DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: A handful of young hockey players, from North Durham and Kawartha Lakes, took a major step toward their junior hockey dreams, over the weekend, as the Ontario Hockey League held its 2026 Priority Selection, in Kingston. While no local players were selected, during Friday night's opening round, several area standouts heard their names called, throughout rounds two through 15. This highlighted the strength of local hockey

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: As the City of Kawartha Lakes continues to mark its 25th anniversary, officials are hoping to connect with a resident whose life story spans generations of local history. The City has launched a search for the oldest person living in Kawartha Lakes, who has called the community home their entire life. The initiative is designed not only to identify a remarkable resident but also to preserve th

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A new partnership, among local emergency services and community organizations, is set to provide peace of mind for families caring for loved ones living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cognitive conditions. This summer, Project Lifesaver will be introduced in Kawartha Lakes, bringing with it a proven search-and-rescue program, designed to help quickly locate individuals who may w

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM: Families looking for an affordable way to enjoy the outdoors this summer will have two opportunities to cast a line in the waters without purchasing a fishing licence, as Ontario’s annual Free Fishing Weekends return, later this month. Anglers of all ages can fish for free, during Father’s Day Weekend, on June 20th and 21st, followed by Family Fishing Week, from June 27th to July 5th. The initia

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A family-friendly evening of entertainment and community spirit, is set to take place in Sunderland, this week, as residents are invited to a free Community Movie Night, at the Sunderland Town Hall Auditorium. The event, scheduled for Friday, June 19th, will feature a screening of the new Super Mario Galaxy Movie and is open to residents of all ages. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the movie beginni

by Geoffrey Carpentier I had the good fortune to spend much of the winter in very tropical areas, with daytime temperatures often well into the high 30s. Arriving home, I was anxious for a different kind of warm though. I longed for the wonderful spring temperatures I grew up with, cool nights and lovely warm summery days. Well, it seems for 2026, at least, that didn’t happen. On May 21st, we had frost warnings, not unheard of but, certainly not anticipated nor welcome! My bi

Editorial by TODD GREEN The Standard Fathers. I've had three in my life, two of them contributed more than they know. The first father I had, brought me into this world. He was a bit of a train wreck, marriage wise, but while in their lives, he was fiercely loyal to those around him, stimulating a return in kind. One of his passions was creative writing. In part, I have reaped a blessing from that lineage, and you are experiencing it now. His other main passion was being a ca

by Lauren Walker A common misconception is, when a limb or joint is injured, you should stop moving it. Some may have chronic joint pain or an injured joint, brought on by daily activity. In this case, I encourage movement for healing but we must do so safely. Necessary for Healing Part of healing an injury is bringing blood and oxygen to the injury and surrounding area. Specific exercise helps an injury by increasing blood flow to deliver essential nutrients, rebuilding surr

As Canadians prepare to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day, on June 21st, communities across the country are being encouraged to celebrate the rich cultures, traditions, languages and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. For generations, the longest day of the year has been a time for gatherings, ceremonies and celebrations. In recognition of this importance, the Government of Canada officially designated June 21st as National Aboriginal Day, in 1996. Th

by Pat Asling We are finally getting the rain we needed! How quickly things change, and we are either complaining about too much of a good thing or wishing for more. I understand, though. The town of Uxbridge is not too happy because they got a downpour on Saturday, and I assume more today, possibly washing out many of the planned activities of the Springtime Music Festival! One which couldn’t be washed out was the performance by Robin Ottolini at Second Wedge, at least I ass

by Patricia Dawson Bring the family out to a free community movie night on Friday, June 19th, at the Sunderland town hall for a fun evening with the new Super Mario Galaxy movie. It’s a great chance to relax and enjoy the movies. The location is Sunderland Town Hall, 120 River Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the movie begins at 7 p.m. Chairs will be set up, so please arrive early to secure a great seat. Admission is completely free, and everyone is welcome to bring their

by Faye Ashton I hope your gardens received some much-needed rain, which fell first on Thursday and again on Sunday. This farm was working into the night on Saturday to get the cut hay baled and wrapped, and the haylage into the silo before the predicted rain on Sunday. So is the life of all farm families because the weather plays such an important role in our livelihood. As we look back 50 years on June 13th, we think of the tremendous help we received when lightning hit our

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard One of the area’s brightest golfing talents will once again tee it up on one of the biggest stages in Canadian golf. Little Britain native, Justin Matthews has earned an exemption into the 2026 RBC Canadian Open, taking place June 10th to 14th, at TPC Toronto, on Osprey Valley’s North Course in Caledon. Golf Canada and RBC recently announced the 13 players receiving exemptions into Canada’s national men’s championship, where Matthews earned his plac

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard A season filled with success, growth and memorable moments was celebrated recently, as the Uxbridge Bruins gathered for their annual awards banquet at the Uxbridge Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The evening provided an opportunity to recognize individual achievements, while also marking the end of an era, for several key members of the organization. Among those saying goodbye was Bruins president, Jay Simmonds, who announced he is stepping awa

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Years of wear and tear, beneath one of Port Perry's key roadways, have prompted additional engineering work, as plans move forward for a major rehabilitation of Old Simcoe Road. The preliminary design phase for the Old Simcoe Road Rehabilitation project is underway and remains on schedule; however, new investigations have revealed underground deficiencies which will require further study before constr

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: The stories behind accessibility often begin with people who see barriers and decide to do something about them. That spirit of inclusion was celebrated during the June 2nd meeting of council, when the City of Kawartha Lakes presented its 2026 Accessibility Awareness Recognition Awards to individuals, businesses, community groups, municipal staff and youth who have helped make the community mo

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard NORTH DURHAM: Treasure hunters and bargain seekers will once again have an opportunity to explore neighbourhoods across Durham Region when Curbside Giveaway Day returns on Saturday, June 13. The popular event, running from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., encourages residents to place unwanted items that are still in good condition at the curb, clearly marked “Free,” allowing others to take them home and give them a second life. Organized in partnership with Durha

by Tina Y. Gerber - McCurley I am not a genius, or even that smart; I am just an average or normal country girl who loves God and attempts to follow His word. I, like everyone else who is honest, fail daily. God knows this will happen and has accommodated for it as we grow. It needs to be understood that following God's word is different than receiving information: that is passive and/or just educational. It remains subjective, like when one is listening to their pastor's ser

by Jay Thibert NDN Africa is famous for its large mammals, and many tourists go there to get a firsthand view of some of their spectacular beasts. However, there are many other amazing animals to be seen there, in particular a great diversity of birds. James and Lynda Kamstra took just such a trip through the Serengeti Plains and some of the great national parks of Kenya and Tanzania. The wildlife was awesome with the Great migration of many thousands of zebras and wildebeest

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard DURHAM: The Ontario government is investing more than $9.6 million in Durham Region Transit through its 2025-26 Gas Tax Program, providing funding aimed at improving public transportation services across the region. The province announced that Durham Region will receive $9,633,396 to support local transit initiatives, including expanded service hours, additional routes, new vehicle purchases, and accessibility improvements designed to increase rider