Musicians’ group finds strength in numbers

By Tom McLean

Ottawa’s struggling pop/rock music scene may be getting a boost with the Nailgunner Music Collective, a group of local bands and performers who have banded together to lower costs and increase their media exposure.

The group was founded last November by Glen Smith, a 30-year-old Food and Leisure photographer who’s been a dedicated fan of the local music scene for 18 years and Larry Russell, 25, a bass player for the rock band Pleather. The collective includes local bands Atticus, Nero, Forget Finnigan and Pleather as well as individual performers Ashley Newall, Jay Willis and Jane Radmore. read more

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Fires spark inspection overhaul

By Daniel Kitts

The owner of a Centretown apartment complex under investigation for inadequate fire protection after suffering two fires in seven months says he is following a schedule for improvements set by the city.

William Robert Cuming of Kanata told Centretown News he rejects claims by both city fire officials and tenants that he is not in compliance with the law. read more

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St. Mary school gets one-year reprieve

By Lindsey Parry

Parents heaved a collective sigh of relief Wednesday after a welcome but ambiguous decision to keep St. Mary elementary school on Beech Street open.

The decision passed unanimously during a meeting of Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board trustees at St. Pius X high school. About 200 people attended to voice their concerns about the possible closure of Catholic elementary schools. read more

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Taxpayers to pay $60,000 for poster cleanup squad, regional council decides

By Greg Younger-Lewis

A Centretown resident’s one-man crusade is ending after a divided regional council’s recent decision to put money into the beefing up enforcement of the postering bylaw.

David Blackman, a federal civil servant, says he’s happy the region has put $60,000 aside to deal with, among other things, what he calls “Ottawa’s mega-postering problem.” read more

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