Move Over, Nessie: Underwater 'Monster' Filmed in Ireland

Marc Lallanilla, Life's Little Mysteries Assistant Editor
Is there a "monster" living in Lough Foyle, Ireland.

For lovers of the paranormal who've grown weary of waiting for the Loch Ness monster to reappear, here's a new "monster" to feast your eyes upon.

Three college students were filming a short movie as a class project at Lough Foyle, a large tidal estuary in County Donegal, Ireland, when something very odd moved through the water in front of them, UPI reports.

"Looks like we have our own Loch Ness Monster!" Conall Melarkey, a student at North West Regional College in Derry, Ireland, wrote in his posting of the video clip to YouTube. [Loch Ness, Chupacabra & More: Our 10 Favorite Monsters]

"I have absolutely no idea what it is, but it looked amazing!" Melarkey wrote.

The shaky, 59-second video shows a dark object of indeterminate size moving slowly along the surface of Lough Foyle before diving or sinking slowly beneath the waves.

Some observers have speculated that the object could be a large fish, a whale, a dolphin or some other marine animal (Lough Foyle is open to the North Atlantic).

Besides the infamous Loch Ness Monster of Scotland, reports of large, lake-dwelling creatures have come from other parts of the world, including the mysterious "Devil of Lake Labynkyr" in Siberia.

Nessie achieved international fame when, in 1934, a now-famous photograph was published showing a large animal with a serpentine head and neck. The photo, taken by a London surgeon named Kenneth Wilson, was exposed decades later as a hoax.

And despite countless searches for the Loch Ness Monster using everything from submarines to sonar, no evidence has ever appeared of the mythical beast except a handful of dubious photos and videos. Nonetheless, the legend of Loch Ness — now one of Scotland's biggest tourist draws — refuses to die.

Not everyone, however, believes in lake monsters, and critics wonder if this latest sighting is just a college stunt.

"There are several inconsistencies with the video that point to it being a set-up," the Belfast Telegraph reports.

"The uploader claims the video was taken in Lough Foyle, but the landmass in the background is clearly that of Howth … about 130 miles [209 kilometers] away from Lough Foyle," according to the Telegraph.

"When viewed at higher definitions, there are several tethering cables seen off the second boat, which raises further questions," the Telegraph reports.

And several observers have cast doubt on the video simply due to the college student's name: "Conall Melarkey."

Follow Marc Lallanilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Latest Stories

  • Manitoba has enough vaccine doses for current appointments, health officials say

    WINNIPEG — Manitoba health officials say the province has enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to honour all existing appointments and to start booking new ones. Dr. Joss Reimer, a member of the provincial vaccine committee, says Manitoba is to receive about 28,000 fewer doses over the next four weeks. That's because Pfizer-BioNTech is cutting back on promised deliveries as it works to expand production. Manitoba temporarily stopped booking new appointments on the weekend, but Reimer says bookings are to start again Tuesday, and there's room for about 4,000 new appointments this week and next. Manitoba's chief public health officer is reporting 118 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths. Dr. Brent Roussin says the province's COVID-19 numbers are heading in the right direction, but any easing of restrictions on businesses and public gatherings will be done prudently. "We're going to start our reopening process. We need to do it in a continuous fashion, in a cautious fashion," Roussin said Monday. "We don't want to have openings and then require closures again if our numbers get high, so we're going to do so very cautiously." The province's current set of public health orders, which includes tight restrictions on non-essential store openings and public gatherings, expires Friday. The government put up an online survey last week to ask people what rules they would like to see eased, and Roussin said he'll outline some details Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • La découverte de deux nouvelles radiogalaxies géantes offre de nouvelles connaissances sur l’univers

    D’après ce que nous savons actuellement sur la densité des radiogalaxies géantes dans le ciel, la probabilité d’en trouver deux dans cette région du ciel est extrêmement faible.

  • Sen. Josh Hawley has new publisher for 'Big Tech' book

    NEW YORK — Sen. Josh Hawley has found a new publisher after his book was dropped by Simon & Schuster in the wake of the siege of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. The conversative publisher Regnery announced Monday that Hawley's “The Tyranny of Big Tech” will come out this spring. “Regnery is proud to stand in the breach with him. And the warning in his book about censorship obviously couldn’t be more urgent,” Regnery President and Publisher Thomas Spence said in a statement. Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, has been widely condemned for his encouragement of the Jan. 6 protest that ended with a violent mob rampaging through the Capitol. Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify Joe Biden's win over Trump. Hawley and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, also a Regnery author, led objections in the Senate to Biden's victory, citing baseless claims the election was stolen. The Associated Press

  • Port Alice locals express dissatisfaction with their cell phone carriers

    Port Alice is a small village on the top corner of Vancouver Island. It has a grocery store, health centre, golf course, and 700-some tightly knit locals on a picturesque inlet shrouded in green mountains. It gets black bear and humpback whale visitors regularly. The population is steady, perhaps even growing, despite recent difficulties with the local economy when the pulp mill closed down. It’s a 45-minute windy drive from Port McNeill. What it doesn’t have, is great cell phone reception. You’re breaking up, I didn’t catch that last part, can you say it again? *crackle* *static* *silence* Can you hear me now? *hiss* *crinkle* —call you on— *static* —landline. Not an uncommon conversation to have with someone in Port Alice. Some locals don’t even bother trying to use their cell phones at home, driving instead to the grocery store parking lot or walking to the end of their street where cell service is slightly stronger. “If I want to text someone, or use my cellphone at all, I need to take a walk. If I walk to the end of our street I get one bar. Two bars at most on a good day,” said Kathleen Cheetham, a senior who moved to Port Alice from Malcolm Island with her husband in 2019. She knows that remote life comes with its inconveniences, and welcomes it for the most part. But cell phones are a safety issue. “If there’s an emergency, once again you’re walking to the end of the road.” What if the person is disabled or injured? Cheetham pays $90 for one cell phone with data and another $90 for her landline, a hefty chunk for seniors on a fixed income. It feels necessary to have a cell phone for when they leave Port Alice, but the say it’s a lot to pay for a service that’s so often unusable. Freelancer to the Gazette, Debra Lynn wrote a colourful letter to Telus, sarcastically describing the dance she adds to her “contortion ritual” in the one corner of the living room where her phone sometimes works. A post in a local Facebook group was immediately swarmed with comments from locals sharing stories and frustration about the poor service. “It sucks….plain and simple. Dropped calls or no calls, straight to voice mail, only works in some places.” … “I got zero bars unless I was outside holding my phone towards the legion.” … “Ours is very hit and miss as well. Certainly can’t count on it.” It’s not just Telus customers; Rogers operates in the area too, as well as subsidiaries of both like Fido and Koodo. A handful of commenters claimed no issue, but the majority echoed complaints of unreliability. In 2018 Telus proposed a new cell tower to boost signals, but as Mayor Kevin Cameron recalls, locals were concerned it was too close to the school and the recreation centre. “We’re not sure what effects of all the beams going through the air,” he said. So the proposal was shelved and spotty cell service remained. Questions had been raised by some locals about whether a new tower was needed at all, or if a few extra receiver disks would do the job. In answer to that, Telus told the Gazette that yes, a new cell tower would be required, and that the company remained “open to exploring opportunities to … enhance wireless services in this community.” In the years since, the village has acquired a more remote, uphill piece of land and is in the process of asking Telus to re-evaluate the area for a new cell tower. Do you have something to add to this story or something else we should report on? Email: zoe.ducklow@blackpress.ca Zoë Ducklow, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, North Island Gazette

  • Blanchet's choice to block critics on Twitter limits free speech: experts

    OTTAWA — Dozens of people say Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet has blocked them on Twitter after they criticized his statements about Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Richard Moon, a law professor at the University of Windsor, says it is credible to claim that Blanchet infringed the charter-guaranteed right to freedom of expression of those who can no longer see or comment on his tweets. Moon says politicians use their Twitter accounts as a public political platform, so excluding someone from responding to what they say there over their political views could be a restriction on that right. Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, says Blanchet's Twitter account is a public communication channel and he cannot decide arbitrarily to not allow voters to communicate with him there. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson faced a lawsuit in 2018 from local activists he had blocked on Twitter; the court action was dropped after Watson conceded his account is public and unblocked everyone he had blocked. Blanchet has been a subject of criticism since last week after his party claimed a link between Alghabra and what a Bloc news release called "the political Islamic movement." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2020 ——— This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. The Canadian Press

  • Woman accused of theft from Pelosi's office during riot

    HARRISBURG, Pa. — Federal authorities are looking for a woman whose former romantic partner says she took a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the riot at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month. The FBI said in an arrest warrant Sunday, however, that Riley June Williams hasn't been charged with theft but only with illegally entering the Capitol and with disorderly conduct. FBI officials said a caller claiming to be an ex of Williams said friends of hers showed him a video of her taking a laptop computer or hard drive from Pelosi's office. The caller alleged that she intended to send the device to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to that country's foreign intelligence service, but that plan fell through and she either has the device or destroyed it. The FBI says the matter remains under investigation. Pelosi's deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, confirmed Jan. 8 that a laptop was taken from a conference room but said “it was a laptop that was only used for presentations." Williams’ mother, who lives with her in Harrisburg, told ITV reporters that her daughter had taken a sudden interest in President Donald Trump’s politics and “far-right message boards.” Her father, who lives in Camp Hill, told local law enforcement that he and his daughter went to Washington on the day of the protest but didn't stay together, meeting up later to return to Harrisburg, the FBI said. FBI officials said they believe Williams “has fled." Her mother told local law enforcement that she packed a bag and left, saying she would be gone for a couple of weeks. She also changed her phone number and deleted a number of social media accounts, the FBI said. Court documents don't list an attorney for her. The Associated Press

  • Pourquoi la musique nous fait-elle vibrer ?

    Vibrations, fréquence, rythme : la musique agit sur d’une manière différente pour chacun.

  • Haliburton County projects 3.86 per cent levy increase

    The County’s 2021 budget started with a projection of a 3.86 per cent increase to its portion of the property tax due to cost pressures ranging from infrastructure to insurance to shoreline bylaw enforcement. Council did its first line-by-line review of the budget Jan. 11 and expects to pass the final version in February or March. CAO Mike Rutter said several cost pressures, as well as service-level enhancements, have led to the increase. “We do know this is a very challenging year and that may result in more changes than we’ve seen in the past. Staff understand our work is not necessarily done,” Rutter said. “A 3.86 per cent increase is a challenge in the current economic climate, there’s no doubt.” Staff identified several new expenses contributing to the increase, including $88,000 for a new shoreline preservation bylaw officer, a $77,892 increase in insurance costs, $66,000 for a development charges study, a $50,000 increase in the insurance deductible, $50,000 more for physician recruitment, a provincially mandated $46,344 increase in the municipal transfer to the health unit and a $33,725 increase to employee benefits. Rutter also said there is some pressure with reduced funding from upper-level governments, such as a $36,200 reduction in the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, the main provincial assistance grant to municipalities. But he added COVID-associated funding from those governments – such as $287,000 from the province under the Safe Restart Agreement – has helped. “Without the safe restart money and the COVID money that the federal and provincial governments have provided us, this would be a very different-looking budget,” Rutter said. “While we will talk about some funding reductions, the government has certainly come through for us in other ways.” Staff plan to have council review the budget over the next few regular meetings, until the council is comfortable approving it. Coun. Carol Moffatt said she hopes that format does not overtly hasten the process and council questions the budget. “It would be very easy to just not ask a lot of questions,” Moffatt said. “We haven’t had a lot of questions today; I’m hoping because our wheels are all turning with this first look.” Coun. Andrea Roberts attributed the lack of questions to staff and council being aligned. “This is the third budget that this council has gone through together. So much is from council direction from our strategic plan for this term,” Roberts said. “It goes to show how staff and council are working in tandem … I think we’re really close and I think we’re going to just be fine-tuning some things.” Joseph Quigley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Highlander

  • Akwesasne rising to challenge of blending COVID-19 protocols of three jurisdictions

    AKWESASNE, ONTARIO, CANADA — Grappling with the unique jurisdictional reality of the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory has always been difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more challenging. The second most populated reserve in Canada, Akwesasne straddles the borders of Ontario, Quebec and New York state. Although an agreement signed years ago puts the Canadian side of the community under Ontario's Ministry of Health, those living on the east side of the provincial border must still follow Quebec's emergency orders. "We've seen the province of Ontario take some measures and the province of Quebec taken some measures, but we here have instituted our own," said Grand Chief Abram Benedict. Akwesasne's COVID-19 protocols are designed to satisfy the measures of both provinces while also supporting the people who live within the community of approximately 12,000 people. A curfew that asks residents to be home between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. has been in place since November — well before Quebec enforced a curfew and Ontario issued a stay-at-home order. Residents of Akwesasne also have restrictions on how far they can travel outside of the territory. The limit was established in April and was originally set at 80 kilometres but has since been extended to 160 kilometres on either side of the international border. Anyone who travels beyond that distance must quarantine for 14 days upon returning home. Benedict said that the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne — the governing body of the Canadian districts of the territory — has had to co-ordinate its public health measures with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, which oversees the American side of the community. "We went several months in the beginning of the pandemic with very little cases but now over the past month and a half, two months, we've seen in a surge in positive cases including the unfortunate deaths of a few of our long-term care residents," said Benedict. "At this point we're really feeling the pressure of trying to get the vaccine rolled out and making sure the community abides by all the public health orders and recommendations. Tough times." Akwesasne's geography has led to hostilities during the pandemic when its residents leave the territory. On Friday, Benedict and Cornwall, Ont., Mayor Bernadette Clement both condemned harassing notes left on the windshields of Akwesasne residents when they went into the Ontario town to go grocery shopping. "What we need now more than anything is respect, compassion and lots of kindness," said Clement in an open letter, pointing out that Akwesasne residents may have licence plates from Ontario, Quebec, or New York but are not breaking any travel bans when they leave their territory. In his official statement on the notes, Benedict explained the "jurisdictional nightmare" his community has to grapple with. "(It) often creates hardship for our community members, can be difficult to explain to others, and for anyone who was previously unaware, it can be understandably challenging to fully comprehend," wrote Benedict. Akwesasne's health program said on Monday that 110 residents and staff of long-term care facilities in the territory had received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine over the weekend. The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne works in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Public Health Unit, including on the distribution of vaccines. The St. Regis Tribe council is co-ordinating its efforts directly with the U.S. federal government. Benedict said that because the community has its own robust public health system, the vaccine is provided by the governments but administered by Akwesasne's medical professionals. Eight new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in the northern side of the territory by Akwesasne public health authorities on Friday. The south side had one new case reported on the same day. There are 30 active cases in the Canadian side and 17 on the American. The community has had a total of five deaths linked to the virus. — By John Chidley-Hill in Toronto. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • COVID-19: Edmundston region of New Brunswick enters red pandemic-alert level

