The record, 20 avril 2020, lundi 20 avril 2020

[" T H E V O I C E O F T H E E A S T E R N T O W N S H I P S S I N C E 18 9 7 T H E The mystery surrounding The Mystery Spot Page 5 $1.00 + taxes PM#0040007682 Monday, April 20, 2020 Legault takes \u2018full responsibility\u2019 for shortages in struggling care homes Investment of $45 million to attract Quebec workers to work on farms Record Staff On Friday the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, André Lamontagne, and the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity, Jean Boulet, announced $45 million in funding to meet labour needs in Quebec\u2019s agricultural sector.According to UPA President Marcel Groleau, the partnership between the Government of Quebec and the UPA comes at just the right time.\u201cThe COVID-19 pandemic raises serious labour access issues for the agricultural sector, which is already experiencing a shortage of workers.Thanks to the Agricultural Employment Centres (known as Centres d\u2019emploi Agricole, or CEA) in each region, we will be able to provide services to interested Quebec workers as well as to businesses that express a need,\u201d commented Groleau in a recent press release.He added that Quebec is the ?rst province in the country to implement such an initiative.This investment will allow the UPA and AGRIcarrières, within the The Record\u2019s E-Edition allows you to read the full edition of the paper without leaving your home 24/7.The best way to stay abreast of local news.To subscribe, go to www.sherbrookerecord.com.Click on E-Edition and follow the simple instructions.And then start enjoy The Record for as little as $9.78 plus tx per month.Enjoy The Record online Already a print subscriber?Get the E-Edition free! Contact: 819-569-9528 billing@sherbrookerecord.com View issues of The Record, Brome County News, Townships Outlet and our special sections with just a click of the mouse! THE CANADIAN PRESS/JACQUES BOISSINOT Quebec Premier Francois Legault responds to reporters during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic, Friday, April 17, 2020 at the legislature in Quebec City.By Giuseppe Valiante The Canadian Press Premier Francois Legault says he takes \u201cfull responsibility\u2019\u2019 for the lack of orderlies in struggling long-term care homes, where more than half of the province\u2019s 688 deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred.Legault told reporters Friday he didn\u2019t want to get into a ?ght with the health-care unions when he ?rst took of?ce in 2018, and therefore decided to hold off on paying public-sector orderlies more until contract negotiations began.Historically, the unions representing workers such as orderlies, nurses and other staff in Quebec\u2019s health-care system negotiate as a large group to leverage bargaining power.The collective agreement for all health-care personnel was only set to expire at the end of March 2020.CONT\u2019D ON PAGE 3 CONT\u2019D ON PAGE 3 Page 2 Monday, April 20, 2020 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Ben by Daniel Shelton The Record e-edition There for you 24-hours-a-day 7-days-a-week.Wherever you are.Access the full edition of the Sherbrooke Record as well as special editions and 30 days of archives.Renew or order a new 12-month print subscription and get a 12-month online subscription for an additional $5 or purchase the online edition only for $125.00 Record subscription rates (includes Quebec taxes) For print subscription rates, please call 819-569-9528 or email us at billing@sherbrookerecord.com 12 month web only: $125.00 1 month web only: $11.25 Web subscribers have access to the daily Record as well as archives and special editions.Subscribing is as easy as 1,2,3: 1.Visit the Record website: www.sherbrookerecord.com 2.Click e-edition.3.Complete the form and wait for an email activating your online subscription.Weather TODAY: FLURRIES HIGH OF 5 LOW OF -8 TUESDAY: PERIODS OF RAIN HIGH OF 11 LOW OF -2 WEDNESDAY: SNOW HIGH OF 0 LOW OF -8 THURSDAY: SUNNY HIGH OF 3 LOW OF -6 FRIDAY: CLOUDY PERIODS HIGH OF 10 LOW OF -2 Appointment of Michael Laplume as Deputy Mayor of the municipality of Potton At its April 6 meeting, the Municipal Council of the Township of Potton appointed Michael Laplume as Deputy Pro Mayor for the Municipality of Potton.Laplume who is presently a council member will be replacing Mayor Jacques Marcoux who has chosen to leave his position as of November 2020 to pursue personal interests leaving his current position vacant for the last year of his mandate.\u201cIt is an honour to have been selected by my peers to represent them as Mayor when Mr.Marcoux leaves in November,\u201d shared Laplume.\u201cI feel very lucky to have a hard working group to work with and I intend to do my best in representing them as well as the citizens of Potton.\u201d Mr.Laplume intends to complete the ?les that are currently underway working alongside the present members of the Municipal Council: Jason Ball, Bruno Cote, Andre Ducharme, Francis Marcoux and Eddy Mierzwinski.\u201cI intend on making sure that the ongoing projects stay on track and come to fruition,\u201d he said.Laplume stressed the appreciation he and the council feel toward outgoing Mayor, Jacques Marcoux.\u201cI wish Mayor Marcoux all the best and want to thank him for his professionalism.He has been a pleasure to work with and he has given this Municipality a lot over the years.He can surely leave with his head held high.