Tragedy and triumph – 2021 had it all.
And we are offering a glimpse of what took place.
A glimpse we say, because not everything is here.
From peaceful sunsets to starry nights 2021 had it all.
Heroism to heartache we remember.
As much as we tried to get back on track, COVID still haunts us.
Who knows what 2022 will bring.
But we promise our readers we will try to be there.
We will do our best to inform the community and to ask the questions.
We pride ourselves on it.
During our few years in operation since the daily paper closed we’ve tried our best to be the best in bringing the news to you.
We aren’t perfect. Never claimed to be and never will be.
Todays Northumberland is accountable. In covering stories it goes without question there will be people who hate what is written. That’s just the way news is. If anyone has a question we will always be available.
Our team including Cecilia Nasmith, Jeff Gard and Gail Foster are second to none in this community in what they do. Their passion is community journalism.
We are all proud of what we do for the community we love. For the community where we live.
To our advertisers, thank you for trusting us, and thank you for supporting local journalism.
Today’s Northumberland wouldn’t exist without you.
To our readers, to our supporters you, are, everything.
Communication and trust is something we don’t take lightly.
To everyone who has reached out in anyway from tips to critiquing. – thank you.
Our community has its differences. This pandemic has torn us apart and brought us together.
When it first started out I said look for those things that make you smile and keep them going.
Family, friends, the setting sun and those starry nights.
We WILL get through this together.
Now. These are brief descriptions of the photos in order.
The sun setting on Lake Ontario south of Grafton
A few hours later, a starry clear night over Grafton
On January 3, Cobourg Police investigated vandalism done to the Afghanistan Memorial on D’Arcy Street. Police are still looking for the culprit/s.
A historic day as a sea of orange took over Alderville on July 1, 2021.as the community and more, many more came out to support all First Nations communities reeling from the discovery of unmarked graves across Canada.
A barn was destroyed by fire on August 10 in Cramahe Township. Lighting may have caused the blaze.
After 95 years being owned by the same family, Beebe’s Shoe Store closed in Cobourg on December 18.
Great times on Rice Lake just off Bewdley on February 20 as friends got together for hockey and nearby a person gets lifted off the ground while kite skiing.
A Port Hope firefighters gets ready to extinguish a brush fire on Highway 401 eastbound near Cobourg on March 21.
One of the stranger sites of the year and one we hopefully will not become a regular occurrence is the emergency department being closed at Campbellford Memorial Hospital on December 24 and early into Christmas.
Family Day at the Castleton Sports Fields on Family Day, February 15 playing Crokincurl.
Members of the Coast Guard came to the rescue after a catamaran flipped over on Lake Ontario, just south of Grafton on August 14.
Director of Music for the Concert Band of Cobourg, Paul Storms gives a thumbs up as a bit of normalcy takes place as the band plays one concert on Tuesday, August 31. The band typically plays every Tuesday throughout the summer, but COVID stopped that. Thankfully the band got in one concert for the appreciative audience.
A bit of a different scenario for emergency services on June 3 as they had to deal with a barrel of corrosive liquid that fell out of the back of a truck that had just made a delivery.
The truck driver didn’t notice the barrel had fallen out until he got to his next destination. He re-traced his route and came upon emergency services along the road with the barrel. Thankfully the barrel didn’t leak or break open.
Emergency services did their best in rescuing a deer that had washed in on Cobourg beach on May 28. The deer was taken to a animal centre, but unfortunately died shortly after.
Cobourg Police dealing with vandalized election signs on William Street on August 20.
Star of Murdoch Mysteries, Yannick Bisson was in Cobourg on August 29 for the launch of a film festival.
MPP David Piccini goes floating down the Ganaraska River in Port Hope along with several others on August 1.
Port Hope Police seized numerous firearms on March 4.
A Toronto man took fishing to another level with his rod on September 27.. The man was charged shortly after with public intox and assault police.
A group of volunteers who clean up the Highway of Heroes pose for a photo in Toronto on April 2.
A home under renovation was destroyed by fire in Alnwick/Haldimand Township on September 20.
A father and son from Brighton caught a whopper of a salmon weighing 42.86 pounds on June 23. They later won the Silver Salmon Challenge winning $100,000.
A transformer hangs by a wire over Coverdale Avenue in Cobourg on January 12 after a garbage truck backing up struck a pole. There were no injuries.
A perfect rainbow appears over Chris Garrett Memorial Park in Cobourg on August 16.
