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Ontario town crier championships June 1 in Cobourg’s Rotary Park big challenge for local heralder

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Cobourg town crier Mandy Robinson talks about the Ontario Town Crier Championships being held in Rotary Park, next to the Marina, Saturday, June 1, 2019, starting at 9 a.m. and again at 11 a.m. It will then move to Grafton for the finals at the Grafton Inn. The public is welcome to watch. Robinson explains the attraction of being a town crier, along with all the challenges criers face when competing. She also explains her own approach and her preparation for the contest. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community

Ontario Health Coalition provides insightful critique of local response to health care changes

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Ontario Health Coalition board member Sara LaBelle gives a passionate rebuttal to the provincial government’s proposed changes to the health care system. Beyond the arguments against privatization and a stern warning against the new powers included in the legislation, LaBelle delivers a warning to Northumberland residents about potential changes locally. She provides steps residents can take to make their views known, as well. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Health, Politics

Government changes to health care system leave community health leader hopeful

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Community Health Care Northumberland Executive Director Duff Sprague remains cautiously optimistic as the Ontario government’s proposed changes to the health care system unfold. He is proud of the work already taking place between the various service providers, but there is still more work to be done. He hopes a recent meeting with health minister Christine Elliott in Northumberland will help make the region a potential choice for a pilot program for the government. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Health, Politics

Insights into Cobourg’s cultural master plan by a politician and a patron of local culture

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Cobourg impresario Ken Prue, owner of the Loft, and Cobourg Councillor Adam Bureau talk about the work currently underway regarding the cultural master plan for the town. Consultants MDB Insights are leading the process with a series of focus groups and public meetings to gather input. A public meeting is set for March 21, 2019, at the Cobourg Community Centre, starting at 6 p.m.

The $65,000 study is meant to shape the town’s direction, not only to help enhance the arts and cultural life locally but to also find economic opportunities, as well. Prue provides insights into the significance of the study for those who actually work within the cultural community, while Bureau gives the political perspective. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Arts, Community, Politics

Cobourg mom shares life caring for autistic son and her fight against proposed funding changes

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Cobourg mom Kristen Ellison is an outspoken critic of a proposal from the Ontario government to fund 23,000 autistic children on waiting lists currently. Her eight-year-old son, Carter, already receives funding to help cover the approximately $90,000 annual costs for support services. Families will be eligible for up to $20,000 a year for children under 6 — up to a lifetime maximum of $140,000. Children older than that can access up to $5,000 a year up to age 18, to a lifetime maximum of $55,000. The changes are slated to begin on April 1. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Health, Politics

Cobourg couple are two of the 700 jobs lost in Northumberland due to GM closure

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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. “Not just about GM, but by any large corporation who could potentially just up and leave. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Economy

Affordable housing picture stark, but optimistic, Green Wood Coalition leader indicates

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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. Things are very tentative, he added, saying many factors will have to align, including federal government funding, before a formal, public announcement would be made. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Housing, Politics

Daily life can be more interesting than big picture, says local author and historian

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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. How people actually live in a variety of times and places,” he said in a recent interview with Consider This Northumberland. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Arts, Community

Keeping a religious focus on the Christmas season a challenge, says local minister

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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 →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community

Mobile outreach program to be launched in new year, says Salvation Army leader

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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 →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Social Justice