SCUGOG: Hosted by our very own Jon vanBilsen as well as Jillian Howsam. With video footage from Standard Videographer James J. Green and Tom Poupore. With direction from Peter Lauricella, More credits at the end of the video.

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Twenty-five years after it was sealed beneath Lindsay’s eternal flame, the community’s Millennium Time Capsule will be opened, on Tuesday, December 16th, in front of the Kawartha Lakes Library’s Lindsay Branch. The capsule was installed, in the year 2000, during the renovation of Queens Square, a project which blended renewal with reflection, as residents marked the arrival of a new century. T

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A recent council meeting, on Monday, November 24th, featured the presentation of the 2024–2025 status update, for the Township’s 2022–2026 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYAP). It offered a detailed look at the accessibility upgrades, completed throughout Brock, over the past two years. Deputy Clerk Maralee Drake, who delivered the report, said, the municipality has made steady, meaningful progress t

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Students looking to line up a summer job will have the chance to meet Township staff, later this month, when Scugog hosts a Student Job Fair, on Monday, December 29th, at the Scugog Community Recreation Centre. The drop-in event runs from 3 to 5 p.m. and is open to both high school and post-secondary students. Departments represented will include: aquatics, summer camps, parks, communications, the Sc

From The Standard's “Rolling News” Desk At the corner of Reach Street and Highway 12, the crew at Northport Tire proved once again no job is too big—or too hilariously tiny—for them to tackle. Here we see Larry, the shop’s owner, wielding two industrial-sized jacks to hoist what can only be described as the cutest enclosed mobility scooter in Durham Region history. Onlookers report the vehicle weighs about as much as a strong breeze, but Larry insists: “ Safety first—big jack

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: As temperatures drop, community organizations, in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County, are working together to make sure no one has to face the cold alone. Through a renewed partnership with A Place Called Home (APCH), emergency shelter and support services will be available across the region, this winter. The 2025–2026 Out of the Cold Program will operate from December 1st, 2025, to March 31

Translated: The inward experience, beyond words enough to fully explain, saturated with a sense of Higher reality! The third and fourth weeks of Advent, commemorated on the next two coming Sundays, are focused on the inward experience of Joy and Love from God made possible by Jesus' birth here on earth. Without God giving, without Christ coming, there would be no atonement, aka. no substitutionary death by Jesus for us, so no opportunity to accept His gift of exchange and be

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A comprehensive review, of how the Township of Scugog communicates with residents, is setting the stage for potential improvements in outreach, storytelling, and public engagement, though council has opted not to endorse the recommendations at this time. The findings were presented as part of a detailed report, from, Director of Communications and Strategic Projects, Lori Bowers. This was included on

RACHEL SNODDON Moto Solutions UXBRIDGE: Students in the automotive program at Uxbridge Secondary School will now have access to industry-standard brake machining equipment thanks to a recent donation from Moto Solutions, a Canadian supplier of professional automotive and heavy-duty shop equipment. The company has donated a fully serviced Ammco 4000 Brake Lathe package to the school’s technology department, giving students the opportunity to train on equipment commonly used

by Lauren Walker I recently started reading “100 Rules for Living to 100” by Dick Van Dyke. Many older individuals find it difficult to maintain a positive attitude as they age, and yet it is so crucial. I definitely recommend this book! Being Stubbornly Optimistic What gets you out of bed in the morning? “I’ve made it to one hundred, in no small part, because I have stubbornly refused to give in to the bad stuff in life: failures and defeats, personal losses, loneliness and

by Tina Y. Gerber – McCurley The average age for one experiencing dementia is not a single number because its prevalence increases significantly with age, particularly after 65. Dementia is not a typical part of aging, but age is the biggest risk factor. Dementia includes difficulty with familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation with time and place, poor judgement, withdrawal from social activities and planning or problem solving. Communication difficulties can b

By Shawn Lackie It’s easy to take cheap shots at a person or a situation. We seem to be overrun with bad news or salacious stuff we just can’t turn away from. Train wreck anyone? So I thought, what about talking about the positives in this profession. There are lots of them, but it would seem, it’s easier to turn over rocks and see the slime underneath and make a big deal about that. Trust me. There are many good people in this business. People who care, people who want to ma

by Faye Ashton Looks like the Farmers Almanac had the real goods on the cold, snowy weather which came our way and will linger in our area for a few more days. Brrrrrr! The Canadian Foodgrains meeting at the church on December 1st was well attended by many of the growers and contributors from Markham, the Toronto area, east to Bridgnorth, and in between. Each had an amazing story to share of their work in helping to keep this volunteer gift to the world alive. Thanks to all t

by Pat Asling By the time you read this it will be getting close to the middle of the month. There is lots of excitement with buying presents, preparing food, listening to Christmas music and so many events happening. For sure nobody in our area can complain that it doesn’t look like Christmas because we certainly have plenty of the white stuff and it keeps coming! I am still working on that first big dump. Did you see the last, biggest closest full moon? It looked beautiful

By Patricia Dawson Guided hike in Uxbridge will take place Saturday, December 20th, from 9:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Secord Forest parking lot, a kilometer south of Goodwood Road on Concession 3. Join the Oak Ridges Trail Association on their guided walks and hikes across the top end of the GTA. Enjoy fresh air, meet new friends, and energize your body. Bring the family to the Sunderland Santa Claus parade on December 13th, 2025. This is a free event and starts at 7 p.m.

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was an eventful weekend for North Durham’s PJHL teams, highlighted by a thrilling Battle of North Durham between the Uxbridge Bruins and Port Perry LumberJacks. On Sunday at Scugog Arena, the Bruins came away with a 6-2 victory over their archrivals. Port Perry struck first just 26 seconds in when Kyle Den Ouden scored, assisted by Liam Rampersad. Uxbridge quickly responded, with Jack Kemp tying the game in the first period. Tanner Ryan gave the

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A trio of recent “Your Voice, Your Fairgrounds” pop-in sessions left many local residents feeling frustrated and underwhelmed after the long-awaited consultations offered little more than sticky notes and suggestion boards. The three drop-in events, which were held over the past week in Port Perry at the Library and Vos’ Independent grocery store, as well as at Greenbank Hall, as part of the Townshi

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES/NORTH DURHAM: As the holiday season approaches, communities across the City of Kawartha Lakes are gearing up to welcome Santa Claus, with festive parades and family-friendly events. From Fenelon Falls to Sunderland, towns and villages are alive with the holiday spirit, offering something for everyone to enjoy. These celebrations kicked off, on Saturday, November 29th, with Fenelon Falls Santa