The Converged Citizen - April 14, 2016

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Power Of

*Volume XI Issue 17 *April 14, 2016

The Future

Keeping the Faith for 175 Years

2 News

4 News

Photo by Felicia Patterson Lana Talbot stands in front of Sandwich First Baptist Church a national historic site and the oldest active black church in Canada.

CHURCH PAGE 4

5 Health & Lifestyle

Alleged arsonist awaits trial conclusion Aaron Lombardi Converged Citizen Staff An Essex man is on trial in Windsor on harassment charges and arson.

Russell Bondy, 54, appearing to be in pain, entered the courtroom with a cane and sat behind the glass in the witness box, smiling at a friend and revealing a row of gold teeth.

Bondy was arrested Nov. 20, 2015 and charged with harassment of a family member. On the day of the arrest the family member confessed to Bondy’s wife there were numerous assaults

Index

performed by Bondy between 2005 and 2010. A statement by a former neighbour of Bondy’s was made a week after the arrest claiming she was sexually assaulted when Bondy was her babysitter. He was released from police custody Dec. 15, 2015.

On Feb 10, Bondy’s Essex residence where he lived with his wife and children caught fire. Bondy was moving his items from the home to an apartment he had recently acquired. The cause of the blaze was immediately deemed suspicious. Fire marshals found two doors of the house barricaded with twoby-four wood, while most other entrances were either locked

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ARSON PAGE 4 Weather Thursday, April 14, 2015 High: 13°C Low: 2°C Weather provided by The Weather Network

7 Sports Quote of the Day I've been lucky.

Opportunities don't often come along. So, when they do, you have to grab them.

- Audrey Hepburn

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news Payday nightmare

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April 14, 2016

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Dawn Grey and Sreeha Varanasi Converged Citizen Staff Windsor currently has more than 30 institutions that offer payday loans and some Windsorites feel as though the loans offered can easily become a financial trap.

A payday loan is an amount of money lent to a borrower at a high interest rate, to be paid back at the arrival of the borrower’s next paycheque.

Payday loan establishments charge high interest rates, some of them higher than the legal 60 per cent annual interest allowed. This is possible because federal legislation was introduced in 2006 allowing certain provinces to exempt payday loan lenders from the rule in exchange for other regulatory power in the industry.

In Ontario, a one-month payday loan has a maximum fee of $21 per $100 borrowed — that’s an annual interest rate of 240 per cent. If borrowers can’t make their payment or need to re-borrow, the cycle can quickly spiral out of control.

Jeff Castenada, a financial planner, has seen this happen first-hand. Prior to becoming a financial planner, he found himself caught in this cycle after he turned to a Money Mart for an emergency payday loan.

“I’ve done it. I’ve gotten a loan from Money Mart once and it became more than once,” said Castenada. “I got stuck in the cycle. I got trapped.”

He was able to eventually pay off the loan but still wonders how these places are allowed to “get away with it.”

Castenada said the problem is that people continue to live beyond their means knowing these places are available to loan money. He recommends to only go to these lenders when in dire circumstances.

“My job is wealth management. Payday loans are not a strategy to build wealth, it’s a strategy to make you poor,” said Castenada. “They target the poor and the middle class.

People who are not managing their money properly and living beyond their means, that’s who they are targeting.”

Photo by Sean Previl Onorio Colucci sits in his council seat as chief administrative officer during a Windsor city council meeting on April 4.

'Big shoes to fill,' Onorio Colucci takes his seat as CAO Photo by Dawn Grey The Money Mart on Ouellette Avenue and University Avenue is one of more than 30 payday loan insitutions across the city.

According to Castenada, the best way to avoid finding yourself in need of a payday loan is to simply live within your means and never spend more than you make. He said it’s all about habits and tracking your expenses.

“Track one month. You will be surprised how much you spend on shopping, fast food and coffee. People buy a lot of things they don’t need to buy,” said Castenada.

Many payday loan establishments do not require credit checks to determine eligibility for loans. Castenada said it’s telling of the demographic that is targeted by payday loan establishments.

Rob Cameron is a Windsorite who became stuck in the cycle of payday loans.

Cameron said in 2013 he took out two loans. The first was for $2,100. The following month, Cameron needed and was approved for another loan of $1,000. Including the interest, insurance on his loans, and the loan amounts themselves, Cameron said his current payment plan leaves him still owing over $5,000.

