Jellicoe: Town Loves Its Lucky Jacksons

"Retailing family racked up 167 wins totalling $1.2 million

By JOE WARMINGTON

Jellicoe, Ont., population 53, is home to the Jacksons, a general store-owning family that has won more than $1 million in the provincial lotteries. Townsfolk say the Jacksons are just plain lucky.

"I'll just have to come back to the village and make some enquiries to make sure that you are Ned Devine"

-- actor Brendan F. Dempsey as Irish Lotto investigator Jim Kelly in the 1998 film Waking Ned Devine.

---

Like the fictitious Irish outpost of Tullymore in the movie Waking Ned Devine, the equally tiny Northern Ontario town of Jellicoe has also seen an investigator skulking around about a lotto win, too.

And like in the movie, the wonderfully kind residents also sent him away without any reason to doubt the lottery winning story.

But unlike in that script where the whole town split the jackpot of a resident who died with the winning ticket in his hand and replaced him with his friend, this town had one family win more than twice as many lottery jackpots as the town has people.

Tullymore had Ned Devine as one of its 53 residents.

Jellicoe had the Jacksons as part of its 80.

More specifically Jellicoe had its own Lady Luck in Corrie Jackson who, the CBC reports, "often won multiple times in the same draw, took the most prizes" including "eight wins in a single Pick Three draw and then seven prizes in the draw a week later."

Thanks to this story, Jellicoe now has the new nickname of being the Luckiest Town in Canada -- that not only has a multiple winner but also has an $800,000 prize that went unclaimed.

And no OPP investigation or nosy big city reporters are going to change that.

In fact, it seems friendly residents in this rugged and picturesque village known for good moose hunting on Hwy. 11, two hours northeast of Thunder Bay, are satisfied that nothing suspicious was going on with the constant winning of the Jacksons of Jellicoe.

"I don't think you will get anyone in Jellicoe to say a bad word about the Jacksons," said resident Fran McCullagh.

And I didn't. Everybody I spoke with echoed this sentiment. They not only back the Jacksons, they seem to love them...."

Read the rest of this story at the Toronto Sun Website.

Haha... ok. This is my hometown, and my family. I'm completely biased on the subject, because as I was growing up, the Jackson family was my family.

My mother worked a lot and most days I would end up at the Jacksons store, eating chips or microwave burgers that Barry would slip me, reading their comic books, playing their Sega games, or running around the aisles snapping rubber bands at Trevor and Robbie. Corrie called me their surrogate daughter, and the boys (Trevor, Robbie, Leon, and Barry Jr.) would introduce me as their little sister to their friends. I probably spent more time at the store than I did in my own cabin in the woods, so I can tell you, honestly, what Barry was like.

Barry was a joker; he was constantly teasing or joking around with his customers. He was friendly and open about everything. He was someone you could spend hours talking to about next to nothing at all. He was a good father that tried to give his kids everything they needed, and he taught them how to take care of themselves. For example, every week we would go to Geraldton where they would spend the night playing basketball together.

Apparently he was also a bit of a pool shark; when on a trip with him in Geraldton once, we stopped at the pool hall briefly and the man behind the counter called him "Barracuda." When I asked what it meant, the guy behind the counter replied that Barry was a pool shark, so they had to give him a fishy nickname. A customer overheard this and immediately challenged Barry to a duel. Barry asked me if I would be alright for a couple minutes (kids weren't allowed in the pool hall section of the building, so I would have to wait amongst the work clothing and such), and I said I'd be fine. I wandered the store for about 7 minutes, and then Barry came out of the pool hall. "Did you win?" I excitedly asked. He and the guy behind the counter met eyes and they started laughing. He turned to me, nodded, and casually said, "Ok, time to go."

Pool shark he may have been, but he was no thief. That wasn't his style. He didn't take too kindly to thieving.

There was another day, when I was very young, but had already gotten used to Barry slipping me food. Wandering through the store one day with my mother, I found myself a bag of marshmallows (YUM!). I tried to get my mother's attention to ask if I could have them, but she was too busy talking to Barry. Neither was paying attention, so, being spoiled by Barry to this point, I thought it would be no big deal to just rip the bag open and start eating them. Afterall, Barry would probably just give them to me anyway. Mom finished up and we walked out of the store, not noticing my quietness was due to a mouthful of squishy white goodness. Just as we were about to drive away Barry came out, after having watched me devouring the unpaid-for marshmallows. He proceeded to give me one hell of a talking-to about ALWAYS being sure I had permission first. As the tears built up in my eyes, he gently took the bag away. I may have been his surrogate daughter, but that didn't mean I could take things from them without permission. He wouldn't be having any thieves in his house. Man, did I ever cry when I got that look of disappointment.

Barry would never jack a jackpot, even if he did know how. Like I said; it wasn't his style. He played a lot though. He was constantly buying tickets for himself and that's all there is to it. They say you have to play to win, and damned if he didn't play all the time, but he played the odds, not the system.

Oh, plus he had a whole herds worth of horseshoes rammed up his arse. Lucky son-of-a...

