Peterborough Police Service community engagement and development coordinator Emily Jones addressing Peterborough City Council on December 12, 2022 about the plans of a coalition of community agencies including the police service to operate a drop-in centre for homeless people during the winter. City council has voted twice against a motion to provide $100,000 funding for the drop-in centre. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
Despite a lack of financial support from the City of Peterborough, a coalition of community agencies is planning to go ahead with an emergency winter response to Peterborough’s homelessness crisis.
More details are expected to be announced next week but, according to Peterborough Police Service community engagement and development coordinator Emily Jones, a partnership involving the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Fourcast, One City Peterborough, the United Way of Peterborough and District, and the police service is working toward soon opening an overnight drop-in centre for unhoused people, most likely at the former Trinity United Church on Reid Street.
That collaboration gained traction earlier this week following Peterborough city council’s second denial of Town Ward councillor Alex Bierk’s call for $100,000 to support the operation of the overnight drop-in centre. Jones was among those who addressed council before the vote.
Advertisement - content continues below
The organizations involved are committing $200,000 for the operation of the drop-in centre at a building now owned by the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network.
According to Jones, a chunk of that money — $130,000 — will come from an earlier-provided federal grant managed by the police service for the operation of the Mobile Support Overdose Resource Team (MSORT).
As for the logistics involved with establishing and opening the drop-in centre, including staffing, One City Peterborough is taking the lead. The organization is hiring a coordinator for a winter overnight drop-in program as well as overnight drop-in workers.
Jones told kawarthaNOW on Wednesday (December 14) that all involved “are working very diligently” to get the drop-in centre set up and open as soon as possible.
“The biggest barrier will be getting people in place to do the job,” she said, admitting “It’s going to be a bumpier road” without the funding that was requested of the city.
“Without that $100,000, we’re not going to be able to run it as long. In reality, the funding that we have will probably keep it open for maybe two months. We would have liked to have some extra funds to keep it going longer. Ultimately, we’ll continue to look for funding.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Approached for comment, both United Way CEO Jim Russell and One City Peterborough co-executive director Christian Harvey declined, noting more details of the plan will be revealed at some point next week.
In the meantime, Jones is heartened by the collaborative spirit that is fuelling the initiative.
“I often hear from various members of the community that our non-profits don’t work well together and we’re all in our silos,” she said. “I have seen nothing but the opposite. It’s just so inspiring.”
“There are, of course, disagreements between non-profits, but we come together especially when there’s grant proposals (involved). I’m not going to make a grant proposal without talking to every single partner I have. We’re not competing. We’re working together.”
This is a developing story. kawarthaNOW will publish more details as they’re made available.
Karen Scott (left) celebrates her win of a $500 Boro gift card as well as a Peterborough Musicfest Diner's Book with Avant-Garden Shop customer service representative Marissa Dunk. Scott won the second early bird draw of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) annual Holiday Shopping Passport program. She completed her winning passport at the Avant-Garden Shop at 165 Sherbrooke Street in downtown Peterborough, where she purchased some Christmas presents for her family and garden supplies. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Karen Scott has won 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 150 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.
Scott’s passport was drawn as the winner of the second Holiday Shopping Passport early bird prize on Wednesday (December 14) at Poco Burro, a new Mexican grill located at 343 George Street in downtown Peterborough. The first early bird prize was won by Heather Adey on December 7.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Scott completed her winning passport at the Avant-Garden Shop at 165 Sherbrooke Street in downtown Peterborough, where she purchased some Christmas presents for her family and garden supplies during a customer appreciation event on November 22. She was presented her $500 Boro gift card prize by Avant-Garden’s customer service representative Marissa Dunk on December 14.
“Growing up in Peterborough, downtown was my favourite place to shop and explore,” Scott says in a media release. “Supporting downtown really helps our local economy. What a delightful surprise to win the early bird draw. I am excited to shop the many charming stores located in the heart of our city with my Boro gift card.”
New this year, passport winners will also receive a Peterborough Musicfest Diner’s Book alongside their Boro gift card. The Musicfest Diner’s Book is filled with coupons valued at $600 in savings at local restaurants, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going directly towards musician fees for the summer outdoor music festival.
Advertisement - content continues below
The final $500 early bird prize will be drawn on Wednesday, December 21st, with the $1,500 grand prize to be drawn on Wednesday, January 11th.
