Here Is A Picture A Reader Submitted Of Dark Clouds Over Sobeys This Evening

[photo submitted by Heather Bickle]

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Help Police Find The Man Who Head-Butted A 16-Year-Old Boy Riding His Bike Last Night

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

Assault
 
On September 3rd, 2011 at approximately 11:00 pm the 16 year old male victim was riding his bicycle southbound on Park St at London St when he nearly collided with a male pedestrian who ran out in front of him.  The cyclist continued on his way to the nearby convenience store.  When the cyclist returned northbound on Park St the same male was waiting with friends.  The male suspect approached the cyclist and "head-butted" him and then punched him in the forehead.  The cyclist dropped his bicycle and his purchase from the store and then fled on foot.
 
The suspect is described as:
 
Male, Caucasian, mid 20’s, short blonde hair with a "ski jump" at the front, approximately 6’2” – 6’3”, muscular build, stubble facial hair.  Wearing a dark colour hoodie, baggy shorts, and sandals.
 
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 705-876-1122 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

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Someone Broke Into Zoo's Train Station & Stole Cash Box Yesterday While Train Was Taking Families For Ride

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


Break & Enter

On September 3rd, 2011 at approximately 5:20 pm a break and enter occurred at the Riverview Park and Zoo's train station.  The break-in occurred after the train operator left the station, sometime during the 10 minute trip an unknown suspect forced open the locked door and stole a cash box, containing money from the days sales and a number of unused train tickets.
 
The total value of currency stolen will not be released but it is less than $5000.00 in the event of a suspect being identified and charges being laid.
 
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 705-876-1122 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

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Check Out This Awesome New Community Biking Poster

Jeffrey Macklin, a regular contributor to PtboCanada and talented artist, just released this new letterpress poster "Get To Know Your Community—Ride A Bike". Very cool. And so true. You can order it here.

[Etsy: Get To Know Your Community—Ride A Bike]

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This Isn't Just A Long Weekend, It's Also A Reusable Exchange Weekend

A nice collection of dressers on Princess Street

It is another Reusable Exchange weekend this weekend here in Peterborough. Set items you want to give away at the curb and if they aren't gone by Monday, don't forget to bring them back inside. There is expected to be a fair bit of rain this weekend, so start hunting early!

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Does Peterborough Need A Town Hall Meeting To Address Safety In The Community?

No doubt Peterborough is an amazing city in many many ways as we trumpet all the time here. We live in one of the greatest cities anywhere. But this post isn't about that great stuff. It's about the growing concerns many in the community have about unemployment, drugs (and more drugs), break and enters, robberies, domestics, and safety in the downtown (Exhibit A: man holds knife to a person's throat; Exhibit B: bloodied man with an axe).

Three people have been murdered in the city already this year—the latest earlier this week—and well, people are talking about this stuff and what can be done. Sure there is often a correlation between unemployment and crime, but still, people want answers about what can be done about it and safety in the community.

Cameras downtown and care meters and such are all good to a certain extent, but they are also bandaids. There has to be more effective ways for us to stand up and look after our community, and have each other's backs so to speak. If you allow all these things to fester, they don't just magically go away.

We raised the question on Twitter earlier this week about whether the Mayor's office should consider organizing a Town Hall meeting to bring the police chief, politicians and other community leaders together in one space to create a public forum for citizens to air their concerns, and to hear what our leaders have to say. Do it at the Memorial Centre, do it at the Venue, do it at Trentwinds—just find a space and try it. What's the harm? As one person on Twitter suggested, "The only way to effect change is through action. If the powers that be don't hear people's voices, we'll have more of the same."

Now we asked Mayor Bennett about the idea of a Town Hall meeting and here's what he had to say: "Thanks for the suggestion. The items that you have listed are some of the concerns that the City and Councillors address on a daily basis, and we have a public Committee process in place that is intended to engage people who are concerned about them. My suggestion is to direct concerns to your local Councillors so that they can assist by bringing the questions forward; contact the City Clerk so that you or a group of people can make a presentation to Council; and to take advantage of the currency of the Provincial election to compel some accountability for the many responsibilities that fall within the provincial jurisdiction. If my office can be of help in making any or all of these happen, just let me know."

So is that enough? Can they be doing more? Can we be doing more? What do you think about this notion of a Town Hall meeting? Or is this all being overblown and the same stuff happens in any community?

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Man Arrested After Holding Knife To A Person's Throat Downtown

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

Man with Knife Arrested:
 
During the early morning hours of the 2nd of September 2011 Peterborough Lakefield Police responded to the corner of Charlotte and George Street regarding a male with a knife.  The accused began an argument with a group of pedestrians on the corner of Charlotte and George.  The argument escalated when the accused pulled a 4 inch bladed knife from his pocket and held it to the victims throat.  The accused was distracted by another pedestrian allowing the victim to alert police.  Upon arrest police located the knife and stolen identification on the accused.  As a result of the charges the accused was breaching two probation orders by not keeping the peace and being of good behaviour.  Arrested is  21 year old Jake Coppoway of Curve Lake.  Coppoway has been held for court on the 2nd of September on the charges of Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, Carrying Concealed Weapon, Utter Threat to Cause Death or Bodily Harm, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000, and two charges of Breaching Probation.

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Dude Makes A Funny Missing Poster After His Bassoon Is Stolen

[UPDATE: OK, it seems that bassoon thing is a joke that has made its way around the interwebs and there really is no dude in Peterborough looking for his bassoon. Still, there is some local dude who put it up here so it's funny nonetheless. We are not sure what phone number that will take you to.]

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Yeah, we had to Wikipedia it, too.

[via Kawartha Fresh]

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Watch The Fastest Bike Ride Ever Through Peterborough

Also, way to bring that funky music.

[YouTube]

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Rural Routes Is Moving West To East

The Peterborough Co-Op Rural Routes (861 Lansdowne Street West) is having a moving sale and moving to Lansdowne Street East by Harley Davidson later this month.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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