The March 31st recall of Wholesome Farms brand Sundae Cup products has now been expanded to include additional flavours (photo courtesy Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
Peterborough’s Central Smith Creamery has expanded its recall of Wholesome Farms brand Sundae Cup products from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Initially issued on March 31st for vanilla sundae cups only, the recall has now been expanded for other products in the line including sugar-free light vanilla, butterscotch, orange sherbet, lime sherbet, and chocolate.
While Central Smith Creamery manufactures frozen desserts for the consumer market, the recalled sundae cups are primarily used in food service institutions. Central Smith manufactures products for health care facilities, including yogurt bars, nine flavours of sundae cups, and eight flavours of frozen dessert made with coconut oil.
The cups are distributed through Sysco Corporation in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, and possible nationally.
This recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency test results. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
Food service institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes should not serve or use the recalled products and people should not consume the recalled products described below:
Brand Name
Common Name
Size
Code(s) on Product
UPC
Wholesome Farms
Vanilla Sundae Cup
115 ml
03301
None
Wholesome Farms
Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae Cup (case)
48 x 115 ml
7382200017033019 2/2/17
00074865915427
Wholesome Farms
Sugar-Free Light Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae Cup
115 ml
03301
None
Wholesome Farms
Sugar-Free Light Vanilla Sundae Cup (case)
48 x 115 ml
7382200023032013 2/1/17
10074865932551
Wholesome Farms
Butterscotch Sundae Cup
115 ml
03302
None
Wholesome Farms
Butterscotch Ice Cream Sundae Cup (case)
48 x 115 ml
7382200020033020 2/2/17
00074865915403
Wholesome Farms
Orange Sherbet Sundae Cup
115 ml
03303
None
Wholesome Farms
Orange Sherbet Sundae Cup (case)
48 x 115 ml
7382200021033036 2/2/17
00074865915434
Wholesome Farms
Lime Sherbet Sundae Cup
115 ml
03304
None
Wholesome Farms
Lime Sherbet Sundae Cup (case)
48 x 115 ml
7382200022033042 2/2/17
00074865915090
Wholesome Farms
Chocolate Sundae Cup
115 ml
03305
None
Wholesome Farms
Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae Cup (case)
48 x 115 ml
7382200019033055 2/2/17
00074865915410
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled, but can still make you sick.
Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.
Waleed Dabbah of Hampton Financial with Stuart Harrison, President and CEO of the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. Waleed has brought an arm of the international payment processing business to Peterborough. (Photo: Eva Fisher)
Hampton Financial is a game changer in the payment processing business. This international company gives customers free point of sale terminals with no contract, they offer competitive rates, and an arm of their business just moved to Peterborough.
Waleed Dabbah of Hampton Financial chose to bring a piece of the business to Peterborough for two reasons.
“One, because we settled here. We want to start a family and move forward. Two, because there’s a lot of potential in this community.”
Having met his wife Amber at Trent University, Waleed (who also goes by Walid) knew Peterborough would be a good community to raise a family — and that there were a wealth of small businesses here who might be interested in lower rates for payment processing.
Waleed is passionate about saving money for small businesses.
“The one thing I’d like to get out to small to medium businesses is that you come first. When you’re working 10 to 12 hours a day at your own business, it’s hard-earned money. I want to save you that money.”
Low fees, no contract, and a free point of sale terminal
In the business of payment processing, a few percentage points difference in fees can make a huge difference over time. But anyone who uses a payment processor in their business knows that it’s more than the percentage fees that show up on your bill.
Terminal rental charges and other fees can really add up. Waleed has had conversations with many fed-up small business owners.
“I spoke to a convenience store owner who’s paying $30 a month just to rent the machine. Plus plus plus. He’s paying over $100 for little tiny things. There’s a fee for this, there’s a fee for that. It’s not right.”
Waleed Dabbah talks business with Stuart Harrison. Waleed recently brought a piece of Hampton Financial to Peterborough. “There’s a lot of potential in this community.” (Photo: Eva Fisher)
In addition to offering low fees, Hampton Financial has no contract, and they actually give their customers a free terminal. Waleed acknowledges that this is a risk.
“It’s $900 US a pop, so we are taking a major risk by saying you don’t have a contract. But here’s a machine, and it’s free, and we hope you are satisfied with our service.”
Big clients are key to the success of this model. For example, both Match.com and Tinder use Hampton Financial’s services.
“We have a very solid book of business, with thousands of clients, and we’re quite comfortable doing things this way.”