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-season/ 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 and the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitors Centre at 270 George Street North.
Downtown businesses will also be hosting late night shopping events over the next two Thursdays (December 15 and 22), providing double stamps for passport holders and free gift wrapping from 5 to 8 p.m.
The City of Peterborough is now offering free two-hour parking in the downtown until the end of December, courtesy of Wolfe Lawyers.
Trails and paths at Ecology Park in Peterborough were made inaccessible for persons using mobility devices due to fallen trees and branches from the May 2022 derecho storm. Climate change can induce extreme weather events more frequently, disproportionately affecting the day-to-day lives of the 22 per cent of Canadians who live with a disability. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
“The climate crisis is a disabling event, and not only disables new people, but is continuously disabling for people who are already disabled.” – Daphne Frias, 24-year-old New York-based climate change environmental and disability advocate.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment.
This week’s column is by Emily McPhail, Digital Communications Specialist with Kawartha World Issues Centre, and Lili Paradi, Communications Manager with GreenUP.
Saturday, December 3rd was International Day for Persons with Disabilities. This day recognizes that 22 per cent of Canadians live with a disability. Although this day has passed, it is important to recognize that people with disabilities navigate accessibility barriers year-round.
Daphne Frias, quoted above, is a woman with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair to move around. Frias speaks from her lived experience of seeing how minority communities are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Climate change can induce extreme weather events more frequently, like storms and extreme heat. It is a phenomenon that can disproportionately impact the day-to-day lives of persons who move through cities and landscapes needing extra support, resources, or tools.
In a past GreenUP article, the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) introduced ‘Stump Stories’ as an ongoing story-telling initiative that began in the aftermath of the May 2022 derecho storm. This initiative holds space for the ecological grief experienced by Peterborough/ Nogojiwanong community members.
In calling for Stump Stories, KWIC invited community members to share their grief and helplessness at having lost natural elements that had meaning and impact on their lives.
However, not everyone experienced the storm the same way. In this Stump Stories, we highlight voices from the community who experienced additional challenges to navigating our city as a result of the May storm.
John McNutt is the executive director of the Council for Persons with Disabilities in Peterborough (CPDP) and faces obstacles many able-bodied people do not experience. McNutt is an amputee who uses a prosthetic leg. He takes his prosthetic leg off often; otherwise, he feels a lot of pain.
In a recent event in Peterborough’s Market Plaza, GreenUP staff and the public were able to experience what it is like to transit around a parking lot using a wheelchair, ear-defenders, and goggles that block your sight, and understand the barriers that persons with disabilities face when in the natural and built environment. (Photo: Lili Paradi / GreenUP).
The night of the May derecho storm, McNutt got up to use the bathroom. The power outage had created a dark environment, and he stumbled when trying to get his prosthetic leg on so he could make his way to the other room. McNutt now advocates for equity, inclusion, and respect for all persons with disabilities through his work at CPDP.
Community members in similar situations may have felt similar, or increased discomfort, and must continuously adapt their lifestyles to work around unexpected and unavoidable obstacles.
Since becoming a wheelchair user, local disability advocate Brian Christoph says he pays more attention to the weather forecast. The amount of precipitation on any given day dictates his ability to leave this house and navigate the outside world.
Advertisement - content continues below
Christoph was at a community gathering when the derecho storm hit Peterborough. A friend stayed outside with Christoph as the storm lit up around them.
“All these people were bringing blankets and umbrellas out,” he recounts. “We were there for 30 minutes while this storm did its destruction.”
Once the storm lifted, Christoph took his motorized scooter around town to survey the damage. He says that this is where worry set in for him and 40 residents in his building who also live with disabilities.
Kawartha World Issues Centre is looking for Stump Stories, a project born from the destruction of the May 2022 derecho storm. They aim to hold space for community members as they reflect on the loss of beloved trees, and provide additional information and resources on related topics. Have a story about a lost tree, emotions felt during or after the May derecho, or comments about climate change? Share it with their team. (Graphic: KWIC)
“We were without power for 14 days,” Christoph says. The local food bank ran out of food within the first two days. Luckily, he was able to coordinate with local volunteer group Food Not Bombs to serve food from the parking lot of the residence daily.
