The Voice, December 14 2022

As one era comes to an end, another begins

In a free market system, the making of profit determines whether a business continues to thrive. For some time now, as the world has gone increasingly digital, capitalism has not looked favourably upon the print media industry. The Voice is unfortunately no exception. Next week’s issue of the paper, our last for 2022, will also be our last in print.

But do not lament and rend your garments! We are moving 100 percent online!

In fact, we’re going from the weekly Voice to the daily Voice, with stories posted each day rather than at the end of the week, as has been our practice until now. All staff and freelancers are staying. Our website will be entirely redesigned come January, and will feature a much broader scale of coverage. I’m actually feeling quite positive about this change.

Technology moves on How did we get here? As they say, follow the money.

The start of print journalism’s economic slide traces way back to Craig’s List, the online classified site, and eBay, both started in 1995. Craig’s List really took off in 2000, spawning countless imitators, such as kijiji, websites where it was free to place an ad.

It may be hard for anyone under 50 to believe, but at one time it could cost a small fortune to place a classified ad in a newspaper. A dollar a word was pretty much minimum, and went up from there the bigger the newspaper and circulation. You wanted to sell a car or rent out an apartment? $50 please—and this was back when $50 bought a lot more than it does today. Newspapers were the only game in town, and the revenue from classifieds was astonishingly huge.

More recently, longtime Voice readers will remember the golden era of weekly General Motors full-page ads, and other national brand ads, with some regional banks and big box stores thrown in. While these ads had already started to dribble away with the rise of social media, what

really brought the party to an end was Covid. GM pulled their local ads in early 2020 and never came back. Ditto for other national brands.

This summer our provincial community newspaper association, which brokered such ads, effectively threw in the towel, announcing the layoffs of account managers as well as the CEO who had been hired to try to get advertisers back in the door.

Then came inflation. We’ve seen steady rises in newsprint costs over the course of the pandemic, particularly this year, with another increase scheduled for January. As newspapers in Ontario have stopped printing, the printing companies themselves are closing. We’ve been through three printing plants in the last five years. (This has ironically turned the printing business into a seller’s market. But not for much longer, one suspects.)

What has helped sustain us over these three pandemic years has been first and foremost our loyal, local advertisers, followed by federal and provincial Covid-related advertising, the federal CEBA small business Covid loan program, some governmental and other grants, as well as many contributors working for little or no money, and volunteers distributing the paper in rural areas. But now the grants and Covid ads have largely dried up, and there’s talk of a recession on the horizon.

We also benefited enormously, as I mentioned in this space several weeks ago, from the generosity of one Voice shareholder in particular, Sandra Warden, who loaned the paper a considerable sum prior to my arrival in 2016. Up to the start of Covid we were able, bit by bit, to pay off the majority of this loan.

When Sandra passed away in September, the remaining balance was forgiven at her request, a final act of generosity from an incomparably wonderful woman, a former Kinsmen Citizen of the Year, who was content to do her good works out of the limelight.

Over these years we have steadily made cuts in expenses—greatly reducing staff, moving to a smaller office, cutting our bulk delivery costs, and eliminating some costly rural postal

delivery routes. In short, at this point there’s little left to cut.

Despite these circumstances, by the way, I hope you’ll agree that the last seven years have been some of the Voice’s best. From zero before 2016, we have won 35 provincial and national journalism honours for our reporting through 2021, with 2022’s work now being judged. I’d say that’s pretty impressive for any paper, especially for one our size.

Newspapers across Canada and the US are all facing the same pressures. In Atlantic Canada, one daily chain has stopped publishing on Mondays, and the Postmedia group has also stopped publishing on Mondays in several provinces. Each day brings more news of cutbacks and closures. Like it or not, the news business is now mostly online, not in print. We are the carriage and buggy manufacturers of 100 years ago, stubbornly hanging on in 1922 in the face of those newfangled motor cars.

Today’s reality

The truth is that online news is more convenient. It’s faster. It’s generally less expensive for advertisers, and it’s less costly for publishers. Another truth is that most news consumers stopped paying for print some years back. In our house, we haven’t subscribed to a print newspaper since we had our last landline— nearly 20 years ago. All of our subscriptions are online.

There is now an offer before the remaining 50 community shareholders who founded the Voice in 1997. A long-established Canadian online community news company, which already has a presence in southern Ontario—including in Niagara— is looking to invest in our website, to create an exponentially better online presence. I will have an update for you next week on the progress of this proposal.

Either way, come January 1, the same journalism you’ve appreciated in print, written by the same staff, will be available to you online, anytime. As ever, thank you for reading the Voice. 4

NRPS impaired driving charges ~

In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample.

Casey A. MCNAB, 42, Niagara-on-the-Lake Salina COOK, 39, St. Catharines

Devon M. TURANSKY, 26, West Lincoln Mark A. GRECO, 52, Welland Connor J. BEKKER-THOMPSON, 19, Port Colborne

Anthony VACCA, 48, Niagara Falls

Derek L. FADER, 39, Lincoln

The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.

Tuesday,

Thursday, December 8 Carbon monoxide alarm, Lymburner St., Station 1

Inflation shelves hopes for new library building

BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent

Pelham’s designs on a new library across from the MCC are likely on the shelf indefinitely after Town Council heard Dec. 5 that the cost of the project has almost doubled due to inflation. Pelham previously became eligible for a $5.7 million federal grant for the project, which would have covered 60 percent of the $9.5 million price tag in 2021. However, the cost of the project has increased to $963 per square foot from $527, making it untenable for the foreseeable future.

“Unless we get [additional] provincial funding, we’d have to take out approximately $8 million in debt,” Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin-Murphy told council last Monday.

Councillors unanimously voted to accept the latest staff report and defer the project.

“Unless we can pull a rabbit out of a hat, this is getting close to being a dead issue,” Ward 2’s John Wink said.

While Quinlin-Murphy didn’t completely rule out some form of provincial grant to help defray costs, time is now of the essence to determine what to do about the current library branch on Pelham Town Square.

Under provincial mandate, the 35-year-old building must be compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) by 2025 if it is to remain open. An elevator is needed to use the building’s basement space, the price of which Quinlin-Murphy said can be investigated by a consultant relatively inexpensively.

“If that [renovation] number has gone up significantly, maybe that also impacts the decision on whether we keep the dream of a new library building alive,” CAO David Cribbs said.

The idea for a new library attached to,

or near, the MCC came up a few years ago, when Quinlin-Murphy discovered the federal grant program for community infrastructure. It was believed the sale of the existing library land would also net approximately $2 million toward the project.

Now, in a much different economic climate, Ward 1 Councillor Kevin Ker voiced further concern about Premier Doug Ford’s controversial plan to waive development charges across Ontario —something bound to collectively cost municipalities across the province billions of dollars a year in revenue streams.

“One point six million was allocated from development charges … this has made a lot of us nervous,” Ker said. “We’re allocating stuff that may not exist.”

Fellow newcomer Councillor Shellee Niznik asked Quinlin-Murphy if the grant money could be used on a retrofit of the old library, which the Treasurer said it cannot.

New ground rules

As this was the first regular council meeting for the new group, various housekeeping was in order. Staff presented a report

that recommended the scaling back of the Town’s many committees, staffed mainly with volunteers.

“We have too many committees in this town,” Cribbs said. “We’re having a difficult time staffing and providing administrative support to them, and we realize we’re in difficult headwinds economically.”

Ward 3 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt, who sat on the Utility Sustainability Committee last term before other members of the committee left, suggested bringing it back strictly as a “working group” as opposed to a protocol-based committee.

While Cribbs credited Hildebrandt’s work in saving the Town thousands of dollars in energy costs at the MCC, he felt the committee had run its course. He did concede, however, that a working group approach may be better.

“It is the medium step,” the CAO said.

Hildebrandt suggested that if a new library ever was built, such a working group could ensure the building was zero-emission.

“A zero-emission library is not a possibility,” Cribbs replied.

“We will just agree to disagree,” Hildebrandt said.

Council also voted to abandon last term’s practice of having councillors rotate through the Deputy Mayor role every eight months, instead choosing to select an interested councillor for a two-year term.

Niznik, who preferred the idea of a oneyear term, was the only no-vote.

Ward 1’s Wayne Olson said he believed the role was important, and pointed out that there were Town events during the last council in which no elected official attended if Mayor Marvin Junkin was unavailable.

Cribbs joked that “cloning is good for TV and movies, but not for the purposes we’re talking about.”

After some haggling, council also agreed to conduct their regular meetings at 9 AM on Wednesdays beginning in February. With all current members at least partially retired, the move made sense, with Cribbs adding there will be cost savings to the Town by not forcing non-management staff to work overtime hours.

Odds and ends

New procedural bylaws for council meetings were also discussed, including a new rule where unless granted an exception, each member will be limited to seven minutes of talking per agenda item. Junkin clearly intimated that the idea was to avoid the lengthy semantics heard frequently during the last term. “I’m hoping that this group will come to council prepared,” the Mayor said.

Junkin accidentally called Ker “Councillor Kore” at one point during the meeting, referring to former councillor Ron Kore. This resulted in laughter and at least one visible wince.

“I’m sorry, Councillor Ker,” the Mayor atoned.

Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc. is governed by an eight-member board that provides local electricity distribution and related services to residential and business customers in the Town of Pelham, the City of Niagara Falls, the Town of Lincoln, and the Township of West Lincoln. The Board of Directors sets the strategic direction and monitors the performance of NPEI.

The Town of Pelham, Lincoln, and the Township of West Lincoln are the sole shareholders of PWPI and each municipality is to appoint two directors to sit on its Board. The president is the sole director of the services company which provides rentals of electric water heaters and sentinel lights and administers the maintenance of streetlights for its municipal owners. PWPI is the sole shareholder of Peninsula West Services Ltd. and has shares in Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc.

Preference may be given to qualified candidates who are residents of the Municipalities; however, non-residents shall not be excluded from serving as Board members.

the

The Town of Pelham is accepting applications for committees of council and board members.

Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc. (NPEI) Board of Directors

Peninsula West Power Inc. (PWPI) Board of Directors

Pelham Town Council's hybrid meeting of December 5

YOU TUBE / TOWN OF PELHAM

COTÉ'S COMMENTS

Larry Coté

I

t was not such an unexpected shock to learn of the demise of the printed version of the Voice of Pelham. However, that does not diminish the bit of sadness that accompanied the learning of that decision. Like many devoted readers I will miss the tactile rustle of holding the paper in hand while my eyes visually scan the familiar layout of pages. However, most of us have evolved and learned to live with the many technological changes that have virtually disrupted some of the routines to which we have become accustomed.bankrupted many printed page producers. Notice how your daily newspaper has actually withered in physical size and the amount of local news content has been reduced to being a mere shadow of its former coverage.

"Notice how your daily newspaper has actually withered in physical size"

too many drivers will have to be forcefully dragged from behind the wheel of their oversized gas guzzling SUVs.

While I enjoyed receiving the Voice at my doorstep every week, I admit to also having iPads, ebooks and other electronics to inform and entertain me. In fact, I used some of these devices to write, edit, and submit this column almost weekly.

If you observe the trend in the publishing and merging of the urban dailies, the end of the print versions of these newspapers is likely not far off. The downward trend in subscription rates and advertising revenues is due to the uptake in online usage that has virtually

Obsolescence is not a new and unfamiliar process to most people and has often disrupted their familiar routines. For example, look at the current auto industry and the onrushing conversion from carbon-fueled vehicles to battery-powered ones. Transportation industry experts predict that gas-powered road vehicles will be obsolete in a dozen or so years. That is not a long time for the millions of drivers to adjust to this new reality. Hopefully, not

Although I admit to not being an unbiased person when it comes to the Voice, I am comfortable in saying it has been an icon of excellence and an important contributor to the Pelham community and even wider. Under the direction of our publisher, the number of awards this community newspaper has won are a testament to the outstanding and upstanding qualities throughout the presence of the Voice in this community. Thankfully we can expect those qualities to continue with the digital version.

There likely will be some discomfort to the routines of some regular readers. However, most of them will quickly adjust to clicking on the Voice icon on their digital devices to catch up on what they formerly read on the printed page.

Hope to meet with you again on online in the New Year. It’s easy. Just go to thevoiceofpelham.ca to continue to enjoy your community news. 4

Letters

Covid hasn’t gone anywhere. Here’s how we know.

In retrospect not a good decision, as several days later she tested positive for Covid and now is quite sick. At these gatherings there was no social distancing nor mask-wearing.

I am sure that who she got it from didn’t realize that they had the bug. “It’s only allergies or a sniffle, I always get a cold as winter sets in,” would I imagine be the rationale used in attending an event.

We need to get smart—don’t go out to parties, bars, church, concerts if you are not feeling well. Wear a mask, social distance, and keep those hugs and bugs to yourself.

Len Wright Fonthill

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

Member of Federal Parliament Electoral District: Niagara West Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900

Member of Provincial Parliament Electoral District: Niagara West Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755

Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986

Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094

Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400  Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

7 2020

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986

Members of Pelham Town Council

Ward 1

Councillor Kevin Ker kker@pelham.ca 905-931-9571

Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-931-9573

Ward 2 Councillor Brian Eckhardt beckhardt@pelham.ca 905-931-9574

Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-931-9576

Ward 3 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647

SERVICES:

custom made orthotics, compression socks, routine foot and nail care, diabetes foot care, ingrown toenail and more.

CONTACT: (289) 897-8366, info@fosterfootcare.com 209 RR 20, Fonthill

As the winter sets in it is obvious that we are still a long way from eliminating Covid. In fact the number of cases is not going down. Last week, my wife, who has not been to any social gatherings since Covid, decided she would go back to attending church and went to several events over the weekend.

I went to the panthers game last Sunday for the first time at the new arena, and what great hockey to watch. Unfortunately the seating was so cramped I had no leg room at all. I’m six feet tall, and I could not move, and neither could my buddy, so we stood the whole game.

I would say 80 percent of the spectators were standing. I asked a few people about

the seating and they all said the same thing—no leg room. I hope the Town can look into this problem and fi x it so we can sit and enjoy the games. I will be attending more games but I will stand up. Maybe the town could put up stools to watch the hockey.

Gary Birch Fonthill

Appreciates stroke signs advice

Many thanks for printing the letter from Brenda Horton concerning her husband’s stroke of her husband [“Grateful for speedy, capable medical treatment,” Letters, Nov.30, p.5]. All the information and facts were more than helpful, especially to those whose age might make them vulnerable to this health issue.

Brenda Horton must be credited for passing along this valuable message, along with the paramedics for recognizing the symptoms of stroke and taking the patient to the correct hospital.

Margaret Campbell Fonthill

Planned community one solution to housing issue

I read many opposition letters to housing developments, however with little offerings of a solution.

One simple word “Townsend.”

Add a few more words: Townsend, Ontario, was assembled in the mid 1970s by the Ontario Government for a planned community of 100,000-plus residents.

Jobs? Townsend is surrounded by industry-ready lands. Great location for any of the new upcoming EV vehicle subassem-

bly. Name an industry it can work there.

Doug Ford, put your imagination to use. Instead of struggling to cram ever more into exiting cities, expanding boundaries, let’s use what was planned 40 years ago.

Great location for many of all housing categories. High-end, condos, apartments, even the mini houses looking for a location.

Brad Gautreau Fonthill

Don’t sacrifice Greenbelt to greed

There is something critically wrong with how Canadian politics operates today. Premier Doug Ford has been completely outed lying baldfaced to Ontarians, promising not to go into the Greenbelt. Yet this same man can continue to boldly go on with plans to build Ontario by carving up precious farmlands, wetlands, forests, and the list goes on. A person would be fired for what he has done under any other position. Why are there not systems in place that would fire him from being Premier?

Instead he will kick the farming community in the face, share wealth with develop-

ers who suspiciously bought when they did. Folks, the man is laughing at us in my opinion, and you can see his new gig is to display a sign whenever he is speaking which reads, “Building Ontario.”

Immigrants are said to be coming in huge numbers soon and for their sake I hope not, because they will be coming to Ontario where we are under siege by a dictator and his developer buddies.

Praying justice to prevail before all is lost in the name of greed.

Faye Suthons Wainfleet

THE NEXT Catherine Brazeau

Let's talk turkey—real turkey

Fresh or frozen? Shot full of Bourbon and butter… or do you head to the barn, grab the fattest bird and, well, you know? Personally, I prefer fresh over frozen — just me, my bird, and my skills (minus the killing and plucking part). Of course, cooking a turkey is more than just a test of skill. Turkey has become a sort of memory-making machine. It’s not only got to taste good but it has to be Instagram-worthy (which is more than you can say for me by the end of the day), with all that crispy, golden skin and savoury stuffi ng bursting from its cavity forever evoking memories of Christmases past. That’s a lot of performative pressure! Anyone who’s ever cooked a turkey knows it’s a lot of work. Plus the cooking time has got to be just right so that the dark meat is cooked thoroughly and the white meat isn’t as dry as cardboard. (Praise be to butter, butter, and more butter!) But the real reward for cooking a turkey is enjoying it the next day without having to spend all that time and effort making it.

One of my favourite next-day meals is the humble hot turkey sandwich: a hefty pile of meat on white bread — yep, white bread — smothered in gravy with a dollop of homemade cranberry sauce and reheated garlic mash

on the side. Is there anything better?

Frankly, I’m fairly competent in the kitchen and I make a pretty good turkey. I’ve sure had plenty of years to hone my skills. Which is why I also know a good turkey when I taste one. And by good I mean

Thankfully, my husband always has simple, unsophisticated needs. Unfortunately, I have complex, sophisticated needs, which can sometimes make traveling with me a pain in the ass.

So here we are in smalltown northern Ontario, searching for a good restaurant. Let me tell ya, the struggle is real. It was getting late and everyone was getting a bit hangry (you know, that unwelcome combination of hunger and being pissed off at the world and everyone in it). Knowing that my needs are complex and sophisticated (I prefer the word discerning), the family likes to offload restaurant selection to me. They’re an acquiescent bunch.

made with love and good things. I admit to having some hangups about food. If you don’t know me very well you might even think I’m a bit of a food snob.

(For the record, I do enjoy a Velveeta grilled cheese and a box of KD once in a while.) But those who do know me know I just have trust issues. Here’s why.

When turkey is not turkey

About 20 years ago we took a trip up north to visit family. Traveling anywhere when the kids were young was pretty good. Their needs were simple and unsophisticated back then.

“Pick a place to eat mom.”

“Okay, I’ll let you know when I see a place that looks good.”

(In my head: Look, stop asking me to pick a place to eat all the time. Don’t you know choosing a restaurant is the hardest thing in life for me? I need to analyze the situation. I have standards and criteria and expectations!)

While we’re racking up time and kilometres, driving back and forth along Main St., Nowheresville, I suddenly heard “PICK A PLACE ALREADY!” We’re talkin’ capital letters and

During this World Cup, recalling an earlier legend

When Toronto lawyer and former NDP provincial candidate Julian Heller told me that his grandfather had scored the most goals in a single soccer game for Germany in that country’s history, I assumed it couldn’t be true. I was wrong.

Heller’s grandfather was Gottfried Fuchs, who first played for Germany when he was 18, appeared for his country numerous times, and would have done so far more often if it hadn’t been for the First World War. He won the Iron Cross for his bravery in that bloodbath, but only after he had indeed scored a quite incredible ten goals against Russia in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. Not only does that remain a German record, but nobody had scored more goals until an Australian named Archie Thompson came along, and that, with all due respect, was not against Russia but American Samoa!

But there is another aspect to all of this. Fuchs was Jewish, in a Germany that then boasted the most assimilated and successful Jewish community in the world. Nor was he the only Jewish player in the German national team of the era.

His close friend Julius Hirsch was also a gifted footballer, and the two men were outstanding in the game at the time.

It’s been extremely well documented how many German Jews saw the rise of Nazism as a hideous but short-term problem, and one that their fellow citizens could surely not tolerate for long. This was the country of Jewish sporting heroes and decorated warriors,

the country would surely come to its senses, and Hitler was a clown who would soon be dealt with by the generals. Hindsight can be grotesque.

Fuchs realized by 1937 that the situation was irredeemable and left with his family for Switzerland. After a year they were expelled, and managed to get to Paris. They left there in May 1940 as German troops were entering France, and came to Montreal a few weeks later.

His dear friend Julius Hirsch refused to believe that the darkness would or could be maintained. He had also served in the German army in the First World War, fighting for four years and, like Fuchs, winning the Iron Cross. His brother had even been killed in action fighting for his country in 1916. Hirsch was convinced that his marriage to a non-Jewish woman, his family’s sacrifices for the nation, and his position as a star in German sports, would give him immunity. He spent some time in Paris in 1938, where Fuchs pleaded with him to leave Germany. Hirsch refused, returned, and was deported to Auschwitz in March 1943. He was murdered there in May 1945. His wife wasn’t arrested, but his children were taken to concentration camps in 1944 yet managed to survive. Their children, Julius Hirsch’s grandchildren, still live in Germany.

“My grandfather was a very humble man, and spoke little about his past, and didn’t dwell on it,” says Heller. “I do remember him saying, however, that he would never forgive them for how they

had treated his friend Hirsch, and would never forgive them for what they did to him.”

Both men’s records were expunged from the records of the German Football Association between 1933 and 1945, and while that body did acknowledge some of its cowardice and collaboration, it took many years for anything explicit to be said or done.

It was the former player and national team coach Sepp Herberger who began the process. He was a legend in German football, and because he had joined the Nazi Party in 1933, had long struggled with the shame of his and his country’s past. In 1972, just before the Munich Olympics, he asked the German football authorities to officially invite Gottfried Fuchs to Germany’s game against Russia. They refused, arguing that it would create an “unfortunate precedent.” Herberger was disgusted, and sent his own letter to Fuchs, inviting him personally, and apologizing. Fuchs died of a heart attack shortly before the letter arrived.

Many years later, Julian Heller was invited to Berlin to commemorate a prize named after Julius Hirsch to counter racism and anti-Semitism, and for apologies to be made for past actions.

“We watched a game in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin,” says Heller. “We were standing there just a few steps away from the box where Hitler had stood in 1936. It was, I think you could say, a rather unsettling experience.”

Nobody scored ten goals. But then the truly great Gottfried Fuchs wasn’t playing. 4

POETRY

It’s at Time of Year

November is past, and December’s just begun.

This month puts Autumn on the run. Harvest is finished for squash and pumpkin

In anticipation of what is comin’.

Wild geese are seen flying overhead, Off to the South with one way ahead!

The last brilliant leaves have fallen down, A “leafy” carpet has covered the ground.

The air is so very crisp and clear, You can tell for sure that Santa is near. Squirrels are darting here and there, Hiding nuts for the Winter this year.

Flowers look forlorn, Jack Frost has passed our way. His icy breath froze the blooms that brightened our day. The smell of wood smoke is in the air, People are burning leaves without care.

It’s time to curl up with a book to read.

Grab a blanket and some tea – that’s all you need!

A cozy fire will warm one and all, Sit back and reminisce about this last Fall.

November is over and December is here

The same sequence from year to year.

The residents of Shorthills Villa Retirement Home

Letters continued

Beware the “Amazon” phone scam

We have received many calls recently from people claiming to be with “Amazon Customer Service,” and that charges were made on our Amazon account, $1499 and $470. One day last week we had six calls within an hour!

Each time I said, “This is a scam,” but the calls kept coming… got really angry with one caller and he told me not to ever call him again. That was quite funny!

Today when “they” called I asked him to send me an official email from Amazon and he hung up. I then called Niagara Regional Police and they said a lot of people have had the same types of calls. So please beware—do not give them any information. There are a lot of scams out there.

Sandra Paterson Pelham

Share your talents with the community! Applications are open to join a Town of Pelham committee.

The Committee of Adjustment (“CofA”) is a statutory tribunal under the provisions of the Planning Act, to hold public hearings for the purpose of making decisions with respect to applications for: Minor Variances to the Town’s Zoning Bylaw; Consents and Legal NonConforming Uses (enlargement/ extension/ similar use). The Committee operates independently from Council and its decisions may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (“OLT”).

The committee ensures that the municipality promotes and facilitates a barrier-free and universally accessible environment for citizens of all abilities. Members will ensure a timely review and development of municipal policies, programs and services with an aim toward identifying, removing and preventing barriers faced by persons with disabilities. Members will provide further advice and recommendations to Council on matters relating to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

Learn more about these and other positions and how to apply at www.pelham.ca/careers | hr@pelham.ca | 905-980-6684

The Lincoln Pelham Union Library Board is responsible for the overall governance of the Library. The Board’s purpose is to set a strategic framework within which it can manage the provision of comprehensive and efficient public library services. The Board’s approach to undertaking this purpose will be in accordance with the Public Libraries Act and as further defined by the municipal By-laws / Resolutions, all applicable legislation and Board policies.

Joint Accessibility Committee

Lincoln Pelham Union Library Board Committee of Adjustment

The Town of Pelham is accepting applications for committees of council for the 2022-2026 term. Learn more about all open volunteer positions and how to apply at www.pelham.ca/careers

COMMON DECENCY Rev. Michael Coren

Putting nature on the balance sheet

t’s not news that we are facing a some very serious, interconnected, global challenges.

Traditional views about housing, the cost of living, a presumed recession, climate change, and, I think, governance, are proving to be unsustainable. Aside from the usual full plate of issues, the Town can still do some great things for the environment.

The pandemic has certainly spotlighted the importance of safe and healthy outdoor spaces and green infrastructure’s role “as a universal good.” There is a vast variety of green infrastructure starting with trees, rain gardens, and pollinator gardens, running to distributed solar power and alternative transportation technologies.

Climate change must be on every agenda. I hope to suggest that the new realities of climate change offer a route to an improved, cheaper and longer-term relationship with the problem that will produce better solutions than we have experienced until now. Solutions inspired, motivated, informed and guided by protecting Mother Earth.

People need to be mindful of the important historical reality. A body of incredible knowledge had evolved over time where Indigenous people lived within environmental limitations. Cultivation has taken place in Niagara for over 700 generations, and the land still produces thanks to our Indigenous friends and the farmers who are wonderful stewards of the landscapes and their food-giving capacity.

There was a very sustainable economy until a new technology arrived that turned things upside down. It was a technology that imposed shorter-term evaluations and

largely lost track of the longer-term implications. It was a new technology based upon the premise that if one doesn’t take something somebody else will.

A sad legacy but a legacy that can no longer be sustained.

The new time-based technology realized intuitively that time wasted is never to be recovered. The new technology said that “faster is better” and “more is even better.”

Economies of scale were pursued but the activities failed to take into account the health cost and the environmental cost.

“Natural infrastructure” is a term that covers ecosystem-generated solutions that provide the fundamental, practical needs of our daily existence: freshwater wetlands that provide flood protection, water provision and water purification. Water is the thread that connects us.

We need to think about the environment in terms of integrated systems because so many things are impacted by change. Traffic studies that focus on wait times for travel and parking give little consideration to the travel demands of the physically, economically, and socially disadvantaged, and are not useful.

Our current models consistently undervalue non-motorized modes of transportation. It’s the same thing with Natural Infrastructure. We fail to see the value and importance of our wetlands and forests as we make compromises for short term gain.

The answer, I think, is to create a project evaluation process that always includes a climate lens. This provides a potential range of benefits including improved water quality, livability, property value, and

social and health revitalization. We should fully recognize the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of natural infrastructure.

But we don’t do that. We only measure the cost side of the cost-benefit equation. From food to health and security, nature provides many undervalued benefits. I

look indicates that US$94 trillion in investment is needed by 2040 to close current infrastructure gaps. A further $3.5 trillion is needed for achieving universal household access to clean drinking water and electricity by 2030.

Engineered infrastructure can be a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function. The impact of roads on deforestation and habitat fragmentation is well documented.

According to the World Economic Forum, Future Of Nature and Business Report, 29 percent of the threats to biodiversity are caused by infrastructure development including roads, dams, and energy production facilities.

Traditional methods of valuing infrastructure puts the focus on a narrow set of financial indicators that do not measure the underlying value of nature — or the cost of its loss. Nature has been traditionally viewed as a limitless resource for humanity to exploit and not as an asset with an equity value.

As a result, natural capital fails to receive investment capital proportional to its true value.

values to the benefits and the costs. Undoubtedly, these values will be arbitrary but they can’t be misleading. We know the costs with great precision. The benefits will take some extra informed and realistic estimation.

Aside from the usual full plate of issues, the Town can still do some great things for the environment.

I am hopeful that the Town’s new Asset Management System will give us the ability to consider lifecycle impacts of all our decisions. Someone called this “Putting Nature on the Balance Sheet.”

I also know that there are many “low hanging” opportunities that can be done at very low or no cost to the individual or the taxpayer. I’m thinking about the efforts of residents that provide “personal” environmental projects like trees and plants. The Pelham Garden Club reported an almost 80 percent increase in its number of members. That shows that Pelham is engaged and willing to work for nature. I see, first hand, the enthusiasm of our staff to make good decisions for nature.

have said many times that nature is our ally in this battle. It has been said that, “the reward for patience is more patience.” We need to give nature time and space to recover.

The big challenge is in how we facilitate the type of investment that’s going to be required. As we move towards net zero beyond 2030 there are further investments that are much more difficult and larger. In order to be precise in our decisions, we will need emphasize data accuracy and planning.

The numbers are numbing. The G20 Global Infrastructure Out-

There is good news. Nature can provide essential, effective and undervalued solutions.

Research by the International Institute for Sustainable Development shows that nature-based infrastructure provides identically effective and more resilient infrastructure service, while being up to 50 percent cheaper than traditional “grey” infrastructure. In addition, nature-based infrastructure added net present value is 28 percent greater than grey infrastructure.

Experts suggest that the process begins by defining “green infrastructure” and assign monetary

Finally, there is a movement within the accounting profession to report present on our “green” assets. The supplementary state should show the cost acquisition and the value of each natural asset. It should also show the environmental cost of every error that we make with our precious natural assets. A way will be found.

Thank you to the Voice for this opportunity to write to you and say thank you to our residents. In the final analysis, Leadership is Action. I am grateful for the leadership and the knowledge of the many groups that are acting for nature. 4

Michael Bond found guilty of careless driving causing death

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor

Michael Bond was behind the wheel when he struck and killed a 66-year-old Fonthill resident as she was walking along Effingham Street in November 2019. He was charged under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act with careless driving causing death, driving while under suspension, driving with no valid vehicle license, and operating an unsafe vehicle. The latter two charges were dismissed or withdrawn during Bond’s threeday trial in Welland in September, and last Tuesday, Justice of the Peace Carol A. Chernish rendered her judgment with regard to the remaining charges.

Her verdict: guilty on both counts.

Crown attorney Henry Limheng called on eight prosecution witnesses during the trial. Photo exhibits were filed, along with a Google Map image outlining the scene of the collision. There was also testimony from a mechanic who said that the vehicle was in good working order, and from Niagara Regional Police Service Sergeant Matthew Whiteley, an expert in accident reconstruction, who handled the site analysis.

Bond’s passenger in his blue

Bond

2006 Volkswagen Jetta that fateful day, Matthew Bastien, had been living with Bond in Ridgeville, and was enrolled in a drug recovery program. He told Bond that he needed a ride to a rehabilitation clinic at the Hope Centre in Welland the morning of the accident, and despite not having a valid license, Bond made the decision to drive Bastien to the appointment.

The men each had a dog in the vehicle as it travelled south on Effingham Road. The Crown’s contention was that Bond was distracted by his small dog, Whisky, which was in his lap as he was driving, and swerved into the northbound lane as he attempted to place the dog in the rear seat.

Bastien had poor recollection of the incident leading up to the collision, and his disjointed testimony was discounted by the Crown.

A witness who was the first to arrive on the scene after the collision testified that Bond was distraught, and muttered aloud, “It’s my fault.”

Limheng told the court that the victim was walking along the shoulder of the northbound lane (there are no sidewalks on the roadway) and was not in the path of travel of vehicle going southbound.

“The evidence supports that she was complying with her duties as a reasonably prudent pedestrian, under Section 179 of the Highway Traffic Act,” he said.

Bond’s legal aid lawyer from Toronto, Paul Genua, told the court that the prosecution had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and had made inferences based on circumstantial evidence. Genua contended that the Volkswagen, along with vehicle debris, had been moved by the time po-

lice arrived at the scene, making an accurate reconstruction of the accident impossible.

In a written submission to the court many months ago, Bond asserted that the female pedestrian had stumbled into the path of his vehicle. However, police and passersby reported that visibility was clear, road conditions were excellent, there was no oncoming traffic, and the accident occurred on a straight section of roadway. It was determined that excessive speed was not a contributing factor in the collision, nor was impaired visibility due to glaring sunlight. There was no evidence of pre-collision braking.

Bond did not take the witness stand during the trial, and no witnesses were called by the defence.

“After considering all of the evidence, including witness testimony, visual exhibits, case law, and

Her Honour quoted from the Ontario Highway Traffic Act that “a person is guilty of the offence of driving carelessly, who drives a vehicle or streetcar on a highway without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway, who thereby causes bodily harm or death to any person.”

Based on case law, Chernish said that the onus was on the Crown prosecutor to prove Bond was driving without due care and attention, and below the standard of a reasonably prudent driver. Once the prosecution had proven its case, the onus shifted to the defence to prove, on a balance of probability, that Bond had exercised due care and attention under the circumstances.

Defence counsel Genua’s assertion during the trial of a “reasonable possibility” that the victim did something suddenly that Bond did not expect and had no time to react to was rejected by Her Honour, who also viewed the testimony of Bastien as that of a man “trying to walk a fine line not being untruthful, but also not jeopardizing his friend Mr. Bond, putting him in jeopardy.”

The Crown had previously requested a pre-sentencing meeting with Bond and his counsel, which was endorsed by Chernish. On March 2, 2023 at 1 PM, Her Honour will deliver Bond’s sentence in Welland courtroom W101.

Bond has been homeless since the incident occurred, and has been living in a hostel in Toronto.

submissions of both counsel, I find Mr. Bond guilty of driving under suspended license, and guilty of careless driving causing death,” said Chernish.

Michael

VOICE FILE

Elderly Fonthill tenant desperate to find spring housing

Current residence on Station Street slated for demolition

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor

Mary Kehoe, a 75-year-old amputee who has lived in an older four-unit building on Station Street in Fonthill for the past ten years, is frightened by the prospect that she’ll be displaced from her home next spring.

A company called 905 Developments is her new landlord. Shawn Tylee, Jim Frank, and Mike Gallagher are identified as the owners of 905 Developments, as conveyed in a recent letter to Kehoe. They took ownership of the property on November 1, 2022. Their plan was to either renovate the century-old building, or demolish it and rebuild on the site.

Kehoe’s rent is approximately $630 per month for her main floor unit. Three other seniors also reside in apartments within the structure at low rental rates, and they too will be displaced by April 30.

“We're all on a fixed income of under $2000 a month,” said Kehoe. “Once I pay rent, utilities, medicine, and food, there’s little left over. I’m on the social services housing list, but haven’t found anything yet. I'm an amputee, and in a wheelchair, so

I'm having a really hard time,” she said.

Marlene Daniels, a community worker for Niagara Region, has been a great help in her search for accommodation, said Kehoe, who is hoping to find space at Town Square Manor, located across the street from her building. Having lived locally for 56 years, Kehoe said that would prefer to stay in Pelham, rather than relocate outside the municipality.

“I've been here in Pelham paying taxes for almost six decades,” said Kehoe. “I helped clean that seniors building across the street when it opened. Then I was a PSW [personal support worker] and took care of people in there. My kids went to the church and school here in town. It's kind of terrifying that I have no place to go.”

Tylee, one of the 905 Developments owners who resides in Fonthill, spoke to the Voice about the company’s intentions, and their concern for the women affected by the sale of the property.

“The building is over a hundred years old, and doesn’t meet cur-

rent building standards,” Tylee said. “It’s pretty much at the end of its lifespan, with no real maintenance put into it. Our recent engineering evaluation determined that the building is not salvageable. It’s deemed unsafe due to outdated electrical, plumbing, and structural issues. We can’t have people living there under those conditions. It’s just not safe. We need to ensure that the building is up to code.”

The new owners recognize that the displacement of the current oc-

cupants is a traumatic event for the women affected.

“We’ve met with the ladies about the redevelopment,” Tylee said. “We truly sympathize with their situation. Their rent will remain unchanged until they vacate at the end of April, and once a new building is erected, we would have them back at the same rent.”

Tylee is cognizant of housing laws in Ontario, which would require him to offer the displaced occupants a place to live in the re-

furbished or rebuilt structure when completed, and at their current rent level.

“We [the new owners] have been more than willing to help the current occupants find alternative accommodation, drawing on some of our business connections,” said Tylee. “My understanding is that three of the four ladies have already arranged alternative accommodation, and we have assisted them with relocation costs, for which they are very appreciative.”

Child Care

Business

Mary Kehoe, 75 and disabled, does not know where she'll live when she is required to vacate her apartment DON RICKERS

Celebrate the Season in Niagara-on-the-Lake

THE SHAW FESTIVALWHITE CHRISTMAS

November 18 - December 23

If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, you won’t want to miss this classic holiday favourite. Two soldiers, returning home from a USO song-anddance team, fall for two sisters in another act. Together, they put on a show to save a Vermont inn. This musical never fails to please: you can’t help falling in love with the characters, the dancing and, of course, the singing, especially since the title song is Berlin’s most famous and most beloved. www.shawfest.com

THE SHAW FESTIVALA CHRISTMAS CAROL

November 18 - December 23

Ebenezer Scrooge is back! Nestled in the heart of the ultimate Christmas village, the charming holiday favourite A Christmas Carol returns to the Shaw Festival’s Royal George Theatre. It’s the perfect annual reminder of what Christmas is all about. Arrive feeling “Bah, humbug!” and leave full of warm, fuzzy Christmas spirit. www.shawfest.com

TASTE THE SEASON

4 weekends in November Join us this November for our Taste the Season touring pass

program! We are excited to be able to invite you to visit and taste at 15+ winery properties over four weekends in November. wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com

CANDLELIGHT STROLL Friday, December 2, 6:30 pm In front of the Old Courthouse on Queen Street. Join us as we celebrate the beginning of a magical holiday season. Stroll through Niagara-on-the-Lake with your candle in hand and feel transported to a Victorian Christmas Village. Enjoy car ollers, lights, and decorations during this much-loved annual tradition. niagaraonthelake.com

Grab your family and friends, put on a Santa suit and run an IN-PERSON 5KM race in the very scenic Niagara-on-the-Lake! Santa Suit and chipped timed re-

The TD Niagara Jazz Festival presents an intimate live jazz experience in the heart of wine country. This series features high-caliber jazz artists performing on an acoustic grand piano at the Hare Wine Co. The Mark Eisenman Trio (Nov 21), Genevieve Marentette Quartet

Join us in Niagara-on-the-Lake for the Candlelight Stroll, Santa Claus Parade, Rotary Holiday House Tour, and Christmas Tractor Parade. Shop for Christmas presents, see a Shaw Christmas play, relax in a winter spa experience, and take in our beautiful winter gardens. Stroll through the heritage district with extended shopping hours and enjoy the decorated store windows and Christmas trees. Enjoy barrel-room wine tastings in one of our 40 wineries. Celebrate the season’s bounty with exceptional VQA wines and holiday-inspired food pairing experiences during our signature Taste the Season event. Spend a few nights at one of our elegant hotels or charming bed and breakfasts to take in the magic of this holiday season in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake. Visit niagaraonthelake.com for more information.

TWILIGHT JAZZ & BLUES SERIES

SANTA STOPS BY FENWICK It was a beautiful day last Saturday for the Fenwick Lions' annual Santa Parade. Above, The E.L. Crossley marching band performed a variety of Christmas tunes to warm up the spectators before the arrival of Santa’s sleigh. Below, from left, Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin enjoys a hot drink before boarding his truck to pull the Town float; Pelham Panthers players pose for a pre-parade picture; and Elliot and Liam Autkar brought along Grandma Lynn McCarthy and parents Heather and Sagar to join the crowd enjoying the parade (and waiting impatiently for Santa) BRIAN GREEN

by Aleksia Shoalts

t’s hard to imagine that Christmas is almost here when I look out at the green landscape of my backyard. As I write this the sun is shining, it’s always so brilliant at this time of year. Looking out at my green lawn bathed in that bright sun, reminds me of the vistas I saw in the Cotswolds of England during our winter trip there in early 2020. The trip down memory lane is enjoyable, but I still hope we get a nice blanket of snow for the holidays.

I usually try to get my Christmas shopping done early, but it’s not always possible. If you have any avid gardeners on your gift list and your stuck on what to get them, I thought I would share some of the best gifts I’ve come across so far. Many of which you can easily get before the big day!

Tickets/trips: Gardeners are always looking for inspirations and ideas to bring into their own spaces. What better way to get some great ideas then to go visit a botanical garden? Plan a trip, book a room, make a weekend of it! There are quite a few gems in Ontario, as well as a few a short jog across the border.

Some lesser known gems

like Whistling Gardens in Norfolk County is a mustsee, with its annual peony festival in the spring. There’s also Meadowview Gardens in Northumberland County that’s on my list. The Niagara Botanical

a great way for getting right in the mood for the upcoming season. If you need some ideas, check out the magazine racks. I fi nd that the bigger the store, the bigger their selection of titles. Some of my favourites include: Birds and Blooms, Better Homes and Gardens, Fine Gardening, and Gardens Illustrated.

Gardens have an enviable rose garden that I love to walk through when it’s in full show. Places like the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington and the Toronto Botanical Gardens also offer tickets to exhibitions and hands-on workshops throughout the year that would make great gift ideas.

Magazine Subscriptions & Books: When physical inspiration is not possible, paper inspiration is! I love getting subscriptions for Christmas to any of my favourite magazines. They’re

Books on various garden topics or garden coffee table books are always great to receive too! Maybe your gardener is struggling with a shady area of their garden, or maybe they’re interested in learning more about seed starting, hydroponics or Japanese gardening. The options are limitless and your local bookstore as well as garden tool suppliers usually have a great selection.

Tools of the Trade: Most gardeners have the basic set of tools needed, but everyone loves receiving highend or specialty tools every once in a while. I particularly like wooden-handle hand tools, such as trowels, pruners, etc. They are both pleasing to the eye and functional! If you’re loved one is really into rose gardening, let me tell you that a good set of rose gloves would not go amiss.

Specialty Items: beautiful pots, garden accessories,

garden journals, garden wear and more make great gifts. Take a trip to any of the local garden centres that are open year-round to see their lovely selections and get some ideas, as they usually stock some beautiful indoor pots and gardening accessories as well as plants!

Seed Catalogues and Gift Certificates: Vegetable and cut flower gardeners tend to like to pick out their

own seeds or bulbs for the upcoming year. It’s always nice to get a gift certificate to a favourite or specialty seed and bulb supplier. If you know where your loved one usually gets their seeds from, request a catalogue for the upcoming year and add it with your gift certificate. At the end of the day, just the fact that anyone remembers how much I like to garden and indulges my hobbies, has already

given me the best gift I could ask for.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2023! 4

Aleksia Shoalts is on the executive for the Pelham Garden Club, is currently a Master Gardener-in-Training, and also writes a blog about gardening and DIY projects. Have gardening questions you want answered? Contact her at: thepressedfern@gmail.com

Gift ideas for the gardener is your life

"Everyone loves receiving high-end or speciality tools once in awhile"

Final stamp on long career

Tammy Dekker retires as Fonthill/Fenwick postmaster after 28 years with Canada Post

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor

“Neither

After 28 years delivering Pelham’s mail, Tammy Dekker can retire the Postman’s Motto, as the 60-year-old calls it a wrap on her postal service career. Her final day was last Friday.

“I started out as a casual, and then went to part-time work on Saturdays,” she told the Voice. “Later I became a senior assistant, then was 16 years as postmaster of Fonthill and Fenwick.”

Born in Bismarck, in West

Lincoln, Dekker lives in Fenwick with her husband, John. They have two grown children and four grandchildren.

“We lived in Fonthill for 20 years, and then we moved out to Fenwick. John has been in Pelham his

whole life.”

Supervising up to 20 staff, Dekker said that she has loved her work.

“It was difficult getting through the pandemic, of course. When everybody else was going home, we were running at full-speed.”

She shared one observation on Canada Post after almost three decades getting the mail out.

“We handle a lot more parcels than in past years,” said Dekker. “When I started with the postal service, there was way more letter

mail, but email has cut a swath through that.”

Given the increased volume of package mail, Dekker said that the Fonthill operation has outgrown its current building, but knows of no plans for a replacement.

Dawn Marie Kruger will be

stepping up as acting postmaster to replace Dekker. Might retirement plans might include an aroundthe-world cruise?

“I’m not a big traveler. I’m a homebody,” she said. “And John still has a few years to go until retirement.”

Fonthill Postmaster Tammy Dekker worked her last day of a 28-year career last Friday, Dec. 9

DON RICKERS

lots of exclamation. I was now anxiously scanning the landscape for what looked like a good place to eat while frantically applying my inner rubric for restaurant selection. That’s when I spotted… Rialto’s.

The name speaks quality, doesn’t it?

Here’s how my inner rubric works: Rialto is in Italy. Italy equals great food. So far, so good. But are the windows clean enough? Is the parking lot full? Why is nobody inside? Maybe folks just eat early in this forsaken town. You get the idea.

My husband pulls in, parks the car and we hustle inside while I continue to mentally reassess my choice using a scale of one to ten.

Atmosphere: Zero (probably due to the ghost-town vibe). Windows: Zero (not sure why the host didn’t seat us at the window ‘cause the place is empty!) Service: Zero (I already hated the service before any was rendered).

My bad attitude: Ten.

We’re handed some menus, you know, the ones that can withstand innumerable amounts of germ-y touches and interactions.

I don’t recall much Italian on it except maybe those roadside faves: spaghetti and pizza. All of the sudden deciding what to eat felt like an exercise in risk management. What’s healthy here? What can they not screw up? What’s least likely to be infected with salmonella, e-coli, listeria? (Did I mention I have trust issues?) No wonder I always end up ordering last. I need time to run that rubric through my head. I still remember all these years later my husband ordering the surf ’n’ turf. I thought to myself… in this place? Clearly, he doesn’t have trust issues. The kids ordered chicken fi ngers or something equally benign. Suddenly, it was my turn to order.

“What’ll ya have, ma’am?” (Ma’am? Do I look that old already?)

I decide to inquire about the hot turkey sandwich.

“Um… the hot turkey sandwich… is it real turkey?” I asked. (Purely information-gathering, but no doubt came across as pretentious).

“Real turkey?” she replied.

“Yeah, like it’s not that deli turkey roll stuff, right?”

With a hint of mockery, she confi rmed “It’s real turkey, ma’am. It’s good.”

I just wanted to believe.

Our meals fi nally arrived in what felt like for-ev-er thanks to my husband’s surf ’n’ turf. (They were scrambling to fi nd some traps and a body of water.) But what also arrived was a moment of truth. The truth that says, “You eat with your eyes fi rst.” So here’s what glorious sight mine eyes beheld: On my plate was a perfectly round slice of white meat-like substance smothered in thick, glistening whitish goop together with an ice-creamscooper-sized mound of mashed potatoes and a few limp veggies.

At that moment I realized that Rialto’s was a bridge too far.

As for the rest of my family, they kept their heads down, ate what was in front of them and said nothing. nothing! Oh, they knew all right. They knew better than to utter a single word. They gazed at my disgust, then at each other, and made a pactof-silence. Because they all knew what was coming next. Tears. Followed by anger. They knew better than to ask me what was wrong, for fear I would lash out in a menopausal rage. I was loaded and ready.

Needless to say, not a morsel of meat-like substance entered my pie hole.

“Didn’t you like your dinner?” asked the server with fake-y concern. “No.”

I offered no explanation. She offered no apology. The end.

The family breathed a silent sigh of relief. They hate it when I embarrass them by complaining.

We paid the bill, hopped in the car and was headed back to our motel when I spotted a grocery store. And just like the woman in the Ikea commercial, I yelled, “Stop the car!” I ran in, grabbed a yogurt, a salad and a bag of chips. Thank God. Real food.

The silence continued back in our motel room. I admit, an attempt was made to lighten the mood (my family are not completely without compassion and empathy) but I became increasingly agitated that nobody wanted to engage my sorry self in a conversation about what happened. I wanted to rant, dammit! But they weren’t havin’ it.

Instead, they were loving me. Teaching me. Mercy me! They were handing me that precious silence so that I could dwell as long as possible in my own ungrateful, unbending, judgmental thoughts as a gift of clarity. Ah… silence. That place — maybe

even the place — where we fi nd our truest selves. I went to bed, curled up under the covers of victimhood, and fi nally nodded off for the night. Family sure has a way of shaking down your fl aws, don’t they?

Well, it’s Christmastime again. And that means we’ll all get together around the table over another turkey, where everyone will delight in trotting out memories of my crimes and misdemeanours. With just two words — remember Rialto’s? —roars of laughter will inevitably follow. Yes, the recall has begun, except now I can look back and see the outrageous hilarity of it all.

So, to my dear family who are reading this I want to say… I beat you to it this time guys! You won’t be resurrecting this story about Mom behaving badly again this Christmas. Because it’s time to pull out some of those Dad stories — you know the ones. Yeah, let’s go there.

Ah, family. To love them is to know them… too well. Until The Next… 4

Out walking her beagle Milo, Emma Brennan comes across a crime scene—a dead body at a construction site in East Lofthill. At home, she tells her husband Matt that it’s the same man who came to their house the day before, selling insulation. Matt remembers the man acting oddly in their basement with a metal detector. On a hunch, Matt takes a sledgehammer to the basement fl oor and discovers a buried toolbox filled with slender gold bars worth about a million dollars. Detective Sergeant Janice Cleary and Detective Constable Trent Frayne, of the Niagara Constabulary Service, are assigned to investigate the homicide. They determine the victim’s identity: Leonard Bouchard, an excon with a history of thefts from construction sites. Cleary and Frayne soon determine that Bouchard had targeted only certain new homes in East Lofthill. They head out to interview Emma and Matt’s next door neighbour, Kim Stephenson, a realtor, who seems to know more than she’s saying. Likewise, when the detectives speak to Emma and Matt, they too appear to be hiding something. On a hunch, Cleary and Frayne drive west into the country to speak with another ex-con, who reveals that shortly before a planned construction site heist a few years back, one of the thieves—Carmine Rizzolo—went missing and hasn’t been seen since. Cleary and Frayne talk to detective who remembers Rizzolo going missing, a presumed suicide. But oddly, his abandoned car was found near where he worked at the time—at an East Lofthill construction site, pouring concrete foundations. Meanwhile, bored at home, realtor Kim Stephenson goes out for a drive and ends up parked near the lake in Port Robinson. On the radio she hears the new hit song by a singer that she used to date. Then her phone dings with a message from the singer—the one-time Queen of Country, Belinda Boone—urgently asking if they could meet that evening. They do, and Belinda says she’s ready to go public with their relationship. Across the border, Emma and Matt take a chance on selling some of their gold at a Buffalo pawn shop—but Matt angrily balks at being lowballed just $200 when the bars are worth closer to $2000 each. Back in Niagara, Detectives Cleary and Frayne go speak to an inmate and longtime friend of the missing Carmine Rizzolo, and learn that shortly before he disappeared he seemed to have come by quite a bit of money. Cleary and Frayne increasingly suspect that Rizzolo’s body may have been dumped in the foundation of an East Fonthill home as it was being built, where he worked. Then another former associate of Rizzolo’s comes to their attention—Steven Rossi, also a construction worker. Rossi has a lot of attitude but not much to say. Matt and Emma, meanwhile, are still looking to sell the gold they found, and decide to take a chance on a local buyer they fi nd on the dark web. They meet Bao “Five” Nguyen in a Niagara Falls parking lot, where he agrees to buy one gold bar and says he’ll buy as many as they want to sell him. After Matt and Emma drive off, Five calls an associate to tell him that their old gang pal Carmine Rizzolo maybe really did fi nd gold bars before he disappeared. Five tells his associate that Matt and Emma won’t be hard to rob, and asks for their home address based on their license plate number. Detective Cleary tells Detective Frayne about a late-night conversation she had with the coroner, whose opinion is that Leonard Bouchard’s neck was broken before he was smashed with a brick and his body left in East Lofthill. Then, just blocks from where the body was found, police discover a stolen Honda Civic—with a metal detector in the trunk. Returning from the dog park, Emma comes

KILLER ON THE KAME

By John McFetridge

Kim Stephenson sat at the desk in her home office, the remains of dinner pushed off to the side, looking at six pictures of herself on the computer monitor and for the first time in a long time, maybe forever, she didn’t hate what she saw. She liked it. There was something in each picture she liked.

For years she’d avoided using a professional photo, not even putting one on her For Sale signs or newspaper ads— almost unheard of in the notoriously ego-driven real estate industry—and she never updated the ten-year-old headshot her brokerage insisted on using in their ads. In that case it was just one of two dozen tiny pictures that all looked the same at a glance. Generic realtor. A global look, really.

Despite their Niagara Falls kissing photo going viral, she wasn’t sure yet how she really felt about a long-term commitment to Belinda Boone. They lived in entirely different universes. Kim wasn’t about to pull up stakes and tag along on the tour bus, and Belinda wasn’t cut out for life hemmedin by a white picket fence. But now it didn’t matter. Now Kim realized she’d spent years making something into far more than it was. She’d kept secrets, avoided other relationships, stalled her own life all for a fantasy.

And nothing bursts a fantasy bubble like actually jumping into bed with it.

She clicked on one of the pictures and it filled the screen.

Don’t you look like the cat that ate the canary, she thought.

It was too much for a real estate ad, but Kim thought she’d keep it. The photographer had done a good job.

A dog barked outside.

Kim stood and went to the window. From the second floor she could see into the next back yard. What she used to think of as the “young peoples’ yard” and now knew as Emma and Matt’s.

EPISODE 9

Martial Arts

home to fi nd Matt talking to their neighbour, the realtor Kim Stephenson, in their kitchen, asking whether this was the time to put their house on the market. Emma and Matt bitterly argue, and Emma leaves the house again with Milo. In a fl ashback to four years earlier, Leonard Bouchard has been instructed to kill Carmine Rizzolo, who is suspected to be a police informant. At night, Bouchard chases Rizzolo back to where Rizzolo is working in the new East Fonthill development. Rizzolo begs to be spared, and claims he stole hundreds of gold bars from a house in Lofthill. Not believing him, Bouchard kills Rizzolo and hides the body. But a police sting operation sees the whole construction theft gang arrested in the GTA, and Bouchard goes to prison for four years. As time passes, he comes to realize that Rizzolo may have been telling the truth after all, and the gold bars he was talking about may still be hidden somewhere under an East Lofthill basement foundation. When Bouchard is released from prison in September, he buys a metal detector, steals a Honda Civic in Toronto, and drives straight down to Niagara to hunt for the gold.

The light snow that fell the night before was dented with paw-prints and occasional yellow spots. Matt threw a big piece of rope that was tied in a knot. Their dog Milo chased it but when he brought it back Matt was on his phone and not paying attention.

The house was Emma and Matt’s for now, but after the fight they’d had it might be on the market soon.

Kim surprised herself by not immediately calculating the commission in her head. But then she did wonder, what if they both then bought condos? Three good commissions.

Kim could see Emma as a client, but maybe not Matt.

The dog barked again.

Matt was still on the phone.

The way he complained about Lofthill, Kim couldn’t imagine him staying in the area. But she thought Emma might. The way they’d been fighting so much lately Kim couldn’t picture them remaining together. Too bad, she thought. The past couple of years had been tough, maybe the toughest on young people.

But hey, life is timing, you’ve got to roll with it and come back stronger. So...two good commissions.

Matt ended his phone call and went back into the house not even looking at the dog. The back light went off.

A moment later Milo barked. And barked.

The light went back on and the door opened. The dog ran in and Kim knew it was Emma. She couldn’t see from where she was standing, but she knew.

Frayne rubbed his chin. “Even more maybes.”

“That’s all we’ve got.”

“So, is this as far as we can go?”

“Another maybe,” Cleary said. “We could ask Superintendent Gawley if we could run an undercover investigation on Steven Rossi, get some cellphone history. Find someone close, see if they could get anything out of him about Bouchard.”

“That might work.”

Cleary smiled sadly. “It could take years and cost millions of lives.”

Frayne raised an eyebrow. “From some World War Two movie?”

“Maybe, but I know it from Animal House.”

“Of course.”

A loud screech from the street. A car trying to cross left onto 20 from the fast-food place next door was almost T-boned by a pickup. The drivers yell at each other for a few seconds, then both squeal off.

Cleary sighed. “We could give all this to the Task Force and let them run with it. I mean, all these guys really were connected to heavy equipment thefts—that’s why Bouchard went to prison. They were probably all involved in other crimes, too. The Task Force already has their guys working undercover, probably a lot. And they don’t have our budget issues.”

The server came back with a leather folder held open by a couple of candies and asked whether they needed the machine she had in her hand.

Frayne reached for his cell. “I got it,” and held his phone above the machine until it beeped.

The server smiled. “Thanks. Take your time finishing up,” and walked back to the kitchen.

Cleary swallowed a sip of tea. “Someone might say something. Bouchard’s murder will come up, someone will talk about it. The file coordination team might be able to put it together.”

“Sounds like we’re giving up,” Frayne said.

“We’re prioritizing our scheduled hours in the most effective manner.”

“You do read the Superintendent’s memos.”

“I am bothered by one thing, though.”

Frayne nodded. “What’s that?”

“If the same guy killed Bouchard and Rizzolo, and it’s in pretty much the same area—.” She paused.

“Which looks like is what happened.”

“Then we keep circling back. How come he got rid of Rizzolo’s body but left Bouchard’s out to be found?”

Frayne thought for a moment. “He’s getting older, sloppy. Maybe lazy.”

“Maybe, but you don’t age that much in just four years.”

Cleary gave another sigh. They looked at each other as if it was meeting adjourned.

EStepping out into the empty parking lot the cold night air hit them in the face and they both bundled up a little tighter.

Cleary looked out at the traffic, then at Frayne. “I wish this investigation had a better ending for you.”

“It’s fine,” Frayne said.

They stopped on either side of their car.

Cleary looked over the roof. “You do good work, Frayne. I can recommend you get reassigned some place that won’t be a dead end for your career.”

Too quickly he said, “No, that’s okay.” He paused, then spoke a little more slowly. “I just mean, I’m still learning a lot and I’m not really ready for something else.”

“You should talk to your wife, this is your career, it affects you both. You don’t want to get stuck with a reputation that holds you back.”

Frayne shrugged. “Okay, we’ll talk about it.”

Cleary put a hand on the door handle and felt the cold. She looked down 20 past the new plaza, and the other new plaza, and wondered how long it would take before the entire stretch of highway was lined with squat office buildings, condos, strip malls, all the way to the 406. And beyond. All the way to the canal. And on the other side, the sprawl was moving this way.

The door lock clicked but she didn’t open it right away.

She was tired, no doubt about that, and the short days and long nights were getting to her more than they ever had, so maybe that’s why she was thinking about slowing down. Maybe she should get Frayne hooked up with another detective in Major Crimes, although she couldn’t think of one who’d be good for him at the moment, and get herself a desk job for a few more years until retirement.

She pulled the door open and got in the car.

Retirement. That was the one R-word she never wanted to use.

Frayne started the car. “It’s going to take a minute to get heat.”

“That’s fine,” Cleary said. She remembered Dr. Geffen, the coroner, who had to be closer to seventy than sixty-five, telling her years ago that the day you start thinking about retirement you’ve already done it. You’re just going through the motions.

She rubbed her hands together and blew on them. She didn’t think she was just going through the motions, and not finding out who killed Leonard Bouchard was hitting her harder than she’d realized.

It was making her mad.

Frayne turned down the fan and put the car in gear. “So, straight home?”

“Might as well.”

He started to back out of the spot and Cleary said, “Hang on.”

Frayne put it back in park.

Cleary pointed across the roadway to the tower of signs for businesses in a strip plaza.

“Martial Arts.”

Frayne said, “Yeah?”

“Someone who did a lot of martial arts could break someone’s neck, couldn’t they?”

“I don’t know if they teach that specifically, but I imagine anyone really into it could, yeah.”

“Weren’t we talking to somebody who said they did martial arts?”

Frayne thought for a minute and then actually snapped his fingers. “Guy in the first house Bouchard skipped, said Bouchard didn’t even knock on the door. Said he was home all day and went to Jujitsu that night.”

“That’s a martial art, isn’t it?”

“It sure is. You want to talk to him again?”

Cleary looked at her watch. “Let’s do that first thing in the morning.”

“All right, sounds good.”

Frayne checked his rearview and saw their backup lights reflecting from the restaurant’s windows.

Seated at his table on the far wall, Bao “Five” Nguyen watched the two cops pull out of the lot and head east on 20. He’d clocked them as soon as they walked in. Five had a sixth sense about cops, but this big guy, the younger one, was easy to spot. As he walked by Five on the way to the washroom his jacket flapped open enough to reveal the holster. And Five could tell he deferred to the older lady, showed her respect, and it wasn’t because it was his mother.

This was Five’s first visit to Pho Geddaboutit, and he thought the food was okay if basic. Total coincidence that the cops came in at the same time. He had no idea what they were talking about, what was going on with the piece of paper with all the coloured blocks on it, and he didn’t care. He was in town on business and they were delaying it. When they finally left he swiped at his phone and made the call.

Five minutes later a black Fiat 500 pulled up in front of the restaurant. Five politely said goodnight to the nice KoreanCanadian girl and headed out. Steven Rossi was behind the wheel.

A few minutes later they were driving slowly along one of East Lofthill’s newer residential streets, almost all the houses framed in Christmas lights, and quite a few with decorated trees glowing on the other side of living room windows. People are so dumb, thought Five. Keeping your shades up like that at night, like some Hudson’s Bay display window. Thieves, come and have a good look at our merch.

He peered out at the house numbers. “Yo, Tino, I see why you didn’t know where it was, with the numbers on these shitboxes all the same. Like your shitbox car.”

“We could have taken your car.”

“Ride as fine as mine would stick out around here.”

“You sure it’s your ride that would stick out?”

Five smiled. He figured there were probably a few Vietnamese families in the development, or South Asian for sure. The neighbours would be nice, very polite. To their faces anyway. He wondered if that’s the way it had been for Rossi’s Italian immigrant grandparents. Probably. Just in workingclass rowhouses instead of these over-priced bungalows.

Rossi drummed on the steering wheel. “I knew Carmine Rizzolo was a moron but I didn’t think he’d stash that much out here. I still can’t believe he even scored that kind of take.”

Five laughed. “A moron man of mystery.”

They turned a corner.

In fact, Rossi had been on this street before, but there was no need for Five to know that just yet.

Five pointed to the right. “There it is.”

The Mini was in the driveway.

“Let’s go get us some gold.”

Episode 9 of 10. Next week: The finale.

by John Swart

Who doesn’t love the feeling, those very few seconds precisely before you fall asleep, when your lungs exhale and your brain relaxes as the weight of your world lifts from your shoulders?

Apparently for many, the opposite is true. It’s only when the weight of the world, or at least that of a weighted blanket, envelops them, snuggles them tight, that they sleep comfortably.

Weighted blankets, a relatively new wellness product, had worldwide sales of $399 million dollars US in 2019. This significant sales number, projected to

reach $1.2 billion by 2026, is mostly a First World phenomenon because of the blankets’ cost.

It is claimed that weighted blankets help to reduce anxiety and improve sleep by encouraging the production and release of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Melatonin production by the pineal gland is usually triggered automatically by darkness, but stress and anxiety can override nature’s circadian clock, making rest difficult to achieve.

Weighted blankets reduce anxiety by simulating Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS). DPS is a gentle, but firm

a way to better sleep? Voice HOROSCOPE

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20

Aries, no matter how much you try to tip the odds in your favor, this week is much more about the luck of the draw. Keep a positive outlook and things may turn out in your favor.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21

Taurus, if winter’s chill is getting you down, you may want to plan a getaway to somewhere warmer. Th at may be just what you need to recharge.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21

Th e two sides of your personality are lately at odds with one another, Gemini. You have to make an important decision, so seek out a friend for advice.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22

Cancer, you lean toward an optimistic view on most things, but it is alright to be realistic at some points along the way, or even slightly skeptical. Balance is key.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23

Leo, if you are feeling under the weather this week, you will have to put on a smile and push through. It is the holidays, after all. Seek as much help as others can muster.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22

Virgo, you are on borrowed time regarding your fi nances. Take a careful look at your budget this week and make the tweaks necessary to stay afl oat if income wanes.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23

A companion animal in your life needs some attention, Libra. Th ere may be some vet bills to contend with, but luckily you can handle that without much issue.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

The activity you have been turning to provide mental stimulation just may not be cutting it any longer. Start to explore some other options and see if there may be a better fit, Scorpio.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21

A health issue that has been getting the better of you for some time will be resolved for in the days to come, Sagittarius. It’ll be birthday good news. Start celebrating.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, after a tumultuous few weeks, things in your life finally settle down. Embrace the opportunity to rest and do not take on any new projects until next year.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18

Aquarius, things may not be going completely according to plan on the professional front. But at home you have gotten into a solid groove. Use this win to boost your mood.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20

There is much more to a situation than meets the eye, Pisces. Delve deeper to learn about a person’s true motivation.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

DECEMBER 11

Hailee Steinfeld, Actress (26)

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DECEMBER 13

Taylor Swift, Singer (33)

DECEMBER 14

Andrew Tate, Kickboxer (36)

DECEMBER 15

Maude Apatow, Actress (25)

DECEMBER 16

Theo James, Actor (38)

pressure applied by hands or massage devices that replicate human hugs, squeezes or full-body holding, which calms the nervous system. Studies suggest that we release melatonin while experiencing this warm, safe feeling, and that weighted blankets produce similar results.

In promotional material, experts also claim weighted blankets impact the release of other hormones— increasing production of dopamine and serotonin, which encourage happiness, and reducing production of cortisol, which is linked to increased stress levels.

The blankets are manufactured with weights of some sort, glass beads, metal balls, metal chains or other components sewn into their traditional stuffing, and were originally used as a humane alternative to

physical restraints. As a rule of thumb, it’s recommended that people use blankets that weight no more than ten percent of their own body weight.

Although we usually associate warmth and cosiness with any type of heavy blanket or comforter, there are weighted blankets manufactured of cooling, breathable fabrics similar to those used in sports apparel that allow comfortable use year round while still producing the desired Deep Pressure Stimulation.

Are there additional benefits to weighted blankets? Although comments will follow which discuss the legitimacy of the studies and science behind these claims,

it remains an interesting list.

A medically reviewed article in Healthline, an online journal, authored by Eleesha Lockett, MS states, “Researchers have studied the effectiveness of weighted blankets in the alleviation of physical and emotional symptoms. Although more research is needed, results have so far indicated there may be benefits for a number of conditions.”

The piece goes on to expand the definition of anxiety to include increased heart rate, palpitation, hyperventilation, nausea, increased perception of pain, and depression, then, within the “more research is needed” caveat, claims

weighted blankets can treat these conditions.

Based on a small study in 2017, Lockett suggest researchers have found that DPS has positive benefits for some of those with autism, and that the benefits may extend to weighted blankets as well.

In a 2014 study of subjects with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), researchers found links between participants wearing weighted vests and improved attention/reduced hyperactive moments. The participants were less likely to fall off task, fidget or leave their seats. Researchers speculated that the same

For many people, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without listening to a stirring rendition of Handel’s “Messiah.” This one piece of music has inspired countless people over the years. Who was this extraordinary musician and where did he get his inspiration?

e man

George Frederick Handel was born in Germany in 1685 (the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach). He had five older half-siblings and two younger sisters. When he showed musical ability as a child, his father (a barber) discouraged it, wanting him to become a lawyer. But his talent was noticed by a German duke who persuaded his father to allow him to study music.

Handel learned harpsichord (similar to piano), violin, organ, and oboe. His teacher recognized his ability and exposed him to a wide range of musical styles. Young Handel became a church organist and began arranging and composing music for worship services. He was raised Lutheran but happily served in non-Lutheran churches as well.

At age 21 Handel left Germany to travel in Italy for four years where he met (and learned from) several leading Italian musicians. He moved to London in 1712 at age 27. England became his home and Handel eventually became a naturalized British subject. He never married.

e music

Handel is described as a Baroque composer and became well known for his wide variety of musical works. He also founded three opera companies to supply the English nobility with Italian opera. His

orchestral “Water Music” (performed on the Thames River) and “Music for the Royal Fireworks” are still popular today. One of his four coronation anthems (Zadok the Priest) has been performed at every British coronation since 1727. Since the late 1960s, interest in his music has revived.

Amazingly, Handel composed some 40 serious (as opposed to comic) Italian operas over a period of about 30 years. He also composed 25 oratorios, some 120 cantatas, trios and duets, numerous arias, odes and serenatas, solo and trio sonatas, 18 concerti grossi,

and 12 organ concertos.

Handel’s life, however, was not always easy. He suffered a mild stroke (at age 52) with temporary paralysis. This ailment motivated him to change musical direction. He began to focus on the middle class moving from Italian operas to choral works in English. At age 65 he was seriously injured in a carriage accident in the Netherlands.

Handel was esteemed by composers in his time and since. Mozart said, “Handel understands effect better than any of us. When he chooses, he strikes like

Here’s How It Works:

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

FAITH LIFT by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Handel’s Messiah

results might apply if they had been sleeping with weighted blankets.

The article also reports a possible link between improved quality of life for those suffering from osteoarthritis and weighted blankets, drawn from a study with 18 participants who received massage therapy for knee pain. The link is drawn between massage therapy using deep pressure on joints and weighted blankets’ simulation of DPS.

A 2021 study measuring 94 chronic pain sufferers by researchers at University of California, San Diego, was designed to compare the use of both light-weight and weighted blankets on reducing the perception of pain. They found, “Those in the weighted blanket group found relief, particularly if they also lived with anxiety.”

There is also the suggestion of potential benefit from using weighted blankets during medical procedures, based on a 2016 study. Results found that adult participants who wore weighted blankets during wisdom tooth extraction, and ado-

FAITH LIFT

continued from previous page

lescents who similarly wore weighted blankets during molar extraction, were less anxious than those without.

What does the science actually say? Experiments go back to 1965 when autistic 18-year-old Temple Grandin (later to become Dr.Temple Grandin) invented a hug machine. Grandin enjoyed the feelings generated when she was hugged, but couldn’t tolerate the personal contact required. She devised a large plywood sandwich, lined with a thin mattress, which she could crawl into like a hotdog in a bun to simulate hugs. Dr. Grandin’s fake hugs would now be referred to as deep pressure stimulation.

There are definitely studies that have shown links between weighted blanket use and reduced anxiety, but they are generally small and anecdotal. Although they suggest relationships and some causality, proving definitively why the results occur has been more difficult. Studies associating weighted blankets with reduced chronic pain or osteoarthritis improvements are rare and tenuous.

A recent Washington Post article noted a study by Christian Benedict, Associate Professor of Pharma-

cology at Uppsala University in Sweden. Although still small, this study was rigorous and proved why weighted blankets were causing the benefits others were noting.

The study was comprised of 26 young men and women with no known sleep problems. For the study, they slept with a normal blanket one night, then a weighted blanket the next. Saliva samples were taken from them every 20 minutes between 10 and 11 PM.

The results showed that, on average, sleeping with a weighted blanket produced a 32 percent greater rise in melatonin than when sleeping with a normal blanket.

Benedict concluded, “Body sensations, including gentle pressure on the skin, can activate brain regions that can influence the release of melatonin.”

Another 2020 study by the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, included 120 participants who suffered from major depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and ADHD. Researchers found that after using weighted blankets for four weeks, participants “had less insomnia and re-

duced fatigue, depression or anxiety during the day.”

Did Linus of Peanuts fame almost have it right by always keeping a comforting blanket by his side?

You, and your doctor, will ultimately decide if using a weighted blanket regularly or on occasion, might offer any benefits to you. Blanket cost is between $50 and $400 or more, and average blanket weight for an adult is between seven and eleven kilos (15 and 25 pounds). Consider the malleability of the blanket, because its ability to fit snugly may be more important than the weight ratio alone.

Most information suggests downsides for adults are few. Blanket weight should be considered, because those with low blood pressure, asthma or Type 2 diabetes may be at risk from the extra weight. Those with mobility issues or claustrophobia might find the blankets too restricting. As long as the ten percent ratio of blanket weight to body weight is maintained, weighted blankets are generally considered safe for children over three.

Be careful—stressing-out over buying a weighted blanket might create a self-fulfilling result. 4

a thunderbolt.” Similarly, Beethoven enthused, “He is the master of us all... the greatest composer that ever lived.” He is admired as an instrumentalist, orchestral writer, melodist and one of opera's great musical dramatists.

When Handel died in 1759, at age 74, he was almost blind. He had become a national icon and was given a state funeral at Westminster Abbey with some 3,000 mourners in attendance.

e masterpiece

By far, Handel’s most famous work was his oratorio called “Messiah” with its inspiring “Hallelujah” chorus. It was first performed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1742 when Handel (57) was visiting at the request of a local nobleman. He

used a choir of 26 boys and five men. A century after his death, Handel’s life was celebrated by a performance of “Messiah” at London’s Crystal Palace with 2,765 singers and 460 instrumentalists before an audience of 10,000.

“Messiah” would be the last oratorio Handel composed. The proceeds from the Dublin concerts supported local hospitals and later royalties went to London's Foundling Hospital. It became one of the most popular works in choral music and the centrepiece of the Christmas season for many. In a rising crescendo, the “Hallelujah Chorus” repeats the biblical phrases “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” and “He shall reign forever and ever,” and “King of kings and Lord of lords,” with numerous “Hallelujahs” (meaning “Praise the Lord”) interspersed. At

the end, audiences respond with spontaneous applause.

At the end of this composition, Handel wrote the words “Soli Deo gloria” (Latin for “Glory to God alone”). His fellow-composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, did the same. These three Latin words reveal the motivation of these great musicians — to glorify God and not themselves. Many of their followers have forgotten that desire and have exalted the talents of the composers and forgotten the One who inspired them.

Handel’s “Messiah” was his crowning achievement. But Handel’s real Messiah was Jesus himself. And He is the one whom Handel is worshipping right now. 4

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Chicken Stew with Herb Dumplings

Since slow cookers cook foods slowly at low temperatures, they are quite handy and even can help people save money.

Tougher cuts of meat or poultry tend to cost a little less, and they can be cooked to perfection in the slow cooker. The long, moist cooking environment tenderizes the ingredients during the cooking process.

Stews and slow cookers often go hand-in-hand. Enjoy this recipe for “Chicken Stew with Herb Dumplings” from “Crock*Pot® 365 Year-Round Recipes” (Publications International, Ltd.) by the Crock*Pot Test Kitchen.

Chicken Stew with Herb Dumplings

Makes 4 servings

2 cups sliced carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 large green bell pepper, sliced

1⁄2 cup sliced celery

2 cans (about 14 ounces each) chicken broth, divided 2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large red potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

6 ounces mushrooms, halved

3⁄4 cup frozen peas

1-1⁄4 teaspoons dried basil, divided

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

3⁄8 teaspoon dried tarragon, divided

1⁄4 cup heavy cream

3⁄4 to 1 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup biscuit baking mix

1⁄3 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk

1. Combine carrots, onion, bell pepper, celery and all but 1 cup chicken broth in the slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 2 hours.

2. Stir remaining 1 cup chicken broth into flour in small bowl until smooth. Stir into vegetable mixture. Add chicken, potato, mushrooms, peas, 1 teaspoon basil, 3⁄4 teaspoon rosemary and 1⁄4 teaspoon tarragon. Cover; cook on low 4 hours or until vegetables and chicken are tender. Stir in cream, salt and pepper.

3. Combine baking mix, remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon basil, 1⁄4 teaspoon rosemary and 1⁄8 teaspoon tarragon in small bowl. Stir in milk to form soft dough. Add dumpling mixture to top of stew in 4 large spoonfuls. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Cover; cook 30 to 45 minutes or until dumplings are firm and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve in shallow bowls.

Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.