\u201d As Laplume and the present council step into the ?nal year of their mandate in November, they hope to work alongside the community in the betterment of Potton and all citizens.Please take note of the following, due to the risk of spreading Covid-19, the Municipal of?ces and Library are closed to the public until further notice.Citizens can continue to call the of?ce at 450-292-3313 ext.0 during the regular hours Monday to Friday 9:00am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 4:00pm.For updated information visit the website at www.potton.ca Mable Hastings The Scoop PHOTO: COURTESY WETLANDS ARE DISAPPEARING Protect them.Become a member today.www.ducks.ca 1-866-384-DUCK The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, April 20, 2020 Page 3 Local News Despite the restart, the SAAQ maintains that online services remain the best way to obtain certain services, such as license renewal and licensing for storage, to avoid travel as much as possible.SAAQ getting back behind the wheel Record Staff Beginning today, April 20, the Société de l\u2019assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) will be progressively restarting its licensing activities.Operating on an appointment-only basis, the SAAQ will welcome clients in limited numbers in order to respect social distancing rules.To make an appointment, people are invited to call 1-800-361-7620.It is important to note that since the re-start is a progressive one, not all services of the agency will be available or immediately or in all regions.For the most up to date information, people are encouraged to visit the SAAQ website at https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/ newsroom/covid-19-frequently-asked- questions/ Despite the restart, the SAAQ maintains that online services remain the best way to obtain certain services, such as license renewal and licensing for storage, to avoid travel as much as possible.In addition, measures will be put in place to support customers by means other than face-to face interaction, such as mail service, reuse of past photos, and a dedicated telephone line for those without internet service.It is also important to remember, even in the context of a restart, that no one presenting with symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed into a SAAQ service centre, even if they have an appointment.Hand washing will be required upon entry and a distance of two metres between individuals is to be respected at all times.Debit card payments are preferred.Mégantic reserve marking International Dark Sky Week Record Staff From April 19 to the 26, the Mont-Mégantic dark-sky preserve is encouraging people across the region to reconnect with the night by looking to the skies and the ASTROLab Facebook page in celebration of International Dark Sky Week.The week was created in 2003 by the International Dark sky Association (IDA), as a way of promoting the importance of natural night and drawing attention to the issue of light pollution.The ASTROLab scienti?c education team from Mont-Mégantic Provincial Park has been sharing their knowledge and wonder live every day since the start of con?nement period for the COVID-19 pandemic, but over this coming week, the activities and presentations will highlight the value of the starry night\u2019s sky.On the agenda are; a live quiz on the night\u2019s sky; A citizen science project that draws on a mobile phone application to evaluate the quality of the darkness of the sky at a person\u2019s own home; a kid-friendly presentation on constellations, a presentation on the Mont-Mégantic dark-sky preserve; and a presentation on the ways different telescopes work.\u201cRight now, a lot of people have time at home so it is a good time to reconnect with the starry sky,\u201d said Sébastien Giguère, scienti?c coordinator at the ASTROLab.\u201cOne can watch the real stars, or learn more about them by taking advantage of the many resources and activities online.Astronomy is a source of wonder accessible to all during this dif?cult period.\u201d More information on the week\u2019s activities is available at facebook.com/ montmegantic Investment CONT\u2019D FROM PAGE 1 parameters determined by the government, to offer an incentive for the recruitment of agricultural workers, make ?nancial assistance available for the training of new employees and support the CEAs.The announcement by Ministers Lamontagne and Boulet was combined with the launch of a new campaign, Travailler à la ferme : J\u2019y vais sur-le- champ!(Work on the Farm: I\u2019m heading to the ?eld!) to encourage Quebecers to lend a hand to the agricultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u201cTo meet the serious needs of the agricultural sector, people with a big heart and a desire to support Quebec farmers will be welcome on the farms!\u201d added Geneviève Lemonde, Executive Director of AGRIcarrières.Those interested in giving a helping hand on a farm near their home are invited to contact their local CEA by visiting https://www.emploiagricole.com/.Currently, the CEA teams are already making every effort to match potential workers with farm employers.In addition, free online training is available to workers to help them prepare for their arrival on farms.At the end of this training provided by AGRI- carrières, they will be able to apply safe and effective work techniques to work in agriculture, more speci?cally in the market gardening sector.The program targets only the food agriculture sector.Therefore, care will have to be taken if there is a displacement of labour from the non-food agricultural sectors.The UPA believes the program will help ensure the presence of workers on local farms throughout the season, even after the con?nement period.\u201cThe announcement of this partnership is great news.It responds to an essential need both for Quebec farmers, who have signi?cant labour needs, and for our fellow citizens.It is a food security issue in the current context,\u201d Marcel Groleau concluded.CONT\u2019D FROM PAGE 1 \u201cIf I had to redo it, I would have increased their salaries faster-even without the OK of the unions,\u2019\u2019 Legault said about the orderlies.The province is currently lacking about 1,800 people to work in the residences, where some of Quebec\u2019s most vulnerable and disabled seniors live.But the shortages of staff for long- term care homes predated the COVID-19 crisis by years.Legault acknowledged that, though he knew unions would have objected to a divisive approach to negotiating salary increases, he could have forced their hand through a special law or ministerial decree.