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The United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin Anishnaabe Police has established its inaugural full-time Drug Enforcement Unit to combat drug trafficking, human trafficking, and organized crime to bolster the security of all communities on Manitoulin Island.

Police Chief James Killeen says since 2021, the UCCM Anishnaabe Police’s drug enforcement efforts have led to 85 individuals being charged with over 363 criminal and drug offences, alongside the seizure of drugs valued at over $854,000.

With over 26 years of law enforcement experience Killeen will now oversee the unit in addition to his commitment to advancing Indigenous policing issues and fostering collaborative efforts to ensure community safety.

Killeen says full-time drug unit on Manitoulin Island will make the communities the unit serves safer, emphasizing drug activity is not limited to their communities and is connected to drug and gang activity throughout Ontario, so they will work with other policing services to eradicate the illegal drug trade.

Twenty-two of the individuals charged with drug offences by UCCM Anishnaabe Police since 2021 were from the Greater Toronto Area. UCCM Anishnaabe Police joined the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario (CISO) in 2021 and partners with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on drug investigations, as well as sharing information with Greater Sudbury Police Service, Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service and Toronto Integrated Guns and Gangs Task Force.

“We value our partnerships with other police services to collect intelligence and share information regarding criminal organizations and individuals that are active across our jurisdictional borders,” says Chief Killeen. “At the same time, our First Nations community’s leadership and citizens have expressed an overwhelming interest in having a DEU be a permanent part of their Police Service to enhance our ability to proactively combat drug trafficking and related crimes.”

The unit will start with five full-time officers, including a Detective Sergeant and four Detective Constables. UCCM Anishnaabe Police is looking for experienced officers, both internally and externally, to fill these positions. Interested officers can learn more at: uccmpolice.com/current-opportunities

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The Espanola Lions Club has donated to the Massey Agricultural Society in support of its fair and to build new community gardens around Massey.

Lion’s spokesperson, Grant Lewis, says the club has donated $4,000 to establish ten small plots throughout Massey at schools and family gardens around town.

He says the funding will be provided for all the materials including the galvanized steel round containers, seeds, and soils to ensure a positive outcome.

He adds equipment will also be provided to start up worm farms and day-old chicks will be given out to kids and their families to take care of and be judged as part of the Grow Your Show at the fair.

Combine all this with music, rides, horse pulls exhibits, crafts, vendors, face painting, plus a host of other activities, and you have one fun filled weekend in August, emphasizes Lewis.

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Wildland fire season is already in full swing in British Columbia and Alberta… but so far, so good in Northeastern Ontario.

Natural Resources and Forestry ministry fire information officer Evan Lizotte says there have been ten fires this season, but they’re all out.

He says the hazard is currently low in the Northeast Region, with a small patch of moderate hazard in the Sudbury area.”

Lizotte adds that precipitation predicted into the weekend is expected to keep the hazard in that range.

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The Public Services Standing Committee was provided an update on the Centennial Arena project in Elliot Lake with Dr. Dan Tingley of Wood Research and Design.

Tingley says he expects the reconstruction of the arena, which needs some structural changes with the roof trusses, as well as insulation and roofing work to be structurally sound in early September.

He also reviewed the schedule for roofing, restoration design, foundation issues, and other similar arena restoration projects that the contractor has completed.

Acting Director of Public Works Bill Goulding says the design documents are expected this week.

He adds a phase one grant application was also sent to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for funding up to $2 million for the restoration.

Goulding says the with 50 per cent grant application now completed, it opens the opportunity for further grant requests for other costs above $4 million.

Final costs of the retrofit are expected to exceed $4 million with a fundraising campaign now also underway in the community.

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The Espanola Lions Club hosted a turkey dinner to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the Paul and Hester Zahorec Memorial Dinner this past weekend.

Lions’ spokesperson Dario Laurenti says the dinner was held to honour over 200 of Espanola's seniors and their contributions to the community.

He says the dinner was donated by Louise Eccleston with members of the Espanola Skating Club handing out flowers to all the ladies and filling the role of servers during the gathering this Saturday evening at the Espanola Elks.

The dinner was co-founded by Laurenti and the late Paul Zahorec 21 years ago to say thank you to the senior community.

Paul's late wife, Hester, also played a vital role in keeping up the tradition before her passing.

Dario extended words of thanks for all that seniors do and was joined on stage with congratulatory messages from both Espanola Mayor Doug Gervais and AMK MP Carol Hughes ... and a special thank you to the JK, SK, and Grade 1 to Grade 3 students of AB Ellis PS for the handmade placemats brought home as mementos of the evening.

Paul Zahorec and Hester Zahorec

Lionism was Paul’s focus for most of his adult life. He received the Melville Jones award from his fellow Lions, the highest in Lionism. He worked hard to raise funds for the building of the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex and 32 additional long-term beds at the Espanola Regional Hospital, before the addition of the health team clinic.

He was also very involved in the United Church, on the Board and in the choir.

When it came to the kids, Paul was involved with minor hockey in Espanola with his sons, always raising funds for the buses as well as being a long-time cub scout leader in Espanola for many years.

Hester was always there working alongside Paul, often supporting special fund raising events for children and families in need.
A member of the Espanola United Church UCW group, spending countless hours supporting the church; Espanola Lions Club fund raisers and Espanola Minor Hockey for her sons.

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Elliot Lakers will see a detour in place this week due to road reconstruction on Hillside Drive North near the Seniors Park.

Starting tomorrow, the detour will be in place until Friday and the bus stop located in front of the Hillside Clinic has been temporarily moved to Spruce Street while specialized transit will still have access.

Motorists will have to detour through the downtown area to access their destinations.

The contractors are expected to complete that section of road by the end of the week with the entire project moving on schedule with a completion date in early fall.

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Local area school students will be busy today, and throughout the week, marking Earth Day 2024.

This year’s theme is Planet versus Plastics with students focusing on ways to reduce their use of plastics, not only at school, but also at home and in the wider community.

This year’s theme emphasizes the need to reduce plastic production.

Officials say global plastics production has doubled since the beginning of the century, to almost 400 million metric tons per year in 2021.

While the lifespan of plastic products averages around 10 years, plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose, depending on their composition and disposal.

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