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This week's Book Picks comes from Jackie Kellachan from the Golden Notebook in Woodstock, NY and Amy Zimmerman from Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, NY.
Tyler Ayres draws on his extensive resume in manufacturing, Chinese translation, and hospitality to inform his workplace fiction, exploring interpersonal conflict, pressure, and bonds. He joins Jared to discuss the craft behind these stories, as well as his experience with granular writing study (think: syllables, punctuation), Chatham's focus on nature and travel writing, and the opportunity to teach writing in nontraditional spaces.Tyler is a first-year MFA candidate in fiction and a teaching fellow at Chatham University. He also holds an interdisciplinary MA from the University of Nebraska which culminated in a 45,000-word short fiction manuscript. His nonfiction appears in The Fourth River and L'Esprit Literary Review and his fiction appears in The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Uppagus, and Line of Advance. Tyler also writes and performs music, works as a freelance editor, and has experience translating Chinese professionally.MFA Writers is hosted by Jared McCormack and produced by Jared McCormack and Hanamori Skoblow. New episodes are released every two weeks. You can find more MFA Writers at MFAwriters.com.BE PART OF THE SHOWDonate to the show at Buy Me a Coffee.Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.Submit an episode request. If there's a program you'd like to learn more about, contact us and we'll do our very best to find a guest who can speak to their experience.Apply to be a guest on the show by filling out our application.STAY CONNECTEDTwitter: @MFAwriterspodInstagram: @MFAwriterspodcastFacebook: MFA WritersEmail: mfawriterspodcast@gmail.com
In this episode of Kaatscast, Brett visits Sleepover Trading Company in Catskill, New York—a new video rental shop rebuffing the algorithmic grip of streaming platforms by reviving the analog joy of VHS tapes, comic books, and sleepover culture. Owners Rob Ribar and Guido Sanchez share how their passion for collecting movies, comics, and memorabilia evolved into a retro storefront in the historic Catskill Community Theater.Together, they explore the legacy of Video Visions, a beloved Chatham video store whose 20,000‑title collection now lives on at Sleepover Trading. Along the way, they reflect on the lost art of browsing shelves, the freedom of discovery beyond algorithms, and the nostalgia of sleepovers filled with horror flicks, trading cards, and late‑night laughter.Highlights:The VHS revival: Why physical tapes still matter in an era of disappearing streaming titles.Video Visions legacy: Preserving Steve Campbell's 20,000‑movie collection as a living library.Sleepover culture: Comics, toys, trading cards, and the perfect mix of nostalgia.Analog over algorithms: How human curation fosters true discovery.Community connections: From flea markets to local artists, building Catskill's movie hub.Lost media preservation: Taped‑off‑TV VHS archives, commercials, and forgotten gems.Membership perks: Rentals without late fees, access to rare titles, and even VCR equipment.Links:Sleepover Trading Company: https://linktr.ee/sleepovertradingcoVideo Visions (documentary): https://youtu.be/6h3VvS5N8g0
DateDecember 14, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we venture into the dark fields alongside the shepherds, discovering that the first announcement of the Incarnation was entrusted to those on the margins. We explore how the angelic proclamation disrupts our fear, revealing a joy that is not a scarce commodity for the pious, but a generous, cosmic invitation for all humanity. This is a story about a God who breaks through the silence to offer a love that is unapologetically inclusive and meant to be shared.Scripture: Luke 2:8–18About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has ended its investigation into sexual assault allegations involving Chatham-Kent police after the complainant stopped cooperating. The Chatham-Kent Hospice has received accreditation for another 3 years. Around 250 people came out to the WISH Centre in Chatham on Saturday for East Side Pride's 16th Annual Breakfast with Santa. The Detroit Red Wings held off the Calgary Flames 4-3 for their fourth straight win. Canada's women's hockey team lost 10-4 to the U.S. in game three of the Rivalry Series.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Tuesday morning for heavy snow. Park Avenue West in Chatham has reopened following a water main break. A couple of Chatham murder trials have hit snags with issues including trial delays, venues, and new lawyers being brought in. A Chatham-Kent man is in custody after police say they linked him to two separate break-ins reported over the weekend. Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health reports that COVID-19 and RSV activity is low in the province but cases of the flu are steadily growing and expected to peak this month. Air Transat is set to suspend all flights Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday's strike deadline.
ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb delivers a keynote at our recent forum on the new merger framework that's just around the riverbend: why the change, how to engage with the ACCC, and what's still up in the air. Plus the Chatham chat on fees, thresholds and first-instance decision-making, an agreement on unfair trading practices, the FTC loses its case against Meta, and former chair Lina Khan's new gig in New York … All this and movie posters with co-hosts Moya Dodd and Matt Rubinstein of #TheCompetitiveEdge #podcast #competitionlaw #rrrjrrr Links: The complete The Rural Juror on 30 Rock Heraclitus/Pocahontas on social media market definitions (sing-along) FTC v Meta memorandum opinion Treasury Ministers announcement on unfair trading practices The Guardian on Lina Khan's new gig John McWhorter on mispronouncing Mamdani Drew Struzan and Richard Amsel movie posters Our new competition-law-themed cryptic crossword and all our other ones Support the show: https://www.gtlaw.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
NHS staff at two Kent Trusts have been invited to resign as part of plans to cut costs.Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Medway NHS Foundation Trust are offering severance payouts to try and address financial challenges.Also in today's podcast, people in Tunbridge Wells are still being told to boil their water before drinking it - more than a week after being hit with supply issues.24,000 properties have been impacted by a problem at the Pembury treatment works. Meantime, the town's MP is calling on government to provide Covid-style support to businesses affected by the supply issues.Mike Martin has written to the Water Minister calling for £18.5 million. He's been speaking to our reporter Charlotte Phillips.A woman in Sheerness is appealing for action to stop dog walkers leaving their pet's mess on a walkway leading to the beach.Anne Tiller says she has to constantly dodge mounds of poo on the path in Marine Parade during her daily walks.We've been invited to take a look inside the word's first mirco-pub which opened in Kent twenty years ago.The Butcher's Arms, in Herne, was founded by Martyn Hillier in 2005 who'd always fantasised about a pub without TVs, mobile phones, food queues and smoking. He's been chatting to reporter James Pallant.In sport, the boss of a Kent karting circuit says it was fantastic to see Lando Norris win the Formula One world title yesterday.The 26 year-old regularly competed at Buckmore Park in Chatham as a youngster.Football, and it was another point for Gillingham in league two at the weekend.They held Colchester United to a goalless draw away from home - we've got reaction from manager Gareth Ainsworth. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A fatal crash that closed the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 between Chatham and London for 10 hours is under investigation. Canada is facing the possibility of another airline strike after Air Transat pilots issued a 72-hour strike notice. The Chatham Thunder U10 ringette team improved to 17-0 after winning another tournament. The Chatham Maroons dropped both games of a home-and-home series, falling 5-4 to St. Marys. UCC's senior boys basketball team won the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame Blue and White Tournament.
DateDecember 7, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we dive into the revolutionary idea that joy is a muscle, not a mood. The daily practice of "Repeating the Sounding Joy" offers us a different path at the crossroads of control and trust, training our hearts for resilience instead of despair. We explore how Mary's defiant Magnificat—a song rehearsed over a lifetime—kickstarts an "upward spiral" of hope that disrupts the "downward spiral" of fear that threatened Joseph. Discover how to build the muscle memory of joy, aligning your present heart with God's joyful endgame for the world.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
A steel manufacturer in Medway is consulting on redundancies for more than 80 employees.ArcelorMittal Kent Wire, based at Chatham Docks, began the process last week ahead of pulling out of the site on Pier Road.Also in today's podcast, a man's been locked up for nearly a decade after the stabbing death of another man in Canterbury.The 32-year-old attacked his victim last October in what a judge has described as "senseless and brutal" violence and the "final and tragic culmination" of ongoing animosity between two groups.A campaign run by our sister station kmfm has now raised more than £19,000 for children in Kent who are facing difficult situations this Christmas.The money raised through Give a Gift will be spent on toys which will be distributed across the county – you can hear from one one company in Kent who donated more than £1000.The leader of Medway Council says he's expecting tens of thousands of people at the Dickens Christmas Festival this weekend.The annual event is back for 2025 in Rochester High Street – there'll be costume parades, Dickens themed workshops and live performances.And in football, Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth has called for more of the same at Colchester after his side responded to a half-time scolding last weekend.They were two goals behind twice against Shrewsbury last weekend but recovered to draw - something Ainsworth has taken the positives from. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Joe Chatham, Director of Government Relations for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), joins The Steve Gruber Show to break down the Department of Homeland Security's latest rule strengthening the biometric entry-exit system. Chatham explains how the new measures aim to improve border security, track entries and exits more accurately, and reduce overstays by foreign visitors. The discussion also explores the broader implications for U.S. immigration policy, national security, and the challenges of implementing high-tech enforcement in a complex global environment. From policy details to practical impacts, this episode provides a clear look at how the DHS is modernizing its approach to border management.