Cobourg unveiled the seven feathers crosswalk on September 30 with over 100 people in attendance. The crosswalk was a symbolic gesture towards reconciliation. Unfortunately the paint didn’t adhere to the pavement and the crosswalk was removed days later.
A Siberian tiger relaxes at Jungle Cat World on June 23.
Lighting over Cobourg on August 29.
A Alnwick/Haldimand Township firefighter waits for water at a fire at the Material Recovery Facility just north of Highway 401 on May 28.
The area around a vehicle at the Brighton OPP Detachment that had a mortar in it was evacuated
until the situation was dealt with on February 12.
A multi-vehicle pile-up on Highway 401 eastbound at Port Hope on September 23 nearly put this big rig over the embankment near the Ganaraska River. Luckily there were no serious injuries.
The driver of a cement truck is removed from the wreckage after being trapped for over an hour when the vehicle rolled back, into a ditch, tipping on its side on July 5. The driver was airlifted to a Toronto trauma centre.
A snow owl flies along the shoreline in Cobourg on February 9.
There were a few one-liners floating around when Cobourg Police came to the rescue of an abandoned pig on June 6.
Tense moments as Port Hope Fire and Emergency Services dealt with several rail cars carrying hundreds of railroad ties were on fire on August 4.
Premier Doug Ford visited the mass vaccination centre at the Cobourg Community Centre on March 15.
A Cobourg Police officer does his best to give a protestor a ticket in front of Victoria Hall on April 4. Since the pandemic began protestors are out front of Victoria Hall every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.
Hundreds of pumpkins lined up for The Pumpkin Parade on Lent’s Lane in Port Hope on November 1.
One of the stranger incidents during 2021 was when several people were placed in handcuffs, numerous agencies were involved and hundreds if not more marijuana plants were seized and taken away in dumptrucks from at least two locations including the one in the photo north of Highway 401 in Cramahe Township and another in Port Hope, but the RCMP who lead the investigation refused to say anything and have yet to say anything about charges or what the investigation involved.
A bit of normalcy took place as the annual Remembrance Day ceremony took place in Cobourg. Cobourg Police also held a ceremony at the grave of Canadian Military Chaplain John Foote who earned a Victoria Cross for his heroic actions during World War II.
A car mounted a sidewalk, collided with a tree and flipped over on University Avenue in Cobourg on September 10. The driver was taken to hospital, but wasn’t seriously injuried.
The Special Investigations Unit was called in after OPP officers shot a man armed with a baseball bat and used a vehicle as a weapon on April 6. The 43-year-old died as a result of his injuries. SIU cleared the officers of their actions later in the year.
The operator of a skateboard was airlifted to a Toronto trauma centre on October 5 after he was struck by a truck on County Road 28 near Bewdley.
The Golden Rooster restaurant in Colborne was enveloped in flames when firefighters arrived on scene on June 30. Investigators with the Fire Marshals Office sifted through debris for days trying to determine a cause.
A man was charged with impaired driving after OPP officers pulled him over on Highway 401 driving a fully loaded truck full of flammable liquid on June 6.
A Port Hope man showed his patriotism on June 30 at the west beach creating a display complete with Canadian flags.
Theodore Too sailed by Cobourg on July 14 on way to its new home after leaving Halifax.
Cobourg firefighters attack the trailer of a transport that caught on fire on August 20.
Cramahe Township firefighters arrived to find a fully engulfed cab on fire on June 15 in the westbound lanes of Highway 401 by Colborne. There were no injuries.
In the span of three weeks to transport trucks struck the CP bridge in Cobourg becoming stuck. The second in the photo was on November 18 and peeled the roof off.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Cobourg on August 16 to help local federal candidate Alison Lester with her campaign. Along with supporters there were many in the crowd who weren’t.
A van backed through a wall in Cobourg on September 11. There were no injuries.
With the beach being open this summer, at times it seemed like other years when it was packed like on this day on August 2.
A emotional vigil for Spencer Devine was held by the viaduct on Mill Street on October 6 in Port Hope. Devine died when he fell from the bridge. His mother spoke with Today’s Northumberland stating her son had sought out help by medical professionals to no avail.
Beautiful colours of the sky by the Cobourg water town on December 20.
Kathryn McHolm cleans the Wesleyville Church on April 5 shortly after the investigation wrapped up into the fire which is believed to have been deliberately started.
A wolf moon appears over Rice Lake near Gores Landing on January 28.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
