From planting trees on their property to volunteering at a local environmental event, Otonabee Conservation is recognizing Peterborough residents, groups, and businesses who’ve made positive contributions to the planet.

For the first time since before the pandemic, Otonabee Conservation recently held in person its annual general meeting. Watershed residents, supporters, donors, staff, and members of the board of directors gathered at Riverview Park and Zoo’s Rotary Education Centre in Peterborough to celebrate Otonabee Conservation’s accomplishments in 2023.

Recognizing area residents, organizations, and businesses whose actions are having a meaningful impact on the environment was also on the agenda, with Otonabee Conservation presenting its annual environmental excellence awards.

“The environmental excellence awards recognize people and groups in order to celebrate positive actions throughout the watershed,” Karen Halley, manager of communications, outreach and special projects for Otonabee Conservation, told kawarthaNOW.

“We highlight projects that protect and promote a healthy watershed, demonstrate environmental work done by people and organizations, showcase leadership in environmental excellence in the community, and that inspire people to take environmental action. We can do more together, and so honouring and celebrating our partnerships and individual conservation actions in the watershed is important to us and helps to inspire others to do the same,” Halley said.

There are many opportunities for people, groups, and businesses to take part in conservation efforts in their communities at any time, she noted.

“People can plant trees either on their property or at one of our volunteer events,” Halley added. “They can get involved in one of the many environmental organizations in the Peterborough area and throughout the watershed — many of which we also work with and highlight through the environmental excellence awards. And, people can also utilize many of our online resources and educational materials that help families and residents get out into nature.”

Also during the meeting, Otonabee Conservation’s new chair and vice chair — deputy mayor Michael Metcalf from the Municipality of Trent Hills and councillor Kevin Duguay from the City of Peterborough — were appointed.

“I look forward to working together with the board and staff in 2024, to address issues and challenges across the Otonabee region watershed,” Metcalf stated in a media release.

Each year at its annual general meeting, Otonabee Conservation honours four watershed champions. Otonabee Conservation has been presenting its environmental excellence awards since 2015, with this year’s recipients listed below.

Cathy Dueck received the individual conservationist award. This award recognizes outstanding people who have undertaken projects, demonstrated leadership, and inspired others to create a healthier watershed.

The Peterborough Humane Society received the environmental stewardship award. This award recognizes community or organized groups that have successfully undertaken projects that contribute to a healthier watershed.

Brad Appleby from the City of Peterborough received the conservation partnership award. The award recognizes a municipal partner or agency who/that has made a significant, positive contribution to furthering the objectives of Otonabee Conservation in one or more areas of the authority’s operations.

Nefab Inc. in Peterborough received the business award. This award recognizes a business that has made a significant contribution to projects or programs at Otonabee Conservation, advancing its vision of a healthy watershed.

More details about the awards and the winners are available on Otonabee Conservation’s website at www.otonabeeconservation.com.

Chris Collins has formally stepped down from Port Hope council to take on a new job as a justice of the peace effective Monday (January 29).

He was one of 45 new justices of the peace appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice by the provincial government on Friday.

Collins can no longer serve as a municipal councillor since, under the Justice of the Peace Act, a justice of the peace must cease other employment and refrain from any political activity upon appointment.

Collins was elected to Port Hope council for the first time in October 2022 as one of two Ward 2 councillors representing residents in the rural area of the Municipality of Port Hope, and was the chair of the protective services portfolio.

Prior to his election, Collins was a manager of training and standards at York University and a professor at Centennial College, where he was recognized as a subject matter expert in criminal law, provincial statutes, and emergency management. He was also previously an operations manager of nuclear security at Ontario Power Generation, served with the Canadian Armed Forces, and was an acting inspector with Halton Regional Police. He has a masters law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a masters in emergency management from Walden University.

There are over 325 justices of the peace in Ontario who perform judicial responsibilities. Both provincial court judges and justices of the peace compose the Ontario Court of Justice, one of Ontario’s two trial courts. In matters of criminal law, justices of the peace preside over virtually all bail hearings in the province and the majority of criminal remand courts as well as other criminal hearings, among other duties. They also exercise jurisdiction over most provincial regulatory offences and municipal by-law prosecutions.

Collins has been assigned to the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay.

“On behalf of all members of council, I offer heartfelt congratulations to Chris on his appointment to the Ontario Court of Justice as a Justice of the Peace,” said Port Hope mayor Olena Hankivsky in a media release. “It has been a pleasure working alongside Chris over the last year and we wish him the very best as he takes on this incredible new opportunity. Council will begin the process of filling the vacant council seat and more information about that process will be available in the coming weeks.”

In accordance with the Municipal Act, council is required to declare a resigned seat vacant at its next meeting and then has 60 days after to either appoint a person to fill the vacancy or to pass a by-law declaring a by-election. Council will declare Collins’ seat vacant at their next regular meeting on February 13 and a report will be brought forward at a future meeting to consider an appointment or a by-election.