A huge development of 257 flats has been thrown into doubt after a construction firm went into administration, leaving huge blocks unfinished.The £62.3 million scheme was underway to build the homes close to Ashford town centre but work has now ground to a halt. Also in today's podcast, we'll bring you an update as the water crisis in Tunbridge Wells enters its sixth day. Thousand of homes and businesses are still without water and thousands more are being asked to boil water from their taps before drinking it – you can hear from the Head of Water Quality at South East Water. The dramatic moment police arrested a knifeman who had exposed himself in front of multiple people has been caught on camera. Officers pursued him on foot after he approached a group of strangers in Faversham and threw a bin at a man plus a glass at a teenager.Drivers are having to find CCTV to prove they have been incorrectly fined for overstaying in a shopping complex car park.Shoppers say they have been hit with £100 penalty notices at Neats Court in error after parking at the site for consecutive days. And a Kent man who was made redundant during Covid has launched his own even space in Chatham.When Scott Tulloch won a Kent and Medway Food and Drink award last year after starting Larry's Mobile Bar he told the judges he wanted to expand and that's just what he's done. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A 46-year-old man is facing charges after a fire at a Chatham home. In an effort to improve police accountability, transparency, and public safety, local OPP officers will soon be wearing body cameras. Dresden Sidestreets Youth Centre has been presented with a donation from the Tim Hortons Holiday Smile Cookie campaign. As the negotiation period for the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement gets closer, it's been reported that the U.S. President could decide to withdraw from it completely. Let us know how concerned you are about the rising cost of food through our daily poll. There is a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the hospital in Chatham at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Part of Highway 40 north of Wallaceburg was closed down today following a two-vehicle collision. CK police have charged a man with arson and committing an indecent act following a fire at a Chatham apartment unit. A Wallaceburg senior has been charged with impaired driving after a vehicle was reportedly driven into a ditch. A new survey suggests more than half of the doctors in Ontario plan to retire within the next five years. The federal government has set up a new wastewater dashboard to get information about drug use and supply in Canada. A local Tim Hortons has presented Dresden Sidestreets Youth Centre with a Smile Cookie campaign donation.
South East Water customers in Tunbridge Wells are being told to boil water coming out of their taps, if they want to drink it.We're now into a fifth day of major supply issues in the town - affecting 24-thousand properties – we've been speaking to people as they queue to collect bottles of water. Also in today's podcast, a murder probe has been launched after a man was fatally stabbed in a residential street.Police and paramedics were called to Thorold Road in Chatham in the early hours of yesterday morning and have been working alongside forensic experts. You can hear from a dad who has received a £390,000 payout from an electrical firm following a long-running dispute over the cause of a devastating fire that tore through his family home.David Sercombe carried his daughter, Brontë, through thick black smoke when the blaze erupted at their seven-bed detached house near Hythe.Bodycam footage has captured the moment officers arrested a suspected thief - after a stolen van on cloned planes was stopped by police.Officers spotted the Volkswagen Transporter in Folkestone – the van had been reported in the Swindon area of Wiltshire around the same time, prompting officers to view the vehicle as “suspicious”. And holiday park bosses say a decision to refuse residents permission to stay there all year round will make 400 people homeless.The operators of Kent Parks on the Isle of Sheppey had requested permission for caravan owners to use the holiday accommodation as their permanent homes on a temporary basis, due to a “deeply challenging” situation emerging at the site. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Two brothers from Chatham-Kent are headed to federal prison for several years after admitting to running a "high-level" drug operation. Two men are facing arson charges following a fire at a business in Chatham. The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation's 36th Annual Christmas Wish Tree campaign is underway. The Toronto Maple Leafs beat Florida 4-1, the Detroit Red Wings beat Boston 5-4, and the Toronto Raptors edged Portland 121-118.
Three battery storage energy projects could be coming to Chatham-Kent. It was another strong showing for Chatham's annual porchlight campaign. There are no plans to move Dresden's Lambton Kent Composite School. Authorities have seized thousands of kilograms of illegal drugs and millions of dollars in an initiative to disrupt organized crime in Canada. Erie Shores Health Foundation has launched a new monthly giving program called Care 365. Cal Foote, who was acquitted of sexual assault in a high profile trial earlier this year, has signed a deal with the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
What does it take to rebuild an organization, inspire a profession, and lead with purpose in a rapidly changing industry? For Kelly Gorman, CEO of Advocis, the answer begins long before the C-suite—back to an 11-year-old girl in Chatham, Ontario, learning resilience, responsibility, and independence from a single mother who worked tirelessly to build a better life.In this powerful episode of Discovery Series: Unplugged, Kelly shares how early life lessons, personal experiences with illness, and a transformative insurance claim shaped her understanding of protection, financial security, and the true value of advice.Her journey—from accountant, to securities regulator, to CEO of Canada's largest professional association for financial advisors—reveals a leader driven by clarity, conviction, and deep respect for the advisor community she now serves.In this episode, you'll hear:How resilience is built early—and how Kelly's upbringing shaped her leadershipWhy a real-life claim experience reframed her belief in the purpose of insuranceThe emotional and financial impact of illness—and how protection buys families timeWhy Canadians need trusted advice more than ever, despite growing protection gapsHow Advocis is rebuilding with purpose through education, advocacy, and advisor communityWhat leadership really requires—and the one skill Kelly believes all great leaders shareThis is an honest, thoughtful conversation about life, leadership, purpose, and the profound impact advisors make every single day.
DateNovember 30, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we kick off our Advent series, Repeat the Sounding Joy: Practicing an Honest Advent, by reclaiming joy as a defiant and contagious act of resistance. Joy is not a denial of despair, but an empowering force that opens our lips and loosens our tongues to sing of a future that refuses to be limited by current reality. We explore how Elizabeth's loud blessing and Zechariah's prophetic song disrupt the silence of Empire, giving us the courage to bless what God is doing and declare the breaking dawn now.ReferencesScripture: Luke 1:39–45; Luke 1:67–80About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
A bin man from Dover with terminal cancer has been escorted to his wedding by a procession of refuse trucks.Stephen Addley's been told he has just months to live and one of his final wishes was to marry his fiancée and make memories with their one-year-old daughter.Also in today's podcast, we've got reaction to yesterday's budget after the chancellor announced £26 billion of tax hikes.Rachel Reeves has insisted the financial plans she announced in the Commons were based on her priorities.She also says the measures will give working class children the chance to have a fulfilling life.Hear from Andrew Tate and Rachel Emmerson from Chatham based accountants Kreston Reeves, Chatham and Aylesford MP Tris Osborne and the CEO of Canterbury based homeless charity Porchlight.Two men involved in a violent axe attack near Canterbury have been jailed for a total of 48 years.Police were called to reports of an assault involving people in two cars on the A2 near Wincheap in December last year.A driver involved in a serious crash on the A21 has called for safety improvements to be made.Conor Hardy says his vehicle aquaplaned at 70-miles-per-hour on the Tonbridge bypass following heavy rain, due to poor drainage. He's been speaking to reporter Elli Hodgson.A Medway man with incurable prostate cancer is among those calling on the health secretary to bring in a national screening programme.More than 120 MPs have also written to Wes Streeting after former Prime Minister David Cameron revealed he was treated for the disease last year. Hear from Paul Dennington who has raised more than £155,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.And, Ashford Designer Outlet has reached full occupancy for the first time since its 90 million pound extension opened six years ago.Two new fashion brands have opened at the shopping centre. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Chatham-Kent council has approved its 2026 budget, settling on a 4.63 per cent tax increase. Business owners in downtown Chatham say ongoing vandalism is driving customers away. The Ottawa Redblacks have re-signed Chatham wide receiver Ethan Jordan. William Nylander scored in overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs got by Columbus 2-1. The Toronto Raptors have won nine in a row after edging Indiana, while the Detroit Pistons' 13-game winning streak came to an end as they lost to Boston. The Toronto Blue Jays have reportedly signed righty Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210-million deal.
