Health Unit multi-tasking during pandemic

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March 25, 2021

By Kirk Winter

Despite priority being given to battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit is meeting its other mandates of providing essential Ontario public health programming.

Acting medical officer of health, Dr. Ian Gemmill, told the March 18 board meeting that, “Although approximately 80 per cent of the staff at the HKPRDHU are fully engaged in pandemic response, there are essential services that local public health agencies provide that must continue regardless. Many programs continue to operate.”

These programs include:

• Providing support to the harm reduction response, including naloxone distribution, needle exchange and opioid surveillance.

• Working on mental health promotion as well as supports related to infection protection and control needs and assessments within schools, in addition to COVID-19 related case and contact management.

• Providing support to parents and guardians through the Healthy Babies program.

• Monitoring for influenza activity.

• Conducting routine inspection of food premises and personal services settings.

• Preparing for flood season, for an increase in the establishment of outdoor patios, and the opening of seasonal facilities including trailer parks, marinas, golf courses and beaches.

• Planning for tick surveillance activities.

• Conducting case and contact management for sexually transmitted infections.

• Providing emergency services to sexual health clinics.

• Following up on adverse events following immunizations.

Dr. Gemmill also shared that the initial phase of the launch of a new collaborative health record (CHR) system, Click and Connect, for the HKPRDHU went live March 8.

“The new system focuses on improving the exchange of information between local residents and COVID-19 Call Centre staff during this pandemic. People can visit the HKPRDHU website to submit their COVID-19 questions to staff. Anyone with a commonly-asked question will be provided information and links to additional resources, while those submitting other questions will receive responses directly from other health unit staff. Click and Connect is a safe, secure way for people to reach the health unit … and helps streamline inquires so staff can respond quickly,” Gemmill said.

He added that after the pandemic, the system will be expanded to improve access to other programs and services.

Health board hears immunization plan

COVID-19 immunization rates at Haliburton County facilities are universally high with 100 per cent of residents at Extendicare Haliburton, 96.6 per cent at Highland Wood and 91.1 per cent at Hyland Crest having received at least their first dose of vaccine, health unit manager of health promotion, Lorna McCleary, told the board.

McCleary and Marianne Rock, manager of health protection, said in phase one the priority has been vaccinating the most vulnerable. Those groups included residents, staff and essential caregivers at long-term care homes and retirement homes, health care workers including paramedics, Indigenous adults living on-reserve and individuals receiving home care.

The next phase, adults 80 and older, staff, residents and caregivers in other congregate settings for seniors such as assisted living, is underway.

To ensure the vaccination program is as widespread as possible, HKPRDHU is partnering with area hospitals, primary care medical doctors, pharmacists and municipalities to host mass immunization clinics.

In Haliburton County, they’ll use the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena in Minden and the A.J. LaRue Arena in Haliburton.

“Supply of vaccine will remain limited over the next few weeks,” McCleary and Rock said, “We are looking at about 5,000 doses a week being available. We will follow the provincial direction for eligibility over time. The provincial goal is to have all adults immunized with the first dose by the end of June with the second dose coming in the summer of 2021.”

In phase two, running from April to July, priority will be given to older adults 65-79, people who live and work in high-risk congregate settings, essential frontline workers who cannot work from home, individuals with high-risk chronic conditions, and communities at risk.

Sunshine list sees bumps in health and education

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Lisa Gervais

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March 25, 2021

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The province said hospitals, boards of health and school boards contributed to almost three-quarters of the growth in 2020 public sector salaries.

In releasing the so-called sunshine list March 19 – of employees making $100,000 or more – the Ontario government said registered nurses contributed to approximately 60 per cent of the jump in the hospital and public health sectors while teachers accounted for 97 per cent of the increase in the school board sector.

“We know that Ontarians are relying on their government now, more than ever, during this pandemic to keep them safe and deliver the critical services they rely on, like health care and education,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, president of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance.

Hospitals and public health are up 59 per cent from 2019 and school boards 55 per cent. The average reported salary decreased slightly to $125,871 in 2020 from $127,396 in 2019.

Locally, it isn’t always easy to break out Haliburton County figures from regional organizations, such as the Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB). It had 181 employees on the list.

The Highlander asked TLDSB spokesperson, Catherine Shedden, to provide information on Haliburton County schools but she declined, saying “we do not provide a breakdown of schools and area.”

However, the majority of school principals in Haliburton County made the list, including the high school’s Chris Boulay, J. Douglas Hodgson Elementary School’s David Waito, Archie Stouffer’s Jane Austin and Wilberforce and Cardiff’s Elaine Fournier.

Fleming College president Maureen Adamson was marked as having made $292,367.34

As for the Haliburton-based health unit office, spokesperson Chandra Tremblay confirmed there is no one working in that office included on the list. The biggest salary regionally was former HKPR medical officer of health, Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, at $406,153.75.

Haliburton Highlands Health Services has 25 people on the list. President and CEO Carolyn Plummer topped it with a salary of $207,191.57. There are also 15 registered nurses.

Plummer said there are six new individuals on the list this year, all related to COVID-19.

The Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team also had a nurse practitioner named. In the municipal sector, there were 20 employees paid more than $100,000.

The County of Haliburton accounted for 11 with Mike Rutter the top earner at $169,972.73. Other directors on the list are: Andrea Bull, Craig Douglas, Mike March, Elaine Taylor, Tim Waite, Amanda Virtanen and Charlsey White. There are also three paramedics.

Dysart et al has three: CAO Tamara Wilbee, treasurer Barbara Swannell and director of public works, Rob Camelon. Algonquin Highlands has three: CAO Angie Bird, treasurer Jean Hughes and director of parks, recreation and trails, Chris Card. Minden Hills has two: director of finance, Lorrie Blanchard and director of public works, Travis Wilson. Highlands East has just CAO Shannon Hunter.

The Haliburton Highlands detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police, meanwhile, had 19 uniform members on the list.

The Highlander may have missed others on the list.

The Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act 1996 requires organizations that receive public funding from the province to make public the names, positions, salaries and taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in the previous calendar year by March 31 of the following year.

Banner memories arrive for curling squad

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Lisa Gervais

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March 24, 2021

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JQ - Curling banner - 2 — The Haliburton Highlands Secondary School boys curling team received its banner March 11 for earning the Ontario School Curling Provincial Championship. Left to right: Erin Nicholls, Owen Nicholls, Darrel Dobson, Liam Little, Corin Gervais, Jacob Dobson, Carlos Gregorio. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

After more than a year of waiting, the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School 2019-20 boys curling team has received its championship banner.

It arrived March 11, honouring the team for earning a provincial gold one year ago in the Ontario School Curling Championship.

The award would have normally been provided last spring, but the pandemic delayed the hand-off. The banner will be hung at the Haliburton Curling Club. Skip Jacob Dobson said it was a long year waiting.

“It’s great to see it come back to town,” Dobson said. “Just being able to see it come back and having everything we’ve done together as a team.”

The team of Dobson, Liam Little, Corin Gervais and Owen Nicholls went on a run last season, winning zone and regional competitions to play in the provincial contest.

They also earned a spot at the provincial OFSAA competition, but officials cancelled the event due to the pandemic. Ontario School Curling Provincial Championships president Carlos Gregorio presented the award.

He said the pandemic delayed the banner production. It was ready by December, but another lockdown delayed the presentation even further. The team also lost out the chance to play this season, with cross-school competition cancelled. Coach Darrel Dobson said they may have been able to go on another run this year if they had the chance.

“We definitely all hoped to play going into this year,” the younger Dobson added. “We were all disappointed when we heard we couldn’t for sure … It’s been difficult.”

The skip said the group has gotten out for some practices and one event but has not been able to play together nearly as much.

This was the last chance for graduating Dobson and Little, though Dobson said he would look to compete at the post-secondary level.

“We’re definitely looking forward to things getting better and being able to get back to playing the game we love,” he said.

Mushroom master finds new life in outdoors

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Lisa Gervais

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March 24, 2021

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Outdoorsman Stephan Lukacic holds up a home-grown pumpkin. Lukacic grows and hunts most of the food he eats himself. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

When Stephan Lukacic returned to Canada after years in international music production, he thought he would continue the career – not heed the call of the wild.

But Lukacic followed a different passion when he returned to his family’s summer home in Haliburton, where they had operated a hunting and fishing camp. Compelled, he turned a rekindled interest in the outdoors into a business, guiding fishing, hunting and foraging. He has also garnered a social media presence, with more than 7,000 following him on Instagram, where he posts his self-prepared meals.

With the job change came a lifestyle shift. Almost everything he eats is self-grown or caught. He lives off the land – something he said has changed his life.

“Just getting outside, getting my hands dirty, breathing fresh air, being responsible for the food I eat, it’s made literally all the difference in my health, just my general wellbeing, my happiness,” Lukacic said.

For him, leaving a “cosmopolitan” life for a rural one was a boon. He said he suffered for several years from psoriatic arthritis – an incurable autoimmune disease, causing significant joint pain. He said the side-effects of treatments became as bad as the disease itself. But those symptoms dissipated when he changed how he lived.

“I tried to alleviate or cut out as many industrial products from my diet as possible and it’s made all the difference in the world,” Lukacic said. “We’ve become so removed from nature … When I was a music producer, 15-16 hour days were not uncommon in a dark room full of blinking lights with no natural sunshine. I really am convinced that’s why I got so sick.”

After gaining first-hand experience, Lukacic began to share his knowledge with a wild mushroom foraging course done in partnership with Yours Outdoors. He operated the course during the pandemic, with social distancing and health protocols enforced.

“Teach people the methodology to start their own foraging career and have the skillset. I give them a blueprint,” he said. “I cover a lot of the ecology of wild mushrooms and how important they are to every single ecosystem on the planet.”

The course proved to be Yours Outdoors’ bestseller in 2020.

“Steve is an extraordinary teacher with so much knowledge and an engaging personality,” Yours Outdoors experience broker Barrie Martin said. “He is a fun guy.”

Lukacic said he slowly built up his Instagram following and it has exploded in the past 12-18 months, driving him to expand his range of content. He has added more wild cooking videos – something he hopes to offer a class for in the future.

“A lot of people aspire to a cleaner, healthier way of living and it’s very hard to do in a city, where you don’t have outdoor space,” he said. “There just seems to be a lot of interest.”

Lukacic said there is value in becoming more self-sufficient.

“What happens with most people – you get really good at one thing they pay you for and you kind of don’t know much else,” he said. “When you can start doing these things for yourself, it’s very empowering. Not only is it empowering, it’s better for you, and it’s cheaper. It’s just a good way to live.”

Lukacic’s courses are available through youroutdoors.ca. His Instagram is stevie_ funfur.

Beloved ‘Leo’ passes into history

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Lisa Gervais

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March 22, 2021

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At the end of a video for Connected: Our Land Our Stories, Leopoldina Dobrzensky says, “people come and go but the land is forever.”

The woman affectionately known as “Leo” passed away March 18. She leaves a legacy that includes the Barnum Creek Nature Reserve; two works of historical non-fiction; a municipal impact as well as contributions to the local arts and literature scenes.

In an obituary on the Haliburton Community Funeral Home website, the family said they were mourning “this exceptional woman who overcame tremendous upheavals throughout her life and always with dignity and courage. Her generous and warm-hearted spirit found enjoyment in countless areas – but especially, in gardening, painting and in classical music.

“She loved and embraced the Haliburton Highlands – whose natural beauty and people inspired her to write two books on its history: Fragments of a Dream – Pioneering in Dysart Township and Haliburton Village and They Worked and Prayed Together – Italians in Haliburton County.

Leo and her husband, Jenda Dobrzensky, came to Canada with three children as refugees from the former Czechoslovakia in 1951. Initially they settled in Richmond Hills but after a visit to the Haliburton Highlands found scenery and people that reminded them of home. They purchased farmland just outside of Haliburton village.

In the Don Smith video that was produced by Sticks and Stones, Leo recalls the original farmhouse being inhabited by racoons and snowmobilers driving through it. Surrounded by moose, bear, wolves, turtles, owls and frogs, she and Jenda set about making it a home and “they were the 10 happiest years of our married life.”

In the video she talks about being angry that not enough had been written about some of Haliburton County’s pioneering history, so she set about to correct that.

The Haliburton County Historical Society’s Larry Giles paid tribute, saying they had lost a valuable supporter. “As a founding member, Leo was a guiding light in the early days of the society. She willingly shared her stories and memories on numerous occasions. She will be greatly missed.”

Leo was also known for organizing and heading the Haliburton Information Centre, while her love of literature and the arts led her in many directions: as a board member for outreach literacy at the John Howard Society and as a board member for the Guild of Fine Arts.

Perhaps the greatest gift of all was Leo and her daughter Margaret’s decision in 2018 to donate 600 acres to the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust.

The Land Trust’s Sheila Zyman said, “Margaret and Leo wanted to create a nature reserve for all to enjoy. They wished to name it Barnum Creek Nature Reserve. During the opening ceremonies on Oct. 15, 2020, Leo extolled people to come out and walk the property to get a dose of Vitamin N (nature).”

Zyman added, “Leo’s life wasn’t always easy and she suffered many hardships, from the death of a son and daughter to the upheaval of leaving Czechoslovakia after the war when she and her young family came to Canada as refugees.

“But Leo was resilient and had a dignity and grace that I will always remember. At 94, she still lived in her home and never left it without being impeccably dressed, greeting the world with curiosity, compassion, and a keen intelligence. She was a wonderful woman and a fantastic role model for all who knew her. I will miss her.”

For information on visitation and mass of Christian burial, see the Haliburton Community Funeral Home website.

Please see the March 25 Highlander for the full story.

Water ambassadors lighting country blue

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Lisa Gervais

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March 22, 2021

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JQ - World Water Day - 1 — Water Ambassadors Canada is lighting up landmarks around the country blue for World Water Day March 22 to help fund well projects around the world. Photo submitted.

Water Ambassadors Canada is turning landmarks blue across the country and at home to celebrate World Water Day.

The Haliburton charity is lighting up the CN Tower, Calgary Tower, Vancouver City Hall and Haliburton’s Head Lake Park fountain blue March 22. It is for the United Nation’s World Water Day to raise awareness about the global water crisis.

Charity founder Barry Hart said it is also a way to help promote their own organization’s efforts.

“Just to highlight the problem of clean drinking water because it’s way under the radar. Contaminated drinking water is the biggest cause of death and disease in the world,” Hart said.

The charity helps deliver clean water to communities worldwide through well drills, repairs, filters and more. It originated in Haliburton, with members journeying to help projects in-person. CEO Brian Johns said the charity’s efforts remain ongoing in the pandemic.

“There’s still a lot of ways people across Canada can help,” Johns said. “While our volunteer trips to partner countries are on hold, we’re still connecting our in-country partner teams with the financial and material resources they need to keep water flowing.”

The organization has done more than 40 projects over the last six months spread across countries such as Uganda, Colombia, Honduras, Liberia, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.

“We’re going to beat the bushes for awareness and fundraising to keep these projects alive and working in these other countries,” Hart said. “It’s actually turned out better for us with our in-country people, way better than we feared.”

The organization is fundraising through World Water Day, with a $100,000 target. Hart said the figure is arbitrary, though also matches a legacy donation recently received from a Haliburton cottager.

Hart said the charity hopes to make this an annual tradition to generate more awareness in subsequent years.

“People think of some of these bigger causes and awful diseases, or COVID right now. But meanwhile, the need for clean water is such a huge thing,” Hart said. “It’s so basic you can’t see it.”

To donate visit waterambassadorscanada.org.

Dogsledders journey 1,000 miles in new book

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Lisa Gervais

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March 21, 2021

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JQ - Winterdance book - 2 — Hank DeBruin and Tanya McCready have published their second book recounting their dogsled racing. Submitted photo.

When Winterdance owner Hank DeBruin was unable to finish the Iditarod dog sled race in 2010, his wife Tanya McCready said she lost him.

McCready said he fell into a depression after he was scratched mid-race over a contested competitiveness ruling. She said that mood only lifted when they committed to race in the Yukon Quest for 2011. That experience is the subject of their new book, Journey of 1000 Miles: A Musher and His Huskies’ Journey on the Yukon Quest’s Century Old Klondike Trails which launched in paperback Feb. 26.

“It was an emotional book to write, McCready said. “Numerous times we had tears streaming down our faces … These sections aren’t sad, they are just really powerful.”

The story, also available as an eBook, picks up from where their first work – Iditarod Dreamer – left off. It recounts how the duo got into the Yukon Quest race and their journey across mountain ranges, blizzards and -60 degree Celsius temperatures to finish.

Ten years since their first book was released, McCready said the pandemic provided an opportunity to write a sequel – and help them while their business was hit during lockdown.

“Like so many others, lost a good chunk of revenue,” McCready said. “Finishing the book was one of several options we decided to run with to help with revenue in case we were shut down this winter. Additionally, these races are incredible adventures with so many life lessons in them. They deserved to be captured.”

Those lessons about getting through dark times are something the pair recount as public speakers. Their race stories have a wide appeal, McCready said.

“For adventure seekers, dog lovers and folks who love the North it is an obvious choice. But we have had folks read it who don’t fit any of those groups and tell us they couldn’t put it down and that there were so many valuable life lessons in it, and it was also a great escape from the pandemic.”

The publisher, Melanie Warner, said in an online launch event that the story offers an adventure for people stuck indoors.

“This will make you feel like you’re there,” Warner said. “Just you sharing your experience made other people want to change their own life experience.”

DeBruin said he races in part because of how everything else fades away.

“You live the moment,” he said. “Most people aren’t able to do that nowadays because of how hectic our life is. That’s what I love about these races, is you actually live in the moment.”

The book is available at Master’s Book Store and amazon.ca.

Fire chief dished out smiles to the community

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Lisa Gervais

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March 21, 2021

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JQ - Doug Bowen tribute - 1 — The Highland Grove community mourned district fire chief Doug Bowen March 10 after he passed away due to cancer. File photo.

Whether fighting fires, plowing roads or getting kids to school on time as a bus driver, Highland Grove district fire chief, Doug Bowen, was continually serving his community.

His daughter Mary Rutledge said he was her first hero – and was a selfless individual. “He loved to be around people,” Rutledge said.

“He just really got a kick out of making people happy … He made a point of making everyone feel welcome and part of the community.”

Highland Grove came together March 10 to mourn the 68-year-old Bowen after he passed away March 5 due to cancer. He received a service at the St. John Vianney Catholic Church, including a firetruck escort for his body.

“It’s very comforting to know the community saw the person we saw as well,” Rutledge said, thanking the community for its support.

Bowen entrenched himself in Highland Grove, taking on several different roles as a municipal employee. He worked as a mechanic and a plow driver for many years, before taking on bus driving in retirement.

Local Ralph Baehre said he also regularly volunteered and helped at community suppers.

“He was the main ‘maitre’d’ for the meals, willing to talk to anybody at any time and offering that welcome smile and hospitality,” Baehre said.

That affability made him well known around the area, according to Bowen’s fellow firefighter Gary Burroughs. He recounted visiting an antique store with Bowen and feeling like he was next to a celebrity.

“He dished out smiles to the community and it brought smiles from the community,” Burroughs said. “People are just surprised by the community life that’s here and Doug brought that out.”

“My dad knew everyone and loved to talk to everyone,” Rutledge said. “Just a really positive influence.”

Bowen was one of the first firefighters at the local department according to Burroughs. He helped build it up, eventually becoming chief. He became a tireless advocate for the local hall, going to bat for it at times when the community feared the municipality might close it.

“Whenever there were words to think they’re going to shut it down here, Doug was on fire,” Burroughs said. “He grew up with it. Built up the fire hall.”

“Doug was relentlessly passionate about Station 2, its firefighters and the community they served,” Baehre said. “Doug was truly a person of humility and dedication.”

Through it all, Rutledge said Bowen was a good family man. He said his grandchildren became the highlight of his life and he would always want to spend time with them in the summer.

“They were his everything,” Rutledge said. “He would have done anything for them.”

Burroughs said even with Bowen gone, the firefighters there intend to protect their fire hall in the future. He further said the chief was someone special.

“He’s just like an icon.”

County puts driver on economic development bus

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Lisa Gervais

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March 20, 2021

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JQ - Businesses re-open - 2-web — Downtown Haliburton. File photo.

County committee of the whole gave approval March 10 for a mandate for a new economic development position.

The role was recommended in a service delivery review and included in the 2021 budget. When approved, the new position will include creating an updated community profile, identifying gaps in the workforce, business retention and expansion, marketing assistance and developing a concierge service to help potential new businesses.

Coun. Cec Ryall said Highlands East’s economic development department has had its struggles in scope. He said the County department should help address that.

“What we found was our voice was nowhere near strong enough, nor were we capable of handling the scope of some of the things that need to be done,” Ryall said. “I know there’s going to be governance issues, I know there’s going to be jurisdictional issues, but I think this is going to be one awesome beginning.”

CAO Mike Rutter proposed the position have an approximate compensation of $96,500 to $118,830. The County has budgeted $100,000, taken from provincial safe restart dollars.

Rutter also recommended a tourism and economic development committee to oversee the department, replacing a disbanded tourism advisory committee. Rutter suggested it would be made up of councillors from each municipality, to implement the County’s Destination Management plan. Rutter also said two departments would be needed to connect with the public for consultation in both sectors.

Coun. Carol Moffatt questioned the governance structure and said economic development and tourism committees should be kept separate. But she added having public input separate from a committee structure makes sense.

“We need to make sure we have clear-cut expectations and focus on specific outcomes to effect change in the community for the better,” Moffatt said.

Council directed staff to develop a job description based on input and forward the report to townships.

Township economic development uncertain

Ryall said Highlands East has a robust economic development committee. He said they do not plan to fold it but want to ensure the township and County departments can work together.

“I know there is a lot of economic development activity happening already,” Rutter responded. “We need to make sure we don’t duplicate but complement that.”

Coun. Brent Devolin said Minden had its own full-time economic development position but paused on filling it to see the County’s direction. He said communication to the municipalities is needed as the file progresses.

“I know we’re kind of sitting and waiting to see the evolution of what happens here,” Devolin said. “Whether the type of initiatives that we were trying to do at the municipal level will be mainly covered.”

Dysart changing cemetery rules

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Lisa Gervais

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March 19, 2021

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JQ - Dysart cemetery bylaw - 2 — Dysart et al is introducing a new bylaw for Evergreen Cemetery. File photo.

Dysart et al staff presented a new cemetery bylaw March 9 in part to address issues stemming from a conflict between caretakers and a grieving mother.

Council committee of the whole reviewed the draft bylaw for its Evergreen Cemetery, which added rules around gravesite mementos. It came after a viral video from resident, Dulce Acero, in June, where she protested alleged mistreatment from caretakers disposing of mementos placed by the grave of her son Phoenix.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said the memorialization section was made with that June incident in mind.

“We’re trying to take all that into consideration and do our best to ensure that people are able to memorialize their loved ones,” Roberts said. “But also making sure it’s safe for the caretakers, and also keeping within the decorum of a cemetery.”

The new version states the municipality reserves the right to regulate articles placed on plots. It prohibits ceramics, corrosive materials or breakable objects by graves. It allows for loose objects and flowers to be placed up off the ground, on a ledge or in an elevated basket.

The bylaw also states objects removed by staff will be placed at the main entrance, where they must be “picked up in a timely manner” before staff dispose of them. The previous bylaw did not formally address mementos or a disposal policy.

“We aren’t saying people can’t leave things or mementos,” Roberts said. “But they have to be in a certain manner. They can’t be all over the grass and they have to be of a certain material.”

Acero said she is dissatisfied, and the municipality did not seem to change existing protocol.

“It’s essentially the same thing,” Acero said. “There’s absolutely nothing underneath that is sensitive to the multicultural members of our community because it’s exactly the same rules written in a different way.”

Deputy Mayor Patrick Kennedy mentioned the possibility of including a small area by a plot untouched by staff for mementos or flowers, which exist in some cemeteries. Deputy clerk, Laurie Salvatori, said something like that could be included, though added it could make maintenance more difficult.

“Right now, you can take a whipper snipper right up to a granite stone,” Roberts said. “Can’t take a whipper snipper up against a little rosebush.”

Council voted to receive the report as information and direct staff to bring back a revised bylaw at the April 27 meeting. Salvatori said there will be a public notice for a 30-day period before then.

Acero said she would like to see a designated memorialization area as Kennedy mentioned. She said caretakers have left her and her son’s grave alone since she went public in June, but she is not certain that will last.

“I’m not the only one that’s ever had a negative encounter,” Acero said. “I understand there has to be a bylaw and there has to be rules … What the difference is between Evergreen Cemetery and the other cemeteries in the community is maybe the lack of humanity.”