DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The hardware is heading back to Sunderland. Uxbridge Bruins forward, Ryan Shier has been named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Orr Division, for the 2025-26 season, capping off a dominant campaign for the first-place Bruins. The 20-year-old Sunderland native led Uxbridge in scoring, with 22 goals and 31 assists, for 53 points in 40 games, playing a key role in the club’s run to the top of the division standing

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A one-day immersive STEAM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics ) experience, aimed at inspiring the next generation of female leaders, has received financial backing from the City of Kawartha Lakes. At its meeting, on Tuesday, February 24th, council approved $2,500 in one-time funding, to support the upcoming Women’s Changemakers STEAM Event. It is scheduled for Wednesda

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Repairs are moving ahead, on a well-used pedestrian link in the heart of Cannington, after council approved a contract for rehabilitation work, on the MacLeod Park Pedestrian Bridge, at its meeting, on Monday, February 23rd. Council awarded a contract to Melfer Construction Inc., the lowest compliant bidder, following a competitive Request for Tender process which closed on February 5th. Eleven bids

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Agriculture remains a driving force in Durham Region’s rural communities, and members of the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee (DAAC) brought that message to council, during their annual update, on Monday, February 23rd. Matt Somerville and Nicole Swain outlined the committee’s ongoing work and the major issues currently facing the agricultural sector, emphasizing DAAC’s role as a key advisory

BRANDON CLARK The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: From Monday, March 16th to Thursday, March 19th, Kawartha Lakes residents can place household batteries at the curb on their regular garbage day. Residents are urged to have it out by 7 a.m for regular collection. To get batteries ready, put them in a clear resealable bag and leave it where the collector can see it. Residents are asked not to place the bag on recycling bins. This is also a good time to remind families to change the

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Tourism growth and stronger coordination across sectors were front and centre, at Scugog council’s Monday, February 23rd meeting, where members endorsed a new four-year Visitor Growth Plan, aimed at building on the community’s rising visitation numbers and economic momentum. The plan was presented through a staff report, authored by Lori Bowers, Director of Communications and Strategic Projects. Chu

by Shawn Lackie Quick question. Do you ever just pause and take a look around you and acknowledge the changes which have been happening? John Lennon wrote, in one of his songs, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” He was so right. We often get caught up in the day to day madness of jobs, raising kids, making and saving money; always making future plans. Then we wake up one morning, take a look around and say, “Where did all these houses come fro

by Helen Nicolaou Spring cannot come too soon, as the grey days of the longest winter will finally be coming to an end. The Pine Ridge Garden Club will welcome members and guests to its first meeting, on Tuesday, March 10th, at 7:30 p.m., in the Nestleton Community Centre. Our first speaker is Michael Burns, speaking on Beautiful Dahlias. Mr. Burns is the president of the Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society, who has dedicated his time to cultivating show quality and garden varie

by Janice Teel Seedy Saturdays are a Canadian invention, rooted in a simple idea: gardeners sharing seeds and knowledge with one another. The first event was organized in 1990, by horticulturist Sharon Rempel at VanDusen Botanical Garden, in Vancouver. What began as a local seed exchange has since grown into a nationwide tradition, celebrated in communities across the country, including Pefferlaw. Gardeners across Georgina and Brock are invited to dig into spring, at Seedy Sa

by Lauren Walker I'm going to share with you about a client we work with who suffered a stroke. You may think progress cannot be made in such a case but in six months, the improvement is significant. Under careful supervision, our client went from not being able to stand to walking with assistance. What is the goal? Let's first be clear, significant issues, such as a stroke, require careful exercise programming with a professional. Our client had undergone physiotherapy and s

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard A North Durham rivalry will take centre stage this weekend, as the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL)’s Orr Division semifinals open, with a familiar and heated matchup. The first-place Uxbridge Bruins will square off against the fourth-place Port Perry LumberJacks, in what promises to be another intense chapter in the Battle of North Durham. Uxbridge enters the series as the clear favourite, having dominated the regular season rivalry. The Bru

by Tina Y. Gerber - McCurley I will admit, I am tired of living with so many health concerns. It has definitely been a very challenging time. I keep pushing and trusting a breakthrough will arrive because God is present and supportive during these trials, so we are never alone in our struggles. It is important to remember, being concerned about your health is normal, but one mustn't let health anxiety take over their life. God has provided me with comfort, strength and compan

by Geoffrey Carpentier   A late winter forest can feel quiet on the surface, but if you pause beside a patch of softening snow, the season reveals a world which is anything but still. As the sun climbs higher and the snowpack thins, life begins to stir in places most of us never think to look. This is the moment when winter’s “sleepers,” and “movers” begin to reappear. These are creatures which have spent months tucked beneath the snow, waiting for the first hints of warmth t

by Pat Asling Gone! What happened to February? A short month that seemed even shorter in spite of the extremes of winter weather. We had some nasty storms, but also some lovely days with temperatures above 0 °C, blue skies, and sunshine! Sitting on my front deck, you could have started on your summer tan! Strange that it can change from +6 °C to -12 °C in a matter of hours! Did anyone manage to see the parade of planets supposedly visible after sunset late last week? Unfortun

by Faye Ashton The bright sunshine on the first day of meteorological Spring (March 1st) helped defray the -11 daytime temperature, and it sank to -21 in the evening. I don't seem to recall the temperature with such wide swings as we’ve seen this year. We have not seen the height of the snowbanks along our road in many years, quite something. Watch on Facebook, Otter Greenhouse is rolling out their new baby plants to hang from the rafters. What a delight. The Ontario County H

by Janet Van Camp At a recent gathering of the Blackstock Agricultural Society, several people were recognized for their contributions. Congratulations to Craig Larmer, Barry Van Camp and Ann-Julia Bajema on receiving awards of merit for long-standing service to our Fair. All have worked diligently for many years to help make our events a success. Also recognized was Helen Coates for her past association as a Director and Homecraft President, and her ongoing work with the Veg

By Patricia Dawson Come out for a fun night of fundraising and an 80s dance auction! dress up in your favourite '80s attire. There will be a best 80s costume contest. This event will take place on March 7th, at the Sunderland Legion, located at 104 River Street. There will be a late lunch at 11 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. The dance will be at 8 p.m. You can buy your tickets at Home Hardware or the legion. The Uxbridge Farmers Market is indoors, and it takes place at 14 V

This is an exciting time of year, bird-wise. You might think winter is so close, nothing much is happening out there, but you’d be wrong! I’ve talked of hawk and eagle migrations in the past, but an additional migrational phenomenon is emerging, right now. It involves owls which come south every year, in varying numbers, not to escape the cold, but more so, to find food. Many species of owls migrate annually, and many individuals will settle in North Durham and the Kawarthas.

Classified advertising, consisting of obituaries, for rent ads etc.