.ca to read OFA’s full submission under the resources section. Ontario’s Drainage Act and other regulations that overlap with drainage and watercourses are extensive and impact most farmers and rural landowners in the province. OFA continues to advocate and recommend fair, balanced and streamlined regulations surrounding drainage legislation.

Thursday, March 19, 2020 I

Opinion I 5

Essex Free Press

Letter to the Editor How many people remember or ever heard about the genocide of up to 2 million Cambodians, representing 25 percent of the country’s entire population? Pol Pot was the leader of the Chinese backed Khmer Rouge Communists in Cambodia when Communist Vietnam invaded and occupied Cambodia in December 1978 to put an end to this murderous regime. In early 1979, Communist China then invaded Vietnam and suffered horrendous and unexpected casualties in doing so. In order to save face, the Chinese eventually pulled out and simply declared victory, which of course it was not. So, there it is for all to see; China’s true colours.

So, why in the hell did we suddenly decide that it was OK to begin outsourcing to China a large portion of our jobs in Europe, the U.S., and Canada after the students were slaughtered in the streets during the Tiananmen Square uprising in 1989? They demanded democracy, free speech, and a free press and for this they died. Karl Marx is quoted as saying “Capitalists will sell the rope to hang themselves.” Is it not so today? Our pharmaceutical industry is almost totally outsourced to China, along with almost all of the rare earth ownership required to make most of today’s hightech gadgets and more. Why did the U.S. sell much of

Opinion: The Ford Government’s outstanding hypocrisy on flooding Op-ed: Ian Arthur, NDP MPP for Kingston and the Islands and Percy Hatfield, NDP MPP for WindsorTecumseh

Last week, the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry John Yakabuski announced Ontario’s flooding strategy.

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The plan, in Minister Yakabuski’s own words, is to “increase public awareness.” Put simply, this so-called strategy is a communications exercise with no funding attached to it to address the unprecedented levels of flooding both experienced and anticipated throughout the province. The government’s devastating refusal to provide any flood prevention support comes after Doug Ford’s government cut $3.7 million from Ontario’s 36

Conservation Authorities – a 50 per cent slash. Sadly, it also follows years of rising water levels, and communities around the province seeing more and more family homes and local businesses devastated by flood waters. When questioned about the lack of funding associated with his government’s new strategy, Yakabuski responded by saying, “We’ll be dealing with those things as the flood events take place.” To be clear, people aren’t Continues on Page 6

its uranium supplies via Canada to China? Why did we allow China to enter the World Trade Organization? Why did Britain and much of Europe agree to have the Chinese 5G provider, Huawei, run much of their tomorrow world’s high-tech networks? Canada is considering using Huawei as well, but the U.S. is still uncommitted. Today, the Chinese play a huge part in so much of the West’s economies, cultures, and politics, including, dare I say, even our education system. What’s the matter with us? Our previous generations worked, fought, suffered, and died to preserve our Western values and way of life. Today, we seem to be just giving it away selfishly for a handful of silver, while the Chinese allegedly hack into our computer systems endless times daily and steal everything from our identities to our most secret technological assets. And how about those viruses? What’s the matter with us? - Mickey Moulder

Pet Of The Week: Phebee

Phebee is a very sweet and vocal girl. She is always wanting to be pet and loved. Phebee has zero interest in playing with any toys and would much rather lounge around or to ﬁnd new places to hide around the house. She also loves to be snuggled and held in your arms like a baby. Phebee’s favourite spot is curled up in your lap getting showered with loads of love and aﬀection! This pet comes with 6 weeks of pre-paid pet health insurance. For more information, visit www.ospcainsurance.ca or call 1-866-600-2445. Visit the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society shelter to visit at 1375 Provincial Rd., Windsor. Ph: 519-966-5751. The adoption center is open everyday at 11am.

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6 I News Essex Free Press

Essex Council notes...

Statement of Remuneration Council received the Statement of Remuneration for 2019. • Mayor Larry Snively made $41,810, or $46,608 with remuneration and expenses. • Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche made $25,368, or $25,498 with remuneration and expenses. • Councillor Steve Bjorkman made $21,288, or $22,313 with remuneration and expenses. • Councillor Sherry Bondy made $21,288, or $22,937 with remuneration and expenses. • Councillor Morley Bowman made $20,468, or $25,253 with remuneration and expenses. • Councillor Joe Garon made $21,288, or $22,132 with remuneration and expenses. • Councillor Chris Vander Doelen made $21,288, or $26,731 with remuneration and

expenses. • Councillor Kim Verbeek made $21,288, or $27,186 with remuneration and expenses. Including committee work and phones with the aforementioned remuneration and expenses, Snively’s summary was $52,748; Meloche’s summary was $29,483; Bjorkman’s summary was $24,109; Bondy’s summary was $26,922; Bowman’s summary was $30,232; Garon’s summary was $26,061, Vander Doelen’s summary was $29,060; and Verbeek’s summary was $31,787. Councillor Sherry Bondy said, on her wage alone, from 2015 to 2019, there was an increase of $2500. But, there was a onethird tax free component that was incorporated a few years ago. Jeff Morrison, Director of Corporate Service/ Treasurer, said Council wages are tied to the increase to what union/

Continued from Page 3

non-union workers would get. Bondy also spoke about pay for Councillors who sit on certain committees, and how pay is some times still issued if someone is unable to attend. Morrison said he will get back to Bondy on the issue. Meloche said he looked over this T4s for 2019 and 2018, he said he made $2,000 less in 2018 for the same role. Engineering Services for Harrow Streetscaping Council received the report “Engineering Services for Harrow Streetscaping Project” and appointed Stantec Consulting Ltd. to provide engineering services to design, assist in procurement, and administer the Harrow Streetscaping. The report to Council notes, this study is intended to address hydraulic capacity issues related to climate change, while also

addressing development pressures and community growth. It adds that Stantec’s estimate of fees for engineering services for the Harrow Streetscaping is $506,764.80 (including non-refundable HST). The engineering costs are within the budgeted amount.

Opinion

Council also voted to wave the requirement for proposals, tenders, and quotations for consulting under Section 22.02 of the procurement and disposal of goods and services policy. Councillor Sherry Bondy said at the recent roundtable event Council held to discuss infrastructure, there was discussion about possibly aligning the parking on the

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

southside of King Street to the northside. At the time, Bondy said, CAO Chris Nepszy said it would not align through town, but she said there could be potential to align the parking. Council notes for Monday, March 16 will continue in the March 26 edition of the Essex Free Press.

The Ford Government’s outstanding hypocrisy on flooding... Continued from Page 5

just asking for help to drain the water and repair the damage after a flood – they’re desperately pleading for government action to prevent more flooding in 2020, and in the years ahead. Experts predict another season of record-high water levels. Minister Yakabuski’s plan to wait until the waters rush in before taking action is condemning Ontarians to more pain, heartbreak, and financial hardship as a result of flooding. Ford’s cut to Conservation Authorities was part of the 2019 budget, and it meant 50 per cent less funding to forecast flooding, issue warnings, monitor water flow, operate dams and dykes, and map floodplains — all essential services at a time of record-breaking high water levels. Ford also cancelled Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program, an initiative that was intended, in part, to reduce the risk of flooding on Ontario’s shorelines. Ford’s cuts ignore experts’ pleas for government funding, and even ignore the advice of the Ford government’s own special advisor on flooding, whose independent review stressed that fresh funding is needed to combat further risks.

When questioned, Minister Yakabuski was unable to provide any answers regarding how many of the report’s recommendations he was planning to follow. Renters, property owners, businesses, and communities need help before it’s too late. Shores are eroding, wells are being contaminated, and the costs of flood prevention for individual homeowners and communities are simply too large to bear. Flooding has increased fourfold since 1980 around the world, and we know that the climate crisis is only going to make things worse. It’s time to fund flood prevention – to take action now to prevent the rising waters from rushing in to damage our homes, our communities and our lives. And, ultimately, it’s time to declare a climate emergency, and for the Ford government to do its part to stop the waters from rising for all Ontarians. Ian Arthur is the NDP MPP for Kingston and the Islands and the NDP’s Environment critic. Percy Hatfield is the NDP MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

News I 7

Essex Free Press

Local municipality updates on current COVID-19 situation submitted to EFP NOTE: The information below is based on the most current media releases from the various municipalities. As this situation seems to change quickly, we urge readers to visit the individual municipal websites and Windsor Essex County Health Unit (www.wechu. org) for the most up-todate information. Town of Essex update on COVID-19 response Following an emergency meeting of Council, the Town of Essex has closed recreation facilities and cancelled all upcoming programs and rental bookings, effective at midnight on Sunday, March 15. The closures and cancellations are tentatively scheduled to be in effect until Monday, April 6. As per the guidance of local and provincial health authorities, the Town is asking residents to limit all non-essential trips and travel, avoid large gatherings, and maintain thorough environmental and personal cleaning practices. Town administration and Council will continue to monitor the situation with information from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, as well as the federal and provincial ministries of health. The Town is also in regular communication with neighbouring municipalities and the County of Essex to share information on impacts to the region. Members

of the Town’s senior management team will continue to meet daily to identify and address issues as they arise. For guidance on what individuals can do to reduce their risk of contracting the virus, or what to do if they display symptoms, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 resource page. For local updates, please visit the Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) website at www.wechu. org. See page 2 of this issue for the WECHU recommendations and advice. Town of Tecumseh COVID-19 response Tecumseh Town Council held an emergency meeting Saturday regarding the ongoing response to COVID-19 in light of the announcement from the federal government on the escalation of international travel risk to Level 3, the ongoing information from both the federal and provincial governments on the spread of the illness and regional decisions related to municipal activities and facilities. Council ordered the cancellation of all public activities at the Tecumseh Arena, St. Clair Beach Community Centre, the Golden Age Club, the Tecumseh Historical Society Museum and the Sandwich South Cultural and Resource Centre. Save for the Parks and Recreation Office located in Tecumseh Arena, all of

these facilities will remain closed with activities cancelled until further notice. The Parks and Recreation Office located in the Tecumseh Arena will remain open to the extent needed for frontline customer service of our Parks & Recreation services. Town Hall will remain open and day-to-day municipal services will continue. You may make payments of taxes, tickets and dog tags; as well as apply for/purchase permits and licenses and register death certificates. The Town requests that if anyone is feeling ill that they avoid public buildings like Town Hall and the Arena until they have recovered fully. If you are unsure about attending Town Hall but are worried about payments, you may make payments by cheque through the mail drop beside the main entrance off McNorton Street. If you have any questions about attending in person, please contact us at 519735-2184 for further information. Council agreed to the continued partial standup of the Tecumseh Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and that should a Regional EOC be activated, that Tecumseh would participate. Members of the Town’s EOC have been meeting daily and will continue this practice until further notice. The Town will continue to provide ongoing updates on further decisions and any potential changes to front line service at Town Hall. As this situation is ongoing and changes daily, the EOC will continue to meet daily with updates as needed and will advise when conditions have warranted standing up a Regional Emergency Operations Centre. All updates will be posted to our website (www. tecumseh.ca) See page 2 of this issue for the WECHU recommendations and advice. Kingsville monitoring COVID-19 developments The Town of Kingsville has been closely monitoring COVID-19

developments and out of an overabundance of caution to protect our most vulnerable residents and staff members, the Town has decided to implement the following: • Until April 5, 2020 all recreational programs, ice rentals and private events will be cancelled. Weddings booked at Town facilities will be permitted, however attendance will be subject to a maximum of 250 people. • Non-essential committee meetings will be postponed. Legislated meetings will move forward. • Town Hall, the Carnegie and the Kingsville Arena lobby will remain open, however, instead of visiting in person, residents are strongly encouraged to access information and resources by phone or on the Town’s website at www.kingsville.ca, and use alternate payment options including mailin, drop off in the night deposit box, and online. • The early dog tag registration fee deadline has been extended to April 30th, 2020. The Rabies Vaccination Clinic scheduled on Saturday, April 4th, 2020 is still pending confirmation. • Administration is currently reviewing capacity in council chambers based on social distancing recommendations and encourages anyone interested in attending the meetings to access the live stream instead at www. kingsville.ca/meetings. • Essential services,

such as policing, fire and water/wastewater will not be interrupted but the Fire Department is restricting permit applications to “online only” at this time. See page 2 of this issue for the WECHU recommendations and advice. Lakeshore update on Coronavirus COVID-19 Lakeshore is working to protect the safety of everyone in the community. The Town has closed all community centres and County libraries are closed. Wedding solemnizations are also cancelled. Lakeshore is closely monitoring the guidance of the Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) and Province of Ontario regarding the prevention and spread of the virus. Lakeshore highly recommends individuals to use phone, email or online features to access Town services. Avoid coming into Town facilities unless it is for

urgent business only. For your convenience, Lakeshore has two drop boxes at Town Hall (419 Notre Dame Street, Belle River) for dropping off payments or other mail. One drop box is located next to the main entrance, the other near the back door employee entrance. These drop boxes are checked daily. Lakeshore encourages individuals to practice normal grocery buying habits and consider contributing to a local foodbank to help others in need. Lakeshore thanks the first responders; firefighters, nurses, EMS and doctors working in these challenging conditions. Their efforts and dedication during this time will go far to slow the spread of this virus and improve our lives. See page 2 of this issue for the WECHU recommendations and advice.

8 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

Kingsville’s first Annual Seedy Saturday event

by Max de Liberato Horticulturalists from the local community of Kingsville visited the Unico Centre this past Saturday to enjoy and fully indulge in a seed exchange. This was the first time the horticultural society of Kingsville hosted a Seedy Saturday event. There were, however, a number of activities for enthusiasts of all ages, from presentations to vendors. For the younger gardeners, they were able

to learn how to properly transplant a plant and enjoy constructing crafts. The first 50 people through the doors of the Unico Centre were given a spring plant. “We take our environmental s t e w a r d s h i p responsibilities very seriously.” said Heather Crewe, President of the Horticultural Society. The event faced some difficulty due to the recent news over COVID-19, vendors

and presenters had to opt-out of the event and due to public concerns the overall numbers of the event were likely affected, Crewe noted. One of the presentations at the event focused on the Carolinian trees of Lakeside Park. A tree in the park, the Cucumber Magnolia, is an endangered species and is protected by the federal government. According to Larry Cornelis, before giving his presentation on tree identification, there are 70 species of trees in

the Essex-Kent area, 25 of these species are distinctly Carolinian, these numbers reflect good biodiversity in the area. Cornelis said the British Isles only have eight different tree species, while regions in Spain only have 24. “Everybody in the room has a relationship with trees.” Cornelis said. “There are a lot of very avid gardeners in the community, as you can see as you drive around in the summer there are a lot of beautiful

yards and gardens, what we’ve tried to do in structuring this event is to have something for everyone to do in the family.” said Crewe. “I know as a parent myself, you’re always looking

for things to do with the kids that are inexpensive, interesting, something for them, something for the parents.” Crewe hopes that the event continues through the years.

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Thursday, March 19, 2020

Essex Free Press

Ad Feature I 9

10 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

Seedy Saturday events helps green thumbs prepare for spring

by Julianna Bonnett The 4th annual Seedy Saturday event was hosted at the Essex Retirees’ Social Centre. The event allowed individuals

in the community the opportunity to swap and exchange seeds for the upcoming warmer weather. Vendors were set up to

sell a variety of different seeds and gardenthemed goods to prepare gardening enthusiast for the upcoming spring season. In addition, crafts, soaps, herbs, and hot sauces were available and

members of the Essex Retirees’ Social Club hosted a bake sale as a club fundraiser. Member of the Essex Retirees’ Social Centre, Pat Jackson, said the event is something that brings positivity in the Town of Essex. “This is our fourth time doing the Essex Seedy Saturday Exchange and we are so happy to be having an event that our locals can enjoy,” Jackson

said. “Many of the people [who] come out assume this event is for the older generation, but it’s really

for everyone to get started on their spring gardening and get ready for the warm weather.”

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Community I 11

Essex Free Press

CTMHV hangs former CAW sign which included replacing a transformer so that the sign can be eventually lit up. Many individuals were involved in bringing the sign to the Museum. In the future, a plaque will be added that will highlight the history of the CAW’s change to UNIFOR. The idea of hanging up the sign, Moulder continued, is to preserve the history of the Union – in the local Museum that preserves the history of the automobiles – which Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village’s Chairperson, Harry Bergman, Curator and Education Manager, Lisa Wacheski, and Vice-Chairperson, Mickey Moulder, show oﬀ the CAW sign that was recently installed at the local automotive museum.

by Sylene Argent The Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village (CTMHV) has finally found a spot to hang the former Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) sign, which used to identify the build at Union Hall on Turner in Windsor. Mickey Moulder,

Vice-Chairperson of the CTMHV said the union donated the sign to the local automotive museum when it changed into UNIFOR. The sign sat in storage for many years, but is now hanging proudly in a spot on the exterior of the facility that is visible from the Museum’s foyer.

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“We’re preserving history,” Moulder said. Electrical input still needs to be brought to the sign, and members of the Museum are excited to see the sign lit up. UNIFOR is partnering with the Museum to get the sign hung. Moir Crane used equipment to lift the sign, and three of its employees helped to install it. UNIFOR Locals 200 and 444 each donated money to have the sign restored. Bill Thoman completed the restoration,

first began as the United Auto Workers (UAW). Bob White, Moulder recalled, was integral in the change from the UAW to the CAW. At that time, he said, the Canadians involved with the international union wanted more of a voice at the table. White was President of the CAW. Another story of local auto-union history Moulder shared was that in 1977, Charles Brooks, who was the President of Local 444,

was assassinated by an indignant Chrysler worker. He was the President of the United Auto Workers Local 444 for 21-years. Coming up, on April 15, the CTMHV will unveil an 1885 motorcycle. This was the world’s first Daimler, which made motorcycles out of solid oak, before it made automobiles, Moulder noted.

12 I Classifieds Essex Free Press

Classifieds

Fax: 519.776.4014

www.essexfreepress.com

_____________________

EVENTS _____________________ APRIL 2, 3, 4 SELLING + BUYING GOLD, SILVER, & ALL COINS at Essex Railway Station (87 Station St., Essex) 9am-4pm. MINT SETS: Royal Canadian Mint sets, coins, bank notes, windup watches, war medals. Free estimates. HIGHEST PREMIUMS for coin collections. Private appointments available. Dan W. Jones, B.A.B.Ed. 519-818-1805.

FARMING _____________________ WANTED Farm Land to Rent Cash or Share Crop Call Jeﬀ Siefker (cell) 519-796-1240 or (home) 519-776-9501. 1-t

SERVICES _____________________

MARTY’S SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS  Tune-ups, repairs, & service on snowblowers, riding lawn mowers, chainsaws, & more! 519-733-0986, (c) 519-965-5918. 4-tfn

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.

