Peter Adams, who served as both a federal and provincial politician in the riding of Peterborough, died Friday night (September 28) at the age of 82.

Born William Peter Adams in the United Kingdom, he studied at the University of Sheffield in Yorkshire where he earned his B.A. He moved to Canada at the age of 23, where he earned his M.Sc. and Ph.D. at McGill University.

He subsequently was appointed director of the McGill Sub-Arctic Research Laboratory in Schefferville, Quebec, where he studied and taught students for three years.

In 1968, he came to Trent University in Peterborough where he founded the university’s geography department. He was chair in the department from 1968 to 1977, and remained a professor while also serving as dean of Graduate Studies, associate dean of Science, and associate vice-president from 1977 to 1987. He was also the executive director of the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies.

Adams served as Liberal MPP for Peterborough from 1987 until 1990, when the Ontario Liberal government led by former Premier David Peterson called an early summer election and was defeated by the NDP.

He returned to Trent University before being elected federal Liberal MP from 1993 until his retirement from politics in 2006. Although Adams never served in the federal Cabinet, he was active on many committees and served as parliamentary secretary to three ministers.

Adams authored many books and articles, and co-edited the regional history Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

In 1981, he was named as Peterborough’s Citizen of the Year. In 2012, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario.

In 2014, Adams was diagnosed with bladder cancer. After undergoing surgery to remove his bladder, he was cancer free.

Adams leaves behind his wife Jill and four adult children.

Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha, made the following statement today (September 29) after learning of Adams’ death:

“It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Peter Adams. To me, Peter has been an inspiration, mentor, and above all else, a dear friend. We have shared many conversations and I am truly appreciative for all of the time and guidance he shared with me.

“Peter served Peterborough admirably, not only as an elected official, but as a contributing community member and neighbour to us all. He loved Peterborough, and worked tirelessly to represent the interests of the people who live here. Peterborough was his favourite word. Anyone who met him would know his willingness to speak openly and honestly was matched only by his intelligence, humour, and kindness.

“I want to extend my deepest condolences to Peter’s wife, Jill, his family and friends, and to all of Peterborough as we come together to mourn at this time.”

This story will be updated as more details become available.

Peterborough musicians and businesses are coming together on Sunday (September 30) to help the family of a five-year-old Lakefield boy who is undergoing brain surgery in October.

The “Helping Addi Concert & Silent Auction” takes place from 2 to 11 p.m. at the Historic Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough).

Addison “Addi” Beauclerc has been suffering from seizures ever day since he was three, caused by a tumour deep in the left side of his brain.

As medications haven’t helped, he will be undergoing brain surgery at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital on Tuesday, October 16th to remove the tumour and hopefully stop the seizures.

The musicians who are donating their time and talent to play at the concert are True Confessions (at 2 p.m.), Bridget Foley and the Gospel Girls (at 3 p.m.), Ken Tizzard (at 4 p.m.), Canuck Rocks (at 5 p.m.), Al Black and the Steady Band (at 6 p.m.), Bowie Lives (at 7 p.m.), Bailien with Terry Guiel (at 8 p.m.), and Broken Harmony (at 9 p.m.). An open jam will follow at 10 p.m.

Items for the silent auction have been donated by Long & McQuade, Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Taylor’s Country Store, Zap Records, 6IX MMA, Gotta Havva Pizza, Fandango, Rocky Ridge, The Wire, The Avant-Garden Shop, and other businesses.

All proceeds raised from the concert and silent auction will be used to help Addi’s parents with travel costs and expenses while in Toronto, as well as with unpaid time off work before and after Addi’s surgery, which will involve a long recovery.

If you can’t make it to the benefit but still want to help the Beauclerc family, you can donate via Paypal at paypal.me/AddisonBeauclerc or GoFundMe at gofundme.com/AddisonBeauclerc.

If you’re planning to skip work on October 17, 2018 to celebrate Canada’s first Cannabis Day with a dime bag of legal green — don’t bother.

That’s not how things are going to roll.

First, there’ll be no retail stores until next April 2019, so you have to order online from the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), the only legal dealer in Ontario for now. The OCS website — which will be at ocs.ca once it launches — will offer dried and fresh cannabis, cannabis oil, and a selection of cannabis accessories … but no edibles.

