DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: The small North Durham community of Blackstock is celebrating national recognition, after being named Ontario’s provincial winner in the 2026 edition of the Kraft Hockeyville competition. The announcement was made during the March 14th broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada, placing the Blackstock Arena among 13 communities across Canada selected as provincial and territorial winners. The recognition mea

Darryl Knight – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter / Brandon Clark – The Standard News SCUGOG: Plans to develop a long-term vision for the Port Perry Fairgrounds are moving into their next stage following strong community participation in the first round of public consultation. At a special meeting on Monday, March 9th, Scugog council reviewed an interim report on the “Your Voice, Your Fairgrounds” land-use visioning project and agreed to move the process forward as the c

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Regional priorities, ranging from housing and transit to economic development and public safety, were outlined during a recent update, delivered to Brock Township. At council’s meeting, on Monday, March 9th, Regional Chair John Henry presented Brock councillors with the annual Regional Municipality of Durham update, offering a broad overview of major initiatives and the region’s long-term vision. Mr.

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Paramedics in Kawartha Lakes are keeping pace with rising call volumes, while maintaining strong response times, according to the 2025 Operational Key Performance Indicators (O-KPIs) report, presented to Council, on Tuesday, March 10th. Last year, paramedics responded to more than 14,000 patient calls, or, roughly one call every 37 minutes. Despite the increase in demand, the service met or

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A midpoint review of the municipality’s four-year strategic plan shows significant progress, with more initiatives now moving from planning into delivery and completion. At a council meeting, on Tuesday, March 10th, Josh Dunsworth, Manager of Strategy and Innovation for the City of Kawartha Lakes, presented the 2025 annual update and midpoint review of the 2024–2027 Strategic Plan. The repor

KIM COULTER RMH Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: The Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) Foundation is happy to welcome the team from Mary Brown’s Chicken, in Lindsay, as the newest member of the WE ARE THE ROSS Business Community! Peter Patel presented the proceeds of the Mary Brown’s Guest Appreciation Event fundraiser to Kim Coulter, RMH Foundation Communications Specialist, on Tuesday, March 10th. Over the two-day event, on March 4th to 5th, $1,550 was raised to support critical inv

by Shawn Lackie Since there haven’t been a whole bunch of new ones these days, maybe it’s a good time to talk about listings and the different types you may encounter, when it’s time to sell your humble abode. There are many different types of listings and you can pretty much choose the one which best suits your needs. Make sure you have a reputable and reliable agent and also make sure you discuss EVERY step along the way. If you ever have a question about something and the

by Geoffrey Carpentier As the cold of winter slowly abandons our landscape, something exciting is happening. Although unseen, we can enjoy the pleasure and taste of this annual event for months afterward. The sap is running, and so begins the task of making Canada’s famous maple syrup! Beginning as a clear, slightly sweet sap from the sugar maple, weather, patience and time, and generations of practice are needed to ensure the maple syrup is perfect! From late February to ear

by Lauren Walker My last article touched on a few key items about exercise after a stroke. We've worked with many clients seeking rehab and our goal is to develop strength through the use of progressive weight bearing exercise. Our current client was affected on the left side and therefore her arm and leg suffered subsequent weakness. Let's dive into the key to getting our client up and walking with assistance. Assess the Client One size does not fit all, in this situation. T

by Tina Y. Gerber – McCurley As we welcome March, I am hoping for a time of renewal and looking forward to Spring. March, with its changing weather and longer daylight hours, present both opportunities and challenges. I would think and believe, as a senior, I play a vital role in my family, community, and so do YOU. I want to ensure I remain healthy, active, and engaged. It is more important than ever. It was a tough start to 2026 and the key to my success is maintaining my o

Nancy Newton , Soroptimist KAWARTHA LAKES: Members of Soroptimist International of Kawartha Lakes celebrated International Women’s Day (March 8th) by helping local women and their babies. Club members donated diapers, clothing, baby food and other items to the Kawartha Lakes Pregnancy Centre. Michelle Botting, the Centre’s Executive Director, acknowledged the impact of the donation. “The Kawartha Lakes Pregnancy Centre (KLPC) walks alongside anyone facing challenges related

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The Uxbridge Bruins have advanced to the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) Orr Division finals, eliminating their arch-rivals, the Port Perry MoJacks, in a hard-fought five-game Battle of North Durham series. After storming to a 2-0 series lead last weekend, Uxbridge faced a resilient LumberJacks squad in Game 3 on Tuesday, March 10th, in Uxbridge. Port Perry struck first in the third period with a power-play goal from Parker Lemay, assisted by

By Patricia Dawson Bring the family for a free skate at the Uxbridge Arena on Thursday, March 19th, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The address is 291 Brock Street West, Uxbridge. The Uxbridge pool is offering free swimming for families during the March break. Thursday, March 19th, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is open to all ages. The address is 1 Parkside Drive, Uxbridge. Want a fun night out listening to country music and enjoying country line dancing. Saddle up for an unforgeta

by Faye Ashton It’s hard to prepare oneself for what to wear the next day with the quick ups and downs this weather system takes. Certainly not conducive to the sap run. Having lost most of the snow this past week, except for what has been piled, we are back to a good amount of snow again. Doesn’t everything look nice and clean again? Come and enjoy a potluck breakfast in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank Project at Epsom Church on Good Friday. April 3rd, 9 a.m. for vis

By Larry Doble The Greenbank and District Lions, now in their 33rd year, recently gave 12 of their members certificates of appreciation. The years of dedicated service totalled almost 250 years. We are always looking for new members to help those in our community who need assistance. Our recent project is the sale of 55-pound bags of lawn 28-4-8 and garden 18-18-18 fertilizer for $50 each. This includes tax and free delivery. Email larrydoble@hotmail.com with your order and

by Pat Asling So, Mother Nature is playing tricks again! It was sooo nice to see all that snow disappear and then, whammo, to have another 6” dumped on us. At least it was soft and fluffy, and easily moved by the wind as well as by shovels, etc., but we are in mid-March (hard to imagine), so only a couple more months to persevere! Sadly, our little weather prognosticator, Wiarton Willy, passed away in his sleep after predicting an early Spring. For him, it probably did, in gr

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The community is grieving, following the tragic passing of Woodville youth Rowen Greening, whose life touched countless people both on and off the ice. Rowen, a Grade 6 student and a member of the North Durham Warriors Under-12 AA hockey team, passed away, following an ATV accident, on Thursday, March 5th. In the days since, an outpouring of love and support has spread throughout

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Residents are encouraged to shine a spotlight on the people, organizations, and businesses which help make their community stronger. Nominations are now open for the 2026 Annual Awards of Merit. The awards recognize individuals, groups, and businesses which have added value to the community and enriched the lives of residents, through their contributions in a variety of fields. Nominations are curren

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Entrepreneurs, across the community, are being encouraged to take the next step to grow their businesses. Applications open for the Spring 2026 cohort, of the Starter Company PLUS program, in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The program, offered through the municipality, in partnership with the Province of Ontario, is designed to support small business owners who are looking to launch, expand, or