Additional support was needed for people living with disabilities. A charging station was set up at a local community center to ensure that Christoph and other motorized wheelchair users could charge their mobility devices. Temperature-sensitive medication was kept cool in a fridge powered by an emergency generator.
Stories like those of McNutt and Christoph, alongside the many others in Peterborough who experienced parallel challenges during the storm, highlight the disproportionate impact of climate change on people with disabilities.
Advertisement - content continues below
To some extent, climate change is predictable. Researchers are working to develop tools like the Healthy Plan City map to show where the negative consequences of climate change are likely to intersect with vulnerable populations. For example, this tool shows that in Peterborough, urban heat islands are likely to disproportionately impact people with low incomes.
Looking at trends across maps like the Healthy Plan, and holding space in conversation for Stump Stories, are ways that our community can better understand our relationship between the natural environment, the built environment, and our health.
Climate change will continue to impact our landscape. Understanding and planning for how those changes will affect community members, able-bodied or differently abled, is an action we can take today to ensure a more equitable future.
In an equitable city, everyone experiences the same level of beneficial environments. Using the Healthy Plan City map, researchers and the public can see where areas of vulnerability overlap with aspects of the built environment that coincide with natural consequences of climate change. Here you can see the areas of equity priority spaces (in red) of visible minority individuals in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong overlaid with tree canopy cover, which cools areas down in extreme heat events and increases overall health. However, this can also act as a barrier to those persons with disabilities who have challenges moving across landscape with fallen debris. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
The Umbrella Program at the Kawartha World Issues Centre helped GreenUP to become established as an independent initiative in 1992. KWIC is now a long-standing partner working on sharing local stories and empowering the community to take action for the environment and climate.
The Council for Persons with Disabilities exists to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by promoting equality, opportunity, and inclusion in the Peterborough region so everyone can contribute and thrive.
David and Patricia Morton. (Photo courtesy of Morton family)
For the third year in a row, Peterborough philanthropists David and Patricia Morton have donated $50,000 through the Morton Family Foundation in support of the YWCA’s services for women and children experiencing gender-based violence in Haliburton County.
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton operates the Women’s Centre in Haliburton County and Haliburton Emergency Rural SafeSpace (HERS).
“We are deeply moved by the continued support from Patricia and David in the Haliburton County community,” says Kim Dolan, executive director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, in a media release. “As the demand for our services continues to change in the COVID-19 recovery period, the Mortons’ compassion for others ensures that we can serve the rural women and children in Haliburton County, providing them with the resources and support they need to feel safe again.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The Women’s Centre offers the resources women need to escape gender-based violence and find safer ways to move forward with their life, including access to transition supports such as safe transportation, clinical therapy, a family law lawyer, and court support and guidance.
HERS provides safe and supportive temporary accommodations for women, with and without children, who are fleeing abuse in Haliburton County. The service, designed to be available on an as-needed basis to help reduce costs, offers space for as many as two families at a time. With HERS, women can move away from the abusive situation in their home without leaving their support systems, jobs and schools, and families and friends behind. HERS has been fully occupied since January 2021.
According to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, rural women in Haliburton County have reported far more serious and complex abuse throughout the pandemic. Like women’s organizations across the province, the YWCA faces heightened demand and increasing costs.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
This is the third straight year the Mortons have donated $50,000 to support the YWCA’s services for women and children experiencing gender-based violence in Haliburton County.
“We feel fortunate to be able to continue to support such a worthy cause because isolated rural women are especially vulnerable to domestic abuse and gender-based violence,” says Patricia Morton on behalf of the Morton Family Foundation, “And shockingly this abuse is now significantly on the rise throughout rural Canada, as in rural Haliburton County. Thank goodness our YWCA is here for these oppressed and endangered women, and dedicated to providing the essential safety and vital support services to help them move forwards to build much better lives.”
“As a man I am just appalled and disgusted by violence against women and children,” David Morton adds. “I am grateful at least to have this opportunity to extend a helping hand to the brave women who, with the wonderful support of our YWCA, are striving hard to empower themselves.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Members of the community who wish to donate or find ways of supporting YWCA services in Haliburton County can visit www.ywcahaliburton.org or contact Ria Nicholson directly at 705-743-3526 x113 or rnicholson@ywcapeterborough.org.
