Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

water conditions

Swimming still not recommended at Ottawa beaches due to poor water conditions

Swimming still not recommended at Ottawa beaches due to poor water conditions

Ottawa Public Health announced Tuesday that swimming was still not recommended at the city’s four public beaches due to rainfall. Water conditions frequently decline after major storm activities, as occurred over the weekend. Water samples collected at the beaches continue to show elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. The counts remain Britannia Beach samples continued to be highest, while Mooney’s Bay, Petrie Island East Bay and Petrie Island River beaches, remained above recommended levels. Westboro Beach is closed for the year for renovation work.

Male loons are getting smaller, raising concern over the health of North American lakes

Male loons are getting smaller, raising concern over the health of North American lakes

The loons will soon be back, and the past year has brought startling scientific research that shows our best loved bird is not always what you thought it was. Walter Piper of Chapman University in California is the continent’s top researcher in loons and their behaviour. He tracks loons on hundreds of lakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota — similar, he says, to central Ontario, which he also knows. And he has found a problem.

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