Gathering resistance
Parents and community begin working to seek alternatives to school closures and toddlers attending school with teenagers. As 2016 nears an end, the school board is convening committees of parents, teachers, principals, students and community members to help develop a plan to implement changes to schools in the best way possible. The board is currently […]
Budget begins
Calm before the storm County council began poring over the proposed 2017 budget this week. In terms of services and operations the municipality provides to residents, there are no major surprises. There is additional spending proposed in social services, community development and planning and development services, but much of it is in the category of […]
On the job
Despite accomplishments, community and economic development file faces uphill battle at council table It was a long presentation—perhaps too long for some of the grey hairs around the council table. But there was a lot to cover. Neil Carbone pointed to nearly $2.5 million in earned media—the County’s story told in publications as diverse as […]
Lessons
Community still reeling from slated school closures; some trying to find positives Communities around the County are still getting over the shock of the drastic changes Hastings Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB) board trustees approved for study last week. The proposed changes would affect six of the County’s eight public schools. It includes closing […]
Pushed out
Retirement homes being squeezed out by regulations Ten people live at Publow Retirement Home on King Street in Picton. It is their home. It is close to shops and services downtown and within walking distance to almost anything one might need. It feels like home. Residents gather at lunch time around a large oak table—all […]
Fight for the bay
MOE, Terminals, residents all say they want the best for Picton Bay It’s a misty morning on Picton Bay. At the shipyard on the north shore, sitting between the Essroc cement plant and the town of Picton, workers move road salt from small, open sections of tarped hills. Road salt has been a staple product […]
Better homes and gardens
Affordable housing shrinks, new solutions needed. The County needs affordable housing. This much has been a recognized fact for years, as any low-income resident, social service provider or even our municipal staff and council can tell you. And the problem isn’t getting any better, despite declarations from policymakers that something must be done. “[Affordable housing] […]
Hammer falls
Board puts plan in motion to close, consolidate County schools Despite the early snowstorm, the Hastings-Prince Edward District School Board trustees travelled to Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI) on Monday for their monthly meeting. In an unusual move, they held both their committee and general meetings within hours of each other, both at the large […]
Connected
Jill and Matthew Barber tell musical stories from The Family Album Jill and Matthew Barber offered an enchanting and warm performance at the Regent Theatre last Thursday, filled with touching personal moments and woven skillfully together into a rich musical tapestry. Both brother and sister have built successful music careers independently— The Family Album is […]
Love of ice sports
Former NHLers to skate in benefit game in Wellington Lara loves to spin. The almost-8-year-old skates with the Prince Edward County Figure Skating Association in Wellington and Picton. Even off the ice, she is keen to show how a graceful and athletic spin should be performed. “Skating backward, I jump into the air, spin around […]