DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Girls hockey continues its rapid rise in Kawartha Lakes, with hundreds of young athletes taking to the ice, in recent weeks, including a busy tryout weekend, of April 25th and 26th, and sessions continuing into May, for the Lindsay Lynx girls hockey program at the Lindsay Recreation Complex. In recent weeks, girls aged 9 to 17 have been showcasing their skills, in hopes of earning a spot on one of the

HELEN NICOLAOU, Special to The Standard True signs of spring have daffodils blooming in gardens. What a delight to wake to songbirds and their cheerful twittering, on these spring mornings. The arrival of purple martins, is no surprise, it also means the mosquitoes are back for the season as well. On Saturday, April 25th, the members from the Pine Ridge Garden Club attended the District 17 AGM, at Club Caribe, in Oshawa. We enjoyed morning refreshments, enjoyed some delicious

By Lauren Walker What a lot of work and time spent! For the second year in a row, I helped to organize the Oshawa Artist Association Juried show at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. What is a Juried Art show? For those of you unfamiliar with a Juried Art Show, it is when artists submit their work to a gallery for judging by a selected pair or individual. These judges are reputable and professionals in their field. If your work is selected, it will be included in an exhibition at

By Shawn Lackie Think about this for a minute. You want to sell your home and an agent advertises, “I can list your home and if it doesn’t sell in 30 days or less, I will buy it.” Too good to be true, right? Pretty much. Sure, they will buy it, for well under market value. Remember those lovely faux hand written pieces you used to get in the mail, from “buyers” willing to buy your home, without you even having to go through the arduous process of listing it? Well, this is ano

By Geoff Carpentier Each spring, as the snow melts and seasonal rains soak the landscape, shallow pools appear in depressions, within forests and meadows. These short-lived waters, known as vernal ponds, may last only a few weeks or months. Yet during their brief lives, they become some of the most biologically productive and important habitats in temperate ecosystems. Vernal ponds are seasonal wetlands which typically appear in late winter or early spring and dry up by mid t

DARRYL KNIGHT, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Potholes, ruts, and washboard surfaces have become a daily frustration for drivers across Scugog Township this spring, as lingering frost and wet weather delay much-needed grading on the area’s gravel roads. Following a harsh and unpredictable winter, many rural roads are in rough shape, prompting residents to ask when repairs will begin. Timing is critical for grading operations. As frost leaves the

One of Ontario’s most historic paddling events is back. The 46th annual Marsh Mash will hit the water on Saturday, May 9th, welcoming canoeists, kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and outrigger paddlers from across the province. The canal, which surrounds the Holland Marsh, provides one of the best canoe racing courses in Ontario. Marsh Mash offers a wide range of recreational and competitive race categories. Distances range from five kilometres to 28 km, including adult and

DARRYL KNIGHT, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A proposal which could reshape how school boards are governed across Ontario is drawing concern at the municipal level, with Brock Council throwing its support behind a request for further oversight and public consultation. At its Monday, April 13th meeting, Brock Council endorsed a motion supporting the Durham District School Board (DDSB) in its call for the Ombudsman of Ontario to review the potenti

DARRYL KNIGHT, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: 2025 was a year defined by extremes, and a financial balancing act few municipalities ever face. A report, presented at the Tuesday, April 21st council meeting, detailed how a series of severe weather events and economic pressures pushed the municipality toward a potential $44 million deficit in 2025. In the end, staff outlined a plan to absorb the hit through reserves, rather than passing th

SCUGOG: The township of Port Perry is set to become an international hotspot for equestrian sport this spring, as Restoration Ranch welcomes riders, from across North America, for a four-day Working Equitation event, from May 28th to May 31st. The show will serve as a critical qualifying event, for the World Equitation Games, scheduled to take place in Spain this September. Hosted by Working Equitation Canada (WECAN), the event will feature riders, from Ontario, Vermont, Nort

DARRYL KNIGHT, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A year of transition and tempered growth defined development activity across the Township of Scugog in 2025, as municipal staff took on full responsibility for planning approvals while navigating broader economic headwinds. The Planning and Community Affairs Committee received the 2025 Planning and Building Development Activity Report during its April 20th meeting, offering a detailed look at how shi

DARRYL KNIGHT, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard A season defined by resilience and a raucous home crowd came to a close, in dramatic fashion, for the Uxbridge Bruins, on Tuesday, April 14th. Backed by more than 800 fans, at the Bear Den, the Bruins battled until the final horn, but fell, 4–3, to the Frankford Huskies, in Game 6 of the Provincial Junior Hockey League Eastern Conference championship series, ending their playoff run one step short of the fin

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A new partnership, between the municipality and a community-driven committee, is being positioned as a key step toward safeguarding the long-term future of the Blackstock Arena. During the General Purpose and Administration Committee meeting, on April 13th, members reviewed a staff report from, Manager of Parks and Recreation, Shawna Cornish, outlining a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Potholes, washouts, and soft shoulders have become a familiar, and frustrating, sight, across Brock’s rural concessions, this spring, prompting council to take urgent action, at a special meeting on Friday, April 17th. With more than 100 millimetres of recent rainfall and lingering frost beneath the surface, road conditions, across the township, have deteriorated rapidly in recent weeks, drawing concer

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Councillors heard, at their Monday, April 13th meeting, during a detailed presentation, a regional push to strengthen the rural economy is gaining traction across Brock. Stacey Jibb and Jessica Rhynas, of the Region of Durham, outlined progress on the Growing North Durham: Rural Economic Development Action Plan, pointing to a year of increased collaboration, business support, and targeted investment ef

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A refreshed approach, to how streets, parks, and municipal facilities are named, is moving one step closer to adoption, with committee backing for a policy update, designed to reflect growth, inclusivity, and community input. During a Committee of the Whole meeting, on April 7th, members reviewed a report, from Deputy Clerk Joel Watts, outlining proposed updates to the City’s Street, Municipal

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Floodwaters are surging through communities across the region, leaving a trail of damage, emergency rescues, and anxious residents along the Burnt River and beyond. In the Burnt River area, homes and cottages, particularly downstream from the village, have been inundated, as water levels continue to rise. Roads have disappeared beneath the floodwaters, while Wrex Road effectively turned into a

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter to The Standard BROCK: Sunshine, syrup, and strong community spirit defined a successful weekend at the 29th annual Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival, as thousands of visitors filled the downtown core, to celebrate one of Brock Township’s most cherished traditions. Saturday’s picture-perfect weather set the tone, with blue skies and warm spring sunshine drawing large crowds early in the day. Streets quickly filled with festival

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Concerns from farmers and rural residents took centre stage, at the Tuesday, April 7th Committee of the Whole meeting, as councillors signalled their opposition to the proposed ALTO high-speed rail project, in its current form. A memorandum, from Deputy Mayor Tracy Richardson, highlighted growing frustration within the agricultural community, over what many see as a limited and inaccessible co