Dryden has recently seen the arrival of a new pharmacist at Wal-Mart.

Coming to Canada a year and a half ago from Kenya, Justus Maina finished his internship in Toronto, receiving accreditation in Canada.

“It’s a different experience all together from what happens on the other side of the province. It’s a smaller community where almost everybody knows everybody” says Maina. “It is quite a different thing from Toronto where you basically don’t even know who your neighbour is.”

Maina had to complete four months of education at the University of Toronto, and needed to get acquainted with the Canadian pharmacy practices.

He is now posted to Dryden Wal-Mart pharmacy for the next two years.

Although the medicinal differences from Toronto to Dryden are minimal, the adjustment from Kenya to Canada has been a big one for Maina.

“In Kenya, we worry about malaria, but you can’t get that here,” relays Maina.  “There is not as much high blood pressure, not as much cholesterol in Kenya but something like deworming is not something that you would experience here.”

Maina does say that the people of Dryden are much more patient that those of the big city.  He claims people in Dryden are more likely to drop off their prescriptions, return a day later, and take the time to discuss any side effects or things of that nature.

The 33 year old pharmacist is enjoying his time spent in Dryden, and has spent his first weeks learning about life in Northwestern Ontario.

“I went fishing my very first week, although I didn’t catch anything!” jokes Maina.

Although Maina’s wife was a practicing lawyer in Kenya, she has relocated to Dryden and is taking her accreditation exams to be licensed in Canada as well.

Maina is enjoying the small town life, and the Dryden area, but is unsure what the future may hold for him until a little further down the road.  Although thouroughly enjoying life in Dryden, Maina admits his future is also dependent upon his wife’s career as well.

The time is drawing near to submit your nomination for Dryden’s next mayor and council.

With a deadline of September 10, all the necessary paperwork and fees must be submitted by 2 pm on this date.

With positions available for one mayor and 6 councillors, the names are slowly trickling in.  While Anne Krassilowsky is still the only contender for the position of Mayor, there are now eight names submitted as of press time for council, which will trigger an election.

The nominees for council are current councillors Brian Collins, Gary Case, Mike Wood, and Mel Fisher.  New nominees include Ken Moss, Mary Trist, Adam Riley and former council member, Joe Delaney.

There are still some vacancies in the school board trustee nominations, with only the English Public School Board having one nominee of Ed Arnold and the English Separate School Board having Robert Van Oort and Kathy Bryck.

The French Public School Board as well as the French Separate School Board Trustee positions sit with no names on the nomination list.

Second Chance Pet Network has submitted an application to the Pepsi Refresh Project, and has had their application approved for the first round.

Pepsi Refresh gives grants in the amount of $100,000 to every other month, for non-profit agencies, as well as smaller business.  The criteria is based on the idea submitted having a positive impact on communities in Canada.

The shelter will have their profile listed on the Pepsi Refresh website, and it is up to the public to vote on the profile to help the shelter win the cash.

With an application for $100,000, this would give the shelter the boost it needs to create a permanent residence for all the stray animals it adopts.

Although the process was not easy, the team struggled through the application process and is now on the list for a chance to receive the much-needed funds.

As of Sept 1, Second Chance Pet Network will be eligible to accept votes on their behalf to successfully win the dough.  Log on to www.refresheverything.ca to cast your vote on behalf of the struggling shelter.

Voting will close on Oct. 31 and the shelter will find out soon after if they were successful.  All you need to vote is a name and an email address.

An excerpt from the grant application reads, “The Dryden area is in great need of a shelter for homeless/abandoned animals.  The closest animal shelter is one hour away and does not have a no-kill policy.  We feel that animals shouldn’t have an expiry date, they’re living beings, not last week’s leftover supper.  The SCPN currently runs a shelter but the location is painfully inadequate for the demand that we are experiencing.  With $100,000, we would be able to purchase property and build a proper no-kill cat and dog shelter.  Our shelter would be a safe-haven for animals that have been abandoned.  It would have 14 dog kennels and 30 cat kennels to house animals until they find their forever homes.”

“What began as a small group of concerned citizens has now grown to an army of volunteers and a temporary shelter that is open 6 days a week in order to care for the overwhelming number of cats & dogs that are in desperate need of a loving home. We currently rent a small retail space that serves as our shelter and allows us to run a flea market to generate funds.”

“While it serves the purpose for right now, it does not have proper ventilation or adequate spacing for isolation rooms and cages. Also, the space is donated to us by the owner of the building, as he is unable to rent it out due to economic downturn.  If this changed and the space was in demand, we would either have to find a new home or pay full price. We would like to build a shelter with a grooming/boarding facility attached (for self-sustaining funding).”

Deliverables we strive for include 30 cat-cages and 14 dog-cages to house unwanted pets as well as low-cost spay/neuter clinics.  150 animals per year adopted to forever-homes and one permanent full-time caretaker position.

Hello mudda, hello fadda…

Both veterans and prospects could be found shaking out the cobwebs at Dryden Memorial Arena late last week as the Dryden Ice Dogs took to the ice for open camp.

Coach Clint Mylamok says he typically reserves judgment on players’ performance in the camp setting. He says it takes a game situation to reveal a player’s true colours.

“Last year there were guys at camp we thought were ‘okay’, then once the puck dropped they were some of our better forwards,” said Mylamok. “Once you’re in a competitive situation against an opposing team in our league, then you can start to figure out what makes guys tick and what you have on your hands.”

With only three forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender returning, Mylamok says there are some big holes to fill — primarily in the goal-scoring department.

“The cupboard is pretty much bare,” he said. “We have to work a little harder to fill those voids.”

Among the local faces at camp were Zane Zerbinati, Brock Clink, goaltender Kim Wildhaber, Curtis Barker and Bryce Maggrah.

“There a couple kids we’re trying to get out here,” he said. “It’s their choice.  They’re good players and I’d like for them to stay home and play here.”

Mylamok will have a chance to test out some of the new talent tonight (Wednesday Sept. 1). as the Fort Frances Lakers come to town for an exhibition match-up. Also this week, the Dogs host the Sioux Lookout Flyers on Saturday Sept. 4, 2010.  Both games will be held at the Dryden Memorial Arena.

Game time is 7:30 p.m.

After nearly 10 months of silence on the controversial issue, the City of Dryden is moving ahead with a plan to install water meters in local residences and businesses.

Council awarded the contract for water meter implementation to Neptune Technology for the estimated cost of $1,212,028, at the Aug. 18 regular meeting of council.

In November, a 4-3 vote in favour of water meters implementation was passed amidst fears that a negative result would jeopardize a critical funding application for the replacement of the city’s wastewater treatment plant — a top infrastructure priority in which the city had failed to secure funds for in three previous submissions.

With the water meter resolution ‘attached’ to their 2009 Build Canada Fund application, Dryden was awarded $29.9 million for the replacement of the their Sewage Treatment Plant.

The water meter project itself secured funding in July of 2009, splitting $1.8 million in costs between the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Local resident and former city councilor Craig Nutall says the city’s share of $600,000 is about to be tacked onto residential and commercial water and sewer bills which have already seen a stiff rate spike this past July.

Last summer, Nutall brought a 400 signature petition against water meter implementation to council, citing opposition to unreasonable increases in utility fees for water users.

“I had over 400 people’s names and council was going to consider it,” said Nutall. “But now they’re ramming it down our throats that we have to pay one-third of the costs. The councillors and the mayor were elected to represent the people, not to listen to the administration all the time.”

While City of Dryden Treasurer Linda McNaughton confirms that implementation costs will be passed onto water users, she says the city has not decided on a particular cost recovery model.

“You’re going to have to pay for your meter,” said McNaughton. “There is going to be several options and we haven’t come up with the final model yet. Depending on the cost of the meter going into your location, you would have to pay one-third of that. You will probably be given the option to pay it up front, or have it tacked onto your water bill over a given period of time.”

A  2005 consultant report commissioned by the city estimated the cost of a residential water meter installation at $500.

Golden Mile Plaza owner Marcel Arseneault says water and sewer costs are already a significant major factor in his business.

“Every year it goes up 10 per cent,” he says. “As a homeowner you pay $94 a month, as a business it’s $154, while a business uses less water than a home. They just do what they want and there is a lot of people upset in this town.”