Darlene Wroe Speaker Reporter A column is generally a personal opinion with which people may or may not agree. They do not have to agree. The column is headed by the writer's name and picture to make clear the fact that it is not the official stance of the newspaper, as would

There's something about the times in which we find ourselves that is causing people to be less curious about large questions and serious issues.For that reason, as the school year winds down with its final semester, it is very important to send out a big thank you to educators for

Steve Larocque Speaker Editor If you want to scare people, forget Halloween masks, the fake blood and gore, the jumping out from dark places and yelling boo.Try coughing uncontrollably. From deep within your chest. With more than a soupçon of mucous.That scares people. A crowd will part upon your arrival. Coworkers will

• Thumbs up to all of the local hockey teams competing at their respective Northern Ontario Hockey Association tournaments and all those involved in league playoffs.The kids are more than all right, whether they win or lose. They’re having fun and learning the sport and making their families proud of

Diane Johnston Speaker Reporter So, I ended up watching some of the Olympics. I marvelled at the grace of the figure skaters, the strength of the skiers...heck, the coordination and flexibility of the curlers.Athletics were never my strong suit.I was forced by loving parents to take figure skating. I hated every minute

The Speaker reported over a month ago about the proposed amalgamation of the Englehart and Kirkland Lake hospitals.It’s been a long process – some five years – of talking and negotiating.As we reported, “They say neither hospital is to close, and all core services in both hospitals are to remain

Darlene Wroe Speaker Reporter Two years ago I visited Hornby Island in British Columbia. We were there to see family members. Our host, while happy to see us, was concerned that we would not find much to entertain us as we had come in the off-season for tourists. I told my family