The Voice of North Grenville
The Voice of North Grenville
Reaching by direct mail 9,000 homes and businesses in North Grenville
Toonies For Seniors www.ngtimes.ca www.ngtimes.ca
Vol. 14 No. 31
August 13, 2026
NGDHS Alumni to attend High School reunion this September
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Photo: The High School as it was on Prescott Street
by Gisela Winter Did you study or work at North Grenville District High School? The NGDHS Reunion Committee has been hard at work planning a 90th Reunion of past students and staff of the school. The event will be an impactful fundraiser for an ongoing bursary program. The ‘new’ NGDHS at 2605 Concession Road has been secured as the venue for a reception on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 3pm to 7pm. Food and drink will be supplied by Catered Affairs. There will be a silent auction on
visit the event website: www.ngdhs90.ca. If you have something “NG local” to donate to the silent auction in support of our student bursary, please contact: info@ngdhs90.ca. The North Grenville District High School Reunion Committee has been in existence since 1984, when we began the task of organizing the 50th Reunion, to be held in 1986. Since that time, we have held reunions for the 60th in 1996, the 70th in 2006, and 75th in 2011. A Bursary Program was established in 1987, which was made possible with the net
site, and a few other surprises to be confirmed in the coming weeks. “We are approaching 300 tickets sold, and we expect a last minute rush when guests make the decision to attend as summer winds down,” says Committee Chair Dan Maxwell. Other NGDHS alumni events are already popping up around town, so follow the NGDHS 90th Reunion event page on Facebook and connect with your own group of friends to plan your reunion weekend. For more information on tickets and accommodations, please
profits from the 50th reunion. One of the main purposes of having subsequent reunions was to raise funds to continue the program. Since 1987, we have paid $33,000.00 in bursaries to deserving students who would be continuing their education at either a college or university. We have also donated funds to North Grenville District High School. Since 1987, we have donated a total of $19,500.00 directly to the school. In 1987 we donated $8,500.00 towards the purchase of chairs for the gymnasium. In 2007 we donated $7,500.00 for a new stage/theatre area in memory of the late Roy Murphy (former Drama teacher and Chair of our Committee).Then, in 2012, we donated a gift of $3,500.00. The North Grenville District High School Reunion Committee is very grateful for any and all donations to assist in their support of local students.
ve a tly ha n e r r We cu cial on the ve in o spe h its. M m un r Sept 30t o o r d e b ! m 1-be te ee nth fr e Sep befor get 1- mo and
August 13, 2026
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VOLUNTEERING IS THE
Who knows where the Times goes
e a r t b e a t H OF OUR COMMUNITY
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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Ron's
Jill Sturdy in smokey Okanagan at Kalamalka Lake in BC (with the NG Times).
Small Engine Repair
North Grenville Historical Society Public Meeting, 16 September 2026
613.258.9720
ronssmallengines@outlook.com 1 Jayland Drive, Kemptville
Dr. Tim Foran, Historian, Early Canada, at the Canadian War Museum will explore the ways that the American Civil War (1861-1865) shaped Canadian society, politics and military - and why its legacies still matter today. The exhibition is now on display at the War Museum. Dr. Foran will also talk about his experience/approach to curating it and about the team's museological approach and work with communities to develop the exhibition. The poster depicts Union Army Sergeant Major Abram W. Shadd, 55th Massachusetts Infantry, 1865, (Buxton National Historic Site & Museum 1985.5). Shadd was the son of a prominent abolitionist family in Buxton, in present-day southwestern Ontario. He drew on family and social connections to recruit Black soldiers. This network contributed significantly to the enlistment of nearly 2,500 Black British North Americans in Union forces. He later obtained a law degree and became the first Black attorney in Mississippi. 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30) Wednesday, 16th September 2026, 148 Prescott Street, Kemptville. Refreshments. All welcome.