The Mortons are well-known philanthropists in the Peterborough community, having made generous gifts to organizations including Trent University, Peterborough Humane Society, United Way of Peterborough & District, and the Morton Community Healthcare Centre in Lakefield.
In April 2020, during the height of the first wave of the pandemic, they encouraged the community to donate to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation by matching donations up to $50,000.
Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the southern Kawarthas region for Thursday (December 15).
The snowfall warning is in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and eastern Northumberland County.
Snow will develop by early Thursday afternoon, with total snowfall accumulations of 15 to 20 cm and peak snowfall rates of 1 to 3 cm per hour.
Advertisement - content continues below
The greatest snowfall amounts are expected over the higher terrain north of Lake Ontario.
Snow will taper to flurries or drizzle Thursday night.
Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways, and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.
If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead, and be prepared to stop.
Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp reprise their roles as Red and Kitty Forman in the new Netflix series "That '90s Show," a spin-off of the hit sitcom "That '70s Show." The series picks up 15 years later, when the daughter of daughter of original characters Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti visits her grandparents for the summer. Most of the original cast members will appear as guests in the series, which premieres on Thursday, January 19th. (Photo: Netflix)
Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada. Here are a few highlights of what’s coming to Netflix in January.
In the new Netflix series That ’90s Show, a spin-off of the Fox sitcom That ’70s Show, Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp reprise their roles as Red and Kitty Forman. Taking place in Wisconsin 15 years after the original series, Leia Forman — daughter of Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti — is visiting her grandparents for the summer, where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids.
Most of the original cast of That ’70s Show, including Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, and Wilmer Valderrama, will appear as guests in the 10-episode series which premieres on Thursday, January 19th.
VIDEO: “That ’90s Show” teaser
Advertisement - content continues below
The new Netflix heist drama series Kaleidoscope, inspired by the true story of $70 billion in bonds that went missing in Manhattan during Hurricane Sandy, is described as a “non-linear streaming experience,” where viewers will enter the crime at different moments in time. With the exception of the finale, which depicts the actual heist, every one of the series’ eight episodes — which are named after colours — can be watched in any order, with Netflix randomizing the order so that each viewer sees the series in a different chronology.
Giancarlo Esposito plays the master thief who, along with his crew (Paz Vega, Rosaline Elbay, Jai Courtney, Peter Mark Kendall, and Jordan Mendoza), attempts an epic and elaborate heist worth $7 billion dollars, but betrayal, greed, and other threats undermine their plans. Premiering on New Year’s Day, the series also stars Rufus Sewell, Tati Gabrielle, Soojeong Son, Hemky Madera, Niousha Noor, and Bubba Weiler.
VIDEO: “Kaleidoscope” trailer
Advertisement - content continues below
The Netflix thriller film The Pale Blue Eye stars Christian Bale as a detective in 1830 who investigates a series of murders of cadets at in West Point, New York. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case: a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling).
Adapted from the 2003 novel of the same name by Louis Bayard, The Pale Blue Eye features an ensemble cast that includes Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall, and Robert Duvall. The film will be released in selected theatres on December 23 and will stream on Netflix on Friday, January 6th.
VIDEO: “The Pale Blue Eye” trailer
Advertisement - content continues below
The Netflix comedy film You People stars Jonah Hill and Lauren London as a couple who fall in love and then must confront the societal expectations and generational differences amidst the clashing cultures of their families (Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and David Duchovny). It premieres on Netflix on Friday, January 27th.
Other new Netflix series include Lockwood & Co. (Jan. 27), which follows a trio of teen ghost-hunters — two gifted boys and a girl with rare psychic abilities — who run a tiny agency investigating deadly spirits haunting London. Other new Netflix films include Dog Gone (Jan. 13), a true-life story about the desperate search after a young man and his beloved dog are separated on the Appalachian Trail,
Returning Netflix series include season two of Ginny & Georgia, which was filmed in Cobourg (Jan. 5), season two of Vikings: Valhalla (Jan. 12), season three of Sky Rojo (Jan. 13), and season two of Bake Squad (Jan. 20). Other returning series include season six of This Is Us (Jan. 4) and season 11 of The Walking Dead (Jan. 6).
Theatrically released films include 13 Going on 30, The Interview, and Soul Surfer (Jan. 1), Cowboys and Mars One (Jan. 5), Sound of Metal (Jan. 7), A Quiet Place Part II (Jan. 11), Shiva Baby (Jan. 15), and The Social Network (Jan. 31).
VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in January 2023
Advertisement - content continues below
Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in January, along with what’s leaving.
Coming soon (no release date specified)
JUNG_E (Netflix film)
Physical: 100 (Netflix series) – In this fierce fitness competition, 100 contestants in top physical shape compete to claim the honour of best body.
Sunday, January 1
Kaleidoscope (Netflix series) – A master thief and his crew attempt an epic and elaborate heist worth $7 billion dollars — but betrayal, greed and other threats undermine their plans.
Lady Voyeur (Netflix series) – Hacker Miranda loves to spy on her sex worker neighbour, Cléo. But after their paths cross and a murder is committed, Miranda’s destiny forever changes.
The Way of the Househusband: Season 2 (Netflix anime) – Everyone’s favourite ex-yakuza is back! He’s clipping coupons, planning penny-saving meals — and taking his job as a househusband very, very seriously.
13 Going on 30
Hyena Road
The Interview
Made of Honor
Old Enough!: Season 2
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin
The Royals: Seasons 1-4
Soul Surfer
Wednesday, January 4
How I Became a Gangster (Netflix film) – An ambitious gangster works his way up the ranks of Warsaw’s criminal underworld, and ultimately takes his shot at the big time.
The Kings of the World (Netflix film) – Five homeless friends from Medellín set out on a perilous journey through rural Colombia to recover a piece of land that was bequeathed to one of them.
The Lying Life of Adults (Netflix series) – In 1990s Naples, a sheltered teen befriends the estranged aunt her parents detest to better understand herself and the city she comes from.
Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street (Netflix documentary) – A four-part edge-of-your-seat financial thriller that reveals the truth behind Bernie Madoff’s infamous multibillion-dollar global Ponzi scheme and the ways in which a wilfully blind financial system allowed it to flourish for decades.
This Is Us: Season 6
Thursday, January 5
Copenhagen Cowboy (Netflix series) – ??After a lifetime of being sold as a human good luck charm, a woman with mysterious supernatural abilities seeks revenge against those who wronged her.
Cowboys
Ginny & Georgia: Season 2 (Netflix series) – New relationships and challenges await Georgia and Ginny as they navigate life in Wellsbury — until secrets from the past threaten everything.
Mars One
Woman of the Dead (Netflix series) – When a suspicious car crash tears a woman’s life apart, her quest for revenge ensnares her in a conspiracy reaching the highest levels of her small town.
Friday, January 6
Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld (Netflix documentary) – In 1990s Mumbai, a crime boss and his network wield unchecked power over the city — until the rise of “encounter cops,” who brazenly kill their targets.
The Pale Blue Eye (Netflix film) – West Point, 1830. A world-weary detective is hired to discreetly investigate the gruesome murder of a cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case — a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.
Pressure Cooker (Netflix series) – Living under one roof, eleven chefs use culinary skills and strategic plays in a tense cooking contest where they vote on who among them will win $100,000.
The Ultimatum: France Season 1 Part 2 (Netflix series, new episodes) – Six couples on the cusp of lifelong love are hit with an ultimatum: Get engaged or break up. Before they decide, they’ll swap partners for three weeks.
The Walking Dead: Season 11
Saturday, January 7
Sound of Metal
Tuesday, January 10
Andrew Santino: Cheeseburger (Netflix comedy) – No topic is safe in this unfiltered stand-up set from Andrew Santino as he skewers everything from global warming to sex injuries to politics.
The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (Netflix documentary) – This shocking documentary chronicles a happy-go-lucky nomad’s ascent to viral stardom and the steep downward spiral that resulted in his imprisonment.
The Phantom of the Open
Wednesday, January 11
A Quiet Place Part II
Noise (Netflix film) – A search for her missing daughter leads a mother to a support network, where she bonds with other women whose lives have been destroyed by violence.
Sexify: Season 2 (Netflix series) – With the future of their startup in flux, the three young entrepreneurs must balance tumultuous personal lives, a bitter rival and a demanding investor.
Thursday, January 12
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight: Season 2 (Netflix family) – To find the legendary Tianshang weapons, big-hearted Po and the Dragon Knights journey across the world. But will they beat evil to the punch?
