Northumberland OPP are investigating the death of a 26-year-old woman in Cramahe Township in Northumberland County, which they suspect was caused by an opiod overdose.
On Tuesday, January 9th, police went to a residence in Cramahe Township where they found the woman without vital signs. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Northumberland Crime Unit is investigating the death under the direction of Detective Staff Sergeant Paul Rosato of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). Police believe drug activity played a key role in this incident.
Police have not released the name of the woman.
“OPP members and other first response agencies recognize the devastating impacts relating to illegal drugs and the growing toll this is taking on the communities we serve,” says Chief Superintendent John Sullivan, Commander of the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.
“We continue to do our part to communicate the potentially deadly risks to the public at every opportunity.”
Opioid abuse and overdoses have been a growing problem across Canada, reaching epidemic proportions.
As a child growing up in the Philippines, filmmaker Lester Alfonso was often blamed for his family's misfortunes because of a Filipino superstition that a birthmark on the buttocks is bad luck. He is premiering his documentary "Birthmark", which explores his troubled relationship with his own birthmark and the stories of other people and their birthmarks, at the ReFrame Film Festival in downtown Peterborough on January 28. (Photo: Wayne Eardley)
After what has been a long and often emotional journey, local filmmaker Lester Alfonso is putting the final touches on his long-awaited documentary Birthmark, which will have its debut screening on Sunday, January 28th at Showplace Performance Center as part of the ReFrame Film Festival.
As the premiere draws closer, Lester is feeling a new kind of anxiety in regards to showing the film to an audience for the first time.
“It just makes me so nervous,” Lester reveals. “I feel scared because it’s a big deal for me. I mean, my birthmark is on the film, and everyone is going to see it. It’s the first time I’ve shown my birthmark to this many people. It’s a big deal for me to have to go through this ritual. It’s really a ritual of me owning up to my people — my family, my community.”
As the film coordinator for this year’s ReFrame festival, Lester has the unique experience of debuting Birthmark at the same festival he is working at.
VIDEO: Birthmark Trailer
At 72 minutes in length, Birthmark is his first feature-length film and his third completed film. His first film, Trying to Be Some Kind of Hero, made its debut in 2001 followed by his award-winning short film Twelve in 2009. As Lester points out, he seems to complete a film every eight years.
Although Lester and I first spoke about Birthmark in 2016, Lester has been developing the film since 2010. It has been an emotional and often psychological exploration for Lester, one that has taken him on a number of unexpected personal twists and turns with his own birthmark with which, for his entire life, he has had a difficult relationship.
“As a child, an incident happened in which I absorbed and solidified in my head that my birthmark made me the marked one and that I was the cause of bad things that happened,” Lester explains.
While he didn’t often think much about his birthmark as an adult, his mind unconsciously went back to it when trying to come to terms with a sad time in his life.
“When I got divorced, I thought at that time it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me,” Lester says. “I wondered why this had happened to me. When it happened, the first thing I thought of was that it was because of my birthmark. That really connected to a self-loathing I had learned, from believing that I wasn’t as lovable because I had a mark. I thought that was something worth exploring.”
Lester Alfonso looking at Michael Weber’s chest birthmark, which Michael calls “The Thumbprint of God”. (Photo courtesy of Lester Alfonso)
Although Lester had his own difficult relationship with his birthmark, he began the process by filming interviews with others around our community about their birthmarks.
“I started off with an idea, knowing there was this thing about my birthmark,” Lester explains. “But really, I didn’t have an excuse to talk about it to other people unless I had a film to make. I’d be able to say ‘Hey, I’m making a movie about birthmarks’ and then it’d give me an excuse to ask ‘Do you have a birthmark?’
“Through the ritual of talking to people, I end up healing myself because there is so much power knowing that you are not alone. I started finding out that people had their own stories. It was just their own personal family stuff, or local lore. It became a local anthropology. But as I talked to people, I ended up having flashbacks of memories from my past.”
While filming these local stories, Birthmark hit a unexpected turning point in 2015 when Lester presented a script to Mysterious Entity’s Script Club that he had created in 2010 while first developing the film. As local performers acted out the script, Lester began to dig up long-buried memories to the surface, which affected the direction of the film.
Lester Alfonso workshopping a radio script for “Birthmark” at the Mysterious Entity Script Club at The Theatre on King in March 2015. (Photo courtesy of Lester Alfonso)
“After getting the grant to make Birthmark in 2015, as part of the development process, I rescued the script out of the bottom of my drawer and brought it to Script Club in April 2015 and recorded the reading for a podcast called Soundproof. It was an inspired night, a heated conversation came afterward, and I realized then that this was potent. I realized a lot about myself just by taking the story outside of myself and getting others to read it.”
Lester brought his script back to The Theatre on King later that fall and filmed a group of local performers acting out the script. That footage has been used throughout the film to help tell his own personal story.
“I knew then that I wanted to film this experience when the time came,” Lester says. “So in October 2015 Em Glasspool, Dianne Latchford, Susan Newman, Rob Fortin, Ryan Kerr, Kate Story, Sarah McNeilly, Tobias Bernstein, and Simon Turner from The Theatre on King community came out to help. Rob Viscardis shot video. Wayne Eardley shot old school Super 8 film. This is what made it to the film.
Musician and nurse Han Han, who grew up in the southern part of the Philippines, has a birthmark on her arm that has always been considered “suerte” (good luck) by those around her. (Photo courtesy of Lester Alfonso)
“Script Club brought to life my past and the reason I was doing that for my film was because I needed to extract a story outside of myself. Having worked with members of the Peterborough arts community, and having them support my projects, means a lot to me.”
To bring Birthmark to the big screen, Lester has assembled an incredible team to help him tell the story, including local filmmakers Rob Viscardis, Angel Hamilton, and Wayne Eardley, and is working with editing consultant Mike Munn and sound editor Michael Phillips.
“I really lucked out on my collaborators,” Lester says. “Mike Munn said to me the other night ‘You’re really blurring the lines between performance art and biography.'”
Wayne Eardley shoots Super 8 film of actor Dianne Latchford. (Photo Lester Alfonso)
Although a few of his friends and collaborators have seen the film, Lester feels that it is important to show the film to a wider audience beyond his immediate circle.
“I need to show Birthmark to people who don’t know me,” he says. “Otherwise I don’t know if I’ll get honest feedback from people who know me. It’s a huge difference for me to be at the sacrificial altar of the church of cinema. I just feel so exposed. I signed up for it, and I knew this was going to happen, but it doesn’t ease my nervousness.”
ReFrame Film Festival presents Birthmark
When: Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 2 p.m. Where: Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free with festival pass or pay what you can
A film by Lester Alfonso, with support from Rob Viscardis, Angel Hamilton, Wayne Eardley, Mike Munn, and Michael Phillips.
Lester admits that the most difficult people to show the film to will be his own family — who he has yet to show any of the footage.
Lester made the film for his daughters, Sunny and Georgia, but so far has not had the chance to arrange a screening with them. As a result, they will be seeing the film for the first time at the January 28th premiere.
In the case of his parents, Lester made the request they do not attend the premiere, so that he can show them the film in a more private setting at a later date.
“My mom wanted to come to the world premiere,” Lester says. “It was hard, but I asked my parents not to come. They play such a big part in the film, and I play such a big part in the festival as the technical coordinator, that I’d have to be in work mode the whole weekend. Dealing with showing the film to them for the first time might be a little too much.
“I’m really not sure what kind of reaction it’s going to get. I’d rather show them the film myself afterwards, maybe at another festival, when I’m not also working.”
Lester Alfonso preparing to interviewing a woman from Ennismore who has a birthmark on her arm shaped like a cat’s face. (Photo courtesy of Lester Alfonso)
Now that his journey with Birthmark is nearing its climax, has Lester’s relationship with his own birthmark changed? The answer to that is not so easy.
“It’s hard to get it out of my mind,” Lester reveals. “There might be some technical glitches with the film, and every time something goes wrong I go back to my birthmark. I need to say ‘Lester, you can’t think that’, but I automatically go back to it as a default.
“This birthmark is part of what I’m the most ashamed of and that is something I need to get rid of because it’s not really serving me. There is no need for me to be ashamed of this. That’s the whole ritual of the film. This movie is me, literally, extracting this thing I live with that I was ashamed of and putting it on the screen for people to see.
