A group of Peterborough-area skiers will be cross-country skiing for 24 hours during the weekend of February 26th to raise funds for mental health.

Taking place at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club, located off Highway 28 just north of Haultain in North Kawartha Township, the 24 Hour Ski Marathon for Mental Health will raise funds for the new Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic overseen by the Canadian Mental Health Association Halliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKRP).

Supported by Kawartha Nordic and Wild Rock Outfitters, the idea for the fundraiser came from Wild Rock staff member and Kawartha Nordic board member John Hauser.

“I lost a cousin to suicide during the pandemic,” Hauser says. “I’ve also personally felt the toll of the pandemic on my own mental health, as I believe many others have. After speaking with Jeff Cadence and Jack Vietch at CMHA HKPR about the mobile mental health and addictions clinic, I felt this was a project I would like to get behind.”

Hauser and his support team from Wild Rock will set up camp near the Sugar Shack at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club, with the marathon ski running from noon on Saturday, February 26th to noon on Sunday, February 27th.

While no additional participants can join the ski, skiers visiting the club can drop by to see how the marathon is going. You can also follow the marathon on Instagram @24forcmhahkpr.

“When I first started talking with people about doing a 24 hour cross-country ski as a mental health fundraiser, I think many thought I wasn’t thinking straight,” Hauser says on Instagram. “Sure, it will be a challenge, but the thing is, I love skiing! It gets me outside exercising regularly in the winter, which is a time of year when I am personally prone to feeling down.”

“Regular activity and getting outside are two of the most recommended things to do for better mental health,” he adds. “Get out there!”

CMHA HKRP’s Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic will provide specialized mental health and addictions care to individuals in rural and remote areas within the city and county of Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Kawartha Lakes.

To support the marathon ski fundraiser for the clinic, visit the CMHA HKRP website at cmhahkpr.ca/get-involved/donate/ and make a donation to the “24 Hour Ski Marathon for Mental Health” fund.

An attempt to interrupt a “slow roll” vehicle convoy in Peterborough on Saturday (February 19) turned confrontational, according to a video posted on social media, with a dump truck almost running over a counter-protester followed by a convoy participant potentially assaulting the same counter-protester.

A small group of counter-protesters gathered on the southeast corner of Brealey Drive at Stenson Boulevard across from Fleming College late Saturday morning, with the intention of frequently pushing the pedestrian crossing button to break up the so-called “Freedom Rally Convoy”, which had left Whittington Drive at 11 a.m. on its way to downtown Peterborough.

The video shows one of the counter-protesters standing in the middle of the crosswalk, while recording on his phone, attempting to block convoy vehicles from going through the green light. A police vehicle heading in the opposite direction stops briefly in the intersection to speak with the counter-protester (the conversation is illegible) before driving away.

The counter-protester continues to stand in the crosswalk, with two pickup trucks driving around him to proceed through the green light. A dump truck then slowly heads into the crosswalk, stopping just before hitting the counter-protester. At this point the light has turned red.

When the light turns green again, and with the counter-protester still standing in the middle of the crosswalk, the dump truck sounds its horn and then slowly proceeds into the crosswalk, forcing the counter-protester to take several steps back. He puts his hand on the truck’s grill, and the truck continues to sound its horn and slowly move forward, physically pushing the counter-protester into the intersection, at which point the truck stops.

One of the convoy’s organizers, who had parked his truck on Stenson Boulevard , then approaches the counter-protester. As he tells the counter-protester what he was doing is illegal, another convoy participant suddenly appears, apparently coming from a vehicle in the line of traffic waiting at the intersection.

The organizer Sebastian and others in the convoy got out to berate the counter protestor, with one guy having a complete meltdown/temper tantrum and possibly assaulting them. #ptbo #ptbokawartha #Convoy pic.twitter.com/cl0qQzSuem

— Johnny Fondue (@EatsFood2) February 19, 2022

Holding his hands in the air, the convoy participant repeatedly pushes his chest into the counter-protester while repeatedly yelling “What’s the problem here?” When the counter-protester places his hand against the chest of the convoy participant to keep him away, the convoy participant yells “Don’t touch me! Get your fucking hands off of me!” before slapping the counter-protester’s hand away.

While this is going on, the convoy organizer ignores the confrontation while telling the person shooting the video, “We already have the police on board.”

Meanwhile, the convoy participant repeatedly shouts “Get off me!” as he chases the counter-protester, who is trying to avoid him. The convoy participant eventually chases the counter-protester out of the intersection, and the dump trunk proceeds through a green light.

Apparently undeterred, the counter-protester then returns to the crosswalk to block vehicles from going through the intersection. Within a few seconds, two police vehicles arrive. A police officer approaches the counter-protester to explain he is not allowed to be in the crosswalk unless he has the right of way.

“The officer came up behind us and stood away from the street on the sidewalk,” the person who shot the video tells kawarthaNOW, asking to remain anonymous. “He was perfectly reasonable and non-confrontational.”

After this point, the counter-protester does not attempt to block the crosswalk again. At least 50 vehicles participating in the convoy go through the intersection during the time of the video.

