Please note that our News Department is off on Monday, October 12th. Coverage will however be provided in the event of breaking news that impacts the community.

107.7 WOW FM and ArnpriorToday.ca will be returning to regular coverage and programming on Tuesday, October 13th.

Thank you for your understanding!

Please note that our News Department is off on Monday, October 12th. Coverage will however be provided in the event of breaking news that impacts the community.

96.1 myFM and RenfrewToday.ca will be returning to regular coverage and programming on Tuesday, October 13th.

Thank you for your understanding!

Algonquin College students Madeline Alexander and Nadia Essiambre will host a trivia night at Renfrew Legion on Saturday, October 24, with the hope of bringing in proceeds in support of Victim Services of Renfrew County, which partners with the college’s social service worker program to provide hands-on, community-based field placements.

While many of their fellow classmates are choosing to do their fieldwork in Ottawa, they say there’s a need for their services rurally.

Non-profit and volunteer-based groups like Victim Services work with other community groups like local emergency services to provide emotional and practical assistance to people who have experienced life-altering events, and the money raised from this event will help bolster those efforts.

Tickets will be $15 per person, with the doors opening at the legion that evening at 7:00 pm.  Guests are welcome to mingle, browse an accompanying silent auction, and grab a bite to eat or something to drink before trivia at 8:00 pm.

Alexander and Essiambre are also looking for local businesses willing to help sponsor the night with a few prizes for the silent auction. They and interested quizsters can learn more about the event by calling 613-281-8548.

(written by Kasey Egan)

Local municipal offices, mail services, banks, and other financial institutions are closed for Thanksgiving Monday, as are most retailers.

For groceries, No Frills, Metro and Giant Tiger will remain closed on Monday. The LCBO and Beer Store will also be closed.

Shoppers Drug Mart will remain open from 8:00 am t0 10:00 pm.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at WOW FM.

The Madawaska River Bridge, officially known as County Structure B258, has been a part of the Arnprior landscape since the 1830s. Over the years, it’s undergone multiple reconstructions and rebuilds, most recently in 2020.

Nearby, William Baird and his family operated the Grist Mill building where the Arnprior Public Library sits now.

Arnprior council submitted a proposal to change the bridge name to the William Baird Bridge in honour of William and the Baird family’s legacy in the community.

As required, since it is a county structure, Renfrew County must have public input on the renaming proposal before making any firm decision.

Residents and election candidates are voicing their disapproval of the renaming on social media.

Anyone looking to submit their comments or concerns about the renaming proposal, visit the county’s website and share your voice. The deadline to submit any comments is October 19th at 1pm.

(Written by: Bob Kubbinga)

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A structure fire on the outskirts of Renfrew has shut down Highway 60 as crews look to douse the blaze.

Firefighters and other emergency personnel were on scene after a garage behind the Valley Vino building and a nearby vehicle reportedly caught fire sometime in the mid-afternoon today, October 9.

The highway was closed to traffic between Health Village Lane and Bruce Street to allow crews space to extinguish the fire, which appeared to be mostly out at around 3:30 pm.

(written by Kasey Egan with files from Bob Kubbinga)

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A structure fire on the outskirts of Renfrew has shut down Highway 60 as crews look to douse the blaze.

Firefighters and other emergency personnel were on scene after a garage behind the Valley Vino building and a nearby vehicle reportedly caught fire sometime in the mid-afternoon today, October 9.

The highway was closed to traffic between Health Village Lane and Bruce Street to allow crews space to extinguish the fire, which appeared to be mostly out at around 3:30 pm.

(written by Kasey Egan with files from Bob Kubbinga)

UOV OPP officers will be taking part in Operation Impact, a four-day national traffic safety campaign led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. The initiative targets high-risk behaviours including impaired, aggressive and distracted driving, speeding and failing to wear seatbelts.

The OPP says Thanksgiving weekends have had the second-highest number of roadway fatalities among all long weekends in Ontario over the past decade. Last year, 13 people were killed in collisions in OPP jurisdictions.

Alcohol and drug impairment have been the leading factors in fatalities over the past 10 years, while failing to use safety equipment such as seatbelts, helmets and lifejackets has also contributed significantly.

UOV OPP officers will be highly visible throughout the detachment area, focusing on education and enforcement while encouraging motorists to eliminate distractions, obey speed limits, buckle up and drive sober.

Officers will also be patrolling trails and waterways, targeting unsafe behaviour and promoting safety.

The OPP is urging residents to make safety a priority this Thanksgiving weekend, so they can arrive at their destinations safely and enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

(Steve Berard)

Cross spoke with MBC News about allegations that a 20-year-old Cornell University student was gang raped by seven men at a fraternity house in October 2024.

No criminal charges were laid after the original investigation. The case returned to public attention after the woman filed a civil lawsuit naming seven fraternity members, Cornell University, the fraternity and other parties.

Cross says one of the biggest concerns is what cases like this can do to survivors watching from somewhere else — including here in Eastern Ontario.

Cross pointed to the recent London, Ont., hockey sexual assault trial as another example of how public cases can shape perceptions. She says an acquittal or a decision not to proceed with charges does not necessarily mean nothing happened, but that distinction can be lost in the wider public conversation.

That can make an already difficult decision even harder for people considering whether to disclose an assault or seek help.

Cross’ second concern is how communities talk about prevention.

Cross says campaigns aimed mainly at warning women to be careful can place responsibility in the wrong place. She pointed to messaging around the “red zone”: the first weeks of the school year, when sexual violence on campuses is often discussed.

Cross says prevention needs to focus more directly on consent, accountability and the behaviour of people who cause harm.

There is also what could be described as a reluctant positive in the renewed attention surrounding Cornell.

Cases like this can force difficult conversations in homes, schools, universities and communities that may otherwise be avoided. Cross says lasting change requires more than reacting after an assault has already happened.

Cross says accountability remains important, but prevention has to begin earlier.

Her message is that communities have a role in challenging attitudes that normalize sexual violence, making consent clear and creating an environment where survivors can come forward without facing another wall of disbelief.

For Eastern Ontario, the impact of the Cornell case may ultimately be measured by what communities choose to do with the conversation it has reopened.

(Written by: Bob Perreault)

On O’Brien Road, the Canadian Tire, Walmart, LCBO, Chris and Tanya’s No Frills, Home Hardware, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Giant Tiger will be closed.

However, Dollarama will be open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Renfrew Pharmasave will also be open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.

In downtown Renfrew, Aikenhead’s Drug Store will be closed, but Rexall is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The Renfrew Metro will also be closed, along with all banks and municipal services.

Check in with the Downtown Renfrew BIA to see which locally-owned businesses will be open.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at myFM.