Marvelous collection of chimes at the Art Gallery - in the Dan Lawrie Family Courtyard.

eventsred 100x100By Staff

August 31st, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Things to see and do.

If you overdo it a little at the Ribfest and need to walk some of it off – wander along to the Art Gallery and slip into the Dan Lawrie Family Courtyard and have a look at the collection of chimes that have been set up.

Chimes lawrie garden

Part of the collection of chimes that decorate the Dan Lawrie Family Courtyard.

Visitors are invited to give the chimes a gentle touch.

Chimes - south side lawrie garden

Some of the chimes are nestled into the plants and might be mistaken by some to be a plant.

Just outside the entrance to the Courtyard is a small but impactful exhibit focusing on the Terry Fox epic 143 day, 5,373 kilometer journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Fox exhibitThe exhibit includes a replica of the brace and prosthetic Terry wore as he loped across the country with what was part walk and part skip.

The exhibit explores Canadians’ deep and abiding affection for Terry and examines his unique place in our collective memory. Developed in partnership with the AGB and Terry Fox’s family, the exhibition shows part of the impact Terry Fox has had and continues to have on modern Canadian life.

For younger people who ask: “Who was Terry Fox?” The exhibition is the answer. Closes September 10th, 2017

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FOUND Mildred Blemmings is missing - last seen in the Appleby Line New Street part of the city. Woman uses a walker.

News 100 redBy Staff

August 30th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

Mildred was found in the backyard of a residence a short distance away from where she went missing.  She was found in the area of Appleby Line and Longmoor Drive in the City of Burlington.  She appears to be in good health and will be examined medically.

Mildred Blemmings, known as “Mickey” is an 88 year old Burlington resident who needs a walker for mobility support.

The police are asking for help in locating the woman who is described as a white female with grey hair and a slim build. She was last observed to be wearing a white sweater, black shirt and blue pants.

She is believed to have left a seniors residence at Appleby Line and New Street.

Micky missing A

Mickey with her walker.

Micky missing B

Mildred Blemmings – recent photograph

Anyone who has information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact the Halton Regional Police Service communication bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 5170.

Tips can be forwarded to Crime Stoppers; “See Something, Hear Something, Say Something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.crimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).

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Bernie Gerl gets his ribs operation set up for Friday - he was here when the first Rotarian Ribfest took place in 1996.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 31st, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The equipment is being set up – the signage is in place.

The Camp 31 people did a test run on Tuesday when they fed the people who took part in the Rotary Ribfest Kick off.

Ribfest - Feeding the Rotarians

Rotarians get a free lunch and a bottle of the famous Camp 31 BBQ sauce

Bernie Gerl, chief “ribber” was at a table giving Rotarians and media people a sample of his famous BBQ Sauce.
What made the occasion significant is that the Camp 31 people were one of the “ribbers” on site in 1969 – 22 years ago, when the Rotary thought BBQ’s were a good fund raising idea

How the Lakeshore Rotarian’s pulled it off.

Bernie takes credit for introducing smoked BBQ ribs to the people of Burlington. No one knew at the time that the idea would take and that Burlington would end up being home to the biggest RibFest in Canada.

Ribfest - signage going up

Camp 31 signage going up for the 22nd time.  Organization ha a Canadian base in Ancaster and in Brewton, Alabama

Ribbers are sort of like gypsies – they move from location to location through a time arc that begins in May and ends sometime late in September. We started in Miramichi in New Brunswick this year said Bernie Gerl.

Their roots go back to 1908 when they were known as the Saw Mill, a general store in  Brewton, Alabama.  In 1985 Larry Murphy created Camp 31 as a BBQ operation that served authentic southern BBQ

In 1986 Murphy got some help from the Brewton Police department who helped them enter their first BBQ cook off in Pensacola Florida where the won three first place trophies.  They have been serving up authentic southern BBQ ever since.

The store, still in place, is now headquarters for the American side of the award-winning cook off team. Look for us at an event near you!

Bernie explains that Ribfests are totally reliant on weather. Cold weather – people don’t show up – rain – even fewer people show up and if it is too hot – people don’t have appetites.

The bulk of the “ribbers” come from the American south where the food is part of the culture.

They have been doing it for years – it has grown to the point where it is a competitive event.

Bernie was in Burlington for that first event in 1969 – it was a single day and it rained – but it worked. The Lakeshore Rotarians saw that it was going to work – they reached their target of an $800 profit in that first year.

