It has become such an institution that a generation of Fenelon Falls and district residents may not believe it, but there was a time when the Fenelon Falls Santa Claus parade was held in the afternoon. It became a night time affair in 1999 and has never looked back, growing into an all-day event. This year, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the evening parade, events are scheduled on the Friday and Sunday bookending Santa Day, always held on the last Saturday of November.
When he was in his late 60s, Leonard Cohen said “I don’t think much about death, but in a certain stage in your life it becomes very clear that your time is not unlimited.” I thought about this when I heard that Munroe Scott had recently died at Adelaide Place in Lindsay at 92, “peacefully in his sleep” as his obituary read. He had been battling cancer prior to the end of his third act.
Long-time morning show hosts of BOB FM, Dave Illman and Julie Corlett, have been laid off in yet another example of apparent corporate cost-cutting. The Advocate has learned they were laid off as of today, Nov. 14.
In a written interview with the Advocate, Illman says it “was made very clear to us that there was no problem with our performance. Pure cost cutting. It happens a lot in radio these days.”
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is engaging in a series of local meetings to prepare members for a work-to-rule strike action that begins on Tuesday, November 26. The action targets Ministry and school board administrative tasks and does not impact on students.
“We are making this known well in advance to assure parents that this strike action will not affect students, their learning or their safety,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond. “ETFO members will be withdrawing from Ministry and school board administrative activities, which will give them more time to focus on working with students.”
Valerie Brunst may have passed away last year at the age of 77, but her gift to her church is ensuring her legacy will go on this Christmas — through Valerie’s Blessing.
Pastor Joel Holtz of Calvary Pentecostal Church in Lindsay says Brunst left her entire estate to the church — and now the church wants to find a way to “share some of this blessing with the community at large,” he says.
Brunst cut an eccentric figure, often seen on Hwy 36 about seven kilometres north of Lindsay in front of her house, hitchhiking for a ride into town.
The 31st annual Crayola Sale will be held on Saturday, November 16 at the Lindsay Exhibition Grounds. Since the sale began, Crayola Canada has donated over $1,052,000 to the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes. This year the sale is a month later than the usual October date, but the same great deals will be available for shoppers, just in time for some early Christmas shopping.
Crayola Canada employees volunteer their time to help run the Sale and are also heavily reliant on help from the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes and other dedicated volunteers. These employees and volunteers donate their time to help set up, run, and clean up after the event.
Perhaps no genre was more dominant in books in the late 2000s or early 2010s as the dystopian YA novel. The soon-to-be classic series like James Dashner’s Maze Runner, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games or Veronica Roth’s Divergent captivated and inspired innumerable youth, laying the groundwork for a new generation of authors looking to be successful in this genre.
Among these new authors is Lindsay’s own Emma Couette, 20, who recently published her first novel, Silent Night, the first in a trilogy, she says. It is set in a future where “we went too far forwards and now we’ve kind of gone backwards.”
An incredible 250 trees and shrubs were planted recently at Lavender-Blu EcoFarm in Seagrave, spearheaded by a Lindsay couple who operate ‘Plant a Forest.’
Richard and Sandi Gauder’s ‘Plant a Forest’ concept is not an organization, though. It’s a grass roots concept: just buy trees and plant them, according to Richard Gauder.
Last week, the Kawartha Lakes Public Library Board presented our proposed 2020 operating budget to City Council. Part of our proposal is a request for additional funding to create a new manager of public services position.
Far from libraries dying out or become redundant in the digital age, usage of our library system has grown over the last several years. Our branches are often one of the few places in our communities where everyone is welcome. Whether it is a place to study and do research, to find a new book to read, or learn a new skill, our libraries offer something for everyone.
At the November 5 public meeting, Kawartha Lakes Council heard from staff, consultants and members of the public about proposed changes to the Development Charges By-Law and related Policy.
The meeting began with a presentation that outlined the Development Charges Background Study prepared by Watson and Associates. The purpose of Development Charges (DCs) is to recover the capital costs associated with residential and non-residential growth within the municipality. DC revenue helps fund growth-related expansion of such services as water and wastewater facilities, roads and other infrastructure.
At the November 5 Committee of the Whole, staff brought forward a recommendation to Council for a voluntary ban of Styrofoam and single-use plastics throughout the municipality. Kawartha Lakes alone produces roughly 10 tonnes of Styrofoam waste and more than one third of all plastics collected come from single-use materials.
