Mark Clairmont

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August 3, 2018

Sawdust City Music Festival kicks off Friday with Danny Michel & Royal Wood

GRAVENHURST — On the heels of a successful start last year, this weekend’s Sawdust City Music Festival officially becomes its first annual. PR person Beth Cavanaght says “We have officially announced the full lineup – you can see it all here: https://mailchi.mp/75f1bda4b253/sawdust-city-music-festival-announces-full-lineup-for-2018-festival. Single day tickets for the Friday evening at the Opera House w/ Danny Michel […]

August 3, 2018

Gravenhurst Horticulture celebrates sapphire jubilee at 70th flower/vegetable show Aug. 8

GRAVENHURST — Gravenhurst Horticultural Society is heading into a spectacular celebration of history from 1924 to 2018 at their annual flower and vegetable show on Wednesday, August 8 from 2-4 p.m. at the Gravenhurst Seniors Centre. Treasurer/PR member Lois Cooper spent many hours perusing the town archives at the library this past winter and much […]

August 1, 2018

Warning: Don’t drink water in Three Mile Lake – or swim in it

MUSKOKA LAKES TOWNSHIP — Residents around Three Mile Lake are being cautioned about a potential blue-green algae bloom by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. The bloom has not been confirmed by testing, says a release late Wednesday night. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks will be collecting water samples this week to […]

August 1, 2018

Hospitals recommendation coming down Aug. 8

HUNSTVILLE — The hospitals group studying its own future will make it recommendation on ultimately one or two sites Aug. 8. In the latest release Wednesday night from the Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s Capital Plan Development Task Force, they gave an update on their latest deliberations on July 16 and 30. They said the task force […]

August 1, 2018

Killarney village not under evacuation order: Ted East

KILLARNEY — Ted East wants the world to know Killarney is “open for business.” Certainly the village of Killarney on the northeast end of Georgian Bay. “People are calling and telling me ‘You have to get out, you’ve been evacuated. “The media has it all wrong.” East, who owns Killarney Outfitters,” says business is still […]

August 1, 2018

Gull Lake beach posted with health warning again

GRAVENHURST — Rain or shine, it’s been a tough year for swimmers and sunbathers at Gravenhurst’s Gull Lake Rotary Park beach. Based on beach water samples collected by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit on Tuesday July 31, it has been recommended that the swim advisory signs be brought out again. A few weeks ago […]

July 31, 2018

Parry Sound 33 fire grows to 10,139 hectares

PARRY SOUND — With some progress made over the weekend, firefighters around Parry Sound woke up and returned to the burn battle lines Tuesday morning facing 41 active forest fires across the northeast. Of these, 15 are not yet under control, 26 are either being held, under control or being observed. There were four new […]

July 30, 2018

Thunder, lightning this week mixed blessing for forest firefighters

PARRY SOUND — Forecasts for thunder showers and lightning the next few days could a mixed blessing in Ontario’s ongoing forest fire battles, including Parry Sound 33. Provincial efforts to contain the 8,224 hectare (8,000 football fields) still “not under control” Parry Sound 33 blaze continue. The rain could help suppress the dozens of fires, but […]

July 27, 2018

Transport thief tore up dash looking to hot wire truck

SPRINGWATER TOWNSHIP — Police are looking for an attempted transport theft. Provincial police at the Huronia West Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are asking the public for their assistance in solving this crime. They say that at about 12:49 a.m. on July 23, unknown suspect(s) entered 2 Currie Drive, Currie Truck Center, west […]

July 27, 2018

Ford, Miller visit Parry Sound 33 fire site

BRITT — Hours after burning voters in Toronto and Muskoka with electoral changes, Premier Doug Ford was in Britt Friday afternoon offering to help MNRF staff put out fires affecting Northeastern Ontario. He was joined by Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller and by Jeff Yurek, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Parry Sound 33 is […]

July 27, 2018

District chair race between Klinck, Adams, Mackenzie may not be public vote

BRACEBRIDGE — Residents and taxpayers hoping to elect their first District of Muskoka chair may be out of luck. Premier Doug Ford stunned Ontarians Friday, July 27, when he said intends to introduce provincial legislation that would, if passed, amend both the Municipal Act and the Municipal Elections Act to reverse changes, introduced in 2016, […]

July 27, 2018

Anglo Leather Company Band concerts ‘brilliant’

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com Story & Photos HUNTSVILLE — “The Anglo Canadian Leather Company Band (ACLC), from Huntsville Ontario, was the best industrial band in North America.” That was 100 year ago. Saturday night 53 bandsmen and women channelled the brass band in the first of two weekend tribute concerts. The other sold-out show was […]

July 26, 2018

2 more fires reported, bringing total to 50 in Northern Ontario

PARRY SOUND — Despite some rain, Parry Sound 33 remains a priority wildfire today, Thursday July 25 for the firefighters across a lower section of Northern Ontario. As two more fires have started up today, bringing the total now to 50 (16 of them still out of control) restricted fire zones have been expanded across […]

July 25, 2018

Bracebridge road closures for Pride parade, picnic July 29

BRACEBRIDGE — Sunday’s Pride parade and picnic will mean some temporary road closures. Residents and visitors are advised that these three streets will be affected: RENE CAISSE LANE from Manitoba Street to Kimberley Avenue – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. JAMES STREET from Chub Downey Lane to Ann Street – 11 a.m. to noon ANN […]

July 25, 2018

Rainbow stretches across Muskoka – east to west

MUSKOKA — Muskoka has PRIDE. Gravenhurst …, Bracebridge …, Huntsville …., Georgian Bay …, Lake of Bays …, Muskoka Lakes …, and Wahta …. They all have pride in their LBGTQ+ communities. From the Muskoka Tourism centre south of Gravenhurst, and north, east and west at seven town halls across the district (except at the […]

July 25, 2018

Gravenhurst man blows over in RIDE stop

GRAVENHURST — A Gravenhurst man will be in court next month to answer impaired driving charges. Provincial police say that on Saturday July 21, 2018, at 4:45 p.m. officers were conducting a RIDE check on John Street at Ridge Road in Gravenhurst. A chat with the driver of a vehicle gave rise to the suspicion […]

July 25, 2018

$350 theft at Shopper’s Drug Mart Gravenhurst

GRAVENHURST — Police and Shopper’s Drug Mart are looking for a suspected thief who stole $350 worth of product Friday, July 20 at 3 p.m. If you can assistance in identifying the suspect, or have information you may contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can submit your information online at […]

July 24, 2018

McDonald’s parking lot flooded yet again Tuesday in Gravenhurst

GRAVENHURST — A suppertime downpour Tuesday that drenched the town here had vehicles up to their hoods in puddles. Social media posts by Cyndi Culbert show cars and trucks driving through small lakes. One particularly bad hit area was the dip in the parking lot in front of the McDonald’s Restaurant. Drive-thru customers had to […]

July 23, 2018

Summer celebrity sightings: PM and Olympic bronze medallist

PORT CARLING/MACTIER — You never know who you’ll run into in Muskoka in the summer. Last Thursday (July 19) at Turtle Jack’s Lake Muskoka retaurant in Port Carling, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posed for selfies with several people. Among them Tony (The Beer) King and John Duck; and Tamsen Tillson and their families. Saturday, at […]

July 22, 2018

Forest fires prompt boat-access property evacuation order

PARRY SOUND — As of Saturday there were 64 active forest fires across the MNRF’s Northeast region. Of these, 29 are not yet under control, 35 are either being held, under control or being observed. And seven of the new fires confirmed today remain active at the time of this update July 21, says the […]