Asian carp (video), Cop Camp, CKHA, wetlands support

Morning ~~Coffee~~ Slice – By Aaron Hall

Weather forecast for Monday, July 24, 2017

Today – Increasing cloudiness early this morning. Wind becoming north 20 km/h near noon. High 23. Humidex 27. UV index 7 or high.

Tonight – Clearing this evening. Wind north 20 km/h becoming light late this evening. Low 13.

CKPS and OPP team up for ‘Cop Camp’

The Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS), in partnership with Chatham-Kent Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will be hosting Cop Camp 2017 for youth ages 12-13 years-old during the week of July 24-28, 2017.

Cop Camp will motivate young people to be outstanding citizens through law enforcement education. Targeting students before high school, this program is a police academy for young people. Our children are the community leaders of tomorrow. We wish to instill an appreciation and respect for law enforcement and their role in society.

Participants in Cop Camp get an up-close look at life as a police officer.

Starting on Monday, July 24, 2017 the youth will be sworn-in as honorary constables during a swearing in ceremony which will take place at the Chatham Courthouse.

Cop Camp will include presentations by, and on:

– Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT)

– Canine Unit

– Traffic Services and Safety

– Crime Scene Management

– Community Patrol

Graduation will take place at Tecumseh Park on Friday, July 28, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.

Thanks to community sponsors we were able to provide the camp at no cost to parents. The camp will run daily from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support. They include:

– Ridge Landfill Community Trust

– TekSavvy

– Chatham Towing

– Subway

– Tim Horton’s

– Optimist Club of Chatham

– Real Canadian Superstore

– Sobeys

– BRR Logistics

– Children’s Safety Village

CKHA 60-day updates resuming in the fall

To support transparent and open communication in regards to CKHA’s organizational transformation, informal media updates with CKHA leadership will resume in the fall.

CKHA is committed to continuing an open format for discussion with local media through these informal updates.

The next update will take place in September with a date to be decided.

Conserving Wetlands to Help Fight Climate Change

Ontario is strengthening the protection and increasing the rate of wetland recovery across the province.

Provincial officials say wetlands are an essential component of Ontario’s biodiversity and are vital in mitigating the impacts of climate change by lowering the risk of flooding and drought, preventing erosion and moderating climate extremes. These diverse and productive habitats have many economic and health benefits, including improving water quality and offering excellent recreation and tourism destinations.

Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Kathryn McGarry met with wetland conservation partners last week to speak about Ontario’s Wetland Conservation Strategy.

“Halting wetland loss requires coordinated efforts and a clear plan of action and that’s exactly what this strategy provides,” McGarry said in a press release.

“By partnering with Ducks Unlimited Canada we are creating a partnership that will allow us to leverage expert advice while achieving the targets and actions laid out in this strategy.”

This new partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada will see the group chair a new committee comprised of environmental groups, industry, conservation authorities and indigenous representatives.

As part of this partnership Ducks Unlimited Canada will also rehabilitate and improve wetland systems throughout southern Ontario, including important coastal wetlands.

Conserving Ontario’s wetlands and fighting climate change is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

More details:

– The province is providing $1.9 million to Ducks Unlimited Canada to restore wetlands in southern Ontario.

Wetlands act as natural infrastructure, producing at least $14 billion in economic benefits each year for people in Ontario.

– Wetlands are areas that have been saturated with water long enough for the soil to become waterlogged. This allows water-loving or water-tolerant plants to grow and thrive, thus contributing to the health of our biodiversity.

– Wetland conservation includes protection, restoration, management and stewardship.

~~Photo~~ Video of the day – Asian Carp

Why should you be worried about Asian Carp? Some Grade 1 and Grade 2 students from P. E. McGibbon School in Sarnia researched, wrote and directed a two-minute video about the invasive species and how they threaten the Great Lakes.

Teachers Chantima Oliveira and Greg Van Bunderen helped provide direction.

Check out this story about it by the Sarnia Journal: Students find way to spread the word on invasive Asian carp

Also, check out the video below: