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Henderson

By Robert Washburn

Cobourg Mayor John Henderson said he has nothing to apologize for when he asked the council to consider bringing in an integrity commissioner to investigate a leak following a closed-door session at a regular meeting earlier this month.

Council will vote on a request made by Henderson at its next meeting on August 12. It comes after the mayor became aware of evidence of closed-door session was being discussed in public.

"There is certain language and information out there in the populous. And, I am asking the question, after hearing certain conversations, how do you have that conversation or information because that information only shared in closed session?" the mayor said.

Closed door meeting regulated under the Municipal Act and are used to discuss legal matters, the sale or purchase of property, along with personnel matters involving an identified individual. Council cannot make any decision in closed session, only discuss items. There is also a code of conduct that governs councillors behaviour that has a section dedicated to handling confidential information.

Henderson said he chose this path because he wanted to ensure the integrity of the council rather than deal with it in private conversations or issue a warning to councillors.

"There comes a point where after what I call very adequate training, orientation, to council previewing the code of conduct, bringing our in-house lawyers as part of our orientation session. There are the learning sessions for newly elected councillors. After doing that, I came to the determination to protect council itself.," he said.

He wants the public to see the process and be transparent, showing that all members, including himself, adhere to a code of conduct.

The investigation will be carried out by the newly appointed integrity commissioner, Aird & Berlis LLP.

While there may be a perception the mayor has implicated all councillors through his actions, he said this emphasizes the importance of an investigation by an outside, third party. The integrity commissioner may find nothing wrong was done, he said. That would be a good outcome, he added.

If the motion is defeated at the next council meeting on August 12, Henderson said he is ultimate goal will still be achieved.

"At least, I hope, collectively, I sent a message (about) the importance of closed session," he said.

Cobourg Police asking for the public's assistance

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Cobourg Police Service responded to a call for a break and enter at a downtown business on July 10, 2019. The suspect(s) entered the premise and a quantity of cash, jewelry and electronic items were taken.

Today the Cobourg Police Service has obtained permission from the business owners to identify the targeted business as Greenbacks Pawn Shop located at 41 King Street, East, Cobourg.

Suspect Description:

Male white, short hair, thin to medium build, wearing dark clothing, light coloured hoodie under a jacket, white runner style shoes, dark ball cap with a logo on the front.

Female white, heavy build, dark pants, dark shoes, unique hoodie with possibly digital camouflage design on it.

Please see the attached photos (below)from surveillance footage inside the store.

If anyone has any knowledge of this incident, please contact the Cobourg Police Service at 905-372-6821 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Roadside Drug-Testing in Cobourg

You might want to think twice if you’re planning on using cannabis and then getting behind the wheel of a car. Driving high can have similar effects on judgement, reaction time and it’s illegal. And according to the Government of Canada, in 2014 there were 149 fatally injured from drivers who tested positive for cannabis.

After passing the law to make cannabis legal in Canada, the government provided police services with a federal grant to purchase approved oral fluid drug screening devices. The Cobourg Police Service took advantage of this and purchased three Draeger DrugTest 5000 which tests for the presence of cannabis and cocaine.

Drug recognition expert, Sergeant Marc Bellemare says, “These devices are in place to encourage drivers to not drive under the influence, and to catch those that are; ultimately keeping the roads safe. They will be in our cruisers as we do traffic stops, Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) programs, and regular patrol throughout Cobourg.”

Through the Ontario Police College, Sgt. Bellemare is a qualified trainer of the Draeger DrugTest 5000 and will train Cobourg officers and other police officers across Ontario on the use of the device. Though the Draeger is user-friendly, Sgt. Bellemare received greater knowledge of the devices and some troubleshooting which he will be able to pass on to others who train with him.

“It’s a simple test to administer. If the officer suspects the driver is under the influence of a drug through a complaint or a traffic stop investigation, the officer can demand the driver to provide a sample of their oral fluid. Once the sample has been taken, it’s placed inside the Draeger equipment and is analyzed giving a negative or positive presence of cannabis or cocaine in the subjects’ oral fluid.”

Sgt. Bellemare busts a common myth, “Despite popular belief, people do not drive better under the influence of cannabis. Your attention isn’t focused on the road, your decision-making and reaction time are not where they should be for someone getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. If you drive high, you could harm yourself, or others. And bottom-line, you will be arrested and charged. It’s just not worth the risk.”

