CJRO Radio News - February 16th, 2026

Hello! This is Manuela Dascal and you are listening to the CJRO Radio local news.

The 5th edition of the Local Flavours Rendez-Vous will take place Saturday,  February 21st, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Camille Piché Community Centre (8 Blais Street, Embrun). 

This annual event brings together local residents for a tasting experience featuring regional beer, wine, and food, and has welcomed an average of 500 attendees each year. In addition to promoting local businesses and their products, this event also supports a community project—the installation of exterior signage that will allow local non-profits to advertise starting in 2027.

The event is +19 and the dress code is casual attire. Beach-inspired looks are welcome, but please no swimsuits.

Local Local Flavours Rendez-Vous is made possible with support from the Regional Community Investment Fund of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, Desjardins, Oligo Builders Inc., Chez Lili Party Rentals, Bertrand Plumbing, Lavoie Design, Impressions, Russell Lions Club, Laplante Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram auto dealer, Russell Foodland, LexiBooth.

Pre-sale tickets end Feb 19 and cost $20 until February 17, then $25 at the door. Quantities are limited, so don’t wait! For more details including vendor list go to www.russell.ca/LocalFlavours .

The community of Vars will be celebrating the winter Carnival on February 22nd, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Alcide Trudeau Parc. The evening before, on February 21st, the community is invited to attend a family Bingo Night that will take place at the St. Guillaume School. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. , and the game will start at 6 p.m. .

Casselman Municipality is inviting its residents to participate in a public survey to gather their opinions, needs, and priorities for the future of  their community. Their responses will help guide municipal planning and improve services for residents. Whether it's housing, recreation, development, or quality of life, your voice matters. The survey only takes a few minutes to complete.

The deadline to participate is February 28, 2026. You can access the survey on the Casselman Municipality webpage. 

Russell Township Municipality Public Safety and Enforcement officers are recognizing local youth for helpful actions, positive behaviour, and acts of kindness. Each “positive ticket” comes with a gift card to a local business as a thank you for being a great role model. If  you know someone 16 or under who is spreading positivity send a message to bylaws.reglements@russell.ca .

On Saturday, March 7,  the Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club is offering children ages 2 and up the opportunity to paint an Easter decoration (either a bunny or a chick). For toddlers up to age 5, the session will take place in the morning from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., while the second session for children ages 6 and up will take place in the afternoon from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

You must register your child before February 27th at cluboptimistecarlsbad@gmail.com and clearly indicate the child's name, age, and session.  Please note that parental participation is required for children under 3 years old. If you have two children and one is older, you can register them for the first session, but not the other way around.

Saturday, February 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. celebrate Black History Month with a special storytime and craft at the Russell branch of  Russell library! Berylla, a Russell resident, will read engaging stories that highlight Black history and culture, followed by a hands-on craft inspired by the theme. 

The storytime is open to all ages. Please note that registration is required for the craft portion for children ages 5 to 9. For more information and how to register go to russellbiblio.com . 

That wraps up our local news. If you have any questions, stories or news to share, contact us at the following email address localnewscjro@gmail.com  . I also invite you to visit our website at cjroradio.com    for the latest news.