Chatham Island locals hope a change is in the air for their astronomical power bills - and for the future of Rekohu. Tess Brunton reports.
In Episode 109 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, hosts Ryan MacNeil and Neal Andreino sit down with Arlen Ekstein, VP of Sales & Marketing at Tembo Financial, one of Ontario's fastest and most flexible direct private lenders.Arlen shares his journey from sponsorship sales into private lending, the origin story of Tembo Financial, and how the company built its reputation on speed, transparency, and customer-centric lending. He also gives a candid take on today's volatile Ontario housing market, power-of-sale trends, and why he believes true stability won't return until 2027.If you've ever wondered what “direct private lender” really means, how Tembo underwrites in under an hour, or how they lend across Ontario's most unique pockets — this episode is a must-listen.Show Notes:00:00 — Cold weather banter & intro01:00 — Arlen's background and unexpected entry into lending03:00 — Early learning curve: underwriting in Wawa, ON05:00 — Banking vs private lending: speed and mindset06:30 — What “direct private lender” means at Tembo07:30 — How Tembo turns deals around in 24–48 hours09:00 — Deposit loans, reno loans & COVID-era demand12:00 — Why Tembo avoids syndication14:00 — The importance of speed, transparency & no surprises16:00 — Tembo's origin story and the meaning behind the name18:00 — Lending regions: Ottawa, Windsor, Chatham, Barrie & more20:00 — Valuations, appraisals & today's market challenges27:00 — Condo lending: structuring creatively30:00 — Arlen's view on today's volatile market32:00 — Why he expects true stability in 202734:00 — How Tembo grows while staying customer-centric38:00 — What Arlen would change about the mortgage industry41:00 — Bonus: Toronto food picks (Doddy's, Richmond Station, Revolver Pizza)Resources:Keystone Capital GroupCPLP Instagram: @cplpodcastKeystone Instagram: @keycapgroupFind Neal On:Instagram: @neal.andreinoLinkedIn: Neal AndreinoFind Ryan on:LinkedIn: Ryan MacNeilE-mail: ryan@keycap.ca
A special weather statement calling for strong wind gusts is in effect for Chatham-Kent. A rally to end violence against women was held in Chatham on Tuesday. Chatham-Kent has been selected for a pilot project that hopes to curb violence and extremism in Canada. A recent list ranking the best restaurants in Canada included one in Chatham. The Ontario NDP have filed an ethics complaint against the Labour Minister over the Skills Development Fund. Ottawa and the provinces have raked in almost $5.5B in cannabis tax revenue since the drug was legalized in October 2018. Four more people have been arrested in connection with the October heist at the Louvre Museum.
Chatham-Kent police arrested a 43-year-old man after officers were told he was spotted on the roof of a Chatham business. A 50-year-old man from Stoney Point has been arrested and charged by the OPP. Bail could be harder to get in Ontario if new legislation is passed. Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is headed to Asia to discuss defence investments and shore up non-U.S. exports. Prime Minister Mark Carney says he's in no hurry to resume trade talks with the U.S. Multiple flavours of Yoplait's YOP drinkable yogurt are being pulled from the shelves because of the potential presence of plastic pieces. The Chatham Barnstormers will no longer be playing in the Intercounty Baseball League, instead, they'll compete in the Canadian Baseball League.
A 43-year-old man has been charged with mischief, theft, and trespassing after an incident at a Chatham business. A rash of shattered windows and doors in Chatham has led to mischief charges against two people. The municipality has released next year's curbside garbage and recycling pickup schedule. Bail could be harder to get in Ontario if new legislation is passed. The 'Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act' has been passed by the Ontario government. Some popular yogurt drinks have been recalled because of the possible presence of plastic. The Intercounty Baseball League is making several changes ahead of next season, including its name.
DateNovember 23, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we conclude our In Good Company series by venturing into the often-terrifying landscape of our own minds with guest speaker Cody Deese. Rather than treating anxiety as a spiritual failure or a monster to be exiled, Cody reframes our panic as a flare gun from the "internal universe," signaling a deep need for attention and love. He invites us to stop trying to talk our way out of fear and instead feel our way through it, discovering that the Divine is waiting for us right in the center of the storm.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
This week, Marc continued our study in Nehemiah. We focused on chapter 3 and the listing off of every member of the Jerusalem community who were building various sections f the wall. Marc notes that each person builds the part of the wall in front of and beside their home.Marc noted for us that in the building or rebuilding of God's Kingdom, we are all partner's in what God has envisioned for Forward and the Church at large in Chatham. As members, we all have some part of the Kingdom that is placed in front of us and beside to build. Marc encouraged us to seek out the aspects of our lives where God is moving and building his Kingdom.
DateNovember 16, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we dive into the third week of our series, In Good Company: A Series on Saints, by meeting John Wesley—a restless striver who felt compelled to earn his destiny. Discover how Wesley's relentless pursuit of holiness gave way to an inexplicable moment of surrender that radically transformed his life and launched a movement. The relentless pressure to be "enough" melts away when we realize that God's love for us is not a reward to be earned, but a gift that comes first. This profound assurance is what liberates us to stop fearing failure and start loving the world.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
DateNovember 9, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, the second in our In Good Company series, we dive deep into the extraordinary life of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Her childhood lessons about the sacredness of the wild fig tree rooted a life of radical faithfulness. We explore how her seemingly small act—planting seven trees—grew wild and untamed, like the kingdom of heaven itself, becoming a powerful movement for environmental justice, women's empowerment, and political liberation. Our small efforts matter, reminding us that we are called to root healing and hope wherever we are.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
An Alsip man faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after police say he struck a Chicago police officer with his car while fleeing from a scene in the Chatham neighborhood.
An Alsip man faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after police say he struck a Chicago police officer with his car while fleeing from a scene in the Chatham neighborhood.
An Alsip man faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after police say he struck a Chicago police officer with his car while fleeing from a scene in the Chatham neighborhood.
Police have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in his 40s in Chatham.He was found with stab wounds at a home in Castle Road on Saturday morning. Hear from our reporter who has been at the scene today.Also in today's podcast, residents in part of Maidstone are calling for urgent action to fix unsafe cladding on their flats.Material on the roofs of the buildings at Kingfisher Meadow was deemed to be too flammable following a survey after the Grenfell disaster in 2017.The MP for Gillingham and Rainham says she's worried about where the debate over immigration is heading.Naushabah Khan says it's been allowed by mainstream politicians to seep into an argument about race and identity.Bosses at Ashford Designer Outlet say they're about to hit 100% occupancy for the first time in seven years.It's currently home to 111 units, following an expansion in 2019.Football, and all three Kent teams involved in FA Cup first round action at the weekend have been knocked out of the competition.Hear reaction from Gillingham and Chatham Town. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
DateNovember 2, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we explore how St. Ignatius of Loyola—once a vain soldier obsessed with glory—discovered that faith isn't about achievement but friendship with God. Through his story and the encounter between Jesus and blind Bartimaeus, we're invited to consider Jesus's tender question: "What do you want me to do for you?" This first installment of the In Good Company series reminds us that when we embrace our need for divine friendship rather than trying to earn our way to God, our vision is restored and we're empowered to "set the world on fire" with love.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
This week's Book Picks comes from Amy Zimmerman from Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, NY and we also welcome Cheryl McKeon from The Book House in Albany, NY.
