Month: March 2015

Ontario Power Generation wishes to advise hunters, anglers and recreational boaters on the St. Lawrence River that ice booms will be removed from narrow stretches of the river, starting on Mar. 23, 2015.

These booms, which were placed in the river off Galop Island, in the North Channel, near Johnstown and at Prescott, are chain-and-wood devices used to prevent the build-up of ice during the winter. They ensured an even freeze on the river, helping to improve power generation during the winter months.

All users of the river should take extra care in the narrow reaches where the work is being undertaken to remove the booms.

Ice booms are placed in the same narrow reaches of the St. Lawrence River each November and removed in the spring when the ice has melted, before the St. Lawrence Seaway shipping season commences.

Ontario Power Generation would like to remind boaters to take every precaution around its dams and generating stations, and to practice safety on Ontario’s waterways.

To learn more about water safety, please visit www.opg.com/watersafety and www.stayclearstaysafe.ca

[…]

Campers at the Iroquois Municipal Campground haven’t seen a rate increase for seven years, but that will change this year.

South Dundas council approved a 5.4 per cent increase to daily site rentals, during recent budget deliberations.

With the increase, unserviced sites will go up to $22.15, 15 amp serviced sites to $24.90 and 30 amp sites to $27.67.

“We’re low compared to everyone else,” said South Dundas clerk Brenda Brunt. Weekly, monthly and seasonal rates will see similar increases.

The campsite makes money for the money for the municipality. Some of the revenues will be rolled into needed service upgrades, and it has been suggested that surplus could help support the efforts of the Iroquois waterfront committee.

[…]

OPP are in the midst of a distracted driving campaign that includes public education and targeted enforcement.

Twelve distracted driving-related deaths have already been reported this year.

The OPP’s 2015 collision data is shaping up to see a seventh consecutive year in which inattentive driving surpasses impaired driving as a causal factor in the fatal collisions it investigates.  

Both of these fatality categories are dangerous, preventable driving behaviours that result in the senseless loss of life on Ontario roads every year. 

OPP collision data reveals that driver inattention was a causal factor in 12 of this year’s 51 fatal collisions to date. 

In five of the fatal incidents, it was the driver who was found to be driving inattentively who died.  

In two incidents, the driver who died did nothing wrong and was driving properly at the time of the collision.  

Three of the incidents involved a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. 

Nine of the deceased were males, three were females and their ages range from 33 to 88 years old.

Locally, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry (SD&G) OPP officers are focusing their efforts on curbing this dangerous habit on area roadways in the Untied Counties.

“Distracted driving is a danger to all road users. Fortunately, these same road users are in a position to help put a stop to it. We want to see everyone develop and maintain a complete intolerance for distracted driving and make it the socially unacceptable driving behaviour that it should be,” said Chief Superintendent Chuck Cox, Commander of the OPP Highway Safety Division.  

What can you do to help?

• Be mindful that distracted driving  poses a significant  threat to the well-being of your family and friends; 

• Start conversations about distracted driving with your family, your friends, your colleagues and shed the negative light on it that it deserves;  

• If you are in a vehicle being driven by someone who is driving while distracted, always speak up. Be firm and say: “Enough! Too many people are dying because of distracted driving.  It needs to stop and you need to stop”. Make this your new attitude every day. 

• If you see someone driving in a dangerous manner while driving distracted, call 9-1-1 to report them.

• Be self-disciplined every time you get behind the wheel; do not allow yourself to be distracted in any way while you are driving. 

[…]

Brian Lynch was re- elected as President of both the SDSG provincial and federal NDP riding associations when the  Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Provincial and Federal NDP riding associations elected their executive members for 2015 at their joint annual general meetings on March 11 at the Navy Veterans Association in Cornwall.  

