Leadership
Steve Ferguson ambled along Main Street in Wellington on a cool but sunny morning on Saturday. It was slow going. The village was still shaking off three months of COVID-19 slumber. Residents and business owners were busy washing windows, tending greenspaces and mending the bits that had yielded to a winter of ice and fierce […]
Proactive
Green shoots hinting at new life began to appear on Main Street over a glorious weekend in Wellington. Enid Grace’s new venture, Piccolina, opened to brisk business serving coffee and treats in a distinctly Italian coffee bar mode. Lemons is another new venue that opened to on a warm weekend, serving cool freshly squeezed lemonade. […]
Distracted
America is in trouble. Yet another black man is murdered by white cops. A near-weekly tragedy alerting us to the deepening sadness of a fallen giant. Reminding us that the idea of America remains hobbled by racism—particularly, and acutely, within the culture of law enforcement. American streets are roiling in fury, throwing off shackles of […]
Message erosion
I fear we are losing the thread. The messaging, particularly from the province, is getting a bit fuzzy and confusing. Officials, particularly those at Queen’s Park, need to get in front of this quickly. Or risk losing the herd. The images from Trinity Bellwoods Park on the weekend may be a foreshadowing of some troublesome […]
Restore democracy
More than two weeks have passed since a new case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the Hastings-Prince Edward Health Unit region. Good news. This, of course, might yet change. Some folks predict fresh new cases will have arrived with visiting folks on the Victoria Day weekend. (Although, if the horde indeed descended, they largely avoided […]
Keeping seniors safe
We will look at everything differently. COVID-19 will, for many folks, and for a long time, frame the way we live and interact with other humans. When it is over—perhaps before then—we will insist upon the reform of institutions that we hadn’t given much thought to before. Near the top of the list will be […]
Do no harm
Ernie Margetson occasionally drives a Volvo station wagon. Ernie serves as a council member for Hillier and was running errands last week when he noticed a car was following him. He stopped to drop envelopes in a mailbox. The following car quickly turned and pulled up in front of the Volvo, the driver staring at […]
Taxi
Why do we regulate taxicabs in Prince Edward County? Is it to enhance accessibility for those without cars? To improve safety? To keep costs within reach to all residents who need it? It turns out our regulations don’t do a particularly good job on any of these fronts in Prince Edward County. All we seem […]
Remembering Peter
Peter was a builder. Of things. Of family. Of community. He found inspiration and purpose in assembling the capabilities and talents of others to construct buildings, to forge connections and to shape our community. He was a master at inspiring and nurturing those around him to pull together toward a common goal. And to see […]
Listen
I listen to council meetings while cleaning the kitchen. Or tidying the garage. Were I a bit more tech-savvy, I might listen to these proceedings as I cut grass too—stubby white candy canes drooping from my ears as I parade around my lawn like I just don’t care. But that doesn’t happen. My daily commute […]