Members of the DRPS Financial Crimes Unit would like to advise the public of a fraud scheme targeting seniors of Durham Region. Recently, investigators have seen a significant increase in a fraud referred to as the “Grandparent Scam.”
Durham Region is currently soliciting public feedback and comments to help shape the draft Regional E-Scooter By-law. Feedback can be provided at yourvoice.durham. ca/e-scooter-bylaw or by emailing emobility@durham. ca, from Monday, December 13, 2021 until Friday, February 11, 2022.
Geri Bailey considers herself very fortunate. From the living room window, she can watch the sun go down. “And the absolute most fabulous thing about living on Ochonski Road is you get nothing but spectacular sunsets. Ochonski Road is known for their sunsets. People actually drive over here to see sunset sometimes.”
In the September 22 issue of the Orono Weekly Times, we reported on Farkhunda Muhtaj’s successful efforts with an international coalition, to liberate the female Afghanistan Youth National Soccer Players from the Taliban regime takeover of that country. The subsequent one-week trip to Lisbon, Portugal to surprise the girls and their families with supplies, somehow turned to an almost three-month extension to her visit.
For the past two Sundays, with another on the calendar for this Sunday, The Snug in Newcastle entertained with an evening reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in the laneway. The talent (from left to right) Stephen Smith, Marsala Lukianchuk (in front), Steafan Hannigan, Saskia Tomkins, John Walsh and Jake Vanhaverbeke. For three weekends The Snug held a Christmas Market in the ‘Laneway’, hosting Santa for two. With the help of the stall-holders and the community over $1000 was raised for Sick Kids.
After the Christmas tree in Newtonville’s Ida Brown Parkette was lit, Yvonne Stefanin and Santa Claus encouraged the gathering to spread Christmas cheer “by singing loud for all to hear.” Mother Nature stepped up and put Newtonville in a Winter Wonderland for the evening. The community gave generously to the Clarington East Food Bank.
The theme of many of the profiles of charitable organizations that the Orono Weekly Times has presented this fall has been one of resilience and ‘firsts’. This is also the case for the St. Francis of Assisi chapter of the Knights of Columbus. The first ever ‘12 days of Christmas Silent Auction’ is under way at the church on King Avenue East, in Newcastle. The event officially began on December 1 and continues until December 12.
At a Special Planning and Development Committee meeting held Tuesday, November 30 staff presented committee with report PDS-062-21 Zone Clarington –Second Draft (Rural) Zoning by-law to be received.
As we muddle through our second COVID Christmas we have adapted to the ever-changing provincial protocols making on the fly tweaks to our community celebrations. Unlike last year when even the most optimistic people were struggling to be cheerful.
If adaptability and resilience was the motto for 2020, persistence and creativity should be the motto for 2021. A key asset to community is knowing what people care about. It has become very clear these past 10 months what our communities care about – the people. Whenever COVID threw a monkey wrench into plans, community members stepped up and threw the wrench back.