    FREDERICTON — New Brunswick reported 26 new COVID-19 infections Monday as the Edmundston region entered the province's highest pandemic-alert level.Health officials said New Brunswick had more than 300 active reported infections. The largest number of new cases on Monday were identified in the Edmundston region, located in the northwest of the province, bordering Quebec.The move into the "red" alert came after the province reported 36 infections Sunday — the highest single-day number since the start of the pandemic. Red-level rules require businesses to close or to reduce operations to essential activities. Residents are asked to stay home in single-family bubbles as much as possible, though schools remain open. Outdoor gatherings are limited to five people or fewer, while in-person dining at restaurants is prohibited.Many of the cases identified in the Edmundston zone are at the Nadeau Poultry plant in the community of Haut-Madawaska, west of Edmundston and near the border with Maine and Quebec."There is a problem at the Nadeau plant," Haut-Madawaska Mayor Jean-Pierre Ouellet said in an interview Monday. "There are about 20 workers that have been diagnosed positive with COVID-19.""The plant is closed until Friday in order for the management to clean the facility," he said.Representatives of the company could not be reached for comment, but Public Health officials confirmed the outbreak and said a second round of mass testing will occur at the facility on Tuesday."We have kept the avalanche of cases out of New Brunswick so far," Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said in a statement Monday afternoon."We must act now to keep this virus from doing even more damage than we are already seeing, especially with transmission now in workplaces. We cannot keep COVID-19 out completely, so we must do absolutely everything we can to prevent it from spreading within our province," she said.On Sunday, Russell said Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton are close to moving into red alert. Public Health also reported several new cases in schools Monday. Officials reported a case at Ecole Elementaire Sacre-Coeur in Grand Falls and another at a daycare located in the school. There is also a positive case at Quispamsis Middle School in Quispamsis. Colin Furness, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, said if New Brunswick is to control the rise in new cases it needs to redouble efforts to reduce travel from outside the Atlantic region."If the province keeps doing what it's doing, you'll have more cases — plenty more — but not at the level that will get out of control," Furness said in an email Monday. "New Brunswickers should feel confident and optimistic, and of course, vigilant — drop your guard and you can get swamped between now and the summer."This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021. Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press

  • How barbershops have become venues for Black men to talk about racism, mental health

    A new program that pairs free hair cuts with mental health support is encouraging Black men and boys in the Halifax area to open up about racism and the stresses of the pandemic from the comfort of a barbershop chair. Dr. Ron Milne hopes the familiar venue will feel like a safe space for them to talk about their mental health, "an area that people in general, but men particularly, don't like to talk about," he said. While two barbers provide free cuts, fades and shaves, Milne and other health-care professionals are there to help direct the conversation. "One of the common things we hear is about racism in the workplace and, you know, a number of the men have experienced that or are experiencing it," Milne told CBC's Information Morning on Monday. Sessions are taking place every Monday and Wednesday until Feb. 1 at two locations — Crowning Glory Hair Studio on Wyse Road in Dartmouth and at the East Preston Business Centre. The barbershop model has been successful elsewhere, said Milne, a family doctor with the Nova Scotia Brotherhood Initiative. The initiative is part of Nova Scotia Health and creates programs for Black men to access health care in their communities. "We do talk about, you know, legal issues and issues with the police ... in light of George Floyd's killing and so forth. That's another topic that comes up," Milne said. In some cases, he said the Nova Scotia Brotherhood Initiative has been able to get involved and help men navigate the justice system. "Sometimes we're able to connect these men with the lawyer or speak to their own lawyer, and we've had a couple of cases, you know, before the courts where we've gotten involved and helped the men to get a better outcome than they might have," Milne said. Another big topic of conversation during the sessions has been the pandemic and how it disproportionately impacts people of colour, Milne said. The Health Association of African Canadians has been hosting virtual town halls for Black Nova Scotians since last spring to talk about some of these issues. Sharon Davis-Murdoch, co-president of the association, said it's clear the province needs more culturally specific programs like this. The barbershop project is funded by the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage, which also funded similar sessions for women last fall. "The women's conversations could be quite different to the men's, but generally as a people we are dealing with all kinds of racism and the impact of racism as a social determinant of health," Davis-Murdoch said. She said many Black women are working as caregivers and on the front lines as essential workers and therefore have added stress about contracting COVID-19. "Women talked a lot about their experiences of structural racism," Davis-Murdoch added. "You know, we break down that racism isn't just overt racism. It's not only direct so it's systemic. It can be internalized." After the men's sessions wrap up at the end of the month, the team will assess how the project went and write a report they hope will be used to ensure similar programs are offered in the future. "We will apply for more grants, but ultimately, we would like it to be part and parcel of the delivery of health-care in Nova Scotia," Davis-Murdoch said. MORE TOP STORIES

