The Paris Independent for Saturday March 25, 2023

RECORD BOOK SEASON

4th IN ONTARIO

The Paris District High School Boy’s Hockey Team won three games and lost three games at OFSAA in St. Catharines this week. They lost 3-1 to Kingston in the bronze medal game. See details on page 16.

by Michelle Malvaso

Photo

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY

Emergency: 911

Police Department: 519-442-2242

Fire Department: 519-442-4500

Willet Hospital: 519-442-2251

County of Brant Office: 519-442-6324

Paris Public Library: 519-442-2433

Paris Public Schools:

Paris High: 519-442-4477

North Ward: 519-442-2311

Paris Central: 519-442-4163

Cobblestone: 519-442-2500

Paris Catholic Schools:

Holy Family: 519-442-5333

Sacred Heart: 519-442-4443

Paris Councillors & Mayor:

Mayor - David Bailey

Ward 2 - Steve Howes

Ward 2 - Lukas Oakley

Ward 3 - John Bell

Ward 3 - John Peirce

Paris Customer Service Office 66 Grand River St. N. 519-442-7268

Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Main Services include:

- Accounts Receivable invoice payments

- Blue Boxes and Composters (pre-arrange pick up of composter)

- Brant Transit punch cards purchase and pick up

- Building Permits may be submitted and Building staff consulted

- Calendar pick up (free)

- Commissioner of Oath is by appointment only

- Dog license and tag

- Dog Park membership and key

- Parking ticket payment

- Property Tax payments and inquiries

- Public Works permits may be submitted

- Use the computer to meet with a virtual Planner to ask questions.

- Water testing sample bottles may be picked up. Drop off water testing samples on the last Wednesday of the month before 2 pm at the Burford Customer Service Office

Brant Sports Complex & Other Facility Booking

519-442-1944

226-387-2490

519-442-4955

226-216-3037

519-209-2277

519-442-7134

Administration & Bylaw: 519-442-7268

Articles,

Open Monday - Sunday, 8:30 am - 8:00 pm.

Main services include:

- Dog Park membership and key

- Dog license and tag

- Tennis Court membership and key

- Camp registration and recreation program registration

email to:

Publisher Managing Editor

Advertising Sales Photographer

News Reporter

News Reporter

Chris Whelan

Casandra Turnbull

Chris Whelan

Michelle Malvaso

Carolina Saenz

Bailey Zimmer

STATEMENT

We are an independently owned organization made up of like minded volunteers from within our community with the main purpose of providing Paris and area with a trustworthy and reliable source of local news. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of everything we publish, we regret any errors that may occur. We limit our liability to that of printing a retraction upon notification of such errors in the next available publication. Our mail and Email addresses are listed below:

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

PARIS LEGION MUSIC TODAY – Saturday, March 25th live music with Bobby Banks from 2pm to 5pm.

FAMILY GAMES NIGHT – Thursday, March 30 from 6pm to 9pm at the Burford Agricultural Hall, admission is $2/person. Games provided, or bring your own. Everyone welcome.

SPRING MARKET AT TELFER PLACE!Saturday, April 1st from 9:30am to 1pm. Come visit Telfer place retirement community for our Spring Bazaar! There will be many local vendors, bake sale items, and small spring/Easter themed gift items. Additionally, we will have Princesses visiting from the Glass Slipper Company.

SPRING AYR MARKET – Saturday, April 1st at North Dumfries Community Centre in Ayr from 10am to 4pm. This is mainly an indoor event with some outdoor spaces available. Please check the website for vendor applications and take a look at our gallery for pictures from last year! www.heretotheremarketevents.com

HINDSIGHT IS 2020 – ACOVID MUSICAL– A true story of Covid and its impact on our youth. April 1st , two shows at 2pm and 7pm at St. Paul’s United Church (side entrance) Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for those under 18 years old. Written by Christopher Mallon. Presented by a cast of 12 youth, all of whom were affected by the pandemic in one way or another.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

BINGO, BURGERS & BROADWAYYY! –Saturday, April 1st from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at 2Rivers, downtown Paris. The event will consist of: four+ rounds of bingo, punchy prizes, pop up performances from live singers, drag artists and dancers, a yummy three course dinner which will be a variety of appetizers and a selection of burgers to choose from Tickets available online

PARIS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

MONTHLY MEETING - Wednesday, April 5th, Paris Fairgrounds, 7pm. Guest speaker is Kevin Kavanagh, owner of South Coast Gardens and Consulting His topic is “Rhododendrons and Azaleas”. Time to plan spring planting. This is a great opportunity to connect with other gardeners in your community. We cordially invite guests and future members.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE OF PARIS 8TH

BIRTHDAY PARTY – Join us on Thursday, April 13th at the Paris Fairgrounds from 7pm to 9pm for some line dancing with Melanie Ely. Bring $5 or $10 to play a fundraising game to benefit Women Inspiring Women – Women’s Institute Paris branch. Everyone welcome.

BRANT PEDALERS AND PADDLERS OPEN HOUSE - The Brant Pedalers and Paddlers invite you to join us for our Spring Open House and Membership event on Wednesday May 10, 7pm to 8:30pm at the Brant Sports Complex, 944 Powerline Rd. Come and connect with like minded active older adults who enjoy year round activities hiking, paddling and cycling on local trails, waterways and cycle paths. Annual membership is $30 single/$45 per couple. Hope to see you there!

BCHS President asks County to consider Development Fund for ongoing redevelopment of BGH and Willett

By Casandra Turnbull

The President of the Brant Community Health Care System is asking for the County’s support in creating a redevelopment fund to financially contribute its share towards massive expansion plans for the Brantford General Hospital & Willett Urgent Care Centre over the next 10 years

Dr. David McNeil’s presentation to the Policy Development & Strategic Direction Committee not only asked for the creation of a contingency fund, but also to highlight how imperative community support will be as the local healthcare system undergoes some radical, but necessary, changes.

“This is a community project, and this is for the better of our community, but we can’t do this as a hospital alone,” said McNeil, following his presentation that outlined the redevelopment plans approved by the Ministry of Health last spring. Initial costs for upgrades to the emergency room department, including the expansion of the Branford General Hospital and expanded services at the Willett, were pegged at $1.3 billion.

“Based on recent population projections, updated since we made that submission (to the province) in 2020, we are now a 500-bed facility and $1.3 billion is different today,” said McNeil, who noted the cost is expected to jump significantly. The updated price tag for this healthcare expansion will be announced in June 2023, said McNeil.