“My loan payments will end in December of 2018,” said Cameron “I can’t believe the government hasn’t stepped in.

Once you get into it, you can never get out unless by a miracle.”

It is extremely difficult to get out of the payday loan cycle.

In fact, 93.8 per cent of payday loans are taken by repeat customers, according to the Government of Ontario.

Cameron said to this day he

still has to borrow $600 every month from a payday loan lender and has to pay back $726 every month.

According to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, knowing the laws surrounding payday loans will help make an informed decision on borrowing money. In Ontario, $21 is the maximum cost for borrowing $100, and the borrower has two business days to change their mind and cancel the loan.

In Ontario, a payday lender cannot extend or renew a loan, a practice which would cost the borrower more interest and borrowing fees. They also cannot ask customers to sign any forms transferring their wages directly to the lender.

Windsorites who are in debt from payday loans or any other loans can turn to institutions that can help such as the Windsor Family Credit Union. A representative from the WFCU who asked not to be named said that their institution can and has helped people in the past who have suffered from loan debts.

The FCAC urges citizens to consider other options when in need of money, such as opening a line of credit at a financial institution, overdrafts on bank accounts and credit card cash advances, all of which are cheaper alternatives to payday loans.

Various payday lenders such as Cash Money were contacted for comment, but no response was given.

Sean Previl Converged Citizen Staff Windsor has a new chief administrative officer, but he says not much will change in how the city runs.

Former chief financial officer and treasurer Onorio Colucci was named CAO in January. His appointment followed Helga Reidel’s decision in December 2015 to become CEO of Enwin Utilities. He assumed the position April 1.

His first official day in council chambers, however, was a contrast to what he expects the rest of his time in the seat will be.

“It’s a little bit like my first meeting on training wheels,” said Colucci, after a meeting that lasted about 20 minutes.

“I’m sure they’ll be off next meeting.”

The man most often known as “O.C.” worked as a chartered accountant for the accounting firm now known as KPMG before starting work at the city in 1984.

Despite his focus on finance over the past 31 years, he acknowledged his new role has a much wider scope.

“We’re a very diverse corporation and so all the departments have specific issues,” said Colucci, 58.

“Having been here 31 years I’m certainly familiar with most of them and we’ll work closely with the various departments and managers to learn even more.”

Following Reidel’s announcement Dec. 18 of her upcoming departure, Colucci was appointed to the position following a council meeting Jan. 4.

Mayor Drew Dilkens said Colucci’s experience combined with financial knowledge made him the perfect fit.

“Certainly after 31 years he’s the person with the most institutional memory and corpo-

rate knowledge of the City of Windsor, so he’s the right guy at the right time,” said Dilkens.

Ward 8 Coun. Bill Marra has worked with four different CAOs, including Colucci, while on council. He said Colucci “stood to the challenge” as treasurer during the economic crisis in 2008.

He added Colucci will also benefit from his reputation.

“He’s a man who’s deemed to be a very ethical man, very values-based,” said Marra.

“He doesn’t sugar-coat things.

He’s a very candid and honest man, full of integrity.”

Though he wants to continue “what she’s (Reidel) got started,” Colucci said he will still bring his own way of doing things.

“I think the city is in really good shape these days so I don’t foresee dramatic changes,” said Colucci.

“There may be a tweak here or there as things progress but it’s largely status quo for now.

I think we want to continue to provide the best services we can for the residents at the cheapest possible price.”

Dilkens said he has faith Colucci will have little issue bringing his own voice to the table.

“He’ll find ways to be Onorio Colucci that are automatically different than Helga Reidel and he’s got big shoes to fill,” said Dilkens.

“But he’s got a bit of a different personality so you’ll see that come out in certain decision-making and the way he approaches things as well.”

Colucci said he’s looking forward to being involved in upcoming projects during his term, including the new city hall project, but it won’t end there. He said, in his experience, as soon as one project ends, another begins.

“There’s never a dull moment.”

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news

April 14, 2016

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Small businesses are huge for Windsor Alyssa Horrobin Converged Citizen Staff Windsor is home to thousands of entrepreneurs trying to make a living in a city with chronically high unemployment in Canada.

The City Market in Windsor currently houses about 20 of the 20,000 small businesses in the region and is doing everything they can to help them succeed, according to manager Sherrill Zonjic-Bullis.

Zonjic-Bullis works individually with small business owners to help them get off the ground, from allowing a vendor to try things out for a day to creating a long-term business plan.

Zonjic-Bullis said there is also support between vendors.

“Something like this is nice because you have the support of the other people in the

Photo by Alyssa Horrobin Sherrill Zonjic-Bullis, manager of The City Market in Windsor poses in the market’s new produce section which opened April 2. building,” said Zonjic-Bullis.

“We also advertise for our vendors and we all support each other here. It’s a community effort … there’s always a helping hand in the market if

you need it.”

The City Market is less than a year old and some areas are still under construction. They hope to bring in more small businesses and a restaurant as

Petition to keep high school name Shelbey Hernandez Converged Citizen Staff One Windsor parent has more than 2,000 supporters for her online petition against changing the name of W.F. Herman Secondary School.

According to the Greater Essex County District School Board, Herman will become a kindergarten to Grade 12 school by September. It will be merging with Percy P. McCallum so the board said the name should change.

However, for those with strong ties to the school, the connection goes beyond the building its roots are with the name.

That is why Martha Hradowy created a petition on April 2.

Two days later, her petition had more than 1,300 signatures and the numbers are continuing to rise.

Hradowy said it isn’t the amalgamation that is the problem.

“W.F. Herman is a school in the Windsor area that has a long standing tradition (and) history,” said Hradowy. “The school has made a name for itself not only provincially but nationally and I think to maintain the legacy of the school and the tradition and the person that it was named after, that whatever the new school name is, that still needs to be

incorporated as part of the new name.”

For many who graduated from Herman, the school holds precious memories. One graduate, Ashley Meyers, met her fiancé there.

Meyers told her daughter about Herman for years, knowing that would be the school her daughter would go to. Although her daughter will still go there because of the neighbourhood, Meyers said it won’t be the same.

“Herman’s a well-known name throughout Ontario so why change it?” said Meyers, who graduated in 2009. “The football team’s great, there’s a lot of support there. If they want to make it into a J.K. to Grade 12 school, fine. I just think they should leave the name alone.”

Hradowy and Meyers are two of many people who feel this way about the name, but not everyone shares their view.

“There is the attachment to it, I understand that, but at the end of the day, that’s what it is: your meaning, your history with it but the change of the name doesn’t change that,” said Kenny Keelan who went to Herman until Grade 11 back in the late 90s. “It doesn’t mean that you have to stop associating with that. You can say this school used to be

W.F. Herman and I don’t quite like the name anymore but this is the way it is. It’s just a matter of adapting.”

Keelan also said people should be focused on the merging. He said the merging will affect many students and staff who will have to adapt to a new environment with new people. So if people can handle the merging, then they should be able to handle a new name.

“I think it supports being able to adapt to new things and I think Windsor as a whole needs a new face, more or less, and this is part of that,” said Keelan. “It’s not attaching to this old mentality and this old image that we have, be it good or bad. We have to change with the times and what have you and I think that’s just something we need to do as a whole.”

Hradowy said the petition will be up at change.org for a couple of weeks and then will be sent to the school board trustees. The board has already created an ad hoc committee responsible for deciding on the name.

The committee will also be allowing for public input.

Anyone interested in voicing their thoughts on a new name can go to the board’s website and fill out a W.F. Herman Naming Review Form.

they expand and update the building.

The newest addition to the market is a 650 sq. metre produce section which opened April 2. It takes up about a quarter of the market space and is run by Anthony Elias, who has worked in produce as a small business for more than 20 years.

Elias said he worked for his father who owned Elias Produce and built it up with the help of his brothers into a $100 million business before selling the chain to FreshCo about 10 years ago. He said he learned how to run a business and balance a budget through his years of work experience.

Elias said money can disappear very quickly with the expense of starting up a business, particularly with advertising. He said he believes it

takes some experience to get off the ground.

“A small business owner who wants to just get up and giddy up…it’s really tough.

Windsor’s tough too.”

According to Sabrina DeMarco, executive director of the Small Business Centre for Windsor-Essex, launching a small business is not easy, but being a business owner can be very rewarding.

DeMarco said she has a lot of respect and admiration for small business owners because of their hard work and passion about serving the community with what they offer.

“Small business is the lifeblood of our community,” said DeMarco. “In our region we have many thriving areas that are possible due to the investments made by small business and entrepreneurs.”

Program returns to provide safe place

Photo by Nate Hinkley Bob Williams is the executive director of the Windsor Pride Community Centre.

Another program which just Nate Hinkley started at Pride is counselling Convered Staff Windsor Pride is continuing its support for youth with more programs geared toward improving physical and mental health.

One of its existing programs, School’s Out, begins as the school year winds down.

The program will provide youth in the community with a safe place to go after school ends for the summer, with a particular focus on helping those in the LGBT community.

“It’s a great place for students or anyone to come and be in a safe environment,” said Bob Williams, executive director of the Windsor Pride Community Centre.

on Wednesdays and Thursdays to help youth, students, families and members of the LGBT community. The counselling program is for drug-related issues and advice on how to stay healthy and safe sexually.

They also offer a suicide prevention program and gambling counselling. Some youth use the office as a safe place to go.

“I go all the time to the Windsor Pride office to hang out and talk to different people. It means a lot to me having a place like that to go to,” said one 18-year-old man, who asked that his name not be used.

For support or information call the Windsor Pride office at 519-973-4656.

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news ONVERGED CITIZEN New opportunities on the horizon for the Teutonia Club

Taylor Busch Converged Citizen Staff After more than 60 years of meeting at 55 Edinborough St. in Windsor, the Verein Teutonia Club is closing its doors for good and members are anxiously waiting to move to a new hall across town.

As of June 1, the new owners of the well-known "Home of Oktoberfest" will begin renovations on the 10-acre property to transform it into a new medical center for the residents of central Windsor. It is the first time the building will undergo major renovations in nearly 30 years and according to club president Christine Erdmann it will look completely different when it's finished.

"I'm told it's going to have a complete facelift outside and inside so it will be a little sad but at the same time it will be their home," said Erdmann.

For some elder members of the club, this will be a second move since the Teutonia Club was built in the mid 1930s.

In the years between and fol-

CHURCH PAGE 1 Sandwich First Baptist Church was established to unite and offer aid to refugee blacks in the early 1800s and still provides assistance to the community today.

According to the church's website, Sandwich First Baptist Church is the oldest active black church in Windsor. It was developed in the 1820s by refugee and freed slaves who gathered informally outdoors and in homes in Windsor's Olde Sandwich Town. Shortly after, the Sandwich First Baptist group joined other black congregations in Amherstburg and Detroit to form the Amherstburg Regular Missionary Baptist Association. The association was in support of the Underground Railroad and abolition of slavery.

One member grew up hearing about the history of Sandwich First Baptist Church and is now very active in its operations.

"I used to hear my greatgrandmother tell me about this church, how they'd hide peo-

Photo by Taylor Busch President Christine Erdmann stands inside the Teutonia Club's celebrated Schauben Hall in windsor on March 31. Erdmann said thousands of great events took place in the hall over the years. lowing the World Wars, Erdmann says many European families fled to Canada hoping to start new lives but faced any unexpected obstacles when they arrived including language barriers, prejudice and scrutiny. It was not long before they began gathering in homes and churches to help each other through the difficult assimilation process.

She says at its peak the club was a second home to close to

3,000 members.

"This building was built mostly by our members as more of them came over [from Europe], and therefore it has a lot of meaning to us and still we wish the new owner well in all his endeavors."

Erdmann says it was a nearly unanimous decision from the board and members to merge with the Fogolar Furlan Club across town as they have maintained great relations

ple under the floor. That's when the bounty hunters came in and they couldn't find them," said Lana Talbot, president of the church's heritage committee. "I did not come to this church to be a member. I came here for Family Day or something. Next thing you know, I'm a member. But I haven't stopped."

In its early days, Sandwich First Baptist Church offered basic amenities to the community including shelter, food, clothing, security and spiritual guidance. Today, many of those services are still available.

Deacon Kim Elliott of Sandwich First Baptist Church said the church reaches out to the community in many ways and the building can be rented for various events.

"We provide a lot of service gap initiatives, help out with food security, shelter, addiction and recovery. We are still in the business of helping people resettle, by way of refugee status," said Elliott. "We provide space for birthday parties, wedding receptions. We conduct weddings. We con-

duct funerals. We provide space for Elections Canada.