Young entrepreneurs shine at Staples expo

By Cecilia Nasmith



Customers entering the Staples Business Depot in Cobourg Wednesday would have gotten a bonus – the chance to meet Northumberland's newest entrepreneurs at the annual Summer Company showcase coordinated by the Business and Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland.

from left are Summer Company Program entrepreneurs Raid Hajhasan, Rohan O'Neill, Ella Scozzari and Gryphon Nixon-Briard, Northumberland County Acting Warden Bob Sanderson, Summer Company entrepreneurs Shanakay Hall, Meaghan Herrington and Alexis Needs, and Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd

The trade-show style event was being duplicated in communities across Ontario, youth programs coordinator Kailyn Coupland said, thanks to a partnership between the program and the Staples company.

The seven student entrepreneurs participating in the Cobourg Staples are this year's successful applicants in the Summer Company Program that is offered locally through the Business and Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland.

It's a competition open each year to students between the ages of 15 and 29, who are invited to submit a detailed business plan to the program. If selected, they may receive up to $3,000 in grants, products, services and mentorship.

The business plan is an exercise that involves research, analysis, motivation and elbow grease, and seven students made the grade this year.

Gryphon Nixon-Briard of Port Hope has established WeeBoba Bubble Tea in the Port Hope area, offering a pop-up tea-shop experience at Northumberland festivals and events with a unique product – a flavoured tea containing tapioca pearls. It's something Gryphon enjoyed in Oshawa and Peterborough, and noted a definite absence of locally.

“I hate driving to Peterborough,” the recent Port Hope High School graduate commented.

You can catch him as a regular at the Port Hope Farmers' Markets and Movies in the Park events, or call him at 905-376-7493.

Raid Hajhasan is a student at the Centre for Individual Studies, and finds summer a perfect time for the car detailing he loves.

He has also lucked into a great Cobourg location for his new business, Rapid Raid Car Detailing, at Carstead Motor Trends on Division Street. Raid offers superior interior- and exterior-detailing services in a quick and cost-efficient manner, with packages priced to fit any budget. For more information, drop in at Carstead or call Raid at 289-829-1996.

Meaghan Herrington started the Early Morning Relief Milking & Farm Services company outside of Brighton. As the name implies, the company offers various farming tasks to assist the busy farmer such as cow clipping (including full body, head, udders and tail), barn cleaning, relief milking and help with other chores.

Meaghan certainly has the qualifications, as she has years of experience on the family dairy farm and in 4H. She hopes to pursue dairy farming as a career, though this fall she will spend her time in Grade 12 at East Northumberland Secondary School. You can reach her at 613-849-9976.

Alexis Needs has established Cobourg-based Breathe Safely, a company that provides local small businesses an opportunity to implement health and safety into work environments. For those companies that may not have HR services, Breathe Safely provides descriptive safety manuals and specific directions regarding the implementation of health and safety plans in compliance with the Health and Safety Act.

A University of Guelph student in the psychology program, Alexis was influenced to start the business by family members who were in the safety field and discussed their concerns about injured workers extensively. Her idea was to take that concern, and go proactive with manuals using her own skills. You can reach her at 705-542-4947.

Shanakay Hall has set up the S Kay Creative studio based out of Cobourg, offering web design, graphic design and e-mail marketing services to growing Northumberland businesses and entrepreneurs.

“I wanted to take what I have been working on and doing for other people and run my own business,” Shanakay said.

“I am learning a lot and looking to secure new clients,” she added, noting that the Staples exhibition had been most helpful in this regard.

Shanakay is a web-development student at Humber College, and you can reach her at 647-274-3188.

Ella Scozzari has started her neptune2earth business in Campbellford, offering Tarot and astrology readings and reports to clients (including on-line and video-based services) that provide a spiritual method of gaining insight into such areas as past, present and future relationships and one's inner self.

It's an area she's been keenly interested in for four years.

“I spent a lot of time researching it, and I feel I know it like the back of my hand,” Ella said.

“I do readings for friends who need advice and guidance, and now I am making money doing what I love.”

Ella will return to Campbellford District High School in the fall for Grade 11, and she can be reached at ella@neptune2earth.com.

Rohan O'Neill started the Baywater Forge company in Campbellford, offering high-quality hand-forged tools. These include tomahawks, knives, garden trowels, fireplace shovels and hooks, as well as specialized custom-made implements crafted with the hunter, fisher, gardener and camper in mind.

He's always been interested in crafting his own knives and swords, so he contacted a local blacksmith to see if he could take some courses. Now he knows the ins and outs, and was even able to purchase his own forge thanks to the Summer Company Program support.

Rohan was proud to show off what he's done so far.

“It's a balance of getting something that looks cool but is also utilitarian,” he said, displaying a few of his pieces.

Rohan will join Ella in Grade 11 at CDHS this fall, and you can reach him at 905-632-6735.

Northumberland director of economic development and tourism Dan Borowec was proud to escort such visitors as Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd to the various entrepreneur displays.

“It's a great event for young entrepreneurs, because it gives them some profile, and it's a great partnership with Staples,” Borowec said.

“In many ways, it's a very safe environment to have one-on-one conversations when asked what they do.

“It's also important for young entrepreneurs to get some recognition from those who have done that, and Kim is a good example,” he said, referring to the several successful businesses of her own that the MP had begun before going to Ottawa.

And, just to show how important entrepreneurship is to the local economy, Borowec said that 111 entrepreneurs in Northumberland began businesses last year, creating 135 good jobs.

Coupland said that the program typically gets 40 applications each year, with plans for everything from lawn care, gluten-free baking and personal fitness to hand-made clothing and jewelry making.

Since 2001, the program has seen $426,000 spent to set up 142 summer businesses.

Northumberland Paramedics team up with Wounded Warriors for wellness and help

By Cecilia Nasmith


Addressing stress and trauma as a result of the unique demands of their job will be easier for Northumberland Paramedics, thanks to a new partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada.

The announcement was made this week at the Cobourg paramedic station, with representatives from Wounded Warriors Canada – a registered charity that supports Canada's ill and injured military personnel,veterans, first responders and their family members with mental-health and wellness programming – in attendance.

This programming includes a PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) service-dog program, couples-based equine therapy, COPE (Couples Overcoming PTSD Everyday) and BOS (Before Operational Stress).

Northumberland Paramedics Chief Bill Detlor said his team is recognized for their skills and expertise as trained professionals, but they share one special characteristic.

“It's not in the nature of first responders to stop and reflect on our personal response,” Detlor said.

“We are always pressing forward. But it's important to recognize this and encourage our team members to reach out.”

They realize the importance of having a variety of resources in place for this purpose, and that's true of the culture of Northumberland County as an employer.

Only a few uniquely talented individuals can perform such a calling, and few face such on-the-job challenges, noted Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini's executive assistant Ralph Kerr. That's why it's important to honour their service with this fantastic new partnership.

Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd said the partnership with Wounded Warriors comes at a time when the stigma surrounding mental-health issues is declining – largely because it has touched the families of virtually everyone, including herself. And she was heartened and encouraged by the response of the professionals in her own family's time of need.

It's important that paramedics have the same support.

“You no longer have to suffer silence or suffer alone,” Rudd said.

“We all need to be there to support them with collaborations like this. They will help families, our veterans, our first responders and our community in general.”

Northumberland's paramedics responded to more than 2,700 calls last year, Acting Warden Bob Sanderson said, and each one affects each first responder in a different way.

“We all know first responders face extremely different conditions than we do day-to-day. Most of us really don't have any idea,” Sanderson said.

“Northumberland County strives to ensure proper measures are in place to represent and support any staff member experiencing mental-health challenges as a result of operational stress.”

Sanderson outlined several programs already in place, such as the Peer Support Program that ensure paramedics can be connected to innovative programming tailored to first responders.

“Furthermore, this support extends to family members – and that's important, since we know mental-health issues have implications for all around us,” Sanderson said.

“This partnership is another opportunity to get this dialogue up and running properly. Through this collaboration, a broader range of resources will be available to our first responders to safeguard their mental health.”

Though the stigma associated with mental-health issues is declining, he added, it's not gone.

“We all have to work on that,” he said.

As you would keep your body healthy, Sanderson continued, you should work on your mental wellness and resiliency in anticipation of traumatic events. This partnership gets that job started.

These partnerships are vital, Wounded Warriors executive director Scott Maxwell agreed. 
“No one service or organization, government or department will ever be 100% of the solution for mental-health issues,” he stated.

Maxwell was delighted to share some of the history of his organization, which began with the tragedy of soldiers returning from Afghanistan with devastating issues. But out of that, good things happened.

As operations wound down in Afghanistan in 2013, Maxwell said, the organization was transformed by the discussions around PTSD, the so-called invisible injury, and the realization that soldiers were succumbing to suicide more often than from action in open theatre.

They got a big boost when Lieutenant-General and retired senator Romeo Dallaire – for the first time – allowed his name to be associated with an organization. This was on the condition they would always work not only on the occupational stress of serving members of the military and first responders but also on the needs of their families.

