The Creemore
Echo
When the Moon Hits Your Eye... Our resident lunar photographer, Fred Mills, took this great shot of last weekend’s “Super Moon” as it rose over Creemore at 8:30 pm Saturday. That night, the moon was just 356,576 kilometres away from the Earth, the closest it had been in 18 years.
Friday, March 25, 2011 Vol. 11 No. 12
News and views in and around Creemore
Publications Mail Agreement # 40024973
AVIAN ODDITIES Dennis Campbell’s picture of a Bald Eagle near Smithdale two weeks ago prompted a few other skilled birdwatchers to send us
their finds. At left is an immature Northern Harrier that Mulmur resident Marg Palujanskas spotted on March 6, three feet from her house on the stand that holds her feeders. The Palujanskases had been watching the bird’s parents circling over their field throughout the winter months. Mature Northern Harriers can be as long as 24 inches. Then, at centre, is a picture of a Northern Saw-Whet Owl that Marg spotted on the same stand one week later. These birds, which only grow to be 7 to 8 1/2 inches long, are one of the few North American Owl species that migrate, causing Marg to proclaim that spring is here! And finally at right, is a Gentoo Penguin spotted south of Creemore by Mulmur resident Al Clarke... or to be more precise, approximately 10,888 kilometres south of Creemore on the Falkland Islands during Al’s recent trip to Patagonia.
Parties ready as federal election looms Echo Briefs by Brad Holden With the Conservative government (or “Harper Government,” as it prefers to be called) on the verge of defeat at the Echo’s press time and a May federal election predicted, Simcoe-Grey electoral district associations for each of the four national parties are quickly kicking into campaign mode. First up is the powerhouse in these parts, the Conservative Party, which is in the rare position of picking a new candidate even though it’s the incumbent. Three candidates are vying for the seat left vacant when Helena Guergis was cast from the party: Dr. Kellie Leitch, a Sick Kids Hospital paediatric orthopedic surgeon and Order of Ontario recipient who has lived in the Glen Huron area since 2005; former Collingwood Mayor Chris Carrier; and Collingwood native Paul Throop, who is retired from a hi-tech career in Ottawa and has a 30-year background working for the Conservative Party. The local Conservatives will choose their candidate on March 25 in at the Wasaga Beach RecPlex. The Simcoe-Grey Liberals have only one person
vying for that party’s candidacy, Alex Smardenka, and he was confirmed as a candidate on March 24 at the Wasaga Sands Golf Course. Smardenka owns Boston Pizza franchises in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach as well as a Swiss Chalet franchise in Wasaga Beach. The Simcoe-Grey NDPs have already held their nomination meeting, and long-time candidate Katy Austin, a teacher from Elmvale, will once again represent that party locally. The Green Party will hold its nomination party on March 28 at the Beeton Library, where the choice will be between Newmarket tack, saddle and repair shop owner Bob Meadows and Dunedin’s Jace Metheral, who ran a strong campaign for the Ward 3 seat in last fall’s Clearview election. Of course, the factor that might make the upcoming election really interesting at the local level is that Helena Guergis, somewhat mysteriously ousted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper during the last term but still popular with many local conservatives, appears to be ready to defend her seat as an Independent.
Lockdown at Two Stayner Schools
On March 22 at approximately 1:30 pm, members of the OPP Huronia West Detachment responded to a call from Clearview Meadows Elementary School that a student had seen a male at the edge of school property with what he believed to be a handgun. The school followed proper protocol, locking the building down and calling police. Stayner Collegiate Institute, being directly next to Clearview Meadows, was also locked down in accordance with existing protocol. Members of the Huronia West OPP, Central Region Emergency Response Team and OPP Canine Unit conducted an extensive ground search, but did not find any evidence to substantiate the initial allegation. The schools were opened in time for children to go home, and police believe there are no further safety concerns.
NDACT Quarry Meeting
The North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce will hold a meeting at the Honeywood Arena at 10 am on Saturday, April 2 for those interested in their response to the Highland Quarry Proposal.
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