The Ontario Provincial Police and the Canadian Armed Forces are conducting a joint training exercise in the Bancroft area in the evening of July 23, 2019. Pictured is a military training exercise held at Camp Aldershot in Nova Scotia in June 2019. (Photo: Lieutenant (Navy) Sean Costello)
If you are in the Bancroft area on Tuesday night (July 23) and see police and military vehicles and personnel on local roads, don’t be concerned — it’s just a training exercise.
Officers with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Tactical Rescue Unit, the OPP Canine Unit, and other services within the OPP will be joining the Canadian Armed Forces in a joint training exercise.
Canadian Armed Forces and OPP vehicles, along with Canadian Armed Forces and OPP members, will be out on the roads conducting the training.
The OPP requests that the public refrain from interrupting the training or contacting the police if you happen to see any Canadian Armed Forces or OPP members.
Brock Grills, pictured here (under clock, holding banner) after winning the Peterborough-Kawartha federal Green Party nomination on February 25, 2019, has stepped down as the candidate for personal reasons. (Photo: Peterborough-Kawartha Federal Green Party Association )
The Peterborough-Kawartha Federal Green Party Association announced on Tuesday morning (July 23) that its candidate for the 2019 federal election, Brock Grills, has stepped down for personal reasons.
“Mr. Grills is proud of his contribution to the Green Party locally but needs to take time for personal matters,” a media release states.
Grills won the nomination on February 25, 2019, beating out rival Jane Davidson.
With fewer than three months left before the federal election, the association is now seeking a new candidate.
Anyone with interest is asked to contact association CEO Gianne Broughton at info@ptbogreens.org.
The Sheepdogs perform a free, sponsor-supported concert at Peterborough Musicfest in Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on July 24, 2019. Pictured are band members Sam Corbett (drums, backing vocals), Jimmy Bowskill (guitars, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, pedal steel), Ewan Currie (vocals, guitars, clarinet, drums), Shamus Currie (keyboards, trombone), and Ryan Gullen (bass, backing vocals). (Photo: Matt Dunlap)
Some things are simply well worth waiting for, if not long overdue.
Close to four years after he joined The Sheepdogs for the European leg of the rock band’s Future Nostalgia Tour, Bailieboro native and 2005 Juno Award nominee Jimmy Bowskill is right where he belongs and deserves to be — included, for the first time, in the band member listing for The Sheepdogs’ latest album.
Peterborough Musicfest presents The Sheepdogs
When: Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
Those who saw and heard the unassuming kid (he really was a kid) cut his musical teeth in Peterborough live music venues still easily recall his huge talent and how the blues a la Robert Johnson oozed from every pore of his body.
It was that same talent and passion for the blues that impressed the late blues guitarist Jeff Healey, prompting him to invite the 11-year-old Bowskill off the street to perform on his club stage in Toronto.
And years later, it was Bowskill’s mastery of string instruments that led to The Sheepdogs inviting him along for the tour ride in November 2015.
On Wednesday, July 24th at Del Crary Park, The Sheepdogs — Bowskill alongside frontman Ewan Currie, Ryan Gullen, Sam Corbett, and Shamus Currie — will bring their three-time Juno awarded sound to Peterborough Musicfest. The band — including Bowskill — last performed at Musicfest in August 2017. Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of sponsors.
VIDEO: “I Don’t Know” – The Sheepdogs
In a promotional story by Nick Krewen for the band’s latest album Changing Colours, bass guitarist and co-founder Gullen credits Bowskill with giving The Sheepdogs “a new sensibility” with the addition of his prowess on pedal steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle.
Among Changing Colours‘ generous 17 tracks is “The Bailieboro Turnaround” — a folk-flavoured instrumental tribute to Bowskill’s hometown.
“We identify strongly with rock ‘n roll but there’s definitely some branching out,” Ewan Currie says in the same article. “There’s more keyboards featuring Shamus and more stringed instruments. It’s still rock ‘n roll, but there are more colours.”
VIDEO: “The Bailieboro Turnaround / Up in Canada” – The Sheepdogs
Long before inviting Bowskill into the fold, The Sheepdogs formed in Saskatoon in 2006. Originally a trio called The Breaks with Ewan Currie, Gullen, and Corbett, guitarist Leot Hanson soon joined the band and they changed their name to The Sheepdogs — a name inspired by an incident from Ewan Currie’s childhood.
“When I was a young boy my mother left me in the front yard of our house and I wandered off down the street,” Currie recalls in a 2015 interview with Jon Berrien of GroundSounds.
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“She went running looking for me and found me down at the park playing with a kindly sheepdog. I’ve always felt like those dogs were especially benevolent and sort of watched over me.”
The quartet independently released its first album Trying To Grow the following year. While that album, and 2008 follow-up The Sheepdogs’ Big Stand, failed to chart, 2010’s Learn & Burn was a game changer, peaking at #14 on the Canadian album chart and earning platinum status.
Not hurting matters at all was the band’s performance in “Battle of the Instant Bands” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in June 2011, which preceded their reader-selected appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone that August — the first unsigned act ever featured on the storied magazine’s cover — and a subsequent appearance the same month on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
VIDEO: “The Way It Is” – The Sheepdogs
VIDEO: “Feeling Good” – The Sheepdogs
That same month also saw the EP Five Easy Pieces spawn two top-charting hits, “I Don’t Know” and “Who?”
So it was no huge surprise when music industry recognition arrived in a big way via 2012 Juno Award wins for Rock Album of the Year for Learn & Burn, Single of the Year for “I Don’t Know”, and Best New Group.
Following the 2012 release of The Sheepdogs (the band’s fourth album also platinum certified and Juno Award nominated on the strength of #1 charted singles “The Way It Is” and “Feeling Good”), Hanson departed the band and Ewan Currie’s younger brother Shamus Currie joined the band.
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Hanson’s replacement, Winnipeg guitarist Rusty Matyas, was in the mix for Future Nostalgia, the band’s fifth album recorded in a cottage on the shores of Stoney Lake and released in 2015.
There things sat until Bowskill got the call for that tour of Europe and the subsequent February 2018 release of Changing Colours. Producing three singles to date — “I’ve Got A Whole Where My Heart Should Be”, “Nobody”, and “Saturday Night” — that album brought two 2019 Juno Award nominations The Sheepdogs’ way.
“Most of the records we’ve made have been under a short time constraint,” Corbett tells Nick Krewen. “This one was done over six months, with some songs sitting around for two months. Then we’d come back and try different things, so as a result some of the songs took a different shape. In some situations, there’s more of a ‘jamming’ feel because we could experiment.”
VIDEO: “Downtown” – The Sheepdogs
VIDEO: “I’ve Got A Hole Where My Heart Should Be” – The Sheepdogs
For Corbett, 2018 was particularly difficult. Diagnosed with cancer, he began treatment in October of that year. Come New Year’s Eve in Niagara Falls, he was again behind his drum kit, shortly after announcing the birth of his first child.
While The Sheepdogs have been blessed with recording success, touring has been, and remains, where it’s at for the quintet. Earlier this year, the band joined Rival Sons for a tour of Europe and North America — a jaunt which included The Sheepdogs’ first ever shows in Scandinavia.
VIDEO: “Nobody” – The Sheepdogs
“We could never sit back and rest on our laurels,” says Corbett, with Currie in full agreement.
“Do good work and the people will find you. Let the work speak for itself. That’s our big philosophy.”
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Win VIP passes to MusicFest!
As a returning sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest, kawarthaNOW.com will be giving away VIP seats to every one of this summer’s concerts again this year.
While the concerts are free to all, VIP seats are not available to the general public — only to festival sponsors. You are guaranteed a chair near to the stage for the best view.
The giveaways are exclusive to subscribers to our weekly e-news. For your chance to win, sign-up to our weekly e-news at k-n.ca/subscribe.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission, sponsor-supported concerts featuring a total of 21 acts during its 33rd season — each concert staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the entire 2019 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
"Birds of Prey", a two-hour demonstration by master falconer Matt Lieberknecht, takes place at Gamiing Nature Centre on Pigeon Lake on August 10, 2019. Lieberknecht will bring various owls, falcons, kestrels, and other raptors for an interactive show for the whole family, engaging both young and old with his fascinating stories about each bird. (Supplied photo)
This August, master falconer Matt “The Birdman” Lieberknecht is returning to Gamiing Nature Centre on Pigeon Lake for “Birds of Prey”, an interactive show on raptors for the entire family.
Gamiing Nature Centre presents Birds of Prey
When: Saturday, August 10, 2019 from 2 – 4 p.m. Where: Gamiing Nature Centre (1884 Pigeon Lake Rd., Kawartha Lakes) How much: $10 adults, $5 children and youth 16 and under, $25 early bird family pass (2 adults and up to 3 children)
Featuring master falconer Matt Lieberknecht and various owls, falcons, kestrels, and other raptors in an interactive show for the entire family. Proceeds to support Gamiing’s Nuturing Nature fundraising campaign.
