January
In person school dates set NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA: For parents and students, 2021 opened with a delay to in person school sessions.As part of the province of Ontario’s provincial lock-down, they advised elementary and secondary schools to start the calendar year off with online virtual learning for all their students. The Durham District School Board (DDSB) and Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) can begin in-person elementary classes on Monday, January 11th and in-person secondary school classes on Monday, January 25th.
Stay at home order returns DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The province of Ontario is imposing a stay-at-home order effective this Thursday, January 14th, and has also announced a provincial state of emergency declaration, effective immediately, for the second time since the pandemic started.
Police won’t do random checks KAWARTHA/DURHAM: Neither the Durham Regional Police (DRPS) nor the Kawartha Lakes police (KLPS) will be doing random compliance checks for Ontario’s stay at home order.“We will be approaching calls for service on a case-by-case basis. We will be responding with a balanced approach using education and enforcement when necessary keeping overall public safety in mind. We will not be randomly stopping individual[s] on the street asking for personal details. If, however, an officer is going to issue a ticket, an individual must identify themselves either verbally or with documentation,” read a statement from KLPS Chief Mark Mitchell, released on Thursday, January 14th.Durham Regional Police had a similar interpretation of the powers granted to authorities in the new stay at home order. “Under Ontario’s new stay-at-home order, police do not have the authority to enter a dwelling or stop a vehicle for the singular purpose of checking compliance. The DRPS will continue enforcing non-compliance in partnership with Durham Public Health and local by-law, issuing tickets when necessary. Those found in violation could face a fine,” read a DRPS press release.
SIU clears Durham police following ATV crash BROCK: Durham Regional Police officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing, in an ATV crash in late September 2020, in Beaverton. On Tuesday, January 12th, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) provided their findings from their investigation. According to a previous SIU press release, the incident began after “a Durham Regional Police Service officer, in an unmarked police vehicle, was in the area of Simcoe Street and Mara Road when he observed an ATV that did not have a licence plate. In addition, the driver did not have a helmet.” The ATV driver was identified as a 46 year-old man, and when he was asked by the police to pull over he “attempted to flee and struck the curb, causing the ATV to flip over.”
Scugog shelves ice rink idea SCUGOG: Scugog has decided to postpone their Lake Scugog ice rink project due to unsafe ice conditions and the current COVID-19 situation in Ontario.At a meeting on Monday, January 18th, Ward 1 Councillor Ian McDougall provided an update on the plans to create a large oval rink on the local lake, “Staff, prior to the Christmas break, met and looked at possibilities in terms of what would be required for that in terms of insurance and other protocols,” he explained. “We were going to look at endeavoring to do this, and this is a far different world now than when I first put that motion forward.”
Internet and telephone voting KAWARTHA LAKES: City of Kawartha Lakes council members are endorsing a recommendation for the city to move forward with internet and telephone voting as the preferred method in the next municipal election.The voting method discussion began when councillors saw a report from clerk Cathie Ritchie.Kawartha Lakes first used internet and telephone voting in the 2018 municipal election. Though issues with the system led to a one-day delay in the release of the voting results.
Brock Mayor passes away BROCK: Brock Township is mourning the recent death of Mayor Debbie Bath-Hadden.On Sunday, January 24th, the township announced Mayor Bath-Hadden had died “following a long and courageous battle with cancer.”Mayor Bath-Hadden was the township’s first female Mayor, and also previously served as Ward 4 Councillor and Regional Councillor.
Uxbridge taxes going up UXBRIDGE: Residents living in the Township of Uxbridge can expect to see their property taxes increase by an average of 2.31 percent since last year. The projected impact of the operating and capital budgets on the 2021 tax levy is expected to result in a local property tax increase of 4.27 percent (net of growth, on average) to taxpayers. It is expected that your total property tax bill (including local, Region and education taxes) will increase by 2.31% during 2021.
Scugog patio winter option SCUGOG: The Township of Scugog is allowing businesses on Port Perry’s Queen Street to keep their patios in place this winter. In a press release, sent out on Friday, January 22nd, the township stated businesses, which already have patios installed on this street, “were given the option to [have them] remain in place, to extend the season and allow opportunities for those restaurants to continue serving customers, while adhering to COVID-19 restrictions.”
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