\u201cWe came into this crisis poorly equipped and the situation deteriorated when the virus came in,\u2019\u2019 he said.\u201cI take full responsibility.\u2019\u2019 Hubert Forcier, a spokesman for the federation of unions representing about 90,000 public-sector health-care workers in Quebec, said his organization proposed months ago to allow orderlies to reach a higher salary scale that other employees bene?ted from.Doing so would have allowed orderlies to make up to $25.27 an hour, $2.92 more per hour than the current highest rate on the scale, and it wouldn\u2019t have affected the pay of any other health-care worker, according to the federation.\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe what I heard today,\u2019\u2019 Jeff Begley, president of the union federation, said in a statement Friday, in reference to Legault\u2019s news conference.\u201cIt\u2019s been years that we have been ringing the alarm bells regarding the untenable conditions in the health care network.\u2019\u2019 As a consequence of the orderly shortage, the province has had to plead with family doctors and medical specialists to leave their practices and help in the long-term care homes to feed, wash and care for residents.Le- gault also welcomed Friday the news that members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be heading to the province to help in those facilities.\u201cIn the rest of Quebec .the situation is pretty much under control,\u2019\u2019 said the premier.\u201cWe are looking .to open up these regions in an intelligent way, in a gradual way, while ensuring we follow up on the situation to make sure we don\u2019t face a second wave of the virus.\u2019\u2019 Legault Update on Quebec\u2019s COVID-19 statistics Record Staff In Québec, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases now stands at 18,357.Of those, 778 are in the Es- trie region.The number of deaths in the province is now 877.The number of hospitalizations in Quebec is 1102, among which 183 are in intensive care.A more detailed breakdown of local con?rmed cases is available on the CIUSSS de l\u2019Estrie-CHUS website https:// www.santeestrie.qc.ca.The website lists the number of cases by municipality served by the CIUSSS del\u2019Estrie-CHUS.Sherbrooke has the highest number with 259 con?rmed cases.Gran- by has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases with 115, followed by Magog (54), Danville (36), Bromont (29) and Racine (28). Page 4 Monday, April 20, 2020 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record EDITORIAL One wonders, however, what is taking so long to get the construction industry in general up and running, given such chantiers are as secure as an army base from general public access.6 Mallory, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1M 2E2 FAX: 819-821-3179 E-MAIL: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com WEBSITE: www.sherbrookerecord.com SHARON MCCULLY PUBLISHER (819) 569-9511 MATTHEW MCCULLY MANAGING EDITOR (819) 569-6345 GORDON LAMBIE ASSOCIATE EDITOR (819) 569-6345 SERGE GAGNON CHIEF PRESSMAN (819) 569-4856 JESSE BRYANT ADVERTISING MANAGER (450) 242-1188 DEPARTMENTS ACCOUNTING (819) 569-9511 ADVERTISING (819) 569-9525 CIRCULATION (819) 569-9528 NEWSROOM (819) 569-6345 KNOWLTON OFFICE 5B VICTORIA STREET, KNOWLTON, QUEBEC, J0E 1V0 TEL: (450) 242-1188 FAX: (450) 243-5155 PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS For print subscription rates, please call 819-569-9528 or email us at billing@sherbrookerecord.com ON-LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS QUEBEC: 1 YEAR 108.72 5.44 10.85 $ 1 2 5 .0 0 1 MONTH 9.78 0.49 0.98 $ 1 1 .2 5 Rates for out of Quebec and for other services available on request.The Record is published daily Monday to Friday.Back copies of The Record are available.The Record was founded on February 9, 1897, and acquired the Sherbrooke Examiner (est.1879) in 1905 and the Sherbrooke Gazette (est.1837) in 1908.The Record is published by Alta Newspaper Group Limited Partnership.PM#0040007682 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to The Record, 6 Mallory Street, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 2E2 Member ABC, CARD, CNA, QCNA RECORD THE Letters Sexual exploitation in the time of Coronavirus Submitted by the Centre d\u2019aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (CALACS) Agression Estrie CALACS Agression Estrie offers, among other things, support services to girls and women who are victims of sexual exploitation.During this COVID-19 period our team notes that these people, who are already intensely marginalized as a baseline, are even more affected, vulnerable and left behind.Has the Coronavirus succeeded in stopping requests from the clients of prostitution?No.On the contrary, women are forced to continue prostitution to survive and, in some cases, to ensure the survival of their children.Research and ?eld experience have shown just how violent the sex industry is for women.The current situation, with the risk of contracting COVID-19, adds another layer to the dangers of their reality.Poverty is one of the factors that have led the majority of these women into the abyss of sexual exploitation.The noose is now tightening more on them.How can they protect themselves from the Coronavirus by stopping prostitution when they are unable to declare their income and therefore receive ?nancial support from the government?There is no question that COVID-19 is a risk factor here for keeping girls and women in the sex industry, despite the fact that more than 90% of them want to get out.It is the duty of governments to ensure the safety and integrity of citizens.In order to ensure that no woman is forgotten in inhuman conditions, CALACS Agression Estrie asks governments to take responsibility today.We demand concrete, rapid and suf?cient actions: a real funded plan to end prostitution and ?nancial support for the resources / organizations that help these women.In solidarity with the girls and women who are victims of sexual exploitation, Calacs Agression Estrie Candy stores and \u2018dreaded\u2019 homes: Coronavirus contradictions One doesn\u2019t want to be a pandemic pooper here, but since when is a candy store an essential service?I like a jaw-breaker, gummy worm, licorice twister or jelly-bean as much as the next guy (not really), but I honestly think I could get by without a bonbon buzz until the virus darkness lifts.Around the corner, on a normally busy commercial street, the candy store is open for business, while rows of other stores nearby selling goods arguably as essential as sweets - shoes, clothes, home furnishings and knick-knacks, for example - remain shuttered inde?nite- ly.A plaque in rainbowy letters in the window of the candy store proudly proclaims: Autorisation gouvernementale pour rester ouvert.We can only speculate the government authorization accorded the candy store is based on it being on the of?cial Quebec list of \u201cessential services and commercial activities\u201d under the category of \u201cgrocery stores and other food retailers.\u201d OK, so despite what anti-Big Sugar zealots and our mothers might have told us, candy apparently is a food.One cannot blame the neighbourhood confectioner for putting government pandemic regulations to the test, but how does that explain the seemingly arbitrary and random exclusion of other store-front purveyors of goods and services from the list of permissible commercial activities?The goal of the big economic pause has been to reduce the amount of direct or incidental human contact by which the COVID-19 virus is spread.So shutting down obvious indoor petri dishes like shopping malls and factories would seem to make sense.How, though, does a block-long line-up at Walmart pose less of a risk than the occasional customer popping into a shoe boutique to check out the latest spring styles?This sour-puss questioning of the essentialness of candy shops comes as the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government rolls out its strategy of \u201cde- con?nement,\u201d to gradually restart the economy.We already saw a glimmer of common sense with the authorized reopening of service stations, garden centres, landscaping companies and some residential construction.The mining industry also got the green light to get back to work.In each sector, of course, workers and customers are expected to observe the germ containment measures which by now are second nature to virtually all citizens.One wonders, however, what is taking so long to get the construction industry in general up and running, given such chantiers are as secure as an army base from general public access.And then there\u2019s the already short construction season.A debate is looming about whether the annual two-week construction holiday at the end of July will be cancelled.So far union leaders are cool to the idea, claiming, with some justi- ?cation, that the weeks of virus-forced lay-off cooped up at home have hardly been the equivalent of frolicking on the beaches of Maine.Restarting an economy is yet another of the many unique and shall we say utterly unexpected challenges thrust upon our elected of?cials and their attendant bureaucracies.Premier Francois Legault, a bean-counting businessman in his soul, must have tortured sleep about having had to put the brakes on an economy it\u2019s been his political mission to boost.Indeed, prior to the pandemic, Quebec was on a roll, leading the nation in growth and employment rates.There will be plenty of time to analyse, debate and learn from this COVID-19 experience.Years from now it will probably seem surreal.An outbreak of an unknown virus in a remote Chinese city in mid-January paralyzes much of the world within a head-spinning matter of a few weeks.Can\u2019t make that stuff up.For the Legault government which had made a massive revamp of the province\u2019s patchwork seniors home network a major plank in its 2018 election platform, the pandemic exposed, tragically late, the lethal failings of the current regime.In the campaign, Legault used the word \u201cdreaded\u201d in describing the state of Centres d\u2019hébergement et soin de longue durée (CHSLD).How right he was.The vast majority of Quebec\u2019s coro- navirus deaths have happened in care homes.Quebec, as observers have noted, has had two pandemics: a relatively tame one in the general population with hospitals far from critical capacity, and a raging one within nursing homes with the army called in to lend a hand.Meanwhile, the candy stores remain open.Peter Black The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, April 20, 2020 Page 5 The mystery surrounding The Mystery Spot By Taylor McClure Special to The Record Until it closed in 1999, The Mystery Spot located off route 147 between Lennoxville and Hunt- ingville served as a unique attraction for Townshippers, people from across Canada, and the Eastern United States.As an area that de?ed the laws of gravity, many didn\u2019t believe what they were experiencing and witnessing.While the Mystery Spot closed its doors in 1999 after over 30 years in operation, people hold fond memories of the place where only inexplicable things happened.Henry Musty, owner of the Mystery Spot with his wife Bev Musty, take us back to how the Mystery Spot all began.In the fall of 1966, Henry and Bev Musty decided to make their way back to the Eastern Townships after having moved out west.\u201cWe came back from the west in the fall of 1966,\u201d said Henry.\u201cWe got the idea that we could do something back home because of the Expo \u201867 as a camp ground and tourist attraction and so on.\u201d While driving through Michigan on their way back home, they came across a unique place where the laws of gravity didn\u2019t seem to apply, water was running uphill for example, and that is when Musty got the idea to develop The Mystery Spot.\u201cWe bought 75 acres of ?eld near Huntingville and I started developing that (the camp ground) while I had this mystery spot idea in mind.\u201d One day as he was walking along the property he came across a cow path on the hillside.After setting up two cement blocks there perfectly leveled, Musty realized that if two people each stood on a block facing each other they would be at eye level with one another but once they switched spots there was height difference of about 4-5 inches.\u201cPeople had a hard job trying to understand that.I would put the level on the blocks and oh yeah, it was level.\u201d He quickly got the ?rst building of the Mystery Spot under construction and it was opened to the public in 1967.\u201cAt that time, we were charging 35 cents a person to go through.It was a 20 to 30-minute guided tour.We had water and a ball appearing to roll uphill on a board and a weight that swung a lot further towards the ceiling than backwards; a lot of different things like that.\u201d Then he decided to construct a second building.\u201cI got to working on another building to expand upon this and the building was about 100 feet away from the ?rst one.We installed a swing, you could swing on it and swing right up to the ceiling and back down to the centre of the ?oor.I also had a chair sitting on a piece of 2x4 on the wall with just the two back legs on the 2x4, the chair wasn\u2019t connected to the wall, and a person could sit on that chair and be comfortable.They\u2019d think they would fall over but they didn\u2019t.People could also walk up the walls on 2x4\u2019s right up to the ceilings.\u201d People could even lean over on the edge of a pedestal table without it falling over.Musty eventually added an attic to that building where one could do push ups on the ?oor, even with one one hand, all day long without getting tired.Once you stepped through the attic, you automatically went to the left in the corner.They also had a French-Canadian tour guide that came up with a ghost story for The Mystery Spot.\u201cHe thought up the idea of ghosts being in those buildings and that\u2019s why it was also called the Maison Hantée.He developed this ghost story that the ghost was pushing you and so on.\u201d While he believed that there would be an in?ux of tourists to the area with the Expo \u201967, The Mystery Spot really became popular after a group of \u2018tipsy\u2019 people asked Musty to bring them through.\u201cWhat set it off very quickly The Mystery Spot was one morning around 10 a.m.I had a group of about 8-10 men that came out of the hotel in Sherbrooke and they were a little bit tipsy and they asked me to take them through.It took me an hour and half to get them through one building and I never laughed so hard in my life trying to get them through that.One guy got stuck in the corner and they had to help him get out.\u201d The next day they had about a 45-minute line up of people wanting to go through after the group of men went back to the hotel to tell of their experience and the word quickly spread from there.\u201cThat was our big boost was this group of fellows.\u201d Groups of school children from Quebec City, Montreal, and the local area started heading to the Mystery Spot each spring.\u201cWe had busloads of children.It was there spring outing.We had children from Quebec City and Montreal, we had a steady line of school children coming through.\u201d We had a mini golf course at that time too and a gift shop with souvenirs in it and a pool.They could spend the whole day there.\u201d Throughout the years of having The Mystery Spot, Musty gained many fun memories.\u201cIt was a fun tour and I really enjoyed it myself, I loved taking people through.Sometimes there would be an argument between husband and wife as to what it was.\u201d He also remembered one lady from Sherbrooke who every time she had relatives come down she brought them to The Mystery Spot.One time she went with a coke bottle full of water and as they were making their way to the area to put water in the funnel to roll up hill, she asked to use her water instead of Henry\u2019s because she believed that it was \u2018tricked.\u2019 It still rolled uphill.\u201cWe had lots of fun with that.\u201d The Mystery Spot remained a popular attraction until it was sold around 1999.\u201cWe sold it in 1999 because we had developed a large gift shop, the largest collectable gift shop in Quebec, and then we opened a store in Lennox- ville where the wool shop was.We eventually phased out the gift shop, Musty explained.\u201cI bought the family farm and now we are retired on the family farm.\u201d The Mystery Spot may have closed 20 years ago, it\u2019s clear that it still holds a special place in the memories of many Townshippers and people from beyond.\u201cIt\u2019s strange, I would say almost every year since we closed we have had one to three phone calls asking about it and if they could see it.The Sherbrooke tourist bureau was also getting a lot of phone calls.It\u2019s still in people\u2019s minds.\u201d While there was there was an individual from Montreal that went to the Mystery Spot to do some research to try to explain and understand it, Musty said that nothing came of it and he couldn\u2019t ?gure it out.For now, the Mystery Spot will remain just that; a mystery.RECORD ARCHIVES Page 6 Monday, April 20, 2020 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, April 20, 2020 Page 7 Page 8 Monday, April 20, 2020 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Death Death BIRTH NOTICES, CARDS OF THANKS, IN MEMORIAMS, BRIEFLETS: Text only: 40¢ per word.Minimum charge $10.00 ($11.50 taxes included) Discounts: 2 insertions or more: 15% off With photo: additional $18.50.DEADLINE: 11 a.m., day before publication.BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY & GET-WELL WISHES, ENGAGEMENT NOTICES: Text only: $16.00 (includes taxes) With photo: $26.00 ($29.90 taxes included) DEADLINE: 3 days before publication.WEDDING WRITE-UPS: $26.00 ($29.90 taxes included) WITH PHOTO: $36.00 ($41.40 taxes included) Please Note: All of the aforementioned (except death notices) must be submitted typewritten or neatly printed, and must include the signature and daytime telephone number of the contact person.Can be e-mailed to: classad@sherbrookerecord.com - They will not be taken by phone.DEADLINES FOR DEATH NOTICES: For Monday\u2019s paper, email production@sherbrookerecord.com or call 819-569-4856 between 1 p.m.and 5 p.m.Sunday.For Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday\u2019s edition, email production@sherbrookerecord.com, call 819-569-4856 or fax 819-569-1187 (please call to con?rm transmission) between 9 a.m.and 5 p.m.the day prior to the day of publication.The Record cannot guarantee publication if another Record number is called.Rates: Please call for costs.RATES and DEADLINES: ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICES Douglas H.ROBINSON Doug passed away peacefully at the age of 86 on April 11, 2020 at the CHSLD St-Alexandre in Thetford Mines after a struggle with cancer and Alzheimer\u2019s.Left to mourn is his wife Phyllis (Hogge) of 60 years, his daughter Jill and son Ian as well as his daughter-in-law, Isabelle Grondin, granddaughter Valérie and grandson Noah.He was the oldest child of Henry Robinson and Emma (Eager).He is predeceased by his sister Samantha (wife of the deceased Harry Demidavicius).He will be greatly missed by his sisters Anne and Brenda, sister-in-law Maureen (Mo) Ruthman (wife of the deceased Tracey Ruthman), nephew Gregg and his wife Wendy, niece Maria-Elena and partner Jamie, niece Laurie and her husband Guy, his grandnephews, grandnieces and godchildren.Doug will also be fondly remembered by his many dear friends, fellow church worshippers, Lodge brothers and greater community at large.A gathering to honour Doug will take place at a later date.Information will be made available at the following website: www.gamachenadeau.ca Thank you to all the doctors, nurses and staff members at CHSLD St-Alexandre for their devoted and excellent care.Your sympathies can be expressed by sending a donation to the Fonds Centre d\u2019hébergement St-Alexandre de Thetford Mines, 1651 rue Notre-Dame Est, Thetford Mines, Québec, G6G 0C1.MAISON GAMACHE & NADEAU PHONE: 418-335-9169 590, St-Alphonse Sud, Thetford Mines, QC FAX: 418-335-9699 www.gamachenadeau.ca MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 Today is the 111th day of 2020 and the 33rd day of spring.TODAY\u2019S HISTORY: In 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie isolated the radioactive element radium for the ?rst time.In 1946, the League of Nations of?cially dissolved.In 1999, two gun-wielding students killed 12 fellow students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.In 2010, a gas explosion and ?re killed 11 people on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, beginning an oil spill that would not be capped for several months.TODAY\u2019S BIRTHDAYS: Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), German dictator; Harold Lloyd (1893-1971), ?lmmaker; Joan Miro (1893-1983), painter/sculptor; Lionel Hampton (1908-2002), jazz musician; Tito Puente (1923-2000), jazz musician; George Takei (1937- ), actor; Ryan O\u2019Neal (1941- ), actor; Steve Spurrier (1945- ), football coach; Jessica Lange (1949- ), actress; Luther Vandross (1951-2005), singer-songwriter; Crispin Glover (1964- ), actor; Andy Serkis (1964- ), actor/director; Carmen Electra (1972- ), actress.TODAY\u2019S FACT: England sent criminals to Australia for forced labor and isolation from society well into the 19th century.TODAY\u2019S SPORTS: In 2008, Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the ?rst female driver to win an IndyCar race.TODAY\u2019S QUOTE: \u201cI begin my work under the effect of shock, which I can sense and which gets me on the run from reality.In any case, I need a starting point, even if it\u2019s just a speck of dust or a gleam of light.\u201d - Joan Miro TODAY\u2019S NUMBER: 63 - points scored by Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls against the Boston Celtics on this day in 1986, setting an NBA playoff record that still stands.The Bulls lost 135-131 in double overtime and eventually lost the ?rst-round series, while the Celtics went on to win the championship.TODAY\u2019S MOON: Between last quarter moon (April 14) and new moon (April 22).Datebook ASK THE DOCTORS by Eve Glazier, M.D., and Elizabeth Ko, M.D.Dear Doctor: What can you tell me about the new saliva test for Parkinson\u2019s disease?My older sister just learned she might have Parkinson\u2019s, but her doctors aren\u2019t sure.Why is it so hard to diagnose?Dear Reader: Parkinson\u2019s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that leads to a de?cit of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter.Neurotransmitters help nerve cells communicate with each other, and dopamine plays a crucial role in our ability to produce smooth, deliberate and sustained movement.It\u2019s the loss of dopamine that gives rise to some of the symptoms of Parkinson\u2019s, which include dif?culties with walking and balance, tremors, slurred speech and rigidity.The disorder also affects sleep, smell and blood pressure.Diagnosing Parkinson\u2019s disease can be dif?cult because the symptoms and their onset vary from person to person and are similar to other neurodegenerative disorders.There is no speci?c test for Parkinson\u2019s disease, so emerging research into chemical changes in the saliva of Parkinson\u2019s patients has drawn a lot of interest.While it\u2019s true that some of this research shows promise in the area of diagnosis, at this time there is no saliva test for the disease.Several studies have examined a range of biomarkers that are present in the saliva of people living with Parkinson\u2019s.Many of them found signi?cant differences when compared to the saliva of people without the disease.In a newer study, published earlier this year, researchers in India examined saliva samples taken from 76 patients living with Parkinson\u2019s disease and samples from 37 healthy people, who served as controls.They found certain metabolic compounds in the Parkinson\u2019s group saliva that suggest the disease process may be linked to an imbalance in the makeup and functioning of neurotransmitters, as well as to certain changes in the makeup of the gut microbiome.This isn\u2019t the ?rst research to look into the potential role of the gut microbiome in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson\u2019s.The intestine is among the ?rst organs affected by Parkinson\u2019s disease, and health care professionals have long noted that symptoms such as constipation and gastrointestinal distress often precede the onset of neurological symptoms.Recent research has also highlighted the gut-brain connection.One study tracked patients who had portions of their vagus nerve surgically removed.Five years after the surgery, the group had a 40% lower incidence of Parkinson\u2019s disease than patients whose vagus nerve remained intact.This is signi?cant because the vagus nerve runs from the brainstem to the colon, a direct link between the brain and the gut.In another study, mice bred to be susceptible to Parkinson\u2019s disease developed symptoms when they were implanted with fecal samples from Parkinson\u2019s patients.The same type of mice implanted with fecal samples from healthy adults did not develop similar symptoms.All of this has led to increasing interest in the idea that Parkinson\u2019s disease originates in the gut and then spreads to the brain.Each new study sets the stage for further research into gut-based therapies, and even to a potential cure.Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health.Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health.No saliva test for Parkinson\u2019s disease, research is promising The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, April 20, 2020 Page 9 Your Birthday MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 Relax and enjoy what life has to offer.Impulsiveness will set you back.Work on self-improvement, networking and doing things with the people who bring out the best in you.Use your skills to reinforce what you\u2019ve already accomplished while making room for new and exciting beginnings.TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - Emphasize what you can do and use your skills to bene?t yourself and others.Don\u2019t downplay your many talents.GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - Put your attributes to the test and pitch in and help others.You have the potential to make a difference if you take a leadership position.Call in favors.CANCER (June 21-July 22) - Don\u2019t take on responsibilities that don\u2019t belong to you.Avoid meddling or letting someone interfere with your efforts.Focus on work, money and advancement, not on gossip or indulgent behavior.LEO (July 23-Aug.22) - Follow through with your plans.Talking about something and doing something are not the same thing.A day trip should include business, interviews or learning.Activities that require physical endurance or competition are favored.VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept.22) - Focus only on your own responsibilities.Listen and make suggestions, but don\u2019t pay for someone else\u2019s mistake.Protect your ?nances, possessions and reputation.LIBRA (Sept.23-Oct.23) - Expect to have a problem with someone close to you.Watch what\u2019s unfolding, but don\u2019t make a move prematurely.Gather all the facts and consider your options.A creative endeavor will help ease stress.SCORPIO (Oct.24-Nov.22) - Finish what you start.Sudden good fortune is heading in your direction.Rely on your intuition to lead you in the right direction.Let go of the past and embrace the future.SAGITTARIUS (Nov.23-Dec.21) - Listen, observe and avoid getting entangled in someone else\u2019s drama.Stick close to home and make a positive adjustment to your living arrangements.Renovation or a move looks favorable.CAPRICORN (Dec.22-Jan.19) - Don\u2019t let emotional matters disrupt your plans or productivity.Add a unique spin to whatever you do to separate you from the competition.AQUARIUS (Jan.20-Feb.19) - Contribute to a cause that interests you or ?nish a project that you left undone.Rely on your experience to guide you in the right direction.Don\u2019t make an unnecessary change.PISCES (Feb.20-March 20) - Get your ?nances in order.If you have too much cash on hand, it will slip through your ?ngers.Invest in something that will add security to your life.ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Idle time is the enemy.Plan your day strategically.Stick to what you know and deliver what you promised.Honest, direct communication is in your best interest.MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 Be constructive, not just critical By Phillip Alder Criticism is a touchy subject.Former British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan said, \u201cI have never found in a long experience of politics that criticism is ever inhibited by ignorance.\u201d Whereas Noel Coward is attributed with claiming, \u201cI can take any amount of criticism, so long as it is unquali?ed praise.\u201d But for most of us, criticism is hardest to accept from our spouse or bridge partner.If you think partner made a mistake on a deal, discuss it calmly after the session.In today\u2019s deal, South was in four spades.After West led the diamond queen, declarer saw only nine tricks - seven spades, one diamond and one club - so he threw in the towel and conceded down one.South then suggested that his partner should have passed out three spades.He pointed out that his opening bid promised six winners, and North had only three to contribute.North apologized, but after the session, what did he point out to his partner?If North had passed, East would surely have made a balancing takeout double.If West had advanced with four clubs, that contract would have made unless South received a heart ruff.South should have realized that he had to establish a 10th winner in hearts.After taking trick one, declarer concedes a heart trick.The defenders cash their two diamond winners and shift to a club.But South wins on the board, ruffs a heart high (not with the three), plays a spade to the 10, ruffs another heart high, returns to the board with a spade to the ace and ruffs a third heart high.Finally, he leads the conserved spade three to dummy\u2019s ?ve and cashes the heart nine. Page 10 Monday, April 20, 2020 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Go grocery sho pping with diet itians.When you choos e products with t he Health Check symbol, it's like shopping with th e Heart and Stro ke Foundation\u2019s die titians, who eval uate every partic ipating product b ased on Canada' s Food Guide.www.healthche ck.org REALITY CHECK HERMAN ALLEY OOP ARLO & JANIS THE BORN LOSER FRANK AND ERNEST GRIZZWELLS THATABABY The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, April 20, 2020 Page 11 Call Sherbrooke: (819) 569-9525 between 8:30 a.m.and 4:30 p.m.E-mail: classad@sherbrookerecord.com or Knowlton: (450) 242-1188 between 9:00 a.m.and noon CLASSIFIED Deadline: 12:30 p.m.one day prior to publication Or mail your prepaid classi?ed ads to The Record, 6 Mallory, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1M 2E2 275 Antiques WE BUY from the past for the future, one item or a household, attic or basement, shed or garage.We like it all, give us a call.819- 837-2680.290 Articles for Sale Make your classi- add a photo for $10.per day.Deadline: 2 days before publication.Phone: 819- 569-9525.com 145 Miscellaneous Services Support the local businesses, services & professionals who serve our area where you live, work and play! Notaries & Solicitors Mtre Timothy Leonard \u2022 Trust Wills \u2022 Mandates \u2022 Corporate Law \u2022 Estate Settlement \u2022 Protection of Assets 563-0500 520 Bowen St.S., Sherbrooke (next to Hôtel-Dieu Hospital) Lamoureux Leonard sencrl ASK THE EXPERTS BUSINESS DIRECTORY TREE SERVICE NOTARY OPTOMETRISTS D A V I D S O N Roof ing House pa in t ing 819.620.2511 RBQ: 5733-7248-01 Exterior & interior painting ROOFING/PAINTING \u2022 INVESTMENT \u2022 NOTARY \u2022 OPTOMETRISTS \u2022 ROOFING / PAINTING \u2022 TREE SERVICE Life Insurance ~ Annuities ~ Critical Illness ~ LTD ~ RRSP* \u2022 RDSP* RESP* \u2022 RRIF* (*Only Mutual Funds are offered and regulated through Global Maxfin Investments Inc.) In partnership to help you invest for your future TIM GODDARD BRANCH MANAGER RICK TRACY MUTUAL FUNDS DEALING REPRESENTATIVE GLOBAL MAXFIN INVESTMENTS INC.151 Queen Street, Sherbrooke \u2022 8195695666 \u201cLocals serving locals for more than 20 years.\u201d INVESTMENTS L E N N O X V I L L E PLUMBING.Domestic repairs and Norman Walker at 819-563-1491.Blind to accomplishment Dear Annie MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 Dear Annie: I am a 67-year-old male.I married for the ?rst time when I was 34.All my friends had gotten married, and my wife-to-be was studying to be a doctor, and I knew that would make people look up to me.I came from a well-to-do family but had not achieved anything on my own.Also, I did not believe I could support a family, so it seemed the perfect match.Our marriage lasted 25 years, not because I was happy but because I just was too timid to leave.We raised three children together, and I stayed at home while my wife worked.I was miserable because I felt like I had never really grown up and led my own life.I wanted to leave but did not want to when the children were young.At least that was my excuse.When the youngest was 13, I started acting out with anger, yelling at the children and my wife.I just raised such a fuss all the time that my wife ?nally asked me to leave.I met a young, pretty woman online, and one thing led to another.She ended up moving to my state, and we were married soon afterward.She brought her 7-year-old daughter with her.I knew in my heart that I did not want to be married again, and I absolutely knew that I did not want to be burdened with a child, but I did not have the courage to say no.I did try, but her tears stopped me cold.Now, ?ve years later, she is the main breadwinner and is very successful in her work.I am a stay-at-home father who feels like a loser who has never grown up.Same old story.My wife is not a bad person, and my ?rst wife was not either.They are both ?ne people, but I never really loved either of them because I do not love myself.To commit in a relationship, one needs to know who they are and what they want out of life.I never have.I still have dreams of leaving my present family and embarking on a solo hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail or getting a job helping others, but I now feel like I am too old to do anything different with my life.My wife does not have a clue that I am as discontent as I am.No one except my closet friend knows how I feel.I cannot imagine having the gumption to actually leave, and I do not want to hurt my wife and daughter, so I just suffer in silence.I keep hoping that I can ?nd the courage to live my own life but am feeling like it is too late for me.What should I do?- Suffering in Silence.Dear Suffering in Silence: It sounds like you are dealing with depression.I am sorry you are suffering but proud of you for writing this letter to break your silence.The ?rst step to end your suffering is to go through it.You need to seek professional help from a therapist who can help you see why you repeat this cycle of unhappiness.From the outside, raising three wonderful children, and now a fourth, sounds like a huge accomplishment.But you can have all the accomplishments in the world and not see them or appreciate them.To feel accomplished, you have to feel that you deserve to be happy.With low self-esteem, you don\u2019t feel you deserve happiness, and you instead self-sabotage or walk around miserable.Find a good therapist, and heal yourself day by day.Hopefully, you will start to feel more con?dent in yourself and see all that you have accomplished in life.\u201cAsk Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie\u201d is out now! Annie Lane\u2019s debut book - featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette - is available as a paperback and e-book.Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information.Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. Page 12 Monday, April 20, 2020 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record "]