by Edith Cody-Rice
When my husband, Val Sears, and I built our home in Almonte in 2007–08, Val —retired from the Toronto Star — decided he would create a press club in our new community.
In 2010 he placed a small notice in the EMC. A handful of former journalists, would‑be reporters, artists, and photographers turned up at the Iron Works (now the Barley Mow) for an informal gathering. There was no agenda at first, but before long we realized that what our town truly needed was an online newspaper. Mississippi Mills had been left without meaningful media coverage, especially after the Almonte Gazette closed a few years earlier.
After tossing around ideas, we settled on the name The Millstone, a nod to the many historic mills that shaped Almonte. The founding group included Val Sears, Noreen Young, Bruce Kingsley, Trish Dyer, John Fowler, Sam Cooley, and me.
On June 11, 2011, just days before my retirement from CBC, I sat at my computer and produced the very first edition of The Millstone as a simple blog on the website I had originally used to document the construction of our house. CBC journalist Don Newman, a close friend, welcomed us into the world of newspapers, and Val wrote our inaugural editorial.
We never advertised. Growth came entirely through word of mouth. Our goal was to publish stories that mattered to the people of Mississippi Mills — whether or not they were written by locals. Subscriptions were and still are free, and advertising was and remains free as well. That principle has always been central to our public‑service mission.
Gradually, volunteer contributors began to join us: : Trish Dyer, an experienced investigative reporter with her series on Enerdu, Bill Chapman with his By The Way column of musings, Neil Carleton with his superb contributions about local trees called Shady Characters, Theresa Peluso with her deeply researched environmental articles and later her reporting on Council, professional chef Gay Cook on food, and former CBC executive Diana Filer with Diana’s Weekly Quiz. And photographer John Fowler contributed photos of events.
In July 2012, Erica Eades — an Almonte native and recent Dalhousie journalism graduate — joined us to write a series on local bed and breakfasts. Soon after, her father, Brent Eades, an accomplished web designer, invited me for coffee at Palms (now North Market) and offered his help. And then — KABOOM! Within days, The Millstone had migrated to WordPress, the platform used by major newspapers. Overnight, the site looked fully professional, and our readership soared.
Over the years, many talented columnists have enriched our pages: • Former Mississippi Mills Chief Librarian Peter Nelson on his global travels • Pat Browne on astronomy • Barbara van Haute on international politics — one of her columns about the former Greek Ambassador even caused a stir in Europe • Arnie Francis profiling local residents • David Hinks on gardening • Sommeliers Mark Cochrane and Don Cook on wine • Susan Hanna on allergy‑friendly recipes • Cheryl Baxter on birds • Bruce and Carolyn Waddell on nature • And most recently, the delightful and dry‑witted storyteller Richard van Duyvendyk
Brent has overseen the technical side from 2012, and in 2015 he took over posting duties and became editor‑in‑chief and continues to contribute articles and his excellent photography. I remain publisher and contributing editor. And Elisabeth de Snaijer joined us a few years ago to oversee our finances.
Our readership has continued to grow steadily. As of this month:
- Average monthly website visits: 12,500
- Daily email digest subscribers: 1,998
Everyone involved — writers, photographers, contributors, the editor‑in‑chief, and the publisher — is a volunteer. The Millstone is a citizen‑driven newspaper, relying on local residents for story tips, community updates, and donations to keep the site running.
And now, 15 years later, we are still publishing every day and remain deeply grateful for the chance to serve this remarkable community. To the residents of Mississippi Mills — and to former residents who follow us from around the world — thank you. Your support is the reason we are here.
