The Creemore
ECH
Friday, March 29, 2019 Vol. 19 No. 13
www.creemore.com
INSIDE THE ECHO
Cupcakes & More
Family Connection
Bell tolls for three generations
Student raises funds for Human Society
PAGE 5
News and views in and around Creemore
PAGE 7
Publications Mail Agreement # 40024973
Fire chief hired
Echo opens cannabis retail store
Head of public works, fire chief hired from within
by Tricka Daya The Creemore Echo has won the lottery. “We can’t believe our luck,” said publisher Sara Hershoff. At this late hour, The Creemore Echo has learned it has been approved for a cannabis retail licence, to come into effect on April 1. Government officials have confirmed that with some vendors unable to meet the set timelines, a few cannabis retail licenses became available late in this first round and The Creemore Echo was selected. Despite its very small population the village, known for being very progressive and embracing of change, captured the hearts and the imagination of those at the AGCO. They lobbied for an exception to be made for Creemore. “We were looking to diversify our service platform, given the uncertain nature of print media, we felt we needed something to ensure The Echo remains current and vital to the community,” said Hershoff. Staff insiders said other services, such as a nail salon, tattoo parlour, and dog grooming, were seriously considered but the necessary expertise was lacking in-house. The paper’s editor Trina Berlo had been on a tour of one of the cannabis growth facilities located in Clearview Township and came back to the office to report that cannabis was where it was at, and the seed was planted. When it was announced that cannabis would be legalized, a plan was set in motion. Office manager, and now product manager Georgi Denison said the store will carry custom strains that pay (See “Echo” on page 3)
Staff photo: Trina Berlo
Author and musician Dave Bidini read from his newest book Midnight Light at Beer and Books, co-hosted by Curiosity House Books and Creemore Springs Brewery on March 20. Next up, on May 15, are music journalist Michael Barclay, author of The Never Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip and music producer, engineer, and mixer Mark Howard author of Listen Up! Tickets for the next event, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., cost $20, includes beer and snacks.
Experience dementia by Trina Berlo It is often said you can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. A Simulated Dementia Experience is designed to do that for people with the disease. The experience helps people better understand dementia by simulating its effects. Dementia causes memory loss and
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recognition but can also cause speech and hearing to become impaired. Creedan Valley Care Community Associate Director of Care Tim Tokarz said people with dementia may speak with garbled words or go off on a tangent, making it difficult to understand what they are trying to say. They sometimes confuse people (See “Simulation” on page 3)
Two job openings at Clearview Township have been filled by existing staffers. Roree Payment, who has been serving as acting fire chief since Colin Shewell took a job as platoon chief with the London Fire Department in the fall, has accepted the role of Fire Chief for Clearview Fire and Emergency Services. Payment has been with the department for 10 years, starting as a volunteer firefighter, advancing to captain in 2008 and to deputy chief 2014. “Roree has demonstrated his leadership as deputy chief and excelled in training our paid on-call firefighters for four years. Roree has also invested in professional development by actively participating in continuous learning,” states a township news release. As part of his role as chief, Payment will be named the Community Emergency Management Coordinator for the Township of Clearview and will work collaboratively with the Simcoe County Mutual Aid agreement partners. He will provide programs and services that protect the lives and property of Clearview citizens from fire, sudden medical emergencies, and exposure to dangerous conditions. He is responsible for fire prevention, public education, rescue and suppression services. “I am confident that Roree will serve our community with a high level of responsible leadership,” said Mayor Doug Measures. Payment was selected for the job through a competitive recruitment process, said the news release. (See “LeMay” on page 9)
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