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House (Netflix series) – Two inseparable friends move to Kyoto to chase their dreams of becoming maiko, but decide to pursue different passions while living under the same roof.
Vikings: Valhalla: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Enemies — old and new — await Freydis, Leif and Harald as they scatter to the far corners of the globe in pursuit of power and new worlds to conquer.
Friday, January 13
Break Point (Netflix documentary) – From the team behind F1: Drive to Survive, BREAK POINT follows a diverse group of tennis players on and off the court as they compete in gruelling slams with hopes of winning a final and even bigger dreams of becoming world number one. As some of the greatest players tennis has ever seen reach the twilight of their careers, there is room for a new generation of players to claim the spotlight. Break Point gets up close and personal with these top players on the tennis circuit through an entire year travelling across the globe for all four Grand Slams and the ATP and WTA tours. From physical injuries and emotional heartbreak, to triumphant victories, to personal moments off the court, viewers will get a behind the scenes look at the pressure-tested lives of these pro tennis players.
Dog Gone (Netflix film) – After a young man and his beloved dog are separated on the Appalachian Trail, he and his father must begin a desperate search to find him before it’s too late. Based on an incredible true story of humanity and everyday heroism.
Sky Rojo: Season 3 (Netflix series) – Coral, Gina and Wendy have made a new life — and found love — in Almería. But with Romeo bent on revenge, their peace and quiet won’t last long.
Suzan & Freek (Netflix documentary) – After going viral from posting covers on social media, a passionate music duo and couple navigate remarkable success and accompanying fame.
Trial by Fire (Netflix series) – After the deadly Uphaar cinema fire, two grief-stricken parents navigate the loss of their kids and a dogged fight for justice. Based on true events.
Sunday, January 15
Shiva Baby
Tuesday, January 17
The Devil to Pay
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins
Thursday, January 19
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (Netflix anime) – From the mind of horror manga maestro Junji Ito comes a spine-tingling selection of some of his most bizarre, disturbing and terrifying tales.
Khallat+ (Netflix film) – An anthology of social deception and trickery in four unlikely places.
That ’90s Show (Netflix series) – Hello, Wisconsin! It’s 1995 and Leia Forman, daughter of Eric and Donna, is visiting her grandparents for the summer, where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids under the watchful eye of Kitty and the stern glare of Red. Sex, drugs and rock ’n roll never die, they just change clothes.
Women at War (Netflix series) – France, 1914. As the German troops advance and men leave for the front lines, four women must grapple with the devastating consequences of war at home.
Friday, January 20
Bake Squad: Season 2 (Netflix series) – After baking up a storm in season one, all four original members of the Squad are back and hungry for more! The expert bakers elevate desserts with next-level ideas and epic execution, to create showstopping centrepieces for someone’s extra special big day. Each brilliant member of the Bake Squad was personally selected by Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi, who built an empire on delicious cookie dough. With stunning sweet visuals and surprises at every turn, season two takes it up a level – from exploding cakes to a colossal cheesecake tower and an edible life-size piano. The bakers pull out all the stops and create desserts you can only dream of.
Bling Empire: New York (Netflix series) – A new cast of stylish Asian American socialites flaunts their fortunes — and fashions — while bringing the drama and living it up in New York City.
Fauda: Season 4 (Netflix series) – The action-packed series returns for a new season.
Mission Majnu (Netflix film) – Set in the 1970s, an undercover Indian spy takes on a deadly mission to expose a covert nuclear weapons program in the heart of Pakistan.
Represent (Netflix series) – A youth centre leader from the suburbs of Paris becomes a finalist in the presidential election. But is France truly ready for its first Black president?
Sahmaran (Netflix series) – When Sahsu goes to Adana for a lecture, it’s the perfect chance to face her estranged grandfather. But soon, she stumbles into an ancient myth — and an epic love.
Shanty Town (Netflix series)
Monday, January 23
Narvik (Netflix film) – While a young Norwegian soldier fights in the trenches, his wife back home must contend with an occupying German force that has invaded their town.
Tuesday, January 24
Little Angel: Volume 2
Wednesday, January 25
Against the Ropes (Netflix series) – After being released from prison for a crime she didn’t commit, Ángela decides to win back the love and respect of young daughter Rocío, who’s a fan of lucha libre wrestling, by entering the ring herself as a mysterious new persona.
