Morning Coffee – By Aaron Hall
Weather forecast for Thursday, July 20, 2017
Today – Increasing cloudiness then 60 percent chance of showers late this morning and early this afternoon. Clearing this afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm late this morning and early this afternoon.
Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 late this morning then light this afternoon. High 30. Humidex 40. UV index 7 or high.
Tonight – Clear. Low 18.
Book launch tonight in Wallaceburg
Wallaceburg’s John and Becca Gardiner have teamed up to produce a brand new “literary collection”, which has recently hit bookshelves online across Canada and the United States.
The father and daughter duo, John with the words and Becca with the illustrations, worked together to create Memories For Sale: Tales From A Small Town.
A launch is scheduled to take place at James Street Eatery in downtown Wallaceburg tonight, Thursday, July 20 between 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
People will have the opportunity to meet both Becca and John, enjoy some food, purchase a signed copy of the book or a t-shirt, view the original art work for the book and listen to some music and readings from the book as well.
Read our full story, here: Wallaceburg father & daughter duo team up for new book
Statement from Minister of Energy on Hydro One acquisition
Glenn Thibeault, Minister of Energy, issued the following statement on Wednesday in response to Hydro One’s announcement that the utility has agreed to acquire Avista, a utility company in the northwest United States:
“Ontario is pleased to see today’s announcement of the proposed acquisition of Avista by Hydro One, as it is expected to deliver clear benefits for the company’s customers, employees and shareholders – including the people of Ontario, given the government’s position as the single largest shareholder in Hydro One.
In particular, we welcome the fact that this proposed acquisition will not impact the rates that Ontario customers pay. Neither will it have any impact on local jobs.
As the single largest shareholder in Hydro One, the Ontario government would benefit from the company’s receipt of additional regulated returns expected to begin in 2019. Those benefits will be above and beyond the proceeds already attributed to the Ontario Trillium Trust as a result of the IPO and subsequent secondary offerings.
The potential for transactions of this sort was always considered and communicated as part of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets. In fact, one of the benefits of broadening the ownership of Hydro One was to unlock the potential for precisely this sort of transaction.
Similar acquisitions are increasingly common practice for Canadian-owned utilities, including Newfoundland and Labrador-based Fortis’ purchase of Michigan-based ITC and Edmonton-based EPCOR Utilities’ purchase of two U.S. water utilities. It is to the shared benefit of Hydro One’s customers, employees and shareholders to see the company strengthened and growing. Our government’s legislation that enabled the broadening of ownership of Hydro One and strengthened the Ontario Energy Board’s regulatory process protects the interests of Ontario ratepayers.
While Ontario ratepayers will not be directly impacted by today’s announcement, our government’s Fair Hydro Plan, which came fully into effect on July 1, 2017 has lowered electricity bills by 25 per cent on average for all residential customers and as many as half a million small businesses and farms. Our plan also holds any increases in electricity bills to the rate of inflation for four years.”
Dresden Rotary Summer Concert Series continues tonight
The Rotary Summer Concert Series continues on Thursday evening in Dresden.
A barbecue starts at 6 p.m. and the entertainment runs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Mark and Kimberley Reid will be providing entertainment this evening.
Here is a list of the entertainment throughout the summer:
Photo of the day
Four residents of Chatham-Kent were honoured by Molson Canadian for their contributions to community building.
The winners are among only 1,500 people across Canada being honoured by Molson as part of Canada 150 celebrations.
Left to right are Molson representatives Matt Zelko and Katy Webb, acting mayor Jeff Wesley, councillor Steve Pinsonneault and award recipients Cindy Brewer, Carolyn Powers, Karen Kirkwood-Whyte and Dave Babbitt.
Cindy was nominated as long-time organizer of the Dresden Terry Fox Run, Carolyn for scores of projects undertaken by the Thamesville Sertoma Club, Karen as the Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of Chatham-Kent and Dave as the driving force behind the Wallaceburg Concert Band.
World news
John McCain diagnosed with brain cancer
The world has a major plastic problem
Trump ends covert program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria, report says
Grenfell Tower fire survivors hit out at new council leader
Firefighters land in BC as state of emergency is extended
The journey of a fake girlfriend
Helicopter carrying WWE’s Shane McMahon makes emergency landing
Nine-year-old boy’s fossil find is every kid’s dream
If you have a suggestion, story idea, column idea, or if you want to say hello… drop me an e-mail at aaron@sydenhamcurrent.ca.
