The K of C Council #5005 always pulls off one of the biggest events of the year every summer during this festival. It is an event that brings thousands of people to the community for three days of music and family entertainment. Besides GLASS TIGER, Saturday will also feature Brad Johner and Paul Dwayne as well as local bands Cold Crush, Witness, Euphoria, Retroactive, Possum and Stillwell. 

As well, the ever-popular Karioke & Country Talent Contest, sponsored by Buddies' Restaurant & Bar is expected to be a huge hit again. The finals will take place on Sunday afternoon.

All of the usual activities will once again be held this weekend. Included in the schedule will be the 21st Annual Pulling Challenge featuring trucks, ATV's and lawn tractors. Registration takes place at 10:30 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday with competitions beginning at 12:30 p.m. on both days.

The gate opens on Friday, July 14 at 6 p.m. and will stay open until 1:00 a.m. On Saturday the shows on the stage run from noon until 1 a.m. and on Sunday everything begins at 11:30 a.m.

A Weekend Pass only costs $20 in advance or $25 at the gate. Single day prices are $15 for Friday and Saturday and $5 on Sunday. Children 12 & under are free when accompanied by an adult. Advance passes are available at Buddies' Restaurant, Pizza Hut, Plourde Mini Mart, Neil's Your Independent Grocer or call the K of C Hotline at 969-8895.

There will be plenty to eat and drink all weekend long.

There is plenty of free parking and it promises to be the social event of the year in Valley East. Make sure you spend some time enjoying the festivities and show your support of the Knights of Columbus Council #5005.

Don McDowell, a resident of Talon Street, decided to approach local residents about this concern and came up with almost 200 signatures on a petition calling for the installation of a four-way stop at the corner of Talon and Desmarais Road. His petition was submitted to Council, but in the meantime, with the summer holidays upon us, and with more and more children on their bikes every day, a tragedy is just waiting to happen.

According to McDowell, "There have been accidents on Desmarais Road and every day a child is just missed by speeding vehicles."

An examination of the road indicates that with no sidewalks, bike riders and pedestrians often are forced to use the edge of the road. Whereas this is a very busy access road to many lakes just north of the community, as well as many commercial establishments located along Desmarais Road, it often means that two vehicles are approaching each other. Therefore, even if one is walking or biking on the shoulder, the vehicles pass very close by.

"We have vehicles built for highways on our street and they are fully loaded," McDowell continued. "There are Inco trucks, lumber trucks, all of the trucks for gravel. They use this road for business purposes and it goes right through our subdivision where our children and grandchildren play."

One argument which might be put forward by the drivers of these heavy trucks is the fact that it will take a long time to gear up and begin travelling again if they have to stop at the intersection of Talon and Desmarais Road. However, as McDowell and his neighbours state, "The safety of our children and grandchildren should come first."

Indeed, a stop sign may not just be needed at the corner of Talon and Desmarais. In the photo on the left is another intersection along Desmarais at Laval Street where a four-way stop is also warranted. As one approaches this intersection you come upon the only playground in the subdivision as well as the Canada Post kiost. Just about everyone living in this area stops at this kiost every day to pick up their mail. The playground is also a magnet for children on their bikes. And as you can see from the photo, there is not much room to ride or walk along the shoulders in this intersection.

One must wonder what it will take for City staff to recognize the danger and take action to recommend stop signs for the safety of the local residents and their children. It may cause some inconvenience for drivers, but this is much preferred to injury or death which is just waiting to happen.

This is one example of why Robert Kirwan, shown at the left, has decided to run for City Council as Councillor for Ward 6 - Hanmer & Val Therese, "This is something that has existed since I moved here in 1974. Desmarais Road has always been a straight stretch where cars and trucks disregard the speed limit. It may not be so bad when they are travelling northward since they are driving through the subdivision right from the beginning, but when they are coming back southward, they drive along a one-kilometre long straight stretch and easily hit speeds of 70 or higher. Then when you hit Talon Street you take the entire subdivision to reduce to a safe speed. I can't for the life of me see why local residents had to go as far as to get a petition to point out this problem to staff and City Council. It should not take a debate at City Council to get this taken care of. One phone call is all that it should require. I have to wonder how many more similar situations exist in this community? How many more residents have been frustrated over a lack of action? I thank Don McDowell for pointing this out and I thank him for taking the time to demonstrate that he is not alone in his thinking. If something is not done before the election on November 13, I can guarantee you that something will be done afterwards when I am elected to represent this Ward! We shouldn't have to live in fear of walking or riding along our streets."