With clients in 180 countries, Hampton Financial can afford to take a risk on smaller companies.
Their comfort with risk has made them strong in the ecommerce sector.
“The thing that people don’t realize is that if you’re selling a product on a website, you’re considered to be high risk because a card is not present,” Waleed explains. “It’s an unqualified card. So the percentage charged is higher. You can be charged 3 to 4 percent. Some people can pay up to 6 percent — it just depends where you go. We make sure that you’re not paying that much.”
Hampton Financial offers ecommerce services to small and large clients with no setup fee, an anomaly in a market where Waleed says that fees can range from $250 to over $1,000.
Think you don’t need an ecommerce platform at the Farmers’ Market? Think again.
VIDEO: Waleed Dabbah – Hampton Financial
Waleed suggests that businesses who currently use a mobile payment processor try using an ecommerce platform instead to cut costs.
“It is so expensive at 2.65 percent. They say it’s because you just plug it into the phone and swipe. That’s great, but it’s not right to charge that much.”
Clients can instead pull up an ecommerce site when they’re selling on the go.
Above all, Waleed wants people to do their research when choosing a payment processor. Saving money at the point of sale can empower businesses to grow and thrive.
“I’m not here to sell a product. I’m not here to say take this machine and make me money. That’s not the way I look at it. I truly believe in our product and I truly believe that you can save some money, and you can grow, and you can do a lot of things by making the right choices. We have so many options available: you just have to pick the right one.”
Ecommerce is for the dogs … and cats … and rabbits
An animal lover who has adopted several cats from the Peterborough Humane Society, Waleed is helping the charitable organization facilitate donations and save money by donating a free ecommerce website. Here he’s pictured with Molly (2 years old), Puss (3), and Beth, whose age is unknown. All three cats are available for adoption from the Peterborough Humane Society. (Photo: Eva Fisher)
Waleed is particularly passionate about saving charitable businesses money.
“If you’re a charity you want to use that money towards what really matters, not towards admin fees for banks.”
An animal lover who has adopted several cats from the Peterborough Humane Society, he saw an opportunity to help when he and wife Amber were trying to make a donation on the shelter’s website.
“We went to the website and tried to donate some money and we couldn’t find a tab that said donate. It hit me right then and there. I love helping the shelter, I love being there, there’s a new shelter coming … how about I set up an ecommerce website for free?”
An ecommerce website would normally cost the shelter a few thousand dollars, but Waleed saw it as an opportunity to make his donation have more impact.
“If I donate a couple of thousand bucks that’s great, but I want to make it easy for other people to do it too.”
Susan Dunkley, Manager of Development and Outreach at the Peterborough Humane Society, says that she is looking forward to finding out more about what Hampton Financial has to offer.
“Waleed and I are meeting to discuss how he can help our shelter to cut our costs for our online transaction,” Susan says. “I am excited at his offer of support and am grateful to people like he and Amber who are amazing ‘pet parents’ and who believe in the good work that we do.”
To inquire about payment processing for your business, contact Waleed Dabbah, Business Development Specialist at Hampton Financial – Powered by Lefebvre International (1769 St. Laurent Blvd, Suite #324, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5X7). You can reach Waleed by phone at 844-392-5538 Ext 715 or 705-761-2672, on Skype at waleed.dabbah, or by email at waleed@LefebvreInternational.com.
On social media, you can follow him on Instagram @wdabbah and on Twitter @WaleedDabbah.
This month, sommelier Chris Wilton provides KNosh readers with tips on wine pairing (photo: Chris Wilton)
This month Eva Fisher explores the wine-powered world of sommelier Chris Wilton, toasts Church-Key Brewing’s spring revival, learns about the Sweet Kitchen’s dessert popups, congratulates the local steakhouse that nabbed two of the top 150 spots on Open Table’s list of hidden gems, and recognizes the best burgers in Canada from Olympus Burger in Port Hope.
Renaissance sommelier Chris Wilton explains wine and food pairing
This is the man you want at your dinner party. A certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Chris Wilton is involved in many facets of the wine industry. He acts as a wine consultant, a food and wine writer, a wine sales rep, a server, and a wine instructor at Durham College.
Sommelier Chris Wilton. Wilton Wine Consulting’s services include wine cellar inventories and tastings. “Basically I’m a sommelier for hire.” (Photo: Chris Wilton)
So what is a wine consultant? Chris explains that a wine consultant can provide a variety of services.
“Basically I’m a sommelier for hire. The services that I provide are pretty much everything. I will go into private homes and do a wine cellar inventory. I’ll make up a list of what you should hold onto, what you should drink and what is probably past it’s prime.”
