Volume 2 Number 4

View the June 25, 2008 edition on issuu.com

Volume 2, Number 4 – June 25, 2008

Inside: Grand Bend Burgerfest, Curtis Hutcherson, cougar in Port Franks, Young Eagles at Sexsmith airport.

  • Do you have gas pains?
    View from the Strip By Casey Lessard Everyone seems to be concerned about the price of gas these days, and I’m certainly among the crowd. I’m not eager to face the pumps when I have to resume my commute to Toronto every week to teach this fall. But what do you do? I’ve been trying to figure out ...
  • June 25 Letters to the Editor
    Dear Casey, I just wanted to let you know how very well received your (wheelchair accessibility) article was, by your readers and by many merchants. I know it can be a gamble when dealing with businesses and I admit it was not always comfortable for me, but it truly has turned out to be such a worthwhile project.  Scott ...
  • On the road again
    The road took his life, but Curtis Hutcherson is taking it back the Smart way As told to Casey Lessard My first memory of driving was growing up on the tobacco farms of Tillsonburg, driving the trucks back and forth. It was great. Gas was 45 or 50 cents a gallon then. No problem. My first car was ...
  • Sexsmith pilots offer kids chance to fly
    Exeter resident Ron Helm flies out of Sexsmith airfield, northwest of Exeter on McDonald Road, just east of Airport Line. The pilots based at Sexsmith will offer free flights to children aged 8 to 17 the morning of June 28 (NOTE: weather delayed until September 13, 2008); pre-registration is recommended by calling Wayne Steeper at ...
  • Pilot can’t wait to take friends for flight
    Mike Ash of Grand Bend has spent the last 14 years building his plane, which he completed this spring. Soon, he will be allowed to take passengers, but he will not be ready to offer flights for the Young Eagles day. His first – and most frequent – passenger will likely be his wife Kathy, ...
  • Peaking out: make changes before we run out of oil
    Alternative View By Angela Michielsen “Peak oil” is the point when the world will have used half of the oil resources on the planet and the global output of oil will no longer meet demand. Peaking is usually followed by a serious decline, a prospect that worries many researching “peak oil.” Few dispute that oil will hit ...
  • Port Franks cougar sighting – the proof is in the plaster
    Port Franks resident feeds big cat that left paw prints in his garden Story and photos by Casey Lessard Port Franks resident Bob Rutledge is a friend to animals: he feeds 14 squirrels and a couple of raccoons on a regular basis. So it is only natural that another, larger animal would gravitate to him. “I’ve been putting ...
  • Oh Canada! – Playhouse presents Sorry… I’m Canadian
    Playhouse does Canadian classics Legends style Story by Casey Lessard Photo courtesy Drayton Entertainment “Canadians typically say sorry for everything. We’re sorry for this and sorry for that.” And that, says star Neil Aitchison, is the running joke for his role in Sorry… I’m Canadian, which runs June 24 to July 12 at the Huron Country Playhouse. “Alex (Mustakas) and ...
  • The pressure is on for youth businesses
    Summer Company gives Huron teens kick start Story and photo by Casey Lessard It’s not easy getting a small business off the ground – and keeping it going – but Huron County youth are getting a hand with the Summer Company program. The entrepreneurship program run by the Huron Business Enterprise Centre and funded by the Ontario ...
  • Huron County libraries offer game nights for youth
    The Huron County Library is adding teen game nights and drop-in gaming to its year-round program offerings starting in July. Ten of the county’s 12 branches will host monthly gaming events for youth aged 12 to 18. Each event will feature a big screen Nintendo Wii tournament with such games as Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Super ...
  • Wedding and baby showers
    Advice from Mom By Rita Lessard As we get older, times change. The children become adults and some adults become children. When I was younger, my parents were the authority figures; these days, there is still authority in the family, but in some instances it seems that it rests in the hands of the children. Perhaps this ...
  • A divorce in Cyprus
    Keeping the Peace By Tom Lessard After living in Lizard Flats for a few months, the monotony of the same routine and weather day after day with very little excitement, we waited for something interesting. It just so happened that two corporals living in the signals shack had a disagreement resulting in one throwing the other out – ...
  • In appreciation of the bird life around us
    Living in Balance By Jenipher Appleton A warm July morning on Blue Heron Bay, Muskoka. Half an hour past dawn. The lake: a sheet of glass in the rising mist. A nine-year-old girl ambles on the beach, welcoming the sun’s rays as they kiss her chestnut hair and warm the sand between her toes. The belted kingfisher ...
  • Crafty? Sell your stuff online
    Technically Speaking By Tamara Nicola, VisitGrandBend.com If you can paint, sew, knit, wood carve, make greeting cards, make candles, make jewelry, or any other handicraft, you’ll want to check out Etsy.com. Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade items and it’s a great way to draw attention to your creations without the hassle of setting up your ...
  • Take control of the course
    Golf Tips By Cameron Rankin, Sand Hills Golf Resort Course management, accurate tee shots and a great short game were key to last week’s U.S. Open. Of course, playing your second shot from the fairway produces a lower score. But fortunately, the majority of courses in this area have shorter rough than Torrey Pines, so we have a ...
  • To Do List – June 25 to July 1 – Community Charity
    Every Tuesday 7 p.m. – Grand Bend Legion Bingo Every Friday 5 to 7 p.m. – Grand Bend Legion Meat Draw Wednesday, June 25 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Gill St. parking lot, Grand Bend Grand Bend Farmers’ Market Huron Country Playhouse Guild monthly luncheon meeting at Hessenland Restaurant in St. Joseph’s. Guest speaker Susan Ferguson of Ferguson Apiaries speaking about bees and ...
  • To Do List – June 25 to July 1 – Entertainment
    Tuesday, June 24 to July 12 – Huron Country Playhouse Sorry… I’m Canadian. For tickets, call 1-888-449-4463. Saturday, June 28 3 to 6 p.m. – Grand Bend Legion Live Music with Reverend Freddie & The Distillers Tuesday, July 1 6:30 p.m. – West Williams Park Canada Day Celebrations. Food, Games, Music and Fireworks (rain date July 2). Saturday, July 5 3 to 6 p.m. – ...
  • To Do List – June 25 to July 1 – Health and Fitness
    Who Wants Tues. & Thurs. evening outdoor fitness? 6-7pm at the GB Lions Pavilion? Please phone Beth Sweeney (519) 238-5555 to show interest! Mondays 8 to 9 a.m. – Lions’ Pavilion, Grand Bend Workout for Your Life. $8 per class; $5 for spouses and students. 6 to 7 p.m. – McNaughton Park, Exeter Workout for Your Life. $8 per ...