A lawyer and a realtor are joining the Northumberland County Housing Corporation’s (NCHC) board of directors.

Northumberland County council approved during a recent meeting the appointment of Maryam Mohajer-Ashjai and Jacqueline Pennington to fill citizen vacancies on the NCHC board.

Board members are tasked with overseeing operations related to the housing corporation’s portfolio of more than 373 rent-geared-to-income and affordable rental units in Northumberland County.

“We know that we have a housing crisis from coast to coast and we’re no different here in Northumberland,” Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander told kawarthaNOW.

“Appointing talented citizens to a skills-based board is essential to the success of the county’s housing authority, the NCHC. I’m grateful for those who have volunteered to sit on this board to bring their legal, financial, construction, development, real estate, policy-making, and affordable-rental skills to the table. With this board I know that we have set the NCHC up for success,” the warden said.

Mohajer-Ashjai has been practising law in Ontario since 2002. She started her career on Bay Street and is the founder of the Toronto-based law firm Mohajer Jung LLP. Her practice currently focuses on real estate, property development, condominium, and corporate law. Mohajer-Ashjai is also an owner and director of numerous development and construction projects in Northumberland and in the greater Toronto area.

The second new board member, Pennington, is a realtor and a landlord. She brings to her role “a unique skillset and experience in working with tenants and understanding relevant legislation,” the county noted. Pennington and her family live in Grafton. Recently, alongside her family, she chaired Habitat for Humanity Northumberland’s first capital campaign, raising money for Habitat’s Baltimore build project.

“After rigorous review of applications received in fall 2023, these two individuals were selected from a highly competitive group of well-qualified candidates,” said Victor Fiume, chair of the NCHC board of directors, in a media release.

“On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Mohajer-Ashjai and Ms. Pennington. With an ambitious year of expanded programming and new affordable housing builds ahead of us, we look forward to working with these new members, as well as county council, staff, and our community partners to build brighter futures for Northumberland residents.”

The NCHC board of directors is comprised of two county council representatives, the county’s chief administrative officer, and nine citizen directors. The board is responsible for overseeing the NCHC budget, upholding corporate bylaws, agreements and reports, and leading long-range strategic planning for the organization.

During the January 24 meeting, council also appointed Northumberland County Councillor Mandy Martin to the NCHC board, filling the seat left by Ostrander as he takes on new duties as county warden. Councillor John Logel remains on the board as the second representative of county council.

For more information about the Northumberland County Housing Corporation, visit northumberland.ca/nchc.

Police have arrested and charged two women in connection with the November 2022 death of a 76-year-old man in Trent Lakes.

On November 4, 2022, Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to the sudden death of a man on a rental property in the Municipality of Trent Lakes. The dead man was identified as John Fever, 76, of Peterborough County.

An investigation into Fever’s death is being conducted by the Peterborough County OPP Crime Unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with assistance from OPP Forensic Identification Services and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.

As a result of the investigation, the Peterborough County OPP Crime Unit has made two arrests. Last Thursday (January 18), police arrested and charged 62-year-old Heather Connolly of Curve Lake with causing death by criminal negligence and failing to provide the necessaries of life. The following Thursday (January 25), police arrested 72-year-old Brenda Booth of Curve Lake on the same two charges.

Both accused women were held in custody for bail and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on a later date.

The police investigation into Fever’s death continues. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Peterborough County OPP at 705-742-0401 or the OPP non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122. Information can also be provided anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers Peterborough & Northumberland at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or stopcrimehere.ca.

Melodie McCullough has grown to think of a Kurdish-Syrian family she helped settle in Peterborough as members of her own family.

The Almohamads — a mother, father, and four children — came to the city almost seven years ago. McCullough became acquainted with them as she was part of the family’s support group organized by the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough.

Upon learning that the Almohamads’ relatives living in Lebanon are in danger, McCullough and other members of the Peterborough Kurdish Refugee Support group are trying to bring them to Canada.

The Peterborough resident, along with fellow residents Mary and Terry Ward, have formed the group to privately sponsor the family through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

But they need help. The group is currently raising money and reaching out to the Peterborough community for donations.

“Before we can apply for sponsorship, we need to raise $32,000 which will show the Canadian government we will be able to support the family during the first year they are here,” McCullough noted.

She said it’s a priority to bring this specific family to Peterborough because of its current unsafe circumstances. Farhan Almohamad, who is the father of the Peterborough family, is worried for his sister, her husband, her 12-year-old son and 11-year-old twin boys, who are currently living as refugees in Lebanon.

“It’s important because they are in serious danger right now where they are living,” McCullough explained. “Before the Israel-Hamas war, there was concern about them being sent back to Syria, so they were hiding in a basement. The war and the bombing have upped the danger.”

Recently, one of the children was in a store near their home at the time a bomb went off in it. There were no injuries, just damage, but it was a “very frightening” experience for an 11-year-old child.

The group has made considerable headway in terms of donations but still needs to raise approximately $10,000.