They use our facilities as a polling station."

The church has few members but continues to hold regular Sunday services and Bible study on Wednesdays.

Despite the recent deaths of their pastor and assistant pastor, the congregation continues to gather. Members say they do what they can to keep the place in operation.

"We lost our pastor and our assistant pastor within a month and four days of each other. So now its up to us, the remaining, to keep the church alive," said Talbot. "We do tithes and offerings. That's how we have maintained."

Faith is what seems to have kept Sandwich First Baptist Church alive for 175 years.

"In the case of slavery, they came north seeking freedom, really not knowing if they'd be captured or sent back to the States," said Elliott. "It was their faith that got them here and it is the faith that has kept us here for 175 years. It's still going strong today.

"I know that one day the church will be full," said Sister Talbot.

April 14, 2016

over the years. However, not all of the club's groups are able to be accommodated by the new hall.

"As of right now we haven't found [a home] yet and our club's future is uncertain," said Victor Lucier of the Windsor Ping Pong Association. "We are sad because they've been good to us over the years and we've had a good run here and also we have a lot of people that have become used to playing each week."

While Erdmann believes the club's membership numbers and monthly pretzel and cabbage roll sales will not be affected by the move, others are more skeptical.

"I really enjoy working here and now knowing they're closing the doors is really sad, not only for me and the other employees but also the customers that have been coming here so long," said Teutonia bartender and member Karla Beaudoin.

"We're like a real family here and I know if they move it won't be the same."

Erdmann says the Fogolar has been very accommodating so far offering to give Teutonia members chances to go check out their new home and waiving their rental fees through the summer. She also says the manager of the Fogolar is considering flying the German flag out front and has told her there will be space in their hall to display some Teutonia photos, plaques and records permanently.

"We're really not a dying club, we are going to continue on just under the umbrella of the Fogolar Club and they've opened their arms to us and been very accommodating in everything we've asked for and need," said Erdmann.

While some of the Teutonia's treasures and books have been set aside or donated to the Windsor Public Library's downtown campus, many are still to be auctioned off during the club's farewell banquet May 1, starting at noon and open to all. Tickets will be available for purchase at their long time home through April.

ARSON PAGE 1

messaging while Bondy was living away from the family home.

Lawyer Shelley McGuire proceeded to show the court text messages sent by Bondy to Mulholland which said, “sleep with one eye open,” and, “We will see how well you sleep when I am back home.”

No family members were home the day Bondy was moving his items from the house.

Jason Alford is a long-time friend of Bondy’s who agreed to have Bondy live with him should he be released following the trial. When asked about the state of the relationship between Bondy and his wife Alford told the court, “They’ve been bickering and fighting since I’ve known them.”

It is Alford’s duty to supervise Bondy and make sure he adheres to his designated curfew and refrains from associating with certain people identified by the court.

The final verdict in Bondy’s trial will be concluded by the end of the week.

or barricaded with miscellaneous items. A warrant was immediately issued for Bondy’s arrest and he was taken into custody without incident a day following the fire.

Russell Mulholland, 22, is Bondy’s son who said the fire was caused by careless smoking.

“My father was not responsible for the fire,” said Mulholland.

The fire was started on a bed that had materials left piled on it.

In a neighbour’s surveillance video which captures the Bondy home, a brief flicker is seen from the second floor window of the house where the fire starts.

Mulholland was also charged by police.

The motive behind the fire remains under investigation as the relationship in the Bondy family was reported to be wearing thin following his November arrest. Stacey Mulholland, Bondy’s wife, reported on Bondy’s constant harassment through text

CONVERGED CITIZEN APRIL 14, 2016

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Students are often stressed out Lyndi-Colleen Morgan Converged Citizen Staff Recent studies show students in post-secondary school have been experiencing increased stress and anxiety over the last several years.

The National College Health Assessment found 58.5 per cent of the 16,000 Ontario students surveyed experienced higher than average stress, in a 2013 study.

Oxford Dictionaries defines stress as the mental strain or tension placed on an individual resulting from demanding circumstances which can cause adverse effects on a person’s body.

The NCHA reported 40 per cent of students said stress was affecting their ability to achieve academically. Don Crowder is a counsellor at St. Clair College’s downtown campus. He said certain life events or experiences can trigger stress. These triggers then determine how individuals react to the stress. He said stress is not always debilitating to an individual’s education.

