The Eganville Leader - Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Postal Agreement # 40005333
Page A1
www.careiche.ca
120th Year - No. 47
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Eganville, Ontario
Pembroke -- The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has identified the deceased in a suspicious death in Pembroke last Friday. OPP reported sometime in the afternoon an incident occurred in a downtown apartment and when they were called later in the evening, they located a dead male identified as Justin Walker, 32, of Pembroke. An investigation was commenced by the Upper Ottawa Valley Crime Unit and OPP Forensic Identification Services, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). As a result of an investigation, John Dagenais, 31 also of Pembroke, has been charged with obstructing police. He appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke on Saturday. There are no concerns for public safety, but residents of downtown Pembroke should expect to see increased police activity in the area. The OPP investigation, in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, is continuing.
By Terry Fleurie Staff Writer Eganville -- Please bear with us, is the message from Leader Publisher Gerald Tracey as the newspaper shifts its printing operations from McLaren Press in Bracebridge to Hebdo Litho in Montreal beginning with the June 8 edition. “We are expecting a rather seamless transition, but like any change hiccups along the way might be encountered,” he said. The Leader will continue to be printed Tuesday night and it is expected the papers will arrive in Eganville sometime around five or six o’clock Wednesday morning. The one change that could occur is that delivery to Renfrew and Cobden rural routes might be pushed to Thursday instead of Wednesday, Mr. Tracey said. But that won’t be known until the first few weeks have passed. “We expect we will still be able to meet postal deadlines in Eganville to ensure papers going out on Eganville rural routes and to the communities west of Eganville to Whitney will continue on Wednesday,” Mr. Tracey said. Stricter Deadlines To ensure printing deadlines are met, The Leader office will be closed Tuesdays at 3 p.m. The deadline for all display ads will be 12 noon Monday and for classified ads 3 p.m. the same day. McLaren Press, a family-owned printing plant, announced May 1st its plans to close due to several circumstances including the shortage of newsprint and other fine paper, the loss of two of its largest print customers and the inability to grow back the business because of paper shortages. Hebdo Litho is an independentlyowned plant that prints many community newspapers in and around the Montreal area and throughout Quebec. In addition to The Leader, it will now be printing the Valley Gazette out of Barry’s Bay, the Madawaska Highlander, a seasonal paper based out of the Griffith area, and three publications in the Kemptville area.
$3
Ukraine fundraiser growing
Man found dead, another charged with obstruction
Leader off to Montreal
($2.86 plus 14 cents GST)
The lone occupant of a vehicle that left the Queens Line last Wednesday night, May 25 is loaded into the Ornge Air helicopter for transport to an Ottawa hospital. Whitewater Region firefighters from Cobden and Haley stations responded to the crash and assisted Renfrew County paramedics
Crash victim airlifted from Queens Line Whitewater Region – Ontario Provincial Police, Whitewater Region firefighters and Renfrew County paramedics responded to a single-vehicle accident on the Queens Line just south of Kohlsmith Road Wednesday evening around 7 o’clock. The driver of a vehicle with a Quebec licence plate was airlifted by ORNGE Air to an Ottawa hospital. His condition is not known. Around 7 p.m., the driver, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, was travelling south on the Queens Line at one of the Windy Ridge Farms when
the vehicle left the road. It travelled along the ditch area, over the driveway, coming to rest a few hundred feet in the farmer’s recently planted field. Whitewater Region Fire Chief Jonathan McLaren said firefighters from Cobden and Haley stations responded to the emergency call. They provided first aid until care was transferred to Renfrew County paramedics. Fire crews also closed a section of the Queens Line to allow a safe helipad to be established for Ornge Air to land, he said. Police said no charges will be laid.
