Alongside the many attractions over the past Labour Day long weekend, one has returned for yet another year, reaching a streak even surpassing the years since our country’s forming in 1867. The 179th annual Perth Fair took place from Thursday to Sunday, nestled in the namesake community not far from Ottawa but bringing together agricultural representatives, entertainers and visitors from all across Ontario and beyond, with president Dale Campbell saying that thousands attend the largely volunteer-run event on each open festival day. Fair director Jeannie Seguin said that the fair highlights the importance of farmers even in a day and age of grocery store convenience, and how the fair hopes to continue to spark the next generation of farmers in what is “going to be their life business.”
A single-vehicle crash in the early morning hours of Friday led to the car and its occupants being tossed into the waters of Mooney’s Bay. The crash involved a downed pole and the loss of power at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Walkley Road, where the incident took place. Occupants of a vehicle not far behind, who were known to the stranded vehicle’s passengers, and some bystanders who witnessed the crash sprang to action and called for help while beginning to reach the two men at sea. Emergency crews then arrived to tend to the rescued pair, who were released later that morning from the scene while police continued the investigation, with no cause for the crash yet released.
Typically, the end of August signals a decline in the presence of mosquitos, but this year has proven otherwise in Ottawa, as locals have noticed a sustained presence of the pesky pets heading into September and have kept their bug sprays handy. Experts have weighed in, citing the wet weather that the city has seen in large splashes as a significant contributor to the situation this year. Carleton University PhD candidate Marc Avramov noted that the increased opportunities for standing water to lay around this past summer have allowed certain mosquito breeds “that have a couple of cycles throughout the summer” to last longer under these “conditions to continually breed”. Insect repellent and related protective wear have seen higher demand this past season, but cases of West Nile virus often associated with mosquitos have remained relatively low in the same time period.