“Birthmark is my most personal film to date, the hardest film I’ve had to make to date, and my longest film to date. I really want everyone to come and to participate and help me get through this.”
As part of the ReFrame Festival, which runs from January 25th to 28th, Birthmark will be presented on Sunday, January 28th at Showplace Performance Centre at 2 p.m. Audiences can get into all of the films throughout the weekend with the purchase of a festival daytime pass ($29.99 or $19.99 students/underwaged), but admission to Birthmark will be pay what you can for those without a ReFrame pass.
For more information on the ReFrame Film Festival and to read about the other films being presented at this year’s festival, which runs from January 25th to 28th, visit reframefilmfestival.ca.
Deputy Police Chief Tim Farquharson trying on some winter weather gear at Wild Rock in downtown Peterborough. Farquharson will be spending a night outside on January 26, 2018 to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless, as well as raise money for YES Shelter for Youth and Families, Brock Mission, and The Warming Room. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Cares)
So why should we even remotely care that the temperature is forecasted to dip to a chilly -1°C overnight on January 26th?
After all, Peterborough residents have already shivered through far more frigid temperatures so far this winter and survived.
Well, even if we don’t care, Peterborough Cares does. And not only about the well-being of Peterborough Deputy Police Chief Tim Farquharson who will be spending that night outside but, in the much bigger picture, about the many homeless who endure Mother Nature’s wintry wrath on a day-to-day, night-to-night basis.
Starting at 4 p.m. on Friday, January 26th and continuing until 4 a.m. on Saturday, January 27th, the spunk and determination that has marked Farquharson’s policing career will be clearly evident as he stands out in the cold at King and George streets in the city’s downtown core.
The goal of “Stand With Tim” is to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless, as well as raise money for three organizations that toil to ease their burden: YES Shelter for Youth and Families, Brock Mission, and The Warming Room.
Peterborough Cares was founded in 2010 by Camille Parent (left), pictured here with Darcy Bonner, Lindsay Mithcell, Tim Burke, Tim Farquharson, and Donna Mackay. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Cares)
Presented under the Peterborough Cares umbrella — the organization was founded several years ago by Camille Parent and has since co-ordinated a number of fundraising initiatives — Farquharson’s 12-hour street shiver is gaining more traction as it nears. A GoFundMe campaign has raised $1,246 as of January 16th.
Now organizers are hopeful Peterborough Petes fans will bring donations of basic necessity items such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste to the Peterborough Memorial Centre for the team’s home game versus Kingston on Thursday, January 18th.
Peterborough Cares volunteers will staff a booth in the lobby where monetary donations and outdoor clothing will also be accepted. The basic necessity items are destined for “blessing bags” that will be sent on to shelters for distribution to those in need.
Also, through the generosity of Dairy Queen, Peterborough Cares has 100 tickets to Thursday’s Petes-Frontenacs game. Those are being made available to YES, Brock Mission, and The Warming Room as well as other shelters for people using their services. As well, Century Transportation is putting up a bus to get ticket users to and from the game.
Thursday’s Petes game is Bell Let’s Talk night, and Bell has donated 200 warm winter hats to be distributed to local shelters.
“This has got a little bit of a buzz starting and I’m really hoping it’s not going to be just Tim standing outside in the cold,” says Lindsay Mitchell, vice-president of Peterborough Cares and director of media and events for the organization. “I’m really hoping to see a bit of a movement start to happen.
“But we couldn’t do it without Tim. He’s really brought attention to this issue. And it’s a huge issue in Peterborough. Not a lot of people realize that. At the end of the day, he wants to make a difference. We all do.”
Mitchell adds Farquharson’s “warm and compassionate” persona, combined with his exuberance for the event, will prove to be a major driver in whatever level of success is attained.
“He’s just a regular, kind guy who wants to help out,” she says. “If more people could get involved like this, even just giving their time, it would make a huge difference.”
Mitchell stresses that while it’s hoped that monetary donations will be substantial, the raising of awareness around homelessness is the name of the game.
“Not everybody has an easy life. Thank God we have these transitional spaces for people to go to and get nutrients that they need or basic items they can’t afford to buy.”
Deputy Police Chief Tim Farquharson with Scott Murison, co-owner of Wild Rock, which supplied Farquharson with his winter gear. Wild Rock has also been raising funds on its own for YES Shelter for Youth and Families, one of the recipients of donations to Peterborough Cares. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Cares)
In a statement about the event issued prior to Christmas, Parent extolled Farquharson’s commitment to the project from the get-go, saying he was “blown away by his passion”, adding “He’s a tough man and will accomplish this hands down like everything else he tackles.”
Those who think Farquharson will spend a lonely 12 hours on the street best think again. As has been the case with virtually all Peterborough Cares events — Relly On The Roof for Habitat For Humanity and Morello’s annual barbecue and car wash for leukemia and lymphoma research and support dollars — live music will be staged in a big way.
Musicians Bobby Watson and Donna McKay, Stan Hammond and The Blues Brothers, Tami J Wilde, Rick Fines, Bailien (Brent Bailey and Shea Bailey) with special guest Sam Weber, and Michael Bell will all be lending their talents to the cause when the January 26th event kicks off at around 4 p.m.
Parent has also said he’ll join Farquharson for at least part of the marathon alongside members of the organizing committee.
Also fully committed is Wild Rock Outfitters, which has supplied Farquharson with winter gear to keep him toasty — or at least close to it.
As the “Stand With Tim” event draws near, Mitchell is optimistic awareness of the issue of homelessness will grow even more, along with donations.
“This has a grassroots, small town tone to it,” she say. “I think it’s going to resonate. We have such an amazing community where everyone comes together, so I’m really excited to see what’s going to happen.”
Peterborough Cares is a group of local business people who help local charities raise funds.
People parking in downtown Peterborough over the holidays donated $11,488 through the free parking iniative, where people can park free for two hours and any money they put in parking meters is donated to charity. Pictured are: Dan Gemmiti, Vice-Chair of the Kawartha Food Share Board; Mayor Daryl Bennett; Ashlee Aitken, General Manager of Kawartha Food Share; Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area; and Lynn Todd, Parking Operations Coordinator for the City of Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
People parking in downtown Peterborough over the holidays donated $11,488 to support Kawartha Food Share.
Since 2003, the City of Peterborough’s parking division and the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) have provided two hours of free parking downtown through the holiday season.
The initiative begins on Black Friday and runs through to the end of December. During this time, all money put in the parking meters is donated to charity.
“Once again our community has shown its tremendous generosity,” Mayor Daryl Bennett says.
“By putting money in the parking machines downtown in December, we are helping to feed people in our community through the efforts of Kawartha Food Share. Thank you to all of the people and downtown businesses that supported this initiative.”
Kawartha Food Share assists more than 8,100 men women and children every month through 36 member agencies. This includes four meal programs, four city food banks, six housing projects, seven county food banks, and over 20 food cupboards across the City and County of Peterborough. Last year, the warehouse distributed over $5 million worth of food and emergency care needs.
“We could not be more excited to be the recipients of the holiday parking funds again this year,” says Ashlee Aitken, General Manager of Kawartha Food Share. “This donation comes at a perfect time as we begin to restock our shelves after the very busy holidays and continue to ensure that everyone in Peterborough City and County has safe and reliable access to emergency food.
The grand total of donations to date through the downtown free parking initiative is $119,878.41.
A red fox circles a snowy owl in this screenshot from a video captured by security cameras at the marina in Cobourg. (Photo: Town of Cobourg)
The Town of Cobourg has posted a video of an encounter between a red fox and a snowy owl at the Cobourg marina.
The encounter on January 4, 2018 was captured on security cameras installed at the marina by local company Focus Security.
The video begins with a fox running along the pier, when a snowy owl suddenly swoops in from behind and dive bombs the startled fox — which makes us wonder whether this is a continuation of an earlier incident between the two animals.
The owl flies off over the lake, with the fox watching. The fox then wanders around the pier area sniffing before running off, at which point the owl flies in and lands in the pier area. It appears as if the owl is tracking the fox.