Sell It! Find it! Rent It! Buy It! In The Classifieds 519-776-4268

Word Ads - 25 words or less ........................ $6.00 + HST Extra words .................................................... 20¢/word Display Classifieds ....................................... Call for rates

Email: contact@essexfreepress.com

_____________________

STORAGE

11-tfn

11-1*

CLASSIFIED RATES

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

Phone 519.776.4268

_____________________ INCOME TAX PREPARATION: Good rates on personal, rental, and business returns. E-ﬁle or paper ﬁle. Call Jeannette Grass (519) 776-7090. 5-12* _____________________

KARMA GARDENER  Providing raised beds, rain barrels, and gardening services to Essex & area. Booking 1 week out. Grow foods at home. Visit KarmaGardener.ca. 11-2t _____________________ INCOME TAX – Confidential preparation of Personal, Farm, and Senior Returns. Free pick-up and delivery in Essex County. E-file or regular filing. Over 35 years’ experience. Call Tim Mousseau 519-975-2414 or toll free 1-855-9752414. 04-12t

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

HELP WANTED

_____________________ HIRING! GENERAL LABOURERS WANTED  Please fax your resume to 1-tf 519-723-2336. _____________________ PARTTIME HELP WANTED  At PiggyMart. Drop oﬀ resume at 20 Talbot St. South, E ssex. N o p hone calls, p lease. 11-1t _____________________ 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 9-t St. S. Leamington, ON N8H 3C4.

_______________________________________________

HELP WANTED

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

_______________________________________________

_____________________

REAL ESTATE

_____________________ 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 _____________________

WANTED

_____________________ CASH PAID for scrap cars and trucks. Free removal. Please phone: 519-776-1361 or 519-791-5046. 46-t _____________________ 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  HOUSE CLEANING: Lady wanted for occasional house cleaning. Please leave name and number at: 519818-4118. 9-4t*

Sell It! Find it! Rent It! Buy It! in The Classifieds

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Thursday, March 19, 2020 I

Community I 13

Essex Free Press

Manual labour shouldn’t mean manual trauma National Farm Safety Week: March 14 - 20, 2020

submitted by Canada Safety Council Farmers and agricultural workers of all stripes are unsung heroes in our daily lives. Their efforts to provide the nation with crops, livestock and sustainable sources of food require hard work that often includes specific safety risks. As a result, specific safety precautions must be taken. National Farm Safety Week is March 14 - 20, and the Canada Safety Council is highlighting the need to keep appendages clear of moving parts in machinery. The

heightened exposure that farmers have to heavy machines makes this an area in which safety has to be a high priority. “The agricultural industry relies heavily on machinery to make jobs easier and to stay on schedule,” said Gareth Jones, president of the Canada Safety Council. “When there’s a jam, a blockage or a malfunction, there can also be a temptation to reach in and fix it without thinking. But this is where preventable injuries happen and where we need to ensure that safe operating practices

remain front of mind.” Never perform maintenance of any kind on machinery that is in operation - ensure the machine is fully powered off before working on it. This eliminates the concern of unexpected movement, whether from the machine operating incorrectly or from a jam being removed and the machine suddenly being back in motion. Here are a few more tips to apply to prevent injuries before they happen: • Identify pinch points, where two objects or more move together in circular motion, and keep appendages away. • Never wear rings while operating or repairing machinery. A machine can pull a ring off your finger at very high speeds, which can lead to the skin being torn off your finger. • Never test the

temperature of gases, liquids or solids with your hands. • Sharp tools and blades, especially, should be handled with an abundance of caution. • Wear gloves when exposed to anything that could cause chemical burns or injuries, as well as when working around anything that can cut or scrape - but steer clear of gloves around reciprocating or rotating machinery parts. Everyone feels safe up until the point of an incident, which makes it critically important to get ahead of injuries waiting to happen. Safety must be incorporated into the farm

lifestyle, early and often. Don’t let complacency or familiarity with the dayto-day operations of the

farm affect your vigilance or awareness of your surroundings!

14 I Personals / Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

FromThe Heart It’s safe to donate blood during

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

_______________________________________________

COVID-19, and critical for patients Blood donors should book and keep their appointments to prevent shortages submitted to EFP Canadian Blood Services is concerned by a recent spike in appointment cancellations in several cities related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the organization responsible for the national blood system outside Quebec, we are determined to keep our promise to help every patient, match every need and serve every Canadian. To do that we require the ongoing generosity and commitment of donors. “Patients depend on these lifesaving donations,” says Dr. Isra Levy, Canadian Blood Services’ vice-president of medical affairs and innovation. “Every day they are needed for patients undergoing surgery and cancer treatment, as well as to save lives following traumas such as motor _________________________________________________________

OBITUARIES

_________________________________________________________

OBITUARIES

_________________________________________________________

WILLEMSE, John - Passed away peacefully

surrounded by family on March 10, 2020 at the age of 78. Beloved husband to Nellie (Derikx) who he married May 14, 1971. Loving dad to Christine (Sean) Johnston, Anthony (Alynn) Willemse, Patricia (Heath) Hajduk, Diana (Zane) Yount and Melissa (Phil) Pocock. Cherished Grandpa of Kyle, Alex, Nathan, Sydney, Elijah, Josh, Sarah, Colin, Leah and Ethan. Dear brother of 2 brothers and 3 sisters in the Netherlands. John retired from GM transmission Plant as a welder in 2006. John was a long time member of the Essex Gospel Community Church volunteering at many events as well as mission trips to the Dominican Republic. He loved gardening, growing his own garlic and donating food grown to local food banks and the Downtown Mission. A special thank you to all the staﬀ at Sun Parlour Home, WRH Ouellette Campus, Erie Shores Health Care for all their care and compassion. John is rested at the Kennedy Funeral Home Limited (519-7767378) 128 Talbot St. N, Essex on Friday, March 13, 2020. The funeral service was conducted from the funeral home on Saturday, March 14,2020. Interment at Victoria Greenlawn Cemetery. In lieu of ﬂowers please consider donating to the Downtown Mission, Windsor. You may send your condolences online at www. kennedyfh.com.