Thursday, January 26
Daniel Spellbound: Season 2 (Netflix family) – Daniel teams up with a legendary tracker to help him reverse a demonic curse and restart an age of magic that has mysterious ties to Daniel’s family.
Record of Ragnarok: Season 2 Episodes 1-10 (Netflix anime) – Humanity may be down, but their fight for survival is far from over. For the pivotal next round, a truly evil human emerges to face the next mighty god.
Friday, January 27
Kings of Jo’Burg: Season 2 (Netflix series) – The drama returns for a new season.
Lockwood & Co. (Netflix series) – A trio of teen ghost-hunters — two gifted boys and a girl with rare psychic abilities — run a tiny agency investigating deadly spirits haunting London.
The Snow Girl (Netflix series) – When a little girl goes missing during a parade in Málaga, a young newspaper journalist becomes fiercely determined to help Amaya’s parents find her.
You People (Netflix film) – A new couple and their families find themselves examining modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences in this comedy from Kenya Barris.
Monday, January 30
Princess Power (Netflix family) – Adventure-loving princesses from four different Fruitdoms jump into action to help their fellow fruitizens and make their worlds a better place.
Tuesday, January 31
Cunk On Earth (Netflix series) – Philomena Cunk is here to show how far humanity has come — or not — in this witty mockumentary tracing the history of civilization.
Pamela, a love story (Netflix documentary) – An intimate and humanizing portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells, Pamela, a love story follows the trajectory of Pamela Anderson’s life and career from small town girl to international sex symbol, actress, activist and doting mother.
Sandra Clancy will retire as CAO of the City of Peterborough on April 28, 2023. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)
Sandra Clancy, the City of Peterborough’s chief administrative officer, is retiring after a 38-year career with the city.
According to a media release from the city, Clancy advised city council on Monday (December 12) that she will be retiring effective April 28, 2023.
“I have had a long, very rewarding career working for the City of Peterborough,” Clancy states in the media release. “I’m looking forward to retiring and this next stage in my life where I will have more time to spend with family and other personal activities.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Clancy first joined the city in 1985 as chief accountant. In 1996, she became manager of finance and, in 2011, treasurer and director of corporate services.
She was appointed as the city’s chief administrative officer in 2018, after previous CAO Alan Seabrooke led a restructuring of the city’s senior management that saw five director positions restructured into three commissioner roles. Seabrooke moved into the community services commissioner position and then, a year later, left the city to become city manager of Red Deer in Alberta.
“On behalf of City Council, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Sandra for her leadership and service throughout her 38-year career with the City of Peterborough,” states Mayor Jeff Leal in the media release. “Sandra played key roles at the municipality through significant periods, including the 2004 flood recovery and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. We thank Sandra for her commitment to Peterborough and its residents. We wish her well in her retirement, but we know this isn’t goodbye on a personal level as we are looking forward to hearing about her retirement and grandchildren.
Advertisement - content continues below
As the city’s head bureaucrat, Clancy earned just over $300,000 in salary and benefits in 2021 — an increase of more than $90,000 from the previous year.
Clancy’s time at the city was not without controversy. In 2021, she complained to the city’s integrity commissioner Guy Giorno that previous mayor Diane Therrien had breached municipal code of conduct by-laws by pressuring her to retire earlier than she had otherwise planned, and had also spoken “unfairly and disrespectfully” about her performance and that of city staff to the point of harassment. Giorno’s investigation into the complaint found that Therrien did not did not breach any municipal code of conduct by-laws or engage in harassment.
City Council will lead the recruitment process to find the city’s next CAO.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the greater Kawarthas region for snow on Thursday (December 15) into Friday.
The special weather statement is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Hastings Highlands.
A strong low pressure system is expected to affect southern Ontario on Thursday. Snow is expected to begin over eastern Ontario Thursday evening and become heavy at times on Friday.
Advertisement - content continues below
Total snowfall amounts of 10 to 15 cm are expected by Friday morning, with local amounts up to 20 cm possible over the higher terrain north of Lake Ontario.
Lesser snowfall amounts are expected near Lake Ontario, where snow may transition to rain. Snow will gradually taper to flurries by Friday night.
Hazardous travel conditions are expected due to heavy snow and blowing snow, including for the Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes. Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve.
This story has been updated with the latest forecast from Environment Canada.