The fox returns to the pier area and makes a small test lunge at the owl, apparently hoping to scare it off. The owl ruffles its feathers but stands its ground.
The owl stands its ground as the fox tries to scare it off,
The fox begins to circle the owl, which constantly turns to keep facing the fox, who at several points comes within a couple of feet of the owl.
The standoff continues for a couple of minutes, and then the fox runs off again.
The owl takes off a few seconds later, heading in the same direction as the fox — which makes us wonder whether the encounter continues somewhere else.
It’s most likely the snowy owl and the fox were defending their territories, as both animals would be competing for the same winter food sources (small mammals like mice, squirrels, and rabbits).
This isn’t the first time someone has captured a continuing encounter between a fox and a snowy owl.
In November 2012, a video captured at Hudson Bay shows a snowy owl and an Arctic fox demonstrating similar behaviour. Over the course of about a week, the fox and owl were seen repeatedly dancing around each other, almost as if they were playing.
“For the most part the owl was oblivious, but at times it seemed it would taunt and goad the fox,” says David Briggs, senior expedition leader for the tour company Arctic Kingdom, who took the video and sent it recently to National Geographic.
There are also several other videos online documenting fox and owl encounters.
Kaleigh Martherus (second from left) was one of five summer students who worked last summer at Kawartha Land Trust with funding provided under the Canada Summer Jobs program. The federal government is accepting applications from employers for the 2018 program until February 2, 2018. (Photo: Kawartha Land Trust)
The federal government is encouraging employers to hire students this summer under the Canada Summer Jobs program.
The program is available to all not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses with up to 50 employees.
The Canada Summer Jobs program creates summer job opportunities to provide valuable work experience for full-time students aged 15 to 30, who intend to return to their studies in the next school year.
In the Peterborough area, the program has funded 649 jobs in the last two years.
“I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to work with volunteers and staff as dedicated as the members and supporters of Kawartha Land Trust,” says Kaleigh Martherus, who was a student under the 2017 program. “I am happy to say my position as a Student Marketing Assistant was a successful first step in my professional life.”
The federal government’s priorities under the program for 2018 include organizations that support opportunities for women and girls, special events (including summer festivals, community celebrations, and agricultural fairs), areas that do not have many summer jobs and those that experience high seasonal summer populations, and sectors including clean technology, conservation, agriculture and local food security, volunteer, municipalities, not-for-profit, arts and culture, history, tourism, and the skilled trades.
Not-for-profit employers can receive funding to cover 100 per cent of the provincial minimum hourly wage. Public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada can receive funding to cover 50 per cent of the provincial minimum hourly wage.
All employers may be eligible for additional funding of up to $3,000 per student with disabilities, to accommodate the student within the workplace with personal tools and adaptations that the student requires to accomplish tasks.
The deadline for applications under the Canada Summer Jobs program is Friday, February 2nd.
Married couple Louise and Wayne Earle were found dead following a house fire in Brighton in Northumberland County on January 10, 2018. Police now say the fire was the result of a homicide. (Photo: Pete Fisher / Twitter)
The fatal fire in Brighton on Wednesday, January 10th where two people were found dead was the “result of a homicide”, according to a media release issued today (January 15).
The Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) also identified the two victims as a married couple, 62-year-old Louise Earle and 67-year-old Wayne Earle of Brighton.
The OPP have not confirmed why they believe the fire was a result of a homicide and whether one or both of the Earles were homicide victims.
However, police have advised there is no concern for public safety, which implies that one of the Earles was the alleged perpetrator.
At around 7:25 a.m. on Wednesday, January 10th, the fire broke out inside a home on Harbour Street overlooking Presqu;ile Bay in Brighton, a small town in Northumberland County 41 kilometres east of Cobourg.
While battling the fire, firefighters found one of the victims outside the home in the backyard, and located the second victim inside the home after the fire had been extinguished.
The Northumberland Crime Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire, under the direction of Detective Inspector Rob Hagerman of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) with the assistance of the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) and the Brighton Fire Department.
