Yogurt Recall

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added the Yoplait Minigo and Liberte brands of yogurt to a recall over concerns that pieces of plastic may be in the product.

The national recall of General Mills Canada Corporation products includes some batches of Yoplait Minigo strawberry and raspberry yogurt in 90-gram pouches, as well as Liberte Greek yogurt in raspberry and coconut flavours in the 120-gram size.

Check to see if you have recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

For more information consumers can contact General Mills Canada Corporation Consumer Services: 1-800-754-3517 (Yoplait); 1-888-340-9306 (Liberté)

Port Hope Police Report

Port Hope Police responded to 89 calls for Service from July 11th, 2017 to July 18th, 2017.

Woman charged with impaired care and control

On Thursday July 13th, 2017 Police were dispatched to the Maitland Street in the Municipality of Port Hope for a report of an impaired female driver. Police located the female as she attempted to flee on foot. As a result, 25 year old Kaitlind Chelsey Smith was arrested, charged with care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired, and will appearing in court to answer to the charge on July 26th, 2017.

Mischiefs to vehicles

A number of mischiefs to vehicles have been reported to Police. On the 15th of July a John St. resident reported her vehicle dented either by someone kicking it or some other transfer.  Two other reports of mischief to vehicles were taken by Police on the 17th of July occurring on Caroline Street and Shuter St. The Shuter St resident reported his vehicle scratched while the Caroline St resident’s vehicle was egged.  Anyone with information is asked to call Port Hope Police or Crime Stoppers.

Man arrested on outstanding warrants

A 29 year old Cobourg man was arrested on outstanding warrants held by Port Hope Police. On the 15th of July the man was arrested by Cobourg Police for the outstanding warrants.  Curtis Stoneman is charged with 2 counts of theft under $5000. The charges stem from reported thefts from a local gas station and the Giant Tiger Store on Peter Street allegedly occurring in June 2017. He appears in court in August.

 Man charged with fraud.

A 49 year old Port Hope man is charged with fraud related offences.  On the 10 of July 2017 Port Hope Police took a report for a theft of a wallet from an unlocked vehicle on Ridout St. The complainant of the theft also reported his debit card had been used after the theft at the Beer Store and another store in Cobourg.  After an investigation was commenced Port Hope Police have charged Gregory Shawn Hatherly with 2 counts of fraudulent use of a debit/credit card. He appears in Court later in August.

Problems in Urban Forest

Some Northumberland residents are feeling the effect of recent wet weather in finding large tree limbs down. Mike Skratt of Cobourg's Skratt Tree Service says that wet weather has caused rapid tree growth this year. With the weight of rain on leaves and branches it is expected that some limbs will break. Fortunately, Skratt says, we have not experienced high winds or tree damage could be more extensive.

There is a more imposing threat to our urban forest, Skratt warns. The emerald ash borer has now been found in Northumberland. Once infested, 99% of ash trees will die within 6 years. It was only a matter of time before the borer was discovered here. It has made its presence known in Ontario counties of Frontenac, Simcoe, Peterborough and Algoma including Manitoulin Island.

Removing infected trees is a costly endeavour for any municipality but one that is necessary to ensure that an influx of invasive plants do not take advantage of the dying ash trees. Much of Skratt's time is now occupied with removal of infected ash trees. "We were busy before, but this has added to the work" says Skratt, adding, "It is a good time to be a tree guy."

OPP Weekly Report

The Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) dealt with a variety of incidents this past week, here are some examples:

July 10:

- Report of mischief to a lock on a shed at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery on IXL Rd in Campbellford sometime over the weekend. No entry was gained.*

- An officer conducting radar enforcement on Hwy 401 in the Brighton area measured a white Toyota Corolla travelling 164 km/h. The driver, a 23 yr old Orangeville man, was charged with Stunt Driving – Excessive Speed. The rental car he was driving was towed from the highway and impounded for seven days. His licence was also suspended for the same period of time.

- Police responded to a domestic disturbance at an Alnwick-Haldimand Twp home that resulted in no charges being laid. Both persons couldn’t remember how their argument started and were separated for the night. Alcohol was a contributing factor.

July 11:

- A 1992 red Honda TRX300 ATV was reported stolen from a Morganston Rd property in Cramahe Twp. Serial # 478TE1528NA404592, Ont. Lic. # NP914*

- Officers were called to a Cramahe Twp residence where a female had threatened self-harm by overdosing on medications.  EMS attended but were unable to take her for treatment due to her combativeness. Police apprehended her and transported her to a hospital for assessment and treatment.

- At approximately 9:00 p.m. officers observed the driver of a black Hyundai talking on a cell phone while travelling on Dundas St in Brighton. The car was stopped and the driver was found to have been drinking with open liquor available to her. She failed a roadside test and was taken to the Brighton detachment for further tests. As a result of these tests, Charlene Tara FORTH age 42 of Brighton, Ontario is charged with Care & Control of a motor vehicle while her blood alcohol content exceeded 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. She also faces charges of Drive motor vehicle on a highway while using a hand-held wireless communication device contrary to the Highway Traffic Act and Driving a motor vehicle with open container of liquor contrary to the Liquor Licence Act. She was released and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice Cobourg on August 9, 2017.

July 12:

-  A resident on Smith St Brighton reported a planter box smashed in her driveway plus the theft of her 911 sign, solar lights and a wooden dog sign sometime overnight. The 911 sign was later recovered by a nearby neighbour and returned. *

-  The owner of a new home under construction on County Rd 25 south of Hastings reported a break in through the garage door sometime overnight. The list of items taken is extensive and includes tools and building supplies such as bathroom fixtures, lighting, floor tiles, shelving and a Mikasa jumping jack ground pounder. Investigation ongoing.*

- A resident on Rice Lake Scenic Dr Hamilton Twp reported a suspicious person walking on the back deck of the house at 11:00 p.m. Officers patrolled the area but were unable to locate the suspect.*

Northumberland OPP officers investigated 13 accidental 911 calls, nine motor vehicle collisions, 32 traffic related complaints and conducted four RIDE programs during this time period.

*Northumberland OPP is asking for the public’s assistance with these ongoing investigations and would ask that anyone with information on these crimes call their nearest OPP detachment or toll-free 1-888-310-1122.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call the Peterborough/Northumberland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) where you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 and not have to appear in court.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

With half the summer gone, three days of rainfall, heavy at times has left Cobourg's beach flooded. Hopes were that water levels dropping in Lake Ontario would allow the sand to dry out somewhat so that usual summer activities such as beach volleyball could continue. However, rainfall continuing has left the beach in a sad state. This does not bode well for Cobourg's next big summer event, the Sandcastle Festival that starts August 5.

Canadian Fire Fighters Museum

Recently, Canadian Tire Corporation withdrew from negotiations with the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum in Port Hope for the sale of the former Canadian Tire store on Robertson Street in Port Hope.  This was a blow to the Museum that had spent a lot of money to develop a site plan for the location.  It would have put the Museum in a position to open on a year-round basis and to feature many of their artifacts that represent all aspects of firefighting including traditional, forest and airport firefighting.  

The Board of the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum has not given up hope.  But they are in a bind, as the current location which was donated to them by the Municipality is becoming derelict and they will have to vacate the premises shortly due to the LLRW cleanup which is set to begin in 2018. 

The lack of the Municipality of Port Hope's Council to save this one-of-a-kind museum is troubling to the Board.  It should be noted however, that councils are not in the business of providing long-term funding for local projects and the $750,000 request from the Board to Council several months ago towards the purchase of the CTC property was turned down.

Nuclear Safety Commission Issues Order

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has issued an Order stemming from an investigation into an overflow of untreated water from a settling pond in Port Hope resulting in an off-site release. Heavy rainfall triggered the overflow on June 23.. The matter was reported immediately and on June 26 and 27 the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission investigated. The results of that investigation have led to the issuance of an Order that requires the licensee to:

1. Ensure its emergency preparedness measures with respect to emergency equipment and supplies are immediately available to mitigate accidental releases of untreated water from the licenced site and to submit a documented contingency plan within 30 days; and

2. Immediately review its water management plans and programs to ensure adequate storage capacity is available to prevent the release of radiological/nuclear and/or hazardous substances from the licenced site. A management plan is also to be submitted within 30 days.

Northumberland 89.7 previously reported that the quantity of untreated water released was insufficient to cause any danger to the public.

PC Chicken Nuggets Recall

Some President's Choice brand chicken nuggets are being recalled because of possible salmonella contamination, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday night.  The pub recipe nuggets have been sold nationwide in 800 gram boxes with a best-before date of March 15, 2018 and would have been sold before July 13. 

Some stores where the product may have been sold include Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Atlantic Superstore, Provigo and Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaw Companies stated in an advisory. 

The CFIA states that recalled products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.  In its advisory, the CFIA states that food contaminated with salmonella may not appear spoiled but can still cause illness and can be especially dangerous for young children, pregnant women, the elderly or anyone with a weakened immune system.                                                                                                            

Loblaw states that the products have been removed from store shelves and customers can receive a full refund with or without a receipt.  Customers wanting more information can contact the company at 1-888-495-5111 or customerservice@presidentschoice.ca.