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Northumberland County will lose 700 jobs when General Motors Oshawa plant closes sometime before the end of the year, says the president of the union. Colin James, president of Unifor Local 222, outlined the impact within the area as he explained the repercussions of the announcement by General Motors in November to close the Oshawa operation sometime towards the end 2019, putting 2,600 workers and 340 staff out of work. He warned of the economic effect to Port Hope, Cobourg, Colborne and the rest of the region. “Local politicians should be very concerned,” he said in an interview on Consider This Northumberland.
There is a possibility new affordable housing may be coming to Northumberland County, said one of Northumberland most vocal advocates on poverty and homeless issues. Green Wood Coalition Community Director David Sheffield said he is aware of discussions going on that could lead to new affordable housing projects in an interview with Consider This Northumberland on Jan. 4. “There are a number of things that are not public information at this point – developers, folks working in the affordable housing realm that are essentially projects that would turn into some housing,” he said.
Populist politics is finding its way into local politics, says a local lawyer and activist. Colin Browne said he notices locally a vast difference in attitudes between urban and rural people, which elsewhere in the world have been the impetus for the rise of populist movements. “There is a split between urban areas and the hinterland. And that has been associated with populism internationally,” he said.
It is the daily lives of everyday people that make history come alive for local historian and author Gerry Brown, which he best exemplifies in his new book Memories from a Grey Wooden Box: Cobourg stories from The Great War. As a long-time high school history teacher in Prescott, Brown felt the big picture studied in class, like Napoleon, treaties, political figures and so forth, were interesting. But it did not represent his passion. “(Historians) didn’t talk about the day-to-day stuff.
The old Port Hope hospital building on Ward Street could be repurposed for much needed affordable housing, Port Hope’s mayor said in a recent interview. Mayor Bob Sanderson said he is making inquiries into the feasibility of converting the historic building with some help from the municipal government and other levels, along with private sector partners, if needed. The owner of the property, Southbridge Care Homes Inc., has proposed redevelopment of the site to create a new long-term care facility. “If we can get all the elements, it could be a win-win,” he said in a recent interview on Consider This Northumberland.
As mainstream Christmas celebrations focus more on commercialism, Santa and Rudolph, there are many Christians who are worried about the focus of the holy day is being lost. Rev. Neil Ellis, minister of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, is not overly concerned. “I see a lot on social media where people say we need to put Christ back in Christmas. I would just say, he never left,” he said in a recent interview on Consider This Northumberland. Continue Reading →
Starting in 2019, the Salvation Army will operate a mobile service in Cobourg and Port Hope to serve those in need as part of a pilot program requested by Northumberland poverty groups, police, fire and emergency services. Captain Michael Simpson said beginning in the new year a retrofitted recreational vehicle will start touring through the two towns to bring emergency services and other programs directly to people in need. “If folks can’t make it into an office, maybe they do not feel comfortable going into an office, we will go out to them – to where the people are,” he said during an interview on Consider This Northumberland on Dec. 14. The mobile program is meant to be an extension of many of the things the Salvation Army already does through its offices on Swayne Street in Cobourg and Peter Street in Port Hope. Continue Reading →
Young men in Northumberland County may be taking greater risks to their health, a public health official said Friday. Karen Taylor, a public health nurse with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, said young men are more likely to experiment with drugs, drink too much alcohol, not eat properly, smoke or vape and other behaviours not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Young men are also more likely to suffer serious injuries from risky behaviours like speeding or participating in extreme sports or activities. Older men tend to avoid visiting doctors, also not eat healthily, do not get regular exercise, smoke and overconsume alcohol, and generally do not look after themselves, she added. This was all part of an interview about Movember, an international organization aimed at raising awareness around men’s physical and mental health. Continue Reading →
There needs to be more co-operation between Cornerstone women’s shelter, the hospital, doctors, and nurses when it comes to referring those who face domestic abuse, says the executive director of the family violence prevention centre Nancy Johnston. This is one of the key challenges in helping women who are victims of violence, said Johnson during an interview Friday on Consider This Northumberland. “A gap exists. We need to strengthen our relationships with the health sector. Often times, believe it or not, we are not seeing a lot of referrals coming in,” she said. Continue Reading →
Cobourg residents will have an opportunity to voice their opinions about the future of pot shops at a public meeting scheduled for Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. at Victoria Hall, Mayor-Elect John Henderson announced Friday. With a deadline of Jan. 22, 2019 to pass a bylaw allowing cannabis retailers to set up within the town’s boundaries or not, Henderson said there is a crunch for council to make a decision and get the public’s opinion. The new council will be sworn in at a ceremony on Friday, Dec. Continue Reading →