CJRO Radio News - May 8th, 2026

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

This weekend The Kin Club of Russell invites the community to the annual Poutmasters Fishing Derby Event. Registered participants will have a chance to fish for mud pout along the Castor River. Registration is online only and it ends on May 8th, at 8:00 p.m. 

This event is possible due to the generous contributions from local businesses. Participants will have the opportunity to win great prizes from a canoe, kayak, bicycles, fishing rods, tackle boxes, camping equipment, and games. Everyone that catches a mud pout will win a prize. For more information about this event check out the Kin Club of Russell webpage or listen to “Local First” for an interview with Sheila Peckford.

The Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club's recreational soccer season begins Monday, May 11th at 6:30 p.m. at Ludger Landry Park for a period of 7 weeks.  

Registration will take place at the first game. Véronique Trudel is still looking for volunteers to complete the coaching group. If you know any teenagers looking to complete their volunteer hours, this is the perfect opportunity to accumulate more hours.  Please contact Véronique Trudel, the activity organizer.  

Among all the wonderful activities for children, the Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club does a yearly fundraising for CHEO. On Saturday, May 2nd, several of the Club Optimist members volunteered at two different intersections in the village of Carlsbad Springs to raise money for CHEO’s childhood cancer research campaign.  The Club members are deeply moved by the generosity of the local community, as they raised a total of $5,475.  This includes online donations, contributions made via Tip-Tap machines, and cash collected on the day of the event.  They will present the check to CHEO in the near future. A huge thank you to everyone for their support!

Photos by the Carlsbad Springs Community Association

On May 2nd,  the Carlsbad Springs Community Association distributed 700 trees to the Carlsbad Springs community members. The Association is grateful to the volunteers who helped with handing out the trees, and to the City of Ottawa for funding the project this year. Special thanks to Councillor Isabelle Skalski for making time to join the community at this event. South Nation Conservation, the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library and CAFES Ottawa were also present on Saturday and shared their environmental programs and reforestation strategies.

The Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club is inviting children from the Carlsbad Springs, Edwards, and Ramsayville areas to draw the bike of their dreams and email it to cluboptimistecarlsbad@gmail.com for a chance to win one of three bikes. There will be three draws: one for ages 3 to 6, another for ages 7 to10, and a final one for ages 11 to15. The draw will take place on May 20th, and the bikes will be presented on June 1st at Ludger Landry Park, after the soccer game.

The Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective is launching the Rural Youth Mental Health Check-in Survey. The Rural Ottawa Youth is a group of 13 agencies on a mission to help rural Ottawa youth feel more supported with their mental health. In 2021 and 2023, they did a survey to gain an understanding of how rural youth were supported in their mental health. Three years later, they want to check-in and see if things have changed.

This survey is meant for youth aged 12 to 24, and parents/caregivers, and is 100% anonymous. No one will know how you answered the questions. You can find a link to the survey on the Rural Ottawa Youth webpage. 

Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. It will only take about 5 to10 minutes to complete the survey. 

If you are interested in learning more about, or being part of, this project, please connect them via e-mail at: info@ruralottawayouth.ca .

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Municipal Election. Eligible residents may file a nomination to run for Mayor, Councillor, or School Board Trustee. Here are a few dates of importance for this process: the nomination deadline is August 21st, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. and election day will be October 26th, 2026. A candidate’s campaign period begins once their nomination forms have been filed, meaning they may begin accepting contributions and spending money on their campaign. September 11, 2026 will be the first day that election signs can be placed on private and public property in accordance with each municipality by-laws.

Before filing your nomination, make sure you review the full requirements, forms, and key dates on your municipality webpage.

On May 21st, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre in partnership with the Vars Community Association is inviting children from Vars who are in grades 1 to 6 to attend a fun, interactive bilingual workshop where they will learn how to handle tough situations, stand up for themselves, and support others. Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be provided. Everyone interested is invited to sign up online. You can find the registration link on the Vars Community Association website and Facebook page, or on the Orléans-Cumberland Resource Centre website. 

On May 23rd the Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club is inviting the community to participate in the annual Recycling Drive. Bring metal, copper, electronics, fridges, pop cans, beer and liquor bottles. The money raised from the recycling materials is always invested in the community to fund activities for children. For a full list of the recycling items check the poster on the Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club Facebook page. 

The Casselman City Hall has moved to a new location at 1 Industrial. On May 14th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. residents are invited to an Open House.

The Township of Russell, in collaboration with the Prescott-Russell Development Corporation (PRDC) and the Prescott-Russell Chamber of Commerce, invites the business community to take part in a business networking event on Tuesday, June 9th, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The event will take place at the Township of Russell, located at 717 Notre-Dame Street, in Embrun (Gaston Patenaude Hall).

This event aims to bring together businesses, entrepreneurs, and economic partners from across the region to help create connections, new business opportunities and strengthen ties within the local business community. 

Participants will have the chance to attend short presentations from key organizations, followed by a networking session focused on discussion, contact sharing and exploring potential projects and partnerships. Part of the evening will also be dedicated to optional open-mic pitch presentations for businesses or entrepreneurs who wish to showcase their services or ideas.

Those interested are encouraged to register in advance by completing the online registration form.

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact ecodev@russell.ca.

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.