After two years of pouring her heart, soul and mind into her soon-to-be-released book, The Knitter’s Sweater Fitting Bible, local yarn dyer and knitwear designer Kim McBrien Evans said the guide is filled with tips and tricks that might help fellow makers out of a bind.

The publication releases on most online formats and at Indigo Dragonfly Aug. 25. It’s been a two-year project for McBrien Evans, who called it a technical guide designed to walk people through challenging aspects of a sweater’s design.

“This is about trying to help knitters learn specifically about how sweaters work and what they can do to change the design to fit their bodies properly,” she said.

Knitting since she was four, McBrien Evans said she’s largely self-taught. Many of the designs featured are her own, though there are others from eight contributors from across the country. They gathered in the County together earlier this summer to stage pictures for the book, captured by local photographer Sarah Bell.

Flicking through the finished product, McBrien Evans said it provides plenty of ideas for people trying to figure out what they want on their sweater – it doesn’t have to be just a single colour, the author noted.

Formulas printed in the book can also be adjusted, ensuring a perfect fit for the finished product.

“There are lots of designs, but the patterns and suggestions in the book are not set in stone either. They’re templates made to measure, so people can use any yarn they want and plug in all their body measurements, and the results will be a pattern that fits you as you are,” she said.

Shunning fashion industry standards, McBrien Evans said she rejects ideas such as avoiding horizontal striping for larger people.

“In knitting, I believe there are no rules at all. I look for things that we’ve been told our whole lives we shouldn’t wear and try to find ways to make them work,” she said. While she doesn’t sell her finished sweaters, the hobby has brightened up her closet.

She said her guide would be perfect for newcomers just getting into knitting.

“It is everything you’ve ever wanted to know about making sweaters – from taking good measurements, to understanding why patterns don’t fit, fixing them so they do fit, and finding ways to put your own creative stamp on your work,” she said.

An early book launch event is being held at Haliburton Highlands Brewing in Carnarvon on Saturday (Aug. 16) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a book signing, pop-up trunk show, a yarn pinata and cake.

Haliburton resident Carolyn Langdon is calling on Dysart et al council to establish a new public trail system that would one day connect the future County Road 21 development to the rest of the community.

Representing the Friends of Grass Lake advocacy group, Langdon pitched elected officials at last week’s (July 28) council meeting.

“We are requesting a formal, phased, active transportation corridor. We want to connect the new municipal property to Glebe Park,” Langdon said. “This would create a safe, walkable corridor from one part of the village to another.”

The idea, she said, would be to map out a trail from the approximate 10-acres the municipality has set aside for a public park and have it run to the property’s northern border. It would then cross several other parcels owned by the township, and one private lot, before connecting to Glebe Park.

Because of the extensive trails system already in place at Glebe Park, Langdon said people would be able to travel into the downtown without walking along a busy highway. It would also provide access to Halbiem Crescent and Bayshore Road – not an important feature today, but could be significant, Langdon said, if the township builds a new recreation facility on the CR21 property.

There have been preliminary talks about an arena, curling club and swimming pool being built, with council setting aside space in early development proposals that could, potentially, accommodate all three.

Proposal would connect CR21 site to downtown

Langdon did not present any costs or timelines, later telling The Highlander that while the project was thought up by the Friends of Grass Lake, with help from former MP Barry Devolin, she hoped the township would take it on. She didn’t think it would be an expensive project.

“We can look to Europe and the UK for a successful model. These regions have thousands of miles of historic, low-impact paths that cut through various properties. They don’t require heavy infrastructure – often, it’s just a simple, unpaved path,” Langdon said.

She pitched the trail as an economical alternative to the township extending sidewalks out to that stretch of town. Using something like crushed granite would require minimal upkeep. Langdon has outlined a potential route for the trail.

She made two official requests – that council formally protect a right-of-way corridor in all development plans moving forward and that staff work with consultant, Biglieri Group, which is helping the township with its development plan, to include a trail in future proposals.

Council spoke favourably about the idea, with mayor Walt McKechnie, deputy mayor Pat Casey and coun. Barry Boice expressing support.

“It’s a great idea in principle, but if you look at some of the areas on the map there are some things that come into play – there’s some wetlands out there, so we have to be careful,” Casey said. “This will also cost money at the end of the day – we’ll have to bring surveyors in… we have to look at this more before agreeing.

McKechnie said he thought “it’ll be a great little hiking trail.”

‘Good for community’

Langdon said investing in the system would greatly enhance one of Haliburton’s best features – its walking trails.

“There is a proven trail culture in Haliburton – when you consider the popularity of the Hike Haliburton festival and the high use of Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) trails, this would be a great addition,” she said, noting the trails could also be used for educational purposes.

“There is a wetland, so maybe a boardwalk becomes part of the conversation. There are groups in our area who have experience doing that kind of thing,” Langdon said, noting the recentlyreopened boardwalk in Minden is a popular destination for school nature trips and environmental programming through groups like HHLT and Environment Haliburton!

William Vitalis has been cottaging in the Highlands for his entire life. Spending summers growing up on nearby Peninsula Road, he feels a trail would be well-used by residents and visitors alike. His son, Ishvara, feels it would be a great addition for youth.

“I like biking over in Glebe Park, so for me this would be great. I’d have a closer connection to the park, but also just having a longer route, being able to see more of our green spaces would be good,” Ishvara said.

William added, “and if the township is seriously talking about having a rec facility on this new property, leaving space for a trail would be a great way to plan and prepare for that by making sure people have various ways to access it.”

Township planner Kris Orsan said the idea would be discussed with Biglieri Group and brought back to council in the fall.

Haliburton Highlands OPP detachment commander, Deb McClure, highlighted efforts to tackle online fraud, improve traffic safety, discussed new technology, and mental health partnerships, when she presented the board’s annual report July 23.

Tabled at the meeting in McClure’s absence, the document included crime, traffic enforcement, and community wellbeing data, and highlighted initiatives and successes from the past year.

McClure noted 2025 was the last year of the 2023-2025 detachment action plan and her report provided a final update and progress results from the plan. She said she was proud of the dedication, professionalism and work undertaken by members throughout 2025.

McClure said online fraud incidents continued to challenge residents across Haliburton County. “In response, we expanded our outreach efforts with targeted education sessions and in-person presentations, helping individuals recognize emerging fraud tactics and protecting themselves. As criminal methods evolve, our collaboration with community partners remains vital in identifying trends, supporting victims, and preventing future offences.”

The detachment commander added traffic safety remained a key priority. “By focusing enforcement and education on the ‘big four’ offences: speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving and lack of seatbelt use, we continued to reduce collision rates and enhance road safety across the region.”

McClure added that throughout 2025, “we advanced and expanded our use of new technologies introduced in recent years. The integration of body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, and automated licence plate recognition has strengthened evidence collection, increased transparency, and enhanced officer and public safety.”

She said they also successfully integrated new radio systems, improving communication reliability in Haliburton County’s challenging geography and supported more effective and co-ordinated frontline response.

“These technological advances further support operational effectiveness and member safety.

“We also continued our partnerships to support individuals experiencing mental health crises. Working with Haliburton Highlands Health Services and other community agencies, we advanced co-response approaches that reduced barriers to care and ensured people received timely, appropriate support.”

As they close out the 2023–25 action plan, McClure said she was encouraged by the progress made across all priority areas. “This work has strengthened our community relationships, enhanced service delivery, and positioned us for continued success.”

Later this year, they will release their 2026-29 action plan; the first developed under the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA).

“We are working closely with our detachment board and engaging with community members to ensure the needs of our communities are reflected in the commitments we make for the next four years,” McClure said.

She added the plan will coincide with the creation of the 2026-29 OPP strategic plan creating organizational alignment.

Police in the schools

Board chair, Andrew Fletcher, said the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, and the OPP police commissioner, want more OPP engagement in schools.

He said it had been a contentious issue over the last number of years; with police officers initially in schools, then a push to pull them out. In 2025, Bill 33 was passed, mandating police returning to schools.

Fletcher said the chiefs want local detachments to develop police and youth engagement strategies, focusing on relationship-building and prevention, rather than enforcement.

Fletcher called it, “a good news story when we get back into the schools and build those relationships with the youth.”

Board member Andrew Hodgson added, “I think we should fully endorse that. I think the police should be in our schools. I think they should be in the high school. I’m in favour of enforcement.”

He recalled when police visited Hal High when he attended, and said students knew it. “We should encourage all the schools and police to be a part of it.”

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A shift in tradition and a good dousing of summer rain weren’t enough to stop shoppers from taking over the main street for Haliburton’s annual Midnight Madness this past Saturday (Aug. 1).

While the event was a success for many downtown shops, the move from its usual Friday night timeslot became a bit of a debate over local tradition and tourist foot traffic.

In the past, Midnight Madness was held on Friday nights, but this year it was shifted to Saturday (Aug. 1) evening. The move, backed by heavy advertising and promotion on social media, had some business owners feeling anxious as opening hour approached, especially when rain rolled in.

“We were worried at first with the weather being the way it was,” Delancey Sports co-owner Erika Mozes told The Highlander on Monday.

Mozes said she texted her partner and business co-owner, Josh Karam, just before 7 p.m., thinking aloud that maybe moving the big sale to the following day might be a better option.

“And then 15 minutes later, the store was just hopping. There were so many people coming in, it was really great,” she said.

The rain pushed people directly into downtown stores, with businesses reporting shoppers right through to the late hours of the event.

“It worked out to be one of the best Midnight Madnesses that the store has ever done since we’ve been located in Haliburton,” Hywel Lee, store manager at Algonquin Outfitters, said while adding he welcomed the move to Saturday. “It gave the cottagers time to get up on Friday and come in to shop on the Saturday as planned.”

Over at Mixtape Vintage, foot traffic stayed steady past the typical wind-down time.

“During the weather, it was a really good turnout; I had people right until 11,” Heidi Hudspith said. The store owner noted that the later hours brought a spike of “younger shoppers from nine to 11 p.m.”

Glecoff’s Family Store was also steady with customers right up to Saturday’s curtain call. “I think everyone that was in town was in the store and a lot of local people, which was great,” Emily Glecoff said. “It started at about 8 p.m., and we were busy until about 10:30 p.m., so it was really good.”

While sales were strong, matching or exceeding previous years, some businesses said there was a bit of a shift in customer demographics with the move to Saturday night.

“We had a lot of people ask us why it was moved. I think some people were a little bit upset about it,” Mozes said, but noted that overall traffic into the store was great.

“I felt like the people that were most upset about it were the people that have been coming for 50 years and always come on the Friday,” Hudspith explained.

When asked about whether the new home for Midnight Madness should be Saturday night, Algonquin Outfitters gave a resounding “100 per cent” vote while Mixtape suggested ramping up live music past 10 p.m. to keep the street party vibe alive, while acknowledging that the weather was a factor on Saturday.

Delancey Sports said they would be happy to defer to the public.

“In terms of traffic and people coming out, we saw the same levels of support that we’ve seen in past years,” Mozes said. “I would rather just let the people of Haliburton decide, because for us, we’ll be open, we’ll be here, and we’ll do our Midnight Madness stuff for them.”

Minden Hills mayor Bob Carter defended large wage increases for three staff members in 2025, including the CAO, director of public works, and supervisor of waste management.

According to the public sector salary disclosure 2025, chief administrative officer, Cynthia Fletcher, made $187,046 – compared to $180,865 in 2024 – up $6,000. Her predecessor, Trisha McKibbon, earned $137,774, in 2022.

According to the 2025 list, director of public works, Mike Timmins, made $147,555, versus $126,961 in 2024 – a $20,594 jump.

Supervisor of waste management, Chelsea Cosh, did not appear on the 2024 Sunshine List, but made it last year, being paid $106,705.

Carter said the sunshine list does not provide all of the facts behind council’s decision surrounding salaries and taxable benefits. For example, he said all three staffers are now working more hours.

“When we took over this term, our salaries were a real mishmash of things that had grown over the years. We had people working 35-hour weeks, people working 37.5-hour weeks and people working 40-hour weeks.

“We had situations where we had supervisors working 35 hours and their staff working 40 … so what we have tried to do is standardize and move almost everybody to 40-hour weeks.”

The mayor added while it appears their salaries have risen, the total cost to the township hasn’t necessarily gone up. For example, he said if they work a 40-hour week now, they are not eligible for as much overtime pay.

Carter added, “I will put our salaries up against any other municipality of similar size and with jobs of similar stature. Our salaries are not out of whack. We looked at them carefully and everybody on council approved these salaries.”

By way of comparison, Dysart et al CAO Tamara Wilbee pulled in more than $203,000 last year, Algonquin Highlands CAO Angie Bird made just under $168,000, and Highlands East staff lead Brittany McCaw more than $135,500.

Dysart’s director of public works, Rob Camelon, earned more than $152,000; Adam Thorn of Algonquin Highlands nearly $140,000; and Perry Kelly of Highlands East more than $135,786, with Highlands East environmental staffer Patrick Thompson making more than $110,000.

Carter reiterated in an interview last week, the increases “came about because of change of hours. You work more; you get paid more. The justification is they are being paid commensurate with what the job pays across the market.”

Traffic was moving slowly throughout Haliburton village on Saturday (Aug. 1), though it was for a good cause as the Haliburton and District Lions Club held its annual toll booth fundraiser on the Maple Avenue bridge.

Volunteers set up around 8 a.m. and greeted drivers as they made their way in and out of town. One of those collecting, Renee Griffith, said hundreds of people dipped into their wallets to make a donation.

“Such a generous community – even those that haven’t been able to give anything stop and wish us luck,” said Griffith.

One of the passersby, Cathy Dunne, smiled and dropped some cash in the bucket, saying she contributes every year.

David Mills, a longtime Lions club member, said the event raised more than $7,500, which supports various projects and causes in the area. He said the toll booth is one of the club’s top fundraisers.

“This is money we would use to help people if they had a fire or other emergency, or someone who needed new glasses, hearing aids or a wheelchair,” Mills said. “We provide a lot of help to the community that way, focusing on health and wellness.”

Funds are also used to help plan the annual ‘Stories in the Park’, with the latest edition coming up Aug. 26 at Head Lake Park from noon to 2 p.m.

Mills said there will be fun for the whole family, with games such as bean bag toss, mini putt, basketball toss, ladder toss and a fishpond will be available. There will also be a kids’ painting area. Gord Kidd will be performing, while children’s author Carolyn Huizinga Mills will read her new awardwinning book I Drove my Bed to Grandma’s House.

Mills noted all children in attendance will receive a new book they can take home.

“There will be free hot dogs, juice and popcorn. For adults we ask for a donation, but it’s open to anyone. It’s a way for us to celebrate and thank the community for all their support over the year,” Mills said.

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

When Randall Linton originally sat down to write This Little Light of Mine, he had no intention of becoming a published author. He simply wanted to write a manuscript of memories for his five grandchildren, ensuring they grew up knowing the story of their aunt Elisa.

Elisa Linton died 10 years ago this Halloween at the age of 22 from Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare, terminal genetic condition sometimes referred to as childhood Alzheimer’s.

This Little Light of Mine draws heavily on journals and photographs Linton maintained throughout Elisa’s life, providing a real-time account from a father’s perspective. The memoir was originally intended strictly as a private family record, Linton explained.

“I wrote the book originally for my grandchildren,” Linton said while sitting in his cottage that overlooks Minden’s Bob Lake. “I really wanted them to know who their aunt Elisa was, the inspiration she was, and the contribution she made to society.”

However, after sharing his writing with some close friends, including a professional copywriter and an author, Linton expanded his manuscripts after getting some feedback.

“They both got back to me about a month later and said they felt this book needed to get out to a wider audience,” Linton recalled. “There’s so much in it that would benefit people.”

The memoir has reached readers far beyond the lake and the Linton family. After selling out its initial 250-copy run at backto-back launch events in June, the author ordered another batch to meet demand.

While he worked full-time for much of Elisa’s life, Linton’s wife, Elisabeth, stepped down from her career as a food stylist to care for their daughter and serve as executive director of the Sanfilippo Children’s Research Foundation (SCRF), a charity the couple founded.

“I witnessed all of this,” Linton explained. “I saw what Elisabeth was doing with our kids, going on media interviews, promoting the foundation. I thought when I sat down to write the book, it would be better coming from me who witnessed this… from a husband and father’s perspective.”

The father said that at times, writing proved to be very emotional and overwhelming, sometimes forcing him to step away for weeks at a time because memories of hospital stays and difficult breathing episodes resurfaced. But, the journey ultimately offered him a sense of processing, Linton recalled.

“It became very cathartic for me,” Linton said. “It really helped me deal with a lot of what I was going through… having it come full circle.”

Sanfilippo syndrome is caused by a missing enzyme that breaks down natural occurring cellular waste in the body. Without it, toxins build up in organs and the brain, causing a progressive decline in the body’s function.

Linton reflected on the realities of watching his youngest daughter regress while at the same time trying to navigate the challenges of raising two older children and holding onto family faith.

“It’s bloody tough. It’s hell going through, watching your child go through this,” Linton said. “When we closed the doors, and it was just us, it was hard… If it wasn’t for our faith, I don’t know if we would have got through it as a couple.”

Through the SCRF, the Linton family has raised more than $8 million and funded 32 research projects globally. Proceeds from This Little Light of Mine directly support two primary research centres: one in Cleveland, Ohio, and the other at CHU SteJustine in Montreal.

At the book launch in June, Dr. Alexey Pshezhetsky, a lead researcher from Montreal, spoke to attendees about how the foundation’s $1 million bursary is helping research that has now reached the cusp of clinical trials, Linton said.

“Seeing Elisa’s legacy live on in both Cleveland and Montreal… you can’t really put it into words,” Linton said. “It’s a real blessing.”

For the Lintons, their cottage in Minden holds a particularly special place in Elisa’s memory.

“We would sit her in the screened-in porch so she could feel the breeze and hear the activity on the waterfront,” Linton recalled. “She loved it here.”

A plaque sits outside, near the screened porch next to a tree planted in Elisa’s honour, marking the spot where her ashes are buried overlooking the lake she loved.

Sales from This Little Light of Mine go directly to the SCRF.

Copies can be ordered directly through the foundation’s website at alifeforelisa.org or by emailing elisabeth@ alifeforelisa.org.

Haliburton’s biggest party of the summer went off without a hitch at Head Lake Park on Tuesday (Aug. 4) as Haliburton Rotary presented its annual Summerfest. Running from 4 to 8 p.m., residents were free to check out various booths, with free kids activities, face-painting, hot air balloon rides and family games available.

Rotary volunteers were selling beef on a bun and hot dogs, with complimentary cotton candy and popcorn given away.

Music in the Park featured County rocker Ryan Van Lee, while the evening ended as it traditionally does – with the revealing of the Rotary club’s car draw.

This year’s winner was Greg Bishop from Algonquin Highlands, who gets to choose between a 2026 Chevrolet AWD Trailblazer or $40,000 cash.