DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: As Ontario prepares to welcome back the Northlander passenger train, the release of the revived service’s proposed schedule has reignited calls, in Beaverton, for a long-sought return to the passenger rail map. Ontario Northland recently announced details of the restored Northlander service, which will operate between Toronto’s Union Station and Timmins, with a rail connection to Cochrane. The return

RYAN YOUNG RMH KAWARTHA LAKES:  Ross Memorial Hospital’s Dr. Gargi Bhatia Family Birthing Centre delivered its first baby of 2026 at 8:47 p.m. on January 1st. Little baby Theo was born to parents Jessie and Mathew, weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounce and measuring 21 inches long. The timing of Theo’s arrival came as a surprise to the new parents. “We were not anticipating this as his due date wasn’t for a few more weeks,” explained Jessie. “We had friends over the night before and wok

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: On a crisp winter afternoon, this past Tuesday, December 16th, in downtown Lindsay, time folded in on itself. Beneath the Eternal Flame in Queen’s Square, a small metal capsule, sealed 25 years ago, waited quietly for its moment. Children, who had placed it there: Reenie Brydon, Mathew Kent, and Caelin Nesbit, all of them now adults, approached it with a mixture of wonder and nostalgia, thei

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Residents looking to kick off the new year with a more organized home will have an opportunity to do so, in an eco-friendly way, at an upcoming Home Organization Swap, in the Sunderland Branch of the Brock Township Public Library. The swap will be held, on Saturday, January 24th, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sunderland Branch. Community members are invited to exchange gently used home-organization i

By Jonathan van Bilsen History has a habit of hiding in plain sight. It is often the smallest, most unremarkable details that are overlooked, set aside, or forgotten entirely. And yet, when chance brings those fragments back together, they can form a story far larger than any one moment. This was one of those occasions. I arrived in Canada with my family on August 14th, many years ago, unaware at the time that the journey itself would later take on a deeper meaning. We flew f

Canada was built on the idea people should be free to believe, or not believe, without government interference. From the country’s earliest days, religious freedom helped shape our communities. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith groups helped build schools, hospitals and charities which still serve Canadians today. This was possible because the state did not control belief and belief did not control the state. That balance is now being questioned by Bill C-9. Supp

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES/BROCK: Sunday, December 28th, arrived with an uneasy quiet, across Kawartha Lakes and the Township of Brock. The sky was gray, the air sharp with winter cold, and the forecast promised a coating of freezing rain which had residents remembering last spring’s ice storm: downed trees, power outages, and days of cleanup. People checked their driveways, prepared their sidewalks, and wondered: would

by Lauren Walker What is a resolution? According to Google, “A firm decision to do or not do something.” It got me thinking about the reality of resolutions and why people wait for a New Year to start. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ll know who said this, “Do or do not. There is no try.” A resolution really means nothing if you’re not following through. More Than Words The word itself reminds me of other words I dislike such as, “diet” which I never ever use. It is a buzzword

by Geoffrey Carpentier I must admit, sometimes I just wonder why things are as they are. Case in point, it’s winter and cold outside. But as I stand near the window, with the sun beaming in, I feel warm, yet when I touch the window, it’s still cold. How can that be? Even though the air may be frigid outside, somehow the sun is clearly heating the window, and its heat is being transferred through the glass to make me warm and cozy. I thought I might explore this and find out w

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: With winter settling in, along the shores of Lake Scugog, a favourite seasonal attraction is once again welcoming skaters of all ages. Lakefront Skate, in Port Perry, is officially open, offering free outdoor skating seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Joe Fowler North Diamond, located next to Palmer Park. The rink, part of the Lakefront Skate and Market area, is designed to be a fun, inc

by Shawn Lackie Have you ever heard the adage, “You better not assume something because it could make an ass out of U and me?” Or the old saying, “Never judge a book by its cover?” Both are excellent pieces of advice. Assuming something could be more hazardous than you think. In his amazing book Blink, Malcolm Gladwell tells the story of a car salesman in the Midwestern United States who, at one point, was the most successful salesman for his brand of automobile. The reason w

by Janet Van Camp Several local families enjoyed vacations in the Caribbean over the holidays. What a change from swimming in the ocean one day to snowmobiling the next! The annual Potluck and AGM of the Blackstock Agricultural Society will be held on Thursday, January 15th at the Blackstock Recreation Centre. Doors open at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome!

by Pat Asling Here we are, one week into a new year! Do you feel any different? The last couple of weeks of December have brought us back to old-time winters in regard to snow. There is a song which says, “as high as an elephant's eye,” but the snow drifts have been as high as the corn left in the field! Personally, I am tired of shovelling or thinking about shovelling, and this is early yet. At least we did have some melt and more forecast for this week. Snowmobiles and skie

By Patricia Dawson High school students and youth leaders, save these dates for Blaze, our upcoming winter youth retreat, January 9th to 11th, 2026. We're hosting a youth retreat for high school students here at Fairhaven's Camp and Conference Centre. Come prepared for a weekend full of worship, great speaking, recreation, food and fun! This will take place from Friday, January 9th, at 7 p.m. to Sunday, January 11th, 2026, at 3 p.m. The address is B2215 Highway 48, Beaverton.

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A community-led vision, for the future of the Blackstock Arena, was brought before Township of Scugog council recently, as a delegation called on the municipality to partner with residents, to revitalize the aging facility and secure its long-term future. Kirk Swain, Mike Blakey and Rob Harvey addressed council, at their meeting on Monday, December 9th, on behalf of the newly formed Blackstock Arena Planning and

by Shawn Lackie It’s that time of the year again, when all the best and worst end of the year lists come out. So I thought, hey why not? Except this isn’t a list, it’s a collective look at what has happened and maybe some crystal ball gazing in what might happen next. Please don’t hold me to any of this. These are merely my thoughts on what might happen. The past year provided many people with a more realistic look at the Real Estate market. We know this market is like all ot

Brandon Clark The Standard BROCK: Brock Township Council took time, during its meeting last week, to recognize the volunteers serving on the Township’s Non-Profit Sector Review Committee (NPSRC), acknowledging their ongoing efforts to support local community organizations. Council heard an overview of the committee’s mandate, focusing on identifying challenges and opportunities facing non-profit groups in Brock Township, as well as encouraging collaboration and networking am

DARRYL KNIGHT  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG:  A regular review of the Township of Scugog’s capital program has resulted in more than $830,000 being returned to municipal reserves, after council approved the closure of several completed or discontinued projects. Council received the third Capital Account Closing Report of 2025, at a recent meeting, following a presentation from, Director of Finance and Treasurer, Laura Barta. The report recommen