The two-hour demonstration takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 10th on the centre’s 100-acre property between Emily Park and Bobcaygeon.
Raptors — which include hawks, eagles, falcons, kestrels, owls, and vultures — are birds of prey that hunt and feed on small animals like rodents and larger animals like squirrels and rabbits.
While many birds eat meat, raptors have three traits that distinguish them from other birds: they have curved beaks with sharp edges for tearing flash, they have sharp talons on their powerful feet for grasping and carrying off prey, and they have keen eyesight to detect prey at great distances.
Lieberknecht will bring owls, falcons, kestrels, and other raptors to the Gaming Nature Centre event. He will outline everything an aspiring falconer or birder might wish to learn about raptors, from the food he gives them (minced quail, bones and feathers included) to the equipment he uses.
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Among other things, he will explain the importance of using the forearm as a perch and selecting the correct glove, and the significance of the thin strap of leather (known as a jess) around a captive raptor’s leg.
“The audience is sure to be impressed with master falconer Matt Lieberknecht,” says Gamiing executive director Mieke Schipper. “We are excited to welcome Matt back once again. He is truly fascinating to watch.”
Master falconer Matt “The Birdman” Lieberknecht with a turkey vulture. (Supplied photo)
Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 children and youth 16 years of age and under. A family pass (including two adults and up to three children) is also available for $25 until July 31st and $30 thereafter. You can get your tickets online now at Eventbrite.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Gamiing Nature Centre’s Nurturing Nature fundraising campaign.
Gamiing, an Ojibwa word meaning “at the shore”, is a charitable organization that receives no government funding. The centre relies on donations to operate its outdoor youth education programs, Wild at Heart Forest School, and nature workshops, and to conduct maintenance of public access trails on the property
For more information on Gamming and to donate, visit www.gamiing.org.
Charlene "Charlie" Earle performing with her quartet Little Fire in April 2014 at the former Barbeside Salon, with Aaron Cavon on bass and Dave Tough on guitar (not shown: Brandon Root on drums). Earle passed away on July 19, 2019 at the age of 33. (Photo: Esther Vincent / evmustang.ca)
Peterborough musician and artist Charlene Earle passed away suddenly on Friday (July 19), kawarthaNOW has learned. She was 33 years old.
Celebration of Life
Ryan and Sam Weber of The Weber Brothers are planning celebration of life for Charlene Earle from 1 to 11 p.m.
on Sunday, July 28th at the Historic Red Dog (189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough). More details are coming soon.
Earle, who performed as Charlie Earle and Charlie Maine and was known as Chuck by her friends, had just played at the Historic Red Dog Tavern in downtown Peterborough the previous evening, as part of the Weber Brothers’ WE Thursdays concert series.
In 2012, Earle moved from Toronto to Peterborough, where she performed as a vocalist and well as working as a bartender at The Garnet.
Charlie Earle with Aaron Cavon, Brandon Root, and David Tough in Little Fire, which performed in 2013 and 2014. (Photo: Little Fire / bandcamp.com)
As a musician, Earle was known for her powerhouse vocals in the style of Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner.
She sang backup vocals with Beau Dixon’s band Slips & The High Fives and, from 2013 to 2014, was the lead vocalist in the band Little Fire along with Dave Tough on guitar, Aaron Cavon on bass, and Brandon Root on drums.
More recently, she performed with local musicians including the Weber Brothers, Rob Phillips, Pat Temple and the Hilo Players, and others.
VIDEO: “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James performed by Charlie Earle
Earle had recently formed a new “modwave” band called Nudge, with Erika Nininger, Will Dobbin, Rick Sloukji, and Brandon Root.
She was also an artist, who painted in acrylic.
Her work was featured publicly for the first time on March 1st this year during “Celebrating Black Arts Vol II”, a First Friday Art Crawl event at the Historic Red Dog for Black History Month.
A work in acrylic on canvas by Charlene “Charlie” Earle. Her work was featured in March during an event celebrating Black History Month. (Photo: Charlie Earle / Facebook)
As word spread on social media of Earle’s death, her friends and fellow musicians expressed their shock and sorrow.
Here are a few samples of public posts on Facebook, including this moving tribute by The Weber Brothers:
You ever look at a diamond? Seen it’s brilliance radiate within and rush outward, dazzling and hypnotizing the eye?…
My heart broke today. I don't have the right words but so, so much love. And too many conversations, plans and schemes. There was so much music left to make. Let people know you love them always. Always.