2018 Bears' Lair Chair Diane Richard of Diatom Consulting with the entrepreneurial competition's mascot at VentureNorth in downtown Peterborough on January 12th, where the opening of the annual competition was announced. An orientation session for interested entrepreneurs takes place on Tuesday, January 16 at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. (Photo: Bears' Lair)
This week we feature the launch of the 2018 Bears’ Lair entrepreneurial competition, the nine new inductees of the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, and the grand opening of Bodystream Medical Marijuana Services in Peterborough’s East City. New regional business events include the Northumberland Chamber’s Annual General Meeting, Port Hope Chamber’s social media seminar in Cobourg, the return of the Peterborough Chamber “Power Hour”, and a “Bridges Out of Poverty” workshop for employers.
If you have business news or events you want us to share with our readers, email business@kawarthanow.com.
Applications for Bears’ Lair entrepreneurial competition open on January 16
Applications for the 2018 Bears’ Lair entrepreneurial competition open on Tuesday, January 16th. An orientation session for all interested entrepreneurs will be held at 6 p.m. in the boardroom at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce (175 George St. N., Peterborough).
Beginning on January 16th, applications can be completed on the Bears’ Lair website at www.bearslairptbo.ca until Thursday, February 15th.
This year’s competition follows the same format as last year. Applications will be accepted until February 15th, and then semi-finalists will be selected from the applicants to compete in a showcase event at The Venue on March 6th. The top six finalists from the showcase event will move on to the final pitch event at The Venue on April 18. At the final pitch, the finalists will pitch their business to the panel of judges and the local community for a chance to win cash and prizes. Last year, winners were awarded over $55,000 in cash and business support services.
The judges for final pitch even the 2018 competition are Rhonda Barnet, President & COO at Steelworks Design Inc and Chair of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Board of Directors, and Nicole Verkindt. Verkindt is the founder and CEO of Canadian technology company OMX, a commentator on CBC, and a columnist for Vanguard magazine focusing on technology and business news. She was also a “dragon” on CBC’s Next Gen Dragon’s Den and spoke at FastStart Peterborough’s E-Connet event in February last year.
The third judge has yet to be announced.
“The incredible level of collaboration happening between our economic leaders and organizations, sponsors ,and committee is inspiring,” says Diane Richard of Diatom Consulting, who has returned as the chair of this year’s competition. “This year we are especially focused on driving entrepreneurial spirit and growth in our local community, and making the Final Pitch a dynamic and exciting evening for everyone to celebrate.”
At the launch announcement held on January 12th at VentureNorth in downtown Peterborough, Richard announced a new supporter campaign for Bears’ Lair, where start-ups, small business owners, and anyone who knows the struggles of entrepreneurship can donate $100 to the cash prize awarded to the winners of the competition.
To become a Bears’ Lair supporter and to get tickets to the Final Pitch event on April 19th, visit bearsptbo18.eventbrite.ca.
If you are a business or organization and want to sponsor this year’s Bears’ Lair, contact co-chair and sponsor lead Carey McMaster at cmcmaster@innovationcluster.ca or 705-536-1101 ext. 903.
Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame announces nine new inductees
The Junior Achievement Peterborough Lakefield Muskoka 2018 Business Hall of Fame inductees: Robert Gauvreau, Monika Carmichael, Carl Oake, Sally Harding, Alf and June Curtis, and Paul Bennett (not pictured: Paschal McCloskey). Two posthumous inductees were also announced: John A. McColl and James H. Turner, and John James (Jack) Stewart. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Last Wednesday (January 10), Junior Achievement Peterborough Lakefield Muskoka announced the nine inductees for the 2018 Business Hall of Fame, joining the 16 inductees announced in 2016 and 2017.
The inductees are: Alf and June Curtis, founders of Alf Curtis Home Improvements Incorporated; Paul Bennett, owner of Ashburnham Realty; John A. McColl and James H. Turner, founding partners of McColl Turner LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants (posthumous inductee); John James (Jack) Stewart, founder of J.J. Stewart Motors (posthumous inductee); Sally Harding, president and CEO of Nightingale Nursing Registry Limited and Nightingale Home Maintenance Incorporated; Monika Carmichael, dealer principal and general manager of Trent Valley Honda; Robert Gauvreau, president and CEO of Gauvreau and Associates Chartered Professional Accountants; Paschal McCloskey, president and CEO of McCloskey International Limited; and Carl Oake, founding broker/owner and Century 21 United Realty.