Trevor reconnects with his former professor, Dr. Rupp Carriveau from the University of Windsor, to explore how Southern Ontario's agriculture and energy sectors intersect. From powering greenhouses and managing massive industrial demand to reimagining aging wind farms and testing “atomic agriculture,” together they unpack how innovation, AI, and new tech are reshaping Canada's clean energy future. Listen to episode 164 of thinkenery. Related links Dr. Rupp Carriveau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupp-carriveau-b4273823/ Environmental Energy Institute: https://www.environmentalenergyinstitute.com/ Turbulence and Energy Lab: http://www.turbulenceandenergylab.org/ Offshore Energy and Storage Society: https://www.osessociety.com/ Trevor Freeman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-freeman-p-eng-8b612114 Hydro Ottawa: https://hydroottawa.com/en To subscribe using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinkenergy/id1465129405 To subscribe using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wFz7rdR8Gq3f2WOafjxpl To subscribe on Libsyn: http://thinkenergy.libsyn.com/ --- Subscribe so you don't miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/user/hydroottawalimited Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hydroottawa Stay in the know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HydroOttawa Keep up with the posts on X: https://twitter.com/thinkenergypod --- Transcript: Trevor Freeman 00:07 Welcome to thinkenergy, a podcast that dives into the fast, changing world of energy through conversations with industry leaders, innovators and people on the front lines of the energy transition. Join me, Trevor Freeman, as I explore the traditional, unconventional and up and coming facets of the energy industry. If you have any thoughts, feedback or ideas for topics we should cover, please reach out to us at think energy at hydro ottawa.com, hi everyone, and welcome back. Today's episode brings us back to a few elements of my own personal history. Now you'll have to bear with me for a minute or two while I dive into my past in order to properly set up today's conversation, I grew up in southwestern Ontario, in and just outside the border town of Windsor, Ontario. Now for those of you not familiar with this area, Windsor and its surroundings are the most southern part of Canada. It might surprise you to know that Windsor is at the same latitude as Northern California and Rome, Italy. You can imagine that after growing up in Windsor and then living in various places around the globe, when I finally settled down here in Ottawa, adjusting to the more stereotypical Canadian winters of this northern capital, took a little bit of getting used to Windsor is so far south when you cross the border to its neighboring American city, Detroit, Michigan, you actually travel north. Have a look at a map if this seems to defy logic, but I promise you, it's true. This is the area that I grew up in. It's also where I went to school and got my engineering degree. More on that in a minute. Now, if you've ever driven down to the southwestern end of the 401 going past London and Chatham, you will notice two things. First, it is flat, very flat. You will not see a meaningful Hill anywhere in sight. I often joke with people that I used to toboggan when we did get any meaningful snow off of highway overpasses, because that was the only hill we could find. I was only partly joking, and I have indeed tobogganed off of said overpasses in my young and foolish days. But that is a story for another time. That brings us to the second thing you'll see, which is wind turbines. A lot of wind turbines. They are seemingly everywhere, stretching as far as you can see, southwestern Ontario is a hotbed of wind energy generation. Finally, a hint at why I'm going on about this part of the province on an energy podcast. But before we get into it, there's one other thing to touch on, and that is the fact that this area is also home to a large number of greenhouses growing produce year-round, as well as manufacturing. Windsor and its surrounding area is the automotive capital of Canada, with a number of plants from major car companies, as well as a supporting ecosystem of parts manufacturers. Incidentally, that's where I started my career, working as an environmental engineer for one of the automakers, and many members of my family have also worked or still work in that industry. The reason I bring up greenhouses in the auto industry is because they have some very high energy demand profiles, and that is how we get for me going on nostalgically about the area I grew up in, to our conversation today, I recently caught up with one of my engineering professors, Dr Rupp Carriveau, about the work that he and his colleagues have been doing that ties all of this together. And I thought it would be great to have him on the show to talk about that. Dr. Carriveau is the director of the Environmental Energy Institute and co-director of the Turbulence and Energy Lab and the CO lead of AGUwin at the University of Windsor. Back in the day, he was my fluid dynamics professor. But today, he balances his teaching duties with research into energy systems futures and advanced agricultural systems. He is a founder of the offshore energy and storage society, a recipient of the University Scholar Award, and has been named to Canada's clean 50 for his contributions to clean capitalism. Dr Rupp Carriveau, welcome to the show. Dr Rupp Carriveau 03:59 Trevor, great to be here. Thanks. Trevor Freeman 04:01 Yeah. So, Rupp, the last time we chatted, well, so you and I chatted a couple weeks ago, but before that, the last time that you and I interacted, I was in third year university. You were my fluid dynamics Prof. So, in addition to your professorial duties, you're now the director of the environmental Energy Institute at the University of Windsor. So, there's two questions around that. First off, how did you end up going from my fluid dynamics prof a number of years ago, probably close to 20 years ago now, to running this institute? And tell us a little bit about what the Institute does. Dr Rupp Carriveau 04:40 Sure. Though. So, thanks. Yeah, and very memorable Trevor, because I, you know, I remember you well. And, yeah, that was, that was a very nice class that we had. I remember, well, I remember your colleagues too. Trevor Freeman 04:54 If there's one thing I do, well, it's, it's be memorable, and you can take that however you want. Dr Rupp Carriveau 04:58 That is, that is. Something to be said for that. Yeah, thanks for that question. So I should point out that in addition to EEI, I am a co-director in the Turbulence and Energy Lab, which is really where all of the EEI initiatives have started from, that's a lab that I co supervise with Dr David Ting in mechanical engineering and the nuts and bolts, the very serious engineering side of things, comes out of the Turbulence and Energy Lab. EEI kind of came about to handle topics that were, frankly speaking, less interesting to Dr Ting. So, things that push more, a little bit more into policy wider systems looks at things as opposed to, you know, pure thermodynamics and energy efficiency type pursuits, which underpin a lot of the EEI policy pieces, but are sort of beyond the scope of what turbulence and energy lab does. So those two things, and then more recently, actually, I'm co lead on, AGUwin, which is like a center of excellence, emerging Center of Excellence at the University of Windsor. So, Agriculture U Windsor is a group of about 40 professors that do work in agriculture in some shape or form. And we've, we've, we've taken to organizing that movement in seeking sort of group funding proposals, developing curriculum and organized sort of platforms to help industry in agriculture. And it's, it's really taking off, which I'm really excited about my extremely hard-working colleagues and CO lead, Isabel Barrett-Ng, she in particular, has been really driving a lot of really cool initiatives ahead and all the people that work with us. So, yeah, lots, lots happening at the University since I saw you last. But you know, time has a way of helping with that, people find ways to find efficiencies and get to do and build on, build on, hopefully incremental progress. Trevor Freeman 07:08 Yeah, very cool. And you're teasing a few of the areas our conversation is going to go today, that sort of intersection between agriculture and obviously, this is an energy podcast, and so how does agriculture and the way we're moving in with agriculture impacts energy and vice versa. So, we're definitely going to get to that in a minute, I think, for our listeners that are not familiar with Southern Ontario, and I haven't talked about Southern Ontario on the podcast a lot, but people that know me know I will gladly talk about what goes on in the very southern part of our country. It's where I grew up. Help us paint a picture of what Southern Ontario is like. So, in the context of energy, what makes this area of Ontario unique? Dr Rupp Carriveau 07:50 Well, it's that's a really good question, and I'm glad you phrased it that way, because I think it gets taken for granted. And also, folks, folks don't know energy isn't in the headlines every day, and if it is, it's not a headline that everybody pays attention to. But the southwestern Ontario region, if you take the 401 west of London, you'll start to see a high concentration of wind. So, there's a significant wind corridor in the region, and that's because it's very flat, so the whole area used to be a lake bed, and so we have very fertile agricultural lands as a result of that. And we also have very few obstacles to fetch, which is a huge aspect of how wind carries over the lakes, and is, you know, not, not obstructed. And so it's like you have offshore resources onshore, which is completely ideal. Also, we have, as it may be, we have massive natural gas resources in the area, in sort of the subterranean space of Devonian reefs for natural gas storage. We have natural gas generation facilities down around the Windsor area that help with provincial peaking and there is some solar in the region, because it is the Leamington Kingsville area is referred to as the sun parlor of Ontario. And as a result, we have a lot of under glass agriculture there, which benefits, obviously, directly from solar resources. And then we have solar photovoltaic that takes advantage of that sun as well. So there's, there's a lot happening here energy wise. Trevor Freeman 09:38 Yeah, and there's a lot on the demand side of things as well. So, you mentioned the greenhouses, which are an up and coming, you know, source of demand draws on our grid. There's also a big manufacturing base. Talk a little bit about the manufacturing base in the area. Yeah, yeah. And that's that gets into my next question is talking about some of the specific, unique energy needs of greenhouses. I think on the manufacturing side, you know, you mentioned the auto industry and the parts industry that supports it, you're seeing more. There's a battery plant being built now I think that, I think people have a sense of that, but greenhouses are this thing that I think a lot of folks don't think about. So, you talked about the magnitude of the load, the lighting side of things. What