Monday, January 17, 2022

HELLO OTTAWA 

How are you spending this snow day?

Some businesses are taking the day off, dentists have cancelled appointments, and roads are closing, all thanks to the snowmaggedon of January 2022. How are you going to spend the day?

▪️Watch something new: We’ve seen everything worth bingeing on the usual streaming services, so what to do now? The NFB to the rescue! We recently signed up for a free account at the National Film Board of Canada, which allows us to watch homegrown and international documentaries, features, animation, and interactive films for free. A search on “Ottawa” yielded a series of documentaries about our town from the mid century. For sheer escapism we recommend “Nobody Waved Good-Bye”, an improvised feature from 1964 about disaffected Toronto teens rebelling against conformity. 

▪️Enjoy the outdoors - safely. Please drive carefully if you’re heading to the hills. Calabogie Peaks is open with a load of gorgeous new snow, but they’re advising low visibility. Mount Pakenham is closed all Mondays in January. Some lifts at Camp Fortune are closed today. 

▪️Donate to a cause: the Ottawa Humane Society is inviting us all to donate $5 in honour of the late, great actor and animal welfare advocate, Betty White. Just text BETTY to 45678 to donate $5 to help animals in need. 

▪️Enter a giveaway: Birds of North America is holding their annual Blue Monday Giveaway. Just visit their Instagram or Facebook feeds and comment on today’s post for a chance to win a $250 gift card. Think of the pretty dresses, skirts, jumpsuits, and tops you could choose. Winners announced tomorrow. 

▪️Shop the Winterruption Sale at Maker House. Stock up on tasty snacks for your self, or do some gift shopping for birthdays and other occasions throughout the year. How about a Mini Strawberry Plant Starter Kit ($3.95) for the gardener in your life, the Great Canadian Cottage Puzzle Book for rainy days by the lake ($16.95), and useful kitchen stuff like the Olive Wood Spoon from Olivewood Glory ($8.95 each).

Whatever you get up to, please stay warm and safe, dear readers. 

We'll see you tomorrow– Martha and Darren

⛷️ Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email to us at [email protected]. We read every single comment.

STATS

Weather: ⛄ Snow, at times heavy. High of -4°, low of -16°. 

Number: 4. The number of trails Faces magazine has found that are good for winter dog walking [Faces]

Ottawan of the Day:  Clayton. The eight year-old spotted a man who fell in deep snow and was being cover by the snowfall. He had his parents call 911. [CityNews]

Quote: ‘Ottawa is very beige, neutral, so I was quite surprised that there are more adventurous people. I thought no one would buy from me because I’m weird; it’s like a paintball was thrown on my rack. But some of the really weird clothing sells out pretty fast’ – Yuan Tan on the success of her Instagram vintage fashion shop, House of Curiosity. [Ottawa Citizen] 

Sports NHL Ottawa Senators 6 –  Edmonton Oilers 4, last Saturday
 

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Information is as of this morning. Changes are relative to Friday.
 

ONTARIO

Ontario COVID Page    Ontario Vaccine Rates 

QUEBEC

Quebec COVID Page     Quebec Vaccine Rates

OTTAWA

Ottawa Public Health     Ottawa Vaccination Rates.    Ottawa Wastewater 
 

OUTAOUAIS 

As of January 11, 2022 Updated Weekly

Outaouais Public Health    Quebec Vaccination Rates
 

EASTERN ONTARIO HEALTH UNIT

Information has not been updated since Friday

Eastern Ontario Health Unit  Eastern Ontario Health Unit Vaccination Rates

COVID-19 NEWS

⭕ Quebec is asking provincial bureaucrats to volunteer in hospitals due to stsaff shortsages. They would do things like disinfecting equipment, administrative tasks, and providing meals to patients. [Global]

⭕ The Treasury Board says that is up to each department to make a decision about continuing to work from home or to return to the office – the Board will not make an across-the-board mandate. [Ottawa Citizen]

⭕ Health Canada has approved Pfizer's antiviral treatment for people who have already caught COVID-19. Paxlovid appears to be 90 per cent effective at preventing hospitalization or death among higher risk patients.  [CityNews]
 

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

▪️Last week’s explosion at Eastway Tank, Pump and Meter on Merivale Road has attracted the attention of multiple agencies. Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Fire Service, the Ontario fire marshal, the Ministry of Labour, the coroner's office, and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority are all investigating. Six people are believed dead.  [CBC]

▪️Brigitte Cleroux, the fake nurse who scammed her way into jobs at an Ottawa fertility clinic and a dentist office has been found guilty of assault with a needle. Cleroux has been faking registration as a nurse for 30 years, and was caught out when a co-worker investigated her background last year. The Crown is asking for a ten year sentence. A hearing has not yet been scheduled. [Ottawa Citizen]

▪️Bruce Cockburn lends his voice to those who think it is assinine to build a new hospital on the Experimental Farm. Former Westboro resident Cockburn has thrown his lot in with Reimagine Ottawa. [Ottawa Citizen] [YouTube]

▪️Local residents used kayaks to save a woman who drove down the Rideau River near Old Mill Way in her car and sank. She's fine but she has been charged with dangerous driving. The car is now under the ice. [Ottawa Citizen]

+ Video of her driving down the ice [Twitter]

+ Picture of the driver taking a selfie [Twitter]

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