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Vol. 75 · # 7 Wednesday, February 22, 2012 GST Included $1.25 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Regional taxes hiked 2.44% Durham Region home owners will be paying an extra $45 in property tax on the Regional portion of their tax bill this year. Regional councillors approved the 2012 budget at the Wednesday, February 15th council meeting. Highlights of the 2012 budget included additional funding for Durham Region Transit, more money for solid waste management initiatives, and almost $50 million dedicated to road expansion and improvements. Included in this budget is money for 49 new staff positions, 42 in transit, five new operators for 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System service and two new positions for Emergency Medical Services. Just before the final vote on the budget was taken, Regional Chair Roger Anderson congratulated his councillors for getting increased dollars for economic development and transit into the budget. "For Durham to move forward and be a Family fun. Left to right Makayla Mastreangio aged 7, Sidney Kelly aged 7 and Ben Kelly aged 5, spent part of Monday's Family Day holiday playing at the Orono Park. place people really want to come and invest, we need transit, we need health and we need economic development to make them feel comfort- able," Anderson stated. Of the $41.5 million the Region will be spending on transit this year $31.9 has been earmarked for phase one of a new Bus Rapid Transit service linking downtown Oshawa to downtown Pickering. The twice weekly Orono/Newcastle Durham Region Transit bus service was on the list of under-performing routes. Councillor Mary Novak received assurances from the manager of the TAX see page 3 Oops... We advertised last week that the Newtonville United Church Pancake Supper was to be held on February 24. It was held on Sunday February 19th. Shake, Rhyme and Read The Clarington Public Library invites caregivers and their children to Shake, Rhyme and Read at the local Orono branch. The Shake, Rhyme and Read program, developed in partnership with Bowmanville YMCA Ontario Early Years Centre, provides a fun and interactive program, designed for children six and under, to make learning to read easier. This high energy program is a great opportunity for children to engage with each other and learn through singing, rhymes and stories. "When a caregiver brings a child to a Ready to Read program, they are doing more than just observing a storytime ", says Laura Martin, Coordinator of Programs and Partnerships. "The programs are designed to engage children, but also to teach caregivers the value of early literacy skills and how they may be incorporated into daily activities. In addition, attendees of all ages are provided the opportunity to meet new friends and better connect with their community". The Shake, Rhyme and Read program is one of many Ready to Read programs that the Clarington Public Library offers. All Ready to Read programs are designed to provide an atmosphere for caregivers and their children to develop children's early literacy skills. Simple activities like talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing prepare brain connections that will make learning to read easier. Research proves that early parent or caregiver interactions with a child affect every aspect of their development; this includes influencing the way a child's brain develops. The Ready to Read curriculum is designed to teach parents how to use everyday interactions and activities to introduce the key early literacy skills that LIBRARY see page 4