The Highlands Cottages, located at 3133 Peterborough County Road 36 in Buckhorn, is a spectacular place to live or to run a business like an Airbnb. The two-acre property on almost 700 feet of waterfront includes a 4,000-square-foot log home, two winterized log cabins, and a boathouse. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions)
“There’s something magical about this property.”
Devin MacDonald, current owner of The Highlands Cottages in Buckhorn, stands on a large deck overlooking the water with husband David.
See the full listing for 3133 Peterborough County Road 36, Buckhorn at ballrealestate.ca.
In front of us are literally tens of thousands of acres of pristine wilderness, the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, a patchwork of green and blue. In a few hours the sun will set over the river. A fish turns lazily in the water just off the sand beach. Pink granite stone shimmers in the sunlight.
It’s spectacular, and we haven’t even been inside yet.
VIDEO: The Highlands Cottages (3133 Peterborough County Road 36, Buckhorn)
The Highlands, as David and Devin refer to it, is a two-acre residential property on almost 700 feet of waterfront featuring four buildings: a 4,000-square-foot log home, two winterized log cabins, and a boathouse.
The three-bedroom main house is expansive, freshly renovated and beautifully appointed, featuring quartz countertops, stately log walls, and spectacular views of the water from both sides of the house.
Incredible potential as a business or a home
The main house tastefully blends rustic hand-hewn logs with modern elegance. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions)
The property offers a fantastic space to start a new business, or continue the Airbnb rentals that Devin and David have offered there.
“We chose to Airbnb the two cottages, but there are so many applications,” David muses.
The vast great room in the main house could be a yoga studio, a music studio, a performance space or a conference room. It has incredible potential.
The expansive great room in the main house offers infinite possibilities for family recreation, or to start your own business. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions)
“It’s up to the creativity of the person and how they want to apply it, but the buildings are here and the footprints are here. If someone has an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s a great place to be.”
The Airbnb cottages are routinely booked without any advertising, aside from occasional social media posts.
“This environment and this place really make it easy to do that,” David explains.
This two-bedroom “fox” cottage could be a profitable Airbnb or an impressive in-law suite. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions)
Selected Airbnb reviews of The Highlands
“The cottage is beautiful and extremely well equipped. Gorgeous surroundings and excellent location. We enjoyed ourselves very much and are looking forward to returning in the summer.”
“Perfect for anyone looking to enjoy nature. We enjoyed fishing, paddle boating, tube riding down the river and every night a BBQ overlooking the peaceful river.”
“The location is beautiful, quiet, and serene- pictures seriously don’t do justice. Inside the cottage it is spacious, clean, and homey.”
The Highlands Cottages listing on Airbnb has hundreds of five-star reviews, and these will be transferred to the new owner if they wish to keep that business active.
David says that the Airbnb business is easy to run.
“You make sure the guests are comfortable and that what they need is there, but at the end of the day they’re here for the view and the water and to get out of the city.”
The Highlands is also a wonderful family home. As a father, David has watched his son grow up swimming and playing in the river.
“It’s a great place to grow up and experience nature,” David says.
The one-bedroom “beaver” cottage has a deck overlooking Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
With three separate buildings, it could be a home or cottage for an entire extended family — or your family can live in the main house and simply use the cottages as occasional guesthouses for friends and family when they come to visit.
In either case, there is plenty of room for everyone to have their own space while enjoying time together.
Wildlife and recreation at your doorstep
The property at 3133 Peterborough County Road 36 offers incredible wildlife sightings. This deer was spotted swimming in the river. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
Imagine sitting on the deck overlooking the water on a summer morning, drinking your coffee to the sound of a loon call.
The Highlands property is a haven for wildlife, with moose, foxes, deer, turtles, and playing otters often making appearances.
“We’re on the edge of the wilderness so you don’t know what you’re going to see,” David points out. “Every day is something new.”
Hardworking beavers are a regular sight in the river. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
There is one animal, however, that you can set a clock by. The home is just a short paddle to a beaver dam, and beavers regularly pass by the property in the morning and the evening on their daily rounds.
Beyond the wildlife, there are many recreational options here. Canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming and hiking are all at your doorstep.
Love to fish? The Highlands is a fisherman’s dream. David says that he has caught large and smallmouth bass, walleye, and even muskie.