  • C-K draft budget proposes 3.96 percent tax increase

    Chatham-Kent budget planners are looking at a 3.96 percent tax increase to cover its 2021 budget. During a virtual budget presentation to councillors on January 13, staff gave a rundown of the municipality’s financial situation, followed by an overview of recommendations. The 3.96 percent increase would mean for an average household assessed at $173,700 in Chatham-Kent, an increase of 3.96 percent would equal an extra cost of $117 a year. Per $100,000 household assessment, it would equal an additional $67 annually. According to Ward 3 councillor Steve Pinsonneault, the proposed 3.96 percent tax increase is high. He added this year’s budgeting would bring its own set of difficulties, considering the pandemic throughout 2020 and into 2021. “I have never supported a tax increase, however under the current situation of the country, province and municipality, I don’t believe a zero tax increase is a reality,” said Pinsonneault. “We need to bring this budget in at the rate of inflation and let 2021 play out.” Come next year’s budget, Pinsonneault believes council will have a good reading on the damage from the pandemic. From there, he said council would have to take a good look at service levels and services offered to the communities. While having spent his whole political career protecting arenas, libraries, service centers and the amenities in small communities in East Kent, Pinsonneault said he does not want to see the “Ugly List” again, which was put out in years past. “What that does is pit community against community and rural against urban,” said Pinsonneault. He also added the work from home exercise will change the way business is done in the municipality in the coming years, which will bring in its own measures of cost savings. “I believe this budget we try to keep the wheels on the wagon, so we don’t go down the avenue of closing our amenities because of skewed numbers relating to the pandemic,” added Pinsonneault. Ward 3 Councillor John Wright also believes the pandemic has created many issues for both residents and the municipality. “We need to look at every dollar spent to strike the right balance for both,” said Wright. While the proposed 3.9 percent budget increase submitted by the administration is just a starting point for council, Wright said under the current situation facing most residents, he could not support the increase as proposed. According to Wright, there does not appear to be any closures of facilities or services withdrawn across Ward 3. However, he said it is still early in the process, and there is a lot of information to review. “I have requested further background on a number of the budget requests to make the best-informed decisions,” said Wright. “I still encourage residents, once facilities reopen to use them, or we will lose them.” A large portion of the proposed increase, 2.10 percent, is allocated towards investing in Chatham-Kent’s infrastructure. This includes replacing ageing infrastructure, improving storm sewers and addressing shoreline issues. “I think that there’s an expectation from the community that we keep working towards some of those goals,” said Budget Chair Brock McGregor. One of the newer areas proposed in the draft budget looks to address challenges that have been previously identified surrounding homelessness and affordable housing in the municipality. “For example, the affordable housing issue, the homelessness issue, transit, our rural fibre internet issue, which has been exacerbated with Covid-19,” Quinton said. “These are things that our community and our councillors have been asking for.” Investments towards affordable housing and emergency initiatives are included in the 0.43 percent of the budget that has been allocated towards “investing in our community.” Other priorities in the budget include money towards improving transit, doctor recruitment and better rural internet. “We’ve had a large issue with homelessness,” said Don Shropshire, Chief Administrative Officer. “For us to fund our homelessness, provide affordable housing, we’re recommending it would be an investment in those areas.” In 2020, because of the added costs of COVID-19 for things such as personal protective equipment and a decrease in revenues from taxpayers and businesses such as casinos, the municipality expected to have a $5 million deficit. However, the municipality managed to cover it with provincial funding, as well as measures it took to reduce its costs. Shropshire said there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding the financial impacts of COVID-19 heading into the 2021 budget. Although more funding is anticipated from upper levels of government, Shropshire said the municipality is preparing for the same impact level and reduction in revenue that was seen in 2020. “We believe that the municipality is in good financial shape,” said Shropshire. “We’ve got a fair bit of resiliency in the budget, but there is an expectation that we’re not sure about a lot of the impacts of COVID-19 in 2021. “ According to Quinton, Chatham-Kent faced more than $17 million in COVID-19 costs in 2020. “This dispense is the portion that we doubt that we’ll recover any funding from upper-level governments. So we see this as an impact on local taxpayers,” said Quinton. COVID-19’s impact makes up 0.43 percent of the proposed tax increase in the draft budget for loss of interest revenues due to a decline in interest rates and market conditions. Because of COVID-19, the budget process is being done entirely virtually this year. Residents are invited to consultations which will be held: - Tuesday, January 19 at noon - Wednesday, January 20 at 4 p.m. - Thursday, January 21 at 6 p.m. “With in-person meetings cancelled, I urge everyone to use the available methods available to contact council with your thoughts and views,” added Wright. Next week’s community consultation meetings will be broadcast on the municipality’s Facebook live feed. Deliberations are available on YourTV, as well as live-streamed on the YourTV YouTube channel. A more detailed look at the 2021 proposed budget can be found on the municipality’s website at https://budget.chatham-kent.ca/2021/default.html Budget Committee Deliberations will be held online from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. beginning January 27. In 2020, administration initially proposed a 4.99 percent tax increase, which was eventually brought down to 2.97 percent over three nights of budget deliberations. Bird Bouchard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News

  • What security in Washington, D.C., looks like ahead of the inauguration

    Following the deadly violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by pro-Trump rioters, security measures for Joe Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration have ramped up. CBC's Thomas Daigle shows what it looks like on the ground.

  • Bingo! Canoe game a winner for local charities

    CanoeFM is donating $50,988 to five local charities after record-breaking fundraising numbers from its radio bingo program in the past six months. Station manager, Roxanne Casey, said they raised more than $100,000 in that time, the highest total since it began. Half will go to CanoeFM, while the other half will be split amongst donation recipients, with $10,000 each going to Fuel for Warmth, the Central East Heat Bank and Minden Community Food Centre, and $10,494 each to the Abbey Retreat Centre and the Friends of the Haliburton County Public Library. Every Tuesday at 6 p.m., CanoeFM reads out bingo numbers, with cash prizes on the line. Casey said the pandemic has contributed to the event’s greater popularity, with the station selling 736 sheets this past week, more than double this time last year. “Radio bingo became almost like a household word,” Casey said. “It’s just become like a fun thing to do and you don’t need to go anywhere to do it.” The fundraising runs in six-month intervals, based on the lottery licence. The January-June 2020 period raised approximately $63,550, with half that going to Minden Community Food Centre. But Casey said with dollars rising, it made sense to start sharing the wealth. “COVID hits people really hard, so we felt it was really important to make sure we were supporting those organizations,” Casey said. Fuel for Warmth executive director, Joanne Barnes, said the donation is greatly appreciated. “I was so surprised to be given such a lovely donation of funds … It will certainly allow us to assist more families in need,” Barnes said. “I give my most sincere thanks for the money, but also for the trust of the community who recognize our commitment.” Casey said the funding is also a boost on the radio side, allowing them to cover broadcasting expenses such as equipment and licencing fees. However, the money is disallowed for operational expenses. She said she expects the game to keep its popularity. “The next run will be as good, if not better,” Casey said. “People are not going anywhere. They’re still at home and it gives them something to do. Even once this is over, I think it will still carry on. “We really appreciate people supporting radio bingo.” Tickets are available at the station or grocery and convenience stores throughout the County. Joseph Quigley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Highlander

  • B.C. company turning fly larvae into pet food gets $6M in federal funds

    CALGARY — A British Columbia company that feeds food waste to insects to produce pet food has received $6 million from the federal government for a new plant just north of Calgary. Enterra Feed Corp. last year opened a 17,500-square-metre production facility, about the size of three football fields. It's been producing insect-based feed ingredients out of the Rocky View plant for the pet food, poultry and wild bird markets in North America and Europe. The insects are black soldier flies and the plant is able to recycle 130 tonnes of food waste per day and turn it into 10 tonnes of high-protein feed along with 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes of organic fertilizer. "It's really quite disheartening how much of that food doesn't make it to the plate," said Enterra president Keith Driver. "It's really surprising how much of that product is out there and available." The fly larvae are fed a mixture of food waste and agricultural byproducts — primarily fruits and vegetables that come from food processors. The insects can then be fed to poultry and fish as well as to cats, dogs and reptiles. A trial is underway to see if it will work in the pork sector as well. "Black soldier flies are prolific breeders. They grow very quickly — one million per cent of their body weight in just three weeks," said Driver. "They're very docile to manage." The federal Agriculture Department says more than half — roughly 35.5 million tonnes — of Canada's food supply is lost or wasted annually and $49.5 billion of that waste is avoidable. In addition, eight per cent of all greenhouse gases worldwide are the result of food waste. "You have broken new ground as the first company in Canada to receive regulatory approval to produce animal feed ingredients using flies," said federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. "Seeing it on such a scale, I think it's interesting. I'm very open to all of these innovations that can feed animals but also feed the world." Driver said Enterra plans to eventually open another plant in either Ontario or Quebec, but progress has been slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our sources of feedstock tend to be in and around metropolitan regions." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021 — Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