Lise Koning

Troutfest finalizes 13th annual musical line-up

by Jennifer Patenaude /Staff Reporter

The Trout Forest Music Festival is right around the corner and organizers have released the official bill for the 13th annual event, which is set for August 8 to 10.

“Surrounded only by fresh air, trees, a swimming hole and a thousand of your closest friends – the best little festival in Canada has lots of everything for you this year,” said Artistic Director Devin Latimer.

Latimer has selected various artists and performers from across Canada to entertain for the weekend of Music in the Woods. Six acts were also selected from the series of regional auditions that were held in Dryden, Kenora, Winnipeg and Ear Falls.

Regional performers this year include: Erik Bleich, Dryden auditions; Mel Stewart, Dryden auditions; Matthew Chapeskie, Kenora auditions; Marvin Young, Kenora auditions; Jim Teskey and Don Wilson, Ear Falls auditions; Cal and Luke Hamilton, Winnipeg auditions.

“We have bluegrass and country coming in from the North and West in the form of Hungry Hill from the Yukon, Barley Wik from British Columbia and Deep Dark Woods from Saskatchewan,” confirmed Latimer. “The blues are joining us from the east via Quebecer and Juno winner Ray Bonneville and Thunder Bay native Dave Jonasson. Add that to some High and Lonesome sounds from everybody’s favourite Winnipeg institution - Righteous Ike, The Perpetrators, Scott Nolan and Joanna Miller - and the roots of a great weekend are firmly in place.”

Learn more at The Northern Sun News Website

The Troutfest Website

Berry-pickers report sasquatch sighting in Northern Ontario

"Two Ontario women say they saw what might have been the legendary sasquatch in northwestern Ontario last week.

Helen Pahpasay and her mother were north of Grassy Narrows, Ont., about 230 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, to pick blueberries last Tuesday when they spotted a hulking figure from their truck at about 10 a.m. CT.

"It was black, about eight feet long and all black, and the way it walked was upright, human-like, but more — I don't know how to describe it — more of a husky walk, I guess," she told CBC News.

"It didn't look normal."

The creature seemed to spot them, then ran off into the woods, Pahpasay said. She and her mother debated chasing the creature to try to get a closer glimpse, but were so shaken they decided to abandon their berry-picking excursion and return home.

Others returned to the area later and found a large, six-toed footprint, Pahpasay said. "What do I think it was? Right now I'm not even sure what it was. But it really scared both of us," she said.

"There's been talk of Bigfoot, sasquatch. And I'm still not sure what it was, but I've never seen anything like it."

Pahpasay says she and her mother aren't the only people in the area with a sasquatch story. A couple of men from their community said they also saw the creature three years ago, she said, and a similar animal has been mentioned in old lore about the area.

"I've never believed it before, no. I'm not even quite sure what it still is today, even after what I've seen," she said.

Sasquatch, an aboriginal word meaning "hairy giant," refers to a large manlike creature some believe could be roaming woods from California up the West Coast and across Canada.

In April 2005, a ferry operator in Norway house, Man., captured on videotape three minutes of footage of what he said was a sasquatch. However, the video, which was shown on an American television network, was indistinct at best, failing to live up to its billing as "footage of the century."

In 2006, several people in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported seeing a sasquatch-like figure in the woods around Flin Flon, Man.

Skeptics say it's preposterous that a large mammal could have evaded detection in North America throughout history. Despite numerous alleged sightings, no one has ever produced concrete evidence such as skulls or bones, they argue, while footprints, film or photos can be manufactured."

Read this at CBC.ca

Live From the Rock Folk Festival

August 8-9-10, 2008

2008 Confirmed Lineup
for
Live From the Rock Folk Festival

Billy Manzik

Blues Element

The Carruthers Brothers

Cosmic Granola

Dala

Daisy Chain

David Ross MacDonald

Dean McTaggart

Donny Parenteau

Doug McArthur

Duo-Twang

Heather Blush Trio

Heather Dale

Flamenco Caravan

Jim Hamilton

Kevin Sands; The Earth Kings

Manitoba Hal

Norm Sponchia

Oh Susanna

Pat Robitaille

Poor Angus

Rodney Larson

Stephen Fearing

The Gruff

The Knackers

Tim Williams

Vance Gilbert

Wild Turkeys

livefromtherock.com

Red Rock on NOmap.ca

Creefest!

Ardis Proulx Chedore
Friday June 13, 2008

Creefest planning is underway in Cochrane. August 14th to 16th 2008 are the days that it will be taking place and people are beginning to stir with excitement. But many of you may be asking the question; what is Creefest anyway?

Creefest is a regional summer festival. It is the promotion of Cree Culture through various venues such as celebrating the performing and visual arts. Mainly held outdoors in the summer month of August and hosted within a local First Nation community, Creefest features contemporary and traditional music, drumming and dancing, drama, story telling, visual & fine arts and crafts by local and regional artists.