“Stress has a full range of

seling or the other services o f f e r e d .

Students like myself can use them at anytime,” said Claire Renaud, 19, a student at S t . C l a i r College.

Renaud is a Photo by Lyndi-Colleen Morgan full-time stuDon Crowder is one of the counselors available dent studying to students at St. Clair College. Services are g e r o n t o l o g y available to students from Monday to Friday at social work, a all campuses. baseball player effects on people psychologi- for the college and works at cally, emotionally and physi- the St. Clair Residence and cally. It’s unique to each indi- Conference Centre as an advividual,” said Crowder. “It can sor to students. She said she be translated into a negative or spends 80 hours a week fitting a positive event. Sometimes all of these activities into her stress as we know it can in schedule while trying to get all fact be a very motivating, pos- of her work done. itive thing depending on the Renaud said she experioutcomes we (students) are ences constant stress which looking for.” peaks during finals for her He also said students often classes. look for a permanent solution “Even though I procrastinate to their stress but stress cannot sometimes and leave my work be cured, only managed. until the last minute the stress “The school has a lot of motivates me to get it done,” services available for the stu- she said. dents who need to use them, She also said she often keeps whether it be tutoring, coun- it to herself when she is expe-

riencing more than average stress. Sometimes the stress can affect her physically.

Renaud said she has taken advantage of the counseling offered to her by the school and if she needed to again, she would.

Rodney Boodram, 19, is a first-year student at the University of Windsor and is studying criminology and psychology. He is also on the university’s football team.

Boodram said he experiences stress frequently when trying to fit “work and play” into his schedule.

“What stresses me out is that I made a commitment to the football team and I want to show them that I want to be there… but then it takes away some of the time I have scheduled for classes and homework, and then I struggle to catch up,” said Boodram.

Boodram said there are services similar to those of St. Clair College available at the university. He also said firstyear students on the football team are provided with help in their classes by tutors arranged by their coaches.

“There are hotlines and

counselors for students to talk to at all hours of the day.

During midterms and exams my coach gives us breaks because he understands, yes that we are playing football but we are also students,” said Boodram. “On Mondays our coach provides us with workshops to show us how to manage our time for studying and how to take notes in university and Fridays is a study hall so all first-year football students can get help on assignments and studying.”

Crowder said counselling programs and supports are offered in schools to benefit the students and help them with issues like stress and anxiety. He said sometimes the best help councillors can offer students is to be someone to listen and bounce ideas off.

“Sometimes you just need someone to talk to that’s not going to judge you…that’s not going to add to the anxiety and the stress. Sometimes you just need someone who’s going to listen and then help you to work out a solution,” said Crowder.

National Beer Day goes international Danielle Gagnier Converged Citizen Staff Owners of a local brewery are celebrating American National Beer Day. Walkerville Brewery invited Windsorites to the brewery for the release of their Easy Stout 365 beer that was available on tap only on April 7. They were also selling the aged beer in 500 millilitre bottles and one litre bottles.

National Beer Day is celebrated annually in the United States. It marks the day in 1933 people could legally buy, sell and drink beer after the prohibition. #NationalBeerDay was trending on Twitter.

Although Canadian Beer Day is actually celebrated Nov. 28, this didn’t stop the Walkerville Brewery from

Photo by Danielle Gagnier The Walkerville Brewery debuted their signature bourbon barrel-aged beer April 7 in celebration of National Beer Day. enjoying the American holiday. According to Troy Drayton, tour guide at the Walkerville Brewery, they are doing their best to expose craft beers to Windsorites

which is why they chose to showcase their bourbon barrel-aged stout on National Beer Day. “You can barrel age your beers in a number of different

types of barrels, whether it’s wine or vodka, but we’re doing it with bourbon,” said Drayton. “We’ve been doing a lot of different barrel-aged series in the past. This beer has been sitting in a bourbon barrel for about a year so that’s where the Easy Stout 365 name comes from.”

Blayne Caron, one of the brewers at the Walkerville Brewery, said what makes this barrel-aged bourbon special is its unique taste.

“Our Easy Stout, regularly, is very sweet and rounded on the palate,” said Caron, one of the brewers. “After aging in the barrels, a lot of the time the bourbon can overpower a lot of beers, but the bourbon compliments with the sweetness really well.”

During prohibition, Windsor

was a major site for alcohol smuggling and gang activity.

Being just across the border easily allowed the illegal transportation of alcohol from Windsor to the United States.

Drayton said many of the tours they host at the brewery outline Windsor’s contribution during prohibition.

“We want to do our best through the branding of our beers, the names of our beers, through our logos, all that type of stuff, to really kind of enhance people’s knowledge about the impact that this area had,” said Drayton.

The Walkerville Brewery arranged free tours for those involved in the Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey Association tournament on April 9 to further promote their craft beers.

CONVERGED CITIZEN APRIL 14, 2016

6

Jose, can you see the Cy Young?

Opinion

Christian Bouchard Sports Columnist

One pitcher would have to lose. The only question was who.

Entering their first start of the season, Detroit Tigers pitcher Anibal Sanchez returned to a place he once called home having not lost there since 2012. His counterpart, however, returned to the same park having not lost in his career.

Jose Fernandez took his perfect 17-0 record at home alongside his 1.40 ERA in 26 career starts at Marlins Park.

The winning streak is the longest in MLB history for a pitcher to start off a career at home. This may be why his success created some surprise when he didn’t get the Opening Day assignment.

Nonetheless, the Marlins are monitoring Fernandez’s innings this season, his second back from Tommy John surgery following an elbow injury.

Baffling hitters as he had them thinking about what pitch he would throw next, Fernandez would go on to show true talent despite what critics might say. Fernandez went on to throw 5.2 innings while striking out 13 and allowing five hits in his first career loss at home.

After seeing how dominant Fernandez was against the Tigers, a couple of things became clear. He has undoubtedly healed from arguably the nastiest surgery in all of sports and he feels comfortable. It’s

Photo courtesy of sbnation.com Jose Fernandez will look to bounce back from Tommy John surgery and pitch his way to his first NL Cy Young Award. for that reason why nobody should be surprised if he ends up winning the Cy Young Award this season -dedicated to the best pitcher in the league – despite the inning limit in order to preserve the ace’s arm.

Since his rookie year (and including the partial seasons directly before the first half of 2014) and after his reconstructive elbow surgery, Fernandez has been outright dominant.

His ERAs during that time have been 2.19, 2.44 and 2.92, his WHIPs have been 0.979, 0.948 and 1.160 and his K/9 rates have been 9.7, 12.2 and 11.0. For those who don’t follow baseball that closely, he’s virtually unhittable.

Many predicted the 23-yearold’s performance to diminish

following surgery, but he has done the complete opposite. In fact, his velocity has improved as he’s consistently been hitting 96 mph and the movement on his curveball is leaving hitters shaking their heads as they walk back to the dugout. In other words, there’s no indication whatsoever that Fernandez won’t be one of the elite starters in all of baseball – if he’s healthy.

The Marlins have said they plan to keep Fernandez on an innings count this year, likely in the range of 160-180. This number makes sense given his recent past with elbow surgery. But it’s not hard to project what a season featuring that number of innings would look like. As a rookie, Fernandez threw 172 innings,

which is almost what’s expected this year.

Looking at career averages, which is fair given his consistency, we can conclude somewhat conservatively over 27 starts and get numbers as follows: 166 innings, a 13-4 record, a 2.40 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, a .198 BAA, a K/9 rate of 10.5 and a WAR likely in the ballpark of 6.0. Not bad, right? In case you’re wondering, every one of those ratios would have been in the top seven in the majors last year.

It’s also worth mentioning that Fernandez has a career .710 winning percentage with a team that, in his three years, collectively has finished 66 games under .500.

Would that be sufficient for him to win the Cy Young?

Maybe.

It seems pretty unlikely that Jake Arrieta will duplicate last year’s numbers. Consensus estimates have him projected at 15-7 with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, with Fernandez’s career numbers all comparing favourably to those. In addition, Zack Greinke is also expected to take a step back statistically with the move from pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium to hitter-friendly Chase Field.

Fernandez’s talent is too great, the results too dominant and the potential too attractive to imagine Fernandez not winning a Cy Young in the near future – perhaps even at the age of 23, just as Kershaw did five years ago.