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BROWNELL, Rosemary Elizabeth - was born on October 26, 1946 and passed peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at Erie Shores Hospice. Beloved wife of Earl for almost 53 years. Loving Mom of Earl Jr. (Kim), Brenda Market (Paul) and Becky Hickson (Bryan). Adored Grandma of Marshall Brownell, Peyton and Evan Jones, Jason Wilson, Jerrod and Lauren Market and Joe, Mitchell and Eddie Hickson. Dearest sister of late Eleanor Salisbury (1972), Ray Shepley, Vern Shepley (Marie Symons) (Virginia), Roy Shepley (late Eileen), Fran Wilson (Russ) and Wayne Shepley. Rosemary will also be remembered by her large extended Brownell family, many nieces and nephews and her best friend Gail Couvillion. After 25 years of dedicated service, Rosemary retired from being a dedicated and well respected Health Care Aide from Iler Lodge. Rosemary will be remembered as a selﬂess humble person always putting others before herself. She was a dedicated supporter as she attended many diﬀerent activities watching her grandchildren. Her family, especially her grandchildren were her everything. The family was very impressed and so thankful for the many caregivers that assisted and supported Rosemary through her journey including the LHIN, Erie Shores Hospice and Windsor Regional Hospital. Visiting took place at Reid Funeral Home & Reception Centre, 87 Maidstone Ave. E., Essex (519-776-4233) on Sunday, March 15. Funeral Service to celebrate Rosemary’s life was held from the funeral home on Monday, March 16, 2020. Cremation has followed. If desired, memorial donations made to Erie Shores Hospice, Community Living Essex County or Murchadha House for those with exceptional needs, would be appreciated. Family and friends are invited to share their memories online at www.reidfuneralhome.ca. _________________________________________________________

OBITUARIES _________________________________________________________ ARCHER, Ruby “Aunt Ruby”- passed away

peacefully at Country Village Health Care Centre, with family by her side, on Thursday, February 27, 2020 short of her 105th birthday. She is now reunited with her late husband Borden Archer (1985). Predeceased by her parents, Homer & Mary Jane Cummings and her two sisters, Eva and Mina and her brother Lloyd. Aunt Ruby is also survived and loved by her niece and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great great nieces and nephews and even great great great nieces and nephews. Ruby will also be remembered by her special friends, Gerry & Sophia Armstrong and family. Ruby was a life long member of the Albuna and Cottam United Church. She was also a proud 75 year member of the Rebekah Lodge. Aunt Ruby spent her entire life in Gosﬁeld North and was known and loved by so many in the community. Family and friends gathered for visitation at Reid Funeral Home & Reception Centre, 87 Maidstone Ave. E., Essex on Sunday, March 1. A Funeral Service to celebrate Aunt Ruby’s life took place on Monday, March 2, 2020 with visitation prior. Rev. Kim Gilliland oﬃciated. Interment to follow at Albuna Cemetery. If desired, memorial donations made to the Cottam United Church or the Charity of Choice would be appreciated. Family and friends are invited to share their memories online at www.reidfuneralhome.ca.

vehicle accidents.” Canadian Blood Services operates a national blood inventory where products are regularly shifted around the country to meet hospital and patient needs. The inventory is currently strong, but the recent increase in cancellations is worrying, particularly in light of the blood shortages already being reported in other countries affected by COVID-19. Donating blood in Canada continues to be safe. Our robust cleaning and infection-control practices protect all donors, staff and volunteers. All prospective donors are also carefully screened for any symptoms of illness, including very mild ones. This screening occurs during both appointment booking and upon arrival at the donor centre or event. Those with any symptoms are not allowed to donate blood and are instructed not to visit. “Our donor centres are islands of wellness within Canada’s health system,” says Dr. Levy, a public health expert and a former medical officer of health for the city of Ottawa. “They are not places where sick people gather.” We urge all healthy eligible donors to book and keep appointments. The need is constant for blood, stem cells, plasma and organ and tissue donors. Canadian Blood Services adheres to the latest guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada including all recommendations for public gatherings during COVID-19. Should the agency’s recommendations change we will act immediately to keep donors safe. More information on COVID-19 is available at blood. ca/covid19. To make an appointment to donate, download the GiveBlood app, call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-2366283) or book now at blood.ca. Walk-in appointments are also available at all locations.

What’s Going On... MARCH 25  ESSEX COUNTY FARM SAFETY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING - From 4:30 - 7:00pm Willow Room Colasanti’s. For more info, call Mary: 519-776-7476. MARCH 25  ESSEX & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETING - Essex Retirees Centre at 7:30pm. Speaker Dan Bissonette speaks on native plants & silent auction. MARCH 28  ECHRS ANNUAL DINNER/AUCTION - at the Royal Canadian Legion #201. Tickets available at ECHRS or a member.

APRIL 4 - Redeemer Pasta Dinner from 4:00-7:00pm. APRIL 14 - ESSEX BLOOD DONOR CLINIC - Essex Centre Sports Complex, 60 Fairview Ave. W. From 2-7pm. For info: www.blood.ca. APRIL 25 - ANNUAL YARD & BAKE SALE - at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Essex (92 St Paul Street). Household items, toys, books, baked goods and more! 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. Meetings held the last Wednesday of every month (no July & August) @ 6:30p.m. at Colasanti’s. Look us up on Facebook for updates.

Thursday, March 19, 2020 I

Obituaries / Community Hub I 15

Essex Free Press

place on Saturday, April 4 in the church hall, with dinner served at 6pm. The menu will be pulled pork and a salad bar. Sign-up sheet is posted in the hall and it’s important that we know numbers for sponsorship by: dinner. Bring a game, join a game, or sit and chat. More details next week! Mark your calendars... we will host a Yard Sale on Saturday, April 25, 9am 1pm. No early birds please. Please pick a Sunday and sign the Door Greeter’s list on the easel in the Fresh food. Friendly neighbours church hall. The 2020 list has now been posted. Please pick a Sunday or two (or three!). We appreciate everyone’s 191 Talbot St. S., Essex participation. Remember the sick and the shut-ins. If you would like a name added to the Prayer List, please add it to the list. Please remember your toonie for the Salvation Army Essex Church Downtown Mission can. It is located on the submitted by Carolyn Barnett table in the entry. Thanks for caring and sharing. All Salvation Army public services across Canada have been You can find us on the web at www.bethelmaidstone.com. cancelled until April 30th. This means there will be no Sunday Our email address is bmuc@xplornet.ca. Family Worship Services, no SA Connections and Bible Study and no Messy Church. Essex United Church The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program on Thursdays Sunday, March 22, 10:30 am – Worship Service Everyone is has also been cancelled. welcome! Our Food Bank will operate by appointment only. Please call For the month of March, food donations are for the Essex Vicki at: 519-776-4628 to make arrangements. Food Bank. Please keep in your prayers, all who are affected, in any way Rev. Carl Emke will lead the Lenten Service on March 25th by COVID-19. at Cottam United Church at 12 noon. All services begin at noon followed by a light lunch. Free will offering gratefully received. Woodslee United Church All are welcome!

