Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — And then there was none. Today the province and health unit report no new COVID cases in the region as Ontario prepares to move to Step 3 of its recovery Friday. Lest we get ahead of ourselves, it’s not the first time since the virus emerged in Simcoe last […]
Tara Collum | Contributing columnist It can be difficult making friends in a small town. It can be even more difficult when you’re extremely shy. Unfortunately, I wasn’t just shy, I experienced anxiety and depression. These issues made it difficult to make friends, and made school challenging. In high school things became so difficult I […]
BRACEBRIDGE — Who better than teachers to help educate kids and the public to take more action on the climate crisis in Muskoka? At noon today a new initiative was launched at the weekly Friday Climate Strike in Memorial Park. The Muskoka Chapter of the Retired Teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO) is supporting Climate Action Muskoka […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — As Ontario prepares to move to Stage 3 of its recovery next Friday, Simcoe and Muskoka are each reporting just one COVID case today. The province is making the move five days ahead of the originally scheduled opening July 21. That’s 16 days after the Stage 2 opening on […]
BRAECBRIDGE — Thank god for Fridays. Climate Action Muskoka (CAM) is rallying the troops here at noon tomorrow for one of its weekly Fridays for Future Climate Strikes. In response to the obvious effects of climate change in Muskoka and beyond, the local chapter of the retired teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO) says they are joining […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com GRAVENHURST — It wasn’t exactly Music on the Barge. Even if was how the famed — yet pandemic-postponed — concert series began at Gull Lake Rotary Park seven decades ago. On a floating dock. But still it was “amazing” all the same. An impromptu mini concert — for a couple of […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — For a second straight day Muskoka has surpassed Simcoe in COVID cases — 6 to 5. Yesterday it was 4 to 2. This as Delta cases continue on the rise with 73 today, 70 yesterday, 59 Tuesday and 57 Monday. Five young people in Bracebridge — 2 girls and […]
SEVERN TOWNSHIP — A Toronto man is the latest drowning victim in the region. Roland Jonker, 76, of Toronto died Tuesday afternoon after a swimming accident in Deep Bay in Sparrow Lake. Provincial police say that just after 3 p.m. July 6 emergency services responded to an urgent call reporting a male who had failed […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Two thirds of today’s COVID cases are in Muskoka. After months of being behind in the counting — and amid renewed talk of separation from Simcoe — “we the north” top the south half of the health unit with four of six cases Wednesday. It’s a first in pandemic […]
LETTER TO EDITOR: I have taken the time today to write to the University of Windsor after hearing/seeing a professor there on CTV speaking about the appointment of a new governor general for Canada. I am very distressed to hear or read the words “mass grave” or “mass graves” used in reference to unmarked graves […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — It’s OK for grandparents to give their grandkids a hug, say federal health officials. But just be careful says the local medical officer of health. Dr. Charles Gardner says even with most adults and teens vaccinated it’s still possible to spread COVID-19. But federal health guidelines supersede provincial regulations, […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com PARRY SOUND-MUSKOKA — An international political study group will have local representation and leadership from the riding. Member of Parliament Scott Aitchison has been named to two working groups of the proposed CANZUK trade bloc, a conservative-led coalition of politicians from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. The movement […]
MUSKOKA — Two boaters face court dates after being charged with impaired operation on local lakes. Police say that on July 3 officers with the OPP marine unit based in Bracebridge were doing routine checks by stopping boats and doing safety inspections to protect the waterways. While on patrol on Kahshe Lake, in south Gravenhurst, […]
BRACEBRIDGE — A Mississauga man who drowned Saturday night on the north branch of the Muskoka River near Santa’s Village has been identified. Police say Noel Caoile, 18, died while swimming off Golden Beach Road. He was the fourth person to die that week after two other young men aged 20 and 23 drowned while […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com GRAVENHURST — Hot rodders hangin’ out on main street. Bet you haven’t seen that since … well — the ’50s. If you were alive then — or maybe on TV or in the movies. Certainly not streaming. But here it was — back again — Saturday night on Muskoka Road. Dave […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Three Muskoka cases reported over the Canada Day weekend shows COVID stubbornly hanging on. With two of three locals vaccinated and one in three double vaxxed the corona risk is close to third base — if not headed home like maybe the Jays at the end of the month. […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com MUSKOKA — While the return of the Northlander train may be years away, starting today Ontario Northland is making stops at the Union Station Bus Terminal and King City Go Station for travellers to Toronto. That’s in addition to several stops at top hospitals in province’s capital city and heath hub. […]
RUSTY DRAPER | Chewin’ the Fat I’m starting to question my senses — while most of you have been questioning them for years. It all happened the other day while driving down the street. The day I’m speaking of was a beautiful, warm sunny day. There was perfect reason that every man, woman and child […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com BRACEBRIDGE — The body of a swimmer who drowned last night was found this morning in the Muskoka River. He is the fourth drowning victim this week in Muskoka waters. Provincial police divers recovered the 18-year-old man who went into the water shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday night and didn’t surface, […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com BRACEBRIDGE — A hydro worker who died on the job last month was hit “in a ditch” while pushing a broken-down UTV — but he was not driving it on the road — say his grieving parents. Nathan Reynolds, 27, died June 15 on Hwy. 11 when he was struck by […]