CJRO News: March 10 to March 24, 2025

Hello bonjour and welcome to CJRO News on CJRO Radio. I'm Candice Vetter reporting from Embrun.

George Darouze won the Carleton Riding in the provincial election February 25. Now the City of Ottawa Council has decided to hold a by-election to replace Darouze who sat as a City Councillor for the Osgoode Ward for over 10 years. His seat will be officially declared vacant on March 25. The City Clerk’s office said election day would occur 75 to 105 days after the declaration, with a summer election expected. Neighbouring councillors Catherine Kitts and David Brown will represent the ward from March 25 until a new councillor is elected. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told media that the residents of Osgoode, deserve to have a voice in the decision. Council had the option of appointing someone for the remaining 18-month term.

In Glengarry Prescott Russell PC incumbent Stephane Sarrazin won over 51% with over 24,000 votes. Second place candidate, Liberal Trevor Stewart took a respectable 17,700 votes.

Ottawa City Council is also launching a Living Snow Fences pilot project. The City’s notice said, “Drivers are no strangers to blowing and drifting snow, especially on rural roads. Winter winds can push deep snowdrifts from open fields onto roads and highways, creating hazardous driving conditions. This is also a challenge for the City: plows can’t keep up during windy conditions, and temporary slat fencing is time consuming and expensive to install.” The City and Rideau Valley Conservation will pay three farmers $700 per acre per year, to participate with the installation of rows of trees or shrubs to create a natural wind barrier. They will also receive free site visits, planting, survival assessments, refill planting, and maintenance for five years. If successful the pilot will likely be expanded.

The downstairs lounge at the Russell Legion has reopened. It has been closed due to renovations needed after a fire in May of 2022. No Legion membership is required to visit the lounge. The Legion is seeking players for a new shuffleboard league.

The Russell Township Council Chambers will host a public information session about the Transportation Master Plan Update for Russell Township on Tuesday, March 18 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The plan includes new roads in the 417 Industrial Park, the expansion of which is opposed by directly affected residents.

In Casselman a public meeting is being held regarding the annexation of part of La Nation Municipality by the Town of Casselman, and the expected expropriation of 113 hectares of farmland. The land would be used for an expansion of the water treatment facility in Casselman. The meeting will be March 20, 2025, at 6 p.m., at the Deguire Community Hall of the J.R. Brisson Complex, in Casselman. The land in question Part of Lots 7 and 8, Concession 6, Municipality of The Nation, County of Russell.

March it on Out is the annual rummage sale held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Russell. This year’s event is March 22. The sale is a way to declutter, provide items in good condition to others, and to keep those items from the landfill. It was started by the Russell and District Horticultural Society as a response to reducing waste after a mega-landfill in North Russell’s Quarry Lake in 2010 was proposed by Taggart Miller. For more information see https://russellgardeners.ca.

CJRO reports on the local news that matters, so send tips to newscjro@gmail.com by Monday mornings. Listen to the news and Local First on cjroradio.com anytime or on the Tune In or Radio Player Canada apps, the Radio App, Apple Music, iHeart Radio, or at FrequencyNews.ca. I'm Candice Vetter for CJRO and the Local Journalism Initiative. CJRO FM, last on the dial and first for local news.