(across from old Bingo Hall)
KEMPTVILLE YOUTH CENTER 22nd ANNUAL BOOK FAIR August 21, 22 & 23
3-Day Book Fair at Ferguson Forest Center Friday 8 AM - 7 PM
Saturday 8 AM - 5 PM
Sunday 8 AM - Noon
BOOKS - $3.00 Children’s Books - $1.00 Picture Books - $0.50
Book Selections Front Tent: Cooking - Languages - Crafts - Self Help / Health
Main Building: Fiction - Romance - Animals - Reference - Science Fiction - History Religion - Biographies
Rear Tent:
Children’s - Toddler - Teens - Non-Fiction
Location: 275 County Road 44, Kemptville
KYC wishes to thank our book fair sponsor:
Scotiabank August 13, 2026
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Join the 1st Annual Kemptville Parkinson’s Canada Superwalk
The Workshop Dance Studio held 3 exercise drumming sessions in support of the Kemptville Superwalk. They raised $1200.00 and 50 Kemptville Superwalk supporters had a great workout!! by Chris Turnbull The Kemptville Parkinson’s Superwalk is just a month away! It will be held in Kemptville on September 13, from 10:003:00 at the Blake Williams
Memorial Hall (Kemptville Armoury), on Rueben Street, Kemptville. Gear up to walk the 1km paved path from the arch at the pool, around the south-east baseball diamond, and back
to the Memorial Hall/Armoury. There will be places to pause along the way, as needed. Bring your friends and family — let’s fill the path! There is plenty of parking at The Hall/Armoury. The building will be open for the duration of the Superwalk, with seating. The building has air conditioning and accessible washrooms. Bring water bottles, which can be refilled. The Parkinson’s Canada Superwalk is a national event held annually in September. It is a major fundraiser that focuses on supporting individuals affected by Parkinson’s Disease. These funds contribute to research that further develops current treatments, enables additional medical options, and fos-
ters emerging technological advances. The fundraising goal for the Kemptville Superwalk is $30,000.00, and, as of early August, there are 20 participants and two teams (“Outpacing Parkinson’s, and “Sustainable Success”). Collectively, they have raised $29,496.25. Anyone is welcome to register as a participant in the Kemptville Superwalk, either in person on September 13, or online at www.superwalk.ca. There is a short waiver that you will need to sign, and we will also have the waiver at the event. If you plan to register online, go to www. superwalk.ca: 1) Choose Kemptville as your city. 2) The site will prompt you to register, donate, or volunteer. 3) You will see a list of individuals and North
Grenville-based teams who have already registered. 4) Choose whether to register, donate, or volunteer… or feel free to do all three. You do not have to register to donate. The walk will begin shortly after 11:00; however, participants can walk at any time and any distance. There will be some water, fruit and snacks on hand, and the Rotary Club is providing lunch. Tripoly and the Grenville Troubadours will be on hand to play music. The Superwalk will slowly wind down between 2 and 3 pm. A more defined schedule will be included in the next article. We anticipate a great community event! Many local organizations and businesses are generously sponsoring and
supporting the Kemptville Superwalk through donations, volunteers, and resources. If your business would like to be a sponsor for the Superwalk, please contact Event Coordinator Griffin Patterson (Parkinson’s Canada) Griffin. Patterson@parkinson.ca, or local Kemptville organizer Diana Tallman: dtallman2020@gmail.com. The Kemptville Superwalk organizers would like to thank the people, businesses and organizations who have helped launch this upcoming event to date: The Workshop Dance Studio, The Rotary Club, Tripoly, the Grenville Troubadours, Bubba and Bugs, Grahame’s Bakery, Nature’s Way, HoneyBar and YoUnited, and Rush Truck Centres.
Mills and Acton’s Corners also had congregations from that time. The Methodist Church in Oxford Mills is the third one on that site, the first one, built in 1858, was replaced in 1881. This building had to be demolished because of structural issues (part of it fell down) and the current church was erected in 1897. It has since closed down. In Kemptville, as the congregation, and the village, grew, it was decided to relocate the church to Prescott Street. Early in 1869, a contract was let to Erastus Fenton to build a brick church at the corner of Prescott and South Victoria Street, now Reuben St. The new building was dedicated on March 4, 1873. However, in January, 1888, it was burned down by an angry mob of Kemptville citizens. It seems the Methodists were at the forefront of an attempt to bring prohibition to village. The details are hard to come by, as, at the time, there was no local newspaper in North Grenville. The church was rebuilt and
reopened on June 24, 1888 and extended to accommodate a larger congregation in 1899. In 1925, many of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist congregations in Canada united as the United Church of Canada. In Heckston, this meant one building was made redundant, and the older Methodist Church was later demolished. The church in Acton’s Corners was demolished in 1964. The Kemptville church is now St. John’s United Church. The cemetery that was attached to the old church in Kemptville continued to be used throughout the nineteenth century. As it became more difficult to maintain the site, the headstones were removed and
the obelisk which stands there today was erected, with a small selection of headstones surrounding it, in memory of those early Methodist residents of Kemptville. In 1954, a transcription of the headstones was made, and found 93 in all. The oldest graves had stones for Hannah VanBury (VanBuren), who died in May, 1813 aged 57, and an older couple, Eunice and Joshua Purmort. Eunice died on August 9, 1813, aged 70 years and 15 days. Joshua did not outlive her for long: he died on October 6, 1813, aged 67 years and 8 months. So many stories lie under the green grass on Clothier Street.
Those disreputable Methodists
The old Methodist cemetery on Clothier Street East.
by David Shanahan In the earliest days of Upper Canada, it was assumed by the Crown that the Anglican Church would be the Established Church of the Province. After all, were Catholics or Methodists to be trusted to be loyal? The Methodists, in particular, were objects of grave suspicion by the authorities, largely because they were, at that time, mostly American-born. It was suspected, probably with good reason, that they brought with them to UpAugust 13, 2026
per Canada many of the more democratic ideas of government that were so dangerous to the leaders of society. In addition, Methodist preachers were hard to pin down: they were itinerants, moving on horseback from one community to another, their entire belongings packed into their saddlebags. They were called Circuit Riders, because they literally rode around a circuit of congregations. The first Methodist preacher for Kemptville had a circuit that included Prescott, Cardinal, Mait-
land, North Augusta, Bishop’s Mills, Heckston, South Mountain, Spencerville and Oxford Mills. In 1840, this circuit was reduced to include only the hamlets of Oxford and South Gower Townships, along with South Mountain. In November, 1830, Asa Clothier sold lots 12 and 13 on the south side of Clothier Street, to the Trustees of the Methodist Church for £17.10.00. The Methodist congregation had been meeting in various homes before then, but in 1831 they began to build the first church on the site, a 30x40 foot frame building. Opened officially around July 1, 1832, it took another four years to equip the place with a pulpit and to replace the plain benches with pews. In the 1840's, a parsonage was built on VanBuren Street, and an assistant for the preacher was appointed. It was not until 1884 that Kemptville was considered a large enough settlement to employ a dedicated minister. A Methodist Church was opened in Heckston in the 1840's, and Oxford 3
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Editorial
Coming round again by David Shanahan Ten years ago, (10 years!) I wrote an Editorial about the way things seemed to be changing all around us. Change, they say, is the only constant. Perhaps. But some things just seem to come around again and again, and the thoughts here, I think, are worth repeating. In his novel, “Heart of Darkness”, Joseph Conrad explores the nature of civilisation and concludes that our “civilised” behaviour is only a thin crust over a depth of negative and destructive tendencies in human beings. The main character, Kurtz, lives far removed from society’s rules and laws, and has become a monster, unanswerable to anyone and free to indulge his darkest desires. The key point Conrad makes is that Kurtz is only doing openly what all of us think about privately. He has thrown off the “superficial” rules that usually control our behaviours. That crust of
accepted norms of behaviour - honesty, integrity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence - is necessary to allow us to live together in society. But those things we try and control and keep under the surface bigotry, racism, hatred, anger and selfishness - break through, given the right circumstances. We all need to know and follow the accepted rules governing relationships, community and society in general. But those rules have been changing over the past fifty years, as more attitudes and traditions are being questioned, and there has come with that a rise in cynicism and disillusionment. What used to be called “good manners”, and other traditions like respect for authority, unquestioned obedience to law and the unwritten rules governing society, have been largely put aside. This is a well-known aspect of modern society, and one that, I believe, has been fostered also by a growing belief that we
humans are just machines, animals who happen to have gained a position of dominance on the planet. The foundations of morality have been undermined by ideas like “my country, right or wrong”, or “greed is good”, and, that favourite of the Kurtz-like, “I’m only telling it like it is”. My generation will remember “do your own thing”, and the rise of the “Me generation”. All used to rationalise arrogance, rudeness and negativity. Direct talk is good, and open dialogue is essential in a free and informed society. But using that freedom to simply attack, criticise and destroy is nihilistic and destructive. And the rise of the Internet has been one of the most important steps in this process. When people find themselves able to comment anonymously, or just to total strangers across the world, some have exploited that to be rude, arrogant, to make racist or bigoted remarks, often unprovoked and unwarranted. The fact that
there are no negative consequences to their behaviour only encourages them to continue. It has become a swamp, contaminating public discourse. The rise of Donald Trump did not seem particularly significant for us here in eastern Ontario, but it was a clear sign of how far we’ve fallen from any sense of integrity or honour in public life. Trump has made a virtue of lying unashamedly, of making allegations against others that are baseless, of attacking personally those who disagree with him ideologically. The horror, to use Kurtz’s word, is that this has brought him success beyond what anyone ever expected. We’ve had some experience of politicians like that here in Canada, and even in eastern Ontario, but Trump is really was a new step in the process of removing integrity and honour, not to mention public service, from society and political life. He has broken with all the norms of political discourse. But he
has appealed, successfully, to a certain segment of the public. He is not alone, just the most egregious example of the phenomenon. No-one really expected Britain to vote for Brexit, and now they wonder what the future holds as a result. No-one expected Donald Trump to win the nomination to run for President, much less win two elections, incite a rebellion, start wars, impose tariffs on allies, threaten to invade, annex, or otherwise assault, America’s friends.. The more you look at what’s happening in the world, the more you have to appreciate Canada and the basic decency of the place. First Nations are being treated abominably, there are too many living in poverty and despair. Many and numerous are the problems we face. But, so far, we have maintained a level of “civilised” discourse, and a belief in our common humanity in the face of selfish ambition. Lessons need to be learned, steps need to be taken to ensure we keep that char-
Residents remain concerned about Tomlinson plans by David Shanahan Following our report on the Council meeting on July 15 at which the proposed plan for an aggregate pit at Patterson’s Corners, we received a number of emails from local residents who were not reassured by the presentation given at the meeting by representatives of R. W. Tomlinson and Co., the applicants seeking approval of their project from Council.
One resident was upset at the timing of the application, and of the information session that had taken place just the evening before it came before Council. “I find the timing of this application incredibly manipulative, waiting until the exact time when school is letting out, when many people are stepping back from the hustle of normal everyday life to relax a bit during the summer break. When we may
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 Need additional information? Visit us:
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not be as aware of what is happening around us as we would be in a regular 9 to 5, five days a week routine. When many residents may not even be aware of the application, let alone the information meeting or the planning meeting held the very next night, when council could vote to approve this application, this is so wrong in so many ways.” There was also concern raised about the impact of the proposed pit on water safety, with a large body of water being planned on the pit site, less than a few kilometres from the old Oxford Mills waste disposal area. “To suggest that a lake, as large as the one suggested by the applicant is not going to affect the ground water level is at the least comical, if not criminal.” The assurances given by the Tomlinson delegation failed to allay those worries, residents pointing out that the experts were all hired by the company and were not going to highlight any risks associated with the plan.
The heavy increase in traffic which would result from the operation of the pit was yet another issue raised by local residents, who are afraid the heavy trucks rolling back and forth between the pit and Highway 416 would create serious air pollution, increased danger to other road users, and unacceptable noise levels throughout the day. “Using simple arithmetic if the applicants run this pit at full requested capacity, and if the trucks running to and from the pit are hauling 20 metric tonnes, that is possibly 200 truck's daily running to and from the pit. That's one trip in empty, one trip out full. That's 400 trips in a day, one truck every 90 seconds in a presumptive 10 hour, five day a week work cycle!” At the July meeting, Council agreed to defer any approval of the scheme until a response was received from Tomlinson to the issues raised by the public. That response,
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which will be in writing, is expected before September, at which time it is most likely that a sizeable number of residents will be present to judge the document.
acter; not by aggressive attitudes towards other, nor withdrawal into isolation. But by reaching out, embracing diversity in unity, and giving the world (and our nearest neighbour) an example of what a nation can be that is built on tolerance, acceptance and diversity. We stand on guard, with open arms, and elbows up. Most Canadians have risen to the challenge and assert Canada’s integrity. But what would you think of someone who hears about a bully in a school across town who is taking peoples’ lunch money, and then gets on a bus, crosses town, and hands over their money to that bully. Crazy, right? Yet Canadians are still travelling to the U.S. for vacations, handing their money to the bully while, maybe at the same time, refusing to buy American fruit at the supermarket. That trip to the States puts more money into the American economy that many oranges or grapes would have. We may, for example, put American alcohol back on the shelves of the LCBO, but we don’t have to start buying it again. Principles.
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Canadian tents are for much more than just camping I was looking at a post that titled itself: 'The Far Right Playbook: Divide - Anger - Control'. It featured Daniel Smith, Pierre Poilievre...whom we all know, Andrew Scheer, and Scott Moe. It also featured Ezra Levant of Rebel News, Mohammed Harkat, a Wexit Advocate, Brian Lilley, Toronto Sun columnist, Michael Cooper, Conservative populist, Kelly Block from The National Telegraph, and finally, Faith Goldy, a Far Right Activist. It made me think, 'If these people are popular, that means a lot of people listen to them. And if they
listen to them repeatedly, they must agree with a lot of what they say.' That made me think back to my early years growing up in Ottawa and encountering a new phenomenon: talk radio and Lowell Greene. At first, I found him different and interesting, but over time I realized that he was constantly and consistently negative. He was against everything that was not 'Conservative'; much like the 300 times Mr. Poilievre has voted against 'Green legislation'. He, along with the endless procession of sycophants who'd call up only to say, 'I agree with
you, Mr. Greene.' It would discourage me... a lot. I couldn't believe there were so many people who worshipped this guy. Why? I'm a Tommy Douglas, Jack Layton, Ed Broadbent, Wab Kinew kind of Canadian; with some Peter Gzowski, Peter Mansbridge, David Suzuki, Barbra Frum, Terry Fox, Frederick Banting, MajorsGeneral Lewis McKenzie and Roméo Dallaire mixed in as well. Those are the people I listened to and learned from...over and over again. What is shared by those in this group? They are all Canadians who believe(d)
in something bigger and better for all Canadians. They see/saw Canada as a country that welcomes those who need safety, security, and a chance to build a new future. They have made our country better through their efforts. They were/are not divisive - they were/are inclusive. They are/were positive. They look for ways to build things up, not tear them down. They believe/ed in
compassion, empathy, inclusivity, and welcomed those who needed a hand up. And the other group? They are very likely proud Canadians; but not everybody is welcomed in their tent. Have they made our country better through their tenure? Obviously, some think that they have. I am not with that group, nor will I ever be. There just might be a
need for some stable cleaning after these individuals have moved on. And so, in a world with Doug Fords and Danielle Smiths in positions of power, I choose to share a tent with Terry Fox - Dr. Roberta Bondar - Jean Béliveau, exemplary Canadians. Peter Johnson Upper Oxford Mills
County road 43 public meeting provides residents with project update The Municipality of North Grenville and project partners hosted a public information meeting on Wednesday, August 5, to provide residents, businesses, and surrounding community with an update on the County Road 43 reconstruction and widening project. The meeting was hosted by Mayor Nancy Peckford, Bill Guy, Construction Manager for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, and Mike Finley, Director of Public Works for the Municipality of North Grenville. The session included a project presentation, photos and updates on construction progress and upcoming work, information about traffic impacts, and an opportunity for the community to ask questions. For those who were unable to attend, a recording of the meeting is available. Please visit https://youtube. com/live/hF83fJzwsYk to view the presentation and listen to the full meeting. The team received several questions during the Q&A period. A question-and-answer document is available to view here: www.northgrenville.ca/ news/county-road-43-publicmeeting-provides-residents-
with-project-update Project Summary and Current Status: The County Road 43 project is a multi-year reconstruction and widening initiative led by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, with work underway in partnership with the Municipality of North Grenville and contractor R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. The project will widen County Road 43 from approximately 200 metres west of County Road 44 to 220 metres east of Colonnade Drive in Kemptville. Much work has been completed to date, including: Installation of storm sewers, placing granular roadbeds and new asphalt being laid. Substructure work on the bridge, placing concrete as well as abutments (structure footings) on both sides of the bridge. Underground infrastructure along the south side of CR43 between Anniversary Way and King Street towards the river. The project work began in March of 2024, and is anticipated to be completed by July 2027 within budget. “Thank you to everyone
who attended the session and all those who have reached out with their questions and concerns. We have certainly come along way - from many years of planning how to improve this critical transportation corridor to seeing that long-awaited vision become a reality. This is the most significant transportation infrastructure project in our community’s history, and getting it to this point has taken persistence, strong partnerships, and an extraordinary amount of work. We are incredibly grateful to our residents and especially local businesses for their patience throughout construction, and to all levels of government that have invested in this road. The finish line is closer in sight, and we can be very proud of what this project will deliver: a safer, more connected County Road 43 built to serve North Grenville for generations to come.” Mayor Nancy Peckford, Municipality of North Grenville.
Around here, farm equipment isn’t just traffic. It’s our neighbours, friends, and family.
Slow down and give them space.
Open Mic at the KSP
by Lisa Poushinsky Join us this Saturday for the second and final Street Piano Jam of the season with our favourite piano man, Bradley Smith. Love to play music? When the library is rockin’, don’t bother knocking. Whether you’re a new performer or a pro looking for a place to make music on a Saturday afternoon, this open mic’s for you. Come to listen and to play, all levels/ genres/ instruments welcome. Bradley Smith, host with the most, will entertain you with his favourite tunes between acts. No stranger to the stage, Bradley has been playing piano, singing, and running jams and open mics for over 50 years. When not performing solo, Bradley plays Southern Rock, 80’s Rock, and Country music with several bands (and occasionally guests in music theatre productions throughout the region - ask Bradley for details). What? The Kemptville Street Piano Concert Series presents Who? Street Piano Open Mic Jam with Bradley Smith When? Saturday August 15. Where? North Grenville Public Library terrace How much? Free! Want to support the music? The Kemptville Street Piano is a non-profit concert series that relies on grants, and we will gladly accept donations and discuss sponsorship opportunities (contact us at kemptville.street.piano@gmail.com). Learn more about Bradley Smith at www.suckerforaballad.com August 13, 2026
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Biological constraints on invasive species
Illustration: Tiger Lily, Lilium tigrinum, getting along despite some damage from Scarlet Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii), in Kemptville. Aleta Karstad photograph.
by Fred Schueler – Fragile Inheritance Natural History
Many of the introduced invasive species which take over North American landscapes are much less abundant in
their native territory, because their populations are constrained by specialist species that feed on them. The official response to the invasives is to go to their home range, find the species that control them
there, and, in co-ordinated programmes by Canadian & US authorities, test the control species to make sure it won’t also impact any native relatives of the invader, introduce the control species, and see what effect it has on the invader. The most spectacular recent success of this process came in 2005 when Galerucella biocontrol beetles left huge fields grey as they chowed down on Purple Loosestrife, which had been the “poster child” invasive plant species through the 1990s. This year the Loosestrife is doing pretty well, with only minor leaf damage, likely a combination of the control beetle populations having been knocked back by last summer’s drought, and having been washed off the plants by this summer’s rain. Biological control of Common St-John's-Wort, Hypericum perforatum, began in the 1940s and 1950s, especially in BC and the western States, where it had dominated big areas of pastureland. Chrysolina beetle species knocked it back to the point where local herbalists now ask where it can be found. A couple of years ago there
was a minor resurgence of the St-John's-Wort population, but this year it's just scattered plants. In the case of Parsnip, the biocontrol agent, the Parsnip Webworm Moth (Depressaria radiella), arrived on its own, two centuries after their host plant had been introduced as a garden vegetable, and had evolved low levels the toxins that inconvenience the Webworms. In the late 1990s when (documented by analysis of herbarium specimens) the toxins had been selected back up to European levels, alarms were raised about the toxicity of “Poison Parsnip,” and herbicidal and mowing control of Parsnip began. Both control methods prevent the Webworm from completing its life cycle, leaving fields and roadsides golden with Parsnip flowers. On our land we let the Parsnips mature, and this year enormous numbers of Webworms have woven their brownish web-bundles over flowers & immature seeds, actually killing some plants, as well as eating up most of the reproductive potential on most plants. On the other side of the
Declaration of a planetary emergency: World scientists’ warning to humanity: a third notice.
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menu, the Scarlet Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) was first found in North America in Montreal in 1943. Like many introductions of species that become invasive, it took 40 years before it begin to spread widely, and it chewed down the garden Lily species in Bishops Mills in 2007 (also decimating the uncommon native Lilium canadense). A tiny wasp, Tetrastichus setifer, was introduced to control it in Massachusetts in 1999, and Naomi Cappuccino, at Carleton University, brought this parasitoid of the beetle larvae to Ottawa in 2016, resulting in extraordinarily rapid control of the invader. The beetles are still around in modest numbers, but in many places where Lilies would have been totally consumed in 2010 they are now completely unharmed. Two other conspicuous invasive plants are the subject of not-yet-spectacular biological control programmes. Dog-strangling Vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum) which has taken over much of Spencerville, is somewhat constrained in shadier habitats by Hypena opulenta, a specialized
leaf-feeding moth from Ukraine. Invasive Phragmites Reed is the subject of the province-wide Ontario Phragmites Action programme, one element of which is the introduction of two species of European stem-boring moths, Archanara neurica and Lenisa geminipuncta, which overwinter as eggs in the leaf-sheathes on the stems of the invasive reeds, and don’t go after the native Phragmites, which sheds its leaf sheathes in the fall. Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) hasn’t been much hindered by the introduction of Aphalara itadori, a host-specific sap-sucking Psyllid insect, but Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has found that a programme of autumnal herbiciding is effective against it. There was a twinge of déjà vu when Meaghan McDonald of the RVCA and I recently saw invasive Japanese Knotweed leaves shredded by invasive Japanese Beetles near the Mill Street bridge in Bishops Mills.
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By Fred Schueler - Fragile Inheritance Natural History "We, the undersigned, recognize that Earth is now in a state of planetary emergency. Climate change, biodiversity loss, land and freshwater degradation, pollution, and unsustainable production and consumption are destabilizing the Earth system that supports all life. "These interconnected crises are driven largely by the scale and intensity of human activities. The scientific evidence for this emergency is clear, compelling, and growing. The planetary emergency is no longer a future threat. It is unfolding now. Increasing risks of large-scale and potentially irreversible Earth system changes, including cascading tipping points, threaten the stability of natural systems and human societies. "The planetary emergency persists not because of a lack of knowledge, but because human systems have failed to align with physical and ecological limits. Continued delay increases the risk of irreversible harm, with consequences falling most heavily on those who have contributed least and on future generations. Addressing this emergency will require responsibility, fairness, and transformative change at the scale of civilization, including fundamental shifts in how societies produce and consume resources and relate to the natural world. "At the same time, decisive action offers an opportunity to improve human health, security, equity, and resilience while helping restore the stability of the Earth system on which civilization depends. Without deep, coordinated, and timely action, the planetary emergency will intensify, with consequences that could shape life on Earth for centuries. By endorsing this declaration, we acknowledge both the severity of this emergency and our shared responsibility to support urgent, science-informed actions that protect the foundations of life on Earth." The documentary film, The Scientist’s Warning, can be viewed at - www. youtube.com/watch?v=byXGCPo-80w and the Alliance of World Scientists' website is - https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu
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CROSSWORD FREE! Messy Church! A fun, family-friendly way to get together with your neighbours. Crafts, songs, stories, spaghetti dinner and so much more! Wednesday, August 26 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at St. John's United Church No need to pre-register - just show up! Questions? contact stjohnskemptville@ gmail.com or call 613-258-3259. KEMPTVILLE YOUTH MUSICAL THEATRE Summer Camp present Annie Junior Friday Aug 21, Saturday Aug 22 and Sunday Aug 23 at the Urbandale Arts Centre in Kemptville. Bring the kids to see the show. No cost. Donations appreciated. Kemptville Youth Musical Theatre Company presents the Tony award winning musical Something Rotten Sept 26 Oct 10 at the Urbandale Arts Centre in Kemptville. Come out and see this fantastic show with some amazing talent.
KYC BOOK FAIR August 21-22-23, Ferguson Forest Centre, Details at www.KYC.TEAM KEMPTVILLE YOUTH CENTRE is open Monday to Friday from 2pm to 6pm daily for drop-in programming. Ages 11 to 19. Jr. Youth Night 2nd Monday of the month from 6pm to 8pm. Ages 8 to 11. No pre-registration required. All programming at KYC is FREE. Follow us on Facebook to view other scheduled events and programs. KEMPTVILLE LEGION: Fridays 3-9. Free Pool and Darts. Everyone Welcome NG DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB Masonic Lodge 311 Van Buren Kemptivlle, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 12:15. All Levels of bridge players are welcome. Info call 613-795-7155 FRIENDSHIP LUNCHES are offered to everyone every Friday. Please join us in our lower hall by 11:30 for a free meal, companionship and fellowship at St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. and begin at 11:30. There is no charge. A free will offering is appreciated. Everyone is welcome. NG COMMUNITY MEALS ASSOCIATION Every Tuesday, 4-7 PM Free or by Donation Dinner ( serving dinner until 6:30 pm) Where: Pvt. Blake Williamson Memorial Hall, (Old Fire Hall) 25 Reuben Cres.Everyone is welcome. Bring clean indoor shoes FRIENDSHIP CAFÉ is open to the community Tuesday's from 10 to noon. All are welcome to stop by, enjoy a hot beverage, a sweet treat and some friendly conversation all at no cost. At St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. TUESDAY COMMUNITY HUB hosted by the House of Lazarus All are welcome to drop in. Advocacy, “make a meal, take a meal” cooking opportunities, community services assistance are just a few of the weekly programs. Stop by and visit or contact House of Lazarus directly at 613989-3830 for more details. Upstairs at St. John's United Church at 400 Prescott St. MODERN SQUARE DANCING in Kemptville with the Grenville Gremlins Square Dance Club. Monday Evenings 7:00 - 9:30pm. North Grenville August 13, 2026