What a great event to be coming to Cochrane! Organizers are busy getting ready for the events and little is clear. But they are encouraging the community to come out and help bring this event to life. An information session is being held on June 16th 2008, 6pm, at Abitibi Projects, which is newly located at 135 3rd Street. (The old H&R block building)
The meeting will be to discuss ideas for the upcoming festival. Perhaps your organization or group would like to do something during Creefest. If so, this meeting is for you.
Highlights of the summer festival may include: traditional food preparation, fiddle and step dancing, local and regional artists and crafts, traditional and contemporary music, comedy & entertainment. If you have any experience in any of these fields, you might feel like joining the group of volunteers helping to organize this year's Creefest.
The Creefest is open to everyone to come out and enjoy. "It's a celebration of life, and just being alive. That is what the festival is truly about." said coordinator Kara Loutitt.
Mushkegowuk council in partnership with the host organization Abitibi Projects, have come together to bring this festival and all the talent to Cochrane. Be apart of it and make Cochrane the place to be in summer 2008.

Read this and other stories at the Cochrane Times Post

Cochrane on NOmap.ca

Northern Ontario Paintball!!

Rapid Fire Paintball

In Timmins!

Nakina's 85th Anniversary

You Are Cordially Invited To Attend


Nakina’s 85th Anniversary Celebration


from August 1st to 4th, 2008


in Nakina, Ontario

To celebrate Nakina’s history, culture and
to renew past friendships.



Plan on ‘Coming Home’
& participating in events that will revitalize you.

Please share the invitation with others who we may have missed and help ‘spread the word.’

Details of the 85th are available online at:
www.greenstone.ca/Nakina85th

Please confirm attendance on the 85th website or
contact Brian at (807) 329-5214 or bdowney@tbaytel.net

Outdoorsmen Tips

TIPS:

-Dead cedar and pine branches that are still attached to the tree (aka; Deadwood, or squaw-wood) are filled with Coniferous resin which is very combustable, and burns even when damp. As well, since the branches are off the constantly damp ground and in the air, the deadwood is dry, making Deadwood, one of the best Kindlings in the Canadian Wilderness. -Prof. Gino Ferri, The Psychology of Wilderness Survival.

-Carrying a coal in a properly prepared device is much more effective then having to stop, collect enough tinder, and trying to create a new fire with a primitive fire starter like Flint and Steel or The Fire Bow. Try and use semi-damp Punkwood (dead rotting logs) to carry your coals, It is spongelike in feel and appearance, and burns for a long time, it also creates a heavy amount of smoke, making a good fuel for signal fires. -Caleb Musgrave, My Own Experiences

-All vegetation (excluding Mushrooms) in the Arctic is edible -Camping & Wilderness Survival: The Ultimate Outdoors Book By Paul Tawrell

-It's easier to set Passive Traps (Deadfalls, and Snares) rather than chasing a bunch of little rodents and other prey around all day. Passive Traps also take less energy to construct, than chasing and hunting. -My Own Experiences

-Carbon Steel blades CAN become stained. Best way to prevent stains, or to remove the stains without damage to your blade's finish is actually to polish it with ash from a fire. -Camping & Wilderness Survival: The Ultimate Outdoors Book By Paul Tawrell

-When no man-made trails are found out in the bush, follow a deer trail, they're the easiest paths through the woods -Pk McCallum on a snowshoeing trip in Owen Sound

-Don't eat only lean meat in the woods, rabbit meat has barely any fat in it, and definatly not enough to sustain the body. After a few weeks of eating only rabbit meat, you will begin to have the effects of Rabbit Starvation. Not a pleasant way to die. - Mors Kochanski, Bushcraft

-Rather than making several small shelters for a group, it is better to make a shelter just large enough for the entire party to get into. That way body heat can be shared to conserve fuel use.

-Stainless Steel belongs in the kitchen.-Unknown

-However thick the insulation of the roof of your shelter, you bedding should be twice that thick. If your roofing is so deep you can't get your arm through it. Than your bedding should be two arms deep, or more. - Most survival text on shelter building.

-Boiling water is the surest way to purify it. In regions full of pathogens (swamps, jungles, Equatorial regions, etc) 5-10 minutes is the safest. But in most Northern waters, where the two pathogens to fear are Giardia, and Cryptosporidim, 1-2 minutes of a hard rapid boil, will suffice. -Wild Arts Bushcraft

This information was found on the Wild Arts Bushcraft Blog. Check it out!

Bear Wrestling and Beer!

Cecil Shamus Fitzgerald
Cecil transplanted himself from Ireland around the turn of the century. He started to earn money by working on the Canadian railroad by day, and dominating the bare-knuckle boxing circuit by night.

After a few months he saved enough money to build a bar, and acted as its bartender, cook, bouncer, and live entertainment. On every second Tuesday, he would charge a nickel's admission to watch him wrestle a bear, before retiring with a record of 47-2.

Once his bear-wrestling shorts were retired, he decided to set out on a pilgrimage to find the world's best beer for his beloved tavern. His travels have seen him land in all the corners of the globe, with Cecil sending home cases of the ales he's sampled along the way.

