Minden mystery docuseries debuts

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March 4, 2021

JQ - For Heaven's Sake - 1 — Mike Mildon and Jackson Rowe are releasing a docuseries filmed in Minden throughout the past year. File photo.

The Haliburton Highlands is being spotlighted on international streaming services through the docuseries “For Heaven’s Sake,” launching March 4.

The series chronicles an adventure for filmmakers, Jackson Rowe and Mike Mildon, who unravel the mysterious disappearance of Mildon’s great, great-uncle Harold Heaven in Minden in 1934. The eight-episode series – filmed predominantly in the township in 2019 and 2020 – will launch in its entirety on CBC Gem and Paramount+.

“It feels very, very strange, but good,” Mildon said about releasing the series. “It’s been a long journey that’s come to the end. We’re so excited to show Minden and the rest of the world the journey we went on.”

The series tracks the two as they travel around the community, speaking with people to investigate the family mystery. Heaven’s body was never recovered after he disappeared from his Horseshoe Lake cabin; it was ruled a suicide by authorities at the time, but the filmmakers pursue alternate theories, including murder.

Although they had considered a movie, Mildon said the amount of content they got made it better for a series.

“We felt the different leads we got, we could explore one per episode,” Rowe said.

Those who followed along with the production locally might have an idea of how the series will unfold. But the duo said the series has many aspects people likely missed, including the ups and downs of being detectives and the moral challenges they faced.

“We just wanted to make sure any moral wrongdoing fell on the shoulders of Mike and myself,” Rowe said. “It was hard to find a proper perspective where we gave respect to all the faces along the way. It’s all in there. It’s something we didn’t want to shy away from – warts and all.”

The pair – who previously did short-form skit comedy – said what comes next for them is up in the air. For now, they are focused on promoting the series.

Mildon said the series will have lots to see for locals. The two expressed their appreciation for the area.

“Minden was such an important character in the story. The community and the town were so wonderful to us,” Mildon said. “Just seeing familiar faces and seeing how this town came together to help these unlikely detectives try to solve this way-too-old of a case. It’s a very, very heartwarming, interesting story.”

“It’s exciting,” Rowe said. “It’s hard to do something unique nowadays and I feel we actually have, so we’re proud of that.”

The series premiers March 4 on Paramount+ and CBC Gem. CBC Gem is available for free online at cbcgem.ca, as an app for iOS and Android devices, or on a television via Apple TV and Google Chromecast.

HE passes budget with 2.23 per cent levy increase

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Lisa Gervais

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March 4, 2021

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Highlands East council approved its budget March 2 with a 2.23 per cent increase to its portion of the tax rate.

Council reviewed its final budget, which is expected to be formalized with a bylaw March 9. It amounts to approximately $184,000 more in tax revenue than budgeted in 2020. The increase will add $11.04 to residential tax bills per $100,000 of assessment value.

Coun. Suzanne Partridge praised the budget and the efforts of CAO Shannon Hunter.

“I know it’s been very challenging and taken you days and days and weeks and hours of work,” Partridge said. “You’ve done an excellent job, that we haven’t had to go back and forth.”

The budget features several new capital projects, including $1.4 million for the South Wilberforce Bridge project principally funded through grants, $385,000 for a Cardiff Pool repair with $200,000 carried forward from the 2020 budget and an additional $148,487 in parks for the Herlihey Park and a new tractor.

For the park improvement project, Hunter said planning has occupied a lot of time. She said staff hope to have the park completed this year and may put it out to tender if the work cannot be done internally. At a minimum, she said the park’s parking lot and walking trails would be finished in 2021.

The municipality is also spending approximately $50,000 to add a junior planning position. The department has seen an increase in revenue, offset by rising costs. It currently uses a third-party planner, but Hunter said it is hoped a new staff member could help process applications more efficiently and handle work currently divided among three other staff members.

Deputy mayor Cec Ryall said Highlands East needs the planner given the volume of people moving into the area from cities.

