By Vivian CollingsWalking into Skyline Dance on Monday, Mar. 20, all that could be heard from the hallway were joyful sounds of laughter and the tip-tapping of metal shoes to the beat of Shania Twain’s…
Dysart council wary of proposed Head Lake zipline
By James MatthewsLocal Journalism Initiative Reporter A playground’s liability issues have raised the hackles of the Municipality of Dysart et al township council.A new playground for Head Lake Park has been designed and most major…
Act now to ensure healthy lakes, says coalition…
By James MatthewsLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterA Haliburton property owners collective realized early on that a proactive approach is best to prevent lake health issues.Paul MacInnes, the chairperson of the Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations,…
HE tables budget with 2.02% increase to taxpayers
By James MatthewsLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterHighlands East managed to shave a smidgen off the tax increase for 2023.Town council voted during its regular meeting on Mar. 14 to accept the latest draft of the 2023…
HE hears the wait will continue for property…
By James MatthewLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterProperty assessments don’t determine the amount of taxes to be paid by the owner to the municipality of Highlands East.Sarah Groves, an account manager at the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation,…
Three years in: COVID’s impact on health care
By Vivian CollingsAlmost exactly three years ago, Ontario declared a state of emergency, closing schools, businesses, and advising against non-essential travel; even to the grocery store.Ontarians were limited to only having close interaction with those…
Top doctor tells local health officials to be…
By James MatthewsLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterThe region’s top doctor believes health boards need to remain vigilant, even as the coronavirus pandemic seems to be winding down.Dr. Natalie Bocking, the medical officer of health and CEO…
Heroes wear pyjamas
The “nightmares” that I remember are often very vivid because they are real-life scenarios; missing a deadline for work, making a big mistake, embarrassing myself in public, etc.While I’m asleep and dreaming, it usually feels…
Something fishy
By Sharon Lynch Mark wondered why he cared so much. Standing beside the aquarium in his den, he watched the fish struggling. He had been doing the same thing every evening for almost a week.…
Cover boy
By Steve Galea If you notice me walking down the street this week wearing a ball cap, dark sunglasses and looking presentable and clean-shaven, it’s because I am trying to be unrecognizable for a while…
Aging Together as Community receives funding
By Emily StonehouseIt’s no secret that Haliburton County has a rapidly growing demographic of seniors. Jack Brezina wrote in his column Jack’s POV two weeks ago that it has the highest percentage of those over…
Nicholls and team win bronze at Canada Winter…
By Vivian CollingsLocal curler Owen Nicholls and team Stratton of London swept their way to victory while representing Ontario at the Canada Winter Games in Summerside, PEI at the beginning of March.Along with a bronze…
Registration opens for Canada 55+ Games
By Vivian CollingsThe Ontario Senior Games Association is warming up for the 55+ Games this year, and registration is now open to anyone 55 and over hoping to join in the fun.Haliburton/Muskoka’s District 11 is…
Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary add colour to international…
By Vivian CollingsIt’s time for the third-annual fundraiser between Interact, Rotaract, and the Haliburton and Minden Rotary clubs to brighten the Highlands with a Canadian-themed colouring book, and they need your drawings to make it…
Three years in a COVID world
By Emily Stonehouse It’s officially been three years since the country was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Many surely remember March 15, 2020. A day that the country began to implement shutdowns in an…
County’s shoreline bylaw tailored for three of four…
By James MatthewsLocal Journalism Initiative Reporter Haliburton County’s proposed shoreline bylaw has been changed to include three of the four lower tier municipalities.Steve Stone, the county’s director of planning, presented the new Shoreline Preservation Bylaw…
A dream playground
By Vivian Collings It’s been a couple of months since writing about poverty in the Highlands in one of my editorials.With the launch of the fundraising campaign to build a new playground in Head Lake…
Pura Vida
By Lynda Shadbolt I recently listened to a podcast by Tara Brach, a well known psychologist, teacher, meditator and author.She does weekly talks on mindfulness, Buddhism and psychology. In this talk she had just returned…
Pie in the sky
By Steve Galea On Sunday, Jenn and I decided to have some pie for dessert.“Ah, there’s nothing like a nice piece of pie and some intelligent conversation,” Jenn said.I took that as my cue.“You know,…
A ‘happy and peaceful home’ for everyone
By Emily Stonehouse Karinya: an Australian Aboriginal word that can be translated to “a happy and peaceful home.”This is the vision of Abby Gordon, the founder of Karinya Home Care Inc., based out of Minden.The…
Head Lake Park playground to break ground in…
By Vivian Collings Head Lake Park is set to have a 9000 square foot, accessible playground in late spring.The playground has been designed, all major pieces have been ordered, and the fundraising committee has been…