Cecil's Eatery and Beer Society is open everyday in North Bay, Ontario. They still provide a great place to eat, and of course drink (90 different kids of beer, plus the 10 on tap)! Cecil's provides live entertainment, though perhaps there isn't as much bear wrestling these days. Now live music acts frequent the bar, nearly every night, and of course on Sunday's everyone can take a turn at the microphone on Kareoke night.



Check out the Cecil's Eatery and Beer Society Website

North Bay on NOmap.ca

Thunder Bay Harbour is Cleaning Up It's Act

3 cheers for the lake
By PETER BURKOWSKI
Monday, July 21, 2008



Ecological awareness joined up with summer fun on Sunday at the first Lake Superior Day to be celebrated at Marina Park.
Held on the third Sunday in July, Lake Superior Day is celebrated in communities in Canada and the U.S. which lie on the lake‘s coastline.
The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of environmental threats to the lake, and to encourage the public to take action to protect and restore it.
Sunday‘s celebration in Thunder Bay was sponsored by the city, EcoSuperior, the Zero Waste Action Team and the Lake Superior Binational Forum.
About 100 people attended.
“The event‘s gone really well – especially for a first time,” said EcoSuperior program co-ordinator Karen Copeland.
In addition to kite flying, live music, kayaking and tours of a coast guard rescue vessel, the celebration featured information kiosks about the threats to Lake Superior, and what can be done to overcome them.
“Even though (Superior) is the cleanest of the Great Lakes, it still runs into trouble with pollution, invasive species and overconsumption,” said Copeland.
Lake Superior Binational Forum Canadian chairman Glen Dale agreed, but added that locally, things are starting to improve.
“One (area of concern) has been Thunder Bay harbour, and it‘s in a very progressive cleanup stage,” said Dale. “Millions of dollars from government and industry funds have gone into cleaning up the lake.”
The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority also celebrated Lake Superior Day with a picnic at Silver Harbour.

Copyright © Monday, July 21, 2008 All material contained herein is copyrighted by
The Chronicle Journal, a division of Continental Newspapers Canada Ltd.
All Rights Reserved.

Read this story at the Chronicle Journal Website

Blueberry Wild Rice Recipe

"By: luvinlif2k
May 29, 2008

An Ojibway side dish from Extending the Table; posted for ZWT4.
SERVES 4 -6 (change servings and units)


Ingredients
1 cup wild rice
3/4 cup blueberry (fresh or frozen)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar (optional"

I found this great, no fat, easy to make recipe on recipezaar.com. Sounds tasty, huh? :)

Funnies

Outdoors Guide 2008

The July edition of the Outdoors Guide is now available!

Covering Northern Ontario's best hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation information, the Outdoors Guide has a little something for everyone. Best of all, it's free!

This months issue has articles on Outdoor Wisdom, Bowhunting, Crankbaits, and the list goes on.

Read it online Here!

Keeping Ontario Green

From Thursday's Globe and Mail
July 17, 2008 at 7:48 AM EDT

The boreal forest, named after the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas,
extends in Canada from the Yukon Territory to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Ontario's portion of the forest is home to 200 animal species described as
"sensitive" by the provincial government, black spruce and jack pine forests,
and 24,000 (mostly native) Canadians. It also constitutes part of the final
frontier for logging and mining companies.

By closing off part of that frontier, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty
has taken a lead in Canadian conservation efforts.

Within the next 10 to 15 years, Mr. McGuinty pledged on Monday, half of
Ontario's boreal forest will be protected by a permanent ban on forestry and
mining activity. It will be restricted to tourism and traditional aboriginal
uses, such as hunting and fishing.

The protected area - to be mapped around the most valuable sites for carbon storage, species protection and resource development - will cover about 225,000 square kilometres. For the remaining half, the Ontario government has stated it will work with northern communities and resource industries on a sustainable development plan.

Some industry representatives have complained of too much uncertainty; they fear the rules for development could change along the 10- to 15-year timeline, affecting companies that had begun projects under different expectations. But the Ontario Prospectors Association has expressed confidence in the certainty the measures will bring. And aboriginal leaders and environmental organizations appear to be uniformly pleased with the protection of a region that currently absorbs 12.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

Mr. McGuinty, and any successor, will have to walk a fine balance to protect the province's $11-billion mining industry. But if the Premier succeeds in securing the permanent protection of half of Ontario's boreal forest, he will have created an admirable environmental legacy. The opportunity to match or even outdo his efforts remains for the rest of the provinces and territories.

They should not allow themselves to be left behind.

Jessey James

Someone has been taking some amazing photos in Sudbury, Northern Ontario.



I've come across the page several times now and with every new posting I find myself impressed over and over with Jessey James' work.


Check out the pictures at Flickr

The Geraldton Music Jamboree

(Social Code, 2007)

"In early 1994, the Town of Geraldton received notice that MacLeod Provincial Park would be closing. A citizens group was formed to find a way to keep the Park from being decommissioned and turned over to private ownership.

Subsequently, the Town of Geraldton entered into an agreement with the Province of Ontario to operate the Park under municipal management. Later that year, in a determined effort to preserve this beautiful natural resource and a way of life valued by so many residents, a small group of Park campers proposed the idea of a fund-raising musical event to be held in MacLeod Provincial Park. Any profits from the event would go towards the park’s operations. In 1995, the first Jamboree was born..."

This year will be the 14th Annual Music Jamboree at McLeod Park in Geraldton. The volunteers have consistently upped the anty, bringing in a variety of musicians to appeal to every taste. For example, last years line-up went from young up and comers Social Code to country legend Charlie Major.


Charlie Major - Tell Me Something I Don't Know

This years line-up is looking pretty darn hot as well!

Friday: Summerside, Tupelo Honey, Theory of a Deadman

Saturday: Bon Journey, Prairie Oyster, Honeymoon Suite

Sunday: Negus, Helix, April Wine

Check out the Geraldton Music Jamboree Website for more info!

Or, check our the Geraldton Music Jamboree's Myspace Page

You Might Be From Northern Ontario...

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 36 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Ontario

If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Wawa is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Ontario.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you might live in Ontario.

If you instinctively walk like a penguin for six months out of the year, you might live in Ontario.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Ontario.

If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in Ontario.

If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Ontario.

"Vacation" means going South past London or Thunder Bay for the weekend.

You measure distance in hours.

You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.

You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.

You can drive 110 km/h through 2 feet of snow during a faging blizzard, without flinching.

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction.

Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.

Down South to you means London.

Your 1st of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.

You find 0 degrees "a little chilly."

You know you are from Northern Ontario when getting to camp requires more than one form of transportation.

You know your from Northern Ontario when you call your home away from home a 'camp' instead of a 'cottage'.

You know you live in northern Ontario when you get your van stuck in the ditch and random people walking around with shovels help to dig you out.

You know you live in Northern Ontario when you have to dig your christmas tree out of 10 feet of snow before you cut it down!

You know your from Northern Ontario when -15C isn't cold, it just means the hoodie is done up a bit, and 0 degrees definately isn't a little chilly, its warm!

When you go to London (ontario) for 4 nights, and everynight get another .. yes another, 24 pack of beer and the beer store cashier remembers you from last time (3 months ago)

You or a friend of yours has ran half naked or naked down a street and got busted/or not by the OPP!!!

When going to Thunder Bay is going to the "city" or when the lake actually freezes to the bottom

When after it snows two feet of snow they consider calling it a snow day.

When they decide to cancel all the school buses, but decide to leave the schools open.

When there are more reserves near you than towns or villages.

When everyone you know mines, logs, or works in a mill.

When you go for a Sunday drive and come back with mudd 6 inches thick on your vehicle.

When the roads on the lake are better than the ones I have in town.

When it takes you under an hour to run across town.

When going to Tim Hortons with a group of your friends is considered "A Night on the Town!!"

When you hose down your driveway in the winter to make a curling rink.

When the Tim Hortons drive through blocks the Trans Canada highway at all times of the day.

When going for a drive means offroading and getting stuck behind the mill and having to wait 2 hours for a friend to come unstuck you.

When you go for a Sunday drive and come back with mudd 6 inches thick on your vehicle.

When you know igloos are for the Inuit, we do have public transportation and roads, dog sledding is a sport and skidooing is a must since you might be allowed to drive yours across town!

When you have rain, snow, and exteme hot weather in the same week!!!!

When you ask for extra napkins at Timmy's or McDonalds incase you have to use the bush for a bathroom break because there isn't a gas station or park station open for a few hours of your very long drive!

When you have either gone blueberry picking in the rocks on the side of the highway with your parents, OR have gone worm-picking on rainy nights with your Dad!

When you know igloos are for the Inuit, we do have public transportation and roads, dog sledding is a sport and skidooing is a must since you might be allowed to drive yours across town!

You've all seen stuff like this, someone just took the time to fix'er up for Northern Ontario.

Stolen from You know your from NORTHERN ONTARIO when... on Facebook

Under the Northern Sky - Mooshoom on the Land

Xavier Kataquapit
Tuesday December 05, 2006

On an early spring morning in April, a lone hunter is sitting out in the open tundra. There are patches of snow but much of the land has shed its whiteness. It is time now for springtime colours of dark soil, grey clay and the faded yellow of last years wild grass.

The hunter is patiently waiting for the first early morning flight of geese. He knows that they fly early as they wake and they will not reappear again during the day in large numbers until evening.

This hunter in the blind is my grandfather or Mooshoom in the Cree language, James Kataquapit. It is the mid 1950s and life on the James Bay coast is not easy. The James Bay Cree are still following a mainly traditional nomadic lifestyle which revolves around the changing seasons and the movement of the animals, birds and fish. Springtime brings a sense of hope as the geese arrive to feed families along the coast.

Mooshoom is a seasoned hunter, tough and strong from hard labour and life on the land. He has been up before sunrise to prepare for his day of hunting. Although it is a cool morning, he has on a thin parka to cover himself up with layers of shirts and clothing underneath to help keep him warm.
His well-worn boots are ragged with constant use. Mooshoom walks everywhere. His pack contains a small amount of supplies for the day, including a packet of six shotgun shells and some bannock to feed himself. He has a single fire shotgun and he knows how to use it well.

Mooshoom is at home on the land and feels comfortable to be out alone. Out in the open, he sits alone in his blind or what can be called a blind. His camouflage is merely a few thin branches surrounding him.
To the untrained eye, it may seem that he is not well hidden but the blind is sufficiently set up to fool the wild geese. Looking windward, a small group of traditionally made decoys are sitting in the mud. They are black burnt logs with long slender necks made from thick branches that have also been blackened by fire. This quality of blind is based on a great expertise and a lot of knowledge from years of hunting and subsisting on the land. Mooshoom can build it in a very short time too. He does not have long to wait until the first early morning flights of geese are flying close to his blind. The geese are flying low on the horizon and are headed towards him. His location is not by chance but is situated on a carefully chosen flight path and landing area for geese.

As the birds come near, he begins calling them in a strong powerful honking sound, loud enough to travel far over the land. Mooshoom is on his knees, he curls into a tight ball and has his loaded gun on his lap. He keeps close watch on the birds but does not move an inch as he continues calling. The geese fly closer, turning to the direction of the goose call until they spot the small group of decoys. As they fly overhead and begin gliding down to land, he takes quiet aim while still hunched over.

Without moving much except for his gun, he fires. Two birds quickly fall and the rest of the group of birds frantically flap to escape the trap.
Mooshoom is an excellent marksman. He is a First World War veteran where he received more than enough experience to learn how to shoot properly. Marksmanship during the goose hunt is a necessary skill for survival. Shotgun shells are not in great supply and each shot has to be carefully taken in order to bring food home for the family.
For Mooshoom and other experienced hunters like him, it is normal to bring home more birds than the number of shotgun shells. He trains his young sons how to hunt and how to properly aim and fire the family shotgun. When he allows his sons to hunt by themselves, shotgun shells are carefully rationed one at a time with specific instructions that at least one bird per shell has to be brought back home.
There are no distractions in his world and no outside influences to occupy Mooshoom's thoughts except for the survival of his family. Mooshoom's thoughts often turn to the Nokoom, our granny and his children back at the camp on the James Bay coast near the mouth of the Attawapiskat River.

Nokoom is busy cleaning the geese and she expertly butchers them into long thin strands to be smoked in the family wigwam. The smoked meat will keep for several weeks and even months when properly stored. This will help to feed the family for a long time.

In the midday sun, Mooshoom sits back in the warm light to wait for the evening flight of geese. The world is silent except for the trickling water of melting snow and ice or the distant honking of a lone goose flying over the land. After a long, hard winter Mooshoom is happy to be back at his place on the land and in a position where he can feed his family. Life goes on thanks to Niska, the Canada Goose.

I love this piece and thought you might enjoy it as well.
You can read this and other articles at The James Bay Voice

Spotlight: Moonbeam

The Aliens Have Landed!

The small town of Moonbeam got its name from old-time resident pioneers who often saw flashing lights which they called "moonbeams" falling from the sky near creeks and lakes. A stream flowing on the west side of Strickland bears the name of Moonbeam Creek, which flows into Moonbeam's Rémi Lake. Northern lights also often accompanied these moon rays. However, there are no official documents that prove the origin of the name Moonbeam.

Moonbeam also means "a ray or beam from the moon". After traveling many miles through the dark forest by train, early travelers were struck by the brilliance of the moon on the snow from the natural clearing as they approached Moonbeam. Moonbeam is a unique name in Canada and we are very proud of our name, even though it sometimes makes visitors smile.

Aside from being known for it's flying saucer, Moonbeam has a number of beautiful trails that dive into the boreal forest, and also a wonderful golf course. The small town is known for it's incredible hospitality; there are even reports of visitors in need of a bicycle being lent one from one of the locals. Friendly and accomodating, it's a great place to visit, if only for the chance of having your own "close encounter."

Check it out!

Moonbeam Information liberated from www.moonbeam.ca

Go to NOmap.ca and click on the Hiking Trails and Snowmobile Trails to see the great adventures you could have in Moonbeam (don't forget to click "Update Map"): Moonbeam on NOmap.ca

Red Lake Woodland Arts Festival: A Tribute to Norval Morrisseau and the Woodland Artists

"On June 7, 1960, Ontario Provincial Police Constable Robert Sheppard wrote to
Selwyn Dewdney, an archeologist and ethnologist working for the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, inviting him to Mckenzie Island, a remote community located near Red Lake in Northwestern Ontario. The letter, written on OPP letterhead, read in part, “Enclosed are some crayon drawings of a young Indian I have met from around Beardmore way. His name is Norval Morrisseau… and he can draw and paint, grew up with the people and knows the stories by heart… Too bad the Museum couldn’t use a series of Indian paintings, or could they?????”

It would take until 1972 before the ROM would acquire some of Morrisseau’s paintings, but by then the artist, who was still living in the Red Lake area, had exhibited his work in many prestigious private and public art galleries, and
received international recognition as the founder of the Woodland art movement. He had also influenced and inspired hundreds of Aboriginal artists to preserve and interpret their culture through their art.

In recognition of Norval Morrisseau’s achievements, from July 4th- 6th, 2008, Red Lake hosted the Red Lake Woodland Arts Festival: A Tribute to Norval Morrisseau and the Woodland artists. The Festival featured art talks and presentations by guest artists, special exhibitions, an original play about Morrisseau’s life in Red Lake, an art fair of original Woodland art from the Red Lake area, children’s traditional arts and crafts, storytelling, delicious food, film screenings, traditional dancing, and more. In addition, there were guided walking tours of where the artist lived for the first thirteen years of his artistic career and painted many of his early works.

For more information about the Woodland Arts Festival visit www.redlakemuseum.com. You can also call (807)
727-3006 or e-mail rlhc@goredlake.com."

For a long while now I've had one of Norval Morriseau's paintings hanging on the wall of my bedroom, "The Great Mother", or as it's written in pencil at the bottom of my canvas print, "Mother Earth". Perhaps it's silly of me, but whenever it seems like my life is hard, I just look at that beautiful painting and think "If she can carry so much, then I can try as well."



If you ever have the chance to see some of Morriseau's work I strongly urge you to. You won't be disappointed.

If you find you aren't able to see his work first-hand, one of his prints is only a movie rental away. Next time you are watching Stanley Kubrick's film "The Shining" (1980), keep an eye out during Scene No. 35 ("Halloran killed") when Jack Torrance (Nicholson) is about to exit out of "the Overlook" holding axe in his hands. You will see Norval's print "Flock of Loons," framed on the wall.


To learn more about Morriseau's life and work, check out this fantastic blog: The Norval Morrisseau Blog

* The prints in this posting are authentic works of © Norval Morrisseau

Young anglers can win big; Timmins

Posted By JESSICA YOUNG, THE DAILY PRESS


Kids in Timmins can head out on the water for a day of fishing fun and get one step closer to a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando.

The Timmins Kiwanis Club has organized the first Angler & Young Angler fishing tournament this Sunday at the Mattagami River. The winner of the Timmins tournament will be able to walk away with a 12-foot Lund boat and Shoreland'r trailer.

Those under 17 years of age will be introduced to competitive fishing. The winner, in addition to their boat and trailer, will have a chance to head to the regional competition and may qualify to win the grand prize of a family trip to Disney World and the Miminiska Lodge.

"This is a family thing and it gets them outdoors and teaches them to respect their surroundings," Temagami Marine tournament sponsor representative Kim Krech said.

The Angler & Young Angler tournament has events in the United States and Canada to help promote fishing among kids. This tournament allows one adult and two children or youth in one boat for the competition.

"Any time you get time with your kids it's good bonding," organizer Marc Mayer said. "And this helps them out because you are introducing them to competitive fishing."

This walleye tournament is all live release. Families can register right up until the day of the event. Participants are asked to arrive at 7:30 a. m. at the Mattagami River Boat Lodge to check-in and attend a rules meeting. Launching begins at 8:30 a. m. and the competition ends at 3:30 p. m.

All kids are guaranteed a prize and a trophy.

There will be rock climbing and the human gyroscope during the event.

There are spaces still available. To register, visit Pro Tackle, Dumoulin Fishing Tackle or call 363-8319 for more information. There is a $150 registration fee for the competition.

Hand cyclist raises $250,000, reaches midpoint in campaign to end polio

by Media Coordinator, posted in Press Coverage - Tue, July 8, 2008

It’s taken three months and 3,600 km, but Ramesh Ferris’ Cycle to Walk cross-Canada hand cycling campaign has raised $250,000 for the fight against polio — and it’s only half finished.

“We need to end polio, just so we know we can actually do it,” says Ferris on reaching the midpoint in his campaign 50-km east of Nipigon on Sunday. “How can we expect to end AIDS, cancer, or any number of other diseases when we’ve had the solution to polio for so long, yet we still can’t seem to beat it?”

There is no cure for polio, but a preventative vaccine has existed for 53 years. It is history’s greatest cause of disability.

Ferris, whose legs were paralyzed by polio in infancy, urges Canadians not to forget about the disease. “Right now, 11 per cent of Canadians have not received the polio vaccination,” he says. “Those people are vulnerable. Australia declared its first case of polio in decades at this time last year.”

The fight to eradicate polio — led by Rotary International and the World Health Organization — is the largest public health initiative in world history. After two decades and $4 billion, the job is 99 per cent complete. Annual funding shortfalls of about 20 per cent are preventing complete success.

Cycle to Walk is a national fundraising and awareness initiative that aims to help eradicate polio, educate Canadians about the disease’s continued threat, and rehabilitate polio survivors worldwide. Visit www.cycletowalk.com for more details.

