Duff Roman

Former broadcaster Duff Roman on air on CHUM-FM in the 1960s. Roman was one of two Niagara residents named to the Order of Canada on Wednesday. Photo credit: FYI Music News

Two Niagara residents named to Order of Canada

On Wednesday, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 135 appointments to the Order of Canada.

Among the list of nominees were heritage conservationist Pamela Minns from Thorold and former broadcaster Duff Roman of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

“Canada is defined by the people that make up this great country,” said Simon. “These most recent nominees to the Order of Canada are shining examples of the commitment and outstanding contributions Canadians have made to the well-being of communities throughout this land, whether it be social, environmental, scientific, economic, cultural or related to mental and physical health. To all of the nominees, congratulations and thank you.”

Minns was nominated for “her contributions as a passionate volunteer and advocate of heritage preservation and revitalization in the Niagara region.”

Roman was nominated for “his contributions to the Canadian music industry as a broadcaster and executive, and for his steadfast promotion of Canadian talent.”

Both will be presented with their insignia at an investiture ceremony to be held on a future date.

The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours. Created in 1967, it honours people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations and whose compassion unites our communities.

More than 7 500 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order of Canada since 1967.

Hamilton hospital’s monoclonal antibody pilot project producing ‘remarkable’ results

Two months after its initial launch on Oct. 19, Ontario’s first monoclonal antibody treatment clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton is returning promising results for COVID-19 patients.

According to the Hamilton Spectator, the pilot’s administrator Dr. Zain Chagla said that the therapy went beyond reducing hospitalizations to actually improving patients’ quality of life.

Per the Spectator, patients went from feeling like “they got hit by a truck” to “feeling almost back to normal” within two days.

A monoclonal antibody is a lab-made protein that attaches to the spike protein of COVID-19 to stop the virus from infecting healthy cells. The associated IV-drip therapy has been shown to help reduce the risk of mild or moderate COVID-19 from progressing to severe infection.

Initial studies show that COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy reduces hospitalization by 71 per cent and reduces death by 70 per cent in high-risk COVID-positive patients.

The pilot runs until March 2022. Its success will likely see expansion of the treatment into other cities across the province.

Province bars LTC residents from seeing family and friends, again

Earlier this week, the Ontario government announced that general visitors will no longer be allowed access to long-term care homes effective Dec. 30 at 12:01 a.m.

In addition, long-term care residents will no longer be allowed to leave for social purposes.

“I understand that these new, temporary measures will impact residents’ ability to have close contact with many of their friends and family members,” said Minister of Long-Term Care Rod Phillips. “We must remain vigilant against the Omicron variant to protect long-term care residents and staff.”

Omicron is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Ontario, making up nearly 90 per cent of cases.

According to president of the Ontario Association of Radiologists Dr. David Jacobs, “The Omicron wave will not come anywhere near the initially modeled worst case scenario in terms of hospitalization and ICU utilization.”

“There is far more Omicron spreading through the population then is represented in the official case count,” said Jacobs. “This is good news as it means that the case fatality rate and the hospitalization rate are likely both significantly lower than reported.”

Warner, Fernandez named Canadian Press top athletes of 2021

Olympic gold medalist Damian Warner and U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez have been named CP’s male and female athlete of year, respectively.

The 32-year-old Warner won decathlon gold in dominating fashion at the Tokyo Olympics this past summer.

The London, Ontario native set a Canadian and Olympic record in the marquee track and field event with 9,018 points and is just the fourth decathlete in history to top the nine-thousand-point barrier.

Rising tennis star Leylah Fernandez advanced to the final of the 2021 U.S. Open in September, a highlight of a successful season for all of Canada’s elite tennis players.

The 19-year-old from Laval, Quebec stunned defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round and knocked off more big names before losing to Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the championship match.

World’s space community successfully launches revolutionary new telescope

At 7:20 a.m. on Christmas Day, the James Webb Space Telescope launched on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America.

An international collaboration between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), NASA, and the European Space Agency, the Webb is the most complex and powerful space telescope ever built. Canada contributed a scientific instrument and a guidance sensor.

“Once again, Canada’s space sector is pushing the frontier of science and, more so, of astronomy. Webb is the largest space science project in the 60-year history of Canada’s space program,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Thanks to substantial past investments in space technologies, Canada was able to be an active partner in this exciting mission with the U.S.and Europe.”

The Canadian astronomy community’s interests lie in the study of exoplanets, the search for the first light sources in the universe, the formation and evolution of galaxies, the lifecycle of stars, and small bodies in our own solar system – all study areas that will be accessible with the successful launch of the telescope.

The Webb is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched in 1990.

This Weekend Around the Region

Niagara Falls New Year’s Eve Concert and Fireworks

Visit Canada’s most exciting New Year’s Eve destination this year for incredible events and programming, including the return of live music with Niagara Falls Music Live!

Back again for 2021, enjoy jaw-dropping fireworks displays over the falls on New Year’s Eve at 9 p.m. and midnight.

Please be advised that the Niagara Parkway will be closed from Fraser Hill to Clifton Hill, including Murray Street, on New Year’s Eve starting at 8 p.m.

When: Friday, Dec. 31, 2021

Where: Queen Victoria Park, Niagara Falls

For more info on programming and parking go to the Niagara Parks website here.

New Year’s Eve at Wayne Gretzky Estates

Head out to Virgil this Dec. 31 for a skate and watch the hockey game on the big inflatable screen!

Your skating package includes: a skating pass and rental; a reserved table at the Whisky Bar Patio for two hours; one food item; and two cocktails (non-alcoholic options for those under 19).

$50 plus tax and gratuity for guests who are 19+. $25 plus tax and gratuity for guests who are 3-18 years of age.

When: 5 p.m.—10:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 31, 2021

Where: Wayne Gretzky Estates, Niagara-on-the-Lake

To purchase tickets, click here.