else is this like, a 24/7 load? Is this sector growing like? Tell us a little bit about, you know where things are going with greenhouses? Dr Rupp Carriveau 09:53 Yeah, thanks. So, yeah, I was, I was thinking about generation and, yeah, demand is. Significant we have. You know, Windsor has laid claim to Canada's automotive capital, and while I'm biased, I'd like to think it still is. And so we have significant manufacturing around the automotive industry, either automotive OEMs or tier one parts makers that have significant draws. We have Stellantis. Every minivan comes out of this area has come out of this area. The electric Dodge Charger comes out of this area. But there are engine plants for Ford, but they're also now, you know, sort of next generation transport technologies. You've talking about battery manufacturing. So, there's an enormous LG consortium with Stellantis here that's doing battery manufacturing. And so, these are huge loads that that add to existing and growing loads in the greenhouse space, which, again, I'll just mention it now, is something that isn't well understood. And we did a, we did a study for the province a couple years, three, four years ago. Now, I think grid Innovation Fund project that looked at sort of really getting into granular detailing of the loads that come with a lit greenhouse. A lot of people don't appreciate that a lit greenhouse, when switched on, depending on the lighting technology, depending on how it's used, can be like a 50-megawatt load, which is a significant load. And just imagine that's one so they can come on quickly, and they are non-trivial, significant loads. And so, this is something that we looked at trying to develop distributed energy resource sort of solutions for, because, simply speaking, you can't put up a new transmission line overnight, and we don't want to economically constrain the growth of the sector. Sure, yeah. I mean, it's, it's not a simple thing to characterize, because what you can take away from this is that these greenhouse developers are business dynamos, and frankly speaking, many of them do very well, because they're very good at what they do, and with the resources they have, they can largely do what they want. And if, if the infrastructure isn't there, they will build it so. So, you'll have folks that are operating off the grid, essentially not off the gas grid, of course, but they're using gas for cogeneration purposes, to produce heat for their crops, but also the electricity for their lights. So that is one aspect of it that further complicates how to figure out what these loads on the grid will be. But for the most part, of course, the grid provides quite clean and quite affordable electricity in the province, and you know where they can they want to be able to connect to the grid. Now, lights are designed to extend the growing day and extend the growing season as well. So, in terms of when they're switched on and how they're switched on, that is highly variable, and that is also something that is, I would say, in development, folks are looking at different ways to use intermittent lighting to be conscious of when peaking happens. It is dispatchable in a way, in that some growers are able to turn their lights off to avoid, you know, peaking charges. But again, there's a lot to manage. And, and it's, it's very complicated, both on the grid side and, and for the greenhouse grower. Trevor Freeman 14:38 Yeah, so you mentioned natural gas for cogen for heating as well. So, as we look to decarbonize all different aspects of the sector, we talk often on the show of what are the specific areas where decarbonization might be challenging. Is, is greenhouses one of those areas? And, and what are the options available for heating these spaces? Like, is it realistic to think that there's an electric solution here, or what? What's happening in that sector related to decarbonization? Dr Rupp Carriveau 15:10 Again, you've hit on a real sort of hot button issue for the for the sector, the trouble with natural gas is that it's spectacular. Oh, it's storable. It's dispatchable. It's a triple threat for greenhouses in the best way possible, because you can make your heat, you can make your electricity, and the plants crave CO2, and that comes out of the flue gas on the other side of the combustion reaction. So, you know, when you swing in there and you say, Oh, I've got this great new solution. It's called hydrogen. We'll burn hydrogen and we won't have these nasty CO2 release. And they're like, Okay, who's going to replace my CO2? So, it's a difficult fuel to displace. Now, admittedly, people understand that, you know, that's where we really need to go. And is, is electric? You know, electrification the path. So, people talk about, people talk about heat pumps, people talk about electric boilers. And then, as I mentioned, people talked about, you know, we've, we've also looked at the idea of blending hydrogen into a natural gas feed for existing infrastructure to, you know, because, because not all of the CO2, that is, you know, released is, is taken down by the plants. And so could you get to a magic blend where it's just the amount of CO2 that you need is what goes into the other side, and then there's nothing left after the plants take what they need. So, there's a lot of things that are being looked at. It is again, a challenging space to operate in, because it's highly competitive. Getting really granular. Data is very sensitive, because this, this, this is a, you know, it's a game of margins, and it's in its high stakes production. So to get in there and sort of be in the way is, is difficult. So, this work is being done. We're participating in a lot of this work. We just finished a study for the province, a Hydrogen Innovation Fund study on looking at the integration of hydrogen into the greenhouse space. And it was, it was pretty revelatory for us. Trevor Freeman 17:36 So is the exhaust from burning natural gas on site. Does that get recycled through the greenhouse and therefore captured to some degree? Do we know how much you kind of hinted at finding out that sweet spot? Do we know how much of that gets captured? Dr Rupp Carriveau 17:53 Yeah, so the short answer is yes. So, they have the cogen engines have scrubbers on them, and these, these machines are spectacularly capable of being tuned the combustion and the professionals that operate them at the greenhouse facilities are artists, and that they can get the sort of combustion profile a certain way, and so that that flue gas will go into the greenhouse, but to know exactly how much is being taken down, that is an area of active research, and we don't, we don't know that answer yet. There are people that are looking at it, and you can imagine it's kind of a provocative number for the sector. So, they're being very careful about how they do it. Trevor Freeman 18:36 I'm sure, I'm sure. Okay, let's, let's park that just for a minute here, and jump back to something you mentioned earlier. You talked about one how flat Southern Ontario is, and it took me leaving, leaving the county before I really knew what skiing and tobogganing and everything else was. So, there's a lot of wind power generation. And for anyone listening, yeah, as rip mentioned, if you ever drive down the 401 going towards Windsor, you'll just start to see these massive wind turbines kind of everywhere you look. So, help us understand how these turbines, you know, you look out over a field and you see, you know, 2030, of them more in your line of sight. How do they connect to our provincial grid? How do the contracts work? Like, who gets that power? Give us a little bit of a sense of how that works. Dr Rupp Carriveau 19:28 For sure. Yeah, well, so what most people don't realize, and again, it's not something that's talked about, and if it is, I don't know people are necessarily paying attention to it, but, but you know the comment I'll get from relatives we talked about Thanksgiving. So, you know people, because they know I'm a wind person, they'll be like, 'Hey, I was driving down the road and I saw they weren't spinning with, what's going on? Are they broken or what?' Well, you know, because we, we've got some pro wind and some non pro wind folks in the in the family, so it's an exciting time for me. But you know, and I mentioned that the greenhouses I'm working with are often starved for utility supply. And they said, well, how can that be? The turbines are right there. They're sharing the same space, right? And most people don't realize that. Really, I would say 95% of the wind in our corridor is put on a transmission line and sent up to, effectively, to Toronto, to be distributed throughout the province, which is great, but it's not really a local asset. And that was sort of what inspired us when we saw these two sorts of juxtaposed. We thought maybe you could turn these assets into something that acted as really a new type of distributed energy resource, and that you've got a transmission connected asset that's currently under contract, but if that contract could be modified, then the fiscal connections could potentially be modified so you could have local distribution, let's say at a time of maybe at a time of transmission curtailment, maybe under different conditions. So again, looking into the physical plausibility of it was part of our study, and then doing some sort of economic investigation of how that would work, having a nearly 20-year-old asset all of a sudden springing into a new role in a new life, where it continues to perform transmission duties for the province at large, but it also serves local needs in the production, let's say, of hydrogen through an electrolyzer, or just plain electrons turning lights on. That is something that isn't possible yet. Regulatory reasons exist for that that would require some, some significant changes. But it was a really interesting exercise to go through to investigate how that could happen. Trevor Freeman 22:08 Yeah, so there's just trying to understand how this work. There's someone who owns these turbines. Some conglomerate somewhere, you know, Canadian, not Canadian, who knows. They contract with the Independent Electricity System Operator who operates the grid in the province. And they basically say, yeah, well, look, we'll provide you with X amount of power on some contract, and when ISO needs it, they call on it. How long do those contracts last? Is that a 10-year contract? A 20-year contract? Dr Rupp Carriveau 22:35 So, they are in Ontario. The ones that I'm familiar with for 20 years. So it's possible there are others. I know. I have a there's a farm that operates in PEI that has a nice 30 year PPA. So the longer you can get, the better. Yeah, and these, these power purchase agreements are, are wonderful for developers, because they're known entities, doing the math on your finances is really straightforward with these contracts. And frankly speaking, when you had a sector that needed to be brought up from nothing, they were very necessary. They were very necessary. And but those contracts, and they're and they're locked down, as much as we try to, you know, persuade the province to get crazy, to amuse us with these new, newfangled ways of of connecting to people, commerce wise, through energy, they are not interested so