VIDEO: Peterborough “slow roll” interrupted

Late Saturday afternoon, Peterborough police issued a media release about the “convoy event”.

“Peterborough Police Service would like to thank the community for their patience today while officers were monitoring a moving convoy through the City of Peterborough,” police say. “By monitoring this event, police were able to ensure the safety of all members of the community which is the number one focus of the service.”

“Peterborough Police Service would like to reiterate that ensuring the safety of our community does not equal an endorsement of the action. Every day and every event Peterborough Police Service balances the right to peacefully protest with the rights of the community. In this instance, the group was closely monitored and there no traffic infractions.”

According to a source who asked to remain anonymous, police are investigating a possible assault against the counter-protester by the convoy participant.

In its media release, police only state “There is an incident at Brealey Drive and Stenson Boulevard that is being investigated.”

kawarthaNOW reached out to the counter-protester, who asked to remain anonymous, for an interview. He replied he was unable to respond as he was “at police.”

“Peterborough Police understands that these are challenging times and that a lot of people are frustrated,” the media release reads. “The Peterborough Police Service is committed to public safety and will continue to be.”

On Sunday afternoon, Peterborough police issued another statement to respond to social media comments about the video claiming people standing in the background at the entrance to Fleming College were police officers who did not take action during the incident.

“This is not the case,” the statement reads. “These were members of security at Sir Sandford Fleming College. Our understanding is that they were positioned at this location to monitor traffic flow into their property during the convoy.”

The statement adds, “The police investigation into the incident at Brealey Drive and Stenson Boulevard continues.”

The story has been updated to include Sunday’s statement from the Peterborough police.

One person is dead and another in critical condition following a two-vehicle collision in Trent Hills in Northumberland County on Friday afternoon (February 18).

At around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Northumberland OPP responded to reports of a head-on collision between a car and a pickup truck on County Road 35 between Godolphin Road and Woodview Road, around six kilometres west of Campbellford.

As a result of the collision, the two occupants in the car were transported to hospital, where the passenger was pronounced dead and the driver remains in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the pickup truck was not injured.

County Road 35 between Godolphin Road and Woodview Road remained closed until around 8 p.m. on Friday night while police conducted an investigation.

Peterborough resident Christina Dicosmo is more than $44,000 richer after winning the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation’s 50/50 lottery for January/February.

Dicosmo won the grand prize of $42,472.50 when her ticket number D-1817142 was drawn on Thursday (February 17). Dicosmo also had the choice of a bonus prize of either a $2,500 Resorts of Ontario gift certificate or an additional $2,000 in cash. She chose the cash bonus prize, making her total winnings $44,472.50.

Since the lottery launched last fall, over $200,000 has been awarded. Previous grand prize winners include Mary Overholt, Judy Johnston, and Wendy Bianco.

The next PRHC Foundation 50/50 lottery, presented by Peterborough Subaru, is now underway. Tickets are on sale online only at prhcfoundation5050.com, where you can buy 10 tickets for $10, 40 tickets for $20, 160 tickets for $40, or 400 tickets for $75. Ticket buyers must be 18 years of age or older and in the province of Ontario to play.

The more tickets you purchase, the greater your odds of winning. Half of all the ticket sales in the 50/50 lottery go the PRHC Foundation to support equipment and technology at the hospital that the government doesn’t fund.

The lottery runs until midnight on Thursday, March 31st with the grand prize winner drawn the following day. The grand prize consists of the jackpot, which grows every time more tickets are purchased, plus a bonus prize of a $2,500 Resorts of Ontario gift certificate or $2,000 cash.

Ticket buyers are also automatically entered in two early bird draws of $1,000 each, which will be held on “WINter Wednesdays” on March 3 and March 17.

For more information about the PRHC Foundation, visit prhcfoundation.ca.

Ross Memorial Hospital’s COVID-19 assessment centre will be moving back to the hospital at 10 Angeline Street North in Lindsay after the Family Day long weekend.

Located at the Victoria Park Armoury since January 11, the assessment centre will begin operating out of the hospital again on Tuesday (February 22).

The assessment centre offers by-appointment-only COVID-19 tests from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays. The assessment centre also offers clinical assessments, where health care professionals can provide an assessment if your COVID-19 symptoms are getting worse, but are not severe enough to require an emergency department visit.

If you are eligible to book an appointment for a COVID-19 test or a clinical assessment, call 705-328-6217. If you are unable to get through, the hospital advises living a single voicemail message (refrain from leaving multiple messages) and you will receive a call back within one or two business days.

Ross Memorial Hospital says it is also finalizing a plan for the assessment centre to offer community members Paxlovid, an antiviral drug recently approved by Health Canada that treats adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progressing to serious disease, including hospitalization or death.

Ross Memorial Hospital has conducted more than 60,000 COVID-19 tests since it began conducting tests in March 2020.

Two years to the day after the murder of 18-year-old Alex Tobin in Omemee in the City of Kawartha Lakes, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has released a video appeal for information to help them solve the murder and continues to offer a $50,000 reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Tobin’s death.

