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ARNPRIOR
Chronicle Guide Proudly serving Arnprior and surrounding area since 1879
132nd Year , Issue 30
July 26, 2012 | 72 Pages
www.yourottawaregion.com
No relief
Drought woes continue despite brief drenching John Carter john.carter@metroland.com
Prior Players is getting ready for a ‘Lest we forget’ production for Remembrance Day. It is seeking actors and tales of local war experiences. – Page 15
A heritage home is up for sale in the Sand Point area of McNab-Braeside. It’s quite a house with an intriguing history. – Page 37, 38, 39
The Arnprior-BraesideMcNab Seniors at Home Care Coach has helped many people in the last four years. But it needs community support if it is to continue. – Page 40
EMC news - Don’t be fooled. Monday’s thunderstorm was too short to alleviate the dangerous drought conditions. Both fire officials and farmers say they need three or four days of rain to make any dent in the dry conditions that old-timers are calling the worst they’ve experienced. Farmers are worried that even a wetter than normal August will not be enough to salvage many of their crops. Mindful that the Quebec agriculture minister has agreed to visit the Pontiac to see the parched crops first-hand, the Renfrew Ontario Federation of Agriculture has invited Ontario’s agriculture minister to do the same by coming to Renfrew County. Fire officials are continuing to urge residents to be extra careful when it comes to fire. While most people are complying with burn bans, there was one incident Monday where a Russett Drive resident was warned about burning on his property. There have been potentially dangerous fires to the south east (Carp) and north (Petawawa), but so far there have only been minor fires in this area. For more on the drought, see Pages 2, 10 and 11.
Damaging storm bypasses Arnprior Derek Dunn Derek.dunn@metroland.com
EMC news - After some six weeks without any rain, powerful thunderstorms swept through Eastern Ontario on Monday, July 23, uprooting trees, downing power lines and causing fires. There were even reports by OPP of at least of two tornados, one in the Lake DoreGolden Lake area and another near the east end of White Lake in Lanark County. However, Arnprior and McNabBraeside escaped the main fury of the storm, which hit hardest to the south and west. While power in town flickered in the afternoon and was knocked out for about an hour at suppertime, Arnprior OPP and the fire department report they didn’t respond to any
weather-related calls. “We got zero calls as a response of the storm,” said fire chief John Okum. However, that wasn’t the case in rural areas. The McNab-Braeside fire department was sent out on a mutual aid call to help Lanark Highlands deal with fallen trees and downed power lines in the Cedar Cove area. The fire department was also called to Russett Drive to warn a property-owner that a fire he’d started was illegal as the fire ban is still in place. Renfrew OPP responded to 41 calls during the stormy afternoon. The majority of calls related to trees blocking roadways and hydro wires down.
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WHITE PINE FESTIVAL
See FIRE Page 2
Sherry Haaima
KATIE BEARS ATTRACT PROVINCIAL ATTENTION Lynda Fraser of McNab-Braeside and Katie Bears, a charity formed by Fraser and family in honour of her late daughter Katie, was in the spotlight this week when a television crew from Q Media Solutions dropped in Wednesday to shoot footage for a program that will air on TVO this fall. Fraser, above, sits in her living room turned studio as Caitie Drewery, Steve Field and Stewart MacLean complete an interview that will be part of a show that profiles volunteers across the province. Since Katie Bears’ inception in 2009, volunteers have been at local parades and events to hand out stuffed toys to anyone who looks like they could use a hug and the organization’s work is growing to include sponsorship of schools in Jamaica. For a full report on Fraser’s TVO experience and a Katie Bears update, see next week’s Chronicle-Guide EMC.
County, workers reach tentative deal Derek Dunn derek.dunn@metroland.com
EMC news – Striking Ontario Works employees and Renfrew County officials have reached a tentative agreement. The 11-week work stoppage could end in the second week of August or sooner if county council votes to ratify the proposal. CUPE communications representative Marjorie Savoie, speaking Wednesday on behalf of the 22 members of Local 4989, said council should move faster to vote on the deal. An additional two weeks is a further hardship on employees who have on strike for almost two months. “They could make a better effort to get the thing done,” Savoie said. According to a county media release, a “special meeting” of County council is set for Wednesday, Aug. 8 to address the issue. Savoie wouldn’t talk specifics about the
deal ratified by the union on Tuesday, July 24. But she did say it is better than one deemed a “final offer” by the employer earlier this month. That offer included a 12 per cent wage increase over five years. “I just know it’s better than the last offer the workers turned down,” Savoie said. That contradicts recent statements by social services director Dave Anderson, who maintained any offer made after the final offer would be less favourable to the union. Anderson could not be reached for comment by press deadline. The county early this month insisted the union take the ‘final offer’ to the membership for a vote; they voted it down. The main sticking point was disability benefits. Before the workers unionized two years ago, they enjoyed full coverage paid for by the employer.
Join us inTiger theparking Giantlot Tiger parking Join us in the Giant all summer long lot for a BBQ Proceeds all gong to the 3rdlong Annualfor White Pine Festival summer a BBQ Hot Dog Proceeds going to $2 the 3rd Annual Hamburger $3 White Pine Festival Sausage $4
Hot Dog $2 Hamburger $3 Pop & Water $1 Sausage $4 Pop & Water $1 Potato Chips .50¢ Potato Chips .50¢
www.arnpriorwhitepinefestival.ca
See REPLACEMENT Page 3