far, at least in and they're like, let's finish these out, and then we can talk your crazy ideas, you know, and so, but that's we're getting glare, because I would say many, many, many farms in the province will be coming up on the sun setting end of Their power purchase agreements in the coming five, six years. Trevor Freeman 24:03 Yeah, yeah. Which brings me to my next point, of the assets themselves, the actual physical turbine, I assume last longer than 20 years. You're going to build one of these things. You know, 20 years is not its end of life. So what are the options available today? You talked about regulatory barriers. We talk about regulatory barriers on this show often, what are, what are the options today for a wind farm that is at its end of contract? Does it look at re contracting? Can it kind of direct source to someone else? Like, what are the options available for an owner? Dr Rupp Carriveau 24:40 Yeah, well, to me, it's an exciting time, because it could be work for us. We get excited about this. I think it could be a source of anxiety for owners, because there's nothing better than that long term contract. So many of them will try to apply for things like a medium, a new medium term length contract from the. Province, like an MT two, I think they're called. There are other contract types that are possible, but there'll be, it'll be a highly competitive landscape for those, and the in the province won't be able to give everyone one of these contracts. So some of these, some of these operators, will likely have to look at other options which may be going into the spot market, potentially, you know, getting into the capacity game by getting a battery on site and firming up their ability to provide power when necessary or provide capacity. And then there's a there isn't a relatively recent regulatory development in the around the middle of July, the province said, you know, if you're a non emitting generator and you're not under contract, you could provide virtual power someone else who might need it, if they're looking if they're a class, a customer that's trying to avoid peak charges. You know, rather than that class a customer buys a battery behind the meter and physically reduce their peaks. They could potentially virtually reduce their peaks by setting up a virtual power purchase agreement with another supplier. So these, these off contract spinning assets could have an opportunity to get into this game of peak relief. Which, which could be very lucrative. Because, based on last year's provincial global adjustment charges at large, you're looking at being paid something on the order of about $72,000 a megawatt hour for the, for the for the for the megawatt hours in question, which, which, of course, you know, try to get as many as you can. . Trevor Freeman 26:31 Yeah. So there's a couple of things there. Bear with me while I connect a few dots for our listeners. So on different shows, we talk about different things. Global adjustment is one of them. And we've been talking here about these long term contracts. Global adjustment, as you might remember from previous conversations, is one of those mechanisms that bridges the gap between the spot market price, you know, the actual commodity cost of electricity that's out there, and some of the built-in cost to run the system, which includes these long term contracts. So there's a there's a fixed cost to run the system, global adjustment helps bridge that gap. The next concept here that is important to remember is this class, a strategy where the largest the largest customers, electricity customers in the province, have the opportunity to adjust how they are build global adjustment based on their contribution to the most intensive demand peaks in the province over the course of a year. So during a really high demand period, when everybody needs electricity, if they can reduce their demand, there's significant savings. And so what you're saying is there's this new this new ability for kind of a virtual connection, where, if I'm a big facility that has a high demand, and I contract with a generator, like a wind turbine that's not in contract anymore, I can say, hey, it's a peak time now I need to use some of your capacity to offset, you know, some of my demand, and there's those significant savings there. So you're absolutely right. That's a new thing in the province. We haven't had that ability up until just recently. So super fascinating, and that kind of connects our two topics today, that the large demand facilities in southern Ontario and these these generators that are potentially nearing the end of their contract and looking for what else might happen. So are you guys navigating that conversation between the greenhouses or the manufacturers and the generators? Dr Rupp Carriveau 28:49 I'm so glad you asked. And here comes, here comes a shameless plug. Yeah? So yes. So there's a spin off company from the turbulence and Energy Lab, and it's called jailbreak labs. And jailbreak labs really represents sort of the space that is more commercial than research, but it also was sort of spurned, spurred from research. So jailbreak Labs has developed a registry, and we've been providing some webinars as well. So this, again, this is a company that that is essentially run by students, that this registry allows generators and consumers to ultimately find each other so that, so that these kinds of connections can be made. Because, as you may well imagine, there is no guarantee that the wind will be blowing at the time that you need it so, so and your load may be such that you need a different type of generation profile. So it needs to be profiling on the generation side. There needs to be profiling on the customer side. Yeah, and, you know, we've been doing this on our own for years. It was the time was right for us to sort of step in and say, because we were following this, we were real fanboys of this, of this reg, even before it came into play. And we kept bugging, you know, OEB for meetings and ISO and they, begrudgingly, to their credit, would chat with us about it, and then the next thing we know, it's announced that it's that it's happening. Was very exciting. So, so, yes, so we're really interested in seeing this happen, because it seems like such a unique, we're thrilled, because we're always interested in this sort of Second Life for assets that already have been depreciated and they're clean energy assets. Let's get everything we can out of them and to have this dynamic opportunity for them, and that will help Class A customers too hard for us to ignore. Trevor Freeman 30:56 And you mentioned the last time we chatted about building a tool that helps evaluate and kind of injecting a little bit of AI decision making into this. Talk to us about that tool a little bit. Dr Rupp Carriveau 31:08 Yeah. So we have a, we have a tool called quantract which is basically playing on the idea of quantifying all the risk and opportunity in in a contract. So it's really a contract visualization tool. Another way to think of it as a real time Net Present Value tool that allows renewable energy stakeholders to really, evaluate the value of their investment by not only understanding the physical life left in an asset. Let's say that a wind farm that's, you know, at 20 years and it looks like we may need to replace some blades. Do we just walk away and say, look at it. We had a good run contracts over, you know, we made some money. Let's sell the assets as they are. Or do we say, you know, I'm looking into this vppa game, and we could do okay here, but I'm not exactly sure how that's going to work and when. And so this, this tool that we've developed, will do things like will first of all identify all risk factors, and risk includes opportunities and then we'll profile them, and then builds them into basically what is more or less a glorified discounted cash flow model. So it is a way of measuring the potential value of investment in the AI space. I mean, the AI piece of it is that we have developed agents that will actually identify other things that are less, less sort of noticeable to people. In fact, this regulatory change is one of the things that our AI agents would have been looking for. Okay, now it pre it predated our tool going online, so we didn't see it, but it's the kind of thing that we'd be looking for. So the agents look for news, they look for changes online, and then, and then what happens is, they got brought, they get brought into a profiler. The profiler then determines the probability of or makes an estimate of the probability that this risk will occur. IE, a regulatory change will happen. IE, battery plant will come to town at a certain time. IE, a Costco facility will come in. Then we'll determine the potential magnitude. So there'll be uncertainty in the occurrence, there'll be uncertainty in the magnitude, and there'll be uncertainty in the timing. So we have basically statistical distribution functions for each one of those things, the likelihood of it happening, the magnitude and the timing. And so those are all modeled in so that people can push a button and, say, with this level of certainty your investment would be, would be worth this much. And that's dynamic. It's in real time. So it's changing constantly. It's being updated constantly. And so no so that that is something that goes in, and one of these virtual power purchase agreements would be one of the types of things that would go into this sort of investment timeline? Trevor Freeman 34:22 Yeah, so it's giving these owners of these assets better data to make a decision about what comes next, as you said, and as we're talking I'm kind of doing the math here. If these are typically 20 year contracts, that's bringing us back to, you know, the mid, early, 2000s when we were really pushing to get off coal. So a lot of these assets probably started in and around that time. So you've probably got a whole bunch of customers, for lack of a better term, ready to start making decisions in the next you know, half a decade or so of what do I do with my. Sets. Have you seen this? Has it been used in the real world yet? Or is, are you getting close to that? Like, where are you at in development? Dr Rupp Carriveau 35:07 Yeah, it actually started. It's funny. It started a little a little bit even before this craze. A couple years ago, we had, we had a manufacturer in our county come to us with, they had a great interest in, in just, just they were trying to be proactive about avoiding carbon tax and so, and they wanted to develop a new generation technology close to their facility. And so we used it there since that time. Yeah, so, so it was field proven that was a still a research contract, because they were the technology that they were interested in was, was, was not off the shelf. But since that time, we got a chance, because we represent Canada in the International Energy Agency, task 43 on wind energy digitalization. And so one of the mandates there was to develop a robust and transparent tools for investment decision support using digital twins. And we had a German partner in Fraunhofer Institute that had developed nice digital twin that would provide us remaining useful life values for things like blades, you know, towers, foundations, etc, and those are, again, those