“As soon as we raise the money, we can send in the government forms and start the sponsorship process, so our timeline is as soon as possible,” McCullough said.

She added the best thing that could happen as a result of the effort would be welcoming the family to the city.

“The absolute best thing would be to see this family land at Toronto Pearson Airport, to hold them close to us, and bring them home to Peterborough to start their new life.”

Their cousins — the Almohamads’ children — who are about the same age, are looking forward to introducing the boys to life in Canada, McCullough noted.

Meanwhile, the Almohamads have become part of McCullough’s own family.

“We spend many days together. We have watched their children grow into responsible, kind, and loving citizens of our city who excel at school, sports, and volunteer work,” she said.

“We have also welcomed two new children to their family. I love them all very much and consider the children to be my grandchildren. They have enriched our lives beyond measure.”

With Farhan Almohamad’s sister and her family living in southern Lebanon, bombs from Israel are falling close by in interaction with Hezbollah fighters — part of the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war.

“The family is sheltering as best they can,” McCullough said. “They do not have money to move further away.”

Adding to the risk, the Lebanese government has also begun deporting Syrians back to Syria. If the family is sent back, the father would very likely be tortured or killed, McCullough said.

On Sunday, January 28, the film Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story, about a group of Kurdish refugees in Sweden who defy all odds to climb the ranks of Sweden’s soccer leagues in hopes of becoming champions, is being shown at the ReFrame Film Festival at 12:30 p.m. at Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough. McCullough’s group will have an information table in the foyer to accept donations in person.

For more information and to make a donation online, visit the GoFundMe campaign at gofundme.com/f/skn687-help-reunite-this-family.

Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for much of the northern Kawarthas region for late overnight or early morning Friday (January 26) and ending in the afternoon.

The freezing rain warning is in effect for northern Peterborough County, southern Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands

A special weather statement for possible freezing rain is in effect for northern Kawartha Lakes, southern Peterborough County, and eastern Northumberland County. A special weather statement for heavy rainfall is in effect for western Northumberland County

In the northern Kawarthas region, another significant episode of freezing rain is expected Friday, similar to the one experienced Wednesday and Wednesday night. Several hours of freezing rain are expected, with ice build-up of 5 to 10 mm. Some locations may see a changeover to rain Friday if temperatures rise above the freezing mark.

Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas. Ice build-up may cause tree branches to break. Utility outages may occur.

In much of the southern Kawarthas region, rain is expected to move into the area overnight on Friday. There is a threat of freezing rain, particularly inland from Lake Ontario, as temperatures will be very near the freezing mark. Any freezing rain should change to rain as temperatures rise above the freezing mark.

In western Northumberland County, 15 to 25 mm of rain is expected, with locally higher amounts possible. Localized flooding may occur in areas of poor drainage. The frozen ground will have a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.

This story has been updated with the latest forecast from Environment Canada.

Just two months shy of its launch date, a nationwide, three-digit suicide crisis helpline service is being used by those living in the 705 area code.

And the number of people dialing 9-8-8 locally is on the rise, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR).

In November 2023, the CMHA welcomed the creation of the free, confidential 9-8-8 National Suicide Crisis Helpline, which is accessible 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Anyone in Canada can call or text 9-8-8 if they are thinking about suicide or are worried about someone who is suicidal.

The call is answered by responders who are as close to home as possible, CMHA noted. Ten CMHAs, six of which are in Ontario, are part of a network of roughly 40 partners answering the national crisis line. CMHA HKPR is one of those partners.

Tracy Graham, director of programs and services at CMHA HKPR, said CMHA HKPR received 504 calls as a 9-8-8 network service provider from November 30, 2023 – the go-live date – through to December 31, 2023.

Of those calls, 84 per cent were from people who reside within the 705 area code, she noted.

“The volume of calls to 9-8-8 locally continues to increase,” Graham told kawarthaNOW. “CMHA HKPR will be onboarding text capacity to increase the range of 9-8-8 services at a local level and regional level.”

Every day in Canada, an average of 12 people die by suicide, the CMHA noted. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 34.

“Research shows that suicides are preventable, and that telephone crisis services, and online counselling can help save lives,” the CMHA states on its website.

“We see people in our communities struggling every day,” stated Margaret Eaton, CMHA National CEO, in a media release.

“The 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is an important step towards addressing Canada’s mental health crisis and creating a country where mental health is a universal human right.”

The CMHA said 9-8-8 provides:

• A number that is easy to remember in a crisis
• Bilingual support, available 24/7/365 by phone and text
• Quick access to support from trained responders
• High quality, evidence-based, equitable suicide prevention and crisis support for everyone in Canada.

9-8-8 is a national helpline, but individuals calling from a local area code in Peterborough, Haliburton, Northumberland, or Kawartha Lakes will be routed to local call takers at the CMHA HKPR call centre in downtown Peterborough.

Residents can visit 988.ca to learn more about the crisis helpline.