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Brooklyn Simpson checks out some of the items she received in a 4-H goodie bag recently. Simpson stopped by the Chatham-Kent 4-H Association’s 2021 Curb side Awards Celebration at the Ridgetown Agricultural Society stage. 4-H families were able to drive up and stay in their car (physically distancing) and receive their awards/goodie bags in celebration of their achievements over the past year.

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Parent Kelly Smith (not her real name) is uneasy about sending her teenager back to school.

“Concerned” is how the Chatham-Kent resident described how she feels about youngsters returning to the classroom, given the ongoing surge of the COVID-19 variant.

Sharing lunch spaces with unvaccinated students and a change in testing are major issues Smith is worried about.

“Our kids have more protection against the vi-

rus in a restaurant,” Smith said, adding that at least with vaccine passports you know who is, and who is not, immunized.

The Voice has agreed to conceal Smith’s identity using a pseudonym, as she didn’t want any repercussions arising against her child or her family.

She wishes the province and schools would have been more forthcoming with reopening details.

“More information would have been helpful,” Smith noted. “There are many unanswered questions,” she said. “It’s not that hard.

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Return to class leaves some parents worried

Continued from page 1

“I think waiting a couple more weeks would have helped the situation.”

Her family is fully vaccinated and boosted and takes every precaution, but Smith remains worried someone in her family will contract the virus and pass it on to aging grandparents and rel-

atives.

Although local schools plan on handing out rapid antigen tests to the symptomatic, Smith said that doesn’t begin to address the spread of the virus.

The Ford government reopened schools for in-person learning Monday, despite the record number of

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

News

coronavirus cases.

However, CK Public Health and area education directors are assuring parents it’s safe for children to go back to class.

Both the Lambton Kent District School Board and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board have boosted their safety protocols.

Chatham Voice file photo

Local school and health officials say schools are the best place for children to be right now, and improvents to COVID safety protocols have been made. Not all parents are convinced, however.

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A more rigorous screening tool, three-ply masks for all students, N95 masks for teachers, better ventilation including the addition of more HEPA filters, and rapid tests for teachers and students who become symptomatic at school are some of the enhancements to school safety.

In a media press conference Jan. 13, LKDSB education director John Howitt said because of omicron’s transmissibility, officials had to begin to address the virus in a different way.

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CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby agreed schools are safe, adding people need to focus on hospital capacity and “harm reduction” when dealing with the virus.

Colby said the virus is “sneaky,” and changing like a “chameleon,” but he stressed it is better for children to be in the classroom as there is a “mental, social and intellectual cost in keeping students out of school.”

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St. Clair Catholic education director Scott Johnson said he believes schools will “come back safer” this time, adding fewer cases of COVID-19 have occurred in schools than originally feared.

Johnson said educators understand the “anxiety” parents feel about sending kids back.

However, he said the extra two weeks of being closed has allowed more time for teachers and students to get vaccinated or boosted.

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Duck dynasty

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 3

News

Woman back feeding the ducks for 14th year

By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com

The ducks have returned to a small open area of Mud Creek. So too has Carmen McCauley.

For 14 years, McCauley, a retired widow, has fed the congregation of ducks cracked corn during the coldest weeks of the season.

But she can’t do it alone.

McCauley is again asking for help, either by volunteering or donating to help pay for the cracked corn.

She dumps out one 55-pound bag of cracked corn each day to feed between 100 and 175 ducks.

McCauley said if she didn’t do it, many would starve to death.

“They have to keep paddling to keep that water open,” she said. “But they have no food. They just keep working away until they have no energy left.”

When McCauley visits the site, just north of Tweedsmuir Avenue, the ducks hang back, but

don’t retreat the way they often do when other humans walk nearby.

They wait; they wait for McCauley to slice open the top of a bag of cracked corn and spread a line of feed out for them.

Then they flock en masse to chow down.

McCauley said she learned of the plight of the ducks of Mud Creek when she volunteered at Maynard Avian Rehabilitation back in 2008.

“I was sent in one morning to clean the cages, and the cages were filled with sad, little ducks,” she said. “People were just picking them up and bringing them in. They were that starved.”

McCauley discovered most of the starving ducks were coming from Mud Creek, and she decided to tackle the issue at the source; feed the birds where they lived.

So, for the past 14 years, when the temperature dips, McCauley keeps an eye out on the ducks. She waits as long as possible,

Chatham Voice file photo

Local resident and animal lover Carmen McCauley empties a 25-kilogram bag of cracked corn to feed a flock of hungry ducks along an open stretch of the Mud Creek in this 2018 photo. She’s back at is again this year, and has helped every year for the past 14. McCauley is looking for donations to help feed the birds.

and then acts.

She needs help, McCauley said; help dragging the heavy bags down to the ducks and help paying for all the feed.

To reach out to McCauley, interested volunteers and supporters can e-mail her at helptheducks@outlook.com.

McCauley said she’s heard from naysayers who have told her that if

she didn’t feed the ducks, they’d head south. But she said that’s just not the case.

“There are quite a few ducks that don’t migrate,” she said.

Supporters generally far outnumber the naysayers. She in the past has received aid in many ways, including people purchasing and distributing the cracked corn on their

own, as well as those donating cheques, and even a gift card in her mailbox.