The sun sets over a spectacular view of Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park at The Highlands Cottages. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
“I’ve seen musky spawning in the spring and there are some really big ones,” he says.
“Our neighbour keeps track of how many he catches every year and last year he caught five. The river is pretty abundant and alive and it doesn’t get a lot of traffic because it’s off of the main lake.”
Secluded but convenient location
Directly across from hundreds of square kilometres of protected parkland, The Highlands Cottages is also adjacent the Mississauga River, home to many fish, including bass, walleye, and even musky. Buckhorn is only minutes away, and Peterborough is just over a 20-minute drive. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions)
Uniquely situated, this property affords the opportunity to enjoy luxurious seclusion while being just minutes from Buckhorn’s groceries, dining, a gallery, and winery.
“We’re close to town, but out here you don’t feel like it,” Devin says.
That’s an understatement. The property is directly across from hundreds of square kilometres of protected parkland, with Kawartha Highlands being the largest park in southern Ontario after Algonquin Provincial Park. If so desired, a paddle from the dock can yield days of adventure.
The property is a year-round photographer’s delight. Otters at play are frequently spotted in the sparkling clear water. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
You can enjoy some of the best natural scenes Kawartha Highlands Park has to offer, including provincially significant wetland and rare wildlife, while still maintaining a wifi connection.
The property is also accessible to larger urban centres: just over 20 minutes from Peterborough and under two hours from Toronto.
Superior craftsmanship and all-season comfort
The meticulous craftmanship of the thick hand-hewn log walls moderate the interior temperature all year round. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
The buildings are all scribe log, which means that every log is hand picked and hand hewn to make a log wall that fits together like a meticulously built puzzle.
Devin says that the beautiful thick log walls also offer a practical advantage.
“The temperature inside is really moderate. In winter it retains a lot of heat, and in summer it stays really cool.”
Beautifully built, each building features thick hand-hewn log walls combined with tasteful modern décor. All of the buildings have wood fireplaces. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions
I visited in the midst of a heat wave and the house felt cool and comfortable, with no need for air conditioning.
The beautiful hand-hewn logs carry throughout the home, making it both rustic and elegant. The home is immaculate. You’ll find quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathroom, high-end appliances, a jet tub in the ensuite bathroom, and lots of fireplaces.
This is a place to be truly comfortable.
The freshly renovated kitchen features new top-of-the-line appliances and quartz countertops. (Photo: Darryl Griffioen, OneLook Productions)
All of the buildings have wood fireplaces and, because of the insulating logs, a cozy fire in the kitchen can keep the entire house at 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.
“Not very many people even keep their furnaces at their temperature,” David points out.
Outside you can enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, skating, and snowmobiling. Winter at The Highlands is truly beautiful and tranquil.
A once-in-a-lifetime find
Sparkling pink granite offers a place to bask in the sun, to jump into the river for a swim, or to enjoy a campfire. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
At The Highlands, sparkling pink granite outcrops punctuate the serene landscape, perfect for basking or for jumping into the river (there is a 15-foot drop along the rocky part of the shoreline).
The main house is built directly into the beautiful and massive granite.
Devin points out the colours of the stone can brighten or intensify depending on the time of year.
“It’s pretty amazing. The colours really change according to the day or the season. The pink gets so vibrant.”
The wild chives are in flower during my visit, peppering the property with savoury beauty. Across the sparkling blue river is a tapestry of green.
The property is situated in the heart of what has been termed “The Land Between,” a corridor of incredible habitat diversity home to many rare species of plants and wildlife.
A property like this really is a once-in-a-lifetime find.
Life is good on the beach: the Highlands Cottages offers the beauty of Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park in a space characterized by modern comfort. (Photo: Devin MacDonald)
Mostly found in wooded or brushy areas, the blacklegged tick is the only species of tick known to carry Lyme disease. If you encounter a tick, you can upload a photo to the Etick website at www.etick.ca to find out if it's a blacklegged tick. If it is, you can submit it to Peterborough Public Health for testing in case it is infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Every summer, we hear about the potential dangers of being bitten by a tick and developing Lyme disease — a potentially serious inflammatory infection.
But not every one of the 40 species of ticks in Canada carries Lyme disease so, if you find a tick, the first step is to identify what species it is.
There’s where a new website comes in. At www.etick.ca, you can submit a photo of any tick you find and get confirmation if it belongs to the species that carry Lyme bacteria. The website also includes real-time mapping of tick submissions, and a free mobile app will be launching in the fall.
“This website makes it easy for residents to determine if they’ve found a blacklegged tick,” says public health inspector Wanda Tonus of Peterborough Public Health.
“Then they can then submit the insect to Peterborough Public Health for testing to see if it’s infected with Lyme disease.”
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi, shown here in a photograph that has been magnified 400 times. Around two hundredths of a millimetre in length, the bacteria are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. (Public domain)
In Ontario, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis, also known as the deer tick) is the only species of tick known to carry Lyme disease. If you’re bitten by an infected blacklegged tick, you may develop symptoms including a rash (often shaped like a bull’s eye), fever, chills, headache, stiff neck, muscle aches and joint pains, unusual fatigue, and more.
Lyme disease is named after the town of Lyme in Connecticut, where the first case of the disease was diagnosed in 1975. Until about 10 years ago, most Lyme disease infections were caused by ticks in the United States. However, because of climate change, blacklegged ticks have spread to new areas of Ontario.
Wooded or brushy areas are the preferred habitat of ticks. In the Kawarthas, the highest-risk areas for infected ticks are mainly to the southeast of Peterborough.
The Ontario Lyme Disease Map Estimated Risk Areas is updated annually, providing information to assist public health professionals and clinicians in their management of Lyme disease. (Map: Public Health Ontario)
The number of confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease in Ontario increases every year. According to Public Health Ontario, there were 1,003 cases in 2017 — twice as many as in 2016. Of these cases, 31 people required hospitalization.
In the Peterborough area, Peterborough Public Health received 195 tick submissions in 2018, with 95 confirmed as the blacklegged species. Of these 95, seven tested positive for Lyme disease; however, only one of these positive ticks was acquired locally.
The eTick website at www.etick.ca was originally developed in Quebec by Bishop’s University, so it’s available in both English and French. After you upload your tick photo to the website, you’ll find out within 48 hours where it’s a blacklegged tick.
This tick was found on the trail through Jackson’s Park in Peterborough on May 15, 2019. A user uploaded the photo to the Etick website at www.etick.ca where it was identified as a blacklegged tick. (Photo via eTick)
If you find out it’s a blacklegged tick, Peterborough Public Health encourages you to submit it for testing as soon as possible. Place the tick in a sealed container or ziploc bag and bring it to Client Services on the third floor of 185 King Street in downtown Peterborough between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Of course, the best way to avoid the possibility of Lyme disease it to prevent tick bites in the first place. If you are spending time outdoors — especially in areas that are forested or have tall grasses, weeds, or many shrubs — you should take the following precautions:
Reduce your exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks. Tuck your shirt into your pants and tuck your pants into your socks.
Wear light-coloured clothing so you can better see if a tick has latched onto your clothing.
Apply an insect repellent containing DEET to your clothing and exposed skin to deter ticks.
Keep to the middle of the trail when hiking to avoid contact with tall grasses and bushes containing ticks.
Check your clothing and entire body for ticks when you come back from the outdoors, paying special attention to hidden areas like the groin, armpits, the scalp, and the back of the knee. Have someone check you or use a mirror.
Have a shower after returning from the outdoors as soon as you can, to wash off any ticks that you may have missed.
Put your outdoor clothing into your dryer on high heat for an hour (don’t wash it first). Ticks thrive in wet environments but will not survive the heat of the dryer.
Check your pets for ticks. Pets can also pick ticks up from outdoor areas and bring them into your home, where they could bite you.
Note that Lyme disease is not a contagious disease: you can only get it through the bite of an infected tick. So it can’t be spread from animal to human (or vice versa) or animal to animal.
A view of Victoria Beach on Lake Ontario in Cobourg. (Photo courtesy of Linda McIlwain)
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™, our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the Kawarthas, and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of July 25, 2019, the following beaches have been posted as unsafe for swimming:
Bewdley Beach – Northumberland County
Harwood Beach – Northumberland County
Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
While we strive to update this story with the current conditions, you should confirm the most recent test results by visiting the local health unit websites at Peterborough Public Health and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. As noted above, the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead are tested every business day so the results listed below may not be current.
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Peterborough City/County
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Roger’s Cove (131 Maria St, Peterborough) – sample date July 24 -SAFE
Beavermeade (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date July 24 – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Back Dam Beach (902 Rock Rd., Warsaw, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Buckhorn (John Street, Buckhorn) – sample date July 23 – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Rd, Harvey) – sample date July 23 – SAFE
Curve Lake Lance Woods Park (Chemong St S, Curve Lake) – sample date July 23 – SAFE
Curve Lake Henry’s Gumming (Whetung St E, Curve Lake) – sample date July 23 – SAFE
Douro (205 Douro Second Line, Douro-Dummer) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Ennismore (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Hiawatha (1 Lakeshore Rd, Hiawatha) – sample date July 24 – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Norwood (12 Belmont St, Norwood) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Sandy Lake (1239 Lakehurst Road, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date July 24 – SAFE
Selwyn (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Rd, South Monaghan) – sample date July 23 – SAFE
Warsaw Caves (289 Caves Rd, Warsaw) – sample date July 22 – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake (376 Miles of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
Chandos Beach (Hwy 620, North Kawartha) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Methune) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
Quarry Bay (1986 Northey’s Bay Rd, Woodview) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
White’s Beach (Clearview Drive, Galway) – sample date July 4 – SAFE
Multiple award-winning Canadian blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Morgan Davis will be performing at the Dominion Hotel in Minden on Monday, July 22nd. (Publicity photo)
Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, July 18 to Wednesday, July 24.
If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.
5-8:30pm - Tiki Tuesday w/ Gary and the Rough Ideas
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 27 1pm - Saturday afternoon jazz w/ Chris Smith; 8pm - Ian Reid
Sunday, July 28 12-3:30pm - Sunday afternoon gospel w/ Blaine Burnie, Gene and Fat Fingers Slimm; 8pm - Ian Reid
Dr. J's BBQ & Brews
282 Aylmer St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5717
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 20 1:30-5pm - Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association (PBMA) Deluxe Blues Jam hosted by Dennis O'Toole & the Assassin's Hotel Orchestra (donations to PMBA encouraged)
Dreams of Beans
138 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 742-2406
Thursday, July 18
8pm - Open mic hosted by Jacques Graveline
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 20 8pm - Acoustic Showcase ft Jeff Clarke, Jacques Graveline, and more
Wednesday, July 31 5-7pm - Sarah Tohnin
Frank's Pasta and Grill
426 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-2720
Friday, July 19
9pm-12am - Karaoke; 12am - DJ
Saturday, July 20
8pm - Breezeway Band; 11:30pm - DJ
Wednesday, July 24
8-11pm - Open Mic
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 27 8pm - Batten Down the Hatches; 11:30pm - DJ
Ganarascals Restaurant
53 Walton St., Port Hope
905-885-1888
Coming Soon
Saturday, August 10 7-10pm - Mayhemingways ($15, call or email to reserve your tickets)
Ganaraska Hotel
30 Ontario St., Port Hope
(905) 885-9254
Friday, July 19
8pm - All Things Woodstock Show #2 ($20)
Saturday, July 20
2pm & 10pm - Straight Shooter
Coming Soon
Friday, July 26 8pm - All Things Woodstock Show #3 ($20)
Saturday, July 27 2pm & 10pm - Blueprint
The Garnet
231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 874-0107
Thursday, July 18
9pm - Ten Minute Detour w/ Kill the Ego
Friday, July 19
5-7pm - Julia Fenn & Friends; 9pm - Lars Lundehave Hansen w/ Hymns57 and Olias ($10 at door)
Saturday, July 20
9pm - George Douglas, Marcus Starr Band
Sunday, July 21
8pm - Kimberly Sunstrum w/ Kira Montfort, Niambi Tree ($10 or PWYC)
Monday, July 22
7pm - Gary Cain Band
Wednesday, July 24
9pm - Mars On The Water, Black Night Satellite, Puppet
Coming Soon
Thursday, July 25 8pm - Jennis w/ Joel Parkes ($10 or PWYC)
Friday, July 26 9pm - Death By Art School, High Heels Low Fi
Sunday, July 28 6pm & 10pm - Julie Doiron, Jose Contreras, Apollo Ghosts ($10 in advance, $15 at door)
Gordon Best Theatre
216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 876-8884
Friday, July 19
8pm - Cross Dog album release w/ Indican Handcrafts and Deathsticks ($10, all proceeds donated to Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre)
Sunday, July 28 7pm - Cottage Country Drag Bingo w/ Ms. Madge Enhat & Miss Divalicious
Marley's Bar & Grill
17 Fire Route 82 Catalina Bay, Buckhorn
(705) 868-2545
Friday, July 19
7-10pm - Chris Culgin
Saturday, July 20
7-10pm - Midnight Vesta
Coming Soon
Friday, July 26 7-10pm - Kayla Howran & Melissa Payne
Saturday, July 27 7-10pm - Ace & The Kid
McThirsty's Pint
166 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 743-2220
Thursdays
9pm - Live music hosted by Tony Silvestri and Greg Caven
Fridays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Saturdays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Sundays
8pm - Open stage hosted by Ryan Van Loon
Mondays
9:30pm - Trivia Night hosted by Cam Green
Wednesdays
9pm - Live music hosted by Kevin Foster
The Mill Restaurant and Pub
990 Ontario St., Cobourg
(905) 377-8177
Thursday, July 18
7pm - Garage Dog
Murphy's Lockside Pub & Patio
3 May St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-1100
Tuesday, July 23
7-9pm - North Country Express (patio)
Coming Soon
Saturday, August 3 8pm - Michael O'Grady & Jason Lynn (patio)
Next Door
197 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(647) 270-9609
Friday, July 19
9pm - Dylan Ireland
Coming Soon
Friday, July 26 9pm - The Musician Next Door presents Bruno Merz
Oasis Bar & Grill
31 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-6634
Sundays
5:30pm - PHLO
Pappas Billiards
407 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-9010
Thursday, July 18
7-10pm - Open Mic
Saturday, July 20
1-3pm - Shipwrecked Saturdays w/ Jacques Graveline
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Publican House Brewery
300 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5743
Friday, July 19
6-9pm - Shai Peer
Saturday, July 20
6-9pm - Rob Phillips
Sunday, July 21
3-6pm - Ace & The Kid
Puck' N Pint Sports Pub
871 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
(705) 741-1078
Friday, July 19
9pm - Captain Cryptic and the Deciphers (Andy McDonald, Dave Clarke, Denton McConnell, Craig McEachern)
Saturday, July 20
9:30pm - High Waters Band
Red Dog Tavern
189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 741-6400
Thursday, July 18
8pm - The Weber Brothers present WE Thursdays Concert Series ft Charlie Earle ($10 at door); 10:30pm - Busty and the Bass w/ I The Mountain ($10 in advance at www.ticketscene.ca/events/25113/)
Saturday, July 20
10pm - RöckBïtür ft Taylor Beatty, Brandon Humbrphey, Liam Archer, & Eric Pill ($10 at door)
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef announcing $256,250 in federal funding for three new green economy hubs, including in Peterborough. An initiative of the non-profit organization Green Economy Canada, green economy hubs have already been established in Hamilton and Burlington, Kingston, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, Waterloo Region, and York Region, with 250 businesses collectively reduced 200,000 tons of greenhouse gases to date. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef / Facebook)
Peterborough is about to join seven other Ontario communities to become a “green economy hub” that will help local businesses achieve their energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
On Thursday (July 18) at the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, on behalf of federal natural resources minister Amarjeet Sohi, announced $256,250 in federal funding for three new green economy hubs.
Green economy hubs support local networks of businesses to set and achieve sustainability targets, including carbon emission reductions. The hubs are an initiative of Green Economy Canada, a non-profit organization founded in Waterloo in 2014 as Sustainability CoLab.
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With provincial funding to date, Green Economy Canada has already helped launch green economy hubs in Hamilton and Burlington, Kingston, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, Waterloo Region, and York Region. According to Green Economy Canada, 250 businesses in green economy hubs have so far collectively reduced 200,000 tons of greenhouse gases — the equivalent of taking over 42,000 cars off the road for one year.
The organization is now working with partners to launch hubs in Peterborough and New Brunswick by the fall of 2020. The New Brunswick hub will be the first one created outside of Ontario.
VIDEO: Green Economy Hubs
“Our government believes that Peterborough has all the right credentials to be a national hub and leader in this work,” Monsef says. “Climate change is real. There is no longer a choice to be made between protecting our environment and growing our economy. We must do both.”
The project is funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Efficiency Program, which promotes the benefits of energy efficiency, such as lower energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, improved operating performance, and increased asset values.
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“Local businesses play an integral role in creating a sustainable future,” Monsef says. “Becoming more energy-efficient leads to lower energy costs and maintenance costs and creates less pollution, all while creating jobs and increasing industry competitiveness.”
The Peterborough hub will involve the City of Peterborough, Peterborough GreenUP, Peterborough Distribution Inc., Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Sustainable Peterborough, and Trent University.
The group will work together with local business and and community partners to create the tools, resources, and supports necessary to advance a low-carbon future in the region.
For more information on Green Economy Canada, visit greeneconomy.ca.
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