And the website’s retail services don’t launch until Wednesday, October 17th. There are no pre-sales.

So party plans might need to be delayed for as long as it takes to set up an online account, place an order, and wait for your product to ship and deliver.

How do I order legal weed online?

Assuming the OCS website can handle the rush of Ontario residents creating accounts when it launches on October 17th, you’ll need to verify you are at least 19 years old when you create your account — the minimum age to legally purchase weed.

The age-verification process will likely involve some initial extra time and effort. And, when your stash finally arrives, you’ll need to sign for it and verify your identity.

You will be able to purchase up to 30 grams at one time for personal use. This is about one ounce, or enough for around 30 slim joints. It’s also the legal carry limit.

While legalization will bring with it a downer of rules and regulations, at least consumers will have verified details and quality assurance from OCS for the product that they will be vaping, smoking, or dumping in their morning smoothies.

Daffyd Roderick is the Director of Communications for OCS and he says consumers will be able to read a description of the product on the OCS website that includes price, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content, plant type and terpenes (flavour and aroma).

Seriously — bud can taste like lemons!

Customers will also be able to browse the OCS cannabis product category using these filtering options.

This is great news for consumers who want to for sure know whether they are going to chill with an indica or get some problems solved with a sativa.

Having access to product with guaranteed amounts of cannabidiol (CBD) is also something to get excited about. While CBD does not get you high, it’s the ingredient that the medical community is excited about when it comes to its ability to reduce pain, inflammation and help with anxiety — to name a few of its unique selling features.

Roderick also confirms that Health Canada regulated packaging, including the company name and brand name, will be available at OCS so that consumers will be aware of which one of the 32 licensed producers of marijuana has supplied the product.

Where can I legally smoke legal weed?

Once you make your purchase and your weed finally arrives, you can smoke and vape your legal green in the same places where you are allowed to smoke tobacco cigarettes.

This is a big change from what the previous Ontario Liberal government proposed: that pot smoking would be restricted to private residences only — something the current Progressive Conservative government also supported only a couple of months ago.

Now, under new legislation just proposed by the Ontario government, you will also be able to smoke legal weed in the same public places where cigarette smoking is allowed.

This means you can light up a joint while you are walking down the sidewalk or in a public park (unless municipal bylaws prohibit smoking). Or if a hotel or a motel provides designated smoking rooms, you can pack your bong in your suitcase.

As before, you can smoke weed inside your home or outside your home on your property, or in your unit or on your balcony if you live in a multi-unit building like an apartment or condo (keep in mind, all of this could depend on your building’s rules or your lease agreement).

But you can’t smoke weed in enclosed workplaces (including bars and restaurants), enclosed public spaces, outdoor patios, or near places with children (like school grounds or playgrounds). See the Smoke-Free Ontario Act for a complete list of smoking restrictions.

And, unlike cigarettes, you can’t spark one up in a vehicle or a boat that’s going to be operated. If you’re caught enjoying a spliff while in either one, you will face a $1,000 to $5,000 fine if convicted.

But maybe you might not feel the need to go anywhere for a few days. Just grab some chips, your fav kombucha, and get ready to chill — now without the paranoia of having the cops knocking on the door of your hot-boxed home.

What do I need to know as a first-time pot smoker?

With pot being legal as of October 17th — as long as you buy it from OCS — there are going to be some law-loving folks who might be tempted to toke.

But, if you’re not a career chronic, or if it’s been forever since you “didn’t inhale,” it’s tough to know where to start.

So here’s a bit of weed wisdom to make your new recreational pursuit a pleasant one.

First, there are four terms you need to know: indica, sativa, THC, and CBD.

Indica and sativa are plant types, and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the chemical components found within cannabis that interact with your body and mind.

What’s the difference between indica and sativa?

Let’s start with indica and sativa — the plant types. They look different and they do different things.

Basically, indica gets you stoned and sativa gets you high.

Indica strains of weed tend to be associated with a full-body feeling of heaviness or relaxation. They might make you feel tired, or you might feel like chilling out with some great music or food. Physical sensations will be heightened, but you’re not really going to be excited about it — you’ll be more, like — cool, right?

Sativas deliver the cerebral experience that is associated with creativity, problem solving, and having the greatest ideas all the time. So, keep a notebook handy and grab some friends because sativas make you feel more social and chatty. You’re less likely to feel sleepy with a sativa and sometimes the experience can be psychedelic.