Chris can also make recommendations based on the wines that you enjoy.
“With the seller consultation it wouldn’t be me trying to sell my wines. I have great connections within the wine industry so I know most of the wine that’s available.” That means that you have access to hard to find wines. And it’s not just wines in Chris’s own sales catalogue. Chris takes his ethical responsibilities seriously. “I have these five different hats that I wear and I try not to mix them up. It’s important to me ethically to not mix them up.”
Chris also conducts food and wine pairings at private homes and restaurants, and he teaches food and wine pairing at Durham College. So how does Chris approach pairing? There are a number of ways to think about how the flavour of a glass of wine interacts with a dish. Chris shared with us his wine pairing 101.
Acidity
This involves using wine like a squeeze of lemon to brighten a dish.
“Often wine can be that squeeze of lemon because, when you think of it, out of everything we drink wine is probably the most acidic. That’s what’s happening with the lemon, it’s acid that you’re using and what does acid do? It brightens thing up, it enlivens things, it refreshes things, and so wine for me should be that way. It’s a simple way to first approach it.”
Regional Pairings
This involves looking at the origin of your dish and working with wine from that region.
“When I get a menu one of the first things I think about is what is this dish? Where is this dish from? Because recipes have origins. So when I talk about regional pairing you think about who’s been eating this and what have they been drinking with it for centuries. It’s the idea of what grows together goes together.”
Sommelier Chris Wilton will host a food and wine pairing evening at the Lounge by Lignum in downtown Peterborough on April 27th (photo: Steve Verge)
The Scientific Approach
This involves figuring out why food and drink pairs well or poorly by analyzing the structure and the flavour of the wine. Chris takes into account quantitative variables.
“If there’s a measureable amount of sugar in the wine, there’s a measurable amount of acidity in the wine, there’s a measurable amount of tannin in the wine” and qualitative variables “flavour is really subjective because we all have our own smell or taste libraries.”
You can watch Chris in action at The Lounge by Lignum (442 George St, N., Peterborough, 705-775-9463) on Thursday, April 27th. He will host an evening of food and wine pairing from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information visit The Lounge by Lignum on Facebook.
Church-Key Brewing’s spring revival celebrates spring with local beer, local BBQ, and local musicians
Watch this video about Church-Key Brewing (information about the Spring Revival begins at the 1:21 mark)
The annual spring festival at Church-Key Brewing (1678 County Road 38, Campbellford, 705-653-9950) will take place on Saturday, May 6th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Church-Key Spring Revival has become a festival where locals enjoy delicious beer and barbecue and listen to local musicians, but that’s not how it was originally intended.
John Graham, owner of Church-Key Brewing, says that he originally planned to host a party for the restaurants and bars that have Church-Key beer on their menus.
“I wanted to invite all of the seasonal tourism customers to a fun afternoon of barbecue, local music and local food and basically treat my licensees back.”
He found out pretty quickly that the Spring Revival was about to take on a life of its own.
Church-Key Brewing’s Spring Revival takes place on Saturday, May 6 at the Campbellford brewery (poster: Church-Key Brewing)
“Even in early May a lot of them were too busy, so I only had a handful of licensees show up but lots of locals came. It became a local festival, so it turned out well.”
This year Church-Key will be serving homemade burgers made with beef from Sue Brown and pork bratwurst sausage from Rory O-Neil. The music will begin with an acoustic act at 11 a.m. and end with a punk band.
And of course, there will be beer. Church-Key is known for staples like their Northumberland Cream Ale, as well as a constantly rotating selection that spans from a smoky scotch ale to a juniper and rosemary gruit to a chocolate milk stout. Although John occasionally makes Maibock, a beer brewed for Spring festivals, he says that spring can be a difficult time to source brewing ingredients.
“When we’re accenting with ingredients we like to use as many – you know local strawberries, local rhubarb, local honey. None of that stuff is started yet for the year. So Spring is the toughest time to brew and brew local. Maybe one day we’ll do a fiddlehead beer.”
The spring revival is always a fundraising event, and this year the proceeds will go to the local high school music program.
Dessert popups make spring in Lindsay sweeter
The Sweet Kitchen’s upcoming dessert pop-up features spring treats at their finest (photo: The Sweet Kitchen)
Would you like an Irish whiskey brownie with your tattoo? Perhaps a lemon blueberry cupcake with your bouquet of roses? Dessert company The Sweet Kitchen has been pairing up with Lindsay businesses for a series of dessert popups.
