Issue 29, July 30 2026

The Voice of North Grenville

Summer Promotion - See store for details* Terms and conditions apply.

The Voice of North Grenville

Reaching by direct mail 9,000 homes and businesses in North Grenville

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Vol. 14 No. 29

July 30, 2026

Red Shoe Triathlon coming in August

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by Rob More On Sunday, August 16, the Red Shoe Triathlon will be hosted by Rural FASD once again at Riverside Park in Kemptville. Registration begins at 7am where participants receive their bib number, timing chip and markings with the first race starting at 8am.

The first six races are sanctioned Triathlon Ontario Cup Series races with participants from all over Ontario competing in these medal races.

The participants start in the pool, transition to their bikes in the park, and ride on a 2.5 km closed draft legal course led by a motorcyclist through Kemptville on

Reuben Crescent South across Prescott St., Mary St., Victoria St., Parkinson St. and Elliott St. Traffic will be detoured around the downtown area onto Van Buren, Bridge and Clothier St. E. that day.

Once the bike portion is completed, participants will be running on the paved path around Riverside Park finishing on the infield.

Spectators are encouraged to park at the High School and walk to the park to watch these amazing athletes free of charge.

In the afternoon, anyone interested in doing a triathlon is encouraged to register. The

longer Sprint will start at approximately 11:30am and the Try-a-Tri at approximately 1pm. Teams of two or three people may register for the Trya-Tri and accommodations can be done as well. https://ccnbikes. com/#!/events/29319red-shoes-triathlon-2026 Valley Bikes will be on site for any needed bike repairs and No-Go Coffee will have their mobile cafe available as well.

Thank you to the Trillium Foundation, North Grenville Community Grants, Kemptville Canadian Tire and Jumpstart, the Kemptville

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Men’s Shed, the National Junior Ultimate Team, Kemptville Pool staff and the Health Wellness Fitness Active Transportation Advisory Committee for helping make this day possible.

FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. It describes how alcohol exposure before birth can affect the brain and body. FASD is a lifelong disability that can range from mild to severe and may affect learning, behaviour, senses, and physical development. Because these challenges are not always visible, FASD is sometimes called an invisible disability.

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The Voice of North Grenville

KMC $2000.00 cheque presentation to Victims Services North Grenville

AL'S CLEAN UP SERVICES QUALITY SERVICES PROVIDED HANDY MAN SERVICES TREE, BRUSH - HEDGE REMOVAL FLOORING - DECKS, FENCE - INSTALL/ REMOVE PRESSURE WASH PROPERTY CLEAN UP - MAINTENANCE You Name It, We Do It! FULLY INSURED

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Members of the Kemptville Male Choir present a cheque for $2,000 to Victim Services of Leeds & Grenville

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by John Baldwin (KMC Executive Member) Kemptville's only Male Choir, under the Directorship of Christine Admiral and accompanist Ann Faubo, performed " From Sea To Song" on Saturday, 27 June, in the Urbandale Arts Centre. This charity performance was sung to raise funds for Victim Services of Leeds & Grenville, and the choir was able to make a considerable donation of $2,000.00. The presentation took place at the premises of one of the Choir's major sponsors, Randy Rose Automotive 4062 CR 43 Kemptville.

We thank you all very kindly for your active participation in this quest for funds for this important local community service, and also thank our major sponsor, Randy Rose Automotive, for their generous support once again, and our printers, Coba Studios & Print Shop in Merrickville.

613.258.9720

ronssmallengines@outlook.com 1 Jayland Drive, Kemptville (across from old Bingo Hall)

Legion donates to the community

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Kemptville District Hospital Foundation

County Road 43 Public Engagement Session

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 212 has reinforced its commitment to North Grenville by donating over $14,000 to local charities.

Legion President Bryan Macrostie, First Vice Mike Amirault, and Sergeant-at-Arms Dennis Burton recently presented the funds to four local healthcare and community outreach organizations.

The financial contributions include: $5,934.25 to the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation $3,560.55 to the Kemptville Salvation Army Food Bank $3,238.00 to the Beth Donovan Hospice

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the North Grenville Municipal Centre 285 County Road 44, Kemptville

Join us to: • Learn about the County Road 43 expansion scope and timeline • Understand the benefit and potential impacts of the expansion • Provide feedback and ask questions directly to project managers For more information: Bill Guy, Construction Manager, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (613) 342-3840 Ext. 2426 or Bill.Guy@uclg.on.ca

CountyRoad43expansion.com July 30,, 2026

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$1,945.80 to the House of Lazarus Legion leadership emphasized that supporting local citizens and strengthening community safety nets remain the branch's primary focus.

The Legion would like to thank the wider community for the

continued support we receive. Without your ongoing generosity, we would not be able to make these much-needed donations to our local initiatives.

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Treefrog seasons after drought roadkills were Treefrogs on 13 and 20 May, and 20 June, until a single Leopard Frog on Canada Day, and none since. In years with normal movement there’s a living or road-killed frog on the roads at least every few days.

In online discussions others have reported various patterns of reduced frog calling, but the situation in Bishops Mills seems to be more severe than elsewhere. Treefrogs spend their summers up in trees, and perhaps it was adapta-

tions against drying that sustained their populations through the drought.

We have previously documented that we hear Chorus Frogs here more often in wet springs following wet Augusts, and we can only surmise that last summer's drought crisped the nearby small wetlands to such an extent that their frog and Toad populations of other species were wiped out: these habitat likely won't be repopulated until colonists arrive from more permanent habitats.

At least there has been adequate rain for such a revival this season, and it's only a week or so until the

traditional date for the arrival of juvenile Leopard Frogs from the breeding marshes along the creeks.

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Gray Tree Frog, Hyla versicolor or Dryophytes versicolor, resting in a Manitoba Maple stump in Bishops Mills. Oil painting by Aleta Karstad.

by Fred Schueler, Fragile Inheritance Natural History In February, I naively wrote up Spring Calling (NG Times, 14(8):16) as if we were expecting a normal spring, uninfluenced by last summer's severe drought. The first sign that things were different came when we listened for the onset of Chorus Frog calling for Jeffrey Ethier at the University of Ottawa, and found that both of the sites of big populations along Bolton Road were silent, though there was some calling from nearby wetlands.

After that, our observations were just from our athome protocols: listening every night for frog and bird calling from home, and doing-the-streets for on-road activity in Bishops Mills, and except for Gray Treefrogs there has been a lot of silence In the early springs of 2012 and 2024 we had heard Spring Peepers calling on 19 and 27 March, but, after this year's long winter, we didn't hear calling from home until 9 April, when there was a single Peeper peep, and it wasn't until 14 April that there was a "nearly inJuly 30, 2026

audible small chorus" of Peepers, and then on 17 April “faint distant choruses” were joined by a single male peeping from our small backyard pond, which had retained water all last summer. On 22 April the faint Peepers were joined by a distant Toad, and this pattern of faint distant Toads and Peepers (with the single Peeper in the backyard pondlet) continued through May. On 18 April we had heard a single call by a Gray Treefrog from a tree between our houses, and then scattered nearby calling until the Treefrogs headed to their breeding ponds, and we heard a small chorus on 16 May. Treefrogs continued calling in choruses through June until 12 July, only accompanied by individual Toads or Bull Frogs on a few nights. In most years, June and July would have been taken up

by Green and Bull Frogs, with variable numbers of Leopard Frogs earlier, and sometimes a few nights of Chorus and Wood Frogs in April, but none of these were heard.

The on-road data are similarly sparse, and while there was a steady supply of cigarette butts, the only

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Guest Editorial

Finding shelter from the storm Canada Post and the shuttering

by Christian Hackbusch

In his recent editorial, Isn't it a Pity, David Shanahan asked a thoughtful question: "Is there anywhere to go to escape the storm?" He describes a culture marked by cynicism, mistrust, loneliness and growing coarseness.

His observations will likely resonate with many readers.

They certainly did with me.

Public life often seems louder, harsher and less gracious than it once did. It seems every generation discovers its own reasons for believing civility is fraying and society is coming apart.

The storms Dr. Shanahan identifies -polarization, cynicism, collapsing trust, the manipulation of language, the erosion of civility and standards, and ideological rigidity amplified through seductive social media algorithms, can feel overwhelming at times. Longing for somewhere to escape the storm seems entirely understandable.

These seasons of anxiety and pessimism are not entirely new. History suggests they come and go while, here and there, quieter human realities endure beneath them.