Others, after reading about the plight of the ducks in The Chatham Voice in the past, take to feeding ducks on creeks behind their homes, which McCauley called “super nice.”

For those who take it upon themselves to feed the ducks, McCauley

said the best way is to get within about 10 yards of the open water and to spread the cracked corn out in the long line.

“It’s like creating a (feeding) trough,” she said.

For McCauley, who will go to Mud Creek from now until close to spring, any aid is appreciated.

“I’ll feed them from now until the creek thaws,” she said.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

News

Inflation driving C-K’s proposed budget increase

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

Inflation and upkeep on Chatham-Kent’s infrastructure are the major drivers behind a 4.74-per-cent proposed increase in the municipality’s 2022 budget.

Elected officials got a look at the first draft of the proposed $339,688,400 budget – around $8-million more than 2021 – at a special council meeting held last week.

Now it’s up to council and the budget committee to determine how local tax dollars will be spent, streamlining costs if possible.

Mayor Darrin Canniff said the spike in inflation is the driving force behind the increase, leading to higher costs across the board.

“Not surprising” is how Canniff described inflationary pressures at 4.41 per cent, noting input from the public has made it “loud and clear” Chatham-Kent residents want the municipality’s assets to be improved and maintained.

Canniff said around half of the budget comes from federal and provincial sources.

The inflationary increase is significant. A hike of 2.93 per cent is needed to cover the increase in costs for current services, with a 1.48 per cent spending boost to cover inflation on infrastructure.

Plus, there is the possibility of spending brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, high water and erosion and the emergency situation in Wheatley.

According to CFO Gordon Quinton, inflation is the number one culprit for this year’s budget, but added the municipality also faces the perennial problem of trying to fix and maintain its vast network of roads and bridges – expensive projects that are difficult to fund via the current tax base.

When it comes to COVID-19 spending, Quinton said the province has been very supportive, however, pandemic monies are only guaranteed until March 31 and it’s unknown if Ontario will continue the funding.

The provincial government also earmarked $2-million for the Wheatley disaster, but the final price tag remains unknown.

Quinton said Chatham-Kent is a “resilient community,” adding the draft budget is sustainable and properly funds what needs to be funded.

The 2022 budget chairman, Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor, said it important for the public to be able to provide input on the budget, adding there are a “few weeks of hard work” ahead to ensure the needs of the community are met.

As it stands, the current increase would see homeowners paying on average an additional $142 a year on their tax bill.

Residents who want to offer input will be able to do so Jan. 19 from noon to 1 p.m. and Jan. 20 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A brief outline of the budget will be presented at the beginning of each meeting, all of which will be broadcast live on the Municipality of Chatham-Kent Facebook page.

Budget deliberations are set for Jan. 26, Jan. 27, and Feb. 1 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Written deputations up to five minutes in length are welcome from the public each evening. Submissions can be made via e-mail to ckps@chatham-kent.ca before 3 p.m. on each of the dates.

Comments can also be made by phone at 519-360-1998 and written submissions can be sent to Budget and Performance Services, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, 315 King St. W, P.O. Box 640, Chatham, ON N7M 5K8.

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Chatham-Kent OPP officer charged with manslaughter The Chatham Voice

A Chatham-Kent OPP officer is now facing manslaughter and criminal negligence charges in connection with a shooting death last summer.

According to a media release from Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, there were “reasonable grounds” to charge Const. Sean O’Rourke in relation to the July 7, 2021.

The SIU investigation found that Chatham-Kent OPP responded to a call about a gasoline theft. Officers

located the vehicle believed to have been used in the theft, travelling westbound on Highway 401.

Police reportedly followed the vehicle, which ended up in the ditch dividing the highway. One of the officers approached the vehicle and his firearm discharged, shooting the driver.

The 24-year-old man died in hospital.

The charges against the officer were laid Friday. Following his arrest, O’Rourke was released with conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 16 in Chatham.

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PAGE 5

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 6

Failing grade School is in, but for how long?

We can’t blame parents for being extremely apprehensive and confused over the return to class this week. The list of symptoms that should keep your child at home is hugely confusing.

Wakes up with a cough? Stay home until the cough has been gone for at least a day.

Runny nose? Same thing.

Those are but two of the symptoms and two that pretty much every child has over the course of winter.

They head outside, their noses run.

The dry conditions of being inside can cause congestion.

Or if your child wakes up extremely tired...that’s right, something almost every kid expresses one or two or more school mornings each week...they are to stay home until they aren’t suffering from “extreme fatigue.”

Proceed with extreme caution is the message from the province, except at the other end of the spectrum, the school boards, the message is for them to do what they can to fill classrooms.

We’re not blaming the boards; this is on the province.

Schools will no longer be notifying students if others in their class are off due to COVID. So parents will by and large have no idea if their kid has potentially been exposed.

Public Health will no longer be dismissing school cohorts as well. If classrooms get pretty empty, or too many teachers contract COVID, then classes will be merged.

So much for cohort insulation.

If a school has 30 per cent absenteeism, that’s when people will be notified. When three of every 10 kids are home, that’s when they will share the information with parents.

The province isn’t openly saying that it’s letting COVID run its course, but its actions in schools is yelling it.

Let’s face it, a person going out to dinner in a restaurant even before the Stage 2 rollback of provincial reopening rules was in a much better situation.

