Kawartha Country Wines is located at 2452 County Road 36 in Buckhorn. (Photo: Google Maps)
Peterborough Public Health is advising anyone who visited Kawartha Country Wines in Buckhorn on Saturday (October 3) between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for two weeks.
The health unit was notified on Monday (October 5) that a person from outside the Peterborough area who was positive for COVID-19 visited Kawartha Country Wines during these hours and is issuing a public notice to ensure other patrons are aware.
“We are asking anyone who visited this location at this time to self-monitor their symptoms for the next 14 days, until October 17, and if they develop symptoms, please self-isolate and seek out testing,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Peterborough’s medical officer of health.
Advertisement - content continues below
“While the risk is low, this serves as a strong reminder to avoid non-essential travel between regions and to follow all recommended public health measures to prevent the spread of the virus. All residents tested for COVID-19 due to symptoms must remain in self-isolation until their results are available.”
Kawartha Country Wines is located at 2452 County Road 36 in Buckhorn.
Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute in Peterborough. (Photo: Google Maps)
A fourth student at Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute has now tested positive for COVID-19.
Peterborough Public Health confirmed the fourth case to kawarthaNOW on Monday afternoon (October 5) and says an investigation is ongoing.
On September 24th, the health unit notified school officials that three students at Adam Scott had tested positive for COVID-19.
Advertisement - content continues below
In a subsequent media briefing the next day, Peterborough Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra said the three students were known to each other and all three cases were connected to travel outside of Peterborough.
Dr. Salvaterra said the health unit did not declare an outbreak at the school as it believed transmission did not occur at the school.
She also said contact tracing resulted in in a total of 40 people, mostly students but also some staff, being directed to self-isolate.
Information provided to kawarthaNOW by a source claims the new case is linked to siblings of self-isolated students who continued to attend classes. However, Peterborough Public Health did not confirm this information.
Later on Monday afternoon, Adam Scott principal Wilf Gray also confirmed the fourth case in a statement to families posted on the school’s website.
“That individual will remain at home until the health unit advises they may return to school,” Gray writes. “We are working closely with the health unit to identify close contacts who may have been exposed to the individual while they were infectious. The health unit has directed us to dismiss some students, and we have contacted families to pick them up.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Gray states Peterborough Public Health is calling close contacts directly and advising them as to any next steps they must take, such as self-isolation and/or testing.
“The school is still open; unless you have been contacted by the school or the health unit, you should continue to attend school,” Gray writes. “Peterborough Public Health is continuing to investigate this situation, but, at this time, an outbreak has not been declared. An outbreak is only declared when there is evidence that transmission has occurred within the school.”
Gray also states that the school will be disinfected with an electro-static sprayer on Monday night.
“The Clorox Total 360 System is approved for use against the virus that causes COVID-19; it kills cold and flu viruses, MRSA and norovirus in two minutes or less, kills 99.9% of bacteria in five seconds and can even sanitize soft surfaces. It has been used effectively in schools and other education settings for several years.”
This is addition to the school’s daily pandemic cleaning protocols, which include increased cleaning and disinfecting of high touch surfaces, and thorough cleanings in the evenings.
This story has been updated with information from the letter from Adam Scott principal Wilf Gray.
Video surveillance of two suspects in a break-and-enter at a home on Lindsay Street North in Lindsay on September 26, 2020. (Police-supplied photos)
Kawartha Lakes police are seeking the public’s help in identifying two suspects in a September break-and-enter in Lindsay.
At around 4:20 a.m. on Saturday, September 26th, two men forced their way into a residence on Lindsay Street North in Lindsay through a ground floor window.
Police believe the suspects fled from the home shortly after entering.
Advertisement - content continues below
Investigators have obtained video surveillance of the two men fleeing the scene of the break and enter, and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects.
Anyone with information about the incident or the suspects is asked to call the Kawartha Lakes Police Service 705-324-5252. You can provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visitng www.kh.crimestoppersweb.com.
Klusterfork's Linda Kash (top left) during a six-week improv intensive series on Zoom this past summer, when a group of 10 students enjoyed live and interactive online classes from Canadian enterainment industry pros including Ed Sahely, Andy Massingham, Jan Caruana, Herbie Barnes, and Lisa Merchant. For fall 2020, Klusterfork is offering more opportunities to learn from the pros through its LOL workshop series beginning October 5th and 6th. (Photo: Klusterfork)
Linda Kash, Pat Maitland, and Ian Burns, founders of Klusterfork entertainment, recently joined me on a telephone interview to talk about their fall line-up of LOL workshops — live and interactive classes that promise to give students “unique access” to the entertainment industry’s best talent.
These funny forkers are giving Peterborough (and the world) an amazing opportunity to learn and hone performance skills from industry professionals via a series of online courses, with two weekly 90-minute classes over a four-week span starting on Monday, October 5th.
Founded in 2019, Klusterfork made waves by bringing comedians of Second City fame to Peterborough audiences with hit shows including “Klusterfork it’s Christmas” and “Klusterfork it’s Winter! Still.”
Advertisement - content continues below
However, like many companies the world over, their live performance programming came to an abrupt halt during the spring of 2020, our year of the virus.
“We connected with some of my dearest friends from The Second City,” recalls Linda Kash of Klusterfork’s beginnings. “We did a couple of shows and we had eight more shows scheduled at Market Hall right up until New Year’s Eve 2021 — and then COVID hit.”
“So the world ends,” Kash continues, “and we still have these fantastic Toronto performers who, funnily enough, are all teachers as well. So we decided to bring the best of the best to online audiences instead.”
“The teaching,” adds Ian Burns, “was always in the Klusterfork business plan, since the beginning. Due to the pandemic, we had to pivot and go directly to teaching a little earlier than planned — but it’s really exciting.”
Pat Maitland, Linda Kash, and Ian Burns, the creative team behind Klusterfork entertainment, pictured last winter when Klusterfork held its last in-person improv show at Peterborough’s Market Hall in February. The trio had eight more shows scheduled at the Market Hall when the pandemic hit, so they’ve decided to switch their efforts to online education. (Photo: kawarthaNOW.com)
This summer, Klusterfork tested the online waters by offering an intensive improv workshop series.
“It saved a lot of our summers, I think,” says Pat Maitland of the online sessions. “We all went online to save our minds.”
“It was an interesting pilot project, to see how it could work with the Zoom platform,” says Burns of the summer sessions,. “We were able to work out kinks.”
“With Zoom, you can’t talk over people, adds Maitland. “At first we thought the platform might stunt scenes but it didn’t — you listen harder. The basic rule of improv, to listen and respond to what you just heard, is actually so much easier on Zoom.”
Klusterfork’s six-week summer improv series was well received by participants and instructors alike.
“A lot of the alumni from that initial pilot program have signed up for the next 10 week intensive session we’re offering, because they just want to keep going,” explains Burns.
Building on the success of the pilot project, Klusterfork has curated an impressive line-up of autumn programming. The instructors are renowned performers, directors, and comedians — professionals in high-demand who would be otherwise unavailable for intimate online workshops, if it weren’t for the pandemic.
“I don’t think we could do most of these courses outside of COVID,” says Maitland. “It’s the reason why we have this unique access to the best in the industry.”
“We have some of the greatest performers in this country because they’re obviously not working as much,” Burns adds. “Klusterfork has a unique opportunity to act as a conduit to allow them to share their wealth of knowledge and experience with people who are coming up in the business, and people who just always wanted to try.”
It would be an understatement to say the line up the instructors for the LOL workshops is impressive.
Advertisement - content continues below
The instructors are industry giants representing a range of talent from Stratford and Mirvish stages to Broadway, as well as famous Canadian icons, including Paul Constable (the guy from those Canadian Tire commercials) and Kash herself — who’s best known as the former Philly cream cheese angel but also from her roles in Seinfeld, Fargo, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and any more.
Whether you’re an artist seeking professional development or you’re just looking for a new an interesting way to break up the monotony and loneliness that is this godforsaken pandemic, Klusterfork’s LOL workshops give you the chance to interact with these Canadian celebrities on a personal level but from the safety of your own home.
“There’s such intimacy,” Kash say. “You’re going to get to know them super well and you’d never have the chance to see them in person — yet online it’s so intimate and safe.”
“The safety factor is fascinating,” adds Maitland. “What I saw in the summer was that every instructor has different styles and ways to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for the students.”
“During the pilot in the summer, the amount of support and the growth that happened in that six-week period with this group of individuals we brought together was amazing,” Burns recalls.
