Most-read stories of the week: Harm reduction vending machine, historic Paris home, air conditioning woes

Why Brantford, Ont. vending machine offers condoms, crackpipes and naloxone

 

 

 

It’s not your typical vending machine, but a new device in Brantford, Ont. is providing people with low-barrier access to harm reduction supplies.With the touch of a finger and tap of a screen, people who need access to items like HIV self-test kits, meth pipes, naloxone, crack kits and condoms can do so for free.

“This is Our Healthbox,” said DeAnna Renn, manager of healthy communities at the Brant County Health Unit (BCHU). “This is the third vending machine [like this] in Ontario, but the only one in southwestern Ontario.”

It’s located at 133 Elgin St., which is also the office SOAR Community Services. The arrival of this smart machine comes at a good time.

“Our community, like many across the province, has been struggling with opioid use and the impacts of that,” said Kim Baker, SOAR’s executive director of services. “We are higher than the provincial average in terms of hospital visits, overdoses and deaths related to substance use.”

Historic home in Paris, Ont. up for sale for $4.8M

A historic home in Paris, Ont., with a history of entertaining famous guests, has hit the market. The Gothic estate at 1 Banfield Street is listed for sale through Sotheby’s International Realty Canada for $4,895,000.

The listing calls the five bedroom home “one of the most unique and prominent period homes in the entire region.”

The current owner of the home, philanthropist, art collector, and movie industry insider Salah Bachir, agrees.

“I’ve been around the world and never really seen a house like this,” he told CTV News on Thursday.

Bachir began working in publishing in 1980, working on several notable publications and projects. He become the founding president of Famous Players Media and Cineplex Media. Cineplex would eventually buy and rebrand one of Bashir’s magazines as Cineplex Magazines.

Flames tear through greenhouse nursery in Simcoe

A greenhouse nursery in Simcoe, Ont. was almost completely destroyed in a fire early Thursday morning. Firefighters were called to Ryerse Garden Gallery around 4:30 a.m.

“The fire was actually first noticed by a paramedic crew that was driving by,” explained James Robertson, the assistant chief for the Norfolk Fire Department.

According to officials, the response from firefighters almost came too late.

“[It was a] very large fire,” Robertson said. “Heavy flames were coming from the front of the building and the south end of the building. The flames were so intense we actually had to evacuate to a neighbour just as a precaution.”

Crews respond to a structure fire on Norfolk Street North in Norfolk County. June 20, 2024. (Source: OPP)

Baden high school students 'can’t even focus' dealing with lack of air conditioning

Not only is it hot outside of Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School but students say it’s also hot inside the school. The air conditioning system has not been working in all areas of the Baden school.

“It’s really bad, it’s really unfortunate because we get really hot, just overheat all of the time all week,” said grade 10 student Hudson Waechter.

Students said the heat is affecting their learning.

“It’s obviously brutal. You’ll be sitting in math class trying to write a summative or an exam and you just can’t even focus because you’re wiping sweat of your face,” said grade 10 student Aiden Golden.

Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School in Baden on June 19, 2024. (CTV Kitchener/Chris Thomson)

Smash and grab robbery at Elmira jewelry store

The owners of Hartman Jewellers in Elmira woke up early Tuesday morning to a call saying their store had been robbed.

“We got a call from Waterloo Regional Police around 4:30 a.m. They said that there was glass in front of the store and that we needed to get down here,” said co-owner Stephen Meyer. “We’re about an hour and a half away, so it was a bit of a drive. But we got here and found out the front door had been smashed.”

He and his wife learned someone had broken through the front door of their business, a jewellery display case and taken some of the merchandise.

“It was mainly sterling silver stuff that was here. There was quite a few bracelets that are gone,” said Lisa Mulligan, store co-owner and Meyer’s wife. “There were also some watches gone and we’re still assessing how much.

 

 

Stephen Meyer, next to the smashed display case at Hartman Jewellers, on June 18, 2024. (Stefanie Davis/CTV Kitchener)