Whitewater Region firefighters check out the vehicle and the driver as police talk with those on scene. Photos: Connie Tabbert
Mayor is cautiously optimistic work on battered Foymount Road will proceed By Terry Fleurie Staff Writer Pembroke – After hearing nothing but bad news regarding the County of Renfrew’s scheduled rehabilitation of Highway 512/ Foymount Road in her township over the past few months, the mayor of Bonnechere Valley (BV) Township received some encouraging news on the matter last week. BV Mayor Jennifer Murphy had recently expressed her extreme disappointment that both Hydro One and Bell Canada had said they may not be able to provide some of the necessary infrastructure work at all this year, or until much later, so Wednesday’s news gave her some optimism that might change. Warden Debbie Robinson, reeve of Laurentian Valley Township, in-
vited Lee Perkins, Director of Public Works and Engineering, to provide an update on the project for council, urging Mayor Murphy to “not kill the messenger”. “I shall make no such promise,” Mayor Murphy said in jest. Mr. Perkins said county staff has met with representatives of Hydro One, who were reviewing the design and scheduled to provide a confirmation the following week. “Now, all this was prior to last weekend’s events (the wind storm that ravaged many parts of Ontario),” Mr. Perkins noted. “Hydro is supposed to confirm net week that they’re going to be able to do work for us or not.” Mayor Murphy said she would not shoot the messenger, adding both Hydro and Bell had been in touch
with her prior to the meeting. “I want to thank you (Warden Robinson) and county council for allowing the letter to be written (to Hydro and Bell),” she said. “I also want to thank all the media outlets who printed my absolute outrage. “The representatives from Bell and Hydro got my feelings loud and clear,” she added. “They did have site meeting on May 16 and both entities were in touch with me middle of the week.” She said while no final report was available then from that site meeting, the companies promised to get back to her the week of the county council session. “Over the weekend, I thought that’s not going to happen, but sure enough, the representative from Hydro phone
me yesterday (May 24),” she added. “Apparently, the site meeting went quite well and I’m going to be cautiously optimistic.” She thanked everyone for their support in the issue, noting how Coun. Michael Donohue had earlier stated in the meeting, that if the county building did not really need new shingles for the roof this year, it should be delayed until the costs come down somewhat for the asphalt shingles themselves. “Foymount Road needs shingles, so let’s not push that one off,” she urged. “It’s getting more dangerous by the day and I’m not telling you anything that you don’t know, Mr. Perkins. “But I was pleasantly surprised that Bell and Hydro reached out,” she concluded. “A good news story.”
Eganville -- The Fundraiser for Ukraine, being sponsored by The Eganville Leader, is continuing to get a lot of support from across Renfrew County. Leader Publisher Gerald Tracey said the June 17 event at the Eganville Arena will include a live auction, a silent auction, an evening of firstclass musical entertainment, special guests from the Ukrainian community in Ottawa and more. The live auction, conducted by Preston Cull of Douglas, will kick off the night and take place outside the arena near the entrance to Rotary Beach. “We are receiving many wonderful and unique items and if the donations continue, we expect the auction will begin at 6:30 and go to at least 7:30,” he said. “In addition, there will also be scores of smaller items sold by silent auction. These will be displayed inside the arena.” All auction items will be available for viewing from 5 p.m. on. Following the auction, there will be a brief opening ceremony including welcoming remarks from local and county dignitaries and hopefully a musical presentation from a Ukrainian women’s choir from Ottawa. This will be confirmed in the coming weeks. William Enright is recording the articles being donated for both the live and silent auctions and is amazed at some of the items people are giving. On the auction bill now are 100 pounds of freshly-butchered beef, barbeques, new TVs, an outdoor patio set, five cords of firewood – cut split and delivered, loads of topsoil delivered anywhere in Renfrew County, an almost new riding lawnmower, a day’s work by an excavator and much more. The local artist community is also rowing in with many original and numbered reproductions. “As you can see, the auction items can also be services provided by local companies which is quite valuable in these times,” he said. “Some of the items will attract the interest of many people.” Silent auction items will likely have a value of $50 to $200, he said. Mr. Tracey expressed his thanks to Bonnechere Valley Township council following its decision to waive the rental fee for the arena. He said it is contributions like that which truly make the fundraiser a commnity effort. Anyone wishing to donate services or new or gently used items to the auction can contact Mr. Tracey at 613-7320377; Mr. Enright at 613-602-6276, or Zig Mintha at 613-628-3295. Items can be dropped off at the arena throughout the day June 17. If that isn’t possible arrangements will be made for pick up or alternative drop off. Mr. Enright said the committee is appreciative of the wide support the fundraiser is receiving, noting there have already been donations ranging from $100 to $5,000. “We are hopeful that tax receipts can be issued for donations of $50 and above,” he said. Anyone wishing to support the effort can mail cheques made out to “Trust for Ukraine Community” to The Leader, Box 310, Eganville, ON K0J 1T0 or send an Interac E-transfer to Northern Credit Union in Eganville using Eganville.Ukraine.Fund@ gmail.com