by Faye Ashton One month to Christmas. Isn’t that a shock! With the weather being “early fall like” for so long, it seems impossible we are this far along in the year. Most of the corn fields met their demise this past week which kept Reesors dryer chugging out steam. December 1st at Epsom Church, there is a 10 a.m. meeting of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank Project which will honour retiring regional rep., Henry Reminders, as he leads a show presentation and discussion on how g

By Patricia Dawson Come out to a fun event put on by the United Way of Haliburton Kawartha Lakes. This will take place on December 2nd from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at 68 McLaughlin Road, in Lindsay. Get ready to jingle all the way through a festive night of fun and friendly competition. Expect multiple trivia rounds with various holiday categories, prizes for winning teams, snacks and drinks, the party doesn't have to end after trivia, stay for a round of axe throwing after, at a dis

KIM COULTER Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: Whether you’ve lived here all your life or you are new to Kawartha Lakes, what matters most, for you and your family, is knowing the highest quality care is available nearby. That is the message Jeff Todd is sharing this holiday season, through the RMH Foundation holiday appeal letters, being delivered to households across Kawartha Lakes. Having grown up here, moved away for 20 years, and returned to raise his fa

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Long-standing concerns, over the future of the Blackstock Arena, were back before Scugog councillors, on Monday, November 10th, as the General Purpose and Administration Committee reviewed a detailed follow-up report, outlining five potential remediation options for the facility’s failing refrigeration plant. After extensive and, at times, tense discussion, councillors ultimately defeated a recommend

DARRYL KNIGHT  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A unanimous vote at a Special Council meeting on Wednesday, November 12th has resulted in the appointment of Ron Hodgson as the new Ward 4 councillor. The longtime community volunteer and lifelong Brock resident was selected from a field of seven candidates to serve the remainder of the 2022–2026 council term. The vacancy was created earlier this fall when former Ward 4 councillor Cria Pettingill was

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A 22-year-old man is dead following a late-night shooting in Beaverton, marking Durham Region’s eighth homicide of 2025. Durham Regional Police say officers from North Division responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 11:10 p.m. on Sunday, November 16th. The call came from the area of Mara Road and Simcoe Street, where witnesses reported hearing several shots. A short time later, police were n

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard UXBRIDGE: Three members of the Uxbridge Fire Department were injured Sunday evening after a vehicle lost control and struck them while they were assisting at the scene of a separate collision. According to police, on Sunday, November 16th, at approximately 7:40 p.m., emergency crews from North Division and Uxbridge Fire responded to a motor vehicle collision on Wagg Road near Old Highway 47. The initial cras

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Residents of Kawartha Lakes could see new investments in healthcare, roads, housing, and child care, under the proposed 2026 budget, presented at a Special Council Budget Meeting, on Wednesday, November 12th. The plan reflects months of public input and aims to balance community priorities while keeping taxes as low as possible. Chief Administrative Officer, Ron Taylor and, Director of Corpor

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard SCUGOG: Port Perry residents are being invited to help shape one of the community’s most valued public spaces, as the Township of Scugog launches its Your Voice, Your Fairgrounds campaign. With the future of the Port Perry Fairgrounds still undecided, the township has hired consultants Darwin Pivot and J.L. Richards (JLR) to gather ideas, concerns, and aspirations from across the community. As part of this effort, residents will have several oppo

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Plans to expand the wetland, at the Baagwating Stormwater Management (SWM) Pond, in Port Perry, could mean changes for local baseball players. However, council says the project is crucial for protecting Lake Scugog’s water quality. The Township of Scugog council endorsed, in principle, “Option 1,” a large wetland pond, requiring the removal of the south baseball diamond at Joe Fowler Park, while direc

JAY THIBERT  NDN NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: North Durham Nature and the Scugog Lake Stewards are hosting this special talk that will focus on aquatic plants and birds in Lake Scugog. These two organizations have invited Mark Dorriesfield to explain the importance of Lake Scugog to bird populations, and Brett Tregunno to share his expertise on aquatic plants in our lake. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the amazing ecology that is near and dear to the resident

BRANDON CLARK The Standard SCUGOG: Scugog Township, informed residents and businesses, in Blackstock, about water conservation measures in the area, for municipal water supply users. The water conservation will be in effect for a month, starting on November 10th and ending on December 11th. The work schedule may be affected by weather conditions. Ongoing upgrades and construction, at the Blackstock municipal well site, have prompted the area to implement water conservation.

by Geoffrey Carpentier In the last few columns, we explored the lives of some of the amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals and how they catch and consume their prey. So now let’s focus on some smaller critters and see what techniques they utilize to capture and subdue prey. In higher animals, mandibles refer to both the upper and lower jaw, but in insects, these structures refer to the lower part of the mouth only. Mandibles in insects are pairs of hardened structures that

By Shawn Lackie The Real Estate landscape has certainly changed in the last two years (yah think?). What used to be a crazy ride for buyers and sellers has almost died out completely. High interest rates and seller greed finally caught up with the market. Buyers who were once throwing money at sellers with no thought about it are now sitting back and patiently waiting for the next shoe to drop. Or at least interest rates. We had one drop in September, and more are on the way.

BRANDON CLARK The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: As the City of Kawartha Lakes considers the future of the Waite Municipal Drain, property owners and residents in the Fenelon Falls area are watching closely. The Drainage Board met on October 30th, to review an engineer’s report under the Ontario Drainage Act, putting potential changes to drainage infrastructure on the community’s agenda. The meeting raises important questions about how drainage improvements could affect farmland,

SCUGOG: The Port Perry United Church Choirs are proud to present the 76th annual Choralfest. The full 40 person Choir will be led by musical director Joan Bretney in the historic sanctuary of Port Perry United Church, 294 Queen Street, Port Perry. A crowd favourite, “The Happy Harmonizers” (children’s choir) and special guest Liane James will entertain with seasonal melodies. Liane is an accomplished soloist, orchestral harpist, chamber musician, and harp teacher. Liane is t

KAWARTHA LAKES: On September 12th, Caressant Care on Mary Street, the long-term care home in Lindsay, proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary, a milestone half a century in the making. Since its early days, this home has become a cornerstone of care in the Kawartha Lakes, providing comfort, dignity, and community to generations of residents. Founded as part of Caressant Care Nursing & Retirement Homes Ltd., the broader organization traces its roots to 1975, when its first lo

by Tina Y. Gerber – McCurley I know from experience, exercise is very effective and beneficial for most seniors. I anticipate a right knee replacement in the new year. I am looking to further improve my strength, balance, and flexibility, as well as my mental and emotional well-being. As we age, we see physical changes that can negatively affect muscles and bone strength, as well as other bodily systems. Moderate physical activity does benefit your overall health. It’s import

by Lauren Walker Have aches and pains beyond normal? Do you find it hard to sleep? Maybe you have stomach pain and have trouble going to the bathroom. No, you’re not facing some life-altering health issue, but there is something going on. What is it? STRESS. People tend to search for physical reasons for why these physical symptoms are occurring. At the top of my list of causes, stress is number one. It has such a distinct effect on both your physical and mental well-being, y

Red Plaid Productions is bringing Canada's Celtic Rock Warriors Mudmen back to The Town Hall 1872 in Port Perry, Ontario, on Friday, January 2nd, 2026. Mudmen are looking forward to their annual stop at the Grand Old Theatre. The Mudmen are no strangers to the area, playing shows with Johnny Reid at the GM Centre, with Deane Brody at the Havelock Country Jamboree, performing at the Uxbridge Highland Games, and with numerous sold-out shows in Peterborough, Oshawa, and, of cour