The biggest news stories in Peterborough and the Kawarthas in 2018 included the provincial and municipal elections, the legalization of cannabis, and the closure of the General Motors plant in Oshawa. While kawarthaNOW covered these stories along with other media, as locally owned independent media, we also strive to cover local stories from across the Kawarthas that the traditional media don’t.
We’re proud to have published almost a thousand stories in 2018, including quite a few that we broke before other media. To do this, we brought on three new writers from across the Kawarthas (Amy Bowen of Peterborough, April Potter of Port Hope, and Barb Shaw of Coe Hill) in 2018, complementing our existing regular writers (Josh Fewings, Eva Fisher, Paula Kehoe, Paul Rellinger, Shannon Taylor, and Sam Tweedle, along with myself and publisher Jeannine Taylor) and several guest writers. We also maintained a monthly inventory of around 1,000 local events, thanks in large part to our events editor Angela Johnson.
In addition to breaking news and community stories, in 2018 we published five weekly columns (businessNOW, nightlifeNOW, Peterborough GreenUP, Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism news, and The Beach Report during the summer) and five monthly columns (artNOW, musicNOW, kNOSH News, our top Instagram photos, and what’s coming to Netflix).
Below we’ve selected our top 10 most popular stories for each month of 2018, with our most popular story of the year from April, when the Peterborough Humane Society adopted out 15 dogs rescued from a Korean meat farm. That story was shared more than 5,000 times on Facebook alone, reaching over 30,000 people.
January
Our most popular story in January was the news that Mike Taveroff was closing Moondance, Canada’s oldest independent record store, after 46 years. This was closely followed by the announcement that children’s musician Fred Penner was to perform a free concert in Peterborough.
Our readers also enjoyed our stories about a standoff between a red fox and a snowy owl in Cobourg, the opening of the newly renovated Peterborough Public Library, the premiere of filmmaker Lester Alfonso’s Birthmark documentary at the ReFrame Film Festival in Peterborough, and our profile on how funding from Community Futures Peterborough helped the Hard Winter Bread Company in Lakefield expand.
Other top stories in January including the news that Lindsay resident Christian Cooke had been nominated for a BAFTA award for his sound work on the film The Shape of Water, that Toronto architect Patrick Li would be creating public artwork beside the new Peterborough Public Library, the crowning of Lindsay as “Ontario’s kindest town”, and the premiere of Michael Hurcomb and Ryan Lalonde’s documentary The Radius Project about famous musicians from the Peterborough area.
February
Our top story for February was the news that “Hannibal’ actor Mads Mikkelsen was in Orono for the filming of the action thriller Polar, followed by the news that Jonathan Hall and Mike Judson would be opening a new live music venue called The Twisted Wheel in downtown Peterborough.
Other popular stories included the James Barker Band (fronted by Woodville native James Barker) being nominated for two Juno awards, the Peterborough Axe Club participating in the National Axe Throwing Championships, the launch of the 100 Women Peterborough initiative, and the announcement of a new family doctor for Apsley.
We also shared the tragic news that a fire destroyed Towns and Leahy Mercantile and Deli in Douro (which had just reopened in 2017 in the 125-year-old PG Towns and Sons General Store building), three local Rotary Clubs raised more than $20,000 at the Polar Plunge, renovations at the historic Academy Theatre in Lindsay, and Kawarthas musicians participating in the CBC Searchlight competition.
March
Our most popular story in March was the opening of Peterborough microbrewery Beard Free Brewing, followed by a new public art project in Millennium Park to acknowledge Nogojiwanong as the original name of Peterborough.
Other popular stories included the news that Hydro One was pulling out of the Peterborough Distribution Inc. sale (this was short-lived; the $105 million sale went ahead later in the year), our remembrance of Buckhorn Observatory founder and enthusiastic astronomer and educator John Crossen, the news that Entomo Farms in Norwood was supplying its cricket powder to Loblaw stores, and the official renaming of Trent’s School for Indigenous Studies in honour of Chanie Wenjack.
Topping our most popular stories in March were an anonymous donation of $50,000 for Peterborough GreenUp’s redevelopment of Ecology Park, the news that ReFrame Film Festival founder Krista English was moving on, the rescue and relocation of more than 800 fish as part of the Millbrook Dam Reconstruction project, and the James Barker Band winning the Juno for Country Album of the Year.
April
Our top story for April (and for all of 2018) was the news that 15 dogs rescued from a Korean meat farm were coming to Peterborough for adoption to their forever homes. That story was shared more than 5,000 times on Facebook alone, reaching over 30,000 people. Also very popular among our readers in April was our profile of Kawartha Kangaroos, a private reserve for kangaroos south of Millbrook (hint: we published this story on April 1st).
We also shared a story about the plans of Lindsay natives Dennis Carmichael and Brooks Robinson to pay it forward with 21 shows in 21 days for 21 charities (which they did), the news that a Hastings County man was charged following a fire that took out communication services in the Bancroft area, a profile of well-known Peterborough musician Lindsay Barr performing as Janis Joplin in a musical revue and then as Captain Hook in the St. James Players family production of Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, and a profile of the new and expanded S.O.S. fashion store in downtown Peterborough.
Also popular in April was our feature story on drive-in movie theatres in the Kawarthas, a police report of three overdose deaths in Peterborough in two days, our news that local filmmaker Jeremy Kelly’s work would be featured on Velocity and reach a potential audience of 70 million, and a group of local moms known as the PRHC Foundation Mombassadors raising funds for an electronic fetal monitor at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
May
Our most popular story this month was a photo tour of Peterborough’s first adult outdoor gym in Beavermead Park prior to its official opening, closely followed by the news that dental clinic patients may have been exposed to hepatitis and HIV at Lakeland Clinic in Lindsay.
Readers were also interested in our story about 150 jobs being available at the new Shorelines Casino Peterborough, our profile of how the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program helps to break gender stereotypes in the skilled trades for Ontario high school students, a turtle “yarn bomb” in Bancroft raising awareness for the local turtle population in advance of World Turtle Day, and a fuel oil spill in the southern section of Balsam Lake.
Rounding out our top stories in May was the news that seven vendors were evicted from the Peterborough farmers’ market at Morrow Park, the arrival of two World War II bombers at the Peterborough Airport in the summer of 2018, the finalists for the inaugural Peterborough Arts Awards, and the announcement that Peterborough Regional Farmers Network would be launching a new farmer’s market in June (including the seven vendors evicted from the Morrow Park market).
June
For June, our most popular story was the news that the production company for the IT sequel was hosting a job fair in Port Hope, followed by the announcement that a free trolley service was coming to downtown Peterborough for the 2018 Peterborough Musicfest season.
Other popular stories included the announcement that Coca-Cola Canada was investing $85 million in a new Peterborough facility to produce lactose-free milk products, a Belleville mom’s Facebook post about public shaming of her autistic son by another visitor to the Peterborough Zoo (the zoo has since made it up to her and her son), the passing of Don Skuce (longtime guitar guru and retired Ed’s Music Workshop owner), and Peterborough trio The Spades reuniting for the 2018 Peterborough Folk Festival.
Readers were also interested in the news that Bridgenorth barber Adriano Ferreri fulfilling his dream to make a feature film with the premiere of thriller E.M.P. 333 Days, our profile of the Peterborough and Area Garden Route, Michael VanDerHerberg receiving Fleming College’s Alumni of Distinction Award, and thieves stealing equipment from Peterborough Challenger Baseball team for kids with special needs.
July
Our top story for July was the sad news of the passing of veteran Peterborough musician Buzz Thompson, who had performed with Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks and many more. Our next most popular story featured photos of a water bomber scooping water from Balsam Lake in the City of Kawartha Lakes to fight a nearby fire.
Also popular was our profile of the annual Ladies’ Night in downtown Millbrook, the announcement of the Ford government scrapping the basic income pilot project (with Lindsay being one of the participating cities), our profile of the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, and our ultimate Peterborough & the Kawarthas summer bucket list featuring 11 things to try in July.
Rounding out our top stories in July was Expedia.ca naming Peterborough as one of 21 most active cities in Canada (featuring a photo from kawarthaNOW’s Instagram account), our story about the new controversial play Who Killed Snow White? at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook about cyberbullying and harassment, the move of The Theatre on King to its new location at 171 King Street, and Art for Awareness’ One Earth outdoor performance at Rotary Park in Peterborough.
August
Our top story in August was a health unit report that a local woman had been bitten by a rabid bat, followed by the tragic news of a 73-year-old Peterborough man charged with murder after shooting his wife to death in the Home Depot parking lot.
Other popular stories in August included the reunion of veteran local musicians Washboard Hank and Reverend Ken, the return of the annual outdoor family movie in Peterborough’s East City, our profile of the popular new Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market, and our review of 4th Line Theatre’s ground-breaking new play Who Killed Snow White?.
Readers also enjoyed the second installment of our ultimate Peterborough & the Kawarthas summer bucket list (featuring 11 things to try in August), the news that the popular Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market would run through the winter, our profile of the Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron, and the helicopter rescue of an injured camper at Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.
September
Our top two stories in September were a Peterborough resident who dressed up as a dinosaur in downtown Peterborough with the goal of starting a “fun is freedom” collective, followed by the announcement of a benefit concert in Peterborough for a five-year-old boy undergoing brain surgery.
Other popular stories included the third installment of our ultimate Peterborough & the Kawarthas bucket list (with 11 things to try in the fall), our profile of Kim Winter of K.M. Winter Jewellery Studio in Peterborough (one of 25 profiles we published of selected members of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough), our story about Showplace Performance Centre’s salute to the iconic Swedish band ABBA, and our profile of Peterborough & the Kawarthas as Ontario’s “clean technology” capital.
Rounding out our most popular stories this month was our pot primer in advance of the legalization of cannabis in October, our story about the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha’s canoe trip for First Nations and non-native youth, the news of the passing of former Peterborough politician Peter Adams, and our feature story about the impact of the filming of the IT sequel on downtown Port Hope merchants.
October
Not surprisingly, our top story for October was the election of Diane Therrien as the Mayor of Peterborough, followed by our story about the 50 women who were honoured at MP Maryam Monsef’s inaugural Peterborough-Kawartha Women’s Leadership Awards.
Our readers also enjoyed our story on Canada’s biggest jack-o’-lantern in the City of Kawartha Lakes, our preview of the St. James Players’ production of Shrek: The Musical, our story on the Monarch Ultra project (an epic 4,200-kilometre run from Peterborough to Mexico to raise awareness of threatened monarch butterfly), and the announcement of the official opening of Shorelines Casino Peterborough.
Other top stories in October included the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha funding the purchase of training of police dog Isaac for the Peterborough Police Service’s canine unit, Peterborough actress Kelaiah Guiel appearing in the lead role in a video promoting digital mental health services in Ontario, the closure of The Dobro in downtown Peterborough, and Peterborough native Kathryn Durst illustrating Sir Paul McCartney’s new children’s book.
November
Our most popular story in November was the creation of Canada’s largest hand-crafted poppy in Bancroft for Remembrance Day, closely following by our feature story on Peterborough sightings of the “coywolf”, a made-in-Ontario coyote-wolf hybrid.
Also very popular in November were our stories on the spectacular green roof of new Canadian Canoe Museum (to be named in honour of the Dalglish family who donated $1.2 million to the new facility), the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha’s Christmas auction to raise funds for police dog Isaac (the newest member of the Peterborough Police Service’s canine unit), our profile of 98-year-old World War II veteran Joseph Sullivan, and our story on the winter location of the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market.
Rounding out our top stories in November were our review of the St. James Players family-friendly production of Shrek: The Musical, the announcement that Peterborough activist Rosemary Ganley would receive the 2018 YMCA Peace Medal, our story that Peterborough musician Rick Young has again been treated for cancer (he’s now cancer free), and our feature interview with Peterborough’s new mayor Diane Therrien.
December
The year drew to a close with our top story being the tragic news of an elderly couple who died late on Christmas Day when their snowmobiles entered the water of Jack Lake near Apsley.
Our next two most popular stories included 19-year-old Lasair Wood becoming the new owner of Food Forest Cafe in downtown Peterborough, and our feature on Kawartha Land Trust entering into an agreement to protect a 44-acre property containing the oldest trees in Kawartha Lakes.
Our story on the creation of a new 669-acre wildlife preserve with public trails near Coboconk (protected again by Kawartha Land Trust thanks to the donation of the property by David and Sharon Cation) was also very popular with our readers. Other popular stories included Peterborough native Carley Smale writing a new Christmas movie, Mike’s Tattoo moving to the former Nutty Chocolatier location on George Street in downtown Peterborough, and the announcement that the Canadian Forces Snowbirds are coming to Peterborough Airport next September.
Rounding out our top stories in December was a health unit warning after raw sewage was released into the Scugog River in Lindsay, an Apsley resident winning $400,000 in a lottery, a new mural in Omemee paying tribute to native son Neil Young, and Serena Ryder’s new video for the Ontario SPCA featuring several Kawarthas area pooches and their owners.