519-776-4255

submitted by Sue Holman

Come join us for Sunday Service at 11:15 am. Rev. Carl will lead the service. The Holy Scriptures will be read by Tom Bain and Kevin Stanley will greet you at the door. There is no Sunday School until the children return to regular school. Please say a special prayer for our friends on our Prayer List. Essex Ministerial Lenten Service Series: March 25th “Every tongue confesses Jesus” at Cottam United Church with The Rev’d Carl Emke presiding. All services begin at noon. A light lunch follows the service, freewill oﬀering gratefully received. All are welcome. Please note Dance and Game Night March 21 is being postponed. We will re-book this event at a later time. Coﬀee and Conversation: Thursdays at 10 am. Everyone is welcome.

Bethel-Maidstone United Please join us Sunday mornings at 10 am for worship, and coﬀee hour to follow. Our church and hall are wheelchair accessible. Preschool Playtime has resumed on Thursdays from 9:30am - 12noon. Caregivers and kids 0-4 are invited to drop in for circle time, toys and crafts, healthy snack, and the last Thursday of the month is gym day! The third Sunday of the month will now become “Food Bank Sunday.” Please bring your canned goods and or donations to the next service. There will be no nursing home services until further notice. How does a Grub, Gab, and Games Night sound? It will take

submitted by Ruth Newman

Our doors are open to all for Family Worship on Sunday, March 22, at 10am. Phil Hernandez will bring the message. All are welcome. The next Lenten Ministerial Worship Service is at Cottam United Church on Wednesday, March 25 at 12noon. Rev. Carl Emke will bring the message. A free-will lunch will follow. Everyone is welcome. Our anniversary dinner has been postponed until a later date. Please remember in prayer the many shut-ins, and those in nursing homes.

Holy Name of Jesus Church All weekend Masses are cancelled until further notice. The Church is open during the day for quiet prayer. Daily Masses continue as well as Adoration on Tuesdays. All youth programs (QUEST, EDGE, Life Teen and COR) are cancelled until further notice. All K of C and CWL meetings are cancelled. For up to date news check out our website at www. hnj.dol.ca. The CWL is collecting toiletries for the homeless during Lent. Choir members are needed for funeral Masses. No experience necessary. Please contact Lauretta at 519-776-6236. If you have moved or got rid of your landline, please let the parish office know in order to keep an up to date parishioner list. Please remember to drop off your Foodland grocery tapes, cancelled stamps, and leftover eyeglasses at the designated file drawers at the Info table.

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” ~

Plato

St. Paul’s Anglican Church At the instruction of the Bishop of Huron, all public services and gatherings at the church have been suspended until further notice, please call 519-776-7711 for more detail or follow our facebook page. Thank you.

Harrow United Church submitted by Larry Anderson

We warmly welcome you to Harrow United Church! Please note that due to concerns over the current Virus, there will not be a service on Sunday, March, 22nd. Please visit our website for updated messages. Saturday, March 28th at 2pm - Harrow Cooks Healthy Community Event at Harrow United Church. This is a free cooking demonstration from the Green Heart Club. If interested, please register by email at HarrowCooksHealthy@gmail.com . Our Minister, Rev. Darrow Woods along with our HUC faith community, sincerely welcome you to join us! Please ﬁnd information about Harrow United Church on our website at www.harrowunited.org.

Essex Retirees’ Social Club Betty Fields had high score at Monday night Pepper. Wayne R, Gary West, and Terry Durance tied with the most peppers and JoAnne had low score. Georgette Nadeau had high score at Tuesday afternoon Pepper. Dorothy Fields had the most peppers and Gary West had low score. Marcel Mailloux had high score at Wednesday night Pepper. Gary West and Nelson St. Denis tied for the most peppers and Terry Durance had low score. Pauline Olafson had high score at Thursday night Bridge and Edna Chevalier came in second place.

Essex Christian Reformed Church submitted by Beverley Van Huizen

Join us on Sunday morning for our Lenten Morning Worship Service beginning at 10:00am with Mr. Steve Vandyk. Nursery supervision and Sunday school are provided. Make plans to stay for a cup of tea or coﬀee in our Fellowship hall. GEMS and Cadets will meet on Monday at 6:30 – 8:00 pm. All girls and boys from Grade 1 – 8 are invited to attend. Come for fun and fellowship as we get to know each other and the Lord through bible studies and games. Visit us online for service times and directions or just to listen to a sermon or two. www.essexcrc.ca.

Maidstone Cross submitted by Wendy Cunningham

All weekend Masses have been cancelled but daily Masses continue. Please stay home if you are not well. The winners from the Lenten Card Party on March 15th are ﬁrst place: Gary Meloche, second place: Ewald Dobetsberger, third place: Dave McMurren, fourth place: Gerry Lachine and

Continnued on Page 17

Brooker News

Voice Of Inspiration

Cancellation will include Redeemer Soup day on March 22nd and the Redeemer Pasta Dinner on Saturday, April 4th. St. Stephen has meat pies still available. Contact Marion at: 519-257-1945. Redeemer’s Sweetie Pies -frozen fruit pies are available Contact Amy: 519-919-0094. Easter Services are as follows: Maunday Thursday, April 9 6pm Redeemer, Good Friday, April 10, 10am at St. Stephens, and April 12, Easter Sunday 7am (8am breakfast) at St. Stephen’s, 9am at Redeemer, 10:30am at St. Stephen’s. Please wear your Easter bonnet/hat and bring your bells to ring as we sing.

Paquette News submitted by Amy Hartley

We have unfortunately made the decision to temporarily suspend public worship services until Wednesday, April 8 when a decision will be made about the possibility of a change.

