Issuu

March 9, 2017 Vol. 17, No. 09

Yourway

South Frontenac Rental Centre

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Smith makes it through to round of 32

5 readers reported the case to police

OPP confirms classified ad in the News was placed by scam artists by Jeff Green n February 16, a classified ad appeared in the Frontenac News that police confirmed this week is an attempt to scam those who answered it. Under Help Wanted, the ad offered $20 an hour for caregivers willing to work 4 – 5 days a week caring for a women with dementia. Applicants were asked to reply via email. The ad was supposed to run for four weeks, but a couple of days after the paper came out we started hearing from readers who said that when they responded they were immediately offered a job and told they would receive a cheque for $400 as an advance payment. Further, they were told the family was moving to the area and would need to furnish a house so they were going to receive a $3,250 cheque and were supposed to write a $2,850 cheque to a third party who was going to use it to pay to set up the house. We contacted the local OPP detachment, who began an investigation. Our advice to everyone who contacted us, even one person who said they were not suspicious at all, was to make sure not to share any personal or electronic information no matter what transpired. When we ran the credit card number for the ad, itv was not only refused but was flagged as a potentially stolen card. We pulled the ad, and posted a warning on our website instead. The warning was seen by a monthly paper in Ottawa that had also run the ad and they inquired about it and said another monthly in Ottawa had also run it. Subsequently some of the people who responded to the ad have received cheques, via Fedex, for $3,250 dollars issued by a bank in British Columbia. To our knowledge none of the cheques have cleared. OPP officers from the Frontenac detachment visited our office this week and confirmed that the whole thing is a scam. They speculate that the next phase of the scam is set to take place when the cheques don’t clear, when the company will say there was a problem with the funds and will ask for the victims bank account number in order to transfer the $3,250 right away. Once they have the account number they will have an in to the victim’s finances, line of credit, etc. OPP are continuing to investigate. All of this is taking place during the month of March, which the OPP has designated as “fraud prevention month”. An OPP release this week talks about some of the fraud activity that they have been dealing with on an ongoing basis. “Fraud-related crimes take a destructive toll on victims while amassing millions of dollars to further criminal enterprises,” the release says. “Sadly, 95 per cent of fraud victims never report the crime to police. Regardless of age, gender and location, everyone can take basic steps to better protect themselves from becoming victims of fraud. Some basic tips include never giving out personal or financial information at the door, over the phone, by e-mail or through social media, or on to unsecured retail or dating websites.” Fraud prevention is the topic at two South Frontenac Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) lunch meetings this month. One of them took place on March 10 in Storrington and the second is set for March 24 at the Grace Centre in Sydenham.

See page 6 and 7 for profiles of Women in business to mark March 8th

by Craig Bakay nd then there were 32. From the initial round of about 4,000 applicants for the Canadian Astronaut Recruitment program, Harrowsmith’s Andrew Smith has moved on to the next round of 32 remaining applicants. Two candidates will be selected to relocate to Houston, Texas, to begin basic astronaut training at the NASA’s Johnson Space Center in August. “I am honoured to be selected out of such a distinguished group of individuals and am excited to be moving forward in this process,” Smith said. “I’m overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I’ve received from so many people. “I would like to thank everyone who have taken the time to send words of encouragement.” Smith said candidates haven’t been told if there will be further cuts before the final two are selected. “The details of the selection process are not disclosed to candidates,” he said. “I know that there will be further evaluation which will ultimately lead to a selection of two candidates in June.”

International Women's Week

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Students from the School to Community class at Granite Ridge Education Centre (GREC) in Sharbot Lake posing in front of a Spread the Word to End the Word poster that was signed by Granite Ridge students and staff.

Spreading the word at GREC by Jeff Green he School to Community students at GREC encouraged their peers to take the pledge to Spread the Word to End the Word on Wednesday, March 1st. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as support staff, office staff and classroom teachers participated in the event and promised to refrain from using the R-word from now on. The awareness campaign is supported by the r-word.org website which includes personal stories from people who have been impacted by the use of the R-word, a word that symbolises the barriers to inclusion and full participation in community life for those who are subjected to it.

“In my opinion, the r-word creates a divide among students; it's exclusive, offensive and derogatory. The word is old and misused daily both as a harmless one-liner or a pointed attempt at bullying. The students in the School to Community program at GREC are not the only ones who hear this word from time to time, but it is these students who want to take a stand against it from here on out,” said Kendra DeRooy, school to community class teacher at GREC. GREC students are all being encouraged to take the pledge, either by signing an actual pledge at www.r-word.org or in some other way as part of ongoing efforts to make the school a safe and inclusive place for all members of the school community.

Perth Road Firehall to go to tender by Craig Bakay

outh Frontenac Council gave the approval to have drawings made up and call for tenders on the new Perth Road Firehall at its regular meeting Tuesday night in Sydenham. Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth told Council that the architect’s estimate to build the structure was $1.4 million but added: “I’ve talked to a couple of local contractors who say they can do it for less. “My own feeling is that when it goes out to tender, it won’t be that much.” As the design now sits, it includes three in-and-out bays, and a meeting room for 30 people. Segsworth said he’d like to see an accessible washroom added to the design because firehalls tend to get used for public meetings and gatherings. There were those on Council, like Coun. Alan Revill, who advocated for sending the design back to committee to see what could be cut out. “It’s far more cost-effective to look at cost cutting measures at this stage rather than

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after it goes to tender,” he said. Coun. John McDougall also preferred taking another look. “I think it’s unlikely local contractors would come in $.4 million less,” he said. Some, like Coun. Ron Sleeth just wanted to get the price down. “Are we setting a precedent here spending so much on a hall that doesn’t get as many calls as busier ones like Sydenham?” Sleeth said. But much of Council was ready to put it out to tender and see what happens. Mayor Ron Vandewal reminded Council that they had gone to look at firehalls that came in under $1 million. “I’m not comfortable with anything over $1 million,” Vandewal said. “And I don’t think it will go over that.” “There’s not a lot out there right now for local contractors to bid on,” said Dep. Mayor Norm Roberts. “And I don’t want to go over $1 million either.”