To make it more complicated, there are also hybrid strains — mixes of indica and sativa that produce both effects in different measures. You’ll likely want to try different strains to find the ones that work best for you.

What’s the difference between THC and CBD?

The amount of each sensation is determined by the THC content which, according to Health Canada, it’s the most researched cannabinoid. In basic terms, it is responsible for the way your brain and body respond to cannabis, including the high and the feeling of intoxication.

When you buy legal weed it will have the potency listed as a percentage, which is often shown as a percentage of THC by weight (or by volume of an oil).

Back in the 70s and 80s, THC potency was sitting around 3 per cent. These days, it can get as crazy as 30 per cent. So, when you’re choosing your weed, think about this like you would think of alcohol content. Start low and go slow. But we’ll come back to this.

Quick side note: cannabis that contains very low amounts of THC in its flowers and leaves (less than 0.3 per cent) is classified as hemp. So please stop sucking on the sleeve of your hemp hoodie — it’s not going to work for your wake and bake.

Cannabidiol (CBD) counts will also be listed. CBD does not get you high but it’s what more and more people are using for chronic pain, to ease anxiety, and to reduce inflammation. With street weed, much of the CBD was bred out of the plants over the years in exchange for higher THC counts. With the increase in medical users and those who want to plant benefits without being impaired, CBD has made a comeback.

To be clear, CBD will not get you high but it’s like making chocolate pudding with avocados (yes, you should do this, especially if you are high). It tastes great and it’s got health benefits — so why not?

How should I choose what to buy?

From the OCS website, you will be able to choose your dried bud or oil based on the plant type, THC and CBD count as well as terpene profile — which is a way of describing the aroma and flavour of the plant. And this can get just as fancy as what you hear at wine tastings.

If this is something new for you, stay away from really high THC products. Look for something in the single digits. And if you’re smoking or vaping, take a hit or two and wait.

Seriously — start low and go slow.

The same is true for oils. Take your time. Oils take much longer to notice. You want to have fun — you don’t want to be melting into your floor freaking out about everything you’ve ever freaked out about. That just gives weed a bad name.

If you’re trying pot for the first time, plan a night in. Stock up on some chips, don’t try to drive (just like with alcohol, it’s illegal), stay away from power tools and — if you don’t want to have to explain yourself later — probably stay off social media and turn off your phone.

If you do get paranoid or feel crappy (THC can do that for some people), don’t worry — it will pass, and you’ll have a great story to laugh about the next time you get high.

As one of the primary filming locations for the sequel to 2017’s blockbuster IT, Port Hope has been bustling with filming-related activity all summer.

Fortunately, filming has been a pleasant experience for downtown businesses with an influx of cast, crew, and tourists looking to catch a glimpse of everyone’s favourite nightmare clown.

Known as one of the best small towns in the province, Port Hope is typically a pretty quiet place. Tourists visit to take in a show at the local theatre or experience the annual salmon migration up the Ganaraska River. While tourists are still coming for the former, during filming, visitors from all over are also coming to star-gaze, take a selfie with Paul Bunyan, or photograph a shop dressed for the film.

“It’s been pretty exciting for Port Hope and has had a positive impact to our town,” says Olympus Burger owner Giorgos Kallonakis.

Port Hope was also a main shooting location for the first IT film but, as the sequel features the main characters as adults this time, the actors and actresses are more established and recognized celebrities such as Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Heder.

With even bigger names in town this time (including author Stephen King at one point), people have flocked to Port Hope for the filming of the sequel.

Olympus Burger

Crew vehicles are often parked in a big lot located directly across from Port Hope’s favourite burger joint Olympus Burger. Of course, cast and crew have visited the restaurant to grab a taste of the local fare.

“Thankfully, we’ve been having a positive experience with crew members,” says Giorgos, when asked about the crew.

“The crew usually has different food trucks that follow them around, but after a few weeks of the same thing they’re looking for a change so they come here to check out our local burger.”

Naturally, crew members have been enjoying Olympus Burger on their own time. However, the restaurant was also called upon to cater a large order when shooting went overtime and a “second meal” for the working crew was required.

“We were approached to prepare 80 burgers for them,” Giorgos says.

The crew aren’t the only ones checking out Olympus Burger during their downtime — talent has taken an interest as well.

“Isaiah Mustafa came in last night,” Giorgos explains. “He’s on a strict diet during the week so he ordered two large Spartan salads. He said he’ll be coming back with his wife to try a burger for his weekend ‘cheat’ meal.”

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“Hello Ladies.. Look at your man, Now back to Me, Now back at your man, Now back to Me. Sadly he isn’t Me… but could smell like he is Me.” – Smell Like a Man, Man. ???? Thanks for the ?? @isaiahmustafa ???? • ~ • #bestcommercial #oldspice #guy #thankful #bestday #alliwantedwasthis #smelllikeaman

A post shared by Giorgos Kallonakis (@mr_kallon) on Sep 19, 2018 at 6:59pm PDT

Olympus Burger has created a special menu item to pay homage to the film.

The new Black Raspberry Cheesecake with 7Up and Strawberry Syrup Float, and Orange Crush with Vanilla Ice Cream and Strawberry Syrup Float are available now. Ask for the “Pennywise” or the “Georgie” float when ordering.

Dreamers Café

Dreamers Café on Walton has also seen an influx of crew members and served cast members as well.

“They’re great, they’re all so polite … they’re aware that they’re sort of in the way a little bit, but that we’re okay with it,” says café owner Roger Bernard.

“The crew ran a tab here for a couple of days, they love their milkshakes let me tell you — espresso flake with a double shot of espresso. They also love the lobster menu items here.

“And Stephen King came here for a cup of coffee and a crazy cookie. I also met his parents. They were here a couple of months ago to have lunch and she [King’s mother] made a point of telling me that they were Stephen King’s parents. Super nice people.”

When asked if filming had caused any interruption to his business, Roger adds, “We all want to go to the movies, so let them do their job — and I think they really do their best to accommodate us. It’s been good for Port Hope.”

Kenneth Bell and Purpose Thrift Shop

“The crew always wants to make sure we’re okay,” says downtown Port Hope’s “King of Glitz” Ken Bell, owner of Kenneth Bell on Walton Street. “They are the nicest people I have dealt with and they go out of their way to make sure we’re comfortable.”

Ken points out the filming has been great for business.

“I’m telling you my sales have gone up, I’ve had a tremendous September,” he says.

“Some of the crew have been in to buy my crazy clown socks. Overall, I think it’s a positive for our town, it puts our town on the map — not that Port Hope needs to be!”

The shop is tipping its hat to filming with two styles of “crazy clown socks” that can be purchased for $17 each or two pairs for $30.

A couple of doors over is Purpose Thrift Shop, a new shop since the film crew was in town for the first film. Purpose has had its window and sign changed to resemble the Engine Art Gallery that was once in its place.

Manager Leslie Fox is happy with how the crew has done their best not to disrupt her retail activity.

“They have been bending over backwards to make us happy,” Leslie explains. “Because our shop is new since the first film, a lot of people were confused when they changed our storefront. As soon as I mentioned it, the production company made a vinyl sign to go up so that people know we’re still here.”

Purpose has been at the heart of some of the filming activity, and because of this Leslie has had a front-row seat for some of the action and been able to take in the filming experience between serving customers.

Asked if she has had any personal brushes with fame, Leslie did have a couple of anecdotes to share. She did meet and chat with Jessica Chastain. However, it is her experience interrupting a take that will likely be her favourite filming story to tell for years to come.

“I was aware that they were filming out front, but a local woman came into my shop and was confused by the filming,” Leslie recalls. “She wanted to get over to Kenneth Bell’s store. I walked her to the door and offered to help her get to his shop. We step outside and then all of a sudden there’s dead silence.

“I look up and I see James McAvoy and then I hear “cut” — so we walked into a scene, and that was embarrassing,” Leslie chuckles at the memory.

Pennywise The Clown is everywhere

Downtown Port Hope has definitely gotten into the spirit of filming when it comes to the film’s villain.

Maggie Moose has created a custom “Pennywise” fudge. Merchants are beginning to stock custom items that pay tribute to Stephen King’s evil clown, and King’s books are front and centre in the local bookstore.

References to the film, art pieces, menu items, sidewalk chalk drawings, soaps, and much more can be found in retail shops around downtown Port Hope.

In essence, the town is having fun with its fortune at becoming a filming location for a major motion picture and now its sequel — paying homage to the film franchise that is making the town famous.

Paul Bunyan attends Cultivate

The annual Cultivate Festival weekend ran from September 21st to 23rd this year. During the festival, a giant Paul Bunyan statue from the film towered over Port Hope’s Memorial Park.

Festival attendees snapped photos of the statue, excited to have an up-close opportunity to check out the giant set piece.

Festival organizers had fun with Paul, placing a sign in front of him declaring it a statue of Cultivate co-founder Jeffrey Bray — a man who also sports a dark beard.

Want to experience the filming location for yourself?

Many tourists are flocking to the area to check out filming — some even travelling from as far as overseas.

“A young couple from England came here on vacation,” says Dreamers Café owner Roger Bernard. “They are huge Stephen King fans and they sat here in the window watching filming for days.”

“I’ve noticed a lot of star-struck people, people coming from the states and sleeping over,” says Purpose Thrift Shop’s Leslie Fox. “I met a couple from Maine the other day, so as far as that part [tourists] goes it’s been really fun.”

For adventurers bound for Port Hope, the tourism department has created a walking tour for visitors in pursuit of great selfie spots from the first film. Visit 20 Queen Street to get your free copy of the walking tour, and don’t forget to tag Port Hope Tourism @exploreporthope when you post your shots on Instagram.

But you don’t necessarily have to visit Port Hope to experience the filming for yourself if you live far away.

Check out Instagram user @theheartofderrymaine for photo updates from this filming location.

And on Facebook, the I Love Port Hope – Our Community in Photographs group also posts some great photography of the area (you’ll have to join the group to see the photos).

Filming of the It sequel continues in Port Hope into the month of October. The film is scheduled for a September 2019 release date in theatres.

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and the Canada Coalition for Green Schools has named Trinity College School in Port Hope as the greenest school in Canada.

Trinity College School shares the title with Lacombe Composite High School in Lacombe, Alberta.

Launched in 2014, the Greenest School in Canada competition seeks to showcase kindergarten to Grade 12 schools across the country that exemplify how sustainability can be woven into the infrastructure, culture and curriculum of a school.

The competition’s jury, comprised of green building industry experts from across the country, were so impressed with the submissions that they were unable to choose just one winner. They determined that both Lacombe and Trinity College stood out from other submissions for their exemplary commitment to sustainability and impressive environmental awareness programs for students and staff.

“On behalf of the students and staff of Trinity College School, I must say that we are thrilled to be recognized by the CaGBC with the awarding of the Greenest School in Canada 2018 award,” says Stuart Grainger, Headmaster of Trinity College School.

“We truly believe our success is due to our collective commitment to weaving sustainability initiatives into virtually every aspect of our learning community, including our curriculum, our campus and our school culture.”

Trinity College School was selected as a winner because of its efforts at sustainability, including physical building changes and upgrades and a comprehensive curriculum. Highlights include:

• A five-year sustainability plan focused on reducing environmental footprint and the creation of a healthy, sustainable community, which provides opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills that foster sustainability literacy as part of academic and co-curricular activities.
• A decrease in natural gas consumption by 23 per cent over five years, an achievement it attributes to window replacements and upgrades to its building automation systems and boilers.
• Significant efforts to manage its annual energy consumption through: regular electricity audits, a major lighting retrofit, and a 220kW solar PV installation with another 180kW planned.
• A “Farm Field Forest” initiative that runs three days a week, enabling students to build a greenhouse and shed and work on a half-acre farm that harvests vegetables for the school’s dining room and the local community health centre.

VIDEO: Trinity College School’s submission for Greenest School in Canada 2018

The school’s Trinity Environmental Action Club student leaders spearheaded the contest application by producing a short video of Trinity College School’s overall sustainability programs, with particular highlights of many student-led eco-actions and infrastructure improvements.

This video was submitted along with a lengthy written application detailing the specifics of the school’s various footprint reduction projects.

“I would like to congratulate Lacombe and Trinity College for being named the 2018 Greenest Schools in Canada,” says Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the CaGBC.

“Both schools had impressive submissions that set them apart this year, incorporating both physical green building and curriculum changes. These schools set a great example for their peers and surrounding communities, and will positively impact the current cohort of students, as well as nurturing the next generation of green building leaders for years to come.”