Bernie has an operation in Ancaster – Camp 31 is also a restaurant. The equipment is all custom made and the operation is finely tuned. The public is protected – the Health department does checkups every day.

These “ribbers” are professionals – they are quite a bit more than a bunch of “good old boys” who like to get out and on the road.

Ribfest Setting up - behind

Everything gets packed into a fleet of trucks an assembled at each location. Everyone pitches in.

The Camp 31 operation is a family affair with wives, grown children, nephews and nieces making the event work smoothly.

The operation in Canada means that we don’t have to truck everything up from the United States. Bernie has issues with the Custom people – doesn’t feel “ribbers” get the respect they deserve.

Rib fest - Lori Gerl

Bernie’s wife Lori – can handle a barrel just as well as she handles him.

Bernie met his wife Lori at a restaurant the two of them worked at – they’ve been in the food business together ever since.

Each year the Camp 31 organization drops two of the locations it visits and adds two new ones.

“We did the Woodbine raceway this year for the first time – Bernie will not be doing that again. “I have a rule” explained Bernie – if the name Ribfest isn’t in the event – I shouldn’t be there”.

He forgot that rule – and won’t be returning to Woodbine again.

Camp 31 is one of the bigger rib operations – ten people travel “we pick up about five people at each location”, he said.

Most of their American locations are in Florida and adjacent States.

While the business is focused on ribs – Bernie thinks he should be getting credit for introducing “pulled pork” to the city as well. “We had it on our menus in the States for years but we had to give it away to create the market in this country.

Same with brisket he adds. “Been serving that up to the good folks south of the border for years – it has begun to become popular in Canada”, he adds.

While the team gets the equipment set up Bernie looks out over the lake – sees nothing but good weather with a nice breeze coming in off the water and thinks he has a successful event coming his way.

There are a lot of very small, what Berni calls “lone wolf operators” getting into the business. Don’t get Bernie started on those guys. “Bunch of cowboys who don’t know what they are doing” he says dismissively.

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School administrators gear up for what they hope will be a problem free school opening, Busing might be a problem in Oakville - Burlington seems to have hired what is needed.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 30th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The A team in the Administrative offices at the Halton District School Board has been meeting to ensure that everything is in place for the Tuesday re-opening of schools for the approximately 64,000 students, more than 4,200 elementary and secondary teachers and the 221 principals and vice principals who keep order and ensure that the educating gets done.

Miller with students Mar 7-17

Director of Education Stuart Miller listening to students. Bateman parent Denise Davy. who pushed hard to keep the school open, watches how Miller handles himself,

Director of Education Stuart Miller goes through his check list – will there be enough bus drivers in place? Burlington appears to be Ok – Oakville is where the problem exists.

The high school closing decisions made late in June don’t impact the system this year – that’s a bridge to be crossed next year. The Board administration has however begun the process of putting together the team that will oversee the transition from a five high school organization to a five school set up.

Terri Blackwell Mar 7-17

Board of Education Superintendent Terry Blackwell

Miller told the Gazette that Terry Blackwell has been tasked with overseeing the transition from seven to five high schools. That is going to keep her hoping as she deals with what Gerry Cullen comes up with on the building facilities side and what Superintendent Zonnefeld does with the CPP program that Bateman has been running. There are a couple of hundred parents very anxious about what is going to be available to their children and how their integration to a new school is going to get managed.

Zonneveld has said that much of this work is going to be on a case by case basis – there is not that much commonality with these children. Each of those students face challenges that are unique to them.

The people who look after the actual structures have begun their work – figuring out just what is going to be needed at Nelson high school when the bulk of the Bateman students start showing up on September of 2020.

Trustees - fill board +

The trustees are where the buck is supposed to stop –

The trustees appear to have decided they didn’t want to take the opportunity for a retreat during the summer break and take a look at how they did their jobs during the past school year. Many in Burlington expect to solve that problem come the municipal election in 2018.

Organizationally the Board administration has a number of key committee: An Administrative Council; an Executive Council

Superintendents are either corporate or academic; both types participate in the weekly Admin Council meetings. Senior managers are also available for specific issues as required. Miller leads these discussions, as he does with Executive Council.

There is a weekly School Operations committee– Associate Director of Education David Boag runs this show.

The corporate side also has their weekly Business Operations meeting. Whatever comes out of these operating level meetings works its way up the Administrative Council meetings and then on up to the Executive Council
The decisions made at the Executive Council are done within parameters the trustees have set. When the tasks aren’t exactly within the guidelines Miller puts it in front of the trustees for clarification or additional authority.

