PTBOCanada's Top 10 Stories of 2025
/It is hard to believe that it has been nearly five years since PTBOCanada owner Kirtus Evoy acquired the business from Neil Morton in 2021. Since then, we have been your source for local news in Peterborough and the Kawarthas and a Digital Marketing Agency.
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Art By Jason Wilkins.
Here are the top stories viewed by the PTBOCanada community, in chronological order.
Dr. Tehmina Chattha Is one of eight doctors at the Peterborough Family Health Team’s new expanded clinic at 185 King St. Photo by David Tuan bui.
Those without a family doctor have a new facility for healthcare as the Peterborough Family Health Team expanded its services with a new clinic that exclusively accepts ‘unattached’ patients at 555 George St. N. in March.
The new clinic space will contain additional exam rooms, allowing it to expand appointments for Peterborough city and county residents who do not have a family doctor in Ontario. Those who do have one are not eligible for care at the clinic.
The clinic has eight doctors, four nurses and a nurse practitioner, who can see approximately 50-60 patients daily.
Mitch Lowes, owner of Flame Spitters Hot Sauce and co-owner of The Back40 Smoke House has his hot sauce available in over 160 locations. His brand has also won seven first-place awards. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The flavour of slow-cooked meats hit Downtown Peterborough, as restaurant The Back40 Smoke House opened its doors to the public on May 1.
The restaurant features traditional smokehouse cuisine including pulled pork, brisket, ribs and more. The restaurant is an extension of the Mousseaus as they own the restaurant ‘The Back40 Smoke Box’ in Fenelon Falls and Whitby and have a catering business of the same affiliation.
D.J. Rheams with top-prize fish Walter. The catch is a four-pound rainbow trout. Walter had originally jumped over a netting barricade and was caught downriver by unregistered participants. They got to keep the fish but a '“New” Walter was thrown into the canal on Saturday. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Peterborough’s D.J. Rheams walked away with $1,000 after catching top-prize rainbow trout ‘Walter’ at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters 36th Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby.
The 34-year-old caught the four-pound rainbow trout just before 3 p.m. Rheams originally was not planning to attend the Derby until his sister convinced him to participate. The Lindsay-born angler had fished on Monday without catching anything. He almost gave up before he discovered that he hooked and eventually caught Walter.
File Photo.
The Riverview Park and Zoo’s miniature train closed earlier than usual, shutting down on Aug. 4 to accommodate rehabilitation work on the Water Street Pumphouse and Dam.
The Dam underwent construction to address concrete deterioration and improve its infrastructure, enhancing long-term functionality.
The Miniature Train Ride crosses the dam as part of its route around the Zoo area. The train cannot safely cross the dam while it is under construction.
Screenshot.
The Peterborough Police Service has arrested a teen in connection with an incident at the Lansdowne Place Mall parking lot that surfaced from a series of viral videos in early August.
Police say that while there is no specific charge for hate crime in Canada that applies to this incident, there is a hate crime element to this case.
Tung has opened two Hanoi House locations, Naka Japanese, Electric City Catering and now soon-to-be Mei Mei Chinese Restaurant during her food service career. Photo courtesy of Susan Tung.
Susan Tung, local restaurateur and owner/founder of Hanoi House, is bringing back a favourite in a Chinese buffet called Mei Mei to Peterborough.
Tung is no stranger to Chinese cuisine and operating restaurants of that style since it is her heritage. Her family had previously owned the Golden Wheel Restaurant in the Springville area for several years. It was sold after Tung’s parents had retired.
She opened her first restaurant, Hanoi House, on Hunter Street in early 2020. A second location opened at Lansdowne Street on Dec. 9 of the same year but consolidated all operations to the latter due to increasing overhead expenses incurred from running two restaurants compared to one in July 2022.
PHOTO COURTESY of OLG.
Peterborough’s Cody Sears is $50,000 richer after winning a top prize with Instant Cash in Multi-Win in September.
His winning ticket was purchased at Mister Convenience on Monaghan Road.
Photo courtesy of the Port Hope Police Service.
Ontario Grade 8 teacher Kelly-Anne Jennings has pleaded guilty to luring and child pornography charges after a court in Peterborough in early November.
According to police reports, the former teacher was arraigned on six charges from incidents in 2023. These included child luring, creating child pornography and distributing sexually explicit material to a minor. Teenage boys who were Jennings’ students were named as the victims. She was given additional charges on Sept. 4.
File photo.
Peterborough Regional Health Centre has launched an online Emergency Department wait-time clock that provides real-time estimates of how long it may take to be seen by a physician.
The clock contains up-to-date information on how long it may take to be seen by a physician for an initial assessment.
Photos courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.
