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www.petespaint.ca Vol. 10, Issue 19
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Tomato Visitor Information Booth closed pending assessment LEAMINGTON – The Leamington District Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Municipality of Leamington, has closed the Tomato Visitor Information Booth due to the current state of the structure. The Tomato Visitor Information Booth is operated by the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce. Upon opening for the 2019 season, it was discovered that the structure had deteriorated into a state of disrepair since its closure in the fall of 2018, to such an extent that the Chamber was concerned for the safety of its volunteer ambassadors. Representatives met last week to discuss the booth’s condition. “We feel that we cannot safely open the Tomato because of the rain water damage,” said Leamington Chamber of Commerce general manager Wendy Parsons. “We thought we fixed the problem a year ago, but apparently not.” The Tomato Visitor Information Booth will remain closed pending the completion of a condition assessment and the development of an action plan. In the interim, the Municipality will be examining how to effectively deliver visitor
2k2k Tutu Run/Walk/Ride supports ACCESS programs KINGSVILLE – And they’re off! It was a colourful group that headed out from Lions Park to hit the roads of Kingsville Saturday morning, May 24, for the 2k2k Tutu Run/Walk/Ride for ACCESS community support service programs. About 65 participants of all ages took on the challenge to help support the services that assist people from throughout Essex County. (Southpoint Sun Photos)
Reality of human trafficking brought to Leamington By Sheila McBrayne
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information services, which may focus on the use of mobile technology to fill the gap for the 2019 season. The results of the condition assessment — for which council has set aside $20,000 to have conducted — will help determine the use of the structure in the future. “I don’t think we can keep it running as it has been for the sake of history,” explained Leamington CAO Peter Neufeld during last week’s meeting with members of the Chamber of Commerce. “We want to honour our past, but not make it an impediment to our future.” In the event that the municipality and the local Chamber of Commerce determine and agree that ‘The Big Tomato’ can no longer function as a tourism booth, the possibility remains that it could continue to function as a Leamington landmark. “There’s no denying that the tomato (as a crop) helped to build Leamington, but what’s its connection to tourism?,” Neufeld said. “It’s time for a new look on how tourism is presented in our community.” Neufeld explained that although a timeline for a condition assessment is not yet available, the process will likely take place soon and be completed quickly.
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“
We would like to thank you for your assistance in completing the construction of our barrier free washroom, and the generous donation of shingles for that purpose. With the completion of the facility we are now able to provide service to students with mobility issues. Thank you for your generosity. Dorothy St. John, Chairperson for SPEQTRA
”
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Human trafficking has become a top priority for the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the social agencies that support the victims and their families. Chatham-Kent Leamington Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Rick Nicholls held a Human Trafficking Town Hall on Thursday, May 23 to discuss the problem that is a local and international crime affecting predominantly teens and young adults. Twenty-seven-year-old Victoria is a human trafficking survivor. She told the audience of more than 80 interested residents how she managed to escape her abuser and is now involved in a court case. What started out as a “relationship” soon turned into an abusive, controlling criminal case of trafficking sex for money. It’s something that keeps OPP Detective Sergeant Kim Miller awake at night. “It breaks your heart,” she said. “We want to stop it from happening in the first place, not just keep rescuing them. It’s hard on us to talk about. These are kids in a lot of cases.” Det. Sgt. Miller explained how predators troll social media for potential targets and use one teen to lure other teens. “It’s kids. They’re getting kids to recruit for them through various methods of control,” she said of some cases. Det. Sgt. Miller reminded everyone that the reason there is human trafficking is because there is a demand. “It’s supply and demand. The supply is kids and the demand is for young, sweet girls for sex.” A sting operation in the London area placed an on-line ad that ran for six days. There were 9,000 views in six days. “That’s the kind of demand out there,” she said. Joanna Conrad, Executive Director of Essex County Youth Diversion, talked to the parents and guardians in the audience about the dangers of social media, cell phones and the internet. “The internet can be great, but it’s also a ‘comparison trap’. As adults, we fall into it when we see our friends on extravagant trips and new cars and exciting lives… Now imagine being 13 again and being exposed to that,” she warned. (Continued on Page 7)
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