From time to time a requirement crops up that calls for a change in the work load for a Superintendent.
When the decision was made to form a Program Accommodation Review (PAR), Superintendent Podrebaac was tapped to lead that task.

Unhappy parent

Superintendent Podrebarac strives to hear a parent with a viewpoint.

Scott Podrebaac has a much different view of parent participation than he had before he took on the task.
Miller told the Gazette that Terry Blackwell has been tasked with overseeing the transition from seven to five high schools. That is going to keep her hoping as she deals with what Gerry Cullen comes up with on the building facilities side and what Superintendent Zonnefeld does with the CPP program that Bateman has been running. There are a couple of hundred parents very anxious about what is going to be available to their children and how their integration to a new school is going to get managed.

Zonneveld has said that much of this work is going to be on a case by case basis – there is not that much commonality with these children. Each of those students face challenges that are unique to them.

On top of all this is the request parents from both Bateman and Pearson made to the province for an administrative review of the process that resulted in the decision.

Administrative Reviews seldom result in much in the way of change – however in this situation the province put a halt to all the PAR’s that were taking place 22 days after the HDSB had come out with its decision.

That fact might cause the pooh-bahs at Queen’s Park to stretch the decision to put all the PAR’s on hold and have it include the Halton Board.

McMahon and Gould doing Cogeco interview

Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon, centre, is good before a camera.

It is a stretch but the province is gearing up for an election that is ten months away and while the Burlington seat should not be at risk many in the community feel MPP Eleanor McMahon could have been a lot more proactive.

McMahon has not given her views on the decisions made – she certainly has views but the public is never going to hear them. There is a Minister of Education who will do that kind of talking – McMahon is a member of Cabinet and Cabinet solidarity is a must for political party government.

Packed room - New Street Mar 7-17

A room full of parents, many with different agendas pack a room during the public information sessions that resulted in a decision to close two of the city’s seven high schools. Will this many show up to vote in 2018?

Expect either Bateman or Pearson parents to ask some penetrating questions during the public election debates.
There are a lot of balls in the air on the educational front. The bright spot is the hundreds of children who will walk into a school on Tuesday to start grade 1.

Wish them well – they are the people who are going to ensure that you have a decent federal pension.

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What are the safest cars for new drivers and how do they manage to pay for them?

News 100 yellowBy Stacey Young

August 30th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There are many different features to look for when buying a car, but one of the most important aspects to consider is the safety of the vehicle. This is something that is particularly relevant for new drivers. Whether you are a new driver yourself or a parent looking to ensure your child has a safe and secure vehicle to begin their driving experience, it is vital that you find an affordable and functional vehicle that meets the needs of a young driver.

The cost of buying a car will have an impact on the buying decision, but the cost of owning and running the car should also be considered. A young driver may not have as much disposable income as they would like, and this can make running a car a difficult task at times. This is why having an economical car that offers a good return on fuel consumption is important for many drivers. You also want to find a car that has a good reputation for reliability because repairs and servicing can be very expensive.

Car - on the open road

A car opens up the world to young people.

Like many areas, Burlington has a good volume of people obtaining their driving license on an annual basis.

There is a sense of freedom and adventure that comes with being able to drive, and getting a car is a major goal for many young people in the local area. While different people have their own preferences and tastes, new drivers will benefit from opting for a reliable, economical and dependable car.

Compact sedans have a lot to offer new drivers.
This means that compact sedans, which are hugely popular in Canada, may be the ideal choice for the young driver in Burlington. These cars have several features that make them popular with young drivers and their parents. There are many safety features in these vehicles, they are fuel-efficient and they have front-wheel drive.

There is also the opportunity to choose from a range of trim levels, which means there is scope for an element of individuality if required.

Some of the most popular cars in this field include the Mazda S3, Hyundai Accent, Ford Fusion and Mitsubishi Mirage. These are affordable options that provide safety and functional features, all of which should help a new driver to develop their confidence while driving.

Given the financial implications of buying a first car and the added level of responsibility, it is no surprise to learn that many parents take a hands-on approach when their youngsters buy their first car. Knowing that a vehicle can offer freedom, improved job or educational prospects, and a good chance to develop as a person means that many parents will be keen to assist their child in buying a car and keeping it running.

Consider all of your finance options when buying a new car

Car buying

The buying decision.

It is important to consider the best options that are available when looking to buy a car. The cost of a dependable vehicle might be beyond many people’s ability to cover up front, which is why finding the best standard of financing is a big part of the process. People’s credit scores and history can play a big role in finding suitable finance, and this is why many parents decide to be an active participant in the car buying process. With this in mind, many parents are looking to obtain a car loan without a credit check as a means of helping their child get behind the wheel of their own vehicle.

Owning a car is a huge responsibility at any age, and it can be a daunting challenge for many youngsters. A lot of parents are happy to help out financially if their child shows that they are mature enough to own the vehicle. Whether a parent wishes to place stipulations on the use of the vehicle is up to them, but there is no denying that car ownership, even if it’s part-ownership with the parent, can be a very good life lesson for youngsters.

new-young-drivers-300x199

You own it.

There are many things to consider when buying a car for a new driver, but safety features must be given significant consideration. A safe and affordable car will give a new driver assurance, which should hopefully help them to develop confidence in their own driving skills. Most parents are keen to help their children enjoy the freedom and increased opportunities that come with owning a car, and a safe and dependable vehicle is likely to be the best option for all of the family!

 

 

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Baycats take the IBL trophy in four games straight.

sportsgold 100x100By Staff

August 30th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Most saw it as a slam dunk for the Baycats but the dreamer in every sports fan thought – that maybe – just maybe the Kitchener Panthers would take at least one of the games in the IBL best of seven play of series.
Dreamers do that.

It was four straight for the Baycats to take the 2017 final – which made it the fourth finals win in a row for the team.

The Baycats dominated in the regular season and were unbeatable in the playoffs.

The last time an IBL team did that well was in the 2008-2013 stretch when the Brantford Red Sox won six straight from 2008-13.

The Baycats opened the season with 26 straight wins and finished 33-3 to earn a first-round bye.

The 4-3 win for the Baycats in game one created some hope but it was downhill after that.The four playoff games looked like this:

KyleDeGrace with IBL trophy 2017

Kyle DeGrace with 2017 IBL trophy

Game 1:  4-3
Game 2:  13-4
Game 3:  15-0
Game 4:  10-1

The Burlington Herd were taken out of playoff contention in the quarter finals when they were beaten by the London Majors in a best out of seven that went for five games.  Burlington took just one of the five games.

 

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Is a large donut sitting atop a building public art?

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

August 30th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Donut - sunshine

Is it art? Who cares?

When it comes to public art – it is all really in the eye of the beholder. People like what they like and without any introduction to art in school – you get some pretty weird stuff.

Tucked in at the south end of the Art Gallery of Burlington is a donut shop with the name – Sunshine.

The Burlington Cream is not to be missed – but you have to be there early. At $4 bucks apiece that may seem a little extreme – d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!

While doing a photo feature on the current exhibit at the AGB we noticed Sunshine’s contribution to public art.

Sunshine Donut shop

Tucked in at the south end of the Art Gallery parking lot. Get there early they do sell out. No such things as a day old donut.

You know the product is as good as it gets when you notice fire trucks on the way back to the station stopping in for a bite to eat.

Sunshine Donut shop hours

No signs like this on Brant Street

When Sunshine first opened the hours were open until the production for the day had been sold.

They did a brisk business – the lemon cream was to die for.

First story on the Sunshine donut shop.

 

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Who decides what the city is going to look like 20 years from now?

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

August 29th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Who decides what a city is going to look like?

Is it the planners?  They set the rules the builders will be required to follow.

Is it the developers who look for the best return they can get on the investment they make and the risk they take?

Or is it the architects who put ideas in front of the developers?

Waterfront hotel Taylor

Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor is one of the people who will vote on future project – at least for the balance of this term. He took part in a community forum on waterfront plans.

Is it the public and the comments they make a community meetings?

The private homes that will get built on tree lined streets and the condominium towers that now define Lakeshore and are proposed for parts of Brant Street are signs of what we might look like.

The significant number of what can only be called mansions going up now on the eastern side of Lakeshore Road are another part of that definition.

We know what we have – and we know something about what is being proposed.

Are there any striking looking buildings going up? Are there any designs that are taking the city in a different direction?

Dennison - second house

What is going to be permitted along Lakeshore Road got taken in a different direction when this lot severance was approved and an additional home squeezed in.

Are there any mistakes being made?

Three structures deserve a closer look: The Saxony on Locust and Elgin that is not much more than a hole in the ground, the Paradigm that is going up on Fairview where it is very clear what the city is going to have when that project is completed and the Link2 that is being built on Dundas are worth a closer look.

Saxony early version - classical

The Saxony is a development that could have been five storey’s high – they opted for just four. The project was sold out before the opened the sales office.

The Saxony is going to represent home for the moneyed set that want comfort and stature – they will get both in a building that is respectable and solid – once they get a handle on the problems they have had with water they didn’t realize was there when they started digging.

There is nothing bold or exciting about the building. It is the 21st century edition of the solid homes that were built along Burlington Street and that collection of homes on the eastern side of Brant and south of Caroline.

Link2 - ADI

It is a large project far from the downtown core in one of the fastest going parts of the city – with a view over Bronte Creek on the east side.

While the Link2 is not a building that many will see – located as it is on Dundas and Sutton – yards away from the border with Oakville. The project has a couple of things going for it. The location especially for those on the eastern side where the view will be over Bronte Creek, and the design which is daring and certainly different.

It won’t appeal too many but for those who like to live in a building that makes a statement – this is one of the places to be. Too early in the construction stage to fully appreciate what the Link2 is going to look like – all we have to go on are the architectural renderings.

The bright picture is seen in the Paradigm being put up by the Molinaro Group. It has a daring look to it – there is actually a design – not something that is all that evident in the buildings they put up along Lakeshore a couple of decades ago.

Paradigm July 2017

The Molinaro Paradigm project is changing the skyline in mid-city. The first of the fivee towers has topped off

The cladding on the building makes a strong statement and has to add to what the city is going to look like twenty years from now when all the Grow Bold plans take hold.

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Doing business with the municipalities - all on line these days.

News 100 blueBy Staff

August 29th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Interested in doing business with any of the municipalities in the Halton Region?

What about the rest of the country?

Would you like to know who is looking for what in the way of supplies and services?

It is all on the Halton Cooperative Purchasing Group (HCPG).  bids&tenders™ has arrived and it is there for you to use.

Biding service

The Region and all of North America opportunities are on this service.

You can subscribe to the service annually, pay for using the service just the once or Non-subscribers can see all open bids on the system.

Have a look at the service: Click HERE

The HCPG members are pleased to introduce you to bids&tenders™, a digital procurement management platform that makes it easy to review, register, download and submit bids for goods and services online, 24/7. HCPG has joined hundreds of other purchasing agencies using this system.

If you are not a current subscriber to bids&tenders™, you will need to subscribe as a vendor by October 30 to receive notice of opportunities and submit bids to the above noted HCPG members.

Have a look at some of the openbids;

How it works

Subscribe, create a profile, select the categories for notifications and bid.
Subscription

An unlimited Subscription to bids&tenders™ is just $165/year. Pay once and access all agencies using bids&tenders in Canada. For those who choose not to subscribe, there is a one-time fee option of $45.00 per bid opportunity.

Non-subscribers can see all open bids on the system, and if you choose to subscribe to bids&tenders™ can make unlimited bids and never pay another fee all year.*

Bid management tools
bids&tenders™ provides users access to valuable and convenient bidding tools, including:

Online submission of bids
• Category selection option, so you only see the bids you want
• Automated email notifications of new bid opportunities, including addenda
• Automated confirmation when your bid has been submitted, received, or withdrawn
• Ability to work on a bid, save your work, and see the bid closing countdown in real time
• Ability to withdraw and change your bid, then resubmit if desired
• Built-in calculator that does the math for you, eliminating calculation errors
• Built-in compliance checker to help ensure your bid submission is complete
• Built-in reminders sent to you if a bid has been started but not submitted

Live, in-person demo
Register to attend a live, in-person demonstration of the new system prior to our launch date.

Date: October 4, 2017; Time: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: Halton Region Administration Building – Auditorium, 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, ON

Please Register as space is limited

Purchasing staff from the Regional Municipality of Halton, City of Burlington, Town of Oakville and Town of Halton Hills will provide a brief presentation on how to do business with the Halton Cooperative Purchasing Group. Following that, you will learn how to create a vendor account, explore the vendor dashboard, view and find bid opportunities, submit and withdraw a bid, and manage your bid history.

The session will also include an overview of the Digital Bonding process.

If you cannot attend October 4th you may register for a bids&tenders webinar.  Register for a webinar.

Additional Benefit
Your subscription also gives you access to bid opportunities for hundreds of purchasing agencies and thousands of bids across North America, including:
government
• education
• energy
• police
• health organizations

Bid with confidence with bids&tenders™

*Some purchasing agencies may charge for their own individual bid document fee; however, bids&tenders™ never charges you beyond your annual fee to view, subscribe to, and submit limitless bids on its system.

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Caribbean Nite - September 9th

News 100 blueBy Staff

August 29th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

They have been operating as a cultural organization for more than 20 years.

They hold an

Caribbean-NiteAnnual Spring Brunch
An Annual Awards and Scholarship Gala
Black History Month Celebration (February)
Joint Caribbean Committee Caribbean New Year’s Eve
And the Annual Caribbean Nite

which takes place Saturday September 9th at the Holiday Inn.

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Resident reminds city hall that climate change has to be factored into the leaf collection schedule,

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

August 28th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Fred Crockett, a Burlington based real estate broker and a man with a quick word when he is unhappy.

And last fall he was unhappy, very unhappy with the way the city handled the fall collection of leaves.

He wrote saying he was looking forward to a return to sanity on the way the city decides to collect al those leaves.

Climate change got the best of city hall – and we saw equipment out on the streets with nary a leaf to be found.

wagget-small-maple-with-leaves

Climate change didn’t get factored into the leaf collection schedule.

The leaves had decided to cling to their stems for just a little longer.

Tough call for the city – how do you know when the leaves are going to fall – they certainly didn’t follow past practices.

No word yet if the city has learned anything from the experience last year.

Crockett refers to “last year’s debacle” as something the city might want to try and avoid.

Last year’s experience:

 

 

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Make your mark on this planet of ours - plant a tree.

eventsgreen 100x100By Pepper Parr

August 28th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There is something about the planting of a tree – no matter what your age the tree you plant is likely to be on this earth longer than you.

Experiences like this are important to young people who are just beginning to fully appreciate the role trees play in the life we live.

The climate change we are experiencing didn’t just happen – our behaviour is what brought it about and it is our behaviour that is going to heal the environment – if we are lucky.

BG tree planting volunteers

A lot of bending when trees are planted.

Students will be back in school on Tuesday – think about making Saturday of next week the day you get them outdoors and planting a tree. They will never forget the experience and many will return to that spot to look at the tree they planted and perhaps show off their work to their children.

Conservation Halton is looking for 100 community volunteers to help plant 500 native trees and shrubs on Saturday, September 9. The Fall Trees for Watershed Health Community Tree Planting is taking place at Courtcliffe Park, 159 Carlisle Road in the village of Carlisle.

Courtcliffe ParkRegistration and check-in will begin at 9 a.m., with planting scheduled to start shortly after 9:30 a.m. A barbeque lunch will be available at the end of the planting. Volunteers are reminded to dress according to the weather, wear waterproof boots and bring a shovel. The event will happen rain or shine, unless conditions are deemed to be unsafe for participants and staff.

We welcome all individuals, families, and small groups to participate. No prior planting experience is required. Space is limited and pre-registration is mandatory, visit www.conservationhalton.ca/trees-for-watershed-health for more details and to find registration information.

 

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Youth arrested on four charges of arson in the Palmer Drive - Newlands Crescent part of the city.

Crime 100By Staff

August 28th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Police have arrested a 17 year old for setting four fires in the Palmer Drive – Newlands Crescent part of the city.

On August 27th 2017 at approximately 4:00am, members of the Halton Regional Police Service and Burlington Fire Department responded to a series of deliberately set fires in the area where fired had been intentionally set to several items stored outside four different homes.

werb

Fire truck responding to a fire in the Palmer Drive part of the city previously.

The smell of smoke was initially detected by a homeowner after a decorative wreath was set on fire.

The wreath was displayed on the front door of the house. There was minor damage sustained to the house as a result of the fire.

At nearby homes, fire also destroyed a ski-doo and damaged a fence as well as miscellaneous other property items. Four homes, in total, were involved.

The person arrested, a 17 year old Burlington resident, cannot be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The youth is currently accused:

• Arson (damage to property) (4 Counts)
• Fail to comply Recognizance

The youth was held in custody and is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing on August 28th at the Ontario Court of Justice in Milton.

Anyone who has information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Constable Scott Feddema at 905-825-4747 ext. 2372.

Tips can be forwarded to Crime Stoppers; “See Something, Hear Something, Say Something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.crimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).

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Baycats one game away from a 4th IBL title - Burlington Herd got taken out in the quarter finals.

sportsgreen 100x100By Staff

August 28th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Dominating is the word that best describes a baseball performance that moved the Barrie Baycats one win from a fourth straight Intercounty Baseball League title.

Baycats pitcherClaudio Custodio tossed a complete-game one-hitter, and the Baycats’ batters pounded out 19 hits in a 15-0 win over the Kitchener Panthers Sunday night at Coates Stadium.

Barrie leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can clinch Tuesday in Kitchener.

Panthers starter Sean Ratcliffe (1-2) took the loss, allowing eight runs on eight hits with five walks and three strikeouts over 3.2 innings.

Future games
Tuesday, Aug. 29

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Male in serious condition after jumping from a moving car; police want to talk to witnesses.

News 100 blueBy Staff

August 28th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Police are seeking witnesses to an incident that occurred downtown Burlington in the early morning hours of Monday August 21st 2017 when a 24-year-old Burlington man seriously injured after jumping from moving car.

HRPS crestSometime between midnight and 3:00 am on the 21st, two Burlington men were walking to a vehicle parked on Ontario Street just west of Brant Street,

One of the men started an altercation with three unknown males near City Hall. After the altercation was quickly broken up, the two original men continued to their car and began to drive either west on Ontario Street towards Maple Avenue, or possibly south on Locus Street towards Elgin.

Shortly after the car began to drive away, the 24-year-old male that started the altercation, jumped out of the passenger side of the moving car and struck his head on the roadway surface. The male was knocked unconscious.

The driver of the car, and the three men involved in the earlier altercation, placed the injured man back into the car so he could be driven to Joseph Brant Hospital.

The man remains in hospital at this time with a serious head injury.

The incident was reported to police August 26th.

Police would like to speak with the three men who helped the injured party into the 4-door black Nissan and to any witnesses that may have observed the incident, or any businesses that may have captured the incident on security cameras.

Anyone with information is requested to contact Detective Constable Chris HEFFERNAN of the Halton Regional Police Service Collision Reconstruction unit at 905-825-4747 extension 5420. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).

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Someone forgot to clean up after what looks like a pretty good party at the Paletta Mansion.

News 100 redBy Staff

August 27th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It must have been quite a party.

Paletta Messy 1

Cleaning crew failed to show up?

With no one around to clean up and a case of beer that was too warm to drink when it was found.

Who used the space?

Who forgot to clean up?

Messy cropped

Whoever used the site made good use of all the space.

Paletta messy 3 free beer

Quite a bit of beer was left for anyone passing by. No word on what our photographer might have done.

Parks and Recreation will be making phone calls Monday morning about this one.

The space was being used legally wasn’t it?

Paletta Mansion is a city owned property that has always been a financial drag on the city.  There was the potential for a long term lease with a Hamilton restaurateur but that fell though when details on upgrades to the kitchen couldn’t be agreed upon.

Geraldo’s, in LaSalle Park is another city property that does exceptionally well for the city – as does the Discovery Centre that is now managed by Spencers on the Waterfront.

The Paletta operation hasn’t been given the care and attention it needs.  The rooms are lovely and are used for receptions and conferences from time to time.  A major high-end auto show takes place on the grounds each year.

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Biggest public feed fest of the year - ribs and entertainment for all and now a VIP tent.

eventsblue 100x100By Staff

August 27, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

If you are putting together your schedule for the week don’t forget RibFest –

Friday September 1st through to Sunday September 3rd, 2017 – 11AM – 11PM

Monday September 4th – 11AM – 7PM

Sponsored by the Lakeshore Rotary club – a sixty strong membership that makes the event happen every year. This time they have made some changes to the model – not the menu.

If you looked around there was still some sitting room. The weather was close to perfect and the music was good - great way to bring a summer to a close.

Burlington’s Ribfest – If you looked around there was still some sitting room. The weather was close to perfect and the music was good – great way to bring a summer to a close.

The event is the major fund raising initiative for the Lakeshore Rotary. In 2014 – the year of the flood – the Rotary used the occasion to raise funds for those families that had been wiped out by the flood. It was successful enough for the Association to look for new ways to serve the community.

This year the focus is on the Carpenter Hospice which is in the process of close to doubling the size of the facility.

Carriage Gate VIP tent

VIP tent – open to the public Sunday afternoon and evening.

A VIP tent has been set up, courtesy of Carriage Gate Homes, that will be open to the public Sunday afternoon and evening. Your ticket, available on line, gets you a spot at the front of the line to buy your selection of ribs and then saunter over to the VIP tent and enjoy the chow where the beverage selection is a little more varied – includes some specialty cocktails.

This is a Sunday only occasion – the tent is open to the public. It is a space that is sheltered, has a great site line to the stage and a bar that has an upscale selection of beverages. And, an upscale biffy.

More details on the ticket offering for this can be found HERE.

The event will serve up the same ribs people in Burlington have been enjoying since 1996 when there were less than ten ribbers offering a food that was new to many.

While it rained most of the one day event in 1996 – it was successful enough financially for the Rotary to make a long term commitment.

That commitment has resulted in the raising of more than $3 million – nothing shabby about that number.

Related news story.

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Not all the summer vacation stories that students tell will be what we like to hear.

News 100 blueBy Staff

August 27th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Students returning to school next week will bring with them stories of their summer holiday experience.

A time that is care free, less demanding than days when classrooms are open – it is a rest time, a time to grow and have new experiences.

students-3

Exploring, growing – reflecting – summer vacation.

There will be some really nice stories told about adventures and perhaps some travel.

It will not be this way for all the students that show up for class on the 5th of September.

Some students live lives that are a lot different; sometimes close to tragically different.

Michael, a high school student is being raised by the one parent –his Dad Jim.

Michael’s mom is incarcerated. Jim has to work two jobs to make ends meet so that he and his son will not have to go into a shelter.

Dealing with the emotional fall out of having a parent in jail is tough enough. Keeping a household together is another burden. Jim has not purchased any new clothes or non-essentials for himself for several years so he could ensure Michael was taken care of.

Halton Learning FoundationWhen the school Michael attends became aware of the family situation and the impact it was having on Michael, they were able to turn to the Halton Learning Foundation for help.

Funds from the Foundation will allow Michael to purchase new shoes, gym clothes and school supplies that his Father just isn’t able to provide.

Those Learning Foundation funds come from the generous support of people in the Region who provide the dollars needed to fill in the gaps that some parents can’t manage.

When the Foundation comes looking for financial support – be there for them so that they can be there for others; people like Michael, the high school student going through a very difficult time.

You can help: A click away.

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Barrie Baycats appear to be heading for a four game IBL streak with a 13-4 win in game 2.

sportsgold 100x100By Staff

August 27th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

That there is a place for semi-pro baseball in this province – there is no doubt.

Baycats batter - Photo by Young

Barrie Baycat’s batters did this more often than any other team in the InterCounty Baseball league – the team lost just two games in the regular season.

More than 1,200 fans packed the Jack Couch Park and saw the Barrie Baycats take a two-game lead in the IBL final with a 13-4 win over the Kitchener Panthers Saturday night.

Game 3 is Sunday night in Barrie.

The objective has always been to make the ball games a family event - winning more gsames and naking it past the first round of the finals would be nice too. Scott Robertson would like to see a better playing field with upgraded public facilities - but for now he is happy to see fathers, sone and Mom out at the ball park.

Limited seating at the Nelson ball park.

Can you imagine that many fans showing up for a game in Burlington? The ball park at Nelson could hold – perhaps 300.

We don’t know how many Burlington baseball fans are taking in these IBL final games – we do know that if there are any they are seeing great baseball.

Thrilling.

Future games
Sunday, Aug. 27
Kitchener at Barrie, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 29
Barrie at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.

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Suspect doesn't appear to understand gas stations have security cameras.

Crime 100By Staff

August 25th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Police in Burlington are seeking assistance from the public to identify one person responsible for forcing entry into a vehicle, stealing items including a wallet and later using stolen credit cards at several businesses in the Hamilton area.

Overnight between August 12th to 13th 2017, the suspect forced open the driver’s door of a vehicle on Angus Court, in Burlington to gain entry. Once inside, the suspect rummaged through the glove-box and removed the vehicle owner’s wallet.

Shortly after 8:00 AM on August 13th 2017, the suspect used the stolen credit cards at a Pioneer Gas Station near Woodward Avenue and Barton St in Hamilton.

Suspect:  white male, 25-35 years of wearing a New England Patriots baseball cap, black t-shirt and black shorts.

Theft suspect 1

Someone is going to recognize this young man – Hopefully it will not be his Mother.

Suspect 2

Close up of the suspect.

Theft from autos continues to be a concern in Burlington and police would like to remind the public to ensure their vehicles are locked and avoid leaving valuables inside and/or in plain view. Police also encourage citizens to report any suspicious persons.

Anyone who can identify this suspect are encouraged to contact Detective Constable Tyler Freeman of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Residential Crime Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2363. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).

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