16 I Business Directory Essex Free Press

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

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Thursday, March 19, 2020 I

Community Hub / Business Directory I 17

Essex Free Press

closely by Hylton with a score of 36. The two golfers reversed the lead position over 36 holes with Hylton carding a score of 72 and Nash a 75. In team play, first place, with a score of 226, went to Team 06 (Laurie Hylton, Lyle Rumble, Andy Orsini). Team 11 (Lloyd Symons, Colleen Pearse, Tom Hyatt )took second and Team 14 (Julia Kos, Mavis Rutter, Randy Nash) was in third. Continued from Page 15 Connor Sunderland. Series winners in first place: Gary Meloche, second place: Dave McMurren and third place Don Sylvester. The Lenten Card Parties are done for the year. Please remember to remove all winter decorations from your loved one’s grave at St. Mary’s Cemetery by March 31st. Please keep in your prayers and all the people who are sick, shut in and in Hospice. Woodslee Friendship Club Card player winners for the week of March 9th - 13th: Monday Euchre: Wayne Rawson, Dave Sylvester, Richard Dahl, Mary Demars, Charlie Chevalier, and Mike Renaud. Wednesday Pepper - Adrian Diesbourg, George Diesbourg, Veronica Granger, Wayne Rawson, Theresa Rivait, Janece McLaughlin, and Charlie Chevalier. Friday night Euchre: Elmer Quinlan, Edna Chevalier, Rob Pickle, Ray Brooker, and Charlie Chevalier. For Club information, call Claire at 519-723-4694.

Essex County Library ESSEX BRANCH: LOOK UP! EXPLORE THE WORLD OF ASTRONOMY WITH THE RASC! The Royal Astronomical Society - Windsor Centre is celebrating its 75th Anniversary! Join us to learn about Local astronomers, the local observatory, and the wonders of space with members of The Royal Astronomical Society - Windsor Centre. WEDNESDAY, April 2 from 6:30-8:00 pm. Ages: 12 & up, Family, Adult (children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult). Register online or at the library. FAMILY STORYTIME - WEDNESDAYS at 11:00 am. (April 1 - May 20). Ages 19 months-5 years & caregiver. Register online or at the library. BABY STORYTIME - WEDNESDAYS at 10:15 am. (April 1 - May 20). Ages 0-18 months & caregiver. Register online or at the library. EASTER HOPPENINGS! Games, crafts & activities on Tuesday, April 7 at 6pm. Ages: 5 & up. Register online or at the library.

4-H Comber Poultry Club Meeting Submitted by: Ember Parks

On Monday, March 9, 2020, the Comber Poultry 4-H club held its second meeting at our special helpers Tim and Sam’s house and what a meeting it was! We saw the eggs that will become our chicks in an incubator. When handling eggs, your hands need to be clean and no dirty or cracked eggs go into the incubator. We learned that the incubator must be kept between 98-99.9 degrees and it takes 21 days for chicken to hatch, 35 days for turkeys, and 28 days for ducks and geese. Sam then showed us how to make our own homemade candler, with just three items toilet paper roll, duct tape, and a small flashlight. We got to see a dime-size shadow of the starting of the fertilized egg. We found out that our chicks will be ready to go our homes in approximately three weeks. We are all very excited! We all need to go home and prepare the chicks houses. NO SHAVING ALLOWED, newspaper and paper towels are their bedding. A heat lamp is necessity to keep the chicks warm. 100 degrees for the first week then lower the temperature each day as they are getting their feathers. Chicks will cheep when they are cold. Stay tuned for our next chick adventures! Fun fact: If you put marbles in the chicks’ water they stay out.

Golden Year’s Golf Report A good turnout of 44 golfers resulted in 71 aces carded last Thursday, March 12. Leading the charge, with four aces each, were Paul Harrison, Laurie Hylton, Andy Orsini, and Lloyd Symons. Over 9 holes of golf, a top score of 17 was carded by Jamie Arquette, Theresa Decaluwe, Laurie Hylton [2], Lyle Rumble, Tom Hyatt, Mavis Rutter, Randy Nash(2), and Bryon Walker. Nash held the lead alone, over 18 holes, with a score of 35 follow

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18 I Opinion / News Essex Free Press

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

Town of Tecumseh Highlights from the March 10, 2020 Regular Meeting of Council Cool 1953 Chevy street rod

Imagine seeing this in your rear view mirror!

Tom Malott of Kingsville, Ontario, worked for Chrysler Canada in Windsor until he retired in 2005. Around 1990, he saw a 1953 Chevrolet 4-door sedan that was just a shell but Tom could imagine how cool it would be as a street rod. A few months later, he saw the same car now in a driveway in Tecumseh. He met the owner, who offered it to Tom, who turned it down: “Needs too much work.” Then he invited Tom into his garage, where he had a beautiful metallic green 1953 Chevrolet sedan restored to original. The body shell outside had donated parts to the restoration. Tom bought the car, drove it home, took the body off and mounted it on a late model Camaro chassis with a 350 Chev V8 and 4-on-the-floor. He turned the odometer back to zero and drove it 3000 miles before selling it to Pete Vanvrouwerff, a fellow member of HVSO (Historic Vehicle Society of Ontario). Now fast forward to 2018. Pete by now had put an extra 27,000 miles on the ’53 Chevy by going to at least ten hot rod tours in the U.S. By now, Pete also had a cool ’51 Plymouth street rod and did not need two cars. He offered to sell the ’53 Chevy back to Tom. But Tom was not in a position to buy it back, so Pete made him another offer: “You can have it back for free!” Pete wanted the car to go to a good home and Tom is the perfect new owner again, now re-united with his street rod after an absence of 23 years. Tom contacted me in January after reading about John Koole’s 1956 Meteor in my “Old Car Detective” column in the Essex Free Press and told me he had another story for me. We got together on Saturday, February 15, at a swap meet at the Canadian Transportation Museum at Heritage Village a few miles west of Kingsville. Well worth a visit! Call 519776-6909. I was selling subscriptions to Old Autos and was given part of a table already rented by Pete Vanvourwerff, the same gentleman who returned the ’53 Chevy to Tom free of charge two years ago! I’m always looking for stories. Email billtsherk@ sympatico.ca.

by Garrett Fodor Optimist Club Victoria Day Fireworks: Council approved paying the cost of enhanced OPP service for the Optimist Club Victoria Day Fireworks scheduled for May. This follows a public open house and consultation with the OPP and Optimist Club of St. Clair Beach after safety incidents at the 2019 event. The Optimist Club plans to coordinate additional volunteers from the Tecumseh Policing Committee and Crime Stoppers to assist with the event. St. Clair Baseball at Lacasse Park: Council authorized St. Clair College selling and serving alcoholic beverages at Lacasse Park during home games throughout the 2020 baseball season. They will be permitted to do so, in compliance with the Town’s Municipal Alcohol Risk Management Policy, beginning June 5, 2020 through to and including August 31, 2020. 12000 Tecumseh Road: Council approved the Site Plan Control Agreement, Encroachment Agreement and a Community Improvement Plan grant of approximately $26,000 for the property located at 12000 Tecumseh Road. Villa Pia Investments intends to construct a new 361.5 square metre

commercial building with two units and associated patios on the property. The site is next to Frank Brewery. 2018 Water and Wastewater Master Plan Update: Council adopted the 2018 Water and Wastewater Master Plan Update following the 30 day review. The update was undertaken in accordance with the Municipal Engineers Association Class Environmental Assessment Process and is a critical component of the committed approach to providing sustainable services. It will form the new framework and vision for the water and wastewater servicing needs for the Town for 2038 and beyond. W a t e r m a i n Modifications: Council approved adding the County Road 11 and South Talbot Road Roundabout Advanced Watermain Modifications to the Public Works and Environmental Services (PWES) 2020-2024 5-Year Capital Works Plan and authorized $30,000 from the Watermain Reserve Fund to complete the work in 2020. The project was not included in the 5-Year Plan or the 2020 PWES Plan as the County of Essex had not finalized the County Road 11/South Talbot Road Roundabout. The roundabout is scheduled to begin later

this year. The watermain replacement will take approximately 10 weeks, weather permitting, to complete. Full details on traffic impacts will be shared once a construction schedule is determined. Conservation Authorities: Council approved a motion requesting that the Provincial Government maintain a ‘watershed approach’ to ensure that Conservation Authorities continue to deliver appropriate, watershed-wide programs and services as well as provincial funding of Conservation Authorities to a level sufficient to allow maintenance of hazard programs. This followed a presentation to Council by the Essex Region Conservation Authority on their annual report and sustainability plan. The next Regular Meeting of Council is Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at the Tecumseh Arena, 12021 McNorton Street in the Horwood Room. The agenda will be made available on Thursday, March 19, 2020. Information on this and all Town of Tecumseh news and events is available at www. tecumseh.ca, Twitter (@TownofTecumseh), and Facebook (www. facebook.com/ townoftecumseh).

Thursday, March 19, 2020 I

Community I 19

Essex Free Press

Windsor Downtown Lions, Eyes Right make $100,000 donation for ophthalmological equipment - Essex & District Lions Club contributed $3,000 to donation -

Photo submitted by Jacqui ToďŹ&#x201E;emire Flood: Members of the Windsor Downtown Lions Club and the Eyes Right (District A-1 Lions Sight Conversion Foundation) presented $100,000 to the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation last Wednesday. The funds will be used to purchase ophthalmological equipment for the emergency departments at the Met and Ouellette campuses.

by Sylene Argent The Windsor Downton Lions Club celebrated its

centennial anniversary by participating in a major donation with

Eyes Right (District A-1 Lions Sight Conversion Foundation)

to the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation last Wednesday. The donation was presented at the Ouellette Campus. The donation, poised to help improve, protect, and restore the vision of patients within the region, totalled $100,000. The funds will be used to purchase ophthalmological equipment for the emergency departments at the Met and Ouellette campuses. This equipment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including two Slit Lamps with Goldman Tonometers, two Tonopens, and 30 Ophthalmoscopes will provide for timely assessments and treatments of patients. Jacqui Tofflemire Flood, a member of the

Essex & District Lions Clubs and Eyes Right Board of Directors, said Eyes Right raises funds for specific causes to ensure people can see. Flood noted Eyes Right and the Windsor Downtown Lions Club split on the donation to the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation. Clubs from with the Lions District A-1 Southwestern Ontario area made donations to Eyes Right, including a $3000 donation from the Essex & District Lions Club, which was then forwarded to complete this donation. When an individual has an eye injury, there is fear, pain, and vision concerns, Flood said. The equipment this funding will support will

help those individuals through a challenging time. In order to make a contribution to Eyes Right for the equipment donation, members of the Essex & District Lions Club hosts a variety of fundraisers. Members of the Essex & District Lions Club typically meet at the Salvation Army Church in Essex Centre on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, from 7-9 pm. New members are always welcome to ensure fundraising can continue to support a variety of community needs. The club will host its annual Dog Walk for Dogs in Essex Centre on May 30.

20 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, March 19, 2020

Ravens, Mills recognized 2019 WESPY awards

Photos courtesy of Glen Mills: Members of the Essex Ravens Football Club pose with the WESPY award for team of the year.

by Garrett Fodor As sports are getting canceled amid the outbreak of COVID-19, local athletes are being celebrated for their accolades and dedication to their craft. On March 10, athletes, dignitaries, and WindsorEssex County residents gathered at the Caboto Club in Windsor for the

15th annual WESPY Awards. The annual event is designed to celebrate the area’s top volunteers, athletes, coaches, and performers. After winning its first Ontario Provincial Football League title in 2019, the Essex Ravens received four WESPY nominations, and won the Team of the Year and Coach of the Year

Voice Of Inspiration “Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it.” ~ Dorothy M. Neddermeyer

awards. “We had a fantastic season,” Ravens Head Coach, Glen Mills, said after his team won the 2019 OPFL title and he earned Coach of the Year at the WESPYS. “We had a pretty good team. We’re young and knew with the team we had this year was very talented and we just put it all together.” The Ravens lost its first game of the season to London before rattling off 10 straight wins to earn the title. While the team had been close before, appearing in the finals, Mills saw the potential

in the team and, with the help of fellow coaches and volunteers, was able to accomplish their first championship. “Coach of the Year is a great honour, but we have a tremendous group of coaches and support staff, volunteers [who] are instrumental in our success,” Mills said. “It’s not one guy that earns Coach of the Year, it’s a group of people. Everyone involved helped and deserves recognition as well and they helped build this team and earned Team of the Year honours as well.” Mills said he is very thankful for the honour and to be recognized in the setting with the top teams and athletes from Windsor and Essex County. He hopes to carry on the success from last season into this year, and plans on growing his team and adding more players and talent to the roster. “Our team this year, it’s hard to believe, but I think it’s definitely better than the team we had last year,” Mills said. “I mean, better across the board like we’re very talented this year and we’re going to have an extremely good team and it’s going to be exciting to get these guys rolling.” Right now, the season is scheduled to start in May, but Mills notes the Ravens and OPFL are monitoring

the COVID-19 outbreak and will do what is best for the players, coaches, and volunteers. Other local WESPY award winners include Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain and Mark Williams earning the Ken Dryden

Executive of the Year Award for their work with the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association. Milan Loban, of EDHS and Border City Athletic Club, also won the Dennis Fairall Track & Field Award.