Ramesh was the Student Body President when I went to Confederation College back in 2000, and I was very lucky to have run into him again in Thunder Bay a little over a week ago. He and I chatted for a little while about how after college in 2002 he went back to India (from where he was adopted back in 1982), and saw the situation that those with polio were in there without rehabilitative supports. He told me what he saw and it made my heart ache.

Ramesh has decided to take that heartache and use it as fuel for change. He's determined to help, and he's already halfway there. After seeing that calm unwavering look in his eyes I am certain he is going to reach this goal of crossing Canada. He'll raise the funds they are aiming for, and he'll do it all with a smile.

Ramesh is currently cycling through Northern Ontario, along Highway 17. Keep an eye out for him and show him your support!

You can support Ramesh by going to Cycletowalk.com's Donation Page

and you can follow his progress Follow Ramesh's Journey

You can also check out his Facebook Group

The Geraldton Walleye Classic 2008!

Main Street was overtaken on the evening of Friday June 20th for the inaugural Geraldton Walleye Classic Parade of Boats. The overwhelming participation of 32 angling teams and hundreds spectators, created quite a buzz throughout the Greenstone region. The teams of Neil Sheach/Mitch Assad and Lebel clan reeled in a cash prize of $100 each for the most creative boats. Teams, spectators and sponsors then gathered at the Barton Bay Waterfront for a great weekend of fishing and relaxed atmosphere despite the weather and bugs.

Moving the tournament to the waterfront from the Kenogamisis Fish & Game/Sno Club turned out to be success after all; parking, launching and the morning boat take off worked out well and with many suggestions for improvements from anglers will only get better. The Municipality of Greenstone, its Public Works and Recreation staff played a key roll in the preparation of the new location.

The anglers braved some wet weather on Sunday to have one of the most exciting finishes this year on the Northern Ontario Professional Walleye Trail (NOPWT) circuit. The Geraldton Walleye Classic marks the third stop of the five tournament circuit in the NOPWT. Sunday saw the top ten weigh-in, in reverse order of Saturday’s total weight! This meant the team in first, on day one, would weigh in last on day two, knowing the weight they would need to claim the title. Craig Salmonson and Toru Garneau who lead day one, thanks to a 7.59lb tournament big fish, had the lead after day one and the honor of weighing in last. Unfortunately, their catch fell short and left them in fourth. Larry Kelly and Trevor Zimak of Thunder Bay were also unable to catch a fish like the 6.89lb they caught day one and finished where they had finished day one, in third place. Dan Goulet and Caroline Ritch of Nakina also struggled, day two, to repeat the great catch of day one and fell to fifth for the tournament. The only two teams in the top ten to break the ten pound mark during day two were Denis Martin and Jean Paul Laflamme of Hearst, and the team of Cory Nephin (Geraldton) and Tom Friday (Thunder Bay). The two teams were also tied, following day one, so the final outcome would be based on the best catch of day two. The Hearst duo would weigh-in first with a catch of 11.38lbs. Cory and Tom stepped to the scale knowing what they needed to claim the first place prize. Their catch anchored by a 4.98lb fish would be enough to claim the event, by less than a pound! Complete tournament results can be found at http://www.geraldtonwalleyeclassic.ca/ !

Written by Donna Pelletier

Photos by Lise Koning and Dylan Tittaferante

Location: Geraldton on Nomap.ca

CJ photographer places 3rd in national competition

" By THE CHRONICLE-JOURNAL
Monday, July 7, 2008

Chronicle-Journal photographer Sandi Krasowski has won an award in the News Photographers Association of Canada‘s second annual National Pictures of the Year competition. Krasowski‘s photo of a water rescue in June 2007 on the Current River in Thunder Bay‘s north end received third place in the spot news category, in which there were 62 entries. The National Pictures Of The Year awards competition was created by NPAC to recognize excellence in Canadian photojournalism. NPAC is a volunteer-run, non-profit association comprised of professional and student photojournalists in Canada. "


So I found this article on Thunder Bay's Chronicle Journal page, and then proceeded to search the internet, trying to find the winning picture. I looked for the News Photographers Association of Canada that handed out the award, and apparently they're a secret association, because I can't find an official website for them at all.

An article written by Deborah Jones says "The association says it’s dedicated to “quality and ethical photography in journalism,” and the awards aim to recognize excellence in Canadian photojournalism."

Hmm... for an organization that's so dedicated to photography in journalism, you'd think they might remember to SEND THE PICTURES with the press release.

*shakes head and rolls eyes*

I'll keep looking folks!

In the meantime, congratulations Sandi!

The Chronicle Journal

It's that time of the year!

For our American visitors, Happy Independance Day!

Sorry Canada, I missed you by a few days, so Happy Belated Canada Day!

What is NOnews?

Well, for all intents and purposes, I mean for this blog to be a spot to collect information on this awesome place I call home, Northern Ontario.

I'll be posting news stories I come across, pictures, art from the area, perhaps have a weekly focus on a Northern Ontario business of the week (randomly selected of course), and maybe some bush stories from locals.

If you have anything, anything at all that you would like to share on here, write me a note! The great thing about the internet? You never run out of paper space. :)

Enjoy!