Municipal Center County Road 44 For more info call Robert Taylor (613) 8535634, or email grenvillegremlins09@ gmail.com. NORTH GRENVILLE MEN’S SHED We meet every Tuesday and Thursday morning, 8:30 to 10:30, at 2 Oxford St. West. Contact northgrenvillemensshed@gmail.com for more information. KEMPTVILLE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY meetings are held monthly, except July, August & December. They are held the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Kemptville Pentecostal Church. NG PRIDE: 2SLGBTQAI+ Seniors and allies meet 2 - 4pm the first and third Sunday of each month at the NG Library. Join us for coffee, chat, cards and shenanigans. Looking to stay connected, informed, and inspired in retirement? JOIN THE PROBUS CLUB OF NORTH GRENVILLE a friendly group of retirees who meet monthly for conversation, laughter, and thought-provoking presentations. Gatherings take place the third Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church Hall. For details, email n.g.probus97@gmail. com CAREGIVER COFFEE is a welcoming monthly drop-in for caregivers to pause, connect, and feel supported. Join us the last Tuesday of each month from 1–3 PM at Beth Donovan Hospice. Free, casual, and open to all caregivers. JOIN NORTH GRENVILLE TOASTMASTERS! Build confidence. Improve communication. Become a better leader. We meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m., in person at 215 Sanders Street, Suite 200, or via Zoom. Guests are always welcome. Come discover your voice! EUCHRE at Pierce's Corners (aka the Marlborough Community Centre) at 3048 Pierce Road. Tuesday, August 4, 18, September 1, 15, 29. Registration starts at 6:00 p.m., play starts at 6:30 p.m. BID EUCHRE at Pierce's Corners (aka the Marlborough Community Centre) at 3048 Pierce Road. Tuesday, July 28, August 11, 25, September 8, 22. Registration starts at 6:00 p.m., play starts at 6:30 p.m. SPEED EUCHRE 10X10 at Pierce's Corners (aka the Marlborough Community Centre) at 3048 Pierce Road. Sunday, July 26, August 23 and September 20. Registration starts at 12:30 p.m., play starts at 1:00 p.m. 10x10 means you play 10 games with as many euchre hands as you can within 10 minutes per game, for unlimited points. Stick the dealer: if everyone passes, the dealer must call a trump suit. If you like to take your time when playing euchre, this version is not recommended. WIZARD CARD GAME at Pierce's Corners (aka the Marlborough Community Centre) at 3048 Pierce Road. Sunday, August 9 and September 13. Aged 18 and over. Registration starts at 12:30 p.m., play starts at 1:00 p.m.
ACROSS 1. Nonclerical 5. They come from hens 9. Solemn commitments 13. Ammunition 14. Compel 16. District 17. Angry outburst 18. What we walk on 19. Half-moon tide 20. Protective covering from sunlight 22. Periods of time 24. Tattled 26. Flower feature 27. Light sleep 30. Unit of American currency 33. Breastplate 35. Chocolate source
37. Consumed 38. Graven images 41. 18-wheeler 42. Dominates 45. Spyhole 48. Modus operandi 51. Gallivant 52. Christmas song 54. Engrave 55. Data arrays 59. Bypass 62. Harvest 63. Condition 65. Margarine 66. Rear end 67. Imps 68. Anger 69. Oxen's harness 70. Evergreens 71. Cheers
DOWN 1. Boys 2. Asian nurse 3. Childish 4. Prophylactics 5. F 6. Shiny metal 7. Throng 8. Tallied 9. Ice cream flavor 10. Black-and-white cookie 11. Withdraw gradually 12. Exhausts 15. Muse of poetry 21. River to the North Sea 23. After-bath powder 25. Sandwich shop 27. Cicatrix 28. Asian aquatic plant 29. Crimson 31. Love of heights 32. What trains run on 34. Not bottom 36. Curved molding 39. Permit 40. Arid 43. Fugitive 44. Pierce 46. Taps 47. American hardwood tree 49. Delete 50. For the most part 53. Depart 55. Heavy cart 56. Designed for flight 57. Undertaking 58. Ragout 60. Depend upon 61. Foot digits 64. S
Solutions to last week’s Sudoku
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LOCAL NEWS MATTERS BECAUSE IT CONNECTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS
The Food Corner
Baldwin’s Birds
by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville We just enjoyed a baker’s dozen of this year’s corn, right off the field. Fantastic! How about trying another old favourite with fresh corn? Today’s recipe is a Potato-Corn Salad, to be eaten on its own for lunch or to accompany BBQ, in particular, chicken BBQ. So please give this Potato-Corn Salad a try.