are all costs that just plug into our but they did. They didn't have a framework of how to work that into an investment decision other than, you know, you may have to replace this in three years. Okay, well, that's good to know, but we need the whole picture to make that decision, and that's sort of what we were trying to bring so the short answer is, yes, we're getting a lot of interest now, which is thrilling for us, but it's, I'll be honest with you, it's not, it's not simple, like, you know, I I've talked about it a bunch of times, so I'm pretty good at talking about it, but, but the doing it is still, it's computationally intensive and in the end, it's still an estimate. It's a, it's a, it's a calculated, quantified estimate, but it's an estimate. I think what we like about it is it's better than saying, Well, I have a hunch that it's going to go this way, but we could get beat by the hunches too. Yeah, totally, right. So, so, you know, I'm not trying to sell people things that, like I we have to be transparent about it. It's still probability. Trevor Freeman 37:35 Well, I think if there's, if there's one thing that is very apparent, as we are well into this energy transition process that we talk about all the time here on the show. It's that the pace of change is is one of the things that's like no other time we are we are seeing things change, and that means both our demand is growing, our need to identify solutions is growing the way that we need to build out the grid and utilize the ers and utilize all these different solutions is growing at a rate that we haven't seen before, and therefore uncertainty goes up. And so to your point, yeah, we need help to make these decisions. We need better ways of doing it than just, as you say, having a hunch. That doesn't mean it's foolproof. It doesn't mean it's a guarantee. Dr Rupp Carriveau 38:27 Nope, it is not a guarantee. Trevor Freeman 38:30 Very cool. So Rupp, this is a great conversation. It's really fascinating to talk about to me, two areas of the energy sector that aren't really understood that well. I think the agriculture side of things, not a lot of people think about that as a major demand source. But also wind, I think we talk about solar a lot. It's a little bit more ubiquitous. People's neighbors have solar on their roofs. But wind is this unless you drive through Southern Ontario or other parts of the province where there's a lot of wind, you don't see it a lot. So it's fascinating to kind of help understand where these sectors are going. Is there anything else that the Institute is working on that that's worth chatting about here, or is what we've talked about, you know, kind of filling your day, in your students days? Dr Rupp Carriveau 39:15 Well, actually there is something we haven't talked about the nuclear option. Literally, literally the nuclear literally the nuclear option. Yeah, so we've been really thrilled to have a growing relationship with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, which is much closer to you than it is to me. And specifically in the connection of small modular reactors to meet these growing agricultural loads. So I have a science colleague at the University of Windsor, Dr drew Marquart, who was all hot and bothered about these s. Mrs. And he's like, we should drop one of these SMRs in Leamington. Then I this, this part I really enjoyed, because it's obviously so he came from Oak Ridge National Laboratories in the States, and he's and he's been at CNL as well. So he's fully indoctrinated into the nuclear space. But it just didn't occur to him that that would be provocative or controversial at all, that there wouldn't be some social he, you know, he's like, we can do the math. And I said, Oh yeah, yeah, we can do the math. But I'm like, I think you're missing something. I think you're missing something, right? So, but so it's, it's a super fascinating topic, and we're trying to connect, physically connect. So just before the weekend, I was in the turbulence and Energy Lab, and we were trying to commission what we believe is North America's first we're calling it a model synthetic, small modular reactor, synthetic being the key word, and that it's non nuclear, okay? And so it's non nuclear. What it what it is really and if I'm going to de glamorize it for a second, it's a mini steam thermal power plant, which doesn't embody every SMR design, but many SMRs are designed around this sort of where you've got a nuclear reaction that provides the heat, and then after that, it's kind of a steam thermal power plant. Our interest is in this physical little plant being connected to small electrolyzer, being connected to small thermal battery, being connected to a lab scale electric battery and being connected to a lab scale fully automated inlet, cucumber, small cucumber, greenhouse, mini cubes greenhouse, all this in our lab. The exciting thing around this is, you know, I I've said that I think nuclear technology needs to get out from behind the walls of nuclear facilities for people to start to appreciate it, and by that, to start doing that, you have to take the nuclear part out, which, to me, is not necessarily a deal breaker in terms of these dynamic issues that we want to solve. You know, because nukes have traditionally been said, Well, you know they're not that. You know, you can't just ramp them up and down, and that's true, you know, and small modular reactors are supposed to be considerably more nimble, but there's still lots of challenges that have to be solved in terms of having how it is an asset that is provides copious energy, but does so maybe not, not as dynamic, certainly, as a gas turbine. That how does it? How do you make it nimble, right? How do you partner it up with the right complimentary other grid assets to take advantage of what it does so well, which is crank out great amounts of heat and electricity so, so effortlessly, right? And so that's, that's sort of what we're trying to do, and connecting it to what we're calling atomic agriculture. I don't know that's a good name or not. I like it, but, but, but, yeah, so that that's another thing that we're that we're flirting with right now. We're working on. We've done a few. We've had a few contracts with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories to get us this far. We did everything computationally. We're continuing to do computational studies with them. They develop their own hybrid energy systems, optimizer software, HISO, which we use, and we are now trying to put it into sort of the hardware space. So again, just the idea that physically looking at the inertia of spinning up a turbine, the little gap, the little sort of steam powered turbine that we have in the lab that's run by an electric boiler. But our hope is to, ultimately, we're going to get the electric boiler to be mimicking the sort of reaction heating dynamics of a true reactor. So by, but through electrical control. So we'll imitate that by having sort of data from nuclear reactions, and then we'll sort of get an electrical signal analog so that we can do that and basically have a non nuclear model, small modular reactor in the lab. Trevor Freeman 44:14 Very cool, very neat. Well, Rupp, this has been a great conversation. I really appreciate it. We do always end our interviews with a series of questions here, so I'm going to jump right into those. What's a book that you've read that you think everyone should read? Dr Rupp Carriveau 44:31 I would say any of the Babysitters Club. That's as high as I get in the literary hierarchy. I'm barely literate so and I thoroughly enjoyed reading those books with my daughters that they were great. So I recommend any, any of the Babysitters Club titles. I mean that completely seriously, I that was the peak of my that are dog man, yeah, Trevor Freeman 44:56 I'm about six months removed from what i. Was about an 18 month run where that's, that's all I read with my youngest kiddo. So they've, they've just moved on to a few other things. But yes, I've been steeped in the Babysitter's Club very recently. Dr Rupp Carriveau 45:11 So good. So, you know, absolutely. Trevor Freeman 45:14 So same question, but for a movie or a show, what's something that you recommend? Dr Rupp Carriveau 45:17 Everyone thrilled with that question. If you're looking for a good, good true story. I've always been romantically obsessed with the ghost in the darkness, the true story of, I guess, a civil engineer trying to solve a problem of man eating lions and Tsavo. That's a, that's a, that's a tremendous movie with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. Yeah, that's good then, and I think for something a little more light hearted and fun, a big fan of the way, way back and youth and revolt, nice. Trevor Freeman 46:03 If someone offered you a free round trip flight anywhere in the world, where would you go? Dr Rupp Carriveau 46:05 I don't really like flying, I got to be honest. But if, if I was forced onto the plane, I think, I think I go to Japan. Nice. Have you been before? No, I haven't. I'd like to go. Okay, cool. You're not the first guest that has said that someone else was very That's understandable. Yeah, who is someone that you admire? I would say truly selfless people that help people when no one's looking and when it's not being tabulated for likes those people are who I aspire to be more like nice. Trevor Freeman 46:47 And last question, what's something about the energy sector or its future that you're really excited about? Dr Rupp Carriveau 46:53 I think maybe power to the people I really like, the movement of distributed energy resources. I'm sure there's a limit to it, but I think, I think if we have more responsibility for our own power production, and again, I can see there are limits where it's probably, you know, there's, there's a point where it's too much. I'm all for, for major centralized coordination and the security in the reliability that goes with that. But I think a little bit more on the distributed side would be nice, because I think people would understand energy better. They would they would own it more, and I think our grid would probably increase in its resiliency. Trevor Freeman 47:37 Yeah, that's definitely something that no matter the topic, it seems, is a part of almost every conversation I have here on the show. It works its way in, and I think that's indicative of the fundamental role that decentralizing our energy production and storage is is already playing and is going to play in the years to come as we kind of tackle this energy transition drove this has been a really great conversation. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us, and that's great to catch up. Great to chat with you again. Dr Rupp Carriveau 48:11 Total privilege for me. Trevor, I really appreciate it. Outstanding job. Trevor Freeman 48:15 Thanks for having me. Yeah, great to chat. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the thinkenergy podcast, don't forget to subscribe. Wherever you listen to podcasts, and it would be great if you could leave us a review. It really helps to spread the word. As always, we would love to hear from you, whether it's feedback comments or an idea for a show or a guest. You can always reach us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com.