  • Mayor sees opportunities for the taking in 2021

    It might be time to put 2020 in the rearview mirror, and while no one in town might be happier to do so than the mayor, there are still some successes to be celebrated and lessons to be brought forward into the new year. Fort Frances Mayor June Caul and her council have faced a difficult calendar year that kicked off with the final death throes of the former mill and an unruly budget before being thrown into the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. What followed that March outbreak has been months of uncertainty and fear surrounding the new virus, but also successful partnerships and initiatives undertaken by the town and community partners. "When you look back on 2020 and you think about the uproar of COVID and everything, I look back and think 'gee, we did pretty well through the year,'" Caul said. "I'm pleased with the amount that we were able to still get done. We've continued our talks with our First Nation partners and neighbours in trying to get closer to rectifying the whole situation with the Point Park and the lands surrounding that. It's been a really positive dialect between us for the most part, good and respectful discussions. That's a really big takeaway that we've continued to do a good job of as council during 2020." The mayor also notes that the town has been able to make some progress on tackling the issue of homelessness in Fort Frances. In addition to coming onboard and working with the homelessness committee, the town has also helped to finance the Out of the Cold Warming Centre on Victoria Ave. She also noted that the town was able to meet with concerned homeowners and other stakeholders throughout the year to begin to address concerns on all sides, though she said the work will need to continue in the future. Caul said that the issue itself shouldn't be relegated to one committee or organization as homelessness is a community problem and needs to be addressed on a larger scale. She also encouraged the public to understand that there are many factors that could play into someone experiencing homelessness, and that those individuals are still deserving of compassion. "I know a lot of people feel threatened by these people but for the most part they're no different than you or I," she said. "They're down on their luck and they've got addictions to deal with but they deserve the respect that the rest of us have." Mayor Caul also noted that the town should be receiving "shortly" the final reports on the Shevlin Woodyard and Gateway to Fort Frances projects that began in earnest in 2020, even as a number of public input sessions were adapted to fit into lockdowns and other COVID related restrictions. The reports will be a collection of the input that the consultants received from the second round of public consultations that came once they had released rough outlines for what could be done with the former woodyard and the downtown space. "I'm looking forward to that and getting started there," Caul said. "First of all, I'm really excited about making Fort Frances look a lot more desirable when you come in from the U.S., whenever that border does open. Anyone coming from the west end of the town and through the border of the United States and Canada needs to see something that looks appealing to get them to stop, and we haven't had that for many, many years, so that's a big deal." In terms of the woodyard itself, Caul said the town will be looking for community partners and other businesses who will be interested in developing the space for their needs, whether it be for apartments, seniors housing, or commercial space. She called the whole lot "a huge opportunity" for the town going forward, and said she's hoping that some work will be able to get underway this calendar year. The Shevlin Woodyard is not the only game in town when it comes to new residential spaces either. Caul noted that this year could show some growth in that sector from a number of projects, including an organization interested in bringing a seniors housing complex to town, an apartment complex going up on the former Dough and Deli lot and the new Erin Crescent subdivision. "It takes the town and a town council to push something like that [subdivision] forward when you don't have construction workers or businesses who are wanting to take that dive into trying to start building complexes, for whatever reason," she said. "There's a lot of years that have gone by where I found that has happened with the town, so I truly believe it's up to the town to push that kind of thing if we want to make our town a better place to live, a place where we have more opportunity for people to live and play and work. That's our responsibility as a council, I believe." Caul also pointed towards the redeveloped economic development sector of the town, noting that in the past, economic advisory committees have worked hard to come up with suggestions but had little ability to act on those ideas. A newly formed economic advisory executive committee will have more council involvement and will hopefully include residents and business owners as members, and will also include community stakeholders who had not previously been part of the economic development such as Fort Frances Power Corporation (FFPC), which Caul said didn't help things. "We need to be able to find out where are the power lines, how does that impact the rest of the town?" she said. "That's a big important deal for me, for that to be going forward this year as well. With the mill being torn down now, we have to do economic development. Wehave to get people coming in here, whether it's to stay and play or live and play, we need to not only grow our population but we need to grow ourselves in another way, and the best way to do that is through tourism, because of this beautiful area we live in. We need to be supporting tourism and that in turn supports our businesses." Caul also stressed that town council can't do or think up everything alone, and encouraged the public to speak up with their own ideas or suggestions for ways the town can capitalize on different opportunities that might so far have gone untapped. One of the largest differences around town when comparing January 2020 to January 2021 is the absence of a large portion of the old mill buildings, with the rest continuing to come down throughout the rest of the year. Even as much of the potential for the site – once demolition and clean-up is complete – is still up in the air, Caul said that council needs to continue working in a positive manner towards finding new opportunities for the town. I think the most important thing that we as a town council need to always work toward is working positively with whoever is influencing or doing anything in our community," she said. "It was a huge controversy when we went after Resolute trying to get them to let businesses come into the mill and take over the property and that just didn't happen, and I'm proud of council for standing their ground and fighting for that. That was important to me, that we fought to get something done and not just have it sitting there empty like it was five years ago. The demolition is the start of moving forward." Going forward into 2021, Caul said that the town is aware of opportunities that are out there for new business and investments into the town of Fort Frances, including but not limited to exploring other uses for fibre from the Boundary Waters Forest. "We're getting more and more information on what we can and should be able to approach," she said. Overall Caul said she's excited for the possibilities that exist in 2021, even as the town, province and country are continuing to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as it seems to worsen in our neck of the woods. Still, the mayor said there are opportunities available for the town and it will require the continuing hard work of town council and administration to seize in order to secure a good future for everyone in town. "I live by this: no matter what difficulties come into our lives, always think of the positive," Caul said. "There is always something positive that comes out of everything, and if we look to the future and work together in that respect, Fort Frances can become an even better place to live." Ken Kellar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Fort Frances Times

