Bancroft this Week

Trails project planning launches

Soon people will be able to saunter on non-motorized trails in Bancroft and surrounding area thanks to the North Hastings Economic Development Committee.

Province announces new housing for county

The province is putting $6.5 million into creating supportive housing in Hastings County.

Borutski trial delayed

The trial for a man charged with killing three Renfrew County women has been rescheduled for October.

Tai Chi comes to Maynooth

Registered charity the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism Peterborough-Lindsay Branch has brought a new way to stay active to Hastings Highlands.

MP awards community members for service

Three members of the community have come home with MP Mike Bossio’s Canada 150 awards.

Bancroft Studio Tour displays local talent and beauty

Over the next two weekends art enthusiasts from far and wide will descend upon the Bancroft area to immerse themselves in the creative energy of the local arts scene. Every year for the past two and a half decades, local artists have been opening their studio spaces to the public and providing people with an opportunity to intimately engage with the individuals fueling the local creative economy.

Economic change in rural Ontario

A recent provincewide study indicated that one in ten workers makes minimum wage and one-quarter of the work force earns less than $15 per hour. This January, minimum wage will climb from $11.40 to $14, with another $1 increase in January 2019.

No wards means less ears for outskirts

Hastings Highlands council recently decided that councillor convenience should outweigh good representation for all its far flung constituents by abandoning the ward system. As a senior citizen with some knowledge of human behaviour, I find it really hard to believe that someone living further away will care as much as someone residing closer by, to care enough to manage issues local to me. Voting at-large typically means that candidate councillors will typically reside in populated areas, although there may be exceptions.

Changing our ideas about teaching and learning

The province recently announced that it will be consulting with students, parents, teachers and other partners to manage a “comprehensive overhaul of school curriculum and student assessment tools.” I’m really curious to see where the initiative leads.