Next in the series is an easter popup at the Kent Florist (92 Kent St. W., Lindsay,705-324-7314), On Saturday April 15th, between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. you can purchase a variety of Easter treats at the florist. The Sweet Kitchen has also done popups at Kent Street Tattoo and Pane Vino.
Jen Arnold, owner of the Sweet Kitchen, thanks the local business community for opening their doors to her.
The menu for The Sweet Kitchen’s Easter pop-up event at the Kent Florist (graphic: The Sweet Kitchen)
“We’ve been lucky that a few area hosts will ask us to have a day with them or a few hours with them.”
During the summer you can find the Sweet Kitchen at the market, but Jen says that these popups allow her to explore new ideas.
“We get to try new things out. They might make it to the next season at the market or it might just be a one off like hot crossed buns.”
Jen’s most popular dessert is “The burnt butter caramel bars. They have a coconut butter crust and then on top is essentially a caramel butter mixture. It’s a little bit chewy, it’s very sweet, and it’s got a crisp crust.”
In addition to the Easter popup, you can find Sweet Kitchen at the Lindsay market. In Peterborough, they supply desserts for the Planet Bakery, cookies for Nata’s Cafe, and butter tarts and brownies for The Spill. Sweet Kitchen also provides high tea items for Stillwater on the Lake, a bed and breakfast located just outside of Peterborough on the shores of Chemong Lake.
Hobart’s Steakhouses in Lindsay and Peterborough named in the top 150 hidden gems in Canada
Hobart’s Steakhouses in Lindsay and Peterborough were honoured among the top 150 hidden gems in Canada in an Open Table survey (photo: Mark Ridout)
In a field of over 2,000 options, Hobart’s Steakhouse nabbed two spots in Open Table’s listing of the top 150 hidden gems in Canada for both of their locations: Hobart’s Lindsay (189 Kent St. W., Lindsay, 705-328-1219) and Hobart’s Peterborough (139 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-775-4000).
Over 480,000 diner reviews were considered to create the listing, which was created in honour of Canada’s 150th.
Operator Frank Peters says that to him, the restaurant business is about more than the food.
“I love putting great menus together and great food out to the customers, but it’s really the satisfaction of serving people and having happy faces. It’s a very personal satisfaction I get out of making people happy and seeing that they enjoy what we have to offer.”
Hobart’s is known for their steaks, but their menu includes a variety of options.
Hobart’s Steakhouse was named after agrarian researcher Dr. Hobart F. Peters (photo: Hobart’s Steakhouse)
“We specialize in mostly handcut steaks: everything from filets to top sirloin, ribeyes and new york striploins. And then we stretch that menu out with a variety of non-steak options. There’s really something for everyone.”
Having worked in the food industry for nearly 40 years, Frank says that a lot of elements came together to create Hobart’s.
“Hobart’s is the culmination of a career in food service. I’ve worked in everything from fast food restaurants right up to fine dining restaurants over a career that spans almost 4 decades, and Hobart’s is something that, with my partners and with our staff over the years, it’s everything I’ve ever learned in one spot.”
The name Hobart’s honours Frank’s father, Dr. Hobart F. Peters, an agrarian researcher dedicated to improving farming practices, including farming of beef cattle.
“It honours the heritage of everything he stood for as well.”
Canadian Living names Port Hope’s Olympus Burger as the best burger restaurant in Canada
One reason why Canadian Living readers named Olympus Burger the best place in Canada to get a burger: the Ares is a peppercorn beef patty with crispy bacon, caramelized onion, sautéed mushrooms and Olympus BBQ sauce. (Photo: Olympus Burger / Facebook)
Olympus Burger (55 Mill St. S., Port Hope, 905-885-4637) can expect to see business pick up even more after the restaurant was named the top burger spot in Canada by Canadian Living.
The magazine recently asked its readers about the best place to get a burger in Canada and, after more than 30 positive comments from readers, they named Olympus Burger the winner. Many readers commented they will drive great distances to get a burger at Olympus.
As you might guess from the restaurant’s name, their burgers are all named after gods and characters from Greek mythology. They offer more then 20 burger variations, from the Apollo (fresh beef patty, fried egg, peameal bacon, between two grilled aged white cheddar cheese sandwiches, lettuce, tomato) to the Zeus (fresh beef patty, peameal bacon, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, aged white cheddar cheese, Olympus BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato).
Or you can try something different, like the Poseidon (grilled salmon fillet, warmed mixed greens, red onions, fresh ground pepper, Olympus tartar sauce). Veggie options like the Aphrodite (grilled pineapple rings, warmed mix greens, guacamole, and sautéed mushrooms) are also available.
Olympus Burger offers more than 20 variations of the traditional burger on its menu. (Photo: Olympus Burger / Facebook)
“This is truly an honour and we couldn’t be more thankful for this recognition,” owner Giorgos Kallonakis writes on Facebook. “We couldn’t have done it without all of our staff’s hard work, but also your loyalty and patronage.”
This isn’t the first honour for Olympus Burger since Kallonakis opened the restaurant four years ago. They achieved consistently high ratings on TripAdvisor and made an appearance on The Food Networks television series “You Gotta Eat Here” last fall.
For more information and a menu of all their burgers, visit www.olympusburger.ca.
The police officers who received the Outstanding Police Officer Service Award with the students from Fleming College's Police Foundations program who presented the awards (photo courtesy of Fleming College)
Fleming College held its third annual Outstanding Police Officer Service Award ceremony at the Sutherland Campus today (April 10).
This year, the following seven police officers were chosen to receive the award:
Police Constable Cam Kenny – Peterborough Police Service. Officer Kenny received the award for outstanding contributions in the field of traffic enforcement and Special Olympics.
Detective Constable Jason Clarke – Peterborough County OPP. Detective Constable Clarke was acknowledged for his many successes in investigating and preventing property crimes and his involvement and commitment to Pedal for Hope.
Provincial Constable Jennifer Quigley – City of Kawartha Lakes OPP. Officer Quigley was recognized for her care and compassion for those in the vulnerable sector.
Police Constable Morgan Stout and Dana Barr – Port Hope Police. Officers Stout and Barr received the award for successfully de-escalating a situation that involved a suicidal subject with a knife.
Sergeant Michael Richardson – Cobourg Police Service. Sergeant Richardson received the award for his demonstrated leadership in coordinating community events and his distinguished military service.
Provincial Constable Tim Negus – Haliburton Highlands OPP. Officer Negus was acknowledged for his leadership in organizing “Push for Change” and assisting a Syrian family adjust to a new life in Haliburton Highlands.
Students and faculty of Fleming College’s Police Foundations program created the award in 2014, following the tragic loss of three Moncton RCMP officers who were killed in the line of duty. Students not only expressed their sadness over the loss of life, but dismay related to negative comments being made about police and the policing profession through various social media. The award was create to counter the negativity and recognize the contributions and sacrifices of local police officers.
For this year’s award, Fleming College invited six local police services to nominate a police officer from their service. The nominees must have demonstrated one or several qualities consistent with superior policing and service to their community. These qualities included, but were not limited to, professionalism and integrity, commitment to community, leadership, valour, sacrifice and determination in the face of adversity.
In addition to the award winners and their invited guests, the event was attended by many senior police leaders as well as faculty, staff and students from the Police Foundations program.
Fourth-semester students from the Police Foundations program described each officer’s contributions and handed each a plaque acknowledging their outstanding service.
In addition, Kyle VanBorhorst — a fourth-semester Police Foundations student at Fleming College — received the Greg Riddle Award at the end of the ceremony. This award is voted on by the recipients’ peers and acknowledges their volunteerism, dedication to a career in policing, and willingness to help and encourage their fellow students.
"Grown Ups Read Things They Wrote as Kids", where brave adults get on stage before a live audience and read their childhood or teenage writing, is coming to Peterborough's Market Hall on September 17, 2017 (photo: Grown Ups Read Things They Wrote as Kids)
Grown Ups Read Things They Wrote as Kids is coming to Peterborough for the first time on Sunday, September 17th at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.
Reader spots are first come, first served, and all readers must sign up online in advance of the show. Sign-up information for the September 17th show will be available in early summer (kawarthaNOW will provide details when they become available).
The live open-mic event, where adults share their childhood and teenaged writing before an audience, was started in 2007 by host Dan Meisener along with his then-girlfriend (and now wife) Jenna.
“Grown Ups Read Things They Wrote as Kids” is a live event which is recorded for subsequent podcasting
Often hilarious and sometimes moving, the show was first broadcast in 2008 as an independent podcast. CBC Radio picked up the series in 2014 for 10 episodes, where it found a wide audience.
After CBC decided to drop the series due to budget cuts, Dan and Jenna continued the show as an independent, fan-supported venture in late 2014. They continue to hold live events across Canada, recording them for subsequent podcast.
