By Emily Stonehouse We’ve all heard the saying “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”. The colloquial phrase alludes to the fact that we should be grateful for what we are doled out; appreciative for…
Two degrees
By Emily Stonehouse One or two degrees. That’s the only difference between a cozy rainy day and a declaration of a significant weather event. While we tweak and adjust our thermostats to meet our needs,…
The helpers
By Emily Stonehouse The world feels difficult, that’s no secret. Unless you are one of the very lucky individuals who is able to stay entirely apolitical, whether that be based on privilege or ambivalence, the…
Representation
By Emily Stonehouse When I was growing up in the Haliburton Highlands, playing house league hockey on Thursday nights, I used to get changed in a closet. It was tucked around the back of the…
Fluff
By Emily Stonehouse There’s been no shortage of news. Most of it has been bad. We can’t look the other way. And the algorithms of our allegedly “smart” devices are curated so that we can’t…
Power
By Emily Stonehouse Dysart passed their budget earlier this year by following a standard status quo pattern. Very few feathers were ruffled. If you blinked, you may have even missed it on the agenda altogether.…
2016
By Emily Stonehouse There’s a viral trend circulating online these days about throwing it back to 2016. While the year may seem in the not-so-distant rearview mirror, I think it came as a startling realization…
But
By Emily Stonehouse It’s dark, the nights are long. Swirling snow and screaming winds, we wake up to dig ourselves out. Every day. But, it’s getting lighter. The days are stretching thin. Wisps of daylight…
Ready?
By Emily Stonehouse It’s no secret that over the holiday season, our thoughts are heightened. There’s an edge to our emotions, a fray to our feelings. Seasonal times tend to have that effect on people.…
The cost of living
By Emily Stonehouse I watched as our county council spoke in circles around budget spikes. A percentage knocked off here and there, major capital projects put on the back burner for another year in an…
Behind closed doors
By Emily Stonehouse Please note that the following editorial contains depictions of domestic violence that some readers may find uncomfortable. If you are in a dangerous situation of domestic violence, contact 1-800-823-0599. I lived in…
Prioritizing people
By Emily Stonehouse I was ready to start this editorial, flying the flag with bold letters crying ‘Long Live the Library’. We all know that during budget talks, the first victim to the chopping block…
The Canadian Way
By Emily Stonehouse Over the past few months, the differences between countries have stood out like a sore thumb. Constant comparisons, dichotomizations, polar opposites seen in real time. We see this in the form of…
Kids
By Emily Stonehouse It’s a time of year where kids are on the forefront. And they should be. It’s a season of magic and wonder. As we age, that sparkle dims and dwindles; until sometimes…
To remember
By Emily Stonehouse Lest we forget. A phrase we share around Remembrance Day. Thinking of our past chapters, looking forward with hope. The act of marching to war in any capacity is something beyond my…
Real
By Emily Stonehouse This week, the paper is filled with some very real stories. And I don’t mean real in the sense that they are true and accurate (though I can assure you, they are),…
Shed a tier
By Emily Stonehouse Highlands East council took the time this past week to discuss the potential development of a new council meeting space. And while they tossed around the idea, nothing was set in stone…
Weaving words
By Emily Stonehouse We always find a theme in our papers. One specific thread that seems to weave through our words, and when I tug at that thread, I generally find my topic for an…
The right to strike
By Emily Stonehouse As I type this, there are two known major strikes happening in the community. The college support staff have been picketing for over two weeks, and last week, Canada Post announced once…
Truth
By Emily Stonehouse As we wade the waters of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - a day for reflection, for pausing, for honouring - it’s difficult to look past the muddy riverbeds of the…
Hope
By Emily Stonehouse 45 years ago, Terry Fox started his Marathon of Hope. A true Canadian icon, Fox rallied communities in the name of hope, and put one foot in front of the other as…