The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Local merchants the best Whenever there’s a need in this great community of ours, you can count on the local business people to be there to help. This was the case for Focus on Scugog a couple of weeks ago when we decided to help promote Valentine’s Day in Scugog with the great cover shot you see on this issue, which features 16 year old Jenn Souch of Port Perry. In need of props, we approached Dana’s Goldsmithing, The Nutty Chocolatier and photographer Jonathan van Bilsen, to pull together the cover picture. Borrowing a box of chocolates, a beautiful pendant, and a bright red rose from our merchants, and utilizing the photography skills of JVB, was all it took. Thanks all for your help! Jonathan econo PRODYe van Bilsen DGE Photography Studio AS ; 088. 188 Mary Street ineridgeimpre= Lower Level Embroidel Screen 1 Printing Trophie: ards aust) Sono Call for an appointment 905-985-2839 905.985.5110 135 North Port Road, Port Perry, ON L9L 1B2 THIS cy, PAMPER YOUR LOVED ONES ) ¢ PACKAGE 1 PACKAGE 2 v Mane 30 Glycolic Peel & Pedicure 38 $60 Gir cereiat : A rit Ge gee Casimir St, eauty So 30s piel 3130 Ss Did you know PP Print has been serving the Durham Region for over senda 201 NORTH STREET PORT PERRY, ONTARIO L9L 1B7 PH: 905.985.9755 * 1.888.301.0055 He tie 985.0687 EMAIL: producti for PRI DI TA SERVICES intca 9:00 - 1:00 18 FOCUS - FEBRUARY 2009 Thumbs Thumbs Up - to all the brave souls who took part in this year’s polar plunge into Lake Scugog in January. Braving bitter gu temperatures, 34 fools... sorry, | meant participants laughed, ran, splashed and immersed themselves in the frigid water... all for the good of the community. Congrats to the Hospital Auxiliary and all those who took part... you're a lot brav- er than the hundreds who watched from shore. Thumbs Up - a giant ‘thumbs up’ to the township roads crews and independent snow removal contractors who have helped to keep Scugog’s streets and driveways cleared for residents this winter. Faced with record snowfalls, drifting snow and freezing rain, many have worked day-long and throughout the night, while most of us were huddled in warm beds, to make sure our roads were safe. Thanks guys!!! Thumbs Down - to the media, especially the national media for all the doom and gloom about our sagging economy. The © last thing small retailers, in towns like Port Perry need, is the constant barrage of detrimental reporting about lay- offs, store closings, etc. Yes, times are tougher than we all would like to see, but it's time to help the situation by laying off all the negatives. There are plenty of good times ahead... we just have to be positive and patient. Thumbs Up - Never thought I’d say thanks to a tax increase, but a thumbs up to Mayor Marilyn Pearce and members J of council for recognizing the significance of the current economic situation and acting responsibly. By utilizing a portion of its $1.3 million Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund grant to cut tax increases to local property owners, this years projected 3.9 percent tax increase will be reduced to about 2.7 percent. So thanks for the break! Thumbs Up and congratulations to a couple of local residents who have recently taken over the small community news- 3 paper in Little Britain. Tony Janssen, of Port Perry Print, has teamed up with Jeff Reid, former owner of the local Independent grocery store to purchase “CAPS”. The monthly publication has been servicing the Little Britain area for 11 years. Good luck to Tony and Jeff on this exciting enterprise. Thumbs Down to the slow response in removing huge piles of snow from Port Perry's business district last month. Many © merchants and residents felt four days after the storm was far too long. We expect the snow removal budget is already being strained, but the safety of residents walking and driving along Queen St. and the detrimental effect to local busi- nesses, who are already struggling, warranted quicker action. Thumbs Down to anyone who leaves their vehicle parked at the gas pumps at Pioneer while they go in to pick up a cof- © fee at the local Tim's dispensary... all the while blocking others at the pumps from leaving. Then, as you sit there waiting impatiently, the guilty one stares you down, like they're daring you to say anything when they return. | could scream!