Canadian Hyperlocal News Project

Time to start streaming council meeting is now

By Robert Washburn

The local public school board took a major step forward to become more democratic when it announced the live streaming of its monthly meetings earlier this month.

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board chair Cathy Abraham gushed in a press release, saying it was the trustees’ responsibility to be more open, transparent and accountable.

This comes as local municipal councils…

Economic stimulus needs creative solutions

By Robert Washburn

Economic development in West Northumberland is undergoing a major transformation as politicians search outside the box to find solutions to stimulate growth locally.

Port Hope council chose to clean house in both tourism and economic development very shortly after coming to office as a way to start fresh, while Cobourg council has taken a more lengthy and deliberative path with…

Heartfelt welcome for local refugees

By Robert Washburn When Hillary Veley and Gloria Peters-Matthies met the refugees they had worked for more than a year to bring to Northumberland County, they cried. So did the Syrian family.

As two of the leaders of the Better Together Refugee Sponsorship group, it was a poignant moment and a huge relief. The core teams who are looking after the families had gone to the airport. The local…

Rinaldi needs to worry more when it comes to local healthcare

By Robert Washburn

The turmoil facing the Ontario Health Ministry is palpable.

A recent column in a mainstream newspaper acknowledged the troubled waters being navigated by Health Minister Eric Hoskins. Over the past 18 months, he has been under siege as doctors fight fee reductions, hospitals cry out for more money and front-line healthcare workers demand better wages.

Now, Community Care…

Mother and child health initiative for indigenous rural Guatemalan communities

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Horizons of Friendship Resource Development Co-ordinator Debbie Morales explains a new partnership between Global Affairs Canada to provide a major Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) initiative in predominantly indigenous rural Guatemalan communities on…

Darling drops by for inaugural visit to Consider This Live

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Cobourg councillor Brian Darling pays his first visit to Consider This Live, sharing his experiences over the past year and what is ahead for his role as co-ordinator of building and development on the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM.

Plasma and military sale part of discussions on Consider This Live

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The Canadian sale of LAVs to Saudi Arabia and paying for plasma donations are two topics discussed on this version of Consider This Live as part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM

Catching up with Better Together as first refugee families arrive

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The folks from Better Together Syrian Refugee Sponsorship program were back for an update. Gloria Peters-Matthies (left) and Hillary Veley (right) talk about the families who have arrived in Northumberland County with myself and Dave Glover (middle) as part of the Drive…

Local economy front and centre for Consider This Live

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A lively discussion about a number of economic stories this week in the local news media between myself and Dave Glover on Consider This Live, as part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM.

Boat club lease review causes controversy at council

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Cobourg Dragon Boat and Canoe Club Commodore Beth Bellaire talks about the recent rate reduction for the compound leasing agreement granted by council recently as part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM

Reps from Cobourg Kodiaks and Port Hope Panthers on Consider This Live

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Northumberland Today Sports Editor Jeff Gard invites special guests from the new Cobourg Kodiacs Lacrosse team and the Port Hope Panthers to join us on Consider This Live, which is part of the Drive Time with Dave Glover on Northumberland 89.7 FM

Governance model boon or bust for Port Hope

Normally, stories about restructuring governance models are boring and nobody really cares, except for political junkies. But, Port Hope is taking a bold step forward with its plans to rejig the town’s bureaucracy.

No doubt, many smaller municipalities will be watching very carefully, as should local residents, since this could revolutionize municipal civil services.

The position of chief…

All voices must be heard on Port Hope transit debate

Port Hope’s public transit system is hanging in the balance as politicians consider its future in what could be the most divisive move by council since its election.

The engineering department submitted a report last week detailing four options.

It currently costs the municipality about $450,000 to run. But a number of pending expenses jack this figure over the next four years, as equipment is…

Cobourg council should walk away from trailer park debate for now

What began as a simple landing wharf in the 1820s, today Cobourg’s harbour is a major point of pride for many residents.

However, it is going to be the focus of controversy over the upcoming months, as it has many times over the centuries. Multiple planning documents now suggest the trailer park, located at the foot of Division Street, is on the table for future development.

While politicians and…