Stage 1, which includes extensive planning, will be submitted to the

Rendering of the new Brantford General Hospital, although once completed, the new site will look very different than this rendering, according to BCHS President Dr. David McNeil. Below is a foot plan of what will remain, what will be demolished and what will be rebuilt.

province this year This project is expected to span 10-15 years, said McNeil when questioned by Paris Councillor John Bell. While you won’t be stepping into a brand new facility anytime soon, changes are already underway, he said Part of stage 1 includes the $25 million (initial projection, expected to change) redevelopment of the emergency department in Brantford, along with a new dialysis unit at the Willett in Paris. Tender for the emergency room renovations will go out inApril.

Continued on page 6

McNeil called the Willett an integral part of the overall redevelopment plans and said they have and will continue to invest significantly into the Paris site. Aside from the Urgent Care Centre, the cornerstone of the facility, which is expected to see 28,000 visitors this year, there are also 52 inpatient beds there for a variety of health care needs.

McNeil reiterated that community support will be vital to the success of the long-term project. Part of the stipulation of health funding from the province outlines the need for the community to fundraise 10% of the project. Based on initial figures, that would equate to $130 million from the County of Brant and the City of Brantford combined.

Paris Councillor John Peirce asked, “Do you feel confident knowing that we have community support that the Ministry of Health is going to step up because they’ve got to understand we need a hospital here. Would you say they are confident

they are behind this project?”

McNeil was confident in his response that the support is firmly in place from the province.

“The Brant Community Healthcare System is listed on Infrastructure Ontario’s website as a project that they are keeping an eye on, which provides me with a degree of reassurance…. despite the evident need for a hospital, the fact that it’s on the list is a pretty sure thing the hospital will be done.”

Paris Councillor Steve Howes wanted to know how BCHS plans to demolish one third of the hospital, part of the redevelopment plans, and keep functioning as the hospital is bursting at the seems in its current state.

“We have a complex transitional plan. We will phase construction in such a way that we maintain the operations of the hospital and continue to progress its redevelopment ”

Councillor Robert Chambers presented a motion, supported by

County staff, which stated, that the County will establish a reserve fund for the purpose of funding its local contribution and the motion also stated that County staff will create a report on the reserve fund to be presented to council later this year. The motion was moved by Chambers and seconded by Mayor David Bailey. Everyone voted in favour of the motion and it was carried without further discussion. “I live in the western part of the county and I can recall the community of Woodstock underwent a project like this several years ago,” said Chambers. “I can recall when they started the idea it seemed unattainable and as time went on the community got behind it. Now they have a beautiful hospital. There is hope for our community to do the same and I have no doubt it’s going to be achieved.”

Once completely renovated, the Willett’s main floor will house the Urgent Care Centre, diagnostic imaging, renal home training clinic rooms, dialysis satellite centre and 20 residential beds. The upper level will house the chronic disease management clinics, and 32 residential beds (existing). The lower level will include staff and clinical education rooms, ambulatory care classes, activity area for residents, staging and kitchen for resident meals and program offices/staff support.

Spin bikes a welcome return to Gaudet Fitness Solutions!

Just for the Health of It

With Coach Shelley Gaudet

Why are Spin Classes so popular?

At GFS this past month we excitedly brought Spin Bikes back into the studio. We used to have a large number before Covid which we sold or rented out to our ladies when everything was shut down so they could continue to get their sweat on during a time when people were doing everything but! Since reopening we have all loved being back in the studio but have missed our spin classes! And they are baccccccck!

They have been very welcome back at the gym because number one, Spin classes are super fun. Who does not automatically start dancing when a good song comes on their favourite play list? Who does not want to turn their music up loud and belt out their best song on sunny day with the windows down? Now marry this feeling with a good sweaty workout and you are

guaranteed to leave class on top of the world!

So on top of being SUPER FUN, spin classes are beneficial for the following reasons:

*A great way to burn a ton of calories in a single workout session

*Low impact, great for anyone with joint pain or restrictions

*Adaptable as you control the resistance, making the workout as easy or as hard as needed thus allowing

beginner to advanced athletes to be challenged within the same class

*A full body workout, from adding resistance to your pedaling to doing push ups on the bike you work your whole body head to toe!

*A great way to meet other likeminded people who love to work out!

*A great way to increase your cardiovascular fitness which in turn helps prevent heart diseases

At GFS we still have a number of ladies who are still enjoying working out from the comfort of their home So, in order to not leave them out, in many of our classes (Spintervals, Pedal N Punch, Pump UPPER), we offer cardio exercises for them to complete in absence of the bike. OR, if she has an elliptical at home, you can mimic all of the levels & moves from the spin bike on it!

Come try a class at GFS and find out what the fuss is all about with SPIN If you are already in love with Spin and your Peloton or Echeleon app at home, why not join us ONCE a week to get out of the house and step your spin game up to the next level when amongst new and old friends.

Purchase a toonie trial class pass at gfs.punchpass.com and book in in person or virtual live.

Online auction to raise money for BCHS Foundation

Coach Shell is the proud owner of GFS and is committed to helping you discover your HEALTHY lifestyle. Reach out at any time to learn more about our programs and services by sending an email to gaudetfitnesssolutions@gmail .com

DID YOU KNOW?

Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) has partnered with Rocket Doctor to trial a new service giving patients an alternative option to the Emergency Department (ED) for nonemergencies while still providing access to appropriate health services. If you need non-emergency medical care, alternative health care options to the ED are available, such as using Rocket Doctor’s virtual same-day appointment services. BCHS’s Emergency department (ED) experiences overwhelming patient volumes during the winter months due to cold and flu season.

To access the BCHS’s page on Rocket Doctor, visit: https://rocketdoctor.ca/brantcommunity-healthcare-system/ **Please note that Rocket Doctor is NOT an alternative to the Emergency Department**

Are you ready for the #brantfordonlineauction? Soon you will have the opportunity to bid on some amazing items while helping your community! This auction, hosted by the Rotary Club of Brantford Sunrise, raises funds for a variety of charities including the Brant Community Healthcare System Foundation. In fact, over the last two years, they have donated $40,000 to the foundation, which helps fund vital equipment within the Brantford General Hospital and the Willett. The online auction runs from April 19th at 8am to April 29th at 8pm. The Rotary Club of Brantford Sunrise is also asking for corporate sponsors. If you’re interested, reach out online now!

Local authors dive into the world of the paranormal

By Carolina Saenz

Paris is buzzing with talent, and this spring will begin with the book tour of local authors Johnathan B.E. Anderson and Yvonne K Anderson Debuting their paranormal thriller series, these locally written books cannot be missed! The five-book series has been published, and authors Johnathan and Yvonne are in the process of promoting the first two books of the series.

“In the Dark: Before the Storm,” Jonah James has led an extremely interesting life. Follow his story, as he tells it and reveals stuff that changed his and his friends' lives forever. A summer movie turns into a roller coaster ride of a lifetime and childhood myths come to a twisted reality. Will the group be able to stick together to survive what is ahead?

“Death Toll: Thrill to Kill” Death is in the spoken word. Alice, a girl from Hamilton, Ontario finds out she has a special power, it's the power to kill someone without touching them. All she has to so is utter the words Nanananana and visualize who she wants to kill and how and it happens. Follow Alice as she discovers these new powers and even something more sinister. Can she be stopped?

These two books go together as both main characters meet throughout the series. A creative mind from a young age, Johnathan decided to write a book after being scared of what was in the dark Years later, one book grew into a series. For Yvonne, inspiration came from the many books she has read. She started writing at 16 years old, and through her creativity decided to write a book and watched it turn into a series

As a couple, they have now written ten books and are currently working on other projects. With a possibility of a sixth book joining the series, Johnathan is currently working on a spin-off series as well. As for

Yvonne, she is taking a break from the paranormal thrillers to focus on her fantasy book series.

The book series is now available on Amazon. The authors suggest readers purchase their books through Amazon in advance, as only limited quantities will be available throughout the book tour.

In the Dark: Before the Storm is available on Amazon here.

DeathToll: Thrill to Kill is available onAmazon here. The book tour will debut with a launch party on April 29th from 1pm to 4pm at St. James Church (8 Burwell St, Paris, ON). A book signing will follow on May 27th from 1pm to 3pm at Cheesecake on the Go (19 Broadway St W, Paris, ON). Another signing will be held on July 7th from 5:30pm to 9:30 pm at the Grace Gallery (29 Nelson St, Brantford, ON). And a final signing will be held at the St. James Church Fall Festival (dateTBA)

Any questions can be directed to Johnathan Anderson at john_b.e_anderson@hotmail.ca

Paris authors Johnathan and Yvonne Anderson are launching the first two books of a five-part series. They have book signings lined up in Paris next month.

Workplace Planning Board Survey shows remote workers concerned about burn out

MEDIA RELEASE BRANTFORD – Remote workers who think of quitting their jobs are more likely to cite burnout as the No. 1 reason compared to non-remote workers, a recent survey suggests. With the support from Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie surveyed about 260 employed workers, of whom 100, or 39%, said they worked remotely, either full time or part time.

Overall, remote workers were less likely to think of quitting their jobs than non-remote staff. But when asked for the reasons for thinking of quitting, one in five listed burnout/workload as the top reason, followed by pay and then a toxic work environment

By contrast, those who didn’t work remotely cited low pay as the No. 1 reason they thought of quitting, followed by poor management and then burnout/workload.

“The findings were somewhat surprising, since remote workers generally like the arrangement and enjoy the flexibility that working from home can provide,” said Danette Dalton, the board’s executive director. “The survey points to the complex, even mixed, experiences and attitudes of people working remotely.”

Remote employees are more likely than non-remote workers to receive certain benefits, such as being able to take a few hours off work to deal with personal matters, greater independence, and access to professional development.

Dalton added that a 2021 survey the organization conducted showed a majority of 54% of remote workers reported increased satisfaction with their work-life balance

“One of the main takeaways from the most recent survey is that remote workers need supports to prevent or reduce burnout. Working from home isn’t as easy or stress free as some people think.”

The survey also suggests there’s a need for additional management and leadership training, since the arrangement is new to many managers, she said.

The Workforce Planning Board has set up a webpage showcasing the results from the remote work survey, including a video and infographic: www.workforceplanningboard.org/remote-workstudy/

The organization is part of a network of workforce agencies who have launched an Ontario-wide, work from home job board, listing 2,200 positions: wwwworkforceplanningboard org/work-fromhome-jobs/

The Workforce Planning Board is one of 26 nonprofit organizations in Ontario that play a leadership role in labour force planning. This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Syl Apps Returns Home for Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in 1950

In 1949 a major fundraising campaign had begun to raise $40,000 to upgrade the Paris Arena with new seating, a press box and artificial ice making equipment. In 1950 the newspaper reported the official re-opening as follows: With 1,700 persons in attendance the newly renovated Paris Arena was officially opened Tuesday night during a colorful ceremony Presiding was Syl Apps a 36-year-old Parisian who won stardom in the National Hockey League as a member of Toronto Maple Leafs. Apps who retired from the big league puck wars after leading the Leafs to the Stanley Cup in 1948, declared the arena open when he cut the red ribbon held at the ice by two Paris girls He was introduced by Ralph Nichol, master of ceremonies. “It seems like only a few years since I was sitting in the rafters of this rink, like so many youngsters here tonight, watching such fellows as Bill Schneuker, Lloyd Kempthorne and Chuck McHutchion, members of the 1929-30 championship Paris intermediate team” Apps said before his ribbon-cutting chore. The former NHL star paid tribute to Jack Knill and Pete Lavoie and others who, he said, “gave boys

in my day a chance to play hockey.” The opening ceremony was followed by a hockey game between Windsor Spitfires of the O.H.A. Junior “A” loop and Brantford Burtols, Ontario senior “B” champions. Mr. Nichol said For years we said, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have artificial ice?” but nothing was ever done.” He gave Mrs. Bob Edwards credit for setting the ball rolling. Mrs. Edwards, who was among the honored guests, received a bouquet of roses from 10-year-old Miss Babara Black, petite Paris figure skater Michael Phenner, Toronto, appeared on the ice between periods of the hockey game, with Miss Barbara Thrower,

A 13-year-old Woodstock figure skater. The daughter of Chuck Thrower, a former Paris intermediate hockey star Mayor Arthur Griffiths said the newly renovated arena had been greatly improved and it was something of which all Paris citizens could well be proud. “The town council takes no credit for the present rink,” he stated “All credit must go to the arena commission and those who gave donations and did the collecting ” Music was supplied by the Band of the 56th L.A.A. Regiment and the Paris Citizens’ Band Both played from the new gallery of the arena. This arena is “the Syl Apps Community Centre”

Can't See Ice for Skaters When Paris Arena Re-Opens in 1950

After many delays and set-backs the new artificial ice was finally ready for use and the newspaper reported the following: The opening of the Paris arena on Saturday reached its climax in the evening when it was difficult to even see the ice as 350 enthusiasts blashed over the new ice surface Long before the evening was over the skaters had worn off the surface protection above the paint and were skating on and through the paint in spots. Although the officials knew what was happening, they did not feel that they should curtail the skating which had been so long deferred The rink committee chairman Albert Edgington said that the members were well pleased with the success of the opening day which had exceeded their expectations in attendance. From nine in the morning until 10:15 pm in the evening the day was crowded with activity and excitement. Beginning with three hours of skating for the public school hockey players, the day advanced through two hours skating for the Skating Club, two hockey matches, the Midgets and the Juveniles, and two public skating periods. During all the events many spectators visited the rink to view the new ice and the seating arrangements and stayed to watch the happy skaters. The Skating Club has a record class this year of 85 members starting with staggering young things about seven years of age and advancing to the accomplished young ladies who can do twirls and spins. The gay costumes of the girls made a pretty picture for the spectators to watch In the evening during the last public skating period about 500 residents of Paris came to the rink just to watch the fun. It was an exciting day and only complimentary remarks could be heard on the vastly improved appearance of the arena.

Community Events

EASTER EGG

HUNT – At Lion’s Park (beside the ball diamonds) hosted by CC Alexander Real Estate Sales on April 7 from 11am to 2pm

COLOURING CONTEST AT WINCEY MILLS –Running now until Easter

There will be photos with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, April 8th from 10am to 2pm

EASTER AT ADDIES EVENT –Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead, Egg hunt and activities April 7th from 10am to 3pm

BUNNIES BREAKFAST – at Walter’s Greenhouses, tickets on sale now, starting at $12 each. Come out and plant a bunny’s breakfast!

EASTER IN PARIS SOJOURN

CEDARVIEW

ST. PAUL’S UNITED CHURCH

Friday, April 7th, Good Friday Worship service at 10:30 am, everyone is invited to attend. Sunday Worship takes place 11 am. Intergenerational, family friendly, children’s programs, ALL are welcome!

PARIS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

CHURCH

Good Friday service takes place at 10:30am in a joint service with Sojourn Church (at Paris Presbyterian Church #ForParisCentre). Everyone welcome.

We want to invite you and your family to celebrate Easter with us! Bring the whole family for this free event Sat. April 8th . Easter Egg Hunt, Bouncy Castles, Face Painting, and more! We host this event every year because we believe Easter is the most important day in history, the resurrection of Jesus changes everything! Doors open at 9am, Bouncy Castles, Face Painting, and Toolbox Build. Story time at 10:30am - Kids songs, story, and snacks (and coffee for the adults) Followed by an Easter Egg Hunt.

ST. JAMES CHURCH

75 Craft Beers for your March Madness Broken Bracket!

Mounties Report Travelling Pint with Tiffany Martin

How rude of me to assume your bracket is broken already, right? Well, odds are it is and according to the NCAA, people have a 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 chance to fill out a perfect bracket for March Madness What has way better odds? You enjoying some tasty refreshments while watching the annual NCAA Mens and Women’s tournament unfold.

The month-long tournament is a bright guiding star leading us through the last weeks of winter that we can’t help but have consume our thoughts for the next month. From crushable session IPAs to smooth pilsners to at least one highABV IPA or stout, our Ontario craft breweries have everything you need to get through the emotional overload of March.

Which brings us to the question I ponder every spring: What’s the best brew to pair with watching the

tournament dwindle from 68 teams to one champion?

Flux Brewing - Life Is A Mosaic

DH Session Ale 4.5%

My favourite single hop session ale has returned to Flux! Brewed exclusively with Mosaic hops, a fantastic hop to showcase on its own as it encompasses both bittering, flavour and aroma. This session ale can be enjoyed on those long tournament days at just 4.5%! It gives off a bouquet of tropical notes, peach, berries with slight pine & earthy undertones. It's a fav in 355ml cans and while you're picking some up don't miss out on their new West Coast IPA - Kiss That Frog!

Farm League - Hauler Lager 4.8%

Each year Farm League Brewing in Cambridge offers both Mens & Women’s NCAA brackets to fill out online and enter at the brewery for prizes. I consider Farm League my NCAA Brewery Headquarters each March, yes, they have TV's. You can Holler for a Hauler at the LCBO, beer store, grocery, and their inviting taproom It's another crisp, crushable brew that comes in at 4.8%. Light in colour, clear in body and slightly sweet on the nose it is a crushable beer no matter who you are cheering for at this point.

Wishbone Brewing Company - Small

Wonder Junior IPA 4.5%

It may be light on ABV, 4 5%, but it's bursting with flavour! Wishbone Brewing is based in Waterford, ON and its newest release delivers luscious juicy tropical flavours of papaya, melon, and guava with a hint of citrus zest. The addition of oats adds to the haze and gives a smooth and silky mouthfeel to this medium body brew. Brighten up your bracket blues with this gem. Continued on page 15

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Wellington Brewery - Hop Water 0%

More and more people are choosing to either moderate their alcohol intake or curb it all together Hop Water is a way that craft breweries are becoming a player in this space, and it's a delicious alternative. Think of it as soda water that showcases the aroma and flavour of hops, it's allowing us to explore Hops in a new way and us ‘hop heads’ can get our fix any time of the day without having to pop open a can of beer. At 0% ABV it is alcohol free and very refreshing. Wellington was one of the first breweries to produce it around here and my fav so far is the Cascade, made with Ontario Hops! It is crisp with lively carbonation and a bright citrus and grapefruit hop character to it Looking for something more adventurous? Try their Peppermint

Pattie Milk Stout filled with rich cocoa flavours and cool peppermint!

Shillow Beer Co - Barley wine 9.5%

Hitting the other end of the spectrum and bringing you a 9.5% Barley Wine to sip away your sorrows or stretch through the championship game is Shillow Beer Co Shillow is now based out of Ottawa committed to crafting interesting and delicious brews and they are certified Kosher! They offer Ontario-wide delivery and amongst their colourful line up of cans and brews their 2022 Barley Wine is reflective and lush with aromas of red liquorice, dark fruit balanced on a slightly bitter frame alongside a caramel and molasses finish. I always suggest purchasing a couple of cans as these types of beers age very well so perhaps over the next few years of breaking brackets you can make it a tradition to crack this beauty and remember brackets past

My tradition of picking brackets and watching the tournament goes back to my childhood with both my mom and dad. We enjoyed picking teams and heckling each other through the tournament. Mom ALWAYS picked North Carolina, I always picked Michigan and Dad always picked different. Though there is no real right way to pick our strategy of enjoying the game together always won for us. This year my picks are Michigan State for the men’s tournament, there is even more history to this as a long time Magic Johnson fan and for the women’s tournament I choose Baylor.

I wish you all a fun rest of March full of more sun, less snow and a ton of great basketball

Tiffany is an Ontario-based beer & travel blogger sharing her adventures served alongside all kinds of craft beer. Her love of craft beer is what inspires her travels and her love of storytelling is the backbone of her blog. Tiffany also puts on local pairing events & women only beer events so follow along with her adventures on social or at www.TheTravellingPint.com because the ROI on curiosity is priceless!

Perseverance is driving force behind successful season for PDHS boy’s hockey team

By Casandra Turnbull

It was a Cinderella story of sorts, as the Paris High School boy’s hockey team made it to OFSAA for the first time ever, and as the small school with the big heart, they quickly became the fan-favourite team, competing against some of Ontario’s top ranked teams.

The Panthers travelled to St. Catharines this week to compete in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations ‘AA’ playoffs They qualified for the allOntario tournament after they won the Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk and the Central Western Ontario Secondary School trophies. Their first loss of the season took place during OFSAA preliminary play against the number one ranked school in Ontario, St. Mary’s. The final score was 6-4.

One of PDHS’ coaches, Joshua Gowing, described that game as a back-and-forth battle that saw four lead changes. The aggressive play resulted in some injuries on Paris’bench

Paris had two wins and one loss in preliminary play. The Panthers then advanced to the quarter finals where they beat the number two ranked St Francis Catholic School, 5-3

“The quarter final was a hard-fought game. We went up 3-0 before St Francis tied it 3-3 With 1:15 seconds, we scored the winner and then capped it off with an empty net goal,” said Gowing.

Winning the quarter finals ensured the team would play for a medal, whether it was gold or bronze, depended on the outcome of Thursday morning’s game against Stratford’s St. Michael’s School. It was an evenly matched battle with no one scoring in regulation time Unfortunately, Stratford won 1-0 in overtime. That loss sent Paris to the bronze medal game against Regiopolis-Notre Dame CSS from Kingston. Paris, down some key players, lost the game 3-1.

“Although they did not win, they proved to everyone watching they could hang with the bigger centres. Through the OFSAA tournament they became fan favourites,” said Gowing. “They made everyone watching at the arena, and back at home, extremely proud,” he added

The Panthers celebrate following a 5-3 win against St. Francis Catholic School during the quarter final game at OFSAA this week. It was Paris’ first trip (for the boys team) to OFSAA, where they finished 4th in Ontario.

Photo provided by Joshua Gowing

Paris figure skater representing club at Provincials

By Casandra Turnbull

A lot of hard work and dedication has paid off for 14-year-old Erin Plaquet who is representing the Paris Figure Skating Club at the 2023 Skate Ontario Provincial Championships in Stratford this weekend

She’s competing in the Star Skate 5 Artistic Level after qualifying for the competition following a very successful points season. She scored 22.2 points at the LaSalle Invitational Competition in January to qualify her in fifth place in the province. She is among the top 30 skaters in Ontario competing this weekend for the ultimate title.

“Erin has worked very hard and put time into her training to advance her skill set,” said her coach Penny Colwell, a 40-year coaching veteran in the sport. “She is very determined and has a great love of the sport. She communicates well in her lessons and gives feedback, which has been instrumental in her improvement this season.”

Her strongest skills, said Colwell, is her power, her speed, and her beauty on the ice, backed of course, by a good set of technical skills Leading up to the provincials, Colwell said they’ve worked hard on improving those technical skills within her free skate program to boost her scores from the judges.

“I have never attended provincials before and I am really excited for this opportunity,” said Plaquet. Cont’d on P.18

Paris Figure Skating Club member Erin Plaquet with her coach Penny Colwell. Erin is competing at the 2023 Skate Ontario Provincial Championships in Stratford this weekend.

Photos provided by the Plaquet Family

Her goal this weekend is to have fun and achieve a personal best when on the ice

Asked what her favourite aspect of free skate is she replied, “It is really hard just picking one. I love the challenge of the jumps but if I were to pick a favourite it would be the artistic aspect of the routine. When I skate, I love to bring the audience in and feel the music with me ”

Plaquet started skating at the age of 3, learning the basics on a backyard ice rink built by her dad. Skating in the backyard as the snow fell, illuminated by spotlights, is a memory she says she will carry with her for her entire life. Plaquet, who is a Grade 8 student at St. Jude’s Catholic School in Ingersoll, plans to continue skating until she achieves all her gold levels in free skate, dance and skills. Right now, her short-term goal is to execute her double jumps, this after

successfully landing her axel under Colwell’s mentorship

“Penny is very supportive and she always wants the best for me. She provides constructive criticism which helps me reach my full skating potential,” said Plaquet. She also recognized the ongoing support she receives from her family and her skating community at the Paris Figure Skating Club.

“Some of my best friends I have met were through skating over the years.”

As for Colwell, the feeling is mutual “Erin is a joy to teach and we have developed a great relationship with mutual respect. I look forward to continuing on Erin’s journey and helping her achieve her goals.”

RINGETTE TEAMS AT PROVINCIALS

The Paris Ringette Association’s U19A team (TOP LEFT) brought home the silver medal in tier 2 of the 2023 A Provincial Championships recently. They lost 2-1 in a hard fought Gold medal game to GRCA. In other Ringette news, the U16A team (TOP RIGHT) missed out by one goal of advancing to the Provincial semi final game. Excellent job from both teams who reportedly played with lots of heart and determination.

Dundas Real McCoys hosting 2023 Allan Cup Challenge

MEDIA RELEASE

- The Ontario Hockey Association is pleased to announce that one of its members, namely the Dundas Real McCoys, will host “The Challenge for the Allan Cup” in Dundas, Ontario April 17-22, 2023. It will be the third time the Real McCoys have hosted this Canadian iconic championship The Real McCoy’s are former Allan Cup Champions as well as reigning Robertson Cup Champions. The event will consist of 4 Teams including the Real McCoys and the Innisfail Eagles from Alberta There will also be a second team from the OHA’s Allan Cup Hockey league and a 4th team to be announced. All games will be played at the newly renovated J L Grightmire Arena in Dundas. The Allan Cup is Canada’s oldest national hockey championship and is awarded annually to the Senior AAA ice hockey champions in Canada

Tickets will be available to purchase here on April 1st .

“The OHA is absolutely thrilled to be hosting the 2023 Allan Cup Challenge within its membership We are proud to be bringing this event back to Ontario, especially after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic,” said OHA Board of Directors Chair Marc Mercier “It only seems appropriate that the oldest hockey association in Canada is hosting the oldest hockey championship in the country in the great hockey community of Dundas.”

The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was founded on November 27, 1890 and is the governing body for a vast majority of Junior and Senior hockey in the Province of Ontario under the auspices of the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), one of thirteen Provincial and Regional Branches of Hockey

Canada The OHA is comprised of three Junior hockey leagues and one Senior hockey league, Junior A; Junior B; Junior C and Sr.

AAA (ACH). In 2017-18, these four leagues encompassed 110 teams at the Junior and Senior levels.

The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the senior ice hockey champions of Canada It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the Lacombe Generals, who captured the 2019 Allan Cup in Lacombe, Alberta The 2023 event will be the 112th time the Allan Cup has been awarded.

To view the complete tournament schedule follow it online here.

SCOREBOARD MARCH 19

*U15 Rep sponsored by Comfort Plus Climate Care loses 3-0 to Six Nations Blackhawks

*U11 Rep sponsored by Pelton Transportation loses 6-1 to Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U11 Rep sponsored by Pelton Transportation loses 4-0 to Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U15 Rep sponsored by Comfort Plus Climate Care ties 1-1 with Six Nations Blackhawks

*U13 Team 1 sponsored by Arora Dental loses 3-2 to Port Dover Pirates

– MARCH 23

*U9 Team 1 sponsored by Cobblestone Medicine loses 172 against Simcoe Warriors (2)

*U15 Team 1 sponsored by Adkins Financial loses 4-0 to Simcoe Warriors (1)

IT’S PLAYOFF TIME!

Paris Curling Club crowns Club Champions

Last weekend the Paris Curling Club held its annual Club Championship playdown tournament Members were invited to put together teams to compete to see who will represent the Paris Curling Club at the OCA Zone playdowns in the fall, where they will curl against other local Club Champions from this area. Of course, the championship title also comes with a little bit of bragging rights around the club for the next year (perhaps a more meaningful prize to some!). The two-day event was filled with great food, sportsmanship, and even better competition, culminating in some fun games to play in and to watch A thank-you goes out Jeff Crowley and Heather Fair for organizing the weekend, making sure everything ran smoothly and all competitors were well fed and taken care of Congratulations to the winning team of Rick Stewart (skip), Dan Nadon (vice), Dave Kerr (2nd), and Dave Arsenault (lead).

Paris curlers represent club at Grand Masters Ontario Curling Championships

The Paris Curling Club sent a team to the Grand Masters Ontario Curling Championships in Thornhill last weekend. This provincial event is for men that are 70+ years of age, but still young and competitive at heart! To qualify for this event, Team Tamowski had to win their qualifying event in their zone, which they did in December. Team Tamowski won their first game, 6-5, but lost their second game 9-5. They played in the ‘B’ event and unfortunately lost 9-6 to end their run The team consists of (pictured left to right), Harry Emmott, Kurt Tamowski, Tim Berkeley and Dave Mclean.

Paris Curling Club photo

Paris Curling Club photo

The practice of Yoga extends beyond the mat

The eight limbs of yoga outline key principles to living an ethical and purposeful life

Patanjali’s writings serve as our foundational text. While it has been translated into many languages, many of the original Sanskrit terms are still used in the translations and mentioned in classes.

Most of us associate the word “Yoga” with bendy poses and deep meditation. While both are a part of yoga, there is so much more to this 5,000+ year old philosophy. The bendy poses (known as asana in Sanskrit) are just a tiny part of yoga and were practiced so that yogis could strengthen their bodies and spend more time sitting in meditation. When factoring all that yoga is really all about, it is safe to say that the true practice of yoga involves much more than what happens at on the mat Instead, it is more about taking what you experience on the mat and bringing into your daily life.

Yoga was traditionally taught one-on-one whereby the teacher passed on the teachings to their student It wasn’t until a scholar from India named Patanjali transcribed the teachings, into what is known as the Yoga Sutras, that written reference existed. To this day,

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras outline the eight limbs of yoga which are often referred to as Ashtanga Yoga (ashta means eight and anga means limb) These eight limbs, or eightfold path, outline key principles to living an ethical and purposeful life and are outlined below.

deed), tell the truth (or opt for silence if your words may harm others), don’t steal (even in nonmaterial ways, such as withholding information or time), use your energy wisely (avoiding excess or overindulgence) and remind yourself that you are enough and have everything you need.

2. Niyamas

The Yamas are the first limb in the eightfold path and they serve as ethical guides to help us interact with others They are more ‘external’ in nature When I think of the yamas, I can’t help but think of Robert Fulghum’s book, “All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” Fulghum outlines basic morals in an easy-to-understand way that doesn’t require knowledge of the Sanskrit language. The five yamas are: Ahimsa (Nonviolence), Satya (Truthfulness), Asteya (Nonstealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity and Fidelity) and Aparigraha (Noncoveting)

Simply put, these five yamas encourage you to practice nonviolence (in thought, word and

The second limb, Niyamas has to do with self-discipline and spiritual practices and take you further inward than the Yamas. As with the first limb, there are five Niyamas. They are: Saucha (Cleanliness), Santosha (Contentment), Tapas (Willpower and Self-discipline), Svadhyaya (Study of Self and Sacred Texts) and Ishvara Pranidhana (Finding Faith).

Simply put, these five practices encourage you to leave a place cleaner than you found it, be happy, practice self-discipline, learn from your mistakes and find a belief or faith that fits for you.

3.Asana

Asana refers to the bendy poses we do in yoga. This is the limb most commonly practiced in the Western world Practice of the poses helps to strengthen both your body and your mind.

Yoga Moment with Heidi Pfleger

1. Yamas

Continued practice of the asanas also helps to develop the habit of discipline and improves your ability to concentrate - two key requirements for meditation.

4. Pranayama

In Sanskrit, prana refers to our vital life force The practice of pranayama goes beyond taking in oxygen and controlling the breath In this limb you begin to become aware that you are taking in lifegiving energy with each and every inhalation and returning life-giving energy with each and every outbreath. This experience helps give you the awareness of the powerful connection between the breath, your mind, your emotions and the energy around you. Pranayama builds on the third limb of asana and helps to further improve concentration and clarity as well as boost your overall physical and mental health.

This is the limb that helps you go further inward Given the overload of external stimuli that we have on a daily basis, this practice helps to remove distractions from outside sources and enables you to become more aware of what’s happening inside your body, mind and spirit.

6. Dharana

Dharana is the practice of intense concentration, usually focusing on one object, such as the flame of a candle or on one thought, such as a mantra. Continued practice trains your mind to focus on just one thing (versus the 101 things we have going on in our head at any given time!) and prepares you for deeper states of meditation Needless to say, Dharana, has a very calming effect on your body, mind and spirit

7. Dhyana

The seventh limb, Dhyana, is all about meditation and contemplation. It is the state of being keenly aware but without any focus. At this stage of practice, your mind becomes still and free of thoughts, judgments and attachments As a result, a stronger sense of internal peacefulness is experienced. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

8. Samadhi

you react to what happens determines your level of bliss Your practice of all eight limbs of yoga will help to keep a good internal vibe regardless of what is going on in and around your life

Samadhi is really all about seeing life and reality for what it is, without letting your thoughts, emotions, likes and/or dislikes influencing it That’s not easy to do, even with a strong practice in place. Patanjali emphasized in his writings that unless one is completely ready to view life with a pure mind free from attachment, aversion, desires and habits they will not be able to maintain the state of Samadhi for long. More practice leads to more progress Over time, you will find that you can stay in those more enlightened and blissful places for longer periods of time.

The fifth limb, Pratyahara, is the practice of drawing your senses inward to promote internal awareness.

If you thought Dhyana sounded good, it gets even better with Samadhi. Patanjali described this eighth and final limb as a state of ecstasy. While it sounds a bit like a magic carpet ride, it doesn’t mean that you become permanently ‘blissed out.’ Life happens. How

Heidi Pfleger has been a Yoga Teacher and Wellness Coach for more than 30 years and a student of yoga since the age of five. Born and raised on a farm in the Paris area, Heidi ventured further afield to study Yoga around the world in her twenties and has since been sharing her experiences and continuing in her studies both on and off the mat. Heidi offers regular yoga classes and individual sessions as well as wellness coaching sessions and retreats throughout the year. For more information on her programs, contact Heidi at 519 755 1447 or visit her soon to be launched website yogabyheidi.ca.

5. Pratyahara

Paris woman returns to Malta to explore the history and beauty of the small country

By Karon Sinning

Last summer, Paris resident Karon Sinning explored the beauty of Malta. It is one of the world's smallest nations and occupies an area of only 316 sq. km. It sits in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the toe of Italy By plane it’s about an hour and a half flight time from Rome The country is a cluster of small islands With so much to see and do, Karon is back again – sharing her travel experience with you. Sit back and enjoy Malta, from her point of view.

Returning to Malta in the winter (February/March) won’t appeal to everyone. But having witnessed from this side of the pond the repeated winter storms in Paris, I’m quite happy with my decision.

The temperature here now is very far from the blistering heat of last summer and incredibly more humid. The thermometer hovers between 8C overnight and 18C daytime, recently reaching 20C. Which is a preview of spring temperatures to come.

The first part of this trip included two long-time friends, Freda and Bev. It was a pleasure to revisit some of the historical sites around the island nation and explore new ones with my friends There is never a lack of places to go here in Malta We revisited the Hypogeum, the ancient underground burial chambers dating back to 3600 BC, the Blue Grotto with its orange coral, turquoise waters and jellyfish and of course Mdina and Valletta.

Early morning of February 4 had me up alone as I’m a very early riser. Sitting on the couch catching up on events through Facebook, I felt the couch move. I looked up and the tv was jiggling and just as quickly it all stopped. Also, just as quickly, texts started arriving from my Maltese friend Sandra about the earthquake. Later she sent the Times of Malta article with the headline, Tremor felt across Malta following offshore magnitude 4.9 quake.

Paris woman, and Travel Columnist Karon Sinning (middle) along with her friends Bev & Freda at Blue Grotto. Karon travelled to Malta last summer, visit our online archive (July) to view her past columns!

This was just two days before the devastating quake that hit Turkey and Syria. Along with some of my favourite sites in Malta, we planned some new excursions One of those was a visit to St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. This was closed during my last visit and was something very high on my “to do” list.

The Knights of St. John constructed this amazing church.

TRAVEL & LEISURE

While certainly smaller than the Vatican in Rome, this cathedral is every bit as opulent, and jaw dropping in its beauty and works of art. Throughout the centuries, every grand master of the Knight of St. John and many individual knights donated gifts of high artistic value and made enormous contributions to enrich the church, with the best works of art by leading artists of the time The church was built by the Order’s military engineer and architect Gironimo Cassar. Its austere design reflects the sombre mood of the Order after the Great Siege of 1565.

The façade is buttressed by two large bell towers topped with octagonal spires The church is rectangular in shape with a wide nave, roofed over with a barrel vault. The oratory and the sacristy were built in 1604.

Visitors are given a headset and tour independently, going to the posted number for each section of the cathedral. This allowed for enjoying the tour at your own pace. However, there is such a considerable amount of art, history and general

beauty to take in; I had to revisit this breathtaking place later in my trip just to get a fuller appreciation for this wonderfully preserved church.

One of the highlights in the oratory is a painting by Caravaggio, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is widely considered one of his most important works. Completed in 1608, the painting had been commissioned by the Knights of Malta as an altarpiece. Measuring 370 by 520 centimetres (150 in × 200 in) was the largest altarpiece Caravaggio painted.

I found the history around Caravaggio very entertaining. From all accounts, he was a volatile character Brawling and mayhem seemed attached to him wherever he went Charged in the death of a man in Italy he fled to Malta, hoping to receive a papal pardon with the patronage of a Knight. This was not to happen and he again got into trouble. He was imprisoned in Valletta and later aided in an escape to Sicily.

Speaking of Sicily, the little side trip we planned was drastically interrupted by storm Helios. The storm started in earnest February 9th, with newspapers predicting “the worst was yet to come”. Our flight was at 10 pm that night. We had planned a few days in Catania, Sicily during the second week in February.

We monitored the Air Malta website and as it still said the flight was a go, we headed to the airport Finally, after repeated delays, at 1:30 am, we were told the Catania airport had closed But there was still the possibility of landing in Palermo, where we’d be bussed back to Catania. This would be a 2+ hour drive, still in the storm what could possibly go wrong? We opted for the refund and headed home. But as with most airlines post pandemic, the refund is likely to take months.

Continued on page 25

Pictured left, The beauty of the Blue Lagoon in in Gozo.

Following the storm, the weather cleared and we again started our exploration of Malta. The capital of Malta, Valletta is always a great place to wander. Everywhere you look there is history surrounding you, along with many cafes and shops. Walking around, Freda discovered a tour, that I hadn’t been able to visit my first trip…Underground Valletta. As with most Heritage Malta sites, tickets must be pre booked and as time was limited for Freda, she chose to go on her own when there was one ticket only available Bev and I went later after Freda had gone.

Beneath Valletta runs a catacomb of tunnels. First dug by the Knights of St. John as secret escape routes from the cathedral and then later enlarged as shelters during World War 2. These tunnels, carved out of the soft sandstone, were able to house up to 30,000 people.

But the conditions were far from ideal. There was no electricity, no toilets, and very cramped conditions. If residents could afford it, they could buy a small (approximately 10 x 12 foot) room for their family If not, they had to stay in common areas with no privacy at all Conditions were always damp, with

water dripping from the rock continuously. Disease was rampant.

During World War 2, Malta was the most bombed country in Europe. Malta holds the record for the heaviest, sustained bombing attack: during some 154 days and nights, they endured 6,700 tons of bombs. Along with the bombs, any supply ship attempting to bring much needed food was destroyed, in an attempt to starve the Maltese people into surrender. Malta lies between Africa and Italy and was a much-desired location during the war

On 15 April 1942 King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta in appreciation of their heroism.

While we didn’t make it to Sicily, we did take a short trip to Gozo another of the three Maltese islands. Having been before, I chose to revisit the lovely boutique hotel, Casa Gemelli. And as in my other visits, the accommodations were outstanding. The twin sisters, Anna and Sonia, running this hotel have spared no expense in restoring and renovating this lovely building It was nice to see Bev and Freda agree that this was an excellent place to stay.

Continued on page

To the left is Valletta from Karon’s tour of the Three Cities, and above is Jupiter, the moon and Venus over the Valletta skyline

On Gozo, we opted to do some exploring on our own and started with a tour of the Citadel. The Cittadella contains churches and other historic buildings, including the Cathedral of the Assumption, which was built between 1697 and 1711. The citadel has been included on Malta's tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1998

On Gozo, we also headed to the Blue Lagoon. Once the site of the Azure Window, a beautiful rock formation over the sea. In March 2017, the entire formation collapsed into the Mediterranean following a storm. The boat tour is still lovely and the guide points out where the Window stood before collapse. Back in Malta and unable to get a tour while Freda was still here; Bev and I were lucky enough to have a

friend of Sandra’s, who was a tour guide prior to covid, take us on a private walking tour of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua, known as the Three Cities of Malta. These fortified cities sit like a trio of villages in the heart of Malta's historic centre, directly across the Grand Harbour from Valletta This area was once home to most of the knights The tour was wonderfully presented and the guide very knowledgeable. As an added bonus that was the evening Jupiter, the moon and Venus were visible over Valletta.

*Read next week’s Paris Independent issue as Karon takes us to Sicily!*

Fraud investigators & seniors’ advocacy groups join forces to combat Grandparent Scams

(MEDIA RELEASE) - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario and the Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario are urging Ontarians to talk to their loved ones following a recent spike in the number of "Grandparent Scam" incidents across West Region this year and last. In 2022, the OPP responded to 348 incidents involving emergency scams across Ontario, with many of those complaints originating in West Region detachments such as Lambton, Essex and Oxford counties. That represents a 222% increase compared to 2021, in which police investigated 108 emergency scam occurrences. According to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre, thieves used the emergency scam to defraud Ontarians of over $5.4 million in 2022. The typical emergency scam works like this: the victim will receive a frantic phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild or loved one. The caller will say that the person's loved one was involved in an emergency, such as a collision, an arrest, legal peril or illness or injury. The scammer demands the senior provide immediate payment for supposed bail, legal fees, fines or other amounts "owed" to prevent the family member from going to jail or to get them

released from custody. Fraudsters then isolate victims by telling them there is a court-imposed gag order which forbids them from discussing the matter. Scammers tell victims to withdraw cash from their financial institution and hand it over to a courier sent to the victim's home or have the victim send the money via courier services.

To avoid becoming a victim, police advise you to first check with another family member or trusted friend to verify the information BEFORE sending money or providing credit card information by phone or e-mail. It is vitally important that the incident be reported every time it occurs, to allow police to investigate and prevent others from becoming victims. If you have any information that can help investigators, please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at wwwhelpsolvecrime com, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2000.

Aries: March 21 - April 19 (Fire) –

Your energy is high this week You will exude confidence in your love life If you are single go out and make yourself seen If you're in a relationship you will have the courage to take things to the next level. Make sure to share this confidence at work too.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20 (Earth) –

You will be doing a lot of talking this week. Communication will come very easy for you. Go to work and show off this ability to further your career options. Sit down and spend some time with loved ones having deep meaningful conversation This type of communication is long overdue for you

Gemini: May 21 - June 20 (Air) –

You must reevaluate your priorities You are being guided and the signs are everywhere You will see them clearly at the beginning of the week Mid week you will start to pursue all your options in your love and career By the end of the week, you will feel like you have finally accomplished some long-term goals.

Cancer: June 21 – July 22 22 (Water)

– This will be a selfish week for you You need to balance your wants and needs Be realistic in your choices You want so much more in your life, but you are forgetting your choices affect all those around you. By the weekend you will find your focus finally.

Leo: July 23 - August 22 (Fire) –

You are in high demand. You will have offers coming to you from everywhere this week You will have a love that's worth waiting for and a career that has endless possibilities This is a great shift in energy, so do not miss this opportunity

Virgo: August 23 - September 22 (Earth) – All the hyped up energy of the last couple weeks is about to die down You are managing a lot of different issues in love, career and health This week you will step away from the intensity of your love life and start to focus on your health and happiness You will be doing some much needed exercise and doctor visits.

Libra: September 23 - October 22 (Air)

- You are open wide to meet new and exciting people this week You have told the Universe that you are ready, so bring it on. You will find interesting and mysterious new connections. You will pick and choose by the weekend which ones will stay and which one will have to go

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 (Water) – You are looking for some good advice Your family and friends are great to go to, but the best advice you will receive is from a complete stranger Be open minded to all the things that you are told Your career is about to offer you a new opportunity You will have to decide if this benefits you or just others

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 (Fire) – You have been very argumentative lately This week you decide to stop talking and to start listening instead You feel calm in your choices and relaxed by the weekend. People may try to rub you the wrong way at home and work, you just need to step away from the drama and let things go

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 (Earth) – New love interests come into play this week. You may not be interested and decide to bypass these people Your love life gets exciting either way You have a strong desire to keep your head down and work hard This will be boring and exhausting, so plan some fun activities for the weekend.

Aquarius: January 20 – February 18 (Air) – This week you will have the energy to attract all the right people Love interests will be coming at you from everywhere Your inner self feels light and attractive. If you can use this energy in your career, then you will be very successful in all endeavors.

Pisces: February 19 - March 20 (Water) – You will begin feeling very pleased with yourself and all decisions you are making lately. You want to show people what you are capable of This is possible to do if you are willing to put yourself out there Be brave, show them all what you're made of

Tina Graziano was born an energy reader. She uses her gifts to heal and guide others as a life coach. If you need support and insight in life, contact Tina for an energy reading directly online at https://www.facebook.com/ Tina.Graziano.Energy.Reader /?ref=page_internal

Horoscopes with Tina Graziano Energy Reader

Showtimes for Galaxy Cinemas Brantford

For Saturday, March 25, 2023

John Wick: Chapter 4

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile