(Picture & Description) Missing Person: Joanne MacKenzie

Recent picture of Joanne MacKenzie

[UPDATE: 8:33 a.m. July 12. A funeral for Joanne MacKenzie will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Apsley Community Chapel on McFadden Rd. in Apsley. Memorial donations should be made to a trust fund established for Joanne's five-year-old daughter.]

[UPDATE: 3:53 p.m. July 9. It has now been confirmed that the human remains found in Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township on Wednesday are those of 23-year-old Joanne MacKenzie. She died as a result of sharp force trauma, the autopsy revealed. Robert McGregor is charged with first-degree murder. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Joanne's family.]

[UPDATE: 12:15 p.m., July 7.  Robert McGregor, 25, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Joanne MacKenzie. Police say human remains have been found near Young's Point Rd. at Preston Rd. McGregor is MacKenzie's former common-law spouse, and the father of her child. He appeared in Peterborough court today. More on the investigation here. CHEX News has some video from the scene here.]

**[UPDATE: 9:45 p.m., July 6. Developing news... The Examiner is reporting "an arrest has been made after the investigation of 23-year-old missing woman Joanne MacKenzie turned into a homicide case." Police have not yet released an official statement.]

[UPDATE: 7:58 p.m., July 6. The OPP has joined the investigation into the disappearance of Joanne MacKenzie. Here's the release sent out tonight:

(Peterborough, ON) – On July 3, 2011, Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service launched a missing person investigation to locate 23-year-old Joanne MacKENZIE of Peterborough.

MACKENZIE was last seen on July 2, 2011 at 9:00am.

After an extensive search and public appeal, on July 6, 2011, the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service requested the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

The Peterborough Lakefield Police Service and the Peterborough County OPP Detachment, led by OPP Detective Inspector Kari Dart, Criminal Investigation Branch, are conducting a joint investigation into this suspicious disappearance.

MacKENZIE is described as:

    • Caucasian,
    • 5'2" (157 cm),
    • 105 lbs (47.5 kg),
    • thin build,
    • fair complexion,
    • black medium length straight hair,
    • green/blue eyes.        
 
She was last seen wearing a teal coloured sun dress.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Joanne MACKENZIE is asked to call the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service at 705-876-1122 ext 225 or Crime Stopper at 1-800-222-8477.

---------------------

[UPDATE: 11:15 a.m. July 6. Joanne's father has just sent us this more recent photo (above) of his daughter, which is how she looked at the time of her disappearance. Her hair is dyed black, and she looks significantly different than in the older picture below. Please forward this new info along.]

-----------------------

[UPDATE: 7:05 a.m. July 5. The Examiner is reporting that MacKenzie's family are searching for the 23-year-old Apsley resident here in Peterborough -- the last place she was seen Saturday morning -- papering the city with "Missing Person" posters. The family says her absence is extremely out of character, and they're "definitely really worried." Four officers are now assigned to this case. See below for original missing person release police sent out Sunday morning to the media.]

Old picture of Joanne MacKenzie

--------------------

ORIGINAL POST: JULY 3

From a special Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service Media Release today...

The Peterborough Lakefield Community Police are asking the public's assistance in locating the following female:
 
Joanne MacKenzie, 23 years, of Peterborough.  MacKenzie (see photo at left) is Caucasian, 5'2" (157 cm), 105 lbs (47.5 kg), thin build, fair complexion, black medium length straight hair, green/blue eyes.        
 
She was last seen wearing a teal coloured sun dress.
 
Information is that Joanne may have been walking from Rubidge St to the area of Wolfe St and Aylmer St.
 
She was last seen on July 2, 2011 at 9:00 am.
 
Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police at 705-876-1122 ext 225 or information can be provided through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).
 

----------------------

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

Happy Birthday Canada, You Rock!

To all our readers, have a happy and safe long weekend! Happy Canada Day!!

[from the PtboCanada team]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

Thinking Of A Masterplan: City of Peterborough Displays Transportation Plan

Last night at the Evinrude Centre was the third and last Public Involvement Centre (PICs) meeting. The City of Peterborough showed Morrison Hershfield's recommended Road Network plan, Cycling Network plan and Pedestrian Network plan.

The new Masterplan is an update to the 2002 Transport Plan to address Peterborough's population growth and traffic concerns. 

Studies have shown that streets with no sidewalks have 2.6 times more pedestrian collisions, so the new plan calls for sidewalks on both sides of all new and existing streets.

Work is already underway as well on both the Hospital Access Road extension and to widen the West end of Lansdowne, but there is plenty of other planned—and suggested—roadwork to come. Indeed, $14 million is budgeted to improve the Nassau Mills Bridge over the Otonabee River, widen Nassau Mills from Water to Armour, make improvements to Chemong/Reid, the Charlotte Westbound Parking lane conversion, and to widen Eastbound Sherbrooke. 

As we previously reported, many residents of Fairbairn Ave were very interested in the City's Medium term plans to build a two lane road from Fairbairn to Cumberland. Some consider it the City trying to still put through the Parkway Extension.

[Related: For coverage of the proposed changes to Peterborough's Trail Network as part of the Peterborough Network Cycling plan, head to TrailSwag, a blog about outdoors news in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.]

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

The Peterborough Pop Ensemble Rocks Little Lake Musicfest Tonight

Playing tonight at the Little Lake Musicfest is the Peterborough Pop Ensemble, a tribute to the '60s and '70s. Concerts begin at 8:00 pm. Admission is free. You can bring a lawn chair—or rent one for 4 bucks (there are a limited number available to rent). Click here to view pics from the first concert of the season there Saturday night.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

Last Night There Was An Amazing #thinkPtbo Tweetup At Silver Bean Cafe (And All The Guys Left Their Shirts On)

Last night at the Silver Bean Cafe, 28 people who use the popular online social network Twitter, came together to make new connections and form a social think tank on many recent discussion topics. Some of the items covered were..

• How can we cultivate the creative economy in Peterborough? #creativePtbo
• Beyond the Fashion District, what areas of Peterborough should we highlight and name? #districtPtbo
• What is your favourite store in downtown Peterborough and why? #downtownPtbo
• How can we use Twitter to welcome newcomers to Peterborough? #newtoPtbo
• How can we use Twitter to ensure that men wear their shirts in Peterborough, even when it is hot outside? #noshirtsPtbo

If you missed the tweetup—and many were following from home on Twitter—you can read the tweet discussion stream (or add to it) by using the hash-tag #thinkPtbo.

Many great ideas were raised, and there are sure to be follow-up meets online and offline for #thinkPtbo.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

Grandmother Gets Head Shaved Outside Swiss Chalet In Honour Of Her Grandson's Cancer Fight

[YouTube]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

"The Berlin Blues" Kicks Off 20th Season Of 4th Line Theatre This Week

Rehearsal for "The Berlin Blues"

The 20th season of 4th Line Theatre begins tonight with a preview of The Berlin Blues, by Drew Hayden Taylor. The play officially opens this Thursday night (June 30th) and runs until July 23. Here's what it is about, according to the synopsis on the 4th Line Theatre website:

BUMPER CANOES! LASER BEAM DREAM CATCHERS! Dances With Wolves: The Musical! They're all part of the zany plan German developers hatch to build the world's largest Native theme park - "Ojibway World". Set in an Ontario First Nation's community, this funny and thought-provoking play offers a human take on the pros and cons of change and just how much one can or should give up to prosper.

Have a look at 4th Line's entire 2011 schedule and ticket pricing.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.