DateOctober 26, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we scratch the record on apathy and tune our ears to the Spirit's invitation to dream again. We confront the haunting script that “nothing matters” and pivot toward a defiant, embodied hope—where God restores what locusts devour and empowers all people to imagine and co-create a more just, beautiful world. Expect honest lament, bold re-imagining, and a summons to actionable faith that interrupts despair with possibility.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
Chatham in Kent has many haunted locations with most of them being connected to battle, war and the military. There were six forts built here to protect the Chatham Dockyard from attacks, particularly by Napoleon Bonaparte. Several of those forts are haunted and the Dockyard is probably the most haunted location in Chatham. Join us for the history and hauntings of Chatham! This Month in History features the birth of Christopher Wren. Check out the website: http://historygoesbump.com Show notes can be found here: https://historygoesbump.blogspot.com/2025/10/hgb-ep-609-chathams-haunts.html Become an Executive Producer: http://patreon.com/historygoesbump Music used in this episode: (This Month in History) "In Your Arms" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Music: Halloween 2025 Vol. 8 by Sascha Ende Link: https://ende.app/en/song/13324-halloween-2025-vol-8
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DateOctober 19, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we confront the haunting fear that darkness will devour us. Through Jacob's midnight wrestling match with God, we discover that darkness isn't something to run from—it's a doorway to transformation. Wrestling with God in our darkest moments isn't a sign of faithlessness, but an invitation to experience divine presence and emerge changed, even if limping. Based on Genesis 32:22-31, with references to Barbara Brown Taylor's wisdom on sacred darkness and Kate Bowler's reflections on blessing through struggle.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
He lost $40 million in 2008... and built a real estate empire from the rubble. Today's guest, Levi Benkert, went from running coffee shops to flipping houses, losing $40 million in the 2008 crash, relocating his family to Ethiopia to run an orphanage and start businesses, and then returning to the US to build a thriving Class B industrial real estate empire in Texas. He breaks down the mindset shifts, lessons from failures, and disciplined strategies that turned what looked like a disaster into the comeback story of the century. If you've ever wondered how to recover from a huge setback, this episode gives you the playbook straight from someone who's done it. Tune in to hear Levi's journey from collapse to empire... and why the lessons he learned can help anyone in business or life. — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:55 Understanding interest rates and market cycles 00:04:08 The Chatham forward curve 00:11:36 Levi's early business ventures 00:16:42 Fear and feelings in business 00:19:09 Transitioning to property development 00:27:05 Institutional lending 00:32:12 Losing $40M during the 2008 crash 00:41:49 Building an orphanage in Ethiopia 00:49:22 Building a beef farm in Ethiopia 00:57:51 Moving back to the US and starting Harbor Capital 01:03:15 Industrial real estate and fundraising 01:11:16 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 01:13:53 Outro — Additional Resources:
The Warehouse Group is ending direct shipping to both Great Barrier Island and the Chatham Islands citing rising carrier costs making it unsustainable for the company. Owner of the Currach Irish Pub Orla Cumisky on Great Barrier Island spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
DateOctober 12, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we confront the haunting narrative of isolation and loneliness plaguing our modern world. Pastor Meg Greto challenges the "pandemic of loneliness" by diving into Jeremiah's powerful letter to the exiles, revealing God's unexpected prescription for healing: plant gardens, build community, and seek the shalom (complete peace and flourishing) of the place where you are. Through practical actions and deep connection to both land and neighbor, we discover that God's story always calls us from isolation into beloved community. Scripture references: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
A judge has temporarily blocked National Guard deployment in Chicago. This comes as a federal judge ruled against ICE's arrest tactics. We're breaking down the latest updates with executive producer Simone Alicea and The Triibe's Corli Jay. Plus, state lawmakers are back for the fall veto session next week, Bears seek Hail Mary redemption in DC, and Chatham welcomes a new wine bar to 75th street. Good News: Slow and Low Lowrider Festival Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us on social @citycastchicago You can also text or leave us a voicemail at 773-780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Oct. 7 episode: MUBI Window Nation TimeLine First Ascent Climbing — City Cast listeners can buy one Day Pass and get one free Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE
DateOctober 5, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, the first of our Scary Stories sermon series, we confront the haunting narrative that "might makes right" and discover a profound alternative: God's power is made perfect in weakness. Through the ancient prophet Habakkuk's honest laments and patient waiting, we learn that true strength isn't found in domination or self-reliance, but in admitting our need for God. When we embrace our human limitations instead of denying, distracting, or deflecting from them, we tap into a divine power that transforms both us and the world around us.ReferencesScripture: Habbakuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
DateSeptember 28, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we reimagine salvation not as a fear-driven, one-and-done transaction but as God's healing and wholeness breaking into real life—personal and communal, present and active. We move from private assurance to public restoration, learning to “work out” salvation together through justice, mercy, and everyday mending. Where the world feels frayed, we become agents of repair, embodying Jesus' pattern of healing, belonging, and restitution—here and now. Scripture: Luke 18:42; Mark 5:34; Luke 19:8–9; Philippians 2:12–13.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
DateSeptember 21, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon from the "Baggage Claim" series, we confront one of Christianity's heaviest burdens: the doctrine of hell and divine punishment. Brian Recker reveals how fear-based theology creates devastating spiritual baggage in our relationships with God, ourselves, and others. Through fresh historical and biblical insights, he reframes Jesus's teachings about Gehenna not as threats of eternal torment, but as urgent calls to build loving communities in the present. Drawing from Matthew 7:12, Luke 19:10, and 1 John 4:18, Recker invites us to exchange our fear-laden baggage for the transformative truth of our belovedness.Pre-Order Hell Bent by Brian ReckerAbout The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
Why is Chatham High-street both futuristic and riddled with the past? Why was it a magnet for historical figures such as King John, Charles II, Nelson and Charles Dickens, and the location for some of the most totemic moments in British history? Is it really a melting pot of every epoch - from the Roman invasion of Britain, to the Napoleonic Wars, and to the Second World War - and therefore the most historically significant high-street in the world? ______ Try Adobe Express for free now at https://www.adobe.com/uk/express/spotlight/designwithexpress?sdid=HM85WZZV&mv=display&mv2=ctv or by searching in the app store. Learn more at https://uber.com/onourway ______ The Rest Is History Club: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to full series and live show tickets, ad-free listening, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members' chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestishistory.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestishistory. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producers: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude Video Producers: Harry Swan + Jack Meek + Charlie Rodwell Social Producer: Harry Balden Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices