Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for most of the greater Kawarthas region for Saturday (December 23).
The freezing rain warning is in effect for Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
A few hours of freezing rain are likely beginning early Saturday morning and ending by late afternoon.
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Freezing rain is expected to be light, which should limit ice build-up to 2 mm at most.
For areas close to Lake Ontario, the threat of freezing rain will be less as temperatures are expected to be just above the freezing mark.
Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas. Slow down while driving in slippery conditions, particularly on untreated surfaces. Watch for taillights ahead and maintain a safe following distance.
Police have arrested and charged the homeowner of this Russell Street East home in Lindsay that was destroyed by fire on December 17, 2023, also damaging a neighbouring home and displacing a single mother and her son and their two pets. (Photo via GoFundMe)
Police have arrested and charged the owner of a Lindsay home that burned down early Sunday morning (December 17).
At around 2 a.m. last Sunday, Kawartha Lakes police and fire and rescue crews responded to a residential fire on Russell Street East in Lindsay. The fire destroyed the home and damaged a neighbouring home, displacing a single mother and her son.
Following an investigation by Kawartha Lakes police with the assistance of the Ontario Fire Marshall Office, on Friday (December 22) police arrested a 24-year-old woman who owns the home that burned down and charged her with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence (arson endangering life) and fraud over $5,000. The accused woman has been held for a bail hearing and will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay on Friday.
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Police are continuing their investigation into the fire.
The day after the fire, police had released a photo of a suspect taken by a camera within the home of a suspect pouring what appears to be gasoline onto the floor. Police have released additional photos of a person of interest purchasing a gasoline container from a local store, and are looking to identify and speak to the man.
If you are able to identify the man or have any information in relation to this incident, contact the Kawartha Lakes Police Service at 705-324-5252. If you prefer to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.khcrimestoppers.com.
Kawartha Lakes police are seeking to identify and speak with this person of interest as part of their arson investigation into a fire that destroyed a home on Russell Street East in Lindsay on December 17, 2023. (Police-supplied photos)
Earl Hugill and Agatha Rumney of Coboconk in 1923, the year before Agatha wrote a recipe for golden marmalade on the back of a menu from her husband's restaurant. Submitted by Kawartha Lakes Museum and Archives, the recipe is one of four recently added to the City of Kawartha Lakes' "Recipe Revival" project. (Photo: Kawartha Lakes Museum and Archives)
Just in time for the holidays, the City of Kawartha Lakes has released four new recipes for its “Recipe Revival” project.
Launched in August, the project intends to collect, document, and celebrate recipes that reflect the region’s cultural heritage, whether Indigenous, agricultural and industrial, or immigrant.
Kawartha Lakes residents, food enthusiasts, and history buffs can participate in the Recipe Revival project by submitting their family’s favourite recipes, along with any associated anecdotes, memories, stories, and photos.
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Joining three recipes that are already part of the project — Nana’s fudge by Fenelon Falls seasonal resident Barbara Hooey, tea biscuits from Abbott Sisters’ Recipe Book, and coleslaw from The Lady Hughes Chapter — are four new recipes, each coming with a story. “This recipe is a time machine that takes us back to the flavours of Coboconk in the 1920s,” according to a media release.
Kawartha Lakes Museum and Archives submitted a recipe for golden marmalade, written in 1924 by Coboconk’s Agatha Rumney on the back of a menu for Central Restaurant, which was run by Agatha’s husband Earl Hugill.
Laura Love shared a recipe for gingerbread from her great-grandfather Edward ‘Curtis’ Leslie from Fredericton, New Brunswick. Born in 1899, Edward worked on the family farm for more of his early life, but family lore has it he always enjoyed baking and, in the early 1940s, he ran his own bakery until his death in 1966.
Janet Cain from Bethany submitted a recipe for a Christmas cake featuring gumdrops that originally came from her grandmother-in-law. The recipe is one of four recently added to the City of Kawartha Lakes’ “Recipe Revival” project. (Photo: Janet Cain)
Janet Cain from Bethany has submitted a recipe for a light Christmas cake that originally came from her grandmother-in-law. Along with traditional ingredients like raisins and fruit, this festive cake also features gumdrops and coconut.
Finally, Rachel Kruyf from Beaverton shared a recipe for shepherd’s pie that her mother often made when Rachel was a child, telling her that finding the bay leaf in the pie would bring good luck. When making the recipe for her own family, Rachel passed on the bay leaf story, thinking it was an old wives’ tale, only to find out from her mother a few years ago that she had made up the story so Rachel wouldn’t be disgusted by the bay leaf in the pie.
“Now a family joke, the bay leaf tradition lives on, showcasing the delightful way culinary customs are born,” reads the media release.
For more information about the Recipe Revival project, to see all the current recipies, and to submit your own, visit www.kawarthalakes.ca/recipes.
With respiratory illness season upon us and mounting pressures at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), local health care organizations are asking residents to consider alternative care options in the community for non-urgent health concerns before turning to the hospital's emergency department. (Photo: Frank Gunn / Canadian Press)
‘Tis the season for holiday cheer but respiratory illness is also near, and circulating, at this time of year.
As a result, Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) and area health care partners are encouraging residents, should they get sick, to consider treatment options in the community before turning to the hospital’s emergency department for care.
“With mounting seasonal pressures being felt at PRHC, we encourage our community members to assess the urgency of their condition and consider alternative options,” stated PRHC, Peterborough Family Health Team (PFHT), and Peterborough Public Health (PPH), in a joint news release.
“If you have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, they should be contacted first with non-urgent health concerns. Your health care provider may offer same-day appointments. PFHT-affiliated physicians also offer extended-hours clinics to serve patients with non-urgent health concerns.”
For residents who don’t have a primary care provider, the health care trio points to alternatives, including regular and after-hours services offered by PFHT and other primary care providers, virtual care clinics, PRHC’s pediatric urgent care clinic, walk-in clinics, and Health 811.
More information about these options, along with tips on how to determine what type of care is appropriate, is available on the PRHC website at www.prhc.on.ca.
Meanwhile, PRHC’s emergency department is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people who need emergency care.
A pharmacist prepares to administer a shot of Comirnaty, the updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 that targets the new omicron XBB subvariant, in Orlando, Florida, on September 14, 2023. (Photo: Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel / The Associated Press)
When it comes to influenza and COVID-19, the health care providers remind residents that flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available for anyone over the age of six months old. PRHC itself does not offer these vaccines.
Community members can find more information about locations for COVID-19 and flu vaccines on the Peterborough Public Health website at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca or connect with their local pharmacy for details.
Updated every Wednesday, the index consolidates available local data for COVID-19 transmission, influenza, and influenza-like illnesses. As of December 20, the COVID-19 risk factor is considered high while the risk level for other respiratory viruses is ranked as moderate.
Health care providers ask residents to consider borrowing a CO2 monitor from the library to monitor indoor air quality to prevent the spread of respiratory infections.
“This holiday season, please stay home if you are ill to prevent spreading infections to friends and loved ones.”
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Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPRDHU) is also reminding residents in its catchment area “to be vigilant and stay up-to-date with vaccinations.”
The colder months bring increased spread of respiratory illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), HKPRDHU stated in a news release.
“The holiday season is typically when we see higher rates of respiratory illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19, and RSV,” said Dr. Natalie Bocking, HKPRDHU’s CEO and medical officer of health.
“It’s important that we continue to protect one another by using the public health precautions we are all familiar with. In doing so, we are providing our best defence against getting sick, reducing the spread of illness, and we are ensuring that critical health care services are there for those who need them most.”
COVID-19 and flu shots are accessible through participating pharmacies, primary care teams, and HKPRDHU.
The health unit said residents can book appointments by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 from Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. or they can book appointments online at ontario.ca/book-vaccine.