The formal inductee ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 24th at The Venue in downtown Peterborough.
Also announced at the event was the establishment of a Legacy Fund which will be used exclusively for the creation and running of entrepreneurship programs. That fund sits at $5,000, half of that courtesy of the present partners of McColl Turner.
Medical marijuana clinic moves to East City in Peterborough
Bodystream Medical Marijuana Services’ new location is at 53 Hunter Street East in Peterborough’s East City. (Photo: Bodystream)
Bodystream Medical Marijuana Services has opened at its new location in East City in Peterborough.
Bodystream, which first opened in Peterborough in October 2016, was previously located on George Street.
With 20 clinics now open across the province, Bodystream is Ontario’s leading medical marijuana service provider for patients who are a candidate for medical cannabis.
The grand opening of the new location at 53 Hunter Street East in Peterborough takes place on Friday, January 26th at 10 a.m.
There will be an open house and ribbon cutting, and refreshments and snacks will be provided.
Trent University at Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area Breakfast Network on January 17
Julie Davis and Alison Scholl of Trent Unversity’s External Relations and Advancement will speak at the monthly Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network on January 17. (Photos: Julie Davis / Alison Scholl, Twitter)
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) will be hosting two speakers from Trent University at the monthly DBIA Breakfast Network on Wednesday, January 17th.
Julie Davis, Vice-President of External Relations, and Alison Scholl, Advancement Community Relations Officer, will be speaking at the event, which takes place at Empress Gardens (131 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. followed by the guest speakers at 8 a.m. Tickets are $5 at the door, and the event is open to everyone.
SOLD OUT – Peterborough Chamber Lunch Box Learning on January 17
The next Peterborough Chamber Lunch Box Learning session takes place from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17th at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce boardroom (175 George St. N., Peterborough).
Toby McLeod of Stradegy.ca will speak on the topic “Website Roadmap: Learn how to turn your website into a business asset that makes you money, instead of costing you money and opportunities”.
The session is open to Chamber members and members of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. Note: this event is now sold out.
Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Business After Hours Lakefield Health and Wellness Hop on January 23
Robyn Jenkins and Evelyne Derkindren of The Robyn’s Nest Photography Company & Beauty Boutique in Lakefield, one of three businesses participating in the Business After Hours Lakefield Health and Wellness Hop.
Members of the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism will be visiting three Lakefield businesses on Tuesday, January 23rd from 5 to 7 p.m. to learn tips and tricks for wellness in the new year.
The Business After Hours Lakefield Health and Wellness Hop takes place at Salon Sorella & Day Spa, Robyn’s Nest Photography & Beauty, and Cuddles for Cancer.
Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting on January 30
The Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 111th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, January 30th at 6 p.m. at The Woodlawn Inn (420 Division Street, Cobourg).
Members are invited to attend and hear an overview of the Chamber’s activities for the past year, including a presentation of the Chamber’s audited year-end financial report. The 2018 Executive will be introduced and elections will be held to fill the available seats on the Board of Directors.
Immediately following the AGM, there will be “The Chair’s Dinner”, featuring a four-course meal with wines to accompany each dish.
For more information, visit the Chamber’s website at nccofc.ca.
Social Media Seminar in Cobourg on January 31
The Port Hope & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting a social media seminar, part of its Advance Small Business Seminar Series, from 12 to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 31st at Business and Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland (600 WIlliam St, Cobourg).
Peter Thomas will speak about developing a social media marketing plan, understanding your buyer persona, and tools for social media with a focus on business Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The cost is $10 for Chamber members and $15 for non-members, cash only at the door. To register, please call 905-372-9279.
Launch & Learn at Headwaters Community Farm & Education Centre in Cobourg on February 7
Headwaters Community Farm & Education Centre is offering a “Launch & Learn” session about corporate and wellness day retreats offered at the farm on February 7. (Photo: Headwaters Community Farm & Education Centre / Instagram)
Headwaters Community Farm & Education Centre (3517 Rowe Rd, Cobourg) is hosting a “Launch & Learn” from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, February 7th.