“We’re going to end up with a lot more people applying for a lot more stuff up here,” he said. “I firmly believe it’s something we have to do.”

The municipality is also budgeting an additional $30,000 in wages and benefits for its roads department as it hires for public works supervisor and roads operation manager positions.

Other noted expenses included $40,900 for municipal office maintenance and $25,000 for a County-wide climate initiative to add electric vehicle charging stations.

Ryall said the 2.23 per cent tax rate increase puts the municipality in an “awesome position.”

“It doesn’t sound like we’ve compromised anything,” Ryall said.

EH! packs them in for lake algae bloom talk

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Lisa Gervais

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March 3, 2021

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JQ - EH Algae - 2 — Environment Haliburton! hosted a discussion on blue-green algae blooms which attracted hundreds of people. File photo.

Environment Haliburton! (EH) attracted hundreds of people Feb. 9 for a discussion on blue-green algae blooms.

Dr. Elizabeth Favot, an assistant lake stewardship coordinator with the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, spoke to blooms and her research into how they form. The discussion also featured additional commentary from ecosystem management professor, Barb Elliot, and environmental scientist Dr. Norman Yan. Approximately 300 people registered for the session.

Favot said blooms can be caused by several factors, including nutrient runoff such as phosphorus reaching lakes, shifting lake levels and climate change. She said more research is needed to account for some lakes experiencing blooms without many changes in nutrient levels.

“Nutrients are of course critically important to support blooms, but in terms of the drivers or triggers, they are not always the entire story,” Favot said.

The presentation comes after the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks confirmed blue-green algae blooms in six Haliburton lakes last fall, though none showed toxin levels above the drinking water standard. However, Favot said a precautious approach is normally used to assume they are producing toxins given some uncertainty around what conditions lead to toxins.

The presentation highlighted every aspect of blue-green algae, more technically known as cyanobacteria. Favot discussed how blooms are becoming increasingly common in Ontario and how they can create toxins that are potentially deadly if consumed. Favot said although nutrient runoff is a significant factor, there are other reasons for the increase, such as climate change causing temperature and conditional changes in lakes which can help blue-green algae thrive. Her doctorate examined the causes of blooms in the approximately 26 per cent of lakes globally with a low phosphorus concentration.

“Even if nutrients have not increased, blooms can still occur in a modern climate,” Favot said. “Climate change is lowering critical nutrient thresholds for blue-green algae blooms to occur.”

But Favot said from a management perspective, people should utilize terrestrial plants to filter nutrient runoff.

“What we can do to mitigate them is relatively straightforward,” Favot said. “We need to keep nutrient concentrations in lakes as natural as possible.”

Elliott agreed. Speaking to a question about the importance of natural shorelines, Elliott compared them to a Jenga game, and how taking away natural parts from shorelines repeatedly can make them unstable.

“I liken it to death by a thousand cuts,” Elliott said. “When we make those changes, it just creates the potential for there to be more impacts because of that activity. We have to try to keep it as natural as we can.”

Although about 300 people registered, only 100 people watched live due to technical issues with Zoom, the online platform used.

“It is a shame there was a wrinkle in our Zoom plans,” EH! President Susan Hay said. “I’m sorry for those who joined late because you couldn’t get in earlier.”

The full presentation is available on the EH Youtube channel.

New addictions clinic arrives in the Highlands

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Lisa Gervais

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March 3, 2021

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JQ - RAAM Clinic - 1 — Haliburton Highlands Health Services has started a new addictions clinic in Minden. File photo.

Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) has partnered to bring rapid access addictions treatment closer to home.

HHHS launched a new Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic through its mental health services offices in Minden, starting as a one-month trial Dec. 1 and continued into the new year. It offers quick access to treatment for those dealing with substance abuse, primarily alcohol and opioids.

A RAAM clinic was previously available to locals in Peterborough since 2018, on a drop-in basis. But HHHS mental health services program manager, Beverlee Groves-Foley, said the distance proved too difficult for some.

“We’ve had many clients that needed the service but could not transport to Peterborough,” Groves-Foley said. “There’s no public transit and it’s quite costly to get people there … And so, with the increased need in the community, we want to ensure the community had access.”

The service is available two half-days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in partnership with Fourcast Addiction Services and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). Support workers are available, as well as an addictions specialist at the PRHC through telemedicine. The clinic uses a harm reduction model and can offer assessments, opioid substitution therapy, counselling, and withdrawal management, with follow-ups arranged with primary care providers. Self-referrals are accepted.

“Our clients locally will be able to get a better, more comprehensive level of support in that area,” HHHS president and CEO Carolyn Plummer told her board Jan.28. “We’re happy to have it available locally.”

Groves-Foley said RAAM is typically a drop-in model so people can access the support whenever they are ready. But for now, they are scheduling appointments to arrange transportation.

“Transportation is such a challenge for most people,” Groves-Foley said. “The goal would be eventually having a drop-in model, but we’ll have to see how that works in Haliburton County.”

The clinic has been working well so far, she said. She added that there may be a perception it is mostly for opioid users, but most people using the clinic are doing so for alcohol.

“Alcohol is a large challenge for many people which affects their lives,” she said. “We do see a lot of clients that are looking to reduce their use.”

Groves-Foley said the hope would be to eventually have a space for it at the Haliburton hospital as well.

“It’s been a long time coming and I’m so pleased that it’s here,” she said.

People can contact HHHS mental health services at 705-286-4575.

Haliburton curlers return to the rings

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Lisa Gervais

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February 28, 2021

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JQ - Curling club returns - 3 — Curlers returned to the rink at the Haliburton Curling Club. Photo submitted.

County curlers are rocking the ice again as the Haliburton Curling Club reopened its doors Feb. 17 for its first session since the Dec. 26 lockdown.

The club ran for several weeks in November and December with a limited slate of approximately 100 curlers, three nights a week, with COVID safety restrictions in place. It is the only curling club in the County which is operating amidst the pandemic.

But the lockdown put a premature halt on the winter 2020-2021 schedule. Still, president, Kent Milford, said they were able to carry on with the lockdown lifted.

“The only comment we’ve heard is people are just glad they’ve got an opportunity to get out and do something,” Milford said. “Relieve some of the boredom and stress and other things we’ve all faced over the last year.”

The sport is not the same this year. Health precautions mean the social gathering aspect cannot be as robust. Travelling for bonspiels is also out. The lockdown also forced a schedule change, though Milford said they reorganized it by picking up where they left off.

“No one’s overly concerned this year in making sure we have an even schedule or even some sort of competitive schedule,” Milford said. “It’s just to get some exercise, have some fun, have a little bit of social activity.”

Board director, Wanda Stephen, said the first day back went well.

“There was a great, big, sigh of relief from the crowd that was here, saying, ‘Yay, we made it’,” Stephen said. “Because there are a lot of clubs that didn’t reopen.”

Milford said the club is in a financially stable position. But a major fundraiser – the Haliburton Home and Cottage Show – was cancelled in 2020 and is doubtful again for 2021.

“Our strategy is we’re preparing for a show, so if we can have one, the logistics are in place,” Milford said. “It is difficult for me to see how we can have a show this year with the number of people we would normally have.”

The club was allowed to curl thanks to the district staying in an “orange” zone under provincial COVID-19 protocol.

But if case numbers worsen in the district, pushing that colour to “red” or “gray,” the club would have to halt.

“Just hoping we can make it to the end of April without any shutdowns,” Stephen said.

Milford said the curling sessions have remained COVID-safe, with no cases associated with the rink. He said they will follow whatever public health asks of them – and members are willing to work through those hurdles.

“Curling is really an integral part of the community,” Milford said. “As long as we can keep them safe, and they wanted to do that, then we felt it was important to continue.”

Dysart considers plan to turn motel into housing

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Lisa Gervais

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February 28, 2021

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JQ - Motel Affordable housing - 2 — Places for People is proposing to turn Lakeview Motel into an affordable housing development after owners Holly and John McDonald put it on the market. File photo.

Dysart et al council expressed concerns with a Places for People proposal to turn Lakeview Motel into a new affordable housing development.

City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) housing program supervisor, Michelle Corley, presented to council Feb. 23 about the proposal to rehabilitate the motel into 15 affordable housing units, including 12 bachelor suites. As part of the CKL-Haliburton affordable housing program, Corley sought approximately $45,268 from Dysart in waived building fees and exemptions. But council delayed approval for staff to review the plan further.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said they only have about $10,000 that could be used for affordable housing in the 2021 budget under economic development.

“Very large contribution. We don’t have any reserves for that,” Roberts said.

The proposal is part of an overarching Affordable Housing Target Program, spurring development with government incentives. Corley said the project is also contingent on a $150,000 interest-free forgivable loan from the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative.

The project is separate from an affordable build Places for People is also proposing on Wallings Road municipal land, which

Dysart council provided in-principal support for. Coun. John Smith said the Wallings Road project is more aligned with the municipal vision. He said he takes issue with converting the motel, given the need for summer tourism accommodations.

“I struggle with, on a conceptual level, how this really advances the wellbeing of our community,” Smith said.

Roberts said they cannot get into that philosophy and council’s responsibility is to examine what Dysart’s contribution should be.

The Lakeview Motel went on the market in November, with its owners planning to retire.

Coun. Larry Clarke said he was concerned about whether the development would provide for locals versus being taken up by people from outside the community through the housing program, which has a waiting list with both County and CKL residents.

“To have it targeted for people looking for affordable housing, that are not going to be part of our economy here, to me is a concern,” Clarke said.

Corley said people on the waiting list often choose communities they are familiar with, but it is not a guarantee. She further said council should keep in mind they plan to have a quarterly intake, with more projects to come. The County aims to create 750 new affordable units within the next 10 years.

“We are really trying to work hard toward meeting and achieving these targets,” she said. “There’s the hope we can eventually have a plan within budgets or other planning and development policies that when it comes to affordable housing, there’s kind of a clear standard on what incentives could be offered.”

Roberts said she wants to get clarification from staff around the equivalent residential unit (ERU) calculation. The development is requesting an exemption for adding seven additional ERUs, amounting to $32,900.

Council voted to receive the report. Roberts asked staff to bring it back to the next committee of the whole meeting March 9.

No one injured in Minden fire

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Lisa Gervais

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February 27, 2021

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By Lisa Gervais

PHOTO BY LARRY O’CONNOR

Minden Hills fire chief, Nelson Johnson, said no one was injured in an early morning (Feb. 27) fire in Hunter Creek Estates.

Johnson said the occupant was not home at the time of the fire.

He added the mobile home was under repairs and work was being completed on the interior.

He said the blaze was noticed by a neighbour and a township staff person on their way to work.

The Minden Hills Fire department responded to the single story, single-family mobile home at about 5.18 a.m.

Johnson said they arrived five minutes later “to find a working fire with flames and heavy smoke showing and the fire was self-ventilated.”

He said the first engine arrived at 5.29 a.m. and handlines were deployed at the south end of the building.

There were 11 firefighters on scene with one engine, two water shuttles, rescue unit, two command vehicles and EMS.

Water was shuttled from the hydrant at the Foodland in Minden as the main engine drafted from the portable tank.

The fire was listed as out, or under control, at 8.30 a.m. with the department leaving the scene at noon.

Johnson said, “The MFD would like to thank all of the volunteers that were able to assist with this incident. I would like to thank them for their hard work and the dedication to the community. Their performance and skill during this incident allowed a rapid knock down of the fire and control of the situation.”

Johnson said new Deputy Fire Chief, Shain Duda was in command “and performed exceptionally at the scene and controlled the site for a safe and organized control of the incident.”

Hockey storming back after second lockdown

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Lisa Gervais

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February 27, 2021

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JQ - Highland Storm returns - 2 — File photo.

The Highland Storm returned to the ice Feb. 19 to begin a second session after withstanding another pandemic-induced lockdown.

The Storm announced an eight-week session Feb. 17, running until April 17. It will use a similar format to the one done in the fall, with enforced health protocols and teams only made up of local players, with no travel.

Storm president, Jason Morissette, said more than 90 per cent of players and families from the first session were willing to play again.

“It’s a good opportunity to get out and be able to do something they’ve been away from for a while during the lockdown,” Morissette said. “Outlet for the kids to be able to go exercise and do something that’s fun.”

The continuation is possible due to the district being an “orange” zone, midway within the province’s COVID-19 response framework. With that comes a new protocol that only one person may accompany a player to watch, though people can still help their children get dressed before leaving for the duration of the game or practice. People from outside the district’s health unit also cannot enter the arena.

“We’re going to follow all of the safety measures we did in the first session, which went well,” Morissette said.

Still, the remainder of the season is in a precarious position. If cases spike and the district get moved to a “red” zone or back into lockdown, hockey would be disallowed. Morissette said that will probably mean the end to the season, even if restrictions were lifted afterwards.

“The logistics of it would be very challenging,” Morissette said.

At coaches’ request, Morissette said the organization will do more four-on-four play as well where possible, instead of only three-on-three.

“Allow more kids to be on the ice each shift, rather than kids waiting on the bench,” he said. “It represents a little bit more of a challenge to the players that are sort of higher skillsets.”

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association recognized the efforts of its volunteers to keep the game going in the pandemic as part of its Thank A Volunteer Week running Feb. 22-28.

“Volunteers all over the province have found new and creative ways to offer some form of hockey,” executive director, Ian Taylor, said. “It speaks to the love they have for our game and the benefits it provides our children.”

Morrissette said it is worthwhile to help youth mental health, which the pandemic has taken its toll on. He urged the community to follow protocols to minimize risks and keep the season going.

“We’re excited kids do get the chance to get back onto the ice,” he said. “The number one priority is trying to keep everybody healthy and safe.”

Countering ‘vaccine alarmism”

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Lisa Gervais

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February 26, 2021

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by Dr. Nell Thomas

It is reassuring that on the COVID-19 Government of Canada vaccine safety data page there remains 957 total adverse events (0.078 per cent) out of the 1,221,539 total doses administered. Of those, 817 (0.067 per cent) of total doses were non-serious.

Continued safety monitoring of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in the US confirmed that severe allergic reaction following vaccination is a rare event, with rates between 2.7 and 4.7 cases per million. When compared to the hospitalization and death rates from COVID-19, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risk of anaphylaxis, which is treatable with immediate administration of epinephrine.

So, the benefit of vaccines outweighs the potential risks. And there are no side effects that come close to the effects of COVID-19. Yet we are hearing a lot of myths, nonetheless. Here are some of the more common ones circulating.

MYTH: The vaccines were rushed and so we do not know if they are safe.

TRUTH: There were no skipped steps to producing these vaccines. Rapid does not mean rushed. How did we get these vaccines so quickly? Because there has been unprecedented collaboration and investment from governments and specialists around the world. Also, these vaccines were produced during a pandemic, meaning tens of thousands of patients were available to provide data. Normally it would take years to accumulate the needed cases to evaluate whether a vaccine is safe and whether it works. Instead, more than 70,000 patients were studied over a few months in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard for establishing safety and effectiveness data for vaccines and medications.

All the components in the vaccines are tested in multiple steps to be sure all ingredients are safe and are in the correct amount. The manufacturing has constant oversight to ensure consistent high quality of every ingredient.

MYTH: The vaccines can change DNA.

TRUTH: The current vaccines using messenger RNA cannot turn into DNA or communicate with your DNA. What mRNA does is give the instructions to the body to make a protein that is part of the virus. This has no relation to your own genetic code (DNA).

MYTH: There is no point in getting the vaccine because we still have to wear a mask and stay six feet apart anyway.

TRUTH: The evidence so far suggests that a full dose of the vaccine and the recommended waiting period after the second shot effectively eliminates risk of death from COVID-19, nearly eliminates the risk of hospitalization and drastically reduces an individual’s ability to infect someone else.

MYTH: The vaccines cause infertility.

TRUTH: As per the lead scientists with the WHO, there is no vaccine that can cause infertility.

MYTH: COVID-19 vaccine can give you COVID-19.

TRUTH: No, it cannot. But it could save your life.

MYTH (maybe): A vaccinated person might still be able to infect someone else.

TRUTH: It is possible to become infected even after you are vaccinated, but just as with any other vaccine, the illness you would then experience would be very mild. In the case of COVID-19, that would be similar to having a mild cold. The scientific evidence indicates that a vaccinated person has a very small chance of infecting someone else with a severe case of COVID.

Right now, we are at a critical stage in winning this fight. We need to use all our tools in our toolbox: Double mask, stay six feet apart, avoid groups indoors, sanitize until your hands are raw and do not let the virus hop a ride with you because that gives it a chance to mutate, spread faster and become deadlier. Now is not the time to take your foot off the pedal.

Tell your friends and family that your doctor is looking forward to getting her vaccine. It is safe. It is highly effective against serious disease. And it may save your life.

Address underlying drug issues

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Lisa Gervais

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February 26, 2021

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Today, our two-month Highlander Investigates series into drug-related issues in the County comes to an end.

For those who have not followed, it is available in the Highlander archives commencing January 7, 2021.

The installments began with a look at how the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is tackling a much more sophisticated illicit drug trade in the County. We found that 2020 saw increased drug activity as well as a number of large busts. We reported on the link between drugs and property crime over the past few years. We went on to reveal that while the OPP is aggressively targeting the activity, the courts have not been as robust as no one arrested and charged in 2020 was convicted. In fact, there were repeat offenders during the course of the year.

From there, we shifted to looking at the opioid problem locally. We discovered that COVID-19 has contributed to increased use and resulted in overdose deaths in the health unit region.

We also heard from a long-time user, who highlighted some of the challenges people who use opioids have in getting help in our rural and regional setting. She spoke of single mothers living far down County roads struggling with issues of addiction brought on by numerous challenges, including isolation and poverty.

From there, we shifted to youth drug use, finding out that many students begin with marijuana usage prior to the legal age of 18.

We also heard from a man who has overcome a 33-year addiction to cocaine and other drugs.

Today, we look at solutions, including resources for people who use drugs and are still struggling.

Our intent was to shed light on the problem. It was to generate a conversation. It was aimed at shifting denial. Some in this County would not want a drug problem to interfere with its promotion of the area as a clean getaway for out-of-towners, whether tourists or potential seasonal and full-time residents.

And while some would say our drug problem is no worse than any other town of our size in Ontario, or Canada, we are challenging the community to collectively want more than that. We should want change.

How does that change come about? Not just acceptance but looking at the underlying issues.

Our County is somewhat unique in that we have people living in multi-million-dollar homes and cottages on waterfronts while others live in poverty, in ramshackle homes down County roads. Talk to service agencies, including food banks, and they can attest to some of the deplorable conditions. This is driven by a number of factors, but part of the problem is attributable to an economy that creates not enough well-paying jobs, or too many seasonal jobs. Cycles of poverty go hand-in-hand with depression and despondency which can lead a person to self-medicate.

We hope the public has read the stories of people such as Anne and John Buffalo Killen and come away with more empathy. And we hope that those those in positions of power and policy-makers have made notes.