Potato-Corn Salad
Vegetable Ingredients: 3 ears of fresh corn (no canned or frozen stuff, please!) 1 large red pepper, diced 2 pounds of mini-potatoes 1 cup of grape tomatoes, cut in halves 1 avocado, peeled and cut into cubes ½ half red onion, sliced paper thin ½ cup of fresh radishes, sliced into thin small disks 3 large hard-boiled eggs, sliced on the long side (the dollar store has a nifty slicer) Dressing Ingredients: ¼ cup plain (unflavoured) yoghurt ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup of salsa 1 tablespoon each of lime juice and red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon each of black pepper and ground cumin 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic (freshly crushed would be better this time of year) 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato, finely sliced Preparation: Boil your potatoes until all dente (don’t overcook). Drain and place them in the fridge to chill If you wish, you can boil your corn and chill as well but this isn’t necessary Using a sharp knife, strip the kernels off the corn Mix the potatoes and corn kernels, red pepper and grape tomatoes in a large salad bowl Layer the avocado, onion and radishes on top, then finish with your egg slices Sprinkle a bit of black pepper on the eggs (if you wish) Place all of the dressing ingredients in a large sealer jar, seal and shake briskly Provide the dressing “on the side” so your guests can use the quantity they wish Cover everything and return to the fridge until you are ready to serve. When you are serving any kind of potato salad with BBQ, you might place a short leaf of romaine or iceberg lettuce on the side of the plate and place a generous helping of the potato salad on it; the lettuce keeps the dressing from escaping to the other parts of your plate where you might have your cooked chicken. As for wine, you might try a chilled oaked or unoaked Chardonnay or a nut-flavoured dark beer. Cheers, from pcormier@ranaprocess. com.
VOLUNTEERING IS THE
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August 13, 2026
A Spot of Red Today I got a treat, as a Red Breasted Grosbeak paid us a visit and fed for a short while at one of my hanging window feeders. He was joined by a Chipping Sparrow, who shared the Nijer seed feeder with him, but on the opposite side. There was no fuss and muss, and the darting Woodpeckers and the Ruby Throated Hummingbird didn’t phase him either, allowing him to eat at his leisure for about 10 minutes before he took his departure. His lovely red chest patch, giving him his name, was evident, as were the bright red spots on the top of both the Hairy and the Downy Woodpeckers’ heads. These colourful features of the Grosbeak and the Woodpeckers were in evidence, identifying them as the males of their respective family species. They certainly are a boon when it comes to making the distinction between the males and the females and stops a lot of head scratching when trying to make the decision as to what it is you are actually looking at, a male or a female. Many are quite easy to distinguish due to their different feather colours and cannot be confused, but one I have never been able to identify separately is our constant and common companion the Bluejay! Going on-line and consulting the pundits, I get the following answer that, “The only way to tell males and females apart is their size.ྭMale blue jays are slightly larger than females”. That answer makes me feel a lot happier, and I’m sure that you will be too if you have also puzzled as to which is which. The picture that I have included is that of a Male House-finch, with his brilliant red colouring, and he is very much identify-able from the female, but is very problematical, when it comes to separating him from a Purple Finch!! Maybe some of you have found out that too! Stay safe and well. Cheers, John Baldwin 8
Common Sense Health Do statisticians pray? by Diana Gifford-Jones Are you hoping for a long life? Most people would answer, yes. But, if you live into old age, what kind of life do you hope to have? That’s a question a lot of Baby Boomers are pondering right now. Their demographic wave transformed schools, workplaces, housing, politics, and now they are redefining old age, but not in the way one might hope. W. Edwards Deming was a statistician who helped transform modern manufacturing by asking managers to stop guessing and start measuring. A mantra attributed to him reads, ‘In God we trust. All others must bring data.’ Today, we have boatloads of data, and looking at it should make us think. A recent article in The Economist caught my attention. It included a Lexis diagram that shows how mortality changes by age, calendar year, and birth cohort. Demographers and epidemiologists will know this type of diagram well. But it’s rare to see one in mainstream journalism. A Lexis chart looks more like an amoeba in a petri dish than a bar graph. That’s because colours are used to reveal patterns in mortality, showing how the risks of living and dying change with age, era, and generation. Once I understood what I was looking at, I saw the stark truth as only real numbers can tell it. The data describing the mortality rates for boomers does not paint a pretty picture. While boomers have enjoyed economic and social advantages, they have not experienced predicted gains in longevity. Why? Because improvements in their life expectancy slowed, and even reversed, over their lifetime. To explain, The Economist article reads, “AIDS hit in their early adult years; the opioid crisis struck in middle age. On top of that, boomers seem to be significantly less healthy than previous generations.” An American child born in 1880 had a life expectancy at birth of 39 years and entered a world where infections could be deadly. A child born after the Second World War benefited from antibiotics, vaccines, improved nutrition, and remarkable advances in medicine. By 1980, a child enjoyed a life expectancy of about 74 years. But boomers show how human beings can be both remarkable and foolish. It’s true, we have conquered diseases that once cut lives short. We have developed medicines that would have seemed like science fiction to our grandparents. We can replace damaged joints, repair blocked arteries, and detect disease earlier than ever before. Yet at the same time, we have created a world that often works against our own health. And we haven’t been particularly smart about the life choices we make every day. The boomers are now the first to learn the consequences of modern lifestyles in old age. Yes, higher numbers of people are living longer than ever before. But, when researchers examine mortality by generation, the picture becomes more troubling. When looking at younger American cohorts, the researchers summed their data up this way. “Alarmingly, cohorts born after 1970 exhibited deteriorating patterns in all major cause groups at young and middle-adult ages. Layered on these cohort dynamics was a broad mortality deterioration that began around 2010 and was experienced by nearly all living adult cohorts at the time, driven primarily by cardiovascular disease mortality.” We need to take a lesson from Deming’s manufacturing savvy. It’s not good enough to collect the data and gaze at it. We have to make changes. The gains we’ve made to extend our chances for a long and healthy life are being eroded. We had better start acting on the data. That, or pray to God a lot harder. 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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