An Easter message
(United Church Clergy from Sharbot Lake and Parham United Churches serving the areas and amalgamated churches of Zealand, Oso, Maberly, Parham, Sharbot Lake, Oconto, Tichborne, Wagarville, Long Lake and all places in between) The world’s circumstances and health situation has changed drastically but the Christian message of Easter and of… READ MORE
Together we can win
Over the past 3 weeks you have been bombarded with information about COVID-19 and the ongoing global pandemic, I am not going to repeat all that information now. My goal with this letter is to address our Community specifically. First I want to extend my gratitude to all the citizens,… READ MORE
Why is this seder different from all other seders
Easter is the one holiday in the Christian calendar that aligns with one of the major Jewish festivals, Passover. Every year, Passover and Easter take place within days of each other, so while everyone else is eating chocolate and counting bunnies, us Jews are suffering with unleavened bread and bitter… READ MORE
We are all in this together
I am thankful to all of you, the people who live and work in our region, for all you are doing to protect our community, our neighbours, and our loved ones from COVID-19. The decisive actions and the changes we have all made these last few weeks are saving lives.… READ MORE
No community is immune – COVID-19 in KFL&A
(This article has been altered from the version that was published in the Frontenac News on Thursday, April 2, with new information as it has become available) As of Saturday morning, April 4, there were 48 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington, the area covered by the… READ MORE
What a week, and there is more to come
It has been an unprecedented in week in the life of the county, the province, and our little corner of it. The scope of it started to come clear to me last Thursday when I was driving down Road 38 to deliver papers to post offices at about 7:15. When… READ MORE
Canadian Science Controlled a Deadly Virus Long Ago
Canadian science showed its superior ability with viruses long before COVID19. The National Microbiology Laboratory opened in Winnipeg in 1998, providing a Level 4 (highest) microbiological containment facility. Heinz Feldman, a researcher studying hemorrhagic fevers, joined the new lab. His critical observation that lab mice did not get sick even… READ MORE
Suddenly, alcohol is very easy to find in Frontenac County
If pressed, even Doug Ford would likely admit that it has turned out that running the Ontario government has turned out to be a bit more complicated than he indicated when he was running for premier. Hallway medicine has not been eliminated. The teachers do not seem to be inclined… READ MORE
No, Randy, there was no consensus
On Monday, Randy Hillier decided that it is his obligation, as an independent politician, to speak out by publishing a statement called “Ending the occupation, the Indian Act, and Hypocrisy” In it, he said nothing about the Wet’suwet’en and the legal status of their claim, but instead talked about how… READ MORE
Regional Roads presentation fizzles
I hope readers will grant me this assumption – the idea of a virtual county roads system in Frontenac County, or anywhere else, is hard to understand. A real road goes somewhere, but a virtual one? In fact, most of us never think about who owns the roads that we… READ MORE
We can complain about lack of services, but not so much in the winter
Like most of you, my wife and I pay more in municipal taxes for our home than we would like. The municipal tax system is based on property values, and as property values increase so does the amount we pay. It is like a pre-tax on the eventual sale of… READ MORE
Happy New Year, we need your help
I hinted at this in my Christmas editorial. At the Frontenac News we are committed to continuing in the task we have carved out for ourselves over the past 48 years, to support the many small communities in Frontenac County, by covering local issues in a timely manner, keeping an… READ MORE
Is there a civilized alternative to tribal politics? Yes, there is.
Although unplanned and unexpected, my exile in March turned out to be a refreshing deliverance from a political party and a caucus that had devolved into a “Lord of the Flies” re-enactment, distant from the statement of principles encoded in the Progressive Conservative Party’s constitution. The Ontario PC Party,… READ MORE
Christmas Editorial
I guess when you do something for long enough it becomes something of a tradition. And so it is with these end of year messages to readers. I believe this is my 17th. They are written in part to thank our readers, volunteers, staff, and advertisers for all their support… READ MORE
Yes Virginia, there really is a ministry of middle-class prosperity in Canada
At first, I thought it was some kind of an almost funny joke, naming a minister of prosperity. Why not a ministry of magic instead. We could all use some more magic in our lives, to be sure. Aside from the awkward sound of it, there are technical questions about… READ MORE
Memories of integrated sustainability
On March 19th of this year, the City of Kingston passed the following motion: “Be it resolved, that the City of Kingston, officially declare a climate emergency for the purposes of naming, framing, and deepening our commitment to protecting our economy, our eco systems, and our community from climate change.”… READ MORE