BARRIE, ONT. Many business owners across Simcoe County were glued to the tv on Thursday to hear Premier Doug Ford announce plans for the latest province-wide shutdown. Christian Linkert owns the Sun Emporium in Barrie and says he isn t surprised by the government s move, but once again, he says he has no choice but to keep his doors open. I have to stay open. Same as last time to ensure my survival. I have to stay open. Linkert defied provincial orders last month during the second wave shutdown. He opened his business, suggesting he would be closing the doors for good otherwise.
MEAFORD, ONT. Grey Bruce will move from the green zone to a shutdown as part of the province-wide shutdown announced Thursday. Many business owners reacted with frustration and shock over the news, suggesting the Ontario government left them hanging with no forewarning. Bruce Melhuish just finished stocking the cooler at his restaurant in The Blue Mountains in preparation for a busy Easter weekend. Now the Sunset Grill owner is stuck with thousands of dollars worth of food that would have been served in his dining room. Five-thousand eggs, 900 pounds of potatoes, over 250 loaves of bread, 80 litres of juice, and that s the perishable stuff. I ve got lettuce, I ve got tomatoes, he says with disappointment. That s where the money is that can t be saved. We can try and donate as much of it as we can, but it s tough.
COLLINGWOOD, ONT. A Collingwood, Ont. man who shot and killed two masked men during a home invasion two years ago is free. The Crown has withdrawn manslaughter charges against 57-year-old Cameron Gardiner for the deaths of 52-year-old Dean Copkov and 42-year-old Donovan Bass. The details of the case were previously under a publication ban that was lifted on Tuesday. According to court documents, Gardiner s lawyers argued the shootings were in self-defence. When I first met Cameron, he was a broken man. He didn t understand why he was in custody. Once he recounted his story, I said, we are going to fight for you, and you need to lead us, said criminal attorney Elliott Willschick.
BARRIE, ONT. The first day of April will arrive with a blast of flurries across parts of Simcoe County. CTV Barrie s weather specialist KC Colby says, flurries accumulating as much as two centimetres is anticipated. Environment Canada calls for temperatures to drop to -4 C overnight on Wednesday with northerly winds gusting to 50km/h. The flurries should end around noon Thursday with the high hovering just below the freezing mark, but it will feel much colder with the wind chill making it seem more like -12 C. All the wintry weather comes to an end Friday as temperatures rise to 4 C with sunny skies. April showers will ring in the weekend with the daytime high remaining on the plus side.