COPE is now an international leader in this area, serving 300 couples through the work of 60 certified therapists.

This is just part of more than 2,000 people who came through their organization last year for this program and others like animal-assisted therapy and, most recently, BOS. Launched last June, Before Operational Stress is a proactive program aimed at establishing strength and resiliency before a crisis might happen.

They have realized it is incumbent upon them to help those who give their lives in service at home and abroad, no matter what uniform they wear, Maxwell said. That's why, in 2017, they expanded beyond helping veterans in acknowledgment of the effects of trauma and impact injuries first responders and their families are subject to.

The offer has been accepted by some 100 services and associations across the country, including Northumberland County.

Now a paramedic in need of any of the services they offer – from the proactive BOS resiliency programming to the COPE – can approach the organization (anonymously, if they prefer) and get help at no cost to them in their time of need.

Deputy Chief Susan Brown said the new partnership is another way to strengthen and support the system for their first responders.

“It provides paramedics and families with the information and education in response to the unique demands of our profession and recovery from the trauma we see,” Brown stated.


Logel returns from leave

By Cecilia Nasmith

The Township of Alnwick-Haldimand announces that Mayor John Logel will return from a leave of absence as of Monday, July 15.

The township announced the leave of absence June 4, citing Logel's need to focus on a personal matter. Deputy-Mayor Gail Latchford has filled in for his duties in the meantime, including emceeing the township's Canada Day celebrations and presiding over township council meetings.

At the time of the June announcement, Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson was named as Logel's replacement as county warden, an office he'd been elected to early in the year.

Alnwick-Haldimand chief administrative officer Robin van de Moosdyk said that Logel's return as mayor does not affect whether Sanderson steps down, as the county has its own procedures to formalize the wardenship.

Venture 13 hosts Tri-Association's 15th annual Manufacturing Conference

By Cecilia Nasmith


The Venture 13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre is pleased to announce a special event for Oct. 24 – hosting guests from the Tri-Association's 15th annual Manufacturing Conference.

This will offer a wonderful opportunity to interact, learn and participate in the new wave of technology in manufacturing, the press release stated.

The conference's main activities – breakfast, lunch, keynote speakers and the trade show – will take place across D'Arcy Street at the Cobourg Community Centre.

Throughout the day, guests will have the chance to choose up to four workshop activities that will take place in Northam Industrial Park, including tours of two plants (Cameco and Graphic Packaging), a workshop with the Cobourg Police Service on cybersecurity, and a workshop encompassing interactive demonstrations in Venture 13's TechZone.

The guests who opt for the TechZone visit will see robotic demonstrations, interact with virtual-reality training, observe the MicroFactory Co-op (Canada's only manufacturing co-op) in action, exchange insights with the Durham College Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions, and participate in a workshop explaining the many funding opportunities for everything the guests enjoyed on their Venture 13 visit.

The organizing committee of the Tri-Association Manufacturing Conference includes the Kawartha Manufacturers' Association, the Quinte Manufacturers' Association, and the Northumberland Manufacturers' Association (whose offices are located in Venture 13).

“I cannot tell you how excited we are to launch this new conference agenda,” stated Northumberland Manufacturers' Association managing director Darla Price.

“We are flipping the standard workshop conference into a real-life interactive experience.

“Our goal is to provide value with relevant activities, meaningful keynote topics, and giving them the ability to expand their network.”

Price expressed confidence that this year's conference, proudly hosted in Cobourg, will exceed everyone's expectations.


Cobourg issues reminder on cooling centres

By Cecilia Nasmith


The Town of Cobourg has issued a reminder that, during times of high temperatures and oppressive humidity – like late last week – five cooling centres are open for those in need of relief.

Several air-conditioned locations offer residents a break from the heat and a chance to refill their water bottles with tap water. It's a much-needed way to stay cool and hydrated during particularly hot weather, emergency planner Shannon Murphy said in the town's press release.

The locations are:

The Victoria Hall lobby (55 King St. W.), open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Cobourg Community Centre (750 D'Arcy St.), open Mondays to Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on long weekends).

Northumberland Mall (1111 Elgin St. W.), open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The lobby at the Cobourg Police Service building (107 King St. W.), open around the clock every day (with unlimited water available).

The Cobourg Public Library (200 Ontario St.), open Mondays to Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursdays to Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about heat illnesses and staying cool during hot and dry weather, visit the Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit website at hkpr.on.ca and look for a link under Environment and Hot Weather for heat advice on the home page. Health Canada also has a link under Protect Yourself From Extreme Heat at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.