Many of the 750 students receiving school suspension order may have already received all required vaccinations, but their records with the health unit are are out of date
Hundreds of area students may face possible school suspension unless they can show they are up-to-date on their vaccinations.
Around 750 students in Haliburton County, Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes are being issued school suspension orders this week.
Families who receive these orders are encouraged to immediately contact the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit at 1-866-888-4577 ext. 1507, to update their child’s vaccination records. Parents can also visit the Health Unit website at www.hkpr.on.ca for more information.
“No one wants to see students missing classes unnecessarily, so we encourage families who receive these suspension orders to contact us immediately about their child’s vaccination records,” says Marianne Rock, Manager of Communicable Disease Control, Epidemiology and Evaluation with the HKPR District Health Unit.
“In many cases, students have received all the required vaccines from a health care provider, but the records for these vaccines have not been shared with the Health Unit.”
Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act, the Health Unit must ensure all students attending school are immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis (whooping cough), varicella (chickenpox) and meningococcal disease. If any of these vaccines are missing, students can be suspended from school.
Exemptions from vaccination are available for medical reasons and issues of conscience or religious beliefs.
“School suspension is a last resort for us, but by law we are required to ensure all students attending school are immunized against certain diseases,” Rock adds. “By checking that students are fully vaccinated, we can ensure everyone in our school communities is protected against common, vaccine-preventable diseases.”
In January, the Health Unit first contacted local families of students for whom it did not have up-to-date vaccination records or valid reasons for why they were not vaccinated. Since then, Health Unit staff have been in touch with many of these families to update the vaccination records or ensure any missing vaccines are provided to students.
“We have been able to clear up much of the backlog of student vaccination records that were out-of-date,” Rock notes. “Now we want to ensure that these last few hundred students are fully vaccinated and protected. We encourage parents and guardians to work with us so that no student has to miss a day of class.”
A 21-year-old Ajax man is facing charges including flight from police, dangerous driving and impaired driving following an incident in the area of King Street in downtown Peterborough in the early morning last Thursday (April 6).
At around 2:45 a.m., Peterborough police observed a vehicle driving the wrong way on George Street and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit took place on Water Street.
The vehicle entered the parking garage on King Street parking garage, where the male driver and passengers abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
Several officers were dispatched to the area where they found the driver and passengers hiding inside the parking garage.
While speaking with the driver, officers noted an odour of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. A subsequent breath sample revealed the driver had more than the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
As a result of the investigation, Michael John McGuire, 21, of Exeter Road in Ajax, was arrested and charged with flight while pursued by police officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with more than 80, and impaired driving
The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on April 27, 2017.
Martha Sullivan has opened her new law practice in Peterborough, specializing in real estate, family law and estate law (supplied photo)
Sullivan Law opens in Peterborough
Sullivan Law is Martha Sullivan’s new law practice.
Located at 223 Aylmer Street in Peterborough, Sullivan Law specializes in real estate, wills and estates, family law, and notarial services.
Martha returns to her deep family roots in Peterborough after articling and working with Ottawa-based firms in family law, child protection, real estate and wills and estates. She is just completing her training to be a certified collaborative family lawyer and mediator.
Kawartha Vaccum specialized in central vacuum systems (supplied photo)
Andrew Wright is the new owner of Kawartha Vacuum.
Based in Peterborough, Kawartha Vacuum provides a wide range of services to the Kawartha Lakes area, including sales, service, and installation of central vacuum systems. They carry the Canadian-made Cana-Vac line of central vacuum systems. Their technicians can install your central vacuum system or supply a do-it-yourself installation kit. They can also provide service at your home or their facility.
Bobcaygeon lawyer Robert Walker with his two staff Adriana and Cheryl have joined LLF Lawyers and will continue practicing law at their current location under the name LLF Lawyers Bobcaygeon (supplied photo)
The Bobcaygeon law firm of Robert J. Walker is now associated with LLF Lawyers of Peterborough.
Bob Walker has practiced law in the Bobcaygeon area for 40 years, providing legal counsel to hundreds of local businesses, community groups and individuals. LLF Lawyers will continue to provide full service to the Bobcaygeon area from the corner of King Street West and Bolton Street in Bobcaygeon.
LLF Lawyers has 18 lawyers and 36 support staff at 332 Aylmer Street in Peterborough. Visit www.llf.ca for more information.
Luxe Sugaring & Beauty Bar opens in Millbrook
Jessica Grieve has opened Luxe Sugaring & Beauty Bar in Oasis Boutique in Millbrook (photo: Jessica Grieve / Twitter)
Luxe Sugaring & Beauty Bar recently opened in Millbrook.
Located in the Oasis Boutique location on King Street in Millbrook, owner Jessica Grieve also offers eyelash and eyebrow tinting on evenings and Saturdays.
You can find Luxe Sugaring & Beauty Bar on Facebook.
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer are Shawn Hall (harmonica, lead vocals) and Matthew Rogers (guitar, foot percussion). They'll be performing at the Market Hall in Peterborough on April 14 with blues Ryan McNally. (Photo: Jodie Ponto)
“I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna.”
Market Hall presents
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
When: Saturday, April 14, 2017, at 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) How much: $25 ($20 for students), $30 assigned table seating
With opener Ryan McNally. Tickets available at the box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org. Tickets are also available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George Street North, 705-742-9425)
For those who have wondered what the harpoon reference in the opening line of the second verse of “Me And Bobby McGee” is all about, allow Shawn Hall to chime in.
“It was Matt’s idea; he had never heard a harmonica referred to as a harpoon, so that’s what gave him the idea,” notes Hall, referencing The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer, the Vancouver-based blues/roots music duo he formed 11 years ago with guitarist Matthew Rogers.
“It’s an incredibly literal name; a difficult name to cross borders with and get into kids’ festivals. At least we know that our band name means something and that it takes up a shitload of letters on a marquee.
“When ‘murderer’ is in your band name … well, we’ve been asked ‘Why do you guys have murderer in your band name?’ by so many border officials.”
With a Juno Award nomination and five albums to its credit — the latest, Apocalipstick, released just a few weeks ago — The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer is touring Canada this month; a trek that will bring the pair to the Market Hall Performance Centre (140 Charlotte St, Peterborough) on Friday, April 14th
“They (audience members) are not really going to believe what they’re hearing,” assures Hall, the harpoonist in the equation alongside Rogers’ axe (electric guitar), with a more than generous helping of foot percussion in the mix.
VIDEO: “Forever Fool” – The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
“Supporting this record we’ve got two drummers (himself and Whitehorse-based Patrick Hamilton). We’ve got like a double thumping going on and we’re singing through a whole array of things that sort of thicken the stew and add textures … a whole bunch of psychedelic sorcery.”
“We’re not your mom and dad’s blues band. We certainly don’t shy away from blues festivals, and we get invited to a good chunk of them, and we love our relationships with blues communities across the country, but we realize how conservative this genre is.
“We’re not everybody’s bag. For us, it’s just really honest music that comes from pretty raw emotional places and blues music is one of the best genres for that traditionally.”
It was at a music jingle recording session in 2006 that Hall and Rogers first met and, according to Hall, came to the realization “that neither of us were that flaky, a miracle in the world of the arts.”
That said, there was something present that was well worth building on.
Rogers and Hall met at a music jingle recording session in 2006 and decided to form The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer. (Publicity photo)
“We had a significant amount of follow through, stubbornness, determination, drive — whatever you want to call it — and we really admired a strong work ethic. Matt went out in Montreal and saw a show that really turned him on to finger picking. It was Michael Jerome Brown, just an incredible guitarist.
“That was kind of a turning point for him. He said, ‘Hey, what do you think of going back to the harmonica?’ I wasn’t relying on the harmonica to make money; it’s a difficult instrument to make a living off of.”
The union formed, The Blues Can Kill marked their album debut in 2007, followed by the release of a self-titled album the following year. Along the way, both quickly came to the realization that their musical bond could reap bigger dividends.
VIDEO: “Shake It ” – The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
“I think we jumped on at the right time,” says Hall.
“Duos have been around forever. However, the economics of big bands … well, you see large bands that have been around for decades doing stripped down tours of two or three people. That’s not easy for the old cats who have been doing it forever. They didn’t design their songs as duos. It’s pretty clear the younger generation, 10 years, 20 years younger than me, are chomping at the bit to figure out if they can cut it in the duo world.”
“When it works on stage, which it does 90 percent of the time, it feels great — but there’s nothing to hide behind. Holy crap, do you know how many nights I wanted to not be the lead singer and the harmonica player and take it back and roll with that? We tried a few songs that were on commercial radio, tried them live, and they just didn’t quite feel right, so we reinterpret them and do them duo style.
“For this record, that’s why we went to The Yukon and got a really original interesting character (Hamilton) to bring to the band so that we can flesh things out and we could transform in front of people’s eyes, still keeping the nucleus of the duo but bring things into a larger world for us.”
VIDEO: “Roll With The Punches” – The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
While more than one artist has downplayed the significance of award recognition, Hall makes no secret of the positive impact the Juno Award nomination for 2014 album A Real Fine Mess had, and still has, on their success.
“It threw us into the world of Sam Roberts, Rush and Barenaked Ladies,” says Hall. “It threw us into the Ontario world.
“The Juno nomination definitely helped us east of Winnipeg. It really helped bridge a gap. We got to hang out with (acclaimed producer) Daniel Lanois. That’s pretty cool. We got to perform on the non-televised night of the awards and it was very significant for us. We realized that awards have nothing to do with who wins. They have everything to do with the immense amount of passion and hard work that many of the nominated people put together to get there.
“We walked away from that weekend realizing that everybody is a winner who actually shows up. If you win (a Juno Award), you get a few more festivals and a hell of a lot more pictures but when the smoke clears, you’re back down in the trenches where you were.”
Rogers and Hall in performance. “We’re not your mom and dad’s blues band.” (Photo: The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer)
Hall’s musical weapon of choice is one he’s being familiar since age 14 when his grandmother gifted him a harmonica for Christmas along with, he laughs, a book titled How To Play Harmonica For the Musically Hopeless.
“My parents had a pretty awesome record collection. Bob Dylan was probably the very first record I tried to play along to, but Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee’s self-titled album was the one I learned everything from. It was the greatest teacher I possibly could have had. If my parents didn’t have that record, I don’t know to what extent I would have gotten into harmonica.
“That record is still my favourite all-time blues record. I’ve got an autographed copy of it at home from the original producer. He had three copies left of the record in L.A. and he sent me one of them. That’s my Stanley Cup.”
AUDIO: “Get Ready” – The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
With Apocalipstick being very well-received — the first single “Get Ready” is charting high with “Forever Fool” on the cusp of release — The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer will arrive in Peterborough at the top of their game.
“I’m 41 (years old) and I’ve been playing in bars since I was 16 but this is different; this record is different,” assesses Hall.
“We’re getting much more attention with blues societies and commercial radio and CBC, and with folk communities. We’re getting a really, really wide range of attention this tour. We’re learning how to communicate, learning what the nuances of each community are and how to get people to feel more comfortable and let loose and enjoy themselves. What does enjoyment look like in different communities? Every crowd is different.
“It’s very much a challenge. You need to be pretty intuitive. Keeping wonder alive is a real day-to-day chore.”
Despite their success, don’t think for a minute that Hall or Rogers are taking anything for granted.
“Whenever we sell out gigs, we don’t go, ‘Yeah, this is what we do.’ That’s pretty pinch-me, pretty amazing, given how many bands are touring, given how fickle the climate is with people’s attention span to music. We feel incredibly fortunate.”
VIDEO: “Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To” – The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
While the tour for Apocalipstick is the current focus, there is, Hall says, “a greater plan” to perform more in Europe.
“We’ve really carved Canada fairly decently. We’re very grateful for the fans we have here — we haven’t taken anything for granted — but we’ve been over there (Europe) a couple of times and had immense success, so we’d like to go there and dig into the festival scene and explore that some more. Then maybe take a break next winter because we both have very young families.”
As for the Market Hall show, it will mark a homecoming of sorts for Hall, who attended Trent University for two years.
“I remember going to see Big Sugar there,” notes Hall.
“I know they did a big reno there, right? I hope people can dance.”
Presented by the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, general admission tickets for The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer cost $25 ($20 for students and $30 for assigned cabaret table seating) at the box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org. Tickets are also available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George Street North, 705-742-9425).
Ryan McNally
Roots musician Ryan McNally from Whitehorse opens the show with acoustic blues and old-timey jug band jazz (photo: Ryan McNally / Facebook)
Blues/roots artist Ryan McNally from Whitehorse is opening.
McNally was raised in rural Quebec, south of Montreal along the U.S. border. He began pursuing music at the age of 10 when he first picked up the guitar. In his late teens and early twenties, he sought out the musicians he heard at cafes and bars for lessons in fingerstyle blues. His first release, Down Home, is a distillation of the genre.
McNally has a passion for studying acoustic traditional blues, jazz, and old-time music. This passion led him to spend a winter in New Orleans, where he wrote the majority of the material featured on his latest release, Steppin’ Down South.
Inspired by hillbilly blues and 1920s jug band jazz, with instruments like washboards and washtub basses, Steppin’ Down South is saturated with the sounds and rhythm of New Orleans streets.
McNally is currently touring with The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer as the opening act.
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