DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: The heartbeat of the drum echoed across Scugog, as the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN) welcomed dancers, drummers, Elders, community members, and visitors for the 28th annual MSIFN Pow Wow, on Saturday, July 18th, and Sunday, July 19th. Held on the Pow Wow grounds of Scugog Island, the annual gathering once again drew large crowds, from across Durham Region, Kawartha Lakes, and beyo

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM: Cyclists, looking to explore the countryside this summer, have plenty of reasons to head north, as Durham Region is highlighting a collection of scenic cycling routes, through Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge as part of its Shift Into Scenic Durham Region campaign. The initiative encourages residents and visitors to discover North Durham's picturesque landscapes, historic downtowns, and rural communi

BRANDON CLARK The Standard SCUGOG: Due to current weather conditions and an increased risk of fire, the Township of Scugog has implemented a municipal-wide burn ban, effective immediately. The burn ban will remain in effect until conditions improve. Residents will be notified when the ban is lifted. There is zero tolerance for open-air burning, during a burn ban. Under Part 4 – Enforcement and Penalties of the Township's Open-Air Burning By-law 32-18, anyone found burning, d

by Shawn Lackie The 100 Men of Scugog staged the third meeting of 2026, in fine fashion, on a Wednesday night. Hey, more snow. The group met at the Port Perry Legion, on July 15th. The Legion, with a huge amount of help from Doug Babcock, has been an amazing partner in facilitating these meetings. The group is more than grateful for their ongoing help. Presentations were made by Big Brothers/Big Sisters North Durham, North House and The Lake Scugog Historical Society. It was

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: The vision for Lodwick Park, in Beaverton, took another step forward recently, as Brock’s councillors directed staff to seek updated pricing, to complete key improvements, including: enlarging the park's pickleball courts, adding a soccer pitch, and installing permanent park signage. At a recent meeting, council instructed staff to prepare a Request for Quotation (RFQ), to determine the additional fund

LINDSAY: Downtown Lindsay was filled with gleaming chrome and vintage vehicles on Sunday, July 19, as Classics on Kent and Brits in the Park attracted hundreds of car enthusiasts and spectators. Classic cars lined Kent Street while Victoria Park hosted an impressive collection of British-built automobiles, including MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Austin-Healeys and Minis. The annual event featured everything from early antiques to muscle cars and modern classics, giving visitors a c

UXBRIDGE: The sights and sounds of Ontario's agricultural past came to life on Sunday, July 19, as visitors gathered at the Lewis Family farm for the annual Lewis Family Threshing Day. The popular event showcased antique farm equipment, vintage tractors and traditional farming demonstrations, giving families an opportunity to experience how crops were harvested and processed before modern machinery transformed agriculture. One of the highlights included horse-drawn plowing de

by Helen Nicolaou July marks the middle of the summer season, with garden foliage filling in open spaces and a wide assortment of flowers to admire. Although the bloom of a daylily only lasts the day, there are many blooms maturing on a scape which will last for several weeks in the garden. It's a good idea, while walking through the garden, to assess the growth of perennials, as they have matured, and decide if some trimming back of spent blooms and over-growth will help wit

by Geoffrey Carpentier It’s not hard to imagine why we might be speaking about forest fires right now. Our skies are clouded with smoke which has travelled thousands of kilometres, homesteads in the north are gone or threatened and people displaced to cities and towns far from home. I think we understand why our skies are smoke filled, as it’s relatively simple – lots of fires, lots of smoke and winds which have driven them both towards us. The other day, as my wife and I sto

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard SCUGOG: As Scugog Arena prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, this season, the Port Perry Lumberjacks are hoping to reconnect with the players who were among the first to lace up their skates in the building, more than five decades ago. The organization is searching for former members of the Port Perry Flamingos, the club's original name from 1972 to 1980, when the team was named after the famed Flamingo Pastries bakery and its legendary butte

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A centuries-old craft, with deep roots in Canadian history, is now taking centre stage at City Hall, where residents can explore a colourful new exhibition, celebrating both local artistry and the City of Kawartha Lakes' 25th anniversary. The latest installment of the City's Art in the Halls program features the work of the Lindsay and District Rug Hookers, whose handcrafted creations are on d

by Shawn Lackie We have been hearing ad-nauseum, recently, about “housing affordability.” Ok folks, I get it. Times are strange for sure. When we bought our first house in Toronto it was for less than a deposit adds up to these days, and that was for the whole house. We couldn’t afford to move back to Toronto these days. The gap between the haves and have-nots has become very wide indeed. Sure, people will tell you, salaries these days are far ahead of what was being paid out

KIM COULTER, CFRE Manager, Community Giving & Engagement KAWARTHA LAKES: The RMH Foundation is grateful to members of the Kawartha Lakes Professional Firefighters Association Local 1701, who swapped firefighting for philanthropy on Easter weekend. Their Boot Drive outside Canadian Tire and Food Basics, in Lindsay, on April 4th, involved 15 members, hoisting boots to collect donations from passersby in support of local organizations including the Ross. Today, Kevin Ryan, Jerem

Kim Coulter, CFRE, Manager, Community Giving & Engagement Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: When the Dunsford Golf & Country Club Ladies League gathers for its annual charity tournament, they really get behind their themes. This year, the ‘Girls on the Green’ combined their green garb with a good cause: supporting critical capital projects at Ross Memorial Hospital. Together, the golfers raised $3,247 through their tournament on June 23rd. Organizer Shirley Gr

KIM COULTER CFRE, Manager, Community Giving & Engagement RMH KAWARTHA LAKES: The 152 golfers who arrived at Lindsay Golf & Country Club for the Mariposa Electric Charity Classic on Friday, June 19th came for a day with friends and fun on the links. What they achieved was more than they expected. Through their participation, every golfer helped to enhance patient care in Kawartha Lakes. For the past four years, the owners of Mariposa Electric have hosted their Charity Classic

By Patricia Dawson Bring the whole family out to the Uxbridge Scottish Festival! For 30 years, Scottish culture has been celebrated in Elgin Park, bringing together tradition, music, and community. Join us Friday, July 24th, and Saturday, July 25th, as the Uxbridge Scottish Festival continues this proud tradition with a multi-day event of Scottish Heritage for all ages. Visitors can experience the excitement of the Highland dance competition and the sound of bagpipe performan

by Pat Asling It’s been another strange week weather-wise with the three days of yellow air and terrible air quality. It is hard to imagine what it could be like closer to the fires. Here we are thousands of miles from our burning forests, and it can still be deadly to some people. And what would it have been like for those people whose communities were in the path of the fire and they had to flee, some by boat, some walking from communities with no road access, leaving their

By Colleen Green, The Standard SCUGOG: The future of the Port Perry Fairgrounds remains uncertain after the Township of Scugog Council voted to defer consideration of the Port Perry Fairgrounds Visioning Exercise Final Report until the first quarter of 2027, leaving long-term plans for the site in limbo. Council chambers were filled to capacity during the July 13th meeting, with residents turning out in large numbers to voice concerns over the future of the fairgrounds and th