Owners Linda and Tony Armstrong are inviting representatives from organizations to find out more about corporate and wellness day retreats offered at the farm, which is located 10 minutes north of Highway 401 between Port Hope and Cobourg.
The preview includes a sampling of Headwaters’ food and mocktails, a tour of their activity and meeting facilities, a presentation about what the centre has to offer, and a choice of three sample workshops.
To reserve your complimentary spot, email info@headwatersfarm.ca by Wednesday, January 31st.
Peterborough Chamber “Power Hour” evening with elected officials returns on February 21
MP Maryam Monsef, County Warden Joe Taylor, Mayor Daryl Bennett, and MPP Jeaf Leal listen to a question from moderator Sandra Dueck at the “Power Hour” event hosted by the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce on January 25, 2017. (photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s annual “Power Hour” — an evening with Peterborough’s elected officials — returns on Wednesday, February 21st.
The event takes place from 5:30 to 9 p.m at The Venue in downtown Peterborough.
There will be a full hour of questions and answers with Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, MPP Peterborough Jeff Leal, County of Peterborough Warden Joe Taylor, and City of Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett.
Tickets cost $65 for Chamber members and $75 for non-members (or $450 for a table of seven for members and $525 for non-members). HST will be added to the ticket price. Register here.
“Bridges Out of Poverty” workshop for employers on March 7
The City and County of Peterborough Social Services, along with Agilec, Employment Ontario, Employment Planning & Counselling, Fleming Crew Employment Centre, and the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge, are hosting a free workshop for employers on “Bridges out of Poverty”.
The Bridges out of Poverty framework, which originated in the U.S. and has been adopted by other communities in Canada, aims to help people who grew up in poverty and educate the agencies who assist them. The workshop will provide information on the framework as well as the variety of financial incentives available for employers in the community. It will also provide information on understanding and retaining employees.
The free workshop takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7th at Agilec Peterborough office (Brookdale Plaza, 863 Chemong Rd, Unit 20-A). Refreshments will be served.
Peterborough resident Barry Killen posted a video on Instagram of the doors of the local Sears store being locked for the final time. He also posted this symbolic photo, which he calls "Death of a Salesman 2018". All Sears stores closed on January 14, 2018, the end result of the department store chain declaring bankuptcy in 2017. (Photo: Barry Killen @theburleighridge_beareh / Instagram)
The Sears store at Lansdowne Place in Peterborough closed for good on Sunday (January 14) and Barry Killen was there to capture a video of the doors being locked for the final time.
“Sears was huge to my family for shopping/hanging out”, the Peterborough resident writes in an Instagram message to kawarthaNOW.
Killen — who made the news in December when he found musician Randy Bachman’s cellphone at the side of road in Omemee just before the Neil Young concert — posted a video of the event on his Instagram.
A post shared by Barry Killen (@theburleighridge_beareh) on
“This shot (of doors being locked) was weeks in the planning,” Killen writes. “And I almost missed it!!! Sears employees were GREAT. Man, it was sad.”
He also posted a couple of photos, including one showing the empty interior of the store and a symbolic composite photo of a ghostly man heading to the escalator.
All Sears stores closed for good on January 14, 2018, the end result of the department store chain declaring bankruptcy last year.
Sears in Peterborough at the end of the day on Sunday, January 14, 2018. (Photo: Barry Killen @theburleighridge_beareh / Instagram)
The Peterborough store officially opened on August 26, 1954, when it was called Simpsons-Sears.
The fate of the building and surrounding parking lot, both of which are owned by Sears Canada, remains unknown.
A joint venture by Hilco Global, Gordon Brothers, Tiger Capital Group and Great American Group is responsible for liquidating Sears assets.
Another photo by Barry Killen of the final day of the Sears store in Peterborough, that he posted on kawarthaNOW’s Facebook page. (Photo: Barry Killen / Facebook)
Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for the Kawarthas, including Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Hastings, and Haliburton.
A period of very cold wind chills overnight on Saturday and early Sunday morning, with wind chill values near or below -30°C.
Extreme cold warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frost bite and hypothermia.
With wind chill, frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin. Cover up and watch for cold-related symptoms such shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and colour change in fingers and toes.
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.