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APRIL 14, 2016

sports & fitness ONVERGED CITIZEN Wall earning accolades, scholarship Garrett Fodor Converged Citizen Staff A local goalie is earning more than individual accolades and is set to earn an education from a soon to be Division I NCAA school.

Leamington Flyers rookie goalie Tyler Wall took the league by storm as he compiled a 27-2-1 record in the regular season. Wall earned rookie of the year honours, along with top goalie honours in the Western Conference, as he posted a 0.940 save percentage and 1.49 goalsagainst-average. Wall also established a new record, by having the most wins by a rookie goalie. These stat lines and strong performances caught the eyes of NCAA scouts. Wall recieved an offer and has announced his intentions via Twitter, to attend the University of Massachusetts Lowell where Wall plans on studying engineering.

Branden Robitaille, goalie coach for the Flyers, said Wall

Photo by Garrett Fodor

Tyler Wall, of the Leamington Flyers, attempts to save a puck March 17 against the Chatham Maroons. has played well and has exceeded expectations.

“He’s played well, truthfully we didn’t think he’d make the team out of camp,” said Robitaille. “He’s very sound technically and quiet in his movements. He’s a big body and knows the game well.

With his quick movements it helps with his reactions.”

While splitting time with goaltender Michael Barrett, the two put Leamington at the top of the Western Conference. Robitaille said he believes Wall is well equipped considering it’s his first play-

off series.

Flyers Defenceman Zak Parlette said he is confident with either goalie in the net, but likes the way Wall sees the ice and talks in his net to the defence and the team to let them know what is going on.

Wall said the connection he

has with their goalie coach and head recruiter Cameron Ellsworth is great to have.

“It feels pretty good, their goalie coach is actually from Leamington so it’s a nice little connection we have,” said Wall. “My goal these season was just to come in and be the best goalie I could be and whatever happens, I wouldn’t say my plan was to get a commitment.”

UMass is currently transitioning into a Division I school, with their official status coming in 2017. The River Hawks earned a NCAA Frozen Four appearance in 2013 and have graduated players to the NHL like Dwayne Roloson, Ron Hainsey and Connor Hellebuyck.

Wall said he hopes to bring his simplistic style of game and large presence in the net to UMass. He said he is more focused on the task at hand as Leamington is currently trailing the London Nationals 3-2 in their Western Conference finals series.

Valuable goals scored in world tournament Aaron Sanders Converged Citizen Staff An international hockey tournament is scoring more than just goals.

Windsor is playing host to the Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey Association Hockey World Cup from Apr. 3-10.

The tournament features more than 2,500 players from 15 different countries. Games are being played in three arenas around the city ; Tecumseh Arena, the Vollmer Complex and the WFCU Centre.

Fitchburg USA 55 plus goalie Joe Iozzo said despite playing in a different country and city, players like himself felt like they were at home with the sport. Iozzo and his team came from Fitchburg, Massachusetts to participate in the CARHA World Cup. “Coming from the States, hockey is not the most popular sport,” said Iozzo. “But when you come into Canada, you know it’s the most popular sport here and it’s a nice feeling to see how everybody [as

a hockey player] feel like they’re home amongst like minded people.”

The players on the ice were not the only ones enjoying the seven day event. CARHA media relations coordinator Chad Scanlan flew into Windsor from Ottawa to work the World Cup. Scanlan said he enjoyed the turnout the city has received.

“The tournament itself has been fantastic,” Scanlan said.

“The people in Windsor have really been receptive with it and excited that it’s here.

With 2,500 participants from 15 different countries, it’s cool to see everyone walking down the downtown core and everyone is happy that they’re here.”

Iozzo said the friendships made added to his experience in the tournament.

“I think it’s really great because of the camaraderie among hockey players and I think one of the sayings in CARHA is friendship through hockey,” said Iozzo.” It’s really true and although we’re competing against each other,

Photo by Aaron Sanders CARHA Hockey World Cup action between the Calgary Hornets and the Swiss Polar Bears at the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre April 6. we have a bond that happens while we’re here. It’s (a) really unique experience.”

Scanlan also said he will take the camaraderie home

from the World Cup. “On the ice you play hard, battle each other but after the game, it’s about shaking hands and going to the play-

ers’ village,” Scanlan said.

“The hockey is kind of a bonus, but there’s friendships that are made which I’ll take from the tournament.”