One hundred teams and over 1600 soccer players from all ages took part in the Valley East Soccer Club's Annual Houseleague Tournament on the weekend of June 23 to 25. The weather was beautiful and the facilities were in excellent condition as young and old alike enjoyed the competition and entertainment. In fact, many of the games on Sunday afternoon even required overtime to determine the winners.

While there is no question the players had a great weekend, the large crowds of parents, grandparents and friends proved that the sport of soccer has definitely taken a high profile in the community of Valley East.

  With all the different contributing factors of bad breath one thing is certain, good oral hygiene is imperative in helping to control your breath.  If you think you have bad breath seek treatment, once you can pin point the cause or source of your bad breath the success is more attainable

Part One: Bacteria and Oral malodor

There are numerous bacteria present in the mouth.  

The different species of bacteria are essential in keeping the oral flora balanced in the oral cavity.  It is important to have some bacteria in the mouth although not all bacteria are good.  Once the bacteria break down and die they produce gases called Volatile sulfur compounds (VSC).  If not removed,  these compounds continue to accumulate and combined with the air from the mouth will cause a malodor.  

VSC’s are toxic to oral tissues and can cause periodontal disease, irritation to oral tissue, and bad breath.  Bacteria can accumulate anywhere in the mouth.  The teeth, inside of the checks, and gums are some places bacteria can accumulate therefore it is necessary to keep these areas clean by brushing and flossing. Due to its rough surface and crevices, the tongue is the most common place for bacteria to be deposited.  Thus creating large amounts of sulfur compounds causing bad breath.  Simply brushing the tongue with a tooth brush will not dispose of the bacteria imbedded deep into the crevices of the tongue but will only move the bacteria around.  As Dr. Mel Babot DDS. States: the key is mechanical removal by using a “rake like” tongue scraper to reach in and remove the debris from the tongue.

The absence of saliva can also cause bad breath by promoting more anaerobic bacteria to accumulate in the mouth.  Read more about this topic in the following section entitled, “Oral dryness and bad breath".

Part Two: Oral Dryness And Bad Breath

One of the leading causes of oral malodor can come from xerostomia.  Xerostomia better known as dry mouth is a common occurrence in many people.  One of the contributing factors to dry mouth is medication such as certain heart medication, antidepressants. Some of the most common types of drugs that can cause dry mouth are-Decongestants, Diuretics, Antidepressants, Antihistamines, Antispasmatics, and Puffers.  Stress, smoking, and age are also things that can cause xerostomia. 

Saliva is a very important bodily function.  Saliva washes out the mouth of food debris, sugars, and bacteria.  Without saliva food cannot be easily washed away therefore staying on your teeth longer causing possible plaque build up, thus leading to tooth decay and possibly gum disease and ultimately causing a foul odor from your mouth.  Bacteria need to be constantly washed away.  Without saliva, bacteria will stay in the gums, between teeth, and on the dorsal surface of the tongue.  These bacteria will then break down and produce volatile sulfur compounds resulting in irritation of the tissues and bad breath.

The first step to try and teat bad breath is to eliminate the source. Although sometimes the answer is not that easy if the cause of xerostomia is age or medication.  Therefore keeping your mouth clean and using mechanical techniques for getting rid of debris with a tongue scraper and toothbrush are of the utmost importance.  Using alcoholic based mouthwashes like scope or Listerine are detrimental with someone with dry mouth; it can cause further xerostomia and even further irritation.  Ask your Denturist for what is best for you to use.  Some examples are Biotene and Oxyfresh.

Part Three: Are My Dentures The Source of My Bad Breath?

As we know, bacteria that accumulates on the tongue or in other places in the mouth produce sulfur compounds which leads to bad breath.  Bacteria can also accumulate on the surface or even within the denture.  Microscopically, dentures have a porous surface allowing bacteria to enter and therefore, dentures must be cleaned everyday and rinsed between every meal to minimize the accumulation of bacteria.  Scratches in the denture are an ideal place for bacteria to accumulate.

Toothpastes like Crest or Colgate are made for use on natural teeth, and they are much too abrasive for dentures, thus producing scratches. To try to avoid scratches in your denture, use non-abrasive cleaning products such as liquid soap, polident denture paste, Oxyfresh non-fluoride toothpaste, soaking tablets or liquid denture cleaners such as Dentanet. With time odors can  stay strapped  in the denture causing it to smell and giving the denture wearer bad breath.

Here is a little test to see if it is your denture that is causing your bad breath.

Remove your denture, rinse them under water, and place it into a zip lock baggie.  Let it sit for five minutes and then open the bag a little and smell.  The odor you smell is what other people can smell.  Sometimes the odor is impossible to remove and a new denture is needed.  The average life of a denture is between 5 to 7 years.  Call your denturist for an appointment if you think your denture is causing your bad breath.

If you would like to find out more about Beswick Denture Clinic or the Beswick Footcare Clinic, simply go to their comprehensive web site at the following link>>>>

   The other day I stopped to look at the community quilt we have hanging up in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. As I looked at the landmarks depicted on the quilt I thought about the 32 wonderful years I’ve lived in Val Therese. I thought about the thousands upon thousands of people I’ve met through hockey, soccer, baseball, swimming, badminton, golf, boy scouts, and so many other organizations that I was drawn into by my three children. A friend came by while I was looking at the quilt and asked me why I had decided to run for the position of Councillor of Ward 6 – Hanmer & Val Therese. He wanted to know if I really thought one person could make a difference.
  
   I told him that it was not me alone who was going to make the difference. I told him that it was going to be the 30,000 people living in Valley East and Capreol who were going to make all the difference in the world.  All I want is the chance to sit on City Council so that I can represent the 15,000 people in Ward 6 and help make our collective voices heard.

   With less than four months to get ready for the BIG SHOW, the municipal election on November 13, 2006 , I have two small requests to make at this time.

   First, I would like all residents of  Valley East who have access to the internet to go to the community web site I have spent the past three years developing at www.valleyeasttoday.ca. Look over the different sections of that web site and examine the hundreds of photos and articles about the people and places of Valley East . This is our community! This is what we are all about – real people making a difference; organizations helping each other; living a quality of life that most can only dream of. We have it all right here in Valley East and it is there for the world to see on the internet at www.valleyeasttoday.ca. Get to know your community better and send this web site to others around the region and around the world so that they too can see why Valley East truly is “A Place To Grow”.

   Second, during the next four months I would like all residents of Ward 6 – Hanmer & Val Therese, to stop by my office which is located at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. I want to meet you and hear what you have to say. I want to know what your concerns are. I want to know what you think my top priorities should be when I am elected to represent you on City Council. I want to speak to all 15,000 men, women and children living in Ward 6. I want you to get to know me and I want to get to know each of you. When you cast your ballot on November 13, I want you to be convinced that Robert Kirwan is the right person for the job – the one person with the ability to recapture the service level and the community spirit for which Valley East was famous.

   It’s almost SHOW TIME! Help me RAISE THE CURTAIN and let the world see what Valley East is all about!

   For more information about Robert Kirwan's policies visit his web site at www.kirwan.ca  

    Read the article below about Valley Acres Playground and you will see another example of why Kirwan is so adamant about making things better for this part of the City of Greater Sudbury. We will no longer put up with second-class treatment in a first-class town like Valley East.

Last week we reported that some of the equipment which was at the Valley Acres Playground was removed and had not been replaced as of the long weekend in July. 

This week, we would like to point out that this is one of the problems of amalgamation that must be changed with the upcoming November election.

Valley Acres Playground is ( or was ) considered one of the largest and best equipped sites in Valley East. It is also in the middle of a rapidly growing section of the community.

Back in April 2006, the photo at the right was taken showing the equipment that was available for area youth.

As you look at the photo below, you will see that something is missing. In fact, the equipment which was on the site in April has disappeared and all that is left is empty space.

According to several parents in the neighbourhood, they were told by City of Greater Sudbury workers that the equipment was being moved to another playground and that a new one was on order to take its place.

This was some time during May.

The photo on the left was taken on July 1, 2006. Local residents are wondering how long it will be before they have their full set of equipment. With summer vacation now on, this is the busy time of the year for playground usage. 

The situation at Valley Acres Playground is not sitting very well with residents who have been complaining about the declining services received since amalgamation. If the equipment has been removed from Valley Acres and brought to a playground in the former City of Sudbury, there may be quite an uproar.

In fact, as one examines this particular playground, you see other examples of neglect and disregard for the appearance and condition of this very important recreational facility.

A can of paint and a brush is all that would be necessary to make this slide look so much better.

A wastebasket, a new paint job and cutting the grass would make this park bench a lot more appealing.

We can spend millions of dollars on marketing and promotion, but until we pay more attention to the little things such as our playgrounds, the conditions of our ditches, the safety of our children, etc. all of that advertising money will have been wasted. This is just one of the 159 park sites operated by the City of Greater Sudbury. And Valley East is one of the most attractive parts of the area in which to live. Something has to change!