New 54 acre residential development proposed for west end of Morrisburg

“We were very privileged to have these authors join us December 3 at the Basket Case to launch their new books,” said Hanne Rycroft co-owner of the Basket Case. 

Discussing their latest works with local visitors were authors Bill Smallwood, Craig Armstrong, Joel Fawcett and Pat Jamieson, along with Jamieson illustrator, Gail Stephenson.

Craig Armstrong, who was born and raised in Morrisburg, described his book, Shadows on Your Right Hand, as a work which celebrates the three “passages we all go through in life, the morning when people make decisions, the afternoon when we are in the fight of life and the evening, when we are meant to enjoy life. My emphasis is that we all possess one gift, one special skill which we need to find and make better all our lives to find contentment.”

Joel Fawcett’s Stained Glass concerns a young man’s picaresque journey across North America. Also owner of Chickadilly Bookbinding, Fawcett said of his novel, “I met many characters in my travels, became a character myself, I think, as the story took shape. This is a novel for young and old alike, colourful and often funny. I am currently turning it into a screen play”

The Raindrop That Wanted to be a River, a children’s picture novel written by Pat Jamieson and illustrated by Gail Stephenson, is the tale of a tiny raindrop with very large ambitions. “Eventually, he learns that everyone must work together to do a very big job,” said Jamieson. Illustrator Stephenson said that collaborating with the children’s author “was exciting and fun and its own adventure.”

 Author Bill Smallwood, after careers with the armed forces and civilian support, finds inspiration for his books in the events of Canada’s history, particularly those reflecting the rich heritage of Nova Scotia. “The stories in my novels, like Abuse of Power: The Acadians, are based on real events, the expulsion of the Acadians by the British, and how that expulsion affected settlers, soldiers and native peoples alike.”

[…]

The Ministry of Finance has released the education rates for 2012. With this, the three numbers needed to decipher this year’s municipal taxes are complete and property owners can expect to pay a slight increase.

“By my speculation,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds on Tuesday, “it will be just over three per cent, but I can’t be 100 per cent positive without all the numbers.”

“There’s a small decrease from the South Dundas end.”

The Township of South Dundas completed their 2012 budget deliberations on March 12th while the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry completed their budget on March 19th. 

Byvelds pointed out that “the Counties had a 3.1 per cent increase and ours is 3.5 per cent.”

To determine the amount to be paid out by a residence for the education portion of the tax bill, South Dundas treasurer Shannon Geraghty provided a comparison example:

• A 2011 assessment at $149,090 equates to taxes of $344.40.

• A 2012 assessment with phase-in at $157,260 equates to taxes of $347.54.

The education rate, determined by the Ministry of Finance, is standard on all assessments regardless of school board, whether it be public, Catholic or French Catholic. 

As explained in the March 14th edition of The Leader, each home’s taxes are affected by the Municipal Property Assessments.

There has been a 5.48 per cent average increase on assessments due to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation’s four-year phase in.

What all of this boils down to is an approximate overall increase of just over three percent in municipal taxes for South Dundas. 

[…]

“We were a little afraid two weeks ago that the weather would be against us. The original forecast was for soggy conditions,” said John Ross, chief organizer of the annual Iroquois Fly In Breakfast, held at the air port on Sunday, July 15. “But it didn’t. As you can see, it’s actually a bit of madness here in the kitchen with nearly 700 turning up for breakfast. But it’s wonderful madness. Just great!”

Two teams of volunteers from Ross Video served up the food while many other volunteers landed and parked planes and saw them safely on their way again.

Volunteer Perry Stacey, who was manning the pilot book indicated that “50 pilots signed in by 11 a.m. They came from all over, but I believe the farthest travelled from St. Sebastien and Palmer Rapids.”

Some pilots, like André Durocher, based in Rockcliffe, are  repeat visitors to the Fly In.  Durocher arrived in a fully restored 1946 VeeBee. “I try to get here to Iroquois every year,” he said. “It’s a great event.”

Other pilots, like Luc Thibault, who arrived in a very small, home-built Hummel Bird, were first time visitors. 

“I had heard about this Iroquois Fly In,” Thibault said, “but I had no idea how big it was. This is impressive.”

Adding to the interest and excitement generated by the Fly In was the addition, this year, of a Cruise In, organized by the Golden Gears Car Club. Club members and exhibitors set up their vintage vehicles just north of the air port and drew appreciative crowds all morning.

“This is our first venture in combination with the Fly In,” said Gears president Henry Swank. “John (Ross) seemed very keen for us to join in, so we thought we would try this venue out to see how it works. So far, I have to say the experience has been wonderful. We’ve had a big response, lots of people coming to see our cars and trucks. People really seem to like this car/plane combination. We actually signed up some new club members this morning.”

A big crowd pleaser among the arriving air craft this year was Otto Dietrich’s fully restored 1940 Tiger Moth. Dietrich, from St. Lazar, found the plane in 1993, and spent years bringing it back to its original condition. “I try to get down to this Iroquois Fly In every year,” he said. “Very enjoyable event.”

The funds raised at the annual Fly In Breakfast go to the maintenance and care of the Iroquois air port.

[…]