LA Alfonso's short film "One Day in December," with lyrics by Rob Fortin and music by Susan Newman, imagines the experience of a teacher and students ho witnessed the 1916 explosion and fire at the Quaker Oats plant in Peterborough from their classroom at King George Public School. The film, which premiered in May at Public Energy's ‘Erring at King George' multidisciplinary arts festival, is now available for online viewing. (Screenshot: LA Alfonso)
A short musical film about a tragic event in Peterborough’s history is now available for online viewing.
One Day in December premiered in May at the ‘Erring at King George’ multidisciplinary arts festival, presented by Public Energy Performing Arts at the decommissioned King George Public School in Peterborough’s East City.
Written and directed by filmmaker LA Alfonso with lyrics by Rob Fortin and music by Susan Newman, One Day in December imagines the experience of a teacher and students who witnessed the 1916 explosion and fire at the Quaker Oats plant in Peterborough from their classroom at King George Public School.
Advertisement - content continues below
With the First World War raging in Europe, workers at the Quaker Oats plant had been working around the clock meeting wartime contacts. That heightened activity overwhelmed the plant’s system for controlling the grain dust so, when a small fire broke out in a grinding room, it ignited the cloud of dust at 10:20 a.m. on Monday, December 11, 1916.
The resulting massive explosion levelled the plant, killing 22 workers — two more would later die as a result of their injuries — and resulting in over $2 million in damages. The fire at the plant burned for four days. At King George Public School, then only three years old, students whose classroom windows faced the plant witnessed the event and its aftermath.
“We decided we would try to present that morning from the point of view of a fictional teacher in the classroom and the students, who would have been in the middle of doing whatever you do on a normal school day,” Newman told kawarthaNOW in April. “We called it One Day In December because it was just an ordinary day until ‘BOOM.’ It’s a look at an everyday occurrence with just everyday people and the impact that something like that can have.”
VIDEO: “One Day In December”
The film features Marsala Lukianchuk as the teacher along with a cast of young performers as the students. Not seen on film but heard is a choir from Kaawaate East City Public School.
Newman and Fortin wrote five original songs for One Day In December: “My Brood,” “The Coldest One,” “Is This The War?”, “A Prayer for Safety,” and “A Child’s Alphabet in Wartime.” Their original plan had been to present their piece as a live performance in a classroom during Erring at King George. When that became impossible to do because of pandemic restrictions at the time, it evolved into a film project at the suggestion of Alfonso.
For the film’s debut at Erring at King George, Alfonso created a unique video projection-mapping presentation that transformed the classroom windows in Room 12 into “portals of an imagined past.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The 20-minute film, which also features rarely seen photographs of the devastation caused by the explosion and fire at the Quaker Oats plant, was shot on location at King George Public School.
“We made the classroom look like it did in 1916,” Fortin told kawarthaNOW.. “How often do you get the chance to tell a story and recreate it in the very place that it happened? It was like ‘Wow.’ You really felt the ghosts.”
Fortin also appears in the film as a former worker at the Quaker Oats plant who takes his granddaughter to the empty school many years later, reminiscing both about the tragedy and the First World War.
This photo of a snowy paddle on Kasshabog Lake by Mike Quigg was our top post on Instagram for November 2022. (Photo: Mike Quigg @_evidence_ / Instagram)
I have to admit November is my least favourite month of the year — the colder days without snow on the ground seem to chill to the bone and the shorter darker days don’t help. However, we had little to complain about this November with warmer sunnier days and no snow accumulation.
It seemed we were toggling between October and December most days. So it’s no wonder that three of our top photos include kayaking and stand up paddling! I hope you enjoy our visual virtual tour of the Kawarthas this month.
Do you want to get on our top photographers list? All you need is an Insta account and to tag us using our hashtag #kawarthanow when posting your photo.
We share photos from across our readership area, which is the five-county area surrounding Peterborough which includes Peterborough, Northumberland, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Hastings (we sneak in the occasional Algonquin Park picture as well, particularly if it’s by a Kawarthas photographer).
To see our daily shares of photos, follow us on Instagram @kawarthanow and check out our feed’s highlight reels for recaps of every month in 2022.
Advertisement - content continues below
#1. Snowy paddle on Kasshabog Lake by Mike Quigg @_evidence_
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
Submit your event for FREE!
Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.
To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.