On February 18, 2020 at around 1:07 p.m., Tobin was shot in an apartment at 36 King Street East in Omemee, a small apartment building located across from Omemee Foodland, and died in hospital. Witnesses described two suspects who were seen fleeing the building on foot and then departing the area in a motor vehicle on Highway 7.

The following day, Kawartha Lakes OPP arrested two men based on the descriptions and charged them with second-degree murder. Almost two months later, the charges were withdrawn agains the two men.

The video appeal for information released by the OPP includes members of Tobin’s family.

According to an OPP media release, a team of OPP investigators led by major case manager Chris Josiah, a detective inspector with the OPP’s criminal investigation branch, “is committed to locate Alex’s killers, bring them to justice and provide resolution to Alex’s family and community.”

“Our team has conducted numerous canvasses and interviewed several persons who have provided important information in relation to Alex’s death,” Josiah states. “We believe there are more witnesses with information who haven’t come forward yet. We hope this video encourages people to come forward.”

VIDEO: Do you know who killed Alex Tobin?

A $50,000 reward continues to be offered for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Tobin’s murder.

The OPP is urging anyone who may have information that would assist with the homicide investigation to call the OPP’s dedicated tip line at 1-844-677-5020.

Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit tips online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca/submit-a-tip/submit-a-tip.

As the deadline nears for responses to a survey seeking the public’s opinion on the potential use of body-worn cameras by Peterborough police, a spokesperson from the Peterborough Police Service says such outreach is a vital component of the community policing model at the core of its operations.

“If we are truly a community-based police service, then we need to be engaging the community whenever possible,” says Emily Jones, the service’s Community Development and Engagement Coordinator.

“In my position, I’m pretty mindful of the relationship between the community and police in general, making sure the polarization between community and police is lessened,” Jones says. “Any opportunity we can take to lessen that, I would like to take it. We continue to say we are a community-based police service and that we do community policing. I try to keep us accountable for that as best I can.”

The survey, being conducted in partnership with the Trent Community Research Centre with forensic science student Sabrina Wolanczyk taking the lead, is seeking input from residents of the City of Peterborough, the Village of Lakefield, and the Township of Cavan-Monaghan.

The survey can be found online at trentu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4NuHFe0YLLijHNA, where it will remain available until Monday, February 28th. Paper copies of the survey can be requested by calling the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 ext. 290.

While participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous, there are questions on age, gender, ancestry, career, and in which municipality the survey respondent resides or works.

According to Jones, the timing of the service’s outreach on officers’ use of body-worn cameras topic isn’t by accident.

“The issue around police-worn body cameras, although it has been around a long time, got really politicized over what has happened in the United States in the last couple of years,” says Jones. “Although what has happened in the United States is not always the reality in Canada, it’s still part of the dialogue here and so it’s still part of people’s concerns.”

Jones adds that, with a number of police services across Canada either reviewing the use of body-worn cameras or have implemented the measure (as is the case with the Toronto Police Service), the Peterborough Police Service sees a need to get the process started sooner rather than later.

“There is the factor of protection but, in the long run, they would help with evidence collection and more accountability,” she says of the advantages of body-worn cameras.

“The more the technology is available, and the more services use it across Ontario and Canada, the more likely it is that Peterborough is going to want to engage in that technology. We want to make sure the community feels comfortable before we make that decision.”

“Another reason for doing this now is we had an opportunity to partner with Trent. I’m not sure we would have had the capacity to do this without their help. It’s a really great way to engage younger folks who are doing research into community issues.”

Jones adds a separate survey on the issue is being circulated internally to garner the thoughts of officers and the service’s civilian employees.

“A lot of officers see the benefit of body-worn cameras but are very mindful of the added work that goes into it, including new policies and new training,” she explains. “The internal survey is very similar to the public survey, but it focuses a little bit more on ‘How is this going to impact your work?’ and ‘Do you think it’s going to benefit your work?'”

Once compiled, Jones says, the results of the public survey will be released as part of a final report expected to be completed on March 21.

“Because of the ethics involved in the research, she (Wolanczyk) has to make the results public. It’s our intention to facilitate that for her.”

Jones says the number of survey responses received to date has been beyond what she anticipated.

“We have done other surveys but I don’t know that they’ve been on this scale,” she points out.

Meanwhile, for those who may be wondering if their input will carry weight, Jones assures the information received will have an impact on the service’s decision on whether to proceed with body-worn cameras.

“The survey results are going to influence whatever goes forward. If the survey indicates yes — the community is interested in the service pursuing this — then it becomes a budgetary issue.”

Jones says the survey is a “preliminary starting point” for involving the broader community in an important decision that affects both police officers and the people they serve.

“This is about making sure the community is heard and making sure we are engaging with them,” she explains. “Police don’t exist in a vacuum and neither does the community.”

The survey is available online at trentu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4NuHFe0YLLijHNA until Monday, February 28th. To request a paper copy of the survey, call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 ext. 290.

This story has been created in partnership with the Peterborough Police Service.