The Hal High Red Hawks senior boys’ volleyball team secured the Kawartha Championship on Tuesday (Nov. 4) after a 3-0 straight set win over Peterborough’s Ecole Monseigneur Jamot in the final, played on home soil in Haliburton.
The eight-man Red Hawks team defeated Port Hope High School in the semi-final earlier in the day.
The school will now host the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA) finals on Nov. 11.
On Oct. 20, SIRCH Community Services officially launched Nathan’s Farm Project at the SIRCH Bistro & Bakery, at 49 Maple Ave. in Haliburton.
The initiative introduces 12 hydroponic grow towers inside the Bistro, producing fresh, nutritious greens year-round. The harvests will be used daily in Bistro offerings.
For the first time, produce grown from the towers will also be featured in SIRCH’s Lunch Is On Us program, where every Wednesday community members are welcomed into the Bistro for a free nutritious meal.
Guests will now enjoy salads and dishes featuring tower-grown greens, even in the middle of winter.
“This project reflects our values of levelling the playing field and creating a ripple effect of positive change,” said Gena Robertson, executive director of SIRCH.
“By investing in hydroponic towers, we’re ensuring that everyone in our community, regardless of income, can access healthy, locally-grown food in a safe, welcoming space.”
At the launch, people heard about the history of Nathan’s Farm, why the towers were introduced, and SIRCH’s future vision for food security in Haliburton.
For more information on Nathan’s Urban Farm go to www.enuf.farm. Nathan’s Farm Project is made possible through the Nathan T. Deslippe Memorial Fund and Medavie Foundation, honouring Nathan’s legacy of compassion, innovation, and community impact.
Acclaimed author, journalist and broadcaster Linden MacIntyre filled the Haliburton Legion Nov. 2 as he visited Haliburton County for an afternoon discussion about his new book An Accidental Villian.
The book recounts a soldier’s tale of war, deceit and exile – based on the story of First World War major general Sir Hugh Tudor, a close friend of former U.K. prime minister Winston Churchill.
The event was organized by the Friends of the Haliburton County Public Library, with proceeds (tickets were $25) supporting programming at all libraries across the County.
The Minden Hills branch of the Haliburton County Public Library hosted a Diwali celebration Nov. 1. Local volunteer, Yasmin Schoenke, was on hand for an afternoon of music, dancing, crafts, and culture. Visitors created their own clay diya (oil lamp), and tried henna designs.
Meanwhile, Dance Happens Here Haliburton (DH3) is partnering with local businesspeople to once again bring Diwali to the Haliburton Legion Nov. 15. There will be Indian food, lively music and dancing.
Schoenke will perform and lead interactive dances. Music will be provided by DJ Karim Khimji of Safari Sounds. A simple meal will be provided by Lindsay’s Masala Kraft for a true taste of India, including some Diwali treats.
Spokesperson Myra Stephen said, “the universal theme of celebrating the light is found in the traditions of many cultures as we move towards the short days of winter. Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a major Hindu festival held each fall fostering a sense of unity, love, and gratitude.
“It symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance through various cultural, religious, and social practices. It’s a time for new beginnings, happiness, offerings of food and Indian sweets, dancing and bringing good luck into your life.”
The event is suitable for adults, youth and children
Tickets are $40 for adults, $20 for students and children under 18 are free. Tickets are available online at www.dancehappenshere. com or at Redmans Records. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
For more information see www.dancehappenshere.com
Haliburton County Husky, Kaiden Thatcher, came off the ice after warm-ups before the first game of the season Sept. 6 to find an ‘A’ stitched into his jersey.
The team has yet to name a captain, with Thatcher and Isaac Larmand serving as alternate captains so far this year.
The big second-year defenseman said it came as somewhat of a shock.
But, “at the same time, I’m not surprised. I think I’ve been a leader my whole life. It’s kind of who I am, and my personality,” he told The Highlander this week.
“I think I bring a lot of energy to the room. I get the guys going. I lead by example.”
The 6-foot-4, 205 lb. D-man says the added responsibility has been good for him, helping him to dial in a little more both on the ice and in the dressing room.
Born in 2007, he is a young alternate captain. He jokes he is trying to be a kid but it makes him realize he has to be more of an adult “and lead the guys in the room, the younger guys especially.”
The Huskies are a decidedly younger team this year than last, especially after trading goalie Stephen Toltl.
Asked what it is like working with Larmand, Thatcher said “great.” It helps that the two billet together in the same house, so can talk hockey after they leave the rink. The D-man said they are like brothers.
“We’ll talk about what we can do better. We’ve had multiple player-only meetings when we were in a bit of slump at the start of the season, to try to get the boys going and trying to see what the problem was.”
They chalked it up to rookies being a bit too comfortable at the start, and not understanding Husky hockey and systems.
“We have a ton of skill; it’s just trying to get them to understand that junior hockey isn’t like minor hockey at all… everything’s a lot faster. They were overcomplicating things and we had to tell them to just keep it simple and stick to their game.” He said watching a ton of video is helping.
Thatcher’s experience playing games with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes last year has helped.
He added he and Larmand have different personalities they bring to their roles.
“I’m definitely the bad cop; more vocal than him. He’s definitely more of the nice guy. He’ll be more understanding and I kind of rip into them a bit – and it works.”
The team has come off of a rare weekend off, last on the ice Oct. 28 against Newmarket before playing in Buffalo Nov. 5. However, they have been in the gym and at the rink.
Thatcher said he is seeing improvement and the team has set a lofty goal of winning nine of 11 games in November.
“These past couple of games, we’ve been playing a lot better; just preaching the whole get the pucks to the net kind of thing. That’s helped. This year, we have not been too offensive of a team, so it’s all about getting pucks to the net, score more dirty goals, we’re not as skilled as last year, quite yet.”
The team is back home Nov. 8 against the Wellington Dukes. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.
The Highland Storm Minden Pharmasave U15 local league team faced off against the Millbrook Stars on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena in Minden.
This amazing team embodied the words ‘teamwork’ and ‘effort’ from the first drop of the puck.
Travis Mann was all business, scoring the first and final goal of the game. Gibson Pockett followed the Storm’s first goal a minute later with a perfectly placed backhand shot, then with half a second left in the first period, team captain Jaxon Hurd buried the puck.
To the delight of the cheering crowd, assistant captain Moss Davis and Nash Wilson each added two goals to the Storm’s total. Mackay Windover went end-to-end, weaving between players, delivering an incredible goal. Ben Cowen left his mark with solid effort displayed throughout the entire match.
Defending the game, assistant captain Matt Mueller was ever-present; swatting away countless attempts by the Stars, and fearless Evelyn Mardus consistently held the line for her team. Goalie Colten Simms awed everyone with his repeated deflections, and made catching a puck in midair look effortless.
AP players Beau Gilmour and Nolan Frybort filled in with constant backup to the team, after just playing in a game with their own team (U13) prior.
The impressive and unrelenting skills of Connor Iles, Hunter Davidson and Wes Cowen were definitely missed.
The final score was 9-2 and we look forward to more from this great team, led by coaches Jeff Iles and Stew Hurd, with support from trainers Dawn Hurd and Jeff Wilson.
This year’s Heat Bank dinner and auction is entering a new chapter – with a fresh venue and chefs joining forces from the County’s top restaurants.
Rhubarb Restaurant in Carnarvon has hosted the event in support of Heat Bank Haliburton County for 11 years. After last year’s tickets sold out almost instantly, co-owner Terri Mathews-Carl envisioned expanding the event and invited neighbouring restaurants, Bonnie View Inn, the Post House, Dimensions Retreats, and Juna, to partner for 2025.
“This event has always been about a sense of community coming together,” said Mathews-Carl, owner of Rhubarb and Juna. “Over the years, we’ve shared incredible meals and moments that translated into real community support. It just felt natural to invite more neighbours to the table to build on that sense of friends helping friends.”
With the event relocating to Bonnie View Inn, it is expected to nearly double in size, hosting more than 100 dinner guests.
Mathews-Carl said “in scale, it will be a spectacular community gathering – made possible by the camaraderie between these five local establishments.”
Tina Jackson, of Central Food Network and Heat Bank’s executive director, said, “neighbours helping neighbours is exactly what is at the heart of Heat Bank. We are always stronger when we work together, and it’s so special to see this same spirit reflected in the fundraiser.”
The Post House owner, Heather Milstein, added, “when Terri reached out, we were so excited to get involved. Collaborating with fellow restaurants allows us to combine our strengths and creativity to support the community in a meaningful way.” The night begins at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 with a cocktail hour followed by a four-course dinner; each course by a chef from Rhubarb, Juna, Dimensions Retreats, and the Post House. There will be live music and the evening will conclude with a live auction.
Jackson said that as of July, Heat Bank Haliburton County had already responded to 223 calls for assistance — nearly matching the total for all of last year before the heating season has started for the upcoming winter. She said Haliburton County has one of the highest rates of energy poverty in Canada. Rising costs and financial uncertainty mean that more people are reaching out for support.
Heat Bank provides practical solutions, including: delivering firewood and other heating fuels during cold seasons; assisting with applications for hydro grants and cost savings; advocating with hydro companies to establish fair payment plans; assessment and personalized support. Tickets are $150 each.
To reserve your seat, contact Terri at 705-489-4449.
Haliburton’s Andrew Hodgson has earned many accolades throughout his career as a political staffer and real estate agent, but none carried as much meaning as when he was named 2025 Highlander of the Year last week.
Hodgson beat out seven others to claim the award at the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce annual business excellence awards, held at the Haliburton Legion Oct. 26.
“There have been wonderful leaders of this community recognized with this award going back years – I’m honoured to be a part of that list now,” Hodgson told The Highlander. “I thought the whole night was exciting and wonderful, it was great seeing so many young people doing business here.”
Born and raised in Haliburton, Hodgson said his very first volunteer post was as president of the student council at Hal High. He moved away after high school, but upon returning in the mid-2000s he started to get involved with many community organizations.
Hodgson has been a Haliburton Rotarian for 19 years, serving as president in 2012-13 when the club constructed the bandshell in Head Lake Park; sat on the board for the Haliburton County Development Corporation for 19 years, currently serving as chair; was the County representative on the Sir Sandford Fleming college board for several years; and was a part of the flood relief committee in Minden in 2016.
Most recently, Hodgson was named to one of two civilian positions on the new Haliburton County Police Detachment Board.
“I grew up in Haliburton and really love this community. My family has been in this area since 1865, they’ve been involved in so many volunteer efforts and been elected to many positions in the County,” Hodgson said. “I’m so humbled to have gotten this award.”
Hodgson beat out Barb Smith-Morrison, David and Betty Mills, Lee Train, Jessica Slade, Mathew Renda and Shay-Lynn Hutchings for the gong.
The chamber’s executive director, Amanda Conn, congratulated Nicole Mee of Forest Lane Counselling for winning businesswoman of the year – beating out Brandi Hewson, Britt Thomas, Chelsea Adamson, Deborah Banks, Kelsey Sharpless, Sandra Prozak, Hutchings and Tamara Skoretz.
Celebrating Haliburton County businesses
“We are extremely proud of the strong women in business that we have… [Nicole] exhibits outstanding performance, a definite career progression and demonstrated incredible results, while also active in the community and committed to making a positive impact,” Conn said.
Mee said it was an honour to be recognized.
“When I first became a therapist, I had lofty dreams and big ideas. But mainly, all I wanted to do was help people thrive in the world. I wanted to build something that made a real difference, a place where people could find hope, healing and courage to move forward.
“Seeing that vision come to fruition is the greatest reward. This award is a reminder that meaningful work matters and that when we lead with purpose and compassion, we can create lasting change,” Mee said.
Hewson, founder of WAI Products and Kohara and Co., took home the individual leadership business achievement award after building her companies from the ground up over the past 15 years.
“From where we started to where we are today, it’s things like this that force us to take a step back and appreciate who we are, what we are, and the people that surround us,” Hewson said. “I’m not standing up here as an individual – this is a team award. It’s because of them I’m able to reach for everything that I have and stretched WAI Products into four companies, not just one.”
Award winners
Warden’s Award: Brooksong Retreat & Cancer Support Centre
Customer Service – Business: Northern HVAC
Customer Service – Employee: John Watson
Young Professional: Chelsea Adamson
Not for Profit: Youth Unlimited
New Business: Haliburton Village Pharmacy
Established Business: Wind in the Willows Spa
Tourism and Hospitality: Haliburton Post House
Businesswoman: Nicole Mee
Professional Services: Haliburton Chiropractic
Industry and Skilled Trades: Hodgkinson Builds
Retail: Coneybeare’s Butcher Shop
Individual leadership achievement: Brandi Hewson
Employer: Boshkung Brewing
Highlander of the Year: Andrew Hodgson
Haliburton business owner Kelsey Redman says she’s trying to stay upbeat after her Highland Street business, Redmans Records, was hit by a thief twice in three nights last week.
Haliburton Highlands OPP has confirmed they are searching for 29-year-old Connor Davies, who stands to be charged with three counts of breaking and entering, and three counts of theft under $5,000.
Redman said her store was targeted overnight Oct. 19 and again Oct. 21. She provided video footage of the incidents to police, who have issued a warrant for Davies’ arrest. Hers wasn’t the only store hit recently – Greenleaf Cannabis at the Village Barn was robbed late Oct. 27.
Redman said Davies is a frequent customer at her shop.
“I know who it is… this does absolutely suck, it feels awful, definitely a little discouraging but at least I know it isn’t personal. It’s weirdly comforting knowing he didn’t just go out of his way to target me,” Redman said.
She lost a few hundred dollars from her float, a T-shirt and a hoodie – all total losses, since her insurance deductible is worth more than what was taken.
After posting a video about the incident to social media, Redman said the community has really rallied around her.
“It’s really taken off here this week – so many people have come in, saying they were thinking about buying something but heard about what happened so wanted to show their support,” Redman said. “I super appreciate it.”
Mark Roy said a lone man broke a window to get into Greenleaf shortly after 11 p.m. Oct. 27 and made away with $90 cash and approximately $1,200 worth of cannabis product. With repairs, Roy pegged his losses at around $2,000.
“We’ve been open for a few years now and never, ever had an issue,” Roy said, noting he’s planning to install motion cameras at the Village Barn to deter would-be criminals.
Angela Ritchie, who works at Greenleaf, said the incident has left her feeling uneasy. She said she noticed someone lingering in the area shortly before the store closed at 7 p.m. that evening.
“It sucks knowing this is happening – it makes me wonder how safe I am when locking up at night,” Ritchie said, saying the store is open until 9 p.m. some nights.
This is the latest in a long line of robberies in Haliburton village recently. In September, McKeck’s Tap & Grill, Emmerson Lumber, Mega Munch, Kosy Korner and cannabis dispensary Fiore Verde were all hit – with mostly money taken. Police did not confirm whether Davies was a suspect in those incidents.
As of press time, Davies remained at large. Cst. Rob Adams said there is an active ongoing investigation and appealed to the public for assistance. Anyone with information regarding the Oct. 19, 21 or 27 break-ins can contact police at 1-888-3101122 and quote file number E251462863.
Anyone who knows of Davies’ whereabouts is asked not to approach him and call police immediately.
To remain anonymous, contact CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.khcrimestoppers.ca. Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible to receive a cash reward up to $2,000.
A proposal for a new 73-child daycare in Haliburton village was presented to Dysart et al council for the first time Oct. 28, with elected officials supporting the plan.
An application to temporarily rezone 5152 County Road 21, which houses Haliburton County Development Corporation’s ‘The Link’ space at the front of the building and previously served as Patient News’ head office at the back, was advanced last week.
Kris Orsan, the township’s manager of planning, said the applicant was seeking a five-year term for a temporary use bylaw that would allow a daycare. He said the township could only authorize a three-year term, due to rules in Ontario’s Planning Act,
“Upon expiry, the applicant may request additional exceptions of no more than a three-year period each iteration,” Orsan said.
He noted the proposal aligns with Dysart’s official and strategic plans.
“By providing accessible childcare, the day nursery directly supports the strategic priority of enhancing community wellbeing and helps build a more inclusive and supportive environment for young families,” Orsan said.
The property is owned by Haliburton Lumber and Enterprise, which operates Haliburton Timber Mart on the neighbouring property. The daycare will be run by Jennifer Cid, who attended last week’s meeting.
Online records show Cid registered a new corporation, Best Care Ever Inc., in August. She’s proposing to have up to 15 staff at the site.
Cid told council she’s eager to renovate the property so she can get the daycare open as soon as possible, but Orsan said she requires a building permit. Her proposal needs to be approved by the County, which has requested a traffic brief – showing how the daycare may impact CR21. Chief building official, Karl Korpela, indicated a building permit will only be approved once the County signs off.
“You can always apply for the building permit to do the renovations… but you take the risk that something goes off track with the planning approval, so you could be renovating a building that may not get the ultimate approval,” Korpela said. “You can apply to start doing the renovations at any time.”
There was no indication of a timeline for County approval, though mayor Murray Fearrey, who sits on the upper-tier council, felt that was a formality.
“This is certainly needed – there’s 140 daycare spaces needed in the County,” Fearrey said.
