VIDEOS - Watch Guelph's Federal Election Candidates Speak

There's a rumour going around that the 2015 Federal Election is going to start this weekend. Actually, it's a bit more than a rumour. Sources on Parliament Hill are saying that Stephen Harper will be stopping by Rideau Hall on Sunday to ask him to dissolve Parliament, and begin an unprecedented, nearly 80-day campaign. Guelph's candidates will likely be ready to go. The four major party candidates have been in place for weeks now, and to get you a bit more familiar with there, here's some video (almost all of which I shot). 

EDITORIAL - Uber: Maybe Let's Chill Out Before We Act

Imagine if in 2007 every major newspaper in Canada, North America, and/or the world teamed up to sue Google. Why? Google had created a function by which you could read articles from any newspaper, anywhere, delivered right to your computer on any topic you wished and in the end you paid nothing for the privilege. It would be unfair and incorrect to lay the fall of newspapers at the feet of Google, but it would be disingenuous to say that free news from anywhere to anywhere, courtesy of Google, didn't help the situation.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION: Free Skate at Ward Skatepark Starts Next Week

Once again, the City is offering free skateboarding at the Ward Skatepark in the month of August (and the beginning of September). It's nothing quite like a permenant outdoor skatepark, but the gesture is nice, and as the kids enter month two of summer vacation, it will also mean a new regular activity for them to do.

PRESS RELEASE - Celebrate John Galt Day Next Weekend

It's that time of year! Time to celebrate that crazy visionary that took an empty piece of land in the southwestern end of Upper Canada, and turned it into the Royal City. It's John Galt Day next weeked, and the City of Guelph wants you to celebrate with some fun, family-friendly activities. 

Transit Will Now Let You Know Where You're Getting Off

If you've been on the bus lately, you will have noticed a new feature in the form of a bright LED sign at the front of a bus. Right this minute, all most of them do is announce when someone pushes the stop button, but over the next month, they will start calling out the stop, and thus make it easier to get around if you've never taken a particular bus route before.

Uber Has Landed in Guelph (and K-W and London)

Here's something interesting. A few months ago I pondered about the chances of Uber coming to the Royal City as the debate about its imminent arrival heated up just up the road in Kitchener-Waterloo, and wouldn't you know... A good friend tipped me off this morning, followed up quickly by a CBC report, and then an official press release from Uber itself this afternoon. Uber has landed in Guelph, and for the first couple of days it will be free.

Peter MacKay Coming to Give Kovach a Boost

Many observers said that by not running in his own race in Central Nova that Justice Minister Peter MacKay would have a lot of extra time to lend his name cache to other Conservative candidates in the 2015 race. In an announcement this morning, it seems that local Conservative candidate Gloria Kovach is going to be one of the recipients of MacKay's political star power.

PRESS RELEASE - Month-Long Wyndram Street Closure Begins Monday

A section of Wyndham Street between Carden and Fountain Streets will be closed off for a month starting Monday, and for once, the construction work involved has nothing to do with the railway bridge that's so often the subject of scorn involving tight-fitting transport trucks.

City By-Law Clamping Down on Unregistered Charity Donation Bins

It seems innocent enough, a colourful bin the parking lot or grounds of local business. Got gently used clothes that are taking up room in your closet? Well, drop them off and let some charity pick them up and give them to needy people elsewhere. Expect, while the clothes do usually get to needy people either elsewhere in Canada or in impoverished places around the world, there's actually a lot of money being made by the middle men between you and those being helped by your charity. Starting tomorrow, the City of Guelph is going to be doing something about that.

Robocalls: Klevering Loses Appeal, 2011 Results Stand

With just a few months to go before the 2015 Federal Election, the final battle of the last election finally ended with an appeals court affirming that the Guelph results of 2011 will not be overturned. Frank Valeriote will be allowed to serve out his term as Guelph MP for giving it up to his successor in October.

PRESS RELEASE - Guelph Getting Money to Study Enviro Impact of Coal Plant Site

There's a lot of lamentation in Guelph concerning parking downtown. So much so that no one really stops to wonder why some parking lots are placed where they are. Take, for example, the lot on Fountain Street across the rode from Guelph Police headquarters. Situated amongst many homes and businesses, it's a lone oasis of gravel and pavement that doesn't seem to service any particular business. True, it is now also home to Guelph's Greyhound bus terminal, but what if I told you that's because the property is too unsafe to have anything else, but a parking lot there?

Student Paper at U. of Waterloo Evicted from Office

So this story isn't quite local, or relevant, but with my background in student newspapers, it did speak to me. According to the Imprint, the University of Waterloo's student newspaper, they are being evicted from their space in the Student Life Centre by the Federation of Students board of directors. Without warning, and with apparently no cause, the Federation has decided that the Imprint will be moving to a smaller space on the first floor after nearly four decades in its current space.

South End Walmart: A Done Deal

For everyone looking forward to a second Walmart coming to Guelph - good news! - the project has taken one major step closer to becoming a reality.

Construction on Edinburgh North Begins Monday

Folks on Edinburgh North between Paisley and Wellington are going to be coping with some extra traffic headaches starting next week when construction begins on that stretch of road.