Watch Courageous 14-Year-Old Tessa Smith Kick Cancer's Butt

Fourteen-year-old Emily Township teenager Tessa Smith, who lives near Omemee, has had battles with cancer since she was a baby. MyKawartha did a great story on her last fall and the fight she's putting up with the help of family, friends, doctors and nurses at The Hospital for Sick Children. Tessa made this video below she just posted to YouTube documenting her amazing spirit and fight...

[YouTube via @reynolds_mary; MyKawartha]

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Ming's Closed Again After Second Salmonella Contamination

[UPDATE: Word is Ming's has reopened again.]

MyKawartha.com reports that Ming's Sushi & Dimsum has been closed a second time within a few months due to Salmonella contamination found in recent food samples. Ming's was first closed in December due to 18 identified cases of Salmonella and later allowed to reopen on January 11th by the Health Unit. No word on when it will reopen this time.

Current sign in their window

 What is tested during an inspection? They are as follows...

  • Testing food samples
  • Testing food preparation surfaces and storage areas
  • Requiring the testing of all staff
  • Consultation, contact tracing and obtaining food histories from all cases
  • Ensuring all restaurant staff have received the Health Unit’s Food Handler Training course and are certified
  • Ensuring a cleaning and disinfection policy and procedure is in place and approved by the Health Unit

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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You Might Want To Attend This Public Meeting On The Topic Of A Casino In Peterborough

Head over to the Board Room at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board office (1994 Fisher Drive) on Tuesday, March 5th at 6:30 p.m. to join the discussion on the possibility of a casino coming to town—and the pros and cons of such a decision. This is a special public Planning Committee Meeting and the city would like your input. So make sure to give it.

[Related: Case Study: What Happened When Springfield Opened A Casino; The Peterborough Casino: What the OLG Isn't Telling You; Casino Would Be One Of Largest Employers]

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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A Look At Recent EPIC Venture Winner Century Health In Peterborough

Jennifer ChambersJennifer Chambers is celebrating 10 years of service in Peterborough as owner of Century Health, now located at 291 Charlotte Street—a building which her and her husband, Nathan, purchased in 2011. 

Century Health relocated to their current location after moving from their original space on Park Street, known then as Clinic 288. Their building on Charlotte has undergone some beautiful upgrades and renovations, creating a calming, welcoming environment for clients.

There will also be more renovations to come as Jennifer and Nathan plan to restore the building to its orginial look on the exterior.  

Along with five treatment rooms and 10 Registered Massage Therapists, there is also a beautiful studio space available upstairs. Ideal for yoga classes, seminars, group sessions and photographers, it is available for $25/hour and can be booked both online or by giving them a call.

You can reach Jennifer and the Century Health team at 705.749.3337, by emailing info@centuryhealth.ca, or connect with them on Facebook.

 

The Tennis Ball Massage: 3 minute fix

 

Sky Studio

 

 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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Here's A Breakdown Of Domestic Incidents In Peterborough In Recent Years

We see so many domestics reported on media releases from Peterborough Lakefield Community Police that we asked police for more info on actual numbers. The graphs below supplied to us by police chart the domestic incidents here from 2006 to 2011 (2012 numbers haven't come in yet). In 2011, there were 214 criminal charges laid for domestic incidents, including everything from domestic assault to domestic criminal harassment to mischief to bail violations. The domestic incidents where criminal charges were laid represent approximately 4.35 per cent of all criminal charges laid last year in Peterborough. Here's a look at the breakdown...
 

**If you're a victim of domestic violence or know someone who is, great resources are available on the YWCA Peterborough website. Get more facts about domestic abuse here.

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Watch This Great Fleming Video On Sustainable Agriculture

The Sustainable Agriculture program at Fleming College is designed for new and beginner farmers seeking an intensive, applied learning experience in sustainable, ecological or natural farming methods. More info here on the program and check out the video below.

[YouTube]

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You Showed Your Peterborough Love On Twitter

We asked you on Twitter, "If you could pick one thing about you love most, what would it be? Tell us in one tweet. ".  Here's just a few of your responses below (add more in the comments below or join the conversation on Twitter at hashtag #ptbolove)...

[#ptbolove]

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3,000 Canadians Needed To Donate Blood By End Of This Year, Including 200 In Peterborough

Here's a PSA from Canadian Blood Services...

December 21th, 2012 (Peterborough) — As we approach the Christmas holiday and turn the page on another year, Canadian Blood Services is asking eligible Canadians to “GIVE A HOLIDAY MIRACLE” by donating blood during the days around Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Collecting blood during the holiday season is a challenge, as many donors go away or are busy with other activities. Yet many patients will spend their holiday receiving cancer treatment or undergoing life-saving surgery and emergency care. During the weeks of December 24 and December 31, Canadian Blood Services estimates a need of 25,000 units of blood to give holiday miracles to hospital patients across Canada.

In order to meet this blood collection goal, we still need 3,000 more Canadians to book appointments and donate blood between now and the end of the year. In Peterborough, we need 206 donors to donate blood in order to help meet this goal.

“We’d like to thank Canadians who took the time to donate blood so far this holiday season, but we need that generosity to continue through the end of the year,” says Sue Harris, Community Development Coordinator.  “As the year draws to an end, do something that embodies the spirit and generosity of the season—give blood. It costs you nothing, and it’ll give someone a holiday miracle.”

There are plenty of opportunities to donate blood this holiday season.

Peterborough Blood Donor Clinic
55 George St. N.

Open

Saturday Dec 22nd 8am – 12noon

Monday Dec 24th 10am – 2pm

Thursday Dec 27th 3pm – 7pm

Friday Dec 28th 8am – 12noon

Platelets, which are derived from blood donations, are of particular concern around the holiday season. Because platelets only have a shelf life of five days, it is not possible to “stock up” ahead of time. Patients with diseases such as cancer need large quantities of platelets as part of their treatment. It is critical that our clinics are full of “miracle workers” over the holidays to meet the need for platelets.

Please visit us online at Blood.ca or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) to book an appointment to donate today. To help meet the continuing need for blood, donors who have an appointment in the coming weeks are urged to honour it.

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Add A Red Pashmina To Your Holiday Gift List In Peterborough

 

Help out an important cause and pick up a red pashmina for that special someone this holiday season. This Peterborough-based initiative partners with Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, and proceeds from the sale of the red pashminas are directed to advancing education and educational opportunities for Afghan women and their families. To learn more about the Red Pashmina Campaign and how it empowers women there and locally, visit their website, Facebook or Twitter page. Pashminas can be purchased for $20 at Tango, Glow Maternity, The New Canadians Centre, YWCA, My Left Breast, The Benevolent Stranger, Joie de Vie and Sympathy for the Rebel

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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Peterborough Woman's "The Wait" Poem To Help End Mental Health Stigmas

PTBOCanada contributor Beth McClelland wrote this courageous and inspirational personal poem that she's hoping will encourage others to start important conversations about mental health. Here she is reading it:

[YouTube; Canadian Mental Health Association Peterborough]

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