Everyone had to show a proof of vaccination to get in. That’s not a thing inside classrooms.

You were only in the restaurant to eat, maybe some socializing time but only at your own table, and then you went home. The nearest table was at least six-feet away. Kids are in tighter confines with larger clusters of kids all day long.

HEPA filters be damned, outbreaks are looming.

Letters to the editor policy

The Chatham Voice welcomes letters to the editor.

Our preferred method to receive letters is via e-mail to bruce@chathamvoice.com (use “Letter” in the subject line).

Advertising policy

The publisher of this newspaper, CK Media Inc., reserves the right to clarify or refuse any advertisement based on its sole discretion. The publisher reserves the right to reject, discontinue or omit any advertisement without notice or penalty to either party.

Liability for errors or non-insertion is limited to the amount paid for the cost of space occupied by the error. Claims of errors must be made prior to the next publication date.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Opinion

Don’t blame the vaccinated Editor: To begin with this is a good publication; we get it in Windsor every so often.

This is a response to Merle Knutson’s letter of Dec. 23, “It’s time to blame the travel vaxxed.”

This is for both Essex and Kent counties.

After reading this letter, I was really unhappy. Do people really think that

those of us that have gotten the shot are the spreaders of COVID? There is something terribly wrong with this idea.

It is the unvaxxed people that are causing the problems in the world. I personally have had all three shots and no side effects from any, not even

a sore arm.

Look at the Middle East, they are already planning a fourth shot for those residents.

Will it happen here? Who knows; time will tell.

My wife is a doctor, as I have said, we are both vaxxed, the gamble is too great not to. I have heard other doctors and nurses

say if you like living, you will get vaxxed.

In closing, to the people that did not get vaxxed, this is like playing Russian roulette. By that I mean putting a gun to your head and pulling the trigger and hoping it does not go off.

Editor: Re: “A tale of two micro-chipped kitties,” I liked Pam Wright’s story on her cat and cats in general in the Jan. 13 Chatham Voice.

Brings back memories for me of my childhood with many cats and a few dogs that were part of our extended family back on the farm.

We had, among those animals, an Irish Setter named “Rusty Red Malone.” He was red in color and could run like the wind, and jump all over you if you gave him the chance.

Unfortunately, Rusty ran away and in those

days there were no chips to trace where this beautiful dog went.

Likewise, we had many cats, most of whom were dropped off by people in the towns in the area around Chatham. We gave those who were tame, or not, a home in the farm build-

ings, fed them, doctored them and kept them as long as they stayed with us or until they passed away.

I hope Pam is able to keep her cat from running away again. Good cats are hard to find!

Pierre Quenneville Windsor

Good cats are hard to find

Frank Doyle Chatham

Secret Santa effort appreciated Editor: On behalf of Grand Retirement Village, I would like to thank the Secret Senior

Santa organization that left a Christmas “goodie” package here for each resident.

Many have no one who might give them a Christmas gift.

Many thanks from ev-

eryone.

Charlotte Harman Chatham

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

PAGE 7

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 8

homes

A hot finish to a sizzling sales year

CKAR reps. That’s up nearly 58 per cent from December of 2020 and set Home sales remained on a new sales record for the fire in Chatham-Kent in final month of the calenDecember, and the pres- dar year.

In the past, December ident of the local realtors’ association said she has been a cool month doesn’t see things slow- in terms of home sales, ing down any time soon. but recent years have Amber Pinsonneault, changed all that. Home president of the Cha- sales this past December tham-Kent Association were nearly 58 per cent above the of Realtors five-year ( C K A R ) “It’s just the way real average and broker estate’s been going and 84 per of record at cent above Royal LeP- for the last year and a the 10-year age Peifer half. I think I stopped average.

Realty, said being surprised half It finished the demand a year ago. Everya red-hot is far out- one should be too. year for stripping home sales the supply The general public is in Chaof homes expecting things to go tham-Kent. still. backwards, but it will “It’s just never go back to where A total of 1,839 homes the way and condoreal estate’s it was.”

- Amber Pinsonneault miniums been gochanged ing for the last year and a half,” she hands in 2020, up 35 per said of the brisk sales and cent from 2020.

Pinsonneault said the rising prices. “I think I stopped being surprised pace of sales is driven half a year ago. Everyone by outside investment, should be too. The gen- adding the vast majority eral public is expecting of that is being done by things to go backwards, people moving here, and but it will never go back not people speculating on property values. to where it was.”

“We have so many peoIn December, 133 units changed hands through ple relocating here. The

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

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Contributed image

Property changed hands at a record-setting pace in December in Chatham-Kent and ends a solid year of home sales.

demand is so much high- sonneault said they are er,” she said. “It won’t few and far between.

“You do have people balance itself out until we purchasing here and not see a change there.”

But, with more and living here,” she said. more people becoming “I think that number is aware of the still-attrac- greater in the public’s eye tive property prices here, than what we are seeing.

A lot of peocombined ple are acwith the “You do have people tually relogreat qual- purchasing here and cating here ity of life, not living here. I think to retire or outsiders work.” will contin- that number is greater She said ue to seek in the public’s eye than the low out Cha- what we are seeing. A number of tham-Kent lot of people are actuspeculators as their ally relocating here to means there next place retire or work.” is no soto live. called real “ P e o p l e - Amber Pinsonneault estate bubcan work from home now too. That ble here. Such bubbles changes things. Purchas- can burst when interest ing a home and being rates rise or the economy able to work from home turns south. is the new reality for a Strong interest in home lot of us,” she said, making C-K more enticing to buying makes it a sellpeople living in the ex- er’s dream, but a buyer’s pensive GTA who have nightmare. Pinsonneault the capability to work said bidding wars are a regular part of the local from anywhere.

In amongst the movers home-buying landscape.

“There are multiple ofare the speculators. Pin-

fers basically on everything. Houses typically are going over the asking price. It’s just the way of our market,” she said. “Anything under $600,000, you are typically seeing it selling for over asking price and with multiple offers.”

Meanwhile, inventory continues to rebound, as a greater number of homes are coming on the market, but the hot sales activity is depleting those levels.

The number of new listings saw a gain of 14.7 per cent (11 listings) from December 2020. There were 86 new residential listings in December 2021.

New listings were 16.8 per cent above the fiveyear average and 10.1 per cent above the 10-year average for the month of December.

“Even though the number of newly listed properties was above average for this time of year, it was still not enough to

keep pace with the unrelenting demand we have been experiencing,” Pinsonneault said. “Consequently, overall inventory has dropped to the lowest level on record.”

That’s led to higher prices. The average price of homes sold in December was $436,070, an increase of 26.6 per cent from December 2020.

The more comprehensive annual average price was $419,865, up nearly 35 per cent from all of 2020.

The dollar value of all home sales in December 2021 was $58 million, almost double the same month in 2020. This was also a new record for the month of December.

Pinsonneault said interest rates are creeping higher, which is one way to slow down the housing market. She thinks buyers are largely prepared for that, especially given the uncertainty of the pandemic on the economy.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

PAGE 9

News

Detox facility in budget chat

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

If funding is forthcoming, a new withdrawal management facility at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance could be treating patients before the end of the year.

A one-time $500,000 request for funding for a 10-bed detox centre was the first big ask put before Chatham-Kent council during the initial unveiling of the Chatham-Kent’s draft 2022 budget before council.

The deputation, made

by CKHA CEO Lori Mar-

shall and VP of mental health and addictions Alan Stevenson, stated the money would be put towards $1.2-million in renovations to repurpose a building, used in year’s past for mental health services.

Marshall said the need for the withdrawal management services are evident, with Chatham-Kent being the only major centre in Southwestern Ontario that does not offer the service.

Local residents are forced to go out of town, she explained, which often leads to people refusing to seek help.

CKHA still feels COVID pressure

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

Another Chatham-Kent resident succumbed to COVID-19 recently, bringing the local death toll from the virus to 35.

The latest person to perish was a man in his 60s.

He died in a hospital outside of Chatham-Kent.

The number of people being treated for COVID-19 at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance on Monday totalled 31 – all of whom are local residents.

Of the 31 cases, 15 are occurring in non-vaccinated patients.

The average age of inpatients is 73 years.

As of Monday morning, ICU occupancy was at 70 per cent, with six patients on ventilators. Four of those are COVID-19 positive.

Occupancy of medical, surgical and critical care beds is at 94.2 per cent.

The high number of

COVID-19 patients has been putting increased pressure on the hospital in recent weeks as the highly transmissible omicron variant makes its way through the municipality.

CEO and president Lori Marshall said the hospital is “continuing to cope.”

Marshall told a municipal media conference that patient flow continues to be a challenge, adding patients are sometimes stalled in the emergency department until a bed becomes available.

The redeployment of staff, and surgery reductions are part of the juggling act, Marshall explained.

She reiterated what she calls her “normal refrain,” calling on the public to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as it is the “best possible defence.”

CK Public Health reported 215 new cases after the weekend and one new outbreak, bringing the number to 13.

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Having a detoxification facility also helps take the pressure off the hospital, Marshall said, creating a more appropriate treatment option for the addicted.

The new facility would run 24-hours a day, seven days a week, if it gets off the ground, and would offer outpatient as well as residential treatment.

According to Stevenson,

the plan is contingent on approval from Ontario Health to fund the centre’s ongoing operating costs on a year-by-year basis.

If given the green light, Stevenson a plan has been developed to offer withdrawal management on a smaller scale until renovations can be made.

He said the hospital expects to hear from the

Ministry of Health on the matter before the end of the fiscal year on March 31.

Chatham Coun. Marjorie Crew said she’s in full support of constructing a withdrawal management facility.

“The crisis is at our doorstep and we need to address it,” Crew told council.

Wallaceburg Coun. Car-

Great Things are Happening

men McGregor said she too would support the new facility, adding it will end up saving the municipality money.

“We will see savings come back through a reduction in services, “McGregor.

The matter will be part of the Chatham-Kent budget deliberations over the next couple of weeks.

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

The gift that keeps on giving

By Pam Wright Local Journalism Initiative pamwrightlji@gmail.com

Real Christmas trees are turning out to be the gift that keeps on giving.

That’s why Mike Smith of ReLeaf Chatham-Kent is saving the discarded pines from the landfill and repurposing them to assist nature.

It’s the second year the Buxton-area resident has driven around the area collecting the symbols of Christmas just passed.

Last year, Smith used about 20 trees to line his 150-foot driveway as a natural snow fence.

“It worked really well,” Smith explained, adding he broke them down in the spring and used them for mulch.

Since then, Smith has been doing his research and he’s discovered a

number of ways discarded trees can be used.

Using them, as fish habitat by putting them in waterways is one use, Smith said, adding they attract desired species by providing underwater shelter.

The conservationist said he has another idea in mind for this year’s crop of Christmas trees and will use them to protect newly planted tree seedlings from rabbits.

“I have quite a problem with predation by rabbits,” Smith explained, adding there’s evidence laying the pines among the seedlings can keep the furry creatures away.

Smith, who has planted 700 trees on his land, said he will be able strategically place the pines on his property now that relaxed municipal rules allow residents to forego

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Life

cutting the grass in order to naturalize their yards.

Full of ideas, Smith said he also “lasagna mulches” his yard using layers of different materials in-

cluding flattened cardboard. He said the Christmas trees can be used to anchor the cardboard in place.

Smith, who has plans

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Smith said he’s also considering making fence posts from them as well.

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PAGE 10

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 11

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 12

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Life

By the numbers: Vaxxed vs. unvaxxed At times there have been more people hospi-

talized with COVID-19 who are fully vaccinated

than those who aren’t vaccinated. That truth is

very misleading.

It fluctuates. There were

days recently where about 60 per cent of those hospitalized were Chatham Kent Public Utilities Commission fully vaccinated comMunicipal Class Environmental Assessment pared to unvaccinated for the Sanitary System and Pump Station in last week saw One14day PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT South Lynnwood Area 14 of 25 as fully vaccinatENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY NOTICE OF STUDY COMMENCEMENT ed; another where it was WALLACEBURG 17 of 28.

TheWATER Study TREATMENT SERVICING STUDY NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE #2 In both cases, every The Public Utilities Commission for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent (CK PUC) isCommission conducting a(CK study to identify and The Chatham-Kent Public Utilities PUC) has initiated a Municipal personClass in theEnvironmental ICU with evaluate alternatives for the existing Wallaceburg Water Treatment Plant (WTP) meet the current and future needsand of Pump Assessment (MCEA) study for thetoconstruction of Sanitary System Station 14– in South COVID-19 the folks in the Community of Wallaceburg and neighbouring communities while also satisfying industrialfor demands.

As a part of delivery this the worst shape with the Lynnwood Area. The CK PUC is responsible the treatment and of safe drinking water, study, aspects of the water supply infrastructure will be evaluated, including the following: virus – was unvaccinatcollection and treatment of sewage in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

• A potential new Wallaceburg WTP ed.

MCEA study will review confirm municipal sanitary servicing requirements and identify capital • Alternatives for a new raw water intake andThis a new low-lift pumping stationand for the Wallaceburg WTP Let’s try to put the upgrades for thewater Sanitary System and Pump Station 14 to provide sustainable • Water availability at Chenal Ecarte to meetproject an increase in therequired forecast future demand numbers in perspective.

• Water supply to the Dresden Water Distribution System (WDS), a potentially new accommodate independent pressure zone municipal wastewater servicing and near and long-term future growth demands. Specific I’m talking population • Water supply to support potential greenhouse development the service areaat siting a new sewage pumping station, new inlet sanitary sewers in to this study, theinMCEA will look percentages of those vacthe South Lynwood area, and outlet forcemain and gravity sewers connection to the and community of cinated those who Chatham’s sewage collection system. are not. Bear with me, as there are a lot of numThe Process bers at play, but they are The MCEA study will be following the Schedule "B" planning process as per telling. the Municipal Engineers First off, the is average Association’s MCEA manual (October 2000, as amended in 2007, 2011 and 2015), which approved agethe of MCEA peopleprocess hospitalunder the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. A Project File documenting will ized with COVID has be available for public review at the end of the study. been generally 70 and How to Get Involved above. So we’ll look at the percentages for four Public input is essential to this project. The CK PUC invites anyone with an interest in the project to age groups – 80-plus, 70have an opportunity to provide feedback and help inform the decision-making process. One Public 79, 60-69 and 50-59.

Information Centre (PIC) will be the servicing Figure 2: Study Areaheld. The PIC will introduce the project and present Collectively, these constraints and opportunities, potential solutions, evaluation criteria, and thegroups proposed sanitary48,112 represent Figure 1: Potential Wallaceburg Water Treatment servicing Plant Studystrategy Area including associated capital projects. Advance notificationof willour bepopulation, provided prior to the based The Wallaceburg WTP is a critical component within the Wallaceburg Water Supply System that is reaching the end PIC. on 2020 population of its life expectancy and is known to be susceptible to failures requiring frequent repairs and replacement. In addition estimates from Statistics If you have comments, require further information or would like to be added to the study’s mailing list to to the anticipated needs for a resilient water supply, there is also a forecast of increased water demand for industrial Canada. receive future notifications, please contact either: growth, expanded service area, and development of greenhouse.

Of those folks, an estiTo identify the preferred solution(s) for water supply to meet future demands, the CK PUC will evaluate and identify pomated 4,879 are unvacJohn Tyrrell, M.Sc.(Eng.), P.Eng. Ali Akl, P.Eng., PMP. tential alternatives for water supply, raw water supply and water transmission, and design preferred long-term solutions cinated, while 43,233 are Senior Project Manager/Regional Manager Project Engineer to revitalize and renew the Wallaceburg WTP to reliably meet current water quality regulations and system safeguards. vaccinated, based R.V. Anderson Associates fully Limited Chatham-Kent Utilities Commission The assessment is being carried out in accordance with the Public planning and design process for “Schedule C” projects CK200 Public Health 557 Southdale Road East, on Suite of Municipal Chatham Engineers - Kent Association’s Municipal under the Environmental Assessment Act asMunicipality outlined in the Class Environvaccination figures.

London, ON N6E 1A2 325 Grand Ave East mental Assessment document (2000, as amended in 2007, 2011, and 2015).

On Jan. 12, we saw 17 jtyrrell@rvanderson.com Chatham, ON N7L 1W9 We want to hear from you vaccinated people and 11 519-681-9916 ext. 5038 alia@chatham-kent.ca At the first Public Information Centre (PIC), held in a virtual format from October 14th, 2021 to November 27th, 2021, the unvaccinated individuals 226-312-2023 ext. 4347for water supply, which relates to the future of the project team presented the alternatives development and evaluation hospitalized at the ChaWallaceburg WTP. Alternative 2a: Build a new Wallaceburg WTP with a rated capacity of 28 million litres per day was tham-Kent Health Allinotice on December 9, 2021water to Wallaceburg, Dresidentified as the preferred solution for water This supply.

The first new issued Wallaceburg WTP will supply ance due to COVID-19. den and future greenhouses on Base Line between Wallaceburg and Dresden.

PIC #1 information is available at https:// With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part ofThe the 17 public record of the people came www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/wallaceburg-water-treatment-servicing-study.

Study. The Study is being conducted according to the requirements of the Municipal Class from a pool of more than As presented at PIC #1, the next step of theEnvironmental study is to develop and evaluate alternatives for rawprocess water supply and waAssessment, which is a planning approved under Ontario’s 48,000, Environmental while the 11 came ter transmission. The raw water supply alternatives evaluation will identify the preferred location for a new low-lift pumpAssessment Act. from a cluster of fewer ing station and raw water intake, while the water transmission alternatives evaluation will identify the preferred alignment than 4,900. of the new watermain that will supply water to Dresden and the future greenhouses on Base Line.

That breaks down to an Public input and comments are an important component of the Class EA process. The second of three Public Informaunvaccinated person betion Centres (PICs) has been scheduled to present project progress to interested members of the public, as well as ing nearly six times more for those interested members to provide input and comments on the project. PIC #2 will provide information on project likely to be hospitalized background, future raw water supply needs, future water transmission needs, the evaluation process for raw water supthan someone who is ply alternatives and water transmission alternatives, the next steps and project timing. The PIC will be virtual and open fully vaccinated. for public comment, with details as follows: I’ll take those odds with Date: January 17th, 2022 to March 1st, 2022 two needles in my arm, PIC Link: https://www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/wallaceburg-water-treatment-servicing-study thanks.

If you have comments, require further information, or would like to be added to the project mailing list, please contact a

Bruce Corcoran Furthermore, we’re being kind with our numbers. The 50-59 group is a long ways from the average age of 70-plus for those hospitalized in our figures, but makes up more than half of the unvaccinated numbers at play here.

If we were to remove the 50-59 category from our numbers, then – again we’re using the 11+17=28 Jan. 12 snapshot – the figures are even more in favour of the vaccine.

Based on 30,605 vaccinated and 2,107 unvaccinated figures, People in C-K aged 60 and over are about 9.4 times more likely to wind up in the hospital with COVID if they are unvaccinated compared to fully vaccinated.

Again, this is based on one day’s percentages where 60 per cent of those hospitalized were fully vaccinated and 40 per cent were unvaccinated.

This is not some form of conspiracy. These are simple numbers. It shows that while omicron is breaking through the vaccine, those who are vaccinated are way less likely to suffer serious health complications that require hospitalization than those who are unvaxxed.

Until antivirals are prevalent for prescribing by doctors, and probably even after that point, the vaccine is your best defence.

Continued on page 13

member of the Project Team:

Dhana Niriella, Ph.D., P.Eng. PE Project Manager, Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission - Engineering & Compliance 325 Grand Avenue East Chatham, Ontario N7L 1W9 Telephone: 519-360-1998 Email: dhanan@chatham-kent.ca

Tom Mahood, P.Eng. Project Manager, Jacobs Engineering 72 Victoria Street South, Suite 300 Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4Y9 Telephone: 519-579-3500 extension 73241 Email: Tom.Mahood@jacobs.com

All personal information included in a submission, such as name, address, telephone number, and property location, is collected, maintained, and disclosed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for the purpose of transparency and consultation.

The information is collected under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act or is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public as described in Section 37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Personal information you submit will become part of a public record that is available to the general public unless you request that your personal information remain confidential. For more information, please contact the Project Officer or the Ministry of the Environment’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Coordinator at 416 819 5148.

This Notice of PIC #2 was first issued on January 17th, 2022.

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THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

PAGE 13

Life

Fast growth of COVID in C-K Continued from page 12

Here’s a sobering note: These days, CK Public Health says our daily number of positive cases are likely much higher as access to the PCR testing is limited to high-risk cases. Despite that, it took just 12 days to go from 4,000 cases to date

Contributed image

Bothwell’s Brittany Smith showcases her recent winnings from Lucky Lines lottery.

Bothwell woman wins $50K The Chatham Voice

Brittany Smith of Bothwell is celebrating after winning $50,000.

Smith, a 31-year-old mother, said she was gifted this ticket as part of her Christmas gift from her fatherin-law.

“He’s been buying tickets for me for Christmas for the past eight years,” she said in a media release.

“This one was the Lucky Lines ticket in the Gift Pack.”

As Smith played her ticket somewhat distracted, she didn’t realize she won anything.

“When I scanned the ticket using the OLG App and saw the prize amount, my husband and I looked at each other in disbelief then I called my in-laws right away,” she said.

Smith shared a celebratory moment with her family and in-laws before heading to the store to have the ticket validated.

As a self-employed hair stylist, Smith’s business has been deeply impacted by the pandemic.

“I have a young family and I want to take some of this money to spoil ourselves and our kids,” she said.

Third Generation Buyer Michael Burneel of Goderich is seen with Luce Cools picking up his brand new 2022 Ram Bighorn pickup. A third generation buyer, this is Michael’s 5th vehicle he has purchased from Luce and certainly not his last. Enjoy your new truck this fall, Michael and thank you for returning to support local once again!

Chatham

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of COVID-19 in the municipality to 5,000.

To go from the first case of the virus locally to the 1,000th, it took about 10 months. The next 1,000 cases arrived in seven months; the next in three months; and going from 3,000 to 4,000 took a month.

“I want to add some joy and celebration into the ongoing pandemic experience our family has had.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Inwood Grocery and Variety on Inwood Road in Inwood.

Life Transitions - Families Helping Families 397 McNaughton Ave. W., Chatham 519-351-4444 • lifetransitions.ca •

40TH

ANNIVERSARY

NOMINATIONS WANTED

Do you know someone between the ages of 6 - 17 who is making a difference within their community?

Nominate them for an

ONTARIO JUNIOR CITIZEN AWARD DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 11, 2022

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Nomination forms are available from this newspaper, and at www.ocna.org/juniorcitizen.

Email jr.citizen@ocna.org for more information.

THE CHATHAM VOICE

PAGE 14

Community Events

Fun Stuff

Friday, January 21, 2022: • Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham is open for takeout meals only from 4:00pm - 6:00pm Supper will be served from 4:00pm – 6:00pm. No orders after 5:30pm. Tonight’s specials are Meat Loaf Dinner or Fish & Chips $12.00 tax included. Please call 519-351-8733 or 519-351-5639. After 11:00 on Friday. We apologize for the inconvenience.

• Friday night supper at the Chatham Moose Lodge, 850 Richmond St will be a Lasagna dinner with a caesar salad and a bread roll for $12. Takeout only.

Please call daily from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at 519352-8291 to place your order. Everyone welcome.

Saturday, January 22, 2022: •Morning Breakfast Program at First Presbyterian Church (corner of Fifth St. and Wellington). A delicious nutritious breakfast served free of charge from 9:30am-11:30am. This will be a TAKE OUT only.

Friday, January 28, 2022: • Come join us at The Chatham Legion, corner of William & Colborne St. Chatham is open for take-out meals only from 4:00pm - 6:00pm. Supper will be served from 4:00pm – 6:00pm. No orders after 5:30pm. Tonight’s specials are Liver & Onions or Fish & Chips $12.00 tax included. Please call 519-351-8733 or 519-351-5639. After 11:00 on Friday. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Saturday, February 5, 2022: •Morning Breakfast Program at First Presbyterian Church (corner of Fifth St. and Wellington). A delicious nutritious breakfast served free of charge from 9:30am-11:30am. This will be a TAKE OUT only.

Friday, February 11, 2022: • Ontario Ancestors Kent Branch Educational Presentation at 7:00pm. Remembering Their Legacies: Stories from Chatham-Kent’s Black Community. The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum archives hold over 400 family histories of local Black families.

Though some families have more extensive information then others one thing rings true, the stories you’ll discover here are often unexpected and extraordinary because they are so often left out of history. Join Dorothy Wallace and Samantha Meredith who will share just a tiny handful of some of the hidden stories of a few local families from our Black community. Free and open to everyone.

Please join us online on our Zoom platform. Simply register then join the evening of the presenation with the link sent to your email. Link to Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZYodu2vpzssGdcKl-B3rLhEjvtlyK53WTNp Are you affected by someone else’s drinking?

Al-anon can help! Call - leave message - 519-3503462 Submit your coming events to bruce@chatham­voice.com or michelle@chathamvoice.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

CLUES ACROSS 1. Breathe noisily 5. __ Nui, Easter Island 9. Reddish browns 11. Simple shoes 13. Produce alcohol illegally 15. Home to famed golf tournament 16. Tax collector 17. Famous people 19. Urban area 21. Units of syllable weight 22. Pituitary hormone (abbr.)