I was reminded of that a few

weeks ago on an ordinary rainy Sunday. Our parish witnessed the baptism of a young man. There were no television cameras, no political slogans, no social media outrage, only a community of people promising, in their own imperfect way, to accompany someone beginning a new chapter of life.

What struck me wasn't simply the religious ceremony. It was the young man's willingness to place his trust in something larger than himself. There was something arresting about watching a young person voluntarily step into a centuries-old tradition and publicly declare, in effect, his willingness to share in a common faith and to journey through life in communion with others. In an age that prizes individual autonomy, he freely embraced belonging.

In a culture often suspicious of institutions, he chose community. Amid uncertainty, he chose hope. Whether one shares his faith or not, there is something profoundly human about such a decision.

Many thoughtful observers like Dr. Shanahan, have noted the weakening of the institutions and associations that once connected people to

of Community Newspapers

one another. As participation in neighbourhood organizations, volunteer groups, service clubs and religious communities has declined, many people have found themselves increasingly isolated. We shouldn't be surprised that loneliness and mistrust have grown alongside that loss. The urge to shelter ourselves from such feelings is undoubtedly widespread.

Perhaps the shelter we seek is not found by escaping society, but by rebuilding those places where people still learn to listen, serve, forgive and belong. The storms of history eventually pass.

What carries us through them are communities that remind us who we are and what we owe one another. Watching that young man step forward into a life of faith reminded me that such places still exist. They may not make many headlines. They rarely trend online. But quietly, week after week, they continue to welcome and form people in hope, faith and charity.

Perhaps that is one place where the storm begins to lose its power.

by Paul Deegan, president and CEO of News Media Canada There is a high degree of concentration in the flyer printing market in Canada. Montreal-based TC Transcontinental enjoys the dominant position in the marketplace thanks, in part, to a 2012 Competition Bureau-approved asset swap.

Second, municipal and provincial politicians have passed environmental regulations which, however well-intentioned, have unintended consequences.

Former Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante passed a municipal bylaw that led to the end of distribution of Publisacྭ(a plastic bag with flyers and a community newspaper). Several provinces, including Manitoba, have imposed extended producer responsibility levies on printed newspapers.

Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford made the wise decision to exempt newspapers from this kind of stealthy journalism job-killing tax in his province.

Third, Canada Post is the biggest culprit. TC Transcontinental, which had distributed Publisac door-to-door in Quebec, formed a strategic partnership with Canada Post, which as a Crown corporation was not beholden to municipal bylaws. They bypassed Mayor Plante’s new regulation by distributing a curated bundle of flyers calledྭRaddar through the national postal service. Unlike Publisac, Raddar did not include a community newspaper. On the sidelines of this saga, news publisher Métro Média and its more than 30 hyperlocal publications, including 17 print newspapers, shut down.

In partnership with Canada Post, TC Transcontinental recently expanded its Raddar offering across Canada. It is understood that Canada Post, which has a mandate to “charge postage rates that are fair and reasonable”, is offering TC Transcontinental rates below what it is offering to community newspapers. To its own benefit, the Crown corporation has effectively shut community newspapers – their private sector rivals – out of flyer distribution, lessening competition substantially in that market.

This is not the first time community newspaper publishers have felt the squeeze of Canada Post in the flyer distribution market. As of January, 2024, community newspapers

Letter to the editor Dear Editor, Thank you for the article by Chris Turnbull entitled “Sportsdome: Public Meeting Denied”.

I am in total agreement.

Just what I wish for: more traffic at this end of Prescott Street!

As I write this, dump trucks run back and forth constantly. Not so pleasant. Kind of ruins the summer, to say the least.

Unfortunately, I have nowhere else to escape to.

So, of course, I am not looking forward to more

development south of here.

It simply translates into more traffic.

“The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry published “Critical Ground: Why Soil is essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human and Social Health”.

Thank you Chris. You’re my hero!

Kathy Piché

www.northgrenville.ca What’s going on? See our events calendar: www.northgrenville.ca/events Stay informed! Council Meetings: www.northgrenville.ca/meetings Need to see us? Municipal office hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

285 County Road 44, Kemptville Need to reach us? Contact us: Call 613-258-9569 or email: general@northgrenville.on.ca

Dear Editor, This in response to Mr Scott's letter in last issue. Mr Scott, the roads, traffic and noise are the least of your worries. The damage that a pit could cause to your well and your neighbors’ wells is irreparable without great cost to you for all the reasons that I have attached.

I advise you and your neighbours to test your well water weekly to have historic proof that there was nothing wrong with your well water before the aggregate extraction site starts. Wells rarely go bad if nature is allowed to run it own course. Pits change this course. County Road 20 is a county road different budget you may want to voice your concerns to them re road damage I feel for the residents of Oxford Station they put up with 4 months of dust and noise from trucks from Harvex Now almost year round rock trucks D Lewis North Grenville

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July 30,, 2026

4

with commercial inserts were no longer exempt from Canada Post’s Consumers’ Choice program, which allows Canadians to opt out of receiving ‘junk mail’. Canada Post made that decision without stakeholder consultation or economic/social impact analysis and failed to recognize that community newspapers, with or without an insert, are not ‘junk mail’; they are a social good.

The juxtaposition of the shuttering of Winnipeg’s Community Review at the same time as the revelation of $30.8 million in bonuses at Canada Post has not been lost on community newspaper publishers across Canada. What should Ottawa do about it?

First, Joël Lightbound, the Minister responsible for Canada Post, should ensure the Crown corporation is treating community newspapers fairly and offering them comparable pricing to what it offers to TC Transcontinental.

Second, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage should conduct hearings into the role Canada Post can play in the sustainability of community newspapers: ensuring the relationship is one of partnership, rather than predatory and parasitic.

When a community loses a newspaper, the information vacuum can lead to people getting their news from less than reliable sources, like AI and social media, which can create division that drives people apart. Without a check on local government, corruption, mismanagement, and wasteful spending often

flourish, which can result in higher municipal taxes and borrowing costs. It was not foreign Big Tech monopolists like Google and Meta that caused Manitoba’s largest community newspaper to shutter. It was Canada Post. And it’s not like we weren’t warned…

Thirty years ago, in his review of Canada Post’s mandate, George Radwanski recommended that postal service get out of delivering unaddressed junk mailྭ(i.e., flyers), concluding that the Crown corporation engaged in inappropriate practices that created unfair competition for private businesses like community newspapers.

As a former Toronto Star editor-in-chief, Radwanski knew the news business. He noted that Canada Post was actively siphoning advertising revenue away from the news industry and adroitly cautioned that the state-granted mail delivery monopoly should not be in the business of crippling the financial health of newspapers.

A healthy democracy demands a healthy community news media ecosystem.

Let’s level the playing field and restore competition in the flyer distribution market before more community newspapers shutter.

TIMES Contact 613-215-0735 ISSN 2291-0301

Editor David Shanahan editor@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735 Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0

Marketing / Sales CONTACT marketing@ ngtimes.ca

613.215-0735

Reporter Talia Hreljac Talia@ngtimes.ca Marketing/Sales marketing@ngtimes.ca 613 215-0735 Graphic Designer Mary Moore graphics designer 613-215-0735 Accounting cfo@ngtimes.ca

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I can't change the world

On behalf of the Kemptville Legion we would like to thank the following for their sponsorship and support for making Canada Day a huge success. We would not be able to do it without you.

by Marguerite Boyer It is true, I often feel helpless living in these times. We are surrounded by news of wars, innocent people losing their lives, famine, and so much suffering. It can be overwhelming to realize there is so little we can do to change these global events.

But there is one thing that gives me hope. While I may not be able to change the world, I can help make my community a better place. Together, we can make a difference, one person at a time. Perhaps I am a dreamer, but I like to believe I am not the only one.

I recently became involved with Shalom Small Homes Kemptville, an organization whose name perfectly reflects its mission. The Hebrew word shalom means much more than peace. It represents completeness, wholeness, well being, and living in harmony. That is exactly what founder Janne Ritskes has envisioned, creating safe, loving homes for some of our community's

most vulnerable seniors.

To help make that vision a reality, Shalom Homes has launched the Toonie Campaign with the ambitious goal of raising $2 million. Two million dollars sounds like an impossible number. But then I remember that every dollar starts with the first one.

In our case, it starts with a simple toonie. So far, more than $30,000 has been raised for this specific campaing.. Sometimes I look at that number and wonder how long it will take to reach the finish line. When I share those thoughts with Janne, she simply smiles and tells me I need more faith.

She should know. Faith and patience have carried her a long way. Years ago, she helped raise enough money to build two hospitals in Cambodia. Today, with the help of dedicated volunteers, containers of donated hospital equipment continue to be shipped there, improving lives thousands of kilometres away.

Her determination is contagious.

With the help of an artist friend, Sharon Dean, we have begun setting up booths at the farmers' market, at B&H, and hopefully at other locations throughout the community. For every toonie donated, your name is entered into a draw to win one of our handcrafted garden sculptures. We are grateful to the B&H, and Kemptville Farmers' Market for generously providing us with a booth and tent at no cost.

Once the first sculpture is raffled, we hope to offer one of our beautiful life sized heron sculptures next.

Every toonie brings us one step closer to our goal.

More importantly, every donation is a reminder that when a community comes together, remarkable things can happen.

We may not be able to change the world. But we can change someone's world. And sometimes, that is where real change begins.

Municipality of North Grenville Blair Harris Construction Paul and Tracy Archambeault Jam Productions Garrison Blues Double Shot Battlefield BBQ All the volunteers and of course the amazing community.

See you next year!

Applications now open for Ontario women’s parliamentary forum The Legislative Assembly of Ontario is pleased to announce that applications for the Ontario Women’s Parliamentary Forum: Pathway to Parliament are now open.

This program will bring together 124 women and gender-diverse individuals aged 18 to 30 from across Ontario for a unique, full-day leadership and civic engagement experience at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

“As Ontario’s first female Speaker, I know the importance of seeing women in leadership roles,” said Donna Skelly, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. “The Pathway to Parliament Women’s Forum will inspire, inform, and encourage the next generation of women leaders to step forward with confidence and make a lasting impact.”

Focused on active citizenship, education, and empowerment, the program will provide participants with a behind-the-scenes look at the province’s parliamentary process and opportunities to engage directly with prominent women leaders and key parliamentary figures. This initiative is designed to encourage participants to explore careers in politics, public service, and community leadership while developing a deeper understanding of civic participation.

Applications for the Forum will be accepted until August 20, 2026.

To ensure broad participation from across the province, transportation costs and one night's accommodation will be covered for participants who live more than 50 kilometres from the Legislative Building.

More details, including a full program overview and selection criteria, are available on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s website: www.ola.org/en/visit-learn/programs/ontario-womens-parliamentary-forum July 30, 2026

GARDEN CENTRE DISPLAY GARDENS Open Mid-April to End October 9am-5pm Everyday 613-258-3797 rideauwoodlandramble.com 7210 Burritt’s Rapids Road 5

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The Voice of North Grenville

A passion for people and community

by Marguerite Boyer I've had the pleasure of getting to know Nina Tachuk beyond her role as a real estate agent, and what stands out most is her genuine love for people and for her community. She cares deeply about where she lives and gives back by serving on the Downtown BIA board, helping make the community an even better place.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Nina graduated from Carleton University with a degree in Law and Sociology. Before beginning her successful real estate career, she worked as a Trade Specialist for the Japanese Government. She later married, raised two children, and eventually found her true calling in real estate.

Nina works throughout Ottawa and the surrounding rural communities, and she is always happy to share her knowledge of the market without pressure or obligation. More than anything, she wants people to feel informed, comfortable, and confident in their decisions.

It's easy to see why so many people recommend Nina to their family and friends. She genuinely cares, works hard, and always goes the extra mile.

Over the years, Nina has built a reputation for being honest, approachable, and someone who truly listens. Her clients aren't just transactions, they're people making one of the biggest decisions of their lives, and she understands that. Whether someone is buying their first home, selling a family home filled with memories, or searching for the perfect rural property, Nina takes the time to guide them every step of the way.

Her dedication has earned her the nationally recognized Royal LePage Lifetime Award of Excellence, but if you ask those who know her, they'll tell you her greatest achievement is the trust and friendships she has built with her clients.

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CROSSWORD

Fragile Inheritance Monthly Nature Talk: Ontario’s Turtles

Join local biologist Amanda Bennett for the next Fragile Inheritance monthly nature talk on Monday, August 3, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. held at the Bishops Mills Community Hall.

The presentation will explore the fascinating natural history of Ontario’s turtles through an engaging slide show, with a special focus on the species you might encounter right here in North Grenville. Attendees will have plenty of time to ask questions and learn more about local research and conservation efforts. (Donations appreciated, Fragile Inheritance memberships available).

Date: 3 August, Time: 7:00pm Place: Bishops Mills Community Hall Admission: Free. For further information contact Aleta (623) 299-3107 www.fragileinheritance.ca

North American Open Wizard Tournament results

ACROSS 1. Pilotless plane 6. Carpet type 10. Rotating disks 14. Talking bird of poetry 15. Pitch 16. Death notice 17. Ready for anything 18. Module 19. Nil 20. Affection 22. Cicatrix 23. Washer cycle 24. Seashore 25. Ladies 29. Experienced 31. Adjusted 33. Marred 37. Trickery 38. Extreme poverty 39. Smiled scornfully 41. European country

by Debi Arnoni (organizer of the Wizard tournaments at Pierce's Corners) On July 19, the 2026 North American Open Wizard Tournament took place at Pierce’s Corners, a.k.a. the Marlborough Community Centre. Wizard is a trick-taking card game designed by Ken Fisher, of Toronto, in 1984. It is based on "Oh Heck" but with four powerful Wizards and four lowly Jesters.

Of the 45 players who competed, about 50% were from North Grenville, 25% from Ottawa, and the other 25% travelled from Montreal and across Ontario. Most play at monthly Wizard tournaments at Pierce's Corners, but many met through Ken Fisher's website at https://wizardcards.com.

Charleigh Trodden of Merrickville won the tournament, Mike Arnoni of Orleans came second, and Mario Forest of Montreal came third.

To join the fun playing in future Wizard tournaments, arrive at Pierce's Corners between 12:30 and 12:55 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month, unless it falls on a holiday weekend. Play starts at 1 p.m.

For more information, contact Debi at debiar@ymail.com

Pre-plan starting as low as $1/day.

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The Food Corner

Baldwin’s Birds

Leave your earwax alone

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville One of Salamanders most popular extras is our spicy Corn Bread. I’ve begun to collect corn bread recipes, since they vary in flavour according to what you enhance them with. Today’s recipe is a Sweet Potato Cornbread that is really nice to accompany your summer BBQ. Herewith is the recipe for Sweet Potato Cornbread, adapted from The July 2024 edition of Taste of Home.

by Diana Gifford-Jones

Sweet Potato Cornbread

Ingredients: • 2cups of all-purpose • 2 cups of cornmeal • ½ cup of white granulated sugar • 7 teaspoons of Baking Powder • 2 tablespoons of salt • 4 large eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten • ¾ cup whole (3%) milk • 1/3 cup of canola oil • 2 2/3 cups of cooked sweet potatoes, mashed Preparation: • Heat your oven to 425F • In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (the first 5 ingredients above) • In a smaller bowl, mix the wet ingredients: the eggs, milk, oil and sweet potatoes • Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until moistened • Pour into a 13X9 inch greased baking pan (preferably glass) • Bake until the cornbread passes the toothpick test, so, for about 35 minutes • If you don’t remember how to cook the sweet potatoes, what you do is: - Peel them and cut them into smallish pieces - Boil them till the pieces are tender - Use a colander to drain (leave in the colander to drain for at least 15 minutes) - Cool and mash with a potato masher Once done, you cut your cornbread into squares and serve either warm or refrigerate to serve cold. Add some room temperature butter or place in a closed container for use within a few days. Sweet Potato Cornbread freezes nicely in a sealed bag for enjoying whenever you want some.

This is a great season for cooking, as the fresh vegetables come to us. Shortly we will have fresh corn to enjoy. Stay well and keep those emails coming to Paul at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

LOCAL NEWS MATTERS BECAUSE IT CONNECTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS

July 30,, 2026

Common Sense Health

Eastern Phoebe

New Life Appears

Having regaled you previously with my pictures and descriptions of my recent European bird encounters, it is time for me to get back to our own birds back here in my own backyard, and they have been quite exciting too. Our House Wren is still going “gung-ho”, singing his little heart out, trying to attract a bride!

Meanwhile, there is still no sign at all of our Bluebirds, which is rather disappointing. In conversation with a friend who lives south of us on the St. Lawrence and a keen birder, he hasn’t seen any either! However, all is not lost, because a juvenile Female Baltimore Oriole has been paying us a visit and we have seen her on several occasions using the Hummingbird feeder. I’m not sure whether or not her beak is slender enough to penetrate the fine mesh holes of the feeder to get some of the sugar water, but she certainly tries and does return, so must be getting something for her efforts.