Says Kash of the camaraderie, “when you first arrive in the experience it feels like a solo endeavour, but as soon as you start playing with someone else, you get this connection.”
[Klusterfork is offering eight-class workshops on musical theatre, stand-up comedy, and improv over four weeks beginning October 5 and 6, 2020. (Graphic: Klusterfork)
In addition to the workshops covering musical theatre, stand-up comedy, and all levels of improv (from beginner to advanced), Klusterfork is also offering a one-of-a-kind “Party Primer” service.
This one-off private event provides your Zoom meeting — be it a book club, a girls’ night, or a company holiday party — an exclusive improv comedian providing ice-breaking games to warm up the infamously awkward first half hour of your video conferencing events.
“The Party Primer is particularly exciting,” says Burns. “Right now there are a lot of companies and businesses wondering how they’re going to have get-togethers to celebrate holidays. We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries because people want to have that fellowship together and that connection. The Party Primer is a great ice-breaker and a great chance for everyone to get together and to share the moment.”
“We need to remember that sense of fun,” Kash notes. “I’m watching kids in playgrounds and they’ve got their masks on and they’re still playing and having fun. As we get older, we think that we don’t have the right to have fun or that it’s less important but, my god, people are starving for fun!”
“We all become better adults, the more we play,” says Maitland.
“And that’s the best feeling of all,” interjects Kash, “when the group finds their own funny bone.”
Advertisement - content continues below
You can find your funny bone with Klusterfork’s LOL workshops this autumn. Not only is this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from entertainment industry giants (at an incredibly discounted rate, might I add!), it may also be the gesture of love and self-care that gets you through the next few weeks, whatever they may hold.
The four-week classes run on Mondays and Wednesdays starting October 5th and on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting October 6th, so register now by visiting Klusterfork’s website at www.klusterfork.com/lol-workshops/. Note: if workshops are sold out or if you missed your chance to register, you can also sign up on the website to be placed on a waiting list for future workshops.
kawarthaNOW.com is proud to be a media sponsor of Klusterfork.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 653 new COVID-19 cases, with most in Toronto (284), Peel (104), Ottawa (97), and York (50), and smaller increases in Waterloo (18), Hamilton (16), Halton (12), Northwestern Health Unit (9), Simcoe Muskoka (9), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (8), and Durham (7). The remaining 23 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with only 8 reporting no cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 64% are among people under the age of 40. There have been 4 new deaths. Hospitalizations have decreased by 12, but 3 new patients have been admitted to ICUs and 2 new patients are on ventilators.
A record 46,254 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 809 to a record high of 91,322.
Advertisement - content continues below
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 2 new cases to report today in Peterborough; however, 5 additional cases have also been resolved, leaving 10 active cases (a decrease of 3 from yesterday). Reports are unavailable on weekends for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Hastings and Prince Edward counties.
There are currently 23 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 10 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 128 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (116 resolved with 2 deaths), 182 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (159 resolved with 32 deaths), 43 in Northumberland County (41 resolved with 1 death), 17 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 58 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (47 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 53,633 confirmed cases, an increase of 653 from yesterday, with 45,285 (84.4% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 435. There have been 2,968 deaths, an increase of 4 from yesterday plus 37 deaths for cases in the spring or summer that were not previously recorded. These additional 37 earlier deaths has also increased the number of deaths in long-term care homes to 1,948 (the number of new deaths since yesterday is not reported). A total of 4,049,458 tests have been completed, an increase of 46,254 from yesterday, with 91,322 tests under investigation, an increase of 809 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 128 (increase of 2) Active cases: 10 (decrease of 3) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 116 (increase of 5) Total tests completed: Over 29,300 as of October 1 (no change)* Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)
*The health unit expects to be able to provide an update on October 4 on the number of people tested.
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from October 2.
Confirmed positive: 242, including 182 in Kawartha Lakes, 43 in Northumberland, 17 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 215, including 159 in Kawartha Lakes, 41 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Northumberland) Active cases: 7, including 2 in Haliburton, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland (decrease of 1, in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from October 2.
Confirmed positive: 58 (increase of 2) Active cases: 6 (increase of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 47 (no change) Total tests completed: 39,169 (increase of 1,379) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Advertisement - content continues below
Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 53,633 (increase of 653) Resolved: 45,285 (increase of 435, 84.4% of all cases) Hospitalized: 155 (decrease of 12) Hospitalized and in ICU: 41 (increase of 3) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 23 (increase of 2) Deaths: 2,968 (increase of 4 plus 37 earlier deaths)* Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,948 (increase of 39)* Total tests completed: 4,049,458 (increase of 46,254) Tests under investigation: 91,322 (increase of 809)
*Deaths of cases that occurred in the spring or summer are now being recorded as part of a data review and data cleaning initiative.
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 2 – October 2, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from September 2 – October 2, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Cars lined up at the drive-through COVID-19 testing centre at Eastgate Memorial Park in Peterborough on September 22, 2020, when 460 people were tested. (Photo: Peterborough Regional Health Centre / Twitter)
Peterborough’s drive-through COVID-19 testing centre, located at Eastgate Memorial Park on Ashburnham Drive in East City, will close for one day on Monday (October 5) and reopen the following day
While the Ontario government announced last week that all the province’s COVID-19 assessment centres would provide testing by appointment only as of Tuesday (October 5), the centre at Eastgate Memorial Park will continue to provide drive-through service until it can implement appointment-based service on Friday (October 9).
Details and instructions for booking an appointment will be provided once they are available.
Advertisement - content continues below
The assessment centre at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) will continue to operate as usual, with no changes to service sa appointments are already required.
The PRHC assessment centre is open seven days a week, and can be reached by phone at 705-876-5086 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to book an appointment.
Peterborough's new Opioid Response Hub will be located in the former Greyhound bus terminal at 220 Simcoe Street (at Aylmer Street North) in downtown Peterborough, providing a new home for Harm Reduction Program services offered by PARN and the soon-to-be-launched Mobile Strategic Overdose Response Team. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
A major step in a collaborative bid to bring a Consumption Treatment Services (CTS) site to Peterborough has been realized with the establishment of a new ‘Opioid Response Hub’.
The announcement was made on Friday (October 2) in a virtual media conference hosted by Peterborough Drug Strategy and attended by Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, PARN executive director Charles Shamess, Four Counties Addiction Services Team (FourCAST) executive director Donna Rogers, Peterborough Drug Strategy chair Peter Williams, Peterborough Police Services deputy chief Tim Farquharson, and others.
The former Greyhound bus terminal at 220 Simcoe Street (at Aylmer Street North) is the hub’s location, providing a new home for Harm Reduction Program services offered by PARN and the soon-to-be-launched Mobile Strategic Overdose Response Team (MSORT). In conjunction with the move, Harm Reduction Program services will be provided under the name Harm Reduction Works.
Advertisement - content continues below
With the hub’s permanent space secured, the partner agencies that have been working to bring a CTS site to Peterborough will submit an application to the Ontario government. Those agencies — PARN, FourCAST, the Four Counties Addiction Services Team and Peterborough Public Health among them — are nearing the completion of that application and hope to submit it within the coming weeks.
A CTS will provide onsite services as well as defined pathways to addiction treatment services, primary care, mental health, housing and other social supports. A CTS will provide people who use injection drugs a safe, hygienic space to use those drugs under the supervision of health professionals in order to prevent opioid poisoning deaths. In addition, it house on-site services as well as pathways to addiction treatment services, primary care, mental health services, housing and other social supports.
During a year that has seen the number of opioid overdose-related deaths in Peterborough already surpass the total for all of 2019, Friday’s announcement of the hub is seen as a crucial development in what has been a lengthy effort to see a CTS established in the city.
PARN’s Harm Reduction Services will be move out of its current space at 541 Water Street to its new permanent home at 220 Simcoe Street (pictured) on October 13, 2020. With the Opioid Response Hub permanent space secured, the partner agencies that have been working to bring a Consumption Treatment Services (CTS) site to Peterborough will submit an application to the Ontario government. If and when approval comes, renovations to the hub site will have to be completed, with CTS occupying the majority of the space. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
PARN’s Harm Reduction Program will move out of its current space at 541 Water Street and make the transition to the hub starting next week. Its services include providing sterile drug-use equipment to prevent the transmission of blood-borne viruses as distributing Naloxone to those at risk of an overdose. MSORT, meanwhile, will use the hub as a home base in its effort to connect those who have overdosed but choose not to go to the hospital with services that can help them.
“We’ve distributed more Naloxone during the pandemic than during previous periods but the poisoned drug supply has killed 34 of our friends and neighbours,” said an emotional Charles Shamess, executive director of PARN.
“We’re very grateful to be working with a property owner (Kevin MacDonald) who understands the importance of harm reduction and who knows a consumption and treatment service will save lives. To date, the federal government has approved 40 supervised consumption sites that have been visited more than two million times, reversed nearly 16,000 overdoses without a single death and made more than 74,000 referrals to health and social services.”
Advertisement - content continues below
PARN, added Shamess, will “be the lead” on the application for grant money for a CTS but stressed a collaboration involving a number of partners will be key to any success. If and when approval comes, he says renovations to the hub site will have to be done with CTS occupying the majority of the space.
Donna Rogers, the executive director of FourCAST, said “Working together, out of the same space, is our ideal outcome.”
“People who want to make changes to their opioid use need services and there are never enough locally or provincially to meet the demand. We believe we can multiply treatment options by working together. We desperately want to be participating in solutions that reduce and ultimately eliminate opioid-related deaths. This hub model is right for this community right now.”
Peterborough Drug Strategy chair Peter Williams also addressed the media on the hub’s formation, providing a history of the collaborative effort that has led to this development.
“In December it will be three years that we’ve been having those conversations (about the need for a CTS in Peterborough),” noted Williams.
“We’ve faced numerous challenges, including finding the appropriate space and a willing landlord. This location will allow us to bring a CTS site to Peterborough…to submit an application that checks all the boxes of the federal and provincial guidelines.”
Williams said a survey conducted by the Peterborough Drug Strategy in November 2019 indicated that 74 per cent of more than 1,600 participants agreed a CTS site will benefit the community. Participants ranked the reduction of injuries and deaths from drug overdose and poisonings, prevention of blood-borne infections, and fewer publicly discarded needles and drug litter as key benefits of providing a CTS.
Williams added a separate survey of injection drug users showed 91 per cent would access a CTS site in downtown Peterborough if it was provided.
Advertisement - content continues below
As for the long road taken to get to this point — and a sizable step closer to a CTS site — Williams said “We signed up for frustrating,” adding “Collaboration, if done right, is supposed to be hard and time consuming and challenging and frustrating.”
“That’s how you know you’re on the right track. We are all very relieved to be at this stage but this is not a finish line. It’s a new start line. We can’t afford to let frustration overtake us. We’ve still got a lot of work to do and we’re up for it.”
Peterborough Police Services deputy chief Tim Farquharson, a vocal and very passionate advocate for a CTS site, expressed his clear relief over the hub’s formation and its importance in terms of the CTS application process.
Jason Wilkins of Wilkins Art & Creative Inc. in Peterborough created the design on the PARN harm reduction outreach truck. (Photo: PARN / Facebook)
“A lot of cities haven’t accepted the fact of what needs to be done to move forward but we have,” Farquharson said.
“When I was on the road, we had nothing to help people with addictions. We gave them a 1-800 number and then moved on to the next call. Now we’ll have an outreach team (MSORT) that goes out there. We didn’t have PARN in the year 2000. We were finding needles all over the city. There are still challenges with that but it’s a fraction of what we dealt with before.
“This hasn’t been smooth — there have been a lot of challenges — but look where we are now. We’re leading and we have the possibility to reverse the (opioid overdose fatality) trend.”
Shamess notes that, should Peterborough’s CTS application be successful, renovations would need to be done to the hub site to accommodate it alongside Harm Reduction Program services and base operations for MSORT.
“Along with a CTS, we would have other treatment available, from FourCAST and Canadian Mental Health, and potentially EMS might be involved as well,” Shamess said. “A whole different staffing would come with CTS.”
Additional consultations will be held with stakeholders in the area of the proposed site in the coming weeks. For more information and updates, visit peterboroughdrugstrategy.com/cts/get-involved/.
Ellwood Hamilton Bus Lines of Lakefield was founded in 1969 by Ellwood Hamilton. (Photo: Ellwood Hamilton Bus Lines / Facebook)
Lakefield’s family-owned Ellwood Hamilton Bus Lines has been purchased by Burlington’s family-owned Attridge Transportation Inc.
Attridge Transportation made the announcement on Wednesday (September 30).
“It’s strong reputation in the region and dedicated staff attracted us to Elwood Hamilton,” write president Glenn Attridge and director of operations James Attridge in a statement. “We believe that every aspect of Ellwood Hamilton aligns with our mission.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Ellwood Hamilton Bus Lines was established in 1969 by Ellwood Hamilton, starting with a station wagon and growing to provide transportation services for more than 70 school bus routes in Peterborough and area.
The current owner, Lisa Hamilton-Howie, will be retiring the day after when Attridge Transportation takes over — which also happens to be the day her father Ellwood celebrates his 80th birthday.
“My father built a legacy and he did the unthinkable,” Hamilton-Howie writes on Facebook. “He grew and he expanded and I have continued to expand and as of today, with the recent acquired routes from First Student, we are handing over 75 routes to Glenn and James Attridge.”
A huge THANK YOU for all of the love and support I have received since yesterday’s announcement. I didn’t choose the…
Based in Burlington, Attridge Transportation had a similar trajectory. It was founded in 1976 with two taxis and two station wagons, and grew to include more than 1,400 buses, 36 coaches, and six locations.
Attridge Transportation currently provides transportation services to various school boards in the Greater Toronto Area and, effective Tuesday (October 6), will begin operating the Ellwood Hamilton routes for Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO).
Attridge Transportation will continue to use the Ellwood Hamilton name on local buses and all Ellwood Hamilton bus drivers and staff will retain their jobs.
Advertisement - content continues below
“We have been working hard behind the scenes to make the transition as easy as possible for all stakeholders including drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, consortium staff, students, and parents,” Glenn and James Attridge write.
“We look forward to working with the great team here in Lakefield and are proud to provide continuous growth and stability in the communities we service.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford at a media conference on October 2, 2020 at Queen's Park, along with Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams, Ontario Health president and CEO Matthew Anderson, health minister Christine Elliott, and Ontario's chief coroner and COVID-19 testing lead Dr. Dirk Huyer, where the government announced additional public health restrictions and new testing measures. (CPAC screenshot)
With Ontario reporting a record 732 new COVID-19 cases today, Premier Doug Ford announced new public health restrictions — including an indoor mask requirement across Ontario and the tightening of social circles to household members only — as well as additional restrictions in Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa and new testing measures to help address the backlog of of tests under investigation, which has climbed to a record high of 90,513.
“We’re in a second wave of COVID-19 and as Premier it’s my duty to protect the people,” Ford said at a media conference at Queen’s Park on Friday (October 2), along with health minister Christine Elliott, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams, Ontario Health president and CEO Matthew Anderson, and Ontario’s chief coroner and COVID-19 testing lead Dr. Dirk Huyer.
“Throughout this pandemic, we have made some tough but necessary decisions, always based on the best medical advice and scientific evidence available,” Ford added. “After consulting with the chief medical officer and the Public Health Measures table, we will be bringing in more public health restrictions to stop this virus from spreading any further.”
Effective 12:01 a.m. on Saturday (October 3), face coverings will now be required in all public indoor settings across Ontario, including at businesses, facilities, and workplaces (with some exceptions, including corrections and developmental services). The government is also tightening social circles — advising Ontarians to only allow close contact with people living in their own household and to maintain two metres of physical distance from everyone else.
“This will be especially important to consider as we look ahead to Thanksgiving next weekend,” Ford said. “We also have to extend the pause on the reopening of any other businesses and facilities for another 28 days.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The government is also implementing additional public health restrictions in Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa — the province’s COVID-19 hot spots. Indoor capacity at restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments (including nightclubs) will be restricted to the number of patrons who can can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other patron, to a maximum of 100 patrons, with no more than six patrons per table.
Group exercise classes at gyms and other fitness settings in Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa will be restricted to 10 people with no more than 50 people in total allowed at these facilities to a maximum of 50. At meeting and event facilities, including banquet halls, only six people will be allowed per table and 50 people per facility. All the new measures for in Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa come into effect 12:01 a.m. on Saturday (October 3).
Ford also announced changes to how testing is conducted at all of Ontario’s assessment centres in an effort to reduce testing turnaround times and to help assessment centres prepare for the cold winter months where long line-ups will be even more problematic. Beginning next Tuesday (October 6), testing will be by appointment only, with walk-in testing discontinued starting Sunday (October 4), The province will also increase testing and processing capacity to 50,000 tests per day by mid-October and 68,000 tests per day by mid-November, and will introduce new testing methods once they are approved by Health Canada.
Today’s record number of 732 new cases comes as the Ontario exceeds 4 million tests completed. As has been the case for weeks, most of the new cases are in Toronto (343), Ottawa (141), and Peel (111), with significant increases in York (38) and Durham (34). There are smaller increases in Simcoe Muskoka (13), Halton (11), Niagara (11), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (10), Waterloo (9), Hamilton (6), and Windsor-Essex (6). The remaining 22 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 13 reporting no cases at all.
The percentage of cases in older people continues to increase, with 58% of today’s cases among people under the age of 40. In early September, 70% of new cases were in that age group. There have been 5 new hospitalizations, with 2 new cases admitted to ICUs and 4 new cases on ventilators.
There have been 2 new deaths since yesterday, but the total number of deaths has increased to 2,927 because it now includes 74 deaths from the spring and summer that were not previously recorded.
There are 36 new cases in Ontario schools today (29 students, 2 staff, and 3 unidentified individuals). In licensed child care settings, there are 12 new cases (8 children and 4 staff).
Advertisement - content continues below
In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report today in Peterborough are 2 new cases in Hastings and Prince Edward counties. There are no new cases to report in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton.
None of the new cases in schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 26 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 13 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 126 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (111 resolved with 2 deaths), 182 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (159 resolved with 32 deaths), 43 in Northumberland County (41 resolved with 1 death), 17 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 58 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (47 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 52,980 confirmed cases, an increase of 732 from yesterday, with 44,850 (85% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 428. There have been 2,927 deaths, an increase of 2 from yesterday plus 74 deaths for cases in the spring or summer that were not previously recorded. These additional 74 earlier deaths has also increased the number of deaths in long-term care homes to 1,909 deaths (the number of new deaths since yesterday is not reported). A total of 4,003,204 tests have been completed, an increase of 40,093 from yesterday, with 90,513 tests under investigation, an increase of 8,040 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 126 (increase of 1) Active cases: 13 (decrease of 2) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 111 (increase of 3) Total tests completed: Over 29,300 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 242, including 182 in Kawartha Lakes, 43 in Northumberland, 17 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 215, including 159 in Kawartha Lakes, 41 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Northumberland) Active cases: 7, including 2 in Haliburton, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland (decrease of 1, in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 58 (increase of 2) Active cases: 6 (increase of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 47 (no change) Total tests completed: 39,169 (increase of 1,379) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Advertisement - content continues below
Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 52,980 (increase of 732) Resolved: 44,850 (increase of 428, 85% of all cases) Hospitalized: 167 (increase of 5) Hospitalized and in ICU: 38 (increase of 2) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 21 (increase of 4) Deaths: 2,927 = 2,853 (increase of 2) plus 74 earlier deaths* Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,909 (increase of 71)* Total tests completed: 4,003,204 (increase of 40,093) Tests under investigation: 90,513 (increase of 8,040)
*There were 74 deaths reported for cases that occurred in the spring or summer and are now being recorded as part of a data review and data cleaning initiative.
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 1 – October 1, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from September 1 – October 1, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
The City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service in Lindsay. (Photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)
Kawartha Lakes police issued $880 fines to four people who contravened COVID-19 safety regulations during a drive-in concert in Lindsay on Thursday night (October 1).
According to a media release issued by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service, officers responded to a complaint at 6:40 p.m. on Thursday that spectators at the concert were not abiding by COVID-19 safety regulations.
While the media release does not identify the concert, the Lindsay Drive-in was hosting the second night of “Home Again”, a fundraising concert for the Academy Theatre, on Thursday night.
Advertisement - content continues below
Officers patrolled the venue and spoke with guests and organizers to ensure all attendees were aware of the current regulations under the Reopening Ontario Act.
When police returned to the drive-in concert just after 9 p.m., they found several people who were still failing to comply with COVID-19 safety regulations by congregating outside of their vehicles and drinking.
Officers issued four people with provincial offence notices under section 10(1)(a) of the Reopening Ontario Act, which carries a set fine of $880.
The Kawartha Lakes Police Service is reminding any person, business, or organization hosting an event to ensure they are aware of all safety regulations under the Reopening Ontario Act, and to also ensure that all guests in attendance are educated about their responsibility to comply with safety protocols.
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.
