Southpont Sun - December 29, 2021

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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2 - Southpoint Sun

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY Hogs raffle nets winner $114,050 The Hogs for Hospice Holiday 50-50 Raffle, drawn on December 31, netted the winner, Cor Slikkboer of Kingsville, $114,500.

Slikkboer was presented with his cheque by the committee on Monday at the Erie Shores hospice building.

Need help to find missing man OPP are looking for the public’s help in locating a missing man from Leamington, who was last heard from on New Year’s Eve. Police say Victor Paz Lozoya’s vehicle was discovered in LaSalle, Ontario, there is yet no clue on his whereabouts.

Lozoya is originally from Mexico, but had been liv-

ing and working in the Leamington area.

Police lay charges at area churches Chatham-Kent Police Service and Essex County OPP were both busy, laying separate charges to three different area churches over the holidays.

On Sunday, December 27, shortly after 11 am, C-K Police responded to the report of a large gathering at a church in the

Ice set in on Lake Erie in January, 2021.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Southpoint Trivia HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

2021 STYLE

All of these questions revolved around 2021 or things that happened in 2021.

Good luck. Answers at bottom of page.

1. What historic American property was stormed on January 6, 2021?

2. Name the three COVID-19 vaccines distributed in Canada in 2021.

3. Who won the Superbowl in 2021?

4. The Champlain Towers collapse was in what U.S. state?

5. This Canadian became the oldest ever space traveler during the year.

6. What event took place on August 26, 2021?

7. Who ran for Prime Minister in 2021 for the NDP party?

8. Name the two dominant COVID variants of 2021.

9. This local music legend from CKLW passed away in November/21.

10. What former astronaut resigned as Governor General of Canada in January, 2021?

ANSWERS

1. The Capitol 2. Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Moderna 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4. Florida 5. William Shatner

6. Wheatley explosion 7. Jagmeet Singh 8. Delta and Omicron 9. Rosalie Trombley 10. Julie Payette

2200 block of Kent Rd. 1, north of Wheatley. Upon arrival, they observed over 100 unmasked people inside the church. The current health regulations only allow for 10 people indoors. A 50-year-old member of the church took responsibility and was charged under the Reopening Ontario Act. A short distance away, on the same day, shortly after 9 am, OPP responded to a complaint of ongoing church services in the 1300 block of Rd. 8, where more than 10 people gathered indoors. A 29-year-old from Leamington took responsibility and was charged under the act. Later that morning, another complaint came in about a church in the 700 block of Rd. 8, where a 46-year-old Chatham-Kent resident took responsibility and was charged.

Leamington Raceway on tap for 13 race dates The Lakeshore Harness Racing Association has been granted 13 race dates for the 2021 season.

The races will take place at Leamington Raceway on the Leamington Fairgrounds property. The 2020 season was affected by COVID-19, but the raceway was eventually allowed in-person attendance during the last few months of the season.

Vaccines roll out at LTC homes, hospitals As the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines made their way into Ontario in recent weeks, it was only a matter of time before they reached this region Last week, the province announced that Windsor-Essex would be among the first of the ‘hot-spot’ regions to get vaccines into the arms of all residents and staff at long-term care facilities

by January 21. The news came as a welcome glimmer of hope for families with parents in long-term care and also for those who work in the healthcare field.

Premier declares another state of emergency Premier Doug Ford has delared a State of emergency across Ontario, effective immediately.

On Tuesday, the Premier issued a stay-at-home order, effective Thursday at 12:01 am. Residents can only go out for grocer-

ies, health appointments, and work. Schools in Windsor-Essex will remain closed until at least February 10. The State of Emergency is in place for a minimum of 28 days.

Pelee Island incident On January 7, at about 5:50 pm, OPP received a complaint of vehicles on fire and threats made to a Pelee Island resident.

The next day, OPP Aviation services utilized an aircraft response, with members of the Emergency Response Team and Canine team converging on a property there. The investigation is ongoing.

TWEPI awards Spark grants to local groups The trails of Point Pelee National Park hold a lot of stories and those trails will soon become a stage for local actors. The Bank Theatre has partnered with the Leamingotn Rotary Club and Parks Canada to present Spirit Walks inside the park as early as this spring. Caldwell First Nation has also been awarded a grant to celebrate and educate with indigienous culture and culinary arts. Celebrity Chef Billy Alexander will be spearheading the Caldwell events, which will take place on their land near Sturgeon Creek, as well as inside Point Pelee National Park.

Passersby rescue driver Alert passersby res-

cued a lucky driver from a burning vehicle on Sunday, January 26.

The OPP were called to the accident on County Road 31 in Kingsvlle, but upon their arrival, the van had burst into flames.

Luckily, a couple of good Samaritans had pulled the driver out.

Town purchases LDSS and Mill Street properties The Municipality of Leamington has purchased the two schools form the Greater Essex District School Board and plans are underway, at least with LDSS, to turn the property into an affordable and sustainable housing complex.

Local mayors ask government to take charge of quarantine Mayors Hilda MacDonald, Nelson Santos and Gary McNamara have written to the federal and prpovincinal governments, hoping that one of them will take charge of the quarantining of incoming offshore workers, who are supposed to isolate for 14 days upon arrival in Canada.

The mayors expressed concern that, if left to their own accord, the farms and workers would not quarantine as required.

A large influx of farm workers is due over the next two months.

Cor Slikboer was the winner of $114,050 from the Hogs for Hospice Holiday Draw on New Year’s Eve.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

FEBRUARY

Health Unit outlines vaccine strategy The Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has narrowed down dates expected for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

With some of the rollout already underway, WECHU has broken the rollout down into three phases.

Phase 1 — High risk population; began December 14, 2020; Limited vaccine supply. These vaccines went to LTC home residents, employees and hospital front line workers.

Phase 2 — Mass vaccination begins; Expected start March/April 2021; Significant and steady increase of vaccine supply.

Essential workers and adults over age 75 will be targeted first. This stage is expected to vaccinate the bulk of the Windsor Essex population.

Phase 3 — Steady State; Expected start September 2021. This will be remaining eligible residents. Less than 30,000

people should be left to vaccinate at this stage.

Kingsville tax increase 1.2% The 2021 municipal tax increase for the Town of Kingsville is being held at 1.2 per cent.

When combined with the County and Education tax rate, the overall residential tax rate increase will be 0.8 per cent.

Mayor Nelson Santos said that the original draft came in higher, but they managed to chip away at it and get it down to the 1.2 per cent they settled on.

Province issues stay-at-home-order Ontario will begin the process of re-opening over the coming weeks, with the current stay-athome order set to expire on Tuesday, February 16.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Monday, with local plans still undecided at press time.

Janitorial contract re-awarded The Municipality of Leamington has once again changed municipal janitorial contractors.

In late November, Leamington Council awarded the janitorial contract to Cheema Cleaning Services of Calendon, Ontario.

During the process of finalizing the agreement, Cheema was unable to fullfill the terms of the contract and administration has recommended awarding the contract to the previous company, locally-owned M&S Janitorial.

Health Unit hopes to start vaccinating by mid-March Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, says that COVID-19 vaccines could be in the arms of the 79+ general population, as early as mid-March.

At his daily briefing on Monday morning, Ahmed said that, provided the vaccine sup-

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ply arrives as promised, the health unit is making preparations to facilitate vaccinating seniors in different areas throughout the county.

Justin Latam and The Stride release new single Anyone in tune with the local music scene, probably already knows who Justin Latam is.

Known locally as the ‘barefoot musician’, Latam has been plying

his trade for the past 15 years, performing at festivals, concerts and events in and around Essex County and beyond.

Latam and his band, The Stride, recently released a new single, called Stray Dog, and will follow with a brand new single called Secondhand on February 28.

Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent out of lockdown Windsor-Essex and

Southpoint Sun - 3

Chatham-Kent are among 27 public health regions to re-enter the COVID-19 Response Framework as of Tuesday morning at 12:01 am.

While Toronto, Peel, York and North Bay-Parry Sound remain in shutdown, Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent are among 11 regions going to the Red: Control Level. A dozen more regions moved to orange, yellow or green zones.

A GREENER, EARTH FRIENDLIER LEAMINGTON IS IN YOUR FUTURE Every year, the Municipality of Leamington plants approximately 100 new trees.

But there are many thousands of empty spaces begging for a tree.

The Municipality of Leamington has a donation program that can be put towards the planting of new trees in municipal parks and boulevards in Leamington.

Please visit www.leamington.ca/trees for full details.

A tree planted today will mature to a COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL WORKHORSE for when today’s youth have grown.

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4 - Southpoint Sun

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - YEAR IN REVIEW MARCH

Chatham-Kent moves back into Orange As of Monday, March 1, Chatham-Kent Public Health was moved into the Orange-Protect status under the province’s COVID-19 framework.

This will allow residents of Chatham-Kent a few freedoms that their neighbours in Windsor-Essex won’t have.

Talking Over Pizza raises funds for The Bridge Although the final tallies aren’t quite ready, all signs point to a very successful Talking Over Pizza event at Dominos Leamington on Saturday, February 27.

With the November postponement of Talking Over Turkey still fresh in their minds, Deanna and Mike Diab turned their attention to other ways of helping their community and have been busy pitching in with different organizations over the past months.

Saturday’s Talking Over Pizza benefited The Bridge Youth Resource Centre and the Diabs were present, nice and early, at a busy Leamington Dominos location.

Vaccination clinic opening at Complex With last week’s announcement that Ontario Health is ramping up the

vaccine rollout across the province, local officials are organizing mass-vaccination sites, getting ready for the onslaught of vaccine recipients over the coming months.

In Chatham-Kent, vaccinations of the general population over 80 began on Saturday, February 27 and continue this week into next at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre in Chatham.

Local pharmacies roll out AstraZeneca program After much speculation and confusion, the Ontario government’s pilot project for the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine rolled out last week.

For those in the 60-64 years age group, this pilot project came as a welcome surprise, as they didn’t expect to see a vaccination until July.

Innovative program helping seniors While all age groups are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, no group has been hit harder than our seniors.

The Leamington and District Half-Century Centre has been at the

Visit ontario.ca/covid19 Paid for by the Government of Ontario

Loss of iconic landmark prompts memories, sadness This area lost one of its most recognizable landmarks last week in an April 1 morning fire that destroyed the former Paula’s Fish Place Restaurant.

Fire crews got the call shortly after 6 am on Thursday and found the building fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.

Crews were on site all morning and when the smoke settled, all that

Province moves vaccinations to 70-plus age group As the Province of Ontario announced last week, health regions throughout the province can begin booking appointments for the 70-74 age group as of today (March 31).

Due to the quicker-than-expected rollout for the 80-plus and 75-79 groups, the province is moving along with the next group.

Mike Diab flips pizzas at Dominos.

APRIL

Premier applies ‘emergency brake’ as lockdown looms It was no April Fools joke, as Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed a province-wide emergency brake on April 1. The emergency brake took effect Saturday morning, April 3. It will be in place for at least four weeks.

forefront of helping area seniors for many years, and although things are being done a little differently right now, they want you to know that they still provide services for the older generation.

was left was a shell of the building.

The former restaurant was not inhabited and had not been open for several months.

The property was sold a few weeks ago.

Local soccer groups hopeful for a 2021 season With the weather warming and grass growing greener, it would normally be time for local minor soccer groups to be ready to hit the fields.

Last year, the soccer seasons didn’t get off the ground and local minor soccer groups scrambled to get refunds or fee deferments to their members.

This year, there was renewed hope — until this week’s emergency brake shutdown — and there is still some hope that the kids will get to play.

Leamington Minor Soccer

spokesman, Bob Rumble, told the Sun last week, that they are in a holding pattern.

Ford declares state of emergency again With the Emergency Brake Shutdown announced April 1 still fresh in the minds of Ontarians, Premier Doug Ford doubled down and issued a new State of Emergency for the province, accompanied by a stay-at-home order, which took effect Thursday, April 8 at 12:01 am.

The order is expected to last for 28 days, at which time it will be re-evaluated.

SEE APRIL CONT’D ON PAGE 7

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Southpoint Sun - 5

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6 - Southpoint Sun

Another year, another wave?

Well, here we are again.

Another year gone by.

Another COVID wave upon us.

Another, and another, and another.

We have all grown weary over the past 22 months and it shows on just about every face I see.

Even the children.

My grandchildren — who are normally full of energy, smiles and laughter — just seem to be a little bit off.

The global toll this pandemic has taken is unmeasurable.

We’ve become afraid to let our guard down when making long-term plans.

Life is meant to be lived and there are those who will tell us that we should not live in fear, or otherwise we stop living.

I agree in many ways with that statement.

But it’s hard. It really is.

Those working in healthcare are tired. They’ve been tired for 22 months.

They’ve had very few ‘stop-and-takea-breath’ moments during this time.

You can see it on their faces.

I’m not going to go on about vaccines. By now, the readers of this column know exactly where I stand on vaccination.

If you haven’t been vaccinated, that’s on you to reconcile what the coming weeks will bring for you, your family and friends.

I do, however, take exception to those who say the media is exaggerating or lying on behalf of the government.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

and other musings

RIB’S RAMBLINGS

Some even say we’ve taken bribes to print only what the government tells us to say.

Mark Ribble How absurd is that?

I’d be on an island somewhere in acquaintances and yes, some of them the Pacific if I had been getting paid are family. extra these last 22 months.

We all have them. It’s like the eccenThe weird theories are endless.

I’ve seen them all, from proclama- tric uncle who used to come by during tions of doom to comparisons to his- holidays and drink himself into oblivtoric atrocities. A new world order, the ion. You love him, but you just shake great reset, ground up babies in the your head watching his antics.

All we can do is practice patience vaccine, vaccinated people shedding virus onto non-vaccinated, vaccines and hope that this dark cloud we’re will make me sterile, more Nazi-like in moves on quickly and that life will, mandates, my rights, my rights, my someday, get back to normal.

Happy New Year everyone, and rights.

I’ve given up trying with those peo- thanks so much for reading.

Stay safe, no matter what. ple. Some of them are friends, some are

A brief history of hood ornaments

An email from Leamington resident Don Waffle asking about rocket-shaped hood ornaments inspired me to write this column.

The first car to sell in volume in North America was the Curved Dash Oldsmobile (1901-1906).

It had no hood ornament because it had no hood.

The single-cylinder en-

gine was under the floor and the dashboard was at the front of the car.

When Henry Ford launched the Model T in 1908, the four-cylinder engine was in front and required a four-piece hood opening from both sides. The cap on the radiator was the forerunner of hood ornaments.

A 1929 Kissel roadster

built in Wisconsin had a rad cap shaped like a bird with horizontal wings.

If you ran low on water, the wings suddenly went straight up, warning you to pull over and add some water!

The golden age of hood ornaments began in the late 1930s when, for example, Ford abandoned its old four-piece hood

for a single hood hinged at the back and curving to a tip at the front. These were known as “alligator hoods” (in the U.K. “crocodile bonnets”). The stage was set for an avalanche of hood ornaments.

Olds led the way in 1949 with a rocket-shaped hood ornament to advertise its new Rocket V-8 engine. And Canadian Tire sold accessory hood ornaments in the shape of a swan about to take flight.

But at the same time,

THE OLD CAR DETECTIVE Bill Sherk

young men customizing their cars adopted the “smoothie” look by removing their hood ornaments, trunk handles, and door handles.

Today’s cars have virtually eliminated hood ornaments and we are the

better for it. Would you want to be a pedestrian jabbed with the tip of a rocket on the hood of a ’54 Olds? I think not.

Always looking for stories. Email billtsherk@sympatico.ca.

Vaccination clinic to reopen in Leamington

Jim Heyens PUBLISHER

Mark Ribble EDITOR

Allison Siddall

LEAMINGTON — The Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has announced that a mass vaccination clinic will open on Wednesday, January 5 at the Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Complex.

The announcement comes as WECHU attempts to get booster shots out to those 18 years and over in the region.

The complex was home to one of

three mass vaccination clinics in the county during the height of the initial vaccine rollout last spring and into the summer.

The clinic will be open from 9 am to 3:45 pm Tuesday through Saturday and appointments will be required.

Those interested in getting a vaccine will need to book at wevax.ca and that portal for Leamington will open on Wednesday, December 29.

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

APRIL CONT’D

Kingsville’s Ortaliza has good things growing Good things are growing in Kingsville, as Ortaliza Urban Indoor Vertical Farm opened their doors recently in the heart of downtown.

Owners Carina Biacchi and Alvaro Fernandes, have found a niche market that has locals buzzing about the taste and freshness of their product.

Age of eligibility lowered to 40-plus for AstraZeneca vaccine The province of Ontario has now lowered the age of eligibility to receive the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine to anyone 40 or older.

Effective yesterday

(Tuesday), anyone 40 or over in Ontario can now call a local participating pharmacy and book an appointment for the shot.

The news comes as a welcome relief to many who have been patiently waiting to receive any of the vaccines.

Minor ball groups still hope to hit the diamonds Young baseball players in this area who are anxious to play some ball, may have to wait a little longer, but the hope is that they will get to play some baseball this summer.

The last weekend in May was the target start-

up for Leamington District Minor Baseball to launch their house league team bubbles, but the announcement last week by the province to restrict unnecessary travel has put a damper on the plans.

Once the restrictions lift, local organizations hope to be ready to go.

According to Leamington Minor Baseball president, Kevin Gale, there will be some subtle changes to the usual schedules.

MAY

Vaccines ramp up against third wave Ontarians can expect a rapid ramp-up of vaccine supply in the next few weeks, ushering in the possibility for everyone in the province 18 years and older to have at least one dose in their arms by June.

According to the Ontario Health team, those 50-plus can book their vaccination appointments starting tomorrow — Thursday, May 6.

In addition, if you live in any of the hotspot postal codes, you were eligible to book a vaccination if you were 18 years or over starting Monday, May 3.

Local orchards optimistic after frosty mornings The significant snowfall that blanketed this area on April 21 was cause for alarm, but the sub-zero temperatures that followed on April 22, could have been devastating for local tree fruit growers.

In fact, according to Wally Simpson of Simpson Orchards in Leamington, the blanket of snow may have helped save some buds from freezing.

“The snow acted like a blanket on those buds and protected them from the temperatures,” he said. “The same thing happened last spring.”

Last year’s late snow fell on May 8, and the temperatures got as low as -4 degrees Celsius that day.

On April 22 of this year, the temperature dipped

to -4.4 and stayed there for a couple of hours.

“Thankfully, it didn’t linger all night,” says Simpson.

Changes coming to farm dwelling bylaws Despite concerns from local greenhouse growers, Leamington Council made the decision to impose heavier regulations on farm worker dwellings within the municipality.

At a special meeting of Council on Thursday April 29, delegations were heard from the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers and lawyers representing growers in the region.

Council was meeting to vote on recommendations from administration on on-site and off-site farm worker dwellings.

Local artist helps toddler with Grinch painting A long friendship has brought a Leamington man’s artistic creation into the hands of Toronto Maple Leafs superstar, Auston Matthews.

The Leamington retiree — and avid Maple Leafs fan — Frank Silveira, has been keeping busy during the COVID pandemic, creating various colourful cartoon characters in his garage.

Now, through a charitable set of circumstances, one of Silveira’s masterpieces has found its way to Scotiabank Arena, where it was recently signed by Auston Matthews.

64

Vaccine rollout trying to stay ahead of variants The Windsor-Essex Medical Doctor of Health says that the region is in a ‘holding pattern’ currently, when it comes to new daily cases of COVID-19.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed said Monday that now is not the time to let our guard down, as Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent have made great strides in battling the spread of the virus, but variants of concern (VOC) are now making up the majority of newly diagnosed cases.

Those variants are known to spread more rapidly, with a possible higher severity, than the original version of COVID-19.

Of the 482 active cases in Windsor-Essex, Dr. Ahmed says that 34 per cent of them are a variant strand, making the race to get everyone vaccinated all that more urgent.

A real estate career that lasted 55 years When Helen Featherstone entered the real estate business in 1966, she

Southpoint Sun - 7

didn’t imagine that she’d still be selling real estate into 2021, but she fell in love with a business that she made her whole life.

She and her husband Gary Sr., were operating the Featherstone Shell station in downtown Wheatley, with three young children in tow, when Helen got the idea to go into real estate.

She joined A.M. Wolbers Real Estate in Leamington and began learning the craft of buying and selling homes.

8 - Southpoint Sun

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JUNE

Flags lowered for residential school victims Local municipalities, including Leamington, Kingsville and Chatham-Kent, are flying their flags at half-mast this week and into next, to honour the 215 children who perished at the Kamloops Residential School.

“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Blessing of the Bikes included fellowship, bands and a barbecue,” said Rick Dawson, technical and communication leader for the church, “but for the second year in a row, it was scaled down to a drive-thru blessing and ride.”

The remains of 215 children were unearthed last week, prompting officials and Canadians at large to wonder if other former residential schoolgrounds hold the same secrets.

Gas leak causes state of emergency in Wheatley Emergency crews are still on scene in down-

Patio opening at The Beach House in June.

CARD OF THANKS

! u o y k n a h T ErniE SorrEll

Words are not enough to say thank you to everyone following Ernie’s passing.

To the friends and family members who wrote such kind words on the Reid Funeral Home notice.

To family and friends from far and near for the many phone calls, cards, emails, letters, flowers, and donations made to charities.

To Dr. Alan Russell and Dr. Suzanne Farooqui of Leamington, Dr. Sowmil Mehta, Dr. Ron Sorensen and Dr. Earl Morgan of Windsor, Dr. Don Fiander and his staff at the Windsor Retina Center for the years he was a patient there. The numerous nurses, E.R. doctors, staff, technicians and the staff at the Cancer Centre who came into our lives over the 12 years that Ernie battled with various health issues. Thanks so much to all of you.

The paramedics who came to our home to transport him to Erie Shores HealthCare, and Hotel Dieu and Met hospitals in Windsor. We cannot thank you enough for the kindness and patience you showed to us.

The staff at the St. Elizabeth Clinic at Erie Shores and the V.O.N. nurses who treated him at home over those years.

To Chief John Quennell and the Kingsville Fire Service for the kindness you have shown to Shayne and his family.

To Kevin and Christie Reid and your staff, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the kindness you have shown through the loss of a great husband, father, Koro, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend.

Gloria, Jamie & Jacqui, Shayne & Lianne, Danny & Monica, Hayden & Sinead, Shea, Seth & Tate, Pearl, Joanne & Eilene

town Wheatley as the gas leak crisis of 2021 moves into its sixth day.

What started with a local resident calling in a strong rotten egg odour last Wednesday, June 2, eventually became a state of emergency for the village.

As many as 27 residents have been displaced as officials work toward a solution.

IN MEMORIAM

In Loving Memory of

Randy Lamotte

Nov. 27, 1959 - Dec. 20, 1981

Dec. 24, 2936 - April 18, 2021

Love Nola, Laurie, Chris, Wendy, Jeff and families

IN MEMORIAM

In Loving Memory of

In Loving Memory of

Debbie Cobby

September 15, 1954 – January 4, 2017

Vaccine rollout provides shot in the arm for businesses With COVID-19 vaccinations rolling out all across the region, the Ontario Roadmap to Reopening has reached Step 1, with Step 2 within reach in a little over two week’s time.

Last Friday, Step 1 arrived three days earlier than expected, ushering in open patios and allowing retailers who had been deemed non-essential to open their doors to limited patrons.

Neighbours tired of speeding motoroists Residents in the southernmost part of Leamington are tired of speeding cars, squealing tires and careless drivers.

In particular, the neighbours along Forest Avenue near Seacliff Park have had enough.

Froggy and Lisa Plourde have lived in

Evacuation order lifted in Wheatley After 17 days of uncertainty and being displaced, 27 Wheatley residents and several business owners were allowed back into the their homes and buildings on Saturday, June 19.

The June 2 detection of sour gas closed several businesses and forced residents out of their homes as Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff declared a state of emergency.

Minor soccer prepares for summer season Soccer balls will be kicked this summer after all. Leamington Minor Soccer has announced that they will be holding a summer season of soccer starting July 12 at the local soccer pitch.

According to association Vice President Bob Rumble, they are looking forward to cautiously opening the season.

Ontario moves into Step 2 early Last week, the provincial government announced that the province would be moving into Step 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen beginning today, Wednesday, June 30.

With regard to gathering, residents are now allowed a maximum of five people indoors and 25 outdoors under the guidelines.

Happy 65 Anniversary th

PETER & GERARDA BLOKKER ~ December 29 ~

December 31, 2017

Loved and missed by Bill and family

Joseph Lamotte

Celebrating Christmas with you both in our hearts and minds.

We hope you know that you are loved and missed every day of the year.

IN MEMORIAM

CeCile edwards

Beautiful day for Blessing of the Bikes You may have seen many motorcycles out for a ride on Sunday, June 6 with the annual Hogs for Hospice Blessing of the Bikes.

The event, held in partnership with the First Lutheran Church in Kingsville, ran from 11-1 p.m. at the church located on Spruce Street.

Hospital eases visitor restrictions Based on the increased vaccination rates across Essex County and Chatham-Kent and a decrease in regional COVID-19 infection rates, Erie Shores HealthCare (ESHC) has eased visitor restrictions at the hospital, effective last Thursday, June 3.

their house on Forest Avenue for 14 years and they say that traffic has increased dramatically in recent times.

“It’s quadrupled in the last few years,” said Froggy. “The weekends are absolutely crazy.”

We Miss You Our hearts still ache with sadness, and many tears still flow.

What it meant to lose you, no one will ever know.

We hold you close within our hearts, and there you will remain.

To walk with us throughout our lives, until we meet again.

Love Ken, Chris, Dawn, Peyton, Brooklyn, Derek, Krista & Conor

Peter & Gerarda were married December 29, 1956 at St. Michaels Church, Leamington.

They have 7 children, 13 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

A celebration will be held at a later date.

Love you Dad and Mom, your children.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Southpoint Sun - 9

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JULY

A Day of Reflection brought out these riders on July 1.

A day of reflection Flag waving and fireworks of years past were not on the minds of many Canadians this July 1, but was instead a day spent in quiet reflection on the recent tragic revelations in Canadian history.

For four local residents, it was spent on horseback wearing orange coloured t-shirts in honour of the more than 1,000 unmarked graves found at locations of former government-sponsored residential schools in Canada.

Michelle Stein of Leamington said that she wanted to do something to honour the children, “to show their lives — every child’s life — matters.”

Hospital staff pulls off surprise wedding When Junior Bickford was admitted to Erie Shores HealthCare on the evening of May 24, he fully expected to be released in time for his wedding on the weekend of June

28, but when his knee surgery infection took longer to heal than expected, they moved the wedding back to July 3.

On Friday, July 2, with no release from hospital still in sight, Junior made a comment to one of the staff that he had to once again postpone his wedding.

Big Boyz fishing tournament returns to Wheatley For the first time since 2018, the Big Boyz fishing tournament hosted by the Southwest Outdoors Club will be held exclusively at the Wheatley Harbour.

The 17th annual event will take place over five days, from July 29 through August 2.

Last year’s event was cancelled due to COVID and the 2019 event had to be held out of Leamington because the Wheatley Harbour had extensive dock damage due to high water levels.

Provinces ushering in Step 3 Friday Five days earlier than expected, Ontario will enter Step 3 on the Road to Reopen on Friday, July 16.

That announcement was made last Friday and was met with cheers and relief from small businesses across the province.

The latest step allows indoor dining with no capacity limits, provided tables are spaced six feet apart. This is a welcomed step for the hospitality industry.

Wheatley evacuates again According to Chatham-Kent Fire, a hydrogen sulphide detector at 15 Erie Street North was activated just after 8 am Monday, July 19, prompting yet another evacuation in downtown Wheatley.

As of press time, personnel from Wheatley and Tilbury fire stations are on scene along with Chatham-Kent Police.

Both Enbridge and Entegrus had personnel on scene Monday to shut off natural gas and hydro to

AUGUST

Greenhouse damage extensive after EF1 tornado Environment Canada, with assistance from the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University, has confirmed that a brief tornado touched down in rural Leamington on Saturday, July 24.

The twister hit at approximately 10 pm on Road 4 West, causing serious damage to greenhouses at Grace Family Farms and C and B Farms.

Hogs poker run attracts hundreds About 500 motorcyclists and their passengers participated in the Hogs for Hospice first ever Poker Run on Saturday, July 31. Business was booming at the five loca-

tions across the county as players could pick up a card at each of them, trying to form the best poker hand and win the big prize.

Big Boyz tournament attracts 420 anglers The 17th Annual Big Boyz Fishing Tournament wrapped up on Monday, August 2 with a lot of local names atop the leader board.

The annual walleye and salmon tournament attracted 420 participants, which might very well be the largest turnout ever.

The Southwest Outdoors Club (SWOC) hosted the tournament out of Wheatley Harbour for the first time since 2018 and a total of $8,500 in cash prizes was given out.

23 residences and 13 businesses, displacing about 52 people.

Homelessness committee presents to council The Leamington Homelessness Committee recently conducted a survey of the municipality’s homeless population and they’ve brought the results of that survey to Leamington Council.

At the Tuesday, July 13 meeting, Alissa Enns and Carolyn Warkentin addressed council with a Powerpoint presentation outlining the struggles and barriers that the homeless face in the community.

Barons drive for five halted by Simcoe The Leamington Junior Barons’ quest for five consecutive Ontario titles ran into a determined Simcoe Giants team who had other plans on Sunday evening, August 8.

The Giants scored four times in the first inning enroute to a 10-3 drubbing of the Barons at the Kinsmen ball diamonds here.

With that, they became the 2021 Ontario 22U (Ju-

Islanders presentation at meeting helps plight A public meeting last week hosted by the West Region Transportation Task Force appears to have been the tipping point to getting the Pelee Island ferry issues solved.

Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald is co-chair of the task force along with Marta Leardi-Anderson of Owen Sound Transportation. MacDonald took the chair for this particular meeting and said members of the committee, including Leardi-Anderson, were very impressed with the Islanders’ presentation.

nior) A champs.

Hogs raffle winner thrilled with payout Maureen Nelson was just exiting the grocery store on Wednesday, August 4 when her cell phone rang.

The friendly 78-yearold from Desbarats, Ontario (pronounced Deborah) reluctantly answered the call.

AUGUST CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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AUGUST CONT’D

On the other end was Joe Oswald, surrounded by a few other members of the Hogs for Hospice Committee, all waiting anxiously for Maureen’s reaction.

As Oswald spoke, Maureen’s first thought was that someone wanted a donation.

“Is there any chance you can call me back?” she asked.

Oswald explained that she may want to hear what he had to say, since she was about to be $99,700 richer.

“Yeah right,” she said.

“I don’t believe you.”

Leamington food hub brings hope to many Dozens of guests gathered at the new Leamington Regional Food Hub on Talbot Street West last Thursday, August 12 for the grand opening of the facility.

Although they’ve been producing the ‘Leamington Veggie Box’ since May, the event gave local dignitaries and donors a glimpse into how things are done.

A short tour of the facility showed the volunteers working at packing fresh vegetables into boxes for

shipment to food banks across Ontario.

Flyers prepare for season When your top two scorers, a veteran defenseman and a solid goaltender leave your team, there are a lot of big holes to fill.

This past weekend, the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (Junior ‘B’) hit the ice in preparation for a long-awaited season.

Nicholls booted from caucus over vaccine status Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls will now sit as an independent MPP for the remainder of his term.

Nicholls was one of two Conservative MPPs named last week who had failed to meet Premier Doug Ford’s 5 pm deadline, Thursday, August 19, to provide either proof of vaccination against the virus or a medical exemption from a doctor or registered nurse.

Just prior to the 5 pm deadline, Nicholls conducted a live media session where he made his views clear.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW SEPTEMBER

Explosion rocks Wheatley, injures 20 An explosion rocked downtown Wheatley on Thursday, August 26, sending at least seven people to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Dozens of emergency vehicles had converged on the village within a half-hour of the 6:15 pm blast. Ambulances were lined up along Talbot West near the Circle-K as they used that area for triage.

About 20 people were treated at the scene, with seven going to hospitals in Leamington, Windsor and Chatham.

Earlier Thursday afternoon — about 4:30 pm — gas monitor alarms went off, prompting Chatham-Kent Fire to put up those familiar roadblocks on Erie Street North near the four corners that residents have seen on two previous occasions.

Because of the high gas levels, evacuations were carried out immediately, which surely saved many lives.

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gas level checks when the explosion occurred around 6:15 pm, levelling the former Pogue Irish Pub building and doing severe damage to the new Wheatley Hotel, Subway and MJ’s Pizza.

Many other businesses and apartment dwellings are also damaged.

Houses in the area felt the brunt of the blast as well, with debris landing on homes in the neighbourhood.

Windows were shattered all along Erie and Talbot Streets, including the entire front glass portion of Adamson Guardian Drugs.

Sharks to open season on October 1 The Wheatley Omstead Sharks will start their 2021-22 PJHL season on October 1 when they are in Lakeshore to take on the Canadiens.

The Sharks’ home opener will be Wednesday, October 6 when they host the Dresden Kings at Wheatley Area Arena.

After an 18-month absence, the hockey team is busy preparing for another Junior C season.

Community pulls together after blast The explosion that shook Wheatley on Thursday, August 26 will long be remembered for the way it changed the landscape of the village’s downtown.

It will also be remembered for the way it brought people together for one common cause — to help others.

From GoFundMe pages, to food donations, to people donating their land for camping, the community — and surrounding communities — have shown that people do care about others.

Fire Fest a success Dreams of one day becoming a firefighter may have been born this past weekend as many children and adults had a chance to step up on vintage trucks, ring the fire bells and get their photos taken with their favourites.

Saturday, September 4 was the first Fire Fest for the town, which was kicked off with a pancake breakfast in Cottam hosted by the North Station.

Kingsville Fire Chief John Quennell said they had a “great turnout”and

Four-year-old Mason Levesque of Chatham sits on the front bumper of one of several vintage fire trucks on display at the first ever Kingsville Fire Fest held on Saturday, September 4.

that it was great to see so many kids out — some even in their “bunker gear” for the pancake breakfast.

The vintage trucks remained on the streets of Kingsville until about 3 pm when Kingsville Open Streets began.

15U Lakers drop heartbreaker in final The Leamington 15U Lakers lost a heartbreaker on Saturday as the Port Lambton Pirates came from behind to beat the locals 7-6.

The win clinched the Ontario Baseball Association 15U B-C championship for the Pirates.

Leamington had won game one of the best-ofthree series in Port Lambton before the Pirates took game two on Friday night in Chatham.

Leamington lost the flip and took the visitors bench for game three and Port Lambton had last at-bat, even though the game was played here.

The Lakers led 6-2 after four innings on Saturday and appeared to have the game well in hand.

Blast zone cleanup complete The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has announced that the cleanup of debris within the immediate area of 15 Erie Street North in Wheatley is complete.

Tons of debris were cleaned up and taken away in large disposal bins last week as investigators continue to search for the hydrogen sulphide gas leak that has

eluded them so far.

Festival of Guest Nations draws hundreds to park The annual Festival of Guest Nations, hosted by the Migrant Worker Community Program (MWCP), was held on Sunday, September 12 at Seacliff Park. The event offered music and entertainment for migrant workers and local resident alike, who flocked to the Sunset Amphitheatre to hear the music and join in the celebration.

Local incumbents re-elected The Conservative incumbents in Chatham-Kent Leamington and Essex appear to be re-elected to their seats after Monday’s federal election.

Although Elections Canada has announced that they won’t make it official until Saturday, September 25, local and national media outlets are declaring victories for both local incumbents.

The media has also declared Justin Trudeau re-elected as Prime Minister, with a minority government.

As of Tuesday morning, Epp had a 6,500-vote lead over Liberal candidate Greg Hetherington with 269 of the 272 polls reporting.

Lewis meanwhile, had a 6,200-vote lead in the riding of Essex over NDP candidate Tracey Ramsey, who was trying to win back the seat she lost in the last election. All but one poll were in.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

OCTOBER

Underground survey launched in Wheatley Work crews were on site Tuesday to conduct a geophysical survey of the area surrounding the August 26 explosion site.

Chatham-Kent General Manager of Engineering and Infrastructure Services Thomas Kelly said the survey will employ ground penetration radar and electromagnetic technology to map the subsurface and provide detailed information on soil features, non-metallic

objects and the exact location of any abandoned steel cased wells.

Day of reflection at Point Pelee Thursday, September 30 marked the first official Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, created to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, along with their families and communities.

It is Canada’s newest federal statutory holiday, made through legislative

NOVEMBER

Remembrance Day challenges for Legion The 2021 Remembrance Day ceremony in Wheatley will be held at Two Creeks Conservation Area on November 11.

Branch 324 Past-President Bill Robertson spoke to the Sun last week about the challenges facing Wheatley’s 2021 service.

seemed like Halloweens-of-old at the corner of Danforth Avenue and Hayward Street in Leamington.

By 8 pm, over 500 trickor-treaters had scored some treats from what is quickly becoming Leamington’s best decorated Halloween, Christmas and Canada Day address.

Ghouls just wanna have fun For a couple of hours on Sunday evening, it

Emotions high in Wheatley meeting Emotions were running high at the first in-person

amendments in June of this year.

Vipers spoil Flyers home opener For the first time in two years, the Leamington Jr. B Flyers played a home opener and had a crowd of 265 local fans watching.

The youthful Flyers — many of whom were suiting up for regular season action at home — appeared to get better as the contest went on but lost 3-1 to the LaSalle Vipers.

Despite the low score, both teams displayed Wheatley Community Meeting on Wednesday, November 3, with residents demanding answers to questions and officials giving further updates on the investigation into the August 26 explosion.

About 150 people showed up at Talbot Trail Golf Course to meet with various municipal and government officials in the meeting organized by the Active Citizens of Wheatley group.

NOVEMBER CONT’D ON PAGE 13

Community Calendar

JANUARY Beginning January 11 or 14 at 1:30 amp, GRIEF SHARE CLASSES will begin at the Half Century Centre. There is no charge for these classes. Call 519-326-2521 after January 4 to register, or call Cliff at 519816-5449.

ONGOING MUSICIANS AND SINGERS WANTED at the Leamington Half Century Club to join in the weekly singalong every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Drop in if interested (160 Talbot St. E.). Call 519-326-2521 for more info.

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT SOMEONE’S DRINKING? Al-Anon Family Groups meeting information: 519-7907739 or www.alanonwindsoressex.com T.O.P.S. - Take Off Pounds Sensibly Meetings are held every Tuesday evening at the Leamington Half Century Centre, 160 Talbot St. E. Weigh-in from 6:00 - 6:45 p.m.

Meeting 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. First meeting is free. For more inforamtoin call Joan at 519326-2388. Everyone welcome.

ERIE SHORES TOASTMASTERS Meeting online at 6:00 p.m. every other Wednesday.

Develop your Communication and Leadership Skills in a positive, friendly environment.

Next meeting dates are December 8 and 22.

Visit a meeting and see how you like it! For more info Email: ErieShoresTM@yahoo.com Facebook: Erie Shores Toastmasters or go to ErieShores.toastmastersclubs.org and click on Contact Us. STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH? Reach out to Hope 4 Me Peer to Peer Support Group. Virtual and in-person meetings available. Contact Tracy, Sue or Nancy at hope4mepeer@gmail.com for information about the group.

DONATE BLOOD - Leamington Blood Donor Clinic - at the Leamington Lebanese Club, 447 Hwy. 77 Leamington. 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. Book ahead. Book now. Visit: blood.ca or call 1-888-236-6283.

COMMUNITY TAKEOUT IS AVAILABLE at Leamington United Church, 4:00 - 5:00 pm every Monday. St. John’s Anglican Church also has takeout meals available every Wednesday from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Food is available from St. Vincent De Paul at St. Michael’s Parish 226-340-7233, Salvation Army Food Bank, The warming Cross at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Food Cupboard at St. John’s Anglican church, The Bridge (ages 14-24), Food Pantry at Parkdale Variety, neighbourhood pantry at Erie South and Marlborough and the Angel Pantry at St. John’s Anglican Church. All are free. All are welcome.

IF YOU WANT TO DRINK, THAT’S YOUR BUSINESS If you want to stop, we can help. Call Alcoholics Anonymous: 519999-1234.

MELO CLINIC & PREGNANCY CENTRE, 75 Erie Street South, Unit 103, Leamington, offers free and confidential services provided by registered nurses.

Pregnancy tests, STI testing & treatment.

Call 24/7 for confidential support 519-3260612. Business calls 519-326-3821. www. pregnancycentre.net.

KINGSVILLE COMMUNITY CENTRE PROGRAMS - Located at 1860 Division Rd N., Kingsville. Call 226-773-5830 for more information. Counselling Service with Diane O’Brien — Diane provides counselling in many areas by appointment only. Milk Bag Creations — Help turn clean milk bags into woven mats to be used by those in need. 10 am until noon. Yarn Social Time — Bring your project and enjoy time with others. 10

am until noon. Tuesdays & Thursdays: Centre Café – gather to meet friend or just have a coffee and snack on us. Free wifi. 9 am until noon. Advocacy Services — Confidential assistance to help you access available services. 9 am until noon. Computer Kiosk — Use of computer for residents for such tasks as completing a resume, printing off documents etc. 9 am until noon. Tai Chi — A class for everyone. Join instructor Greg as he leads the class through various tai chi moves. 10 am to 11 am. Self Defence — All ages and skill levels. Greg kicks it up a notch with karate style moves. 10 am to 11 am. Tutoring with Jennifer — Math and language tutoring for children in primary/junior grades. Contact the centre to reserve. 4 pm.

RANDY ATKINSON FUND provides money for extras that OHIP doesn’t pay for or to help with unexpected expenses for cancer patients (e.g. hospital parking etc). If you, your group or organization would like to have a speaker explain the fund and its availability in this area, call 519-682-2580.

PLAY ROTARY TV BINGO GAMES Tuesday nights, live on TVCOGECO from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Can only be viewed in ChathamKent viewing areas. Support the community and purchase your cards from Adamson Guardian Drugs, Wheatley. Pick up your cards early! Play 5 different games on 3 faces in 1 hour. $3 for 15 ways to win and $2000 in prizes.

Wellness Together Canada offers FREE, 24/7 MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SUPPORT WITH NO WAIT TIMES for Canadians of all ages, in every province and territory and in both official languages.

Funded by the Government of Canada. More info at https://wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA. Phone counselling available 24/7 at 1-866585-0445.

To place your event in the Community Calendar Phone: 519-398-9098 Email: sun@southpointsun.ca or drop off at 194 Talbot St. E. Unit 5, Leamington

some heavy bodychecking throughout the contest, but for the Flyers, a two-minute defensive lapse around the 13-minute mark of the opening frame allowed the visiting Vipers to tab all the goals they would need for the victory.

Gas levels up in Wheatley again Gas levels in Wheatley spiked on Friday, October 8 with monitors going off at the blast site at 4 am.

Members of Chatham-Kent Fire Services, the Provincial Hazmat

Team and Golder Associates were at the scene and sent samples of the gas to lab facilities in Windsor for a full analysis.

As of Friday mid-morning, H2S gas was still being detected at the site.

Sharks win opener With a paid attendance of 248 fans, the Wheatley Omstead Sharks hosted the Dresden Kings in their 2021-22 home opener on Wednesday, October 6.

On hand to drop the ceremonial first puck were members of the Wheatley Fire Department.

Participants in Kingsville’s Santa Claus Parade.

Southpoint Sun - 11

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Sharks struck for eight straight goals in their 8-1 victory.

Kingsville Military Museum grand reopening The Kingsville Military Museum had humble beginnings 45 years ago when a number of Legionnaires from Branch 188 had a meeting on the memorabilia that the branch possessed.

From that a semi-trailer was brought in as a mobile museum and the Kingsville Military Museum was born.

12 - Southpoint Sun

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

NOVEMBER CONT’D Lauren Anderson, who has spearheaded community fundraising and relief efforts from the getgo, was moderator for the event, which allowed displaced residents and concerned citizens an opportunity to vent frustrations and get questions answered.

Local veteran fondly remembered For Mary-Maureen and Jay Atkin, the week of Remembrance Day brings memories flooding back of Mary-Maureen’s father, Maurice Snook.

Even 10 years after Maurice passed away, the memories of his countless stories, infectious smile and larger-than-life presence, comfort them as they prepare for another Remembrance Day without him.

Maurice Snook was born in Cowplain, England, on November 5, 1918. His family moved to Canada a year later, where they settled on a farm behind the Jack Miner property in Kingsville. Eventually moving to Windsor, Maurice joined the Windsor Essex Scottish Militia and then joined the Essex Scottish Regiment, lying about his age because he was still too young to serve.

U10 team wins Silver Stick This past weekend the Southpoint Essex U10 team travelled to Woodstock to compete in the Silver Stick Regional Championships.

The Capitals’ persistent offensive pressure led to outscoring opponents with 31 goals, while steady goaltending

and swarming defense held challengers to only 5 goals in 5 games all weekend.

C-K officials poised to give residents temporary access Work continues finalizing the operational plan to allow residents and businesses the opportunity to access their properties.

During the Wheatley community meeting held Wednesday, November 3, Thomas Kelly, General Manager of Infrastructure and Engineering, outlined steps for those wishing to visit their properties to gather belongings.

During that meeting, it was suggested that insurance companies be involved in the process to access homes and provide winterization work.

Hundreds turnout for Remembrance Day It was a robust turnout for Remembance Day on Thursday, November 11, as towns and cities across the country honoured their veterans and war dead. Wheatley Legion Branch 324 had to pivot due to the recent explosion and held their ser-

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vice at Two Creeks Conservation Area.

Wheatley Legion also presented the Leamington service at Dieppe Memorial Park Cenotaph, and Kingsville held their service at the Legion Cenotaph.

Attendance was high at all three ceremonies, as people gathered to honour those fallen for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Royal Canadian Air Cadets stood guard at the cenotaph in Leamington, while bugler Glenn Sellick observes a moment of silence in the background.

Kingsville Santa Claus parade Hundreds of parade lovers bundled up for the colder night-time air and lined the streets of Kingsville on Saturday night, November 20 for the 18th Annual Santa Claus Parade.

It was the first traditional parade for the area since the pandemic, with more than 75 entries, including a marching band, numerous floats, local charities, the new Kingsville Express electric train and of course Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving at the end by fire truck.

The parade began on Main Street East and continued to Lakeside Park

This scary individual was part of the massive Halloween display at the corner of Danforth and Hayward in Leamington.

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Cautious progress in Wheatley After many months of uncertainty, Wheatley residents and businesses have begun the process of being granted access to their properties.

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Southpoint Sun - 13

Polly - 9 years old Shepherd Mix - I am a fun POLLY and loving dog suitable for an only pet household. I enjoy a few walks each day and play time if someone is home. I can be a bit strong and eager on leash, so I will need someone who is willing to work on some training with me. I can play independently licking and chewing on my toys but I really enjoy playing fetch!

Running after balls, kongs or other toys is fun and I enjoy play with both adults and older children. I know the basic commands of a household like sit and am learning to stay and lay down for longer periods of time. With a little practice I have come a long way already and I can continue to improve. I really am looking for my forever home. Visit windsorhumane.org today to apply to adopt me!

Windsor/Essex County Humane Society 519-966-5751 windsorhumane.org

All events ON Covid-19 Regulations Apply

From all of us at The Bank Theatre Happy New Year 2022!!

STAY IN THE KNOW! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube. Email banktheatre@gmail.com Visit BankTheatre.com 10 ERIE ST. S., P.O. BOX 434 LEAMINGTON, ON N8H 3W5 519-326-8805

129 Erie St. S. Leamington 519-325-1112

Memories of...

Kingsville, Leamington and Wheatley

Dusting off the memories 14 - Southpoint Sun

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Photos from Kingsville-Gosfield Heritage Society 1790-2000 A Stroll Through Time

Cedar Beach Drug Store, owned by Red Morris, Photo courtesy of the Kingsville Archives offered drugs, toiletries, china and souvenirs for sale as well as providing a luncheon menu. Speed boat rides were available from the Cedar Beach Drug Store for 50 cents a ride for summer visitors renting a cabin or for cottagers not owning a boat.

The boats could be taken through the placid canal or out into the rougher waters of Lake Erie. This photograph of an unidentified family, standing outside the Cedar Beach Drug Store, was taken in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Epworth United Church Choir. This photo was most likely taken during the Christmas season as there appear to be at Christmas decorationssonPast both sides of the Pulpit, candles are lit. Exact date is A Look Leamington’ courtesy of and C. Scott Holland kingsvillearchives@gmail.com unknown

Leamington’s Past courtesy of the C. Scott Holland Collection April 1973: Buckingham Real Estate edged Gulliver Insurance 2-1 to win the Midget hockey trophy.

At left is captain Ken Dick who scored both goals with coach Randy Critchlow.

December1994 - Mayor Jim Ross (2nd right) and Leamington Sun Parlor Credit Union manager Bryon Walker hold the shovel for the ground-breaking ceremony of the expansion of the credit union at Oak and Erie St. S. The expansion would double its size and would be done over a five month period at a cost of $385,000.

Clippings from the Wheatley Journal, May 1989 Clippings from the Wheatley Journal

December 1991 - The Wheatley Lions presented awards for the best entries in their Drug Awareness poster contest. The students from East Mersea, Romney Central and Wheatley Area Public School selected from the many entrants were front, left to right: Jenine Howe, Marci Getty (Wheatley) Lauren Deefoot Collard (East the Mersea) Tony O’Sullivan, Nick Submarine cycling - Ditches rose Penner, foot after following Thursday evening rainfall Wiebe (Romney).

Rear row left to right: Lion Pres.

Bill Hangartner, Francis Armstrong and and these young lads wasted no time inventing a new game, “submarine cycling”. If Jack Glover, members of the Drug Awareness Committee for the club. Each student received nothing else, it’s a quick way to wash a ten-speed bicycle! a $25 cash award for their efforts.

MEMORIES OF KINGSVILLE, LEAMINGTON & &WHEATLEY COURTESY OF ...

MEMORIES OF KINGSVILLE, LEAMINGTON WHEATLEY PRESENTED PRESENTED COURTESY OF ...

170 OAK ST. W. LEAMINGTON

1-877-511-2927 • 519-326-9052 www.leamingtonchrysler.com

Looking back ...

From the Leamington Post December 31, 1986 The Belle River Canadiens and the Hanover Barons will meet tonight in the final of the 10th annual Junior C Hockey tournament at Leamington Arena. Belle River defeated county rivals, the Essex 73s, by a 5-4 count in their semi-final. Hanover upset the defending champion Bradford Bulls 4-1 in their game. Essex will meet Bradford in the consolation game just before the championship tilt.

—— A Leamington man and youth have been charged with breaking and entering after stealing presents from under the tree of a Mersea Rd. 5 family on Christmas day. A new VCR, a camera and some jewellery were stolen, along with some cash by the 22-year-old and his underage apprentice. The pair were caught red-handed after their vehicle got stuck in snow along Highway 401 near Puce Rd. About 75 per cent of the items made their way back to the family.

—— While most people were last-minute Christmas shopping last week, about 40 volunteers were marching through Point Pelee’s woodlands counting birds for the 35th annual Point Pelee bird count. Conditions were ideal this year, with no wind or precipitation.

Park naturalist Tom Hince said that they counted about 93 species this year, which eclipses last year’s record of 88.

A rare sandhill crane was spotted, as well as a merlin, which is a small falcon.

—— The nicest present next to Richard and Diane Bell’s Christmas tree this year is their 11-year-old son, Michael, who had brain surgery some three weeks ago. Michael was back home in time to await the visit from Santa Claus and participate in a family feast at their Staples home. Michael arrived by ambulance on Wednesday at 4 pm, in plenty of time for the magic of Christmas Eve. His operation on December 8 removed a tumour from his brain stem and his parents were thrilled to have him home for Christmas. Upon their arrival at their home, they were equally thrilled to see that neighbours and friends had built a wheelchair ramp to the door of their home.

From the Kingsville Reporter December 22, 1986 Great response was received for the Kingsville Reporter’s annual Gift Guide Colouring Contest. Susan Harris, 11, of Leamington was this year’s junior winner and she took home a

cheque for $25. The primary winner was Henry Will, five, of Leamington.

He received a Wuzzle for his prize.

—— An area junior volleyball tournament was recently held in Leamington and Ruthven Public School finished tied for first place. Team members are Jason Driedger, Brad Scott, Dustin Dumais, Marcilyn Cianfarani, Amy Verhoeven, Tina Wiebe, Bill Schroeder, Adam Dick, Saverio Cinelli, Laura Massanisso, Laura Krushelniski and Aaron France. Coaches are Mrs. Woelk and Mrs. Cornies.

—— On December 14, the Kingsville-Gosfield South Figure Skating Club hosted Skate Sun Parlour, a regional figure skating competition. Over 200 skaters and their families took part in the competition. Kingsville entered 27 skaters, who captured 26 awards. Twelve clubs participated in the competition.

—— Cape Cod Hobby recently held an in-store draw for a remote control car valued at $130. Over 600 entries were received and the winner was Dawn Smith of Kingsville. Cape Cod’s Brian Decaire presented Dawn with her prize last week.

From the Wheatley Journal December 31, 1986 The students of Romney Central School are at it again. For the second time in two years, the senior class conducted a telephone survey and transposed the results into mathematical equations. Part of the team included local students Joshua Denomey, Jamie Omstead, Marcie Lougheed, Jamie Dawson, Tina Friesen, James Jackson, Trevor Ferguson, Tom Sheehan, Jennifer Crowe and Oronde Provoste. The team was led by Mr. Bob McCart.

—— When Bill Lamb came forward with the winning ticket for $1,000 at the annual Wheatley Kinsmen Christmas Draw, it was his grandson, Darrin, 8, that was the most excited. Bob Brandner and Joe Pinch were on hand to present the cheque to the lucky winner.

—— The campaign to raise funds to finance the rebuilding of the Legion hall in Wheatley got a big boost on the day before Christmas. Members of the Lions Club presented a cheque for $5,000 for Legion Branch 324. It was exactly one year from the devastating fire that destroyed the Legion’s clubrooms on Christmas Eve 1985. Lion President Don Willan presented the cheque to Legion President Nelson Rutt as Lion Dale Pickle looked on.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Southpoint Sun - 15

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16 - Southpoint Sun

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

During the current COVID-19 crisis, we will make an effort to supply you with extra puzzle options such as below, as long as there is space to do so. Thank You all for reading weekly.

2001

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, group dynamics could be tricky this week. Emotions are tense and putting too many people together may lead to friction. Make a concerted effort to stay calm.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, individuals often are judged by the company they keeps. Surround yourself with honest, supportive and accomplished people as much as you can.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 It is tempting to want to help in every situation, Gemini. But this week you may need to observe from the sidelines and let others work things out on their own.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Always get the facts before you react, Cancer. Friends may be pulling you in different directions and want you to be on their sides. Decide what is best for you.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, if you butt heads with a colleague or your boss, the confrontation will not get out of control. Things will blow over very shortly.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, if your workload gets out of control, don’t feel that you have to go it alone. Ask for help and it will be there. This will ensure all projects are completed on time.

Note: answers may use American spelling

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, before you dive full speed ahead into a new relationship, it is better to

do your research as much as possible.

This is especially true when entering a business agreement.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Your energy levels may be all over the place this week, Scorpio. Build some free time into your schedule to accommodate for when you may need to play catch up.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 There is no need to let emotions get the best of you. Sagittarius. Your confidence will diffuse many situations as long as you are tactful and respectful.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, your commitment to doing things the right way is admirable and has not gone unnoticed. Others look to you for inspiration, and this will benefit your career.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, you are on a mission this week to stand out from the crowd. Make sure the light is shining on you for all the right reasons. Remain humble when praise comes your way.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Figure out how to deliver information in an empowering way, Pisces. A positive, empowering message is likely to be well-received.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS DECEMBER 26 - Jared Leto, Actor (50) DECEMBER 27 - Walker Hayes, Singer (42) DECEMBER 28 - John Legend, Singer (43) DECEMBER 29 - Jude Law, Actor (49) DECEMBER 30 - LeBron James, Athlete (37) DECEMBER 31 - Gabby Douglas, Athlete (26) JANUARY 1 - Poppy, Singer (27)

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

DECEMBER

There’s no place like home for the Featherstones For Helen and Gary Featherstone, the 97 days since the August 26 Wheatley explosion have been stressful and worrisome, but the long-time residents are grateful they have a roof over their heads.

On the afternoon of August 26, 2021, Gary was in the kitchen and Helen was sitting on the living room couch inside their home at the corner of Talbot Street and Victoria.

Gary says the boom knocked Helen off the couch and staggered him as he stood in the kitchen.

“I hope I never hear a noise like that again in my life,” he said. “It felt like it lifted the house up and dropped it back down.”

Hilarity ensues at Bank Theatre The Bank Theatre presents A Christmas Story this weekend and next with rehearsals ongoing for a few weeks.

The Sun was invited to rehearsal on Saturday, November 27 and several classic scenes unfolded on the stage.

The play is narrated by Clinton Anderson and stars a bevy of talented local actors.

The play runs Thursday to Saturday this week at 7:30 pm with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m., followed by identical showtimes next week, December 9 through 12.

Drive thru parade proves popular The Leamington District Chamber of Commerce annual Santa Claus Parade delivered smiles, giggles, lights and even some snow as the drive-thru event went off without a hitch on Saturday, November 27.

The parade — held inside Point Pelee National Park — attracted over 800 vehicles full of families who got an up-close look

at the 28 entries and got to say hello to Santa and Mrs. Claus at the end of the route.

Flyers turn close contest into rout of Vipers The battle of Essex County concluded its Leamington portion last Thursday night as the LaSalle Vipers made their third visit to the Nature Fresh Farms Complex.

With the Vipers regular goaltending duo not available, Wheatley Sharks call-up Ethan Carlone got the nod in net on this occasion. Carlone held his team in the game for two frames before the Flyers tabbed four unanswered third-period goals to win the contest 8-3 in front of a crowd of 357.

Health Units move to restrict activities again The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is pumping the brakes on indoor social gatherings as COVID-19 cases surge in the area.

The WECHU issued a letter of instruction over the weekend which will restrict indoor and outdoor gatherings going forward in an attempt to slow down the current trajectory. A similar letter of instruction was issued by the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit on Monday evening, with specific instruction for workplaces.

As of 12:01 a.m. Friday, December 10, social gatherings will be limited to 10 people inside and 25 outside.

It’s David versus Goliath in Road 7 tree fight Almost a year after a Southpoint Sun story about losing their trees prompted a visit from Hydro One, residents along a heavily-populated section of Road 7 are still fighting the battle.

At issue are the new hydro lines and poles being installed along Road 7 from Highway 77 in a

westerly direction and the effect that installation will have on many heritage trees along the way.

The new hydro poles are visible on the eastern end of Road 7, starting at Highway 77, to about a mile up the road, where Hydro One’s installation stalled a couple of years ago.

Country Christmas at Jack Miner attracts families The Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary hosted several activities for a Country Christmas themed event for the whole family this past weekend to conclude its 2021 season.

Events ranged from Christmas crafts, a visit with Santa and tree decorating, to a fun challenging maze on the property.

Kingsville musician reminisces about the ‘70s music scene Over 50 years after his music career began, Bill Loop is still actively involved in the local music scene.

His brush with rock and roll stardom takes him all the way back to the 1972 release of Last Song by Edward Bear, a gold record single that put Edward Bear on the map and a song that Bill Loop played the bass guitar on. The song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of 1973, edged out only

by Killing Me Softly and Dueling Banjos.

Santa gives the thumbs up as he and the Mrs. prepare for the Leamington Drive-Thru Christmas Parade.

Leamington passes three per cent tax increase After two days of presentations and deliberations, Leamington Council has passed a budget allowing for a three per cent tax increase in the municipality for 2022.

Special budget meetings took place over the course of Wednesday, December 8 and Thursday, December 9 as administration brought forward the proposed budget for next year.

Seniors Advisory Committee holds public forum The Leamington Seniors Advisory Committee held its first public event on Wednesday, December 1 at the Half Century Centre. About 15 interested seniors attended

IN MEMORIAM In Loving Memory of

Michael Wayne Martin September 14, 1978 - January 1, 2018

Dr. Robert McCormick Optometrist, Leamington Eyecare Dear Leamington, Wheatley and Tilbury patients, for the time being I am now only available at my Kingsville Eyecare Clinic to assist you with your eyecare and eyewear needs. We welcome you to call 519-325-0123 or 519-733-3560 to schedule an appointment or if you have questions.

375 Main St. E., Kingsville www.kingsvilleeyecare.ca

519.733.3560

to hear updates on what the committee is doing to make life better for seniors in Leamington.

Mayor Hilda MacDonald, who sits on the committee, was present and spoke to the visitors about making sure they voice their opinions about things affecting seniors in the municipality.

Goodfellows hampers will feed 120 families The Leamington-Mersea Goodfellows were able to pivot and get gift cards to about 160 families last holiday season, due to COVID restrictions, but this year they are back on track with their collection and distribution to needy local

families.

Last Saturday, the annual Leamington District Secondary School Grade 12 can drive took place and the students collected enough cans to jump-start the program.

Province ramping up boosters amid skyrocketing cases Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent public health units are moving ahead with plans to ramp-up vaccination opportunities for those 18+ as the Ontario government announced last week that anyone 18 and over would be eligible for booster shots on Monday, December 20.

Mark Johnston

ANNOUNCEMENT

Thank you for your continued support.

Southpoint Sun - 17

Always in our thoughts.

Forever in our hearts.

Love Mom & Dad and Family

It is with great sorrow that the family of Mark Todd Johnston announce his peaceful passing in his home on Friday, December 17, 2021. Mark was born in Leamington on February 9, 1963, and he resided in London, Ontario.

Loving husband of Catherine.

Dear stepfather of Natalie Hopps and Darren Mair, Jesse Hopps and Lisette Hopps-Gomez. Grandfather of Brandon, Brianna, Alysia, Elena. Dear son of Gail and the late Lloyd Johnston (2012). Dear brother of Ken and Erika Johnston, Cheryl and Gary Klemens. Uncle to Tara and Scott Baker, Ryan and Jessica Johnston, Lyndsey and Addison Brown, Joel Klemens and Brayden Klemens, and great-uncle of Paige, Megan, Zak, Bradley, Blake, Barrett and Parker.

A private family Memorial Service will be held.

Memorial donations may be made by cheque to Erie Shores Hospice, Bridge Youth Centre or Leamington Half Century Centre by contacting Reid Funeral Home, 14 Russell Street, Leamington (519-326-2631).

Friends may share memories and make donations at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

18 - Southpoint Sun

E-mail or call in your classified ad by Friday at 4:00 p.m. 194 Talbot St. E. Unit 2, Leamington ON N8H 1M2 Ph: 519-398-9098 Email: sun@southpointsun.ca We accept E-TRANSFER, DEBIT, VISA & MASTERCARD

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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GREENHOUSE ASSOCIATE

• Compensation is $14.39/hour • Monday through Friday (Occasional Saturdays) • No education or experience required.

• Duties include hand-trimming, taking cuttings, hand harvesting, watering and cleaning of greenhouse.

Please apply at: careers@tilray.com or mail a resume to: P.O. Box 2000 269 Erie St. S., Leamington, ON N8H 3C4

GREENHOUSE WORKERS NEEDED Employees will be required to carry out all job tasks as specified by the operation manager.

Specific duties include: Pruning, clipping, harvesting and cleaning work area. Repetitive task, standing for extended periods, hot humid conditions, comfortable working on scissor lifts, handling weights of up to 23 kg or 50 lbs, report signs of insect or disease damage.

Permanent full time weekdays including weekends. $14.39 per hour. Will train the right candidate.

Must be able to work within a group or on their own.

Reliable and dependable.

Must have own transportation.

No educational requirements needed.

Apply: Southshore Greenhouses Inc. 1746 Seacliff Drive Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 2M6

GREENHOUSE WORKER POSITIONS AVAILABLE at Ridge Farms in Leamington - Job duties include winding, pruning, harvesting, checking quality of harvested produce, ability to distinguish between colours, working with sprayer, clipping, suckering, lowering, deleafing, grading and transplanting crops, sorting, packing and stacking produce, detecting disease in crop, greenhouse clean-up and other duties as assigned. Job requires standing bending, kneeling for long periods of time, and working under hot, dusty, humid conditions. Fastpace environment, work under pressure, repetitive tasks, handling heavy loads, physically demanding, attention to detail, handeye coordination Sitting, combination of sitting, standing & walking, standing for extended periods.

Location - rural area, working at heights in dusty, hot and humid conditions. $14.39 per hour, minimum 48 - 60 hours/week including weekends. Permanent full time seasonal position. No education or experience required. Please forward your resume by email to ridgefarms@sympatico.ca. de15-tfn _____________________________

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Sterling flatware, all gold (even teeth). Covid 19 precautions in place. Dan Jones B.A.B.Ed. 53 years experience. House calls now available, 519-818de22-29 1805.

PINNACLE ACRES REQUIRES Full time greenhouse general labourers. $14.39/hr 50+ hours, 7 days/wk. Must be available Saturday & Sunday. Work site: 333 County Rd 18, Leamington ON, rural setting, must have own transportation.

Crop maintenance and harvesting, other duties as required. Must be able to lift a minimum of 40lbs on a repetitive basis, fast paced environment, strong work ethic, punctual, reliable.

Please apply via email: pinnaclejobs@hotmail.ca No experience or education required. de4-tf

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SUDOKU ANSWERS SUDOKU ANSWERS

GROOMING BY DANIELLE - CPPS Certified Groomer in Leamington. 12 years experience. For all your pet grooming needs, please call 226-526-7971 or message me on Facebook COVID-19 Certified & Compliant.

de8-29 _____________________________

ELECTROLUX SALES & SERVICE: Complete line of vacuums and shampooers/ floor polishers. Will provide free estimate on Central Vac installations. Contact Dan tf Bailey. 519-825-7698.

CROSSWORD CROSSWORD ANSWERS ANSWERS

____________________________

VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEERS WANTED The Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary is looking for help with: events, museum help, gardening, lawn care etc. If interested please email volunteer@jackminer. au18-tfn com _____________________________

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Southpoint Sun - 19

A LOOK AT 2021 IN SPORTS

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20 - Southpoint Sun

As we look forward to a new year, and new challenges, in many Ontario Greenhouse Farms, our growers and workers are preparing the greenhouse for the arrival of a new batch of plants that will produce tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers in 2022. Most young plants do not begin at the greenhouse farms that will raise and harvest them, but instead, begin at what is called a propagation facility. These farms begin the growing process from seed and will nurture the plant to be strong enough to enter the greenhouse farm for about 6-7 weeks. Young greenhouse plants have specific needs, and therefore specific expertise from growers who specialize at the beginning of the maturation process or propagation phase of farming.

While the young plants are beginning to grow, preparation at Ontario Greenhouse farms begins to prepare for the new plants to call the greenhouse home. Each style of tomato or pepper, be it beefsteaks, cocktail, or cherries…mini, long, or conventional bell peppers prefer different levels of heat, light, and nutrients, and because of the controlled nature of our greenhouse farms, the environment can be designed to be the most ideal environment for each variety to grow.

Long rows of troughs are hung throughout the greenhouse and are filled with blocks of neutral growing material, such as cocoa fiber or Rockwool, and they are saturated with nutrients so that when the baby plants arrive at the greenhouse they are awaiting the trans-

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

fer to their new home, where every element has been optimized to ensure the plants grow healthy, nutritious veggies for you and your family.

We want to wish all of our membership farms and their teams the best in the New Year and for this new season of growth.

Happy New Year

Charity Spotlight:

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Last day to buy tickets is December 30th. Draw will be held on December 31st.

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and all the best in 2022!