23. Dismounted 25. Actor Damon 26. Vietnamese offensive 27. Retail term 29. Netted 31. Partner to carrots 33. Witnesses 34. Caulked 36. Satisfy 38. R&B performer __ Lo 39. Monetary units of Macao 41. Give advice, explain 43. Possesses 44. Turn back 46. Gentlemen 48. One who fertilizes 52. Italian monk title (prefix)

53. Parties 54. Type of horse 56. Cuts in half 57. Raises 58. Expresses contempt or disgust 59. Ancient Italian-Greek colony

CLUES DOWN 1. Illinois city 2. One of the original disciples chosen by Christ 3. Young form of a louse 4. Type of powder 5. Finger millet 6. Share a common boundary 7. Assumed as a fact 8. Provide clear evidence of 9. Invests in little enterprises 10. A way to be 11. Monies given in support 12. Fashion accessory 14. Steal 15. Becomes less intense 18. Geological times 20. Hooray!

24. Monetary unit 26. Male reproductive organs 28. Earnings 30. Close by 32. Small integers 34. Fixed in place 35. Used to treat Parkinson’s disease 37. Large, imposing building 38. A rooflike shelter 40. Stiff, hairlike structure 42. Print errors 43. To show disapproval 45. Body of traditions 47. Without 49. __ Clapton, musician 50. Dangerous illegal drug 51. Infrequent 55. Sound unit

Answers found on page 15

Sudoku 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.

THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

PAGE 15

Classifieds Garage Sale

Saturday, February 12 8:00am

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Business Closing, Mechanic Retiring Tools & Garage Equipment, Truck Parts & Accessories (Chrome), New Parts for Mack trucks, Tanker tanker parts 4” Hose Couplers & Reducers, P.T.O.s Chains & Binders Early Viewing - Feb 5th 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

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Call Henry @ 519-437-1793 or email henryregts@gmail.com

WAREHOUSE WORKER Part time. Fork lift experience a must. Flexible 15-20hrs/week.

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IN PERSON: 71 Sass Rd. #4, Chatham CALL: 519-397-2020 EMAIL: MICHELLE@CHATHAMVOICE.COM. Classified ads starting at only $6.00 for items for sale for 15 words.

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Obituary

OBITUARIES

We are sorry to inform all friends and family of

Pam Jackson

that she passed away on Friday, January 14, 2022.

Pam was the much loved spouse of Danny Jackson. She was born in Chatham to the late Ross and Mable Oaks and grew up in Dunnville with her family.

She will be missed by her brother Tom Oaks (Carla), niece Kailee (Chris) and nephew Kyle (Dorathy) and is predeceased by her brother Brian. Danny and Pam were married in 1988 and settled in Chatham and also spent a few years in Edmonton. Pam loved working at Jake’s Bearings, Oldershaws and Dover Auto Wreckers. She enjoyed spending time on the beach with one of her dear friends, Barb Fields. Tina and Brock Gaines were also life long friends to Pam and Danny. They had many hiking and camping adventures with Tom and Joanne Moore. Dogs were a special part of Pam’s life and she could often be found reading a book. Pam struggled for the past six years with various health problems and with cancer for the past two years. She is now pain free.

A special thank you to her doctors, Dr. Dhaliwal, Dr. Haddad, Dr. Sexton and Dr. Vandenberg, and to the nurses and staff at the London Regional Cancer Program and the Chatham Kent Health Alliance. Donations may be made in her memory to the Canadian Cancer Society. There will be a gathering for friends and family to remember Pam at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Life Transitions Burial and Cremation Service Inc.

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Barbara Sherrah 72, Wednesday, January 12, 2022 Alexander and Houle Funeral Home

Tom Schram 73, Friday, January 14, 2022 Life Transitions

Richard Emery 78, Friday, January 7, 2022 Nicholls Funeral Home

Pamela Jackson Friday, January 14, 2022 Life Transitions

Mrs. Bessie Bicum 95, Saturday, January 15, 2022 Nicholls Funeral Home

Wilfred “Bill” Secord Wednesday, January 12, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Robert Wayne Dawdy 77, Tuesday, January 11, 2022 Blenheim Community Funeral Home

Mary Sojak 88, Sunday, January 16, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Paul Laurie 67, Thursday, January 13, 2022 Blenheim Community Funeral Home

Helen Bernice Kerr 103, Monday, January 10, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Donald Russelo 67, Thursday, January 13, 2022 Blenheim Community Funeral Home

Barbara Nisbet 74, Tuesday, January 11, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Diane Marie Nussey 75, Saturday, January 15, 2022 Blenheim Community Funeral Home

Jack Bristol Wednesday, January 12, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

George Poag Sunday, January 16, 2022 Blenheim Community Funeral Home

Freddy Leitenberger 91, Wednesday, January 12, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Dorothy Davidson Monday, January 10, 2022 Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Nancy Wright 66, Wednesday, January 12, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Clement “Clem” Ritche Sunday, January 16, 2022 Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home

Kitt Morris 77, Sunday, January 2, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Paul Veres Saturday, January 8, 2022 Life Transitions

Jerome Vanderiviere 83, Friday, January 14, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Allen Savoy 58, Friday, January 7, 2022 Life Transitions

Hoss (Richard) Hosfeld 59, Friday, January 14, 2022 McKinlay Funeral Home

Ronald Krogman Saturday, January 8, 2022 Life Transitions Elizabeth Geiring 93, Wednesday, January 12, 2022 Life Transitions

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PAGE 16

THE CHATHAM VOICE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

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