The Haldimand Press

Had a nice surprise today from one of our readers (Anita Gombos Hill) who brought us some lunch and a very nice Christmas card signed by several Dunnville residents. Thank you so much, this made our day!

The Haldimand Press is a GREAT gift idea! From now until December 23, The Press has a BOGO sale on: Buy or renew your subscription for $60 and get one for a friend for only $35.... For more information, send us a message or email ([email protected]).

PROVINCE TO MOVE HALDIMAND-NORFOLK INTO ‘RESTRICT’ CATEGORY OF COVID-19 RESPONSE FRAMEWORK The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit area will be moved into the orange Restrict category of Ontario’s new COVID-19 response framework, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced. The move will take effect as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, November 30, and is the result of a number of factors established by the Ontario government, including an increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases, clusters...Continue reading

PEOPLE ASKED TO LEAVE LAKESHORE RESIDENCES, COTTAGES WITH COMING STORM HALDIMANDFlood & High Lake Level Warnings are now in effect for the Lake Erie shoreline and areas downstream of the Dunnville Dam. High winds and waves in the forecast are expected to cause extremely dangerous conditions throughout Sunday and there is a high risk of flooding, erosion, and property damage associated with this weather event. This event will have a significant impact along the shoreline and... impacts are expected to exceed those that occurred during the October 31, 2019 event. Impacts are expected to affect Zones 1-5 along the Lakeshore (see the Lake Erie Flood Zone Lookup tool to learn more about Flood Zones and their impacts). Individuals currently staying at properties along the lake are encouraged to leave and return to their permanent residences. Permanent residents should shelter in place until otherwise directed by emergency officials, unless at any time they feel their safety is in jeopardy, in which case they should leave immediately. Preparations are underway should evacuations be deemed necessary. The MNRF surge model forecast for the eastern end of Lake Erie is indicating a rise in levels of 2.98 metres (9.8 feet) above chart datum. The peak above critical lake levels is forecast to occur this evening between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m, before receding overnight. Haldimand County Emergency Services is urging residents to stay away from all shoreline areas and roadways. It is NEVER safe to drive through floodwater. Emergency Services is also reminding residents to only call 911 if their safety is at risk. Emergency Services is not able to pump out flooded basements. Haldimand County Emergency Services will continue monitoring conditions throughout Sunday. Residents should pay close attention to changing weather conditions and watch for updated flood messages. A flood guide for lakeshore property owners and other emergency preparedness resources can be found at HaldimandCounty.ca/floods. Further updates on this weather event will be shared as the forecast evolves. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Haldimand County is under the jurisdiction of three conservation authorities. Weather advisories and impacts may vary based on a given location's position on the shoreline. You can look up a property or specific location and obtain information about flood impacts using the Lake Erie Flood Zone Lookup tool. Current advisories and flood messages are available on conservation authority websites: Grand River Conservation Authority Long Point Region Conservation Authority Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority STORM CONTACT INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS If you feel your safety is at risk, dial 911 To report a public roadway obstruction (e.g: downed tree, water or debris over a road) call the after-hours reporting line at 1-888-849-7345.

As demonstrations in Caledonia surrounding the McKenzie Meadows development site, renamed 1492 Land Back Lane, stretch on with seemingly no solution in sight, local businesses are being caught in the middle. The Press spoke with two businesses that have found themselves between barricades at Fourth Line and Argyle Street. While potential customers are allowed passage past the OPP block, the businesses are still seeing significantly fewer cars pulling in with the drop in traff...ic and the increased drive time to reach them from Caledonia. All I know is that Saturdays are usually our money-making days and they have significantly dropped off. Customers have significantly dropped off, said Tanya Ribbink of Rustic & Reclaimed. We still have projects that keep us going that have been ordered over the last few months. Maybe I’m just afraid to look at the numbers. See the full story at the link below.

REMINDER: You can watch two of our community’s Remembrance Day services on Facebook Live. Jarvis Livestream of service at Jarvis Lions Club at 10:45 a.m.... Hageresville Livestream of service at Nova Mutual Insurance at 10:45 a.m. Dunnville Service closed to the public. Caledonia Service closed to the public. Cayuga Service closed to the public.

View The Haldimand Press' Salute to Veterans feature at the link below. We hope this edition encourages reflection this Remembrance Day. Information on each community's services: Dunnville Ceremony closed to the public.... Caledonia Ceremony closed to the public. Hageresville Livestream of service at Nova Mutual Insurance at 10:45 a.m. Cayuga Ceremony closed to the public. Jarvis Livestream of service at Jarvis Lions Club at 10:45 a.m.

Grandview Lodge has announced three staff have tested positive for COVID-19 and all visits to the home are suspended effective immediately. For more details, follow the below link.

Two COVID-19 cases confirmed at McKinnon Park Secondary School, cases also confirmed at River Heights Public School and Dunnville Secondary School Today, the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at McKinnon Park Secondary School in Caledonia. News of a second COVID-19 case at the school came this afternoon. The first case was identified on Sunday (October 25). McKinnon Park Secondary School remains open. ... A positive case was also confirmed at River Heights Public School on Sunday (October 25) and at Dunnville Secondary School today (October 28).

Theft and mischief investigation underway related to construction vehicles used to damage roads

Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit has just announced that, following Provincial direction, all COVID-19 tests must now be done by appointment. For an up-to-date list of current testing centres, hours of operation, and contacts, follow the below link.

Six COVID-19 cases associated with the Sunday Morning Hockey League in Cayuga Six individuals associated with the Sunday Morning Hockey League (SMHL) have tested positive for COVID-19. These individuals are currently self-isolating. The league is working with Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit to effectuate a public health management plan. At the current time, the SMHL has suspended play.

This week I helped a subscriber with an announcement and later in the day this flower delivery arrived for me! I love assisting the people of Haldimand with their subscription and announcement needs! Thank you to the wonderful customer for such a kind gesture! Valerie Posthumus

Bus Driver Shortages Continue to Impact Local Elementary and Secondary Students in Haldimand County HALDIMAND Student Transportation Services Brant Haldimand Norfolk (STSBHN) has made strides in reducing the impact of bus driver shortages affecting routes throughout the City of Brantford and counties of Brant and Haldimand, however, STSBHN is still working to ensure all routes are removed from rotating cancellations. We’ve been able to reduce the number of daily cancellati...ons from 34 routes to approximately 10, said Phil Kuckyt, Manager of Transportation Services for STSBHN, a consortium providing transportation to elementary and secondary students at three local school boards Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, Grand Erie District School Board and Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir. We’ve successfully removed all Brant and Brantford-area routes from the rotating cancellations, but we’re still experiencing driver shortages in Haldimand County, which we are working to address. In past years, STSBHN has been able to escape bus driver shortages that have rippled across the province, however, with the impacts of COVID-19, the consortium has had to mitigate the ongoing challenges with rolling two-day route cancellations, shared with families in advance. Unfortunately, over the next several weeks, families will continue to experience service disruptions with route cancellations in parts of Haldimand County, said Kuckyt. We deeply regret the impact this will have on our students and their families. We continue to do everything we can to limit the inconveniences as we work to resolve our staffing issues. Route cancellations will impact a number of local schools including: Caledonia Centennial Public School, Cayuga Secondary School, J.L. Mitchener Public School, McKinnon Park Secondary School, Notre Dame School, Oneida Central Public School, River Heights School, Seneca Central Public School, St. Patrick’s School and St. Stephen’s School. Impacted families will be contacted by their individual schools with more information. For questions related to the rotating cancellations, please contact STSBHN directly by calling 519-751-7532 or emailing [email protected]. For more information, visit www.granderie.ca

UPDATE: Argyle Street is now fully open to traffic. BLOCKADE UP IN CALEDONIA After police attempted to arrest a man in conjunction with the McKenzie Meadows site earlier today, demonstrators have since set up a blockade on Argyle Street between Highway 6 and Sixth Line. ... Skyler Williams has said it is expected to be up for 24 hours. The man who OPP attempted to arrest is currently unnamed and fled in a vehicle when police approached.

Leslyn Lewis of Toronto was automatically named the next federal Conservative candidate for Haldimand Norfolk last week as the only person to have a complete nomination in before the deadline but those who attempted to run against her say the Party nitpicked rules to ensure she ran uncontested. https://haldimandpress.com/leslyn-lewis-named-next-conserv/

ALTERNATE ROUTES AROUND CALEDONIA Drivers are to be aware of alternate routes around Caledonia. Closures now include Argyle Street South from Braemar Road to bypass, Hwy 6 Bypass from Fourth Line to Greens Road, and McKenzie Road from Fuller Drive to York Road. ... Photos and video online show that Argyle Street South has been torn up by demonstrators using an excavator overnight. McKenzie Road is now also being torn up. A reminder that no commercial truck traffic is to use the Argyle bridge. Follow detour route.

BREAKING: ARGYLE STREET, HWY 6 BYPASS BLOCKED Earlier today, Judge Harper ruled that he will make permanent the injunctions that criminalize visiting the McKenzie Meadows housing development (renamed 1492 Land Back Lane by the self-titled land defenders), as well as erecting blockades on Haldimand roads in the area. OPP later attended the gathering of demonstrators at Sixth Line and Argyle Street South.... OPP claim on Twitter: OPP cruisers parked on Argyle Street approached by McKenzie Meadows protestors. Cruisers heavily damaged as protest violence escalated. For their safety, OPP members used appropriate non-lethal force in response. No injuries. Investigation underway. No arrests are known to have been made at this time. Demonstrators claim OPP used taser on one person and fired two rubber bullets. The demonstrators have now blocked Argyle Street at Sixth Line and the Hwy. 6 Bypass in response. The OPP have currently withdrawn and are redirecting traffic. Argyle Street is closed from Braemar Road to Hwy. 6. The bypass is closed from Fourth Line to Greens Road. Various fires have been reported. The Press has confirmed at least one fire across Argyle Street South, and it appears the base of a hydro pole is also on fire at that site (as seen at left in photo). Update: A few hundred residents in the area have lost power due to the downed pole. More details to follow.

CAR ON FIRE IN HAGERSVILLE Please be aware of potential traffic delays on King Street East in Hagersville currently. A car was on fire and firefighters are now putting it out. ... More details to be shared when available.

Foxgate Developments, Haldimand County, and Skyler Williams are expected to return to court tomorrow to discuss the current injunctions that make visiting the McKenzie Meadows housing development site (renamed 1492 Land Bank Lane) illegal according to the Canadian courts. See more updates in tomorrow’s Haldimand Press on Haldimand Council’s reaction to the ongoing situation, which has since passed three months.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we want to say THANK YOU to our community for supporting The Haldimand Press during these times of uncertainty. Your loyalty is appreciated more than ever. As a token of our thanks, we are offering a two-week sale on all NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS AND RENEWALS to The Haldimand Press. One-year $60 subscriptions are $50 until October 21, 2020. Not a subscriber? Now is the time to join!... Already have a subscription? Add a year to it! Know someone who’s missing out? Send it as a gift! 4 ways to subscribe or renew: 1. Online haldimanpress.com/subscribe (Note: only one year, paper edition is on sale) 2. By mail Send your cheque to The Haldimand Press, Box 369, Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 (Include your name and address) 3. By phone 905-768-3111 4. Send an e-transfer to [email protected] (Include your name and address)

HIGH WINDS AND WAVES MAY CAUSE EROSION, MINOR FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AREAS ALONG THE LAKESHORE WEDNESDAY HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON A Watershed/Shoreline Conditions Statement is in effect for much of the Lake Erie shoreline. With high winds and waves in the forecast, Haldimand County Emergency Services is urging residents to stay away from shoreline areas. These weather conditions may cause erosion and minor flooding in low-lying areas along the lake. Current forecasts are calling... for sustained westerly to southwesterly winds of 40 to 50 km/hr. with gusts approaching 70 km/hr. These winds will increase water levels and waves along the Lake Erie Shoreline. Significant wave heights of 1.5m (5 feet) are forecast to occur all along the Lake Erie shoreline. Water levels are starting to build, and peak water levels will occur late afternoon today with the potential for another peak late this evening. People are urged to use caution or stay away from Lake Erie shoreline areas experiencing strong wave action and elevated water levels. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas. Haldimand County Emergency Services and Roads crews will be actively monitoring conditions along the lake and are prepared to respond if needed. A flood guide for lakeshore property owners can be found at HaldimandCounty.ca/floods.

As we approach one month since schools reopened, the dates for switching students from online to in-person classes or vice versa is approaching for local school boards. We're wondering what local parents are planning. Follow the link below to vote for your plan. Share your thoughts with us below on your decision, whether you're keeping your child online or in in-person classes, or if you're making the switch when it's available.

STSBHN BUS ROUTE CANCELLATIONS: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 TO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 For several years, school boards across the province have grappled with bus driver shortages. Student Transportation Services Brant Haldimand Norfolk (STSBHN) has been fortunate enough to avoid these impacts until now. To date, our service providers have been lucky in keeping their staffing levels consistent, but with the impacts of COVID-19, we’re now experiencing a driver shortage, said Phil Kucky...t, Manager of Transportation Services for STSBHN, a consortium providing transportation to elementary and secondary students at three local school boards Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, Grand Erie District School Board and Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir. Unfortunately, over the next few weeks, families will experience service disruptions with route cancellations in parts of Brant, Brantford and Haldimand, said Kuckyt. We deeply regret the impact this will have on students and are working with our local service providers to increase staff recruiting. Our hope is to be fully staffed after Thanksgiving. To manage the impact on students and families, STSBHN has created a schedule of rolling two-day route cancellations between September 14 and October 9. By sharing the route cancellations in advance, STSBHN hopes families will be able to make alternative arrangements for transportation or work in partnership with schools to ensure learning continues from home. We understand this will cause added stress for families at an already difficult time, said Kuckyt. Our goal is to limit the impact as much as possible by pairing route cancellations on back-to-back days so that parents and students can plan ahead. We also hope to resolve our staffing issues as soon as possible. Route cancellations will impact 15 schools in Haldimand, 11 schools in Brantford and one school in Brant. In total, 20 elementary schools and seven secondary school will be impacted. Families will be contacted by their individual schools today.

The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit confirmed a case of COVID-19 at Walpole North Elementary school. For privacy reasons, the identity of this individual will not be disclosed. This individual has been directed by the health unit to self-isolate for 14 days, along with any siblings or family members who reside in the same household. The health unit has also been in direct contact with students, staff and families who have been deemed close contacts to this COVID-19 case. They t...oo have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days. For more information, click the link below.

TRAFFIC DELAYS POSSIBLE IN CALEDONIA CALEDONIAArea motorists please be aware of potential traffic delays during travels as of Saturday, September 12, 2020, in Caledonia. Demonstration activities may periodically delay or interrupt the normal flow of traffic on Argyle Street South and Haddington Street in Caledonia. ... The OPP's objective is to maintain the safe flow of traffic and, when delays occur, restore traffic flow in the safest manner possible. The OPP is also working with those who may organize demonstrations to provide alternative safe, lawful and peaceful opportunities to exercise their lawful rights while minimizing the impact on the traveling public, where possible. Motorists should check in advance for road advisory information and monitor local media for the latest updates. The OPP appreciates everyone's cooperation and patience during these occurrences.

THREE PEOPLE RESCUED FROM SINKING BOAT IN ROUGH WATERS OF LAKE ERIE PORT MAITLANDHaldimand OPP and several other First Responder resources attended Lake Erie for a sinking vessel in rough waters near Port Maitland. On Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 5:10 p.m., OPP, Haldimand County Fire Services, Haldimand County paramedics and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) responded to Lake Erie for a report of a sinking vessel with three occupants on board.... One of the occupants had called in to report their vessel was approximately 10 km from shore and taking on water. It was further reported their motor had stopped working and the waves in the area were 4-5 high. All three occupants were wearing life jackets. JRCC maintained contact with one of the occupants via cell phone while they were enroute and at approximately 6:10 p.m., they located the vessel and towed them to shore. All three occupants were assessed by paramedics and did not require any medical treatment. OPP also received another marine call on Wednesday September 9, 2020 at 10:47 p.m. The occupant of vessel called in via cell phone to report they were on the water and were trying to get in to Port Maitland but could not see due to the dense fog. JRCC was contacted to assist in locating the vessel. At 12:55 a.m., JRCC reported that they had located the vessel and have towed it in to shore. OPP is reminding all boaters to be well prepared before heading out on to the water: Ensure you have all required safety equipment on board Always wear life jackets Always have a fully charged cell phone Always check the weather forecast ahead of time Any little sign of inclement weather should be a sign for you to get off the water.

WIN $1,000! The Haldimand Press and and the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) TRIPLE-DOG-DARE YOU to participate in the This Old Newspaper?! Reader Contest and recycle leftover newspaper into something new. Are you up for the challenge? Put your creativity hat on and enter for your chance to win the OCNA provincial price of $1,000! There are three categories:... Open Junior under 12 Family The rules are simple: 1. Participants must repurpose newspaper into something creative and/or functional (anything goes ballgown, basket, lampshade) and submit it to their local community newspaper. Note: While a piece created 100% of newspaper is ideal, we recognize that other materials may be necessary for framework and stability. Therefore, a piece MUST consist of at least 70% recycled newspaper. Of course, it must also be appropriate for the public to admire. 2. In addition to a brief description about the participant’s creation, they must submit a series of photos or videos taken during the construction process to show how the piece was developed. 3. The local community newspaper will submit each participant’s work to the OCNA by October 13 for consideration in the provincial contest. 4. The provincial contest will then go live virtually for readers across Ontario to view and vote for their favourite. The piece with the most votes will win. Getting creative with leftover newspapers is a great activity for families to do with kids while spending more time at home, and a challenge for adults who find themselves (as the viral Tik Tok song says) bored in the house. So, stop tossing those newspapers in the recycling bin and repurpose them so you can proudly say This Old Newspaper?!" when showing your creation off to others.

HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL! Post your first-day-of-school photo here with a name and grade and you might just see it in next week's paper! Stay safe and healthy everyone!