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Matthew’s Mud Dogs
Fall and pitfalls Pot is a topic that moves all over the political agenda. Sometimes marijuana is a burning issue, sometimes it is on the proverbial back burner. But like abortion, capital punishment and the Senate, cannabis is always controversial. In the boonies, at this time of year we look to the sky to gaze at flocks of Canada geese winging to their winter homes in warmer climes, and to squint at aircraft flying low in the annual autumnal search for illicit grass operations. Most people are pretty laid back about pot and are supportive of relaxed laws for simple possession. The benefits of medical marijuana are well established. But, unless you have a special permit, it is still against the law to grow your own. Weeding out illegal weed requires a lot of resources. And there is a lot of illegal farming going on out there. During this year’s round-up in eastern Ontario, the Cornwall Regional Task Force, mem- bers of the Canadian Armed Forces, Ontario Provincial Police, and the Cornwall Commu- nity Police Service found no less than 7,547 pot plants in Prescott-Russell and Stormont- Dundas-Glengarry. Information gathered also helped the Sûreté du Québec locate a grow operation along the Québec-Ontario border, resulting in the discovery of 2,960 pot plants. Police note that some Canadians consider marijuana to be a harmless drug. However, authorities also stress that illegal marijuana production often fuels a range of criminal ac- tivity and violence, which put people at risk. You want to steer clear of any area you suspect may be used to grow pot. This year, on two different occasions, officers located “booby traps” that could have harmed anyone who would have been walking across the field near the grow operation. In this case they were both bear traps modified with nails. You ought to avoid confronting illegal grass growers. They can get testy if somebody inadvertently intrudes on their plantations. Marijuana growers like swamps, corn fields, wooded areas, river banks, and rural rental properties with large acreage. Harvest takes place at this time of year – in late September or early October when the plants have matured after a five-month growing season. In case you have never seen marijuana plants, they are bright green, have leaves with seven jagged fingers, grow between three and five feet in height and give off an odour similar to that of a skunk. Regardless of where you stand on the legalization of marijuana, it is always best to tread lightly around illicit pot patches. Meanwhile, many of us look forward to encountering many other, less lethal features of country life in the fall. The foliage is as brilliant as ever, despite the ongoing deforestation that has seen vast tracts of land denuded to make way for crops. The loss of wildlife habitat and windbreaks can be offset somewhat by the knowledge that clear-cutting signals continued invest- ment in agriculture. After all, just as it is hard to make an omelette without breaking some eggs, it is difficult to grow crops in wooded areas. This is a great time to appreciate the flora and fauna, before the arrival of Old Man Win- ter’s blanket. If you are fortunate, you might come across some of the creatures that are considered by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ species to be at risk. In Prescott- Russell, American Ginseng, the Spotted Turtle and Henslow’s Sparrow are “endangered” while the Barn Swallow is in the “threatened” category. The “threatened” group includes the Cutlip Minnow, a charming fish that eats the eyes of other fish. This explains why this creature is also known as “eye-picker.” Anyway, get out the field guides, binoculars and cameras. A brisk walk in the great outdoors is a great way to make the seasonal transition.
Submitted photo
Matthew’s Mud Dogs will be running from Ottawa to Montebello Saturday.
MONTEBELLO | Members of the Hawkes- bury Ontario Provincial Police detach- ment will be going the distance for a good cause Saturday, October 5. Constable Jean-François Meloche and current and former members of the Emer- gency Response Team will be participating in the “Sears Great Canadian Run.” The team, “Matthew’s Mud Runners,” will be running 100 kilometres from Ottawa to Montebello in the form of a relay. The an- nual event raises monies to support kids afflicted with cancer. The team was created three years ago after a police officer’s child, named Matthew, was diagnosed with Leu- kemia. According to Meloche: “The team
is looking forward to taking the challenge again this year.” He adds: “The first year we collected approximately $15,000. The sec- ond year we collected close to $10,000 and we intend to achieve our goal of $10,000 again this year. “Matthew’s Mud Dogs” made its mark at the event in the previous years and we are looking forward to take the challenge again this year.” Meloche and Matthew’s Mud Dogs are asking for the community’s assistance as they can go directly online at The Sears Great Canadian Run to sponsor him or the team at http:// searscanada.akaraisin.com/Pledge/Partici- pant/Home.aspx?seid=6497&pid=151674 9&mid=9.
Powerless and detoured
Photo Richard Mahoney
A downed power line on Highway 34 south of Hawkesbury forced the closure of the busy route between Pattee and Greenlane Roads for several hours Tuesday. Many Hydro One customers were without service for a long duration following the inci- dent, which occurred shortly before noon. A farm tractor hit a hydro pole on the east side of 34, pulling down the pole. A power line broke and fell onto the roadway, relates the Hawkesbury Ontario Provincial Police detachment. 5000$ pour la formation
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Photo Richard Mahoney
Le Service des incendies de Hawkesbury a reçu 5000 $ pour la formation des pom- piers de la part de la compagnie Enbridge Gas Distribution. Le chef pompier Ghis- lain Pigeon et le maire René Berthiaume a reçu la contribution des mains de Daniel Chénier, de la compagnie Enbridge. Il était accompagné de Scott Hayes, représent- ant du Bureau du commissaire des incendies de l’Ontario. Hawkesbury est parmi les 20 communautés ontariennes qui ont été choisies au hasard comme récipiendaires d’une bourse d’Enbridge.
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