Whilst some of the young birds, such as the small Bluejays, Hairy and Downy Wood-peckers, are being taught where to feed, usually more than one at a time, the Hummingbird is persevering too, despite all this activity, but tends to choose the quieter moments to do it.

Life for the Robins, who are nesting on a shelf to the rear of my garage door at the back, is quite hectic, as they strive to feed their brood of 3-4 chicks, whose mouths always seem to be open demanding more! It is surprising that this extremely dry weather doesn’t seem to be inhibiting their supply of insects and other goodies demanded by their offspring, judging by the healthy beak-fulls that seem to still keep coming!

Other birds keeping themselves busy have been a pair of King Birds, who like to use the very top of a neighbor’s tree to do their hunting from. Usually, they will do this towards dusk time when, presumably, the mosquitoes and other bugs are more plentiful. They don’t seem to be hurrying off anywhere to deposit their bounty into gaping mouths, so maybe they are just treating themselves to a small treat as well. Who could blame them?

Another lovely bird visited the other day, an Eastern Phoebe, who competed with the Wren for the bugs around my antique milk carrier. With its long tail and lovely body lines showing very distinctively, it made a lovely picture to behold. A friend of mine gets a pair of Phoebes nesting in, or near, his back porch every year! Super! I hope that you, too, are getting to see some of these lovely birds, as well as witnessing them bringing up their young. Stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin 8

It's gross. That sticky yellow goo you can see in someone's ear! You want it to not be there. But before you reach for a cotton swab or one of those little scoops sold online, consider this: earwax is best just left alone, even if people have long struggled to do that.

Some extraordinary uses for earwax are best stored in the history books. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist who lived in the first century AD, listed earwax among the many ingredients in his encyclopedia of folk remedies, recommending it for everything from insect stings to skin sores.

Other traditions are hard to appreciate. In Japan, mimikaki is the practice of cleaning another person's ears with a tiny bamboo pick. It's considered relaxing, and an act of affection. In India, itinerant ear cleaners offered ear-cleaning services in markets and on streets using metal instruments. Concerns about infection and injury have largely brought this to an end.

There remains, however, an urge among people for earwax to be removed at the first opportunity. But resist the temptation. The truth is that your ears are self-cleaning and don’t need scheduled care, your partner’s attention, or commercial remedies.

Earwax has an important function. It traps dust, pollen, bacteria, fungi and even tiny insects before they can reach the delicate eardrum. The skin inside the ear canal then slowly migrates outward, carrying old earwax with it.

Every time you chew, yawn or talk, your jaw helps move the wax toward the opening of the ear where it dries and flakes away. Most healthy ears never need cleaning at all.

Yet, many people interfere. The worst offenders are cotton swabs. Manufacturers often print "Do not insert into the ear canal" right on the package, yet millions of us do exactly that. Instead of removing wax, swabs can push it deeper, packing it against the eardrum where it can cause hearing loss, ringing, dizziness or pain. Ear, nose and throat specialists have a saying: "Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear."

Earwax is a blended mixture of secretions from specialized glands, dead skin cells and a little oil. The combination keeps the ear canal slightly acidic, making it a difficult place for harmful bacteria and fungi to grow.

A surprising fact is that earwax is genetic. People of European and African ancestry usually have wet, honey-coloured earwax. Many East Asians and Indigenous peoples have a dry, gray, flaky variety. The difference comes from a single gene. The same gene is also associated with underarm body odour. People with dry earwax are less likely to need deodorant – a wonderful "I bet you didn't know that" fact. Here’s another: scientists use earwax genetics to study ancient human migrations.

As we age, earwax changes too. It often becomes drier and harder, making blockages more common in older adults. Hearing aids and earbuds can make matters worse by preventing wax from naturally working its way out. If your hearing suddenly seems muffled, don't assume it's old age. A plug of earwax may be the culprit and removing it safely can restore hearing almost instantly.

So when should earwax be removed? Only when it's causing trouble: hearing loss, pain, fullness, ringing or when it prevents a healthcare professional from seeing the eardrum. Softening drops or gentle irrigation may help.

But some people should avoid flushing the ear, particularly if they have a perforated eardrum, chronic ear disease or previous ear surgery. In those cases, removal by a healthcare professional is the safest approach.

This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice. Visit www.docgiff.com to learn more. For comments, diana@docgiff.com.

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