  • B.C.’s Upper Columbia sturgeon endure long battle with local extinction

    There are no guarantees for the survival of white sturgeon on the upper Columbia but there’s’ still hope. The population is dangerously low, but it’s stable enough to have staved off extirpation, giving researchers time to solvethe puzzle of why many of these prehistoric fish are dying before they can reproduce. The current estimate for the Canadian portion of the Columbia River is approximately 1,100 wild adults, with more than5,500 hatchery-origin sturgeon at large. “The white sturgeon conservation aquaculture program has been releasing hatchery-raised sturgeon into the ColumbiaRiver annually since 2002 and has been very successful,” reads a 2020 BC Hydro water-use plan update. “Monitoring showsthat more of the young fish have survived than originally expected.” The Upper Columbia White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative (UCWSRI) was formed in 2001 by BC Hydro and two dozen partnersfrom government, First Nations, industry and environmental groups in Canada and the U.S. to better understand theimpacts of river-flow changes caused by hydroelectric dams built from the 1960s through the 1980s. The sturgeon population was listed as endangered under the Canadian Species at Risk Act in 2006 due to recruitmentfailure, when too few fish survive to their reproductive age. Researchers estimate the wild population once relied on an adult population of 1,500 spawners to maintain groupsustainability. Today there are only about 100 adults contributing to spawning events. The conservation-aquaculture program is focusing on collecting eggs and larvae from the wild for rearing in a hatchery toensure survivability and genetic diversity. A decade ago as many as 4,000 hatchery fish were released annually into the Upper Columbia, but today the releases havedropped significantly as researchers record higher survival rates than previously expected, and as they fine tune theirunderstanding of the fish and their habitat. “The aquaculture program is constantly evolving and adaptively managed in response to new information,” Kevin Aquino, aBC Hydro spokesperson said. “The number of fish released since 2001 has been steadily declining as we learn how well thefish survive following their release. Currently, the release of 200 fish at a minimum body weight of 200 grams is sufficientto meet long-term population targets set in the national recovery strategy.” Sturgeon can grow up to three metres in length and live up to 100 years. They begin breeding only in their second decade,which underscores the importance and complexity of seeing them through to maturity. Even then, reproduction rates areunpredictable as males breed only every one or two years, and females every three to seven years. An investigation of spawning sites has revealed one area in the Upper Columbia River that will undergo habitat restorationnext year, but there is still no certainty as to why the general population is not procreating successfully. Scientists have observed thousands of wild-hatched fish move downstream to feed, but are still trying to understand whymost don’t survive their first year. Hypotheses centre on the effects of dams changing river flows, and improved clarity ofthe water reducing the fishes’ ability to hide from predators. There are also introduced and invasive species of fish in the river system, including walleye, northern pike and smallmouthbass, that prey on the young sturgeon. In May, 2017, the public was invited to help release 1,800 juvenile sturgeon into Arrow Lakes near Revelstoke, in an effortto create a sub-population of sturgeon as an insurance strategy in case the Upper Columbia population meets acatastrophic end. To date about 62,000 hatchery sturgeon have been released into the lake, home to about 50 wild adults, but low recapturerates have prevented researchers from estimating hatchery-sturgeon survivability or abundance. “As a result, we’ve been adapting the hatchery program and the field monitoring accordingly,” Aquino said. “Wild adults arestill spawning intermittently near Revelstoke. In recent years, one of the bigger successes in Arrow Lakes has been thetransfer of wild-origin progeny — embryos and larvae produced through natural spawning events — to the hatchery forrearing and release. This is similar to the program in the lower Columbia and ensures the genetic diversity of the wild adultsis captured in the fish that are released.” Quinn Bender, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Rupert Northern View

  • Large number of staff affected by COVID-19 forces temporary closure of Duncan Christian School

    The Duncan Christian School is closed for two weeks due to a COVID-19 cluster. The school offers classes for K-12, all of which have been suspended. In a statement posted to Facebook, school officials said that, due to the large size of the school, the safest way to manage the COVID-19 exposure was to close, effective Jan. 18, with plans to reopen Feb. 1. In an email to CBC, school principal Peter Terpstra wrote "a high number of staff members are affected. This makes it difficult to function operationally." Students will be shifting to off-campus learning during the closure. Grades 6 and higher will receive a mix of physical materials and Google classroom instruction. Younger children will be given materials to complete at home. In its online statement, the school apologized for the hardship and disruption the school closure will cause parents and asked parents who are front-line staff to contact its office for additional support.

  • Garth Brooks joins lineup of entertainers at Biden inaugural

    NEW YORK — Add Garth Brooks to the lineup of entertainers at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. “This is a great day in our household," the country music superstar said during a virtual press conference Monday, two days before Biden is to be sworn in. “This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity.” Brooks, who joins Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez among others, performed during the inaugural celebration of President Barack Obama in 2009. He turned down a chance to play for President Donald Trump in 2017, citing a scheduling conflict. Invited by incoming first lady Jill Biden, Brooks has known the Bidens for more than a decade, when Joe Biden was Obama's vice-president. Brooks said that for this week's inaugural, he will perform solo doing “broken down, bare-bones stuff,” and hinted at covering material by songwriters from outside the U.S. He does not plan to sing his socially conscious “We Shall Be Free,” which he performed at the Obama inaugural. Brooks praised the Bidens for being “hellbent on making things good” and said he welcomed the chance to help the country heal. “I want to spend the next 10 years of my life not divided. I’m so tired of being divided," he said. The Associated Press

  • Ontario patients to be ranked for life-saving care should ICUs become full

    Hospitals in Ontario have received a triage protocol that lays out the criteria to be used if intensive care units fill up and medical resources are scarce.The memo by the province's critical care COVID-19 command centre says patients will be scored on a short-term mortality risk assessment that assigns a percentage to the odds a patient will live a year. It says patients who have a high likelihood of dying within a year will be lower priority and may not receive treatment at all if ICUs are full.The document also says random selection for life-saving care could also be used if there is no difference in score when ICUs are overwhelmed.The province warned last week that ICUs could be full by mid-February.Several ICUs in Toronto-area hospitals are already transferring patients to other hospitals to help ease the burden.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021. The Canadian Press