Charlotte Jewelers owner Levon Eginliyan gives the thumbs up after customer Margaret C. (not pictured) won a $500 Boro gift card after her Holiday Shopping Passport was drawn as the second early bird winner. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
A customer of Charlotte Jewelers is the latest winner of a $500 Boro gift card for shopping local in downtown Peterborough, as part of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) annual Holiday Shopping Passport program.
For ever $10 people spend at any of more than 140 participating downtown business, they receive a stamp in their holiday shopping passport. When a passport is filled with 20 stamps (representing $200 in spending), the completed passport is entered into a draw for three $500 early bird prizes and a $1,500 grand prize.
Margaret C.’s passport was drawn as the winner of the second Holiday Shopping Passport early bird prize last Wednesday (December 13) at the historic Pig’s Ear Tavern, which reopened this summer.
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Margaret completed her winning passport after shopping at Charlotte Jewelers at 341 George Street.
“We’re so excited to see one of our customers win,” says owner Levon Eginliyan. “So many people fill out passports at our shop during the holidays and we couldn’t be happier to see one of our customers be rewarded for supporting our downtown economy.”
Margaret can redeem her $500 Boro gift card at any of the participating businesses in downtown Peterborough.
“It feels so nice to win,” Margaret says in a media release. “When you have a thriving downtown your community feels so much stronger. I come from a small town myself and love participating in downtown events like First Friday because it also makes you feel like you are a part of something. Shopping locally really makes you feel more connected to your local community on a deeper level.”
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The winner of the remaining $500 early bird prize, which was drawn on December 20, will be announced later. The final $1,500 grand prize will be drawn on Wednesday, January 10th.
You can get a holiday shopping passport at any of the participating shops, boutiques, salons, restaurants, and cafes in downtown Peterborough. Visit theboro.ca/holiday-shopping-passport for a list of all the participating businesses.
To start off your holiday shopping passport with no purchase necessary, you can get complimentary stamps at the Peterborough Public Library at 345 Aylmer Street North, the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitors Centre at 270 George Street North, and the DBIA office at 313 Water Street.
To make it easier to shop downtown, the City of Peterborough is now offering free two-hour parking in the downtown until the end of December, courtesy of Wolfe Lawyers.
Grade 7 and 8 students from Kaawaatte East City Public School in Peterborough display the artworks they created this past fall during an outdoor art education experience at Ashburnham Memorial Park in fall 2023 led by volunteers with the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group and local artist Laurel Paluck. The students' artworks are on display in the lower level of Peterborough Museum & Archives until December 30. (Photo courtesy of the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group)
Following a walk and interpretive talk about Peterborough’s Ashburnham Memorial Park this fall, local elementary school students put their impressions on canvas to capture the varied vistas and flora and fauna of the urban forest in Peterborough.
The experience has culminated in a art exhibit at the Peterborough Museum & Archives running now through to December 30.
Called “Open Your Eyes,” the project was spearheaded by the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group (AMSG), a local volunteer-driven organization dedicated to conserving, improving, and appreciating Ashburnham Memorial Park, better known to locals as Armour Hill.
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Among other activities, the organization leads clean-ups of the park every spring and fall.
This past fall, the group partnered with Kaawaatte East City Public School — which is located within Ashburnham Memorial Park — to offer outdoor art education for students so they could learn more about the natural habitat of the park.
Volunteers with the group took 25 Grade 7 and 8 students from the school on the hike and interpretive talk about the park. Local artist and instructor Laurel Paluck then guided the students on site afterwards through art activities and the techniques of painting outdoors.
During the outdoor art education experience at Ashburnham Memorial Park, local artist and instructor Laurel Paluck of Ludmila Gallery guided the students through art activities and the techniques of painting outdoors following a walk and interpretive talk about the park provided by volunteers with the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group. (Photo courtesy of the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group)
Jane Wild, AMSG volunteer, hopes Open Your Eyes proves to be educational for the general public as it was for the students.
“Everyone loves the Armour toboggan hill, but the park offers so much more,” Wild said. “It’s an important urban forest with diverse flora and fauna, hiking trails, beautiful vistas, and an opportunity to bird watch and sky gaze. The AMSG aims to conserve, improve and foster appreciation of Peterborough’s natural resource.”
“Open Your Eyes is a project to encourage reflection on the importance of Ashburnham Memorial Park. It’s heartening to take the students outside, to react to the bounty of nature at our doorstep, to absorb the sensations of wind, light, and grasses at your feet, and to practise sketching and painting without the distractions of the classroom,” Wild explained.
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“Through this project, we hope everyone comes away with an appreciation for the importance of both nature and of art,” Wild noted.
The students’ artworks are on display in the lower level of Peterborough Museum & Archives at 300 Hunter Street East until December 30. The museum is open 9 a.m. to noon on December 22, closed December 23 through 26, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from December 27 through 29, and open from Noon to 5 p.m. on December 30.
Those interested in learning more about the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group can visit the group’s website at ashburnhamstewardship.com.
A painting by Kaawaatte East City Public School student Vivianne L. (Photo courtesy of the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group)
A home on Deerfield Crescent in Ennismore was destroyed by fire early in the morning of December 19, 2023. Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office have since found what they believe to be human remains inside the collapsed structure. (Photo: Peterborough County OPP)
Suspected human remains have been found in an Ennismore home that was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning (December 19).
At around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call about a fire at a home on Deerfield Crescent.
When officers arrived at the home, it was already fully engulfed in flames and firefighters with the Selwyn Fire Department were battling the fire.
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Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office were called in to investigate the source of the fire.
The following day, Ontario Fire Marshal investigators located what they believe to be human remains within the collapsed structure. The remains have been sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences to assist with identification.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Hamilton's legendary comedic musician and performance artist B.A. Johnston performs at the Pig's Ear Tavern in downtown Peterborough on Saturday night along with indie singer-songwriter Poor Pelly. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of Incorrect Thoughts video)
Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, December 21 to Wednesday, December 27.
If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
With 22 years of service in the Peterborough police, Jamie Hartnett has been appointed as deputy chief. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Police Services Board)
After almost 10 months without one, the Peterborough Police Service now has a new deputy chief, drawn from the ranks.
Police services board chair Mary ten Doeschate announced on Thursday (December 21) that Jamie Hartnett has been appointed to the position.
According to a media release, Hartnett joined the service in 2001 and has held positions in all ranks and divisions since that time, most recently as acting staff inspector.
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“During his recent assignment as acting staff inspector, through his leadership and initiative, deputy designate Hartnett has demonstrated to the board that he is the best choice for the role of deputy chief and will support the board and Chief Betts in an effective and collaborative way as the Peterborough Police Service continues to work towards enhancing community relationships, public safety and the modernization of our police service,” reads the release.
Peterborough had been without a deputy police chief since March 1, when previous deputy chief Tim Farquharson departed the police service to become the new chief of the Port Hope Police Service. A month earlier, Farquharson had announced he was leaving the Peterborough Police Service after 36 years.
Farquharson’s departure came less than a month after Stuart Betts took on the role of chief, replacing Scott Gilbert who had unexpectedly retired in February 2021. Farquharson had previously been serving as acting chief until Betts was hired.
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Hartnett will officially assume his new role on January 9.
“I am pleased to extend my congratulations to deputy chief designate Jamie Hartnett on his appointment, as well as my appreciation to the Peterborough Police Services Board for their continued support,” said Chief Betts in a statement.
“As a chief who is still relatively new to the organization, having joined in January 2023, the appointment of a deputy chief from within the organization will assist me to leverage organizational knowledge and history, while building a new and exciting future.”
“I have had the opportunity to work closely with deputy designate Hartnett this past year, and we will continue to work closely together to support the men and women of the Peterborough Police Service as well as the community.”
The seeds of butterfly milkweed require at least 30 days of cold stratification to germinate. Seeds can be harvested when the pods begin to split open. (Photo: Hayley Goodchild / GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Hayley Goodchild, Program Coordinator, GreenUP.
Growing native plants from seed is a great way to support biodiversity, improve your knowledge of plants, and landscape a space affordably. It’s a doable and fulfilling activity for all ages, and can be started in late fall or early winter.
The seeds of most native species require a damp winter nap before they will germinate, or begin to sprout. This process is called cold stratification. Cold stratification happens naturally when seeds get covered with leaf litter and snow.
The easiest way to propagate native plants at home is by letting nature do the work (some species, including most native grasses, don’t require stratification at all, although they may germinate better with it).
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Simply distribute collected seed on bare soil in late fall, before the ground is covered with snow. Locally, Peterborough has been experiencing thaw cycles, allowing you to try this method if the snow layer melts before January.
When sprinkled on the bare soil, any seeds that aren’t eaten by birds and other wildlife will stratify in place. You can also cover the seeds with a thin layer of leaves and hardware cloth for added protection. With this method, you don’t have control over when seedlings emerge, making it a surprise come time for planting season.
When starting plants indoors, growers must mimic the conditions that seeds would experience outside. Luckily, there are many methods of artificial stratification available.
Cold stratification is the process of exposing seeds to cold and moist conditions to kickstart germination, which is when a seed starts to sprout. Here you can see butterfly milkweed seeds in a wet towel and wrapped in a ziploc bag, labelled for a 30-day stratification in the fridge. (Photo: Hayley Goodchild / GreenUP)
One preferred method is fridge stratification. It takes up very little space and allows you to address any problems that emerge. It also allows you to get a jumpstart on the season.
To stratify native seeds in the fridge, you will need small plastic bags (old milk bags are perfect), seeds, and a medium for holding moisture. Sand, perlite, coffee filters, or paper towels all work well.
Each species has its own germination requirements. It is important to learn about the plant and look up these details for successful germination. For example, butterfly milkweed (asclepias tuberosa) only needs 30 days of cold and damp conditions to break dormancy.
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Label each bag of seeds with the species name, the source of the seed, the date, and the number of stratification days required.
If you are using a medium like sand, place a small amount into the bag, add your seeds, and spray the contents with water until the mixture is thoroughly damp.
If you are using coffee filters or paper towel, place the seeds on the paper, fold it over, and spray the paper until damp, before putting it in the bag. Fold and seal the opening to the bag and keep it in your fridge.
Butterfly milkweed seedlings grown by program coordinator Hayley Goodchild at her home in Peterborough. The seedling pictured here is less than three months old. (Photo: Hayley Goodchild / GreenUP)
Check on your seeds every couple of weeks. Add water if they look dry, just like you would with indoor plants. You’ll also want to watch for mould growth. Coffee filters are less prone to developing mould than paper towels. If mould appears, the seeds can be transferred to fresh paper towels, or sprayed with diluted hydrogen peroxide.
Once your seeds have stratified long enough, they can be transferred to pots or trays and grown under lights until all threat of frost has passed and they can be planted outside.
Take care when sourcing seed. It should be purchased from a reputable company that harvests ethically from nearby sources. If in doubt, ask about the company’s sourcing policy, and whether they carry local ecotypes from your region. Local ecotypes are plants with genetic heritage specific to a local area.
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If you are collecting seeds yourself, make sure you have permission from the property owner. Choose seeds from large well-established plant populations, and never harvest more than 10 per cent of what’s available — less if possible. Additional guidelines on responsible seed harvesting are available through the North American Native Plant Society at nanps.org/seed-collecting.
Growing native plants in the winter is a gift for the spring and summer — and it becomes easier with practice and the appropriate resources. For more information on stratifying seeds, check out Carolinian Canada’s six-part Seed Saver Training video series (see episode one below).
In 2024, GreenUP is expanding its nursery propagation work. For more information about this project, contact Hayley Goodchild, program coordinator of plant propagation operations at Ecology Park, at hayley.goodchild@greenup.on.ca or 705-745-3238 ext. 213.
VIDEO: Seed Saver Training Episode 1: Stratification and Germination
This story has been updated with edits to photo cutlines for accuracy.
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