If there’s one theme that seems to permeate this week’s edition of the newspaper, it’s safety. For better or worse, there’s was an abundance of unfortunate and sad news to report to you, our readers, this week. But such is the job; if we had it our way, weeks like this would be few and far between.
News of the coyote attack has certainly gotten people talking, nobody more than the pet owners who are accustomed to letting their dogs out for a quick bathroom break or their cats to explore the neighbourhood at night. But the warning from the Ministry of Natural Resources couldn’t be any more clear: If you live in the area coyotes have been spotted and choose to let your pet out unsupervised, it might be the last time you see it.
As there’s likely a coyote within the town’s boundaries – or maybe many more, as some believe – residents should take the necessary steps to ensure their pets don’t come to an early demise. That’s not to say, however, that people should be afraid and keep their pets locked up inside. Coyotes have, after all, lived in and around St. Marys for many years, and last week’s attack was the first reported in, well, as long as we can remember. It’s unfortunate timing, given that the town is preparing to open its much-anticipated dog park hopefully by the end of this week. Take your dogs there and enjoy it – but remain cognizant.
The assault of a local man which occurred on the eve of Canada Day is more evidence of just how quickly one of these parties can get out of hand – how despite the best intentions of those who organized the post-prom bash, they never had control of it in the first place. What can start with as a relatively small (or respectful) crowd can quickly change when a friend of a friend of a friend decides to show up.
It’s impossible to avoid in today’s world of Facebook and Twitter. What once took a face-to-face or over-the-phone invite now requires nothing more than a few clicks on the keyboard and all of a sudden hundreds of people are instantly aware of the location of that night’s fun. It’s actually quite scary, and one man sits at home today recovering very aware of that fact.
Damage from an early morning fire last week at Stonetown Foodland appears to be minimal, though we’re yet to hear an estimate on the damage. Through the fire was reportedly small, damage would have surely been far worse if not for the sprinkler system which helped to suppress the flames until firefighters arrived.  
It hasn’t been the most pleasant week for news, but it could have easily been far worse. Let’s hope it serves as reminder that while we should all have some fun the remainder of the summer, it’s most important we keep safe while doing so.