Also elected to serve on the 16 member local NDP riding associations’ executives were Carilyne Hebert as vice president; Paul Aubin, recording secretary; Elaine MacDonald, chief financial officer; Madeleine Lebrun, women’s representative; Marc Benoit, youth representative; Trevor Tolley, Darlene Jalbert, Marion Adams, Jack St. Thomas, Patricia Sylvia,  David Mcilveen, Ken Smith, Diane Marshall, Jean Patenaude, and Patrick Burger as members-at-large.  

Brian Lynch and Elaine MacDonald were also elected as the local NDP provincial councillors.

Lynch told the meeting that the SDSG federal riding association’s candidate search committee has done an extensive candidate search in preparation for the federal election set for this October 19.  

Lynch said, “Once prospective candidates have been approved by the National NDP Nominations Committee, we will seek approval of the Federal NDP to hold our nomination meeting this spring.”

Lynch praised Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair for putting forward progressive policies to make life better and fairer for everyday Canadians such as a universal child care program, a $15 an hour federal minimum wage, greater support for seniors and veterans, generous transfers for healthcare, initiatives to create good paying jobs in manufacturing and the small business sector, and higher corporate taxes.  

Lynch said, “When the federal election comes, people will see that the Federal NDP under the thoughtful, experienced leadership of  Thomas Mulcair is the real, progressive alternative to the heavy-handed, anti-democratic Harper Conservatives and the arrogant, unprincipled Trudeau Liberals with their lack of policies and record of broken promises.”

At the provincial level, Lynch indicated that the Ontario NDP was working hard at Queen’s Park to hold the scandal-plagued Liberal Government to account, to protect public services that people depend on, and to help create jobs.  

[…]

Dundas Soil and Crop Imporvement Association of Dundas County hosted the annual  Seed, Forage and Agriculture Show March 6, at Matilda Hall.

Perrenial Premier Exhibitor award winner Francis Henderson of Terrdale Farms was once again awarded the title.

Terrdale Farms took home numerous awards including;  Premier Forage Exhibitor, Champion Forage Exhibit, Reserve Champion Forage Exhibit, Champion Haylage Exhibit, Champion Dry Hay Exhibit, Premier Seed Exhibitor, Champion Corn Silage, Champion Cereal Exhibit, First Place, Wheat in Field Crop Classes and Champion Special Shelled Corn Bin Classes.

Reserve premier exhibitor was Ian and Tracy Porteous of Ayrporte Farm. They were also Reserve Forage Exhibitor.

Tracy told The Leader, that they had a decent growing season last year, resulting in the produce submitted for judging at Friday’s show.

“For us, we grow IP (identity protected) beans so we had none of the mould problem that ocurred throughout much of Eastern Ontario.

“Hay, as always, it was a challenge to get it off dry,” she added.

For corn, she said they experienced a good season having adequate heat units.

“In the end, we got everything off in good time. We had a good fall. There was lots of opportunity to get the crops off in the fall, because the snow didn’t come until later.”

Tibben Farms Inc. picked up the Champion Shelled Corn and Champion Soybean Exhibit awards.

Dave Chambers of Riveredge Farms won the Champion Ear Corn Award.

Olivia Mudde was Premier 4-H Exhibitor.

This year’s baking contest featured apple pie.

Of the eight pies entered in the contest, that of Amy Tibben was selected the winner in a blind taste test by guest judges South Dundas mayor Evonne Delegarde, North Dundas mayor Eric Duncan and John Roosendaal of the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association.

Asked what’s so special about her apple pie, Amy said, “The crust – I think.” 

She went on to explain that she uses and old-fashioned shortcrust. “It’s an old recipe – butter, flour, sugar and water– the butter makes it better.”

The prize winning apple pie filling was half McIntosh apples and half empires. Amy explained that she really loves Macs but, at this time of year they are a little soft, so she chose to add the empires. She also baked the pie, immediately prior to the contest, so the filling was still warm when the judges had a taste.

The happy judges all agreed on the winner, though admitting that the competition was close, with only a few points separating the top pies.

[…]