DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: The dream of a national title came to an end for Blackstock, on Saturday night, but the pride and momentum built, through the 2026 Kraft Hockeyville campaign, will carry on, long after the final votes counted. During the live broadcast, on the evening of Saturday, March 21st, it was announced, Taber and Tumbler Ridge had been selected as the Top two communities in this year’s competition, leaving Blac

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: After two years at the helm of the Township of Brock’s administration, Chief Administrative Officer, Michelle Willson has announced she will be stepping down from her role, effective April 10th, as she prepares to pursue a new opportunity outside the area. The Township of Brock is preparing for a leadership transition, following the announcement Michelle Willson will be stepping down from her role. Ms.

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A proposed overhaul of purchasing rules, in the City of Kawartha Lakes, is aiming to strike a balance between supporting Canadian businesses and complying with complex trade laws. At a Committee of the Whole meeting, on Tuesday, March 10th, Launa Macey, Supervisor of Financial Services, Procurement, presented a Procurement Policy Update report, co-authored with, City Solicitor, Robyn Carlson.

by Helen Nicolaou At last, it's official, Spring arrived, as of Friday, March 20th. Quickly, our minds begin to make notes, prioritizing garden duties. Carefully assessing the yard will help to decide which areas need attention. The melted snow reminds us of the unfinished jobs, such as the fallen leaves which had been covered by the early snowfall, last November. Just a reminder, it's good to wait and leave the fallen leaves as cover for the sleeping pollinators until they a

by Shawn Lackie In one of my previous missives, I talked about having crazy neighbours and ended the piece by mentioning we were fortunate to have neighbours like Ross and Debbie, who weren’t afraid to help out. That means a lot. One of the big things about Port Perry has always been that the town is home to a great number of people who genuinely care. For the welfare of the community, the buildings, the environment and the people who inhabit the area. Take a look around at w

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: The small North Durham community of Blackstock is celebrating national recognition, after being named Ontario’s provincial winner in the 2026 edition of the Kraft Hockeyville competition. The announcement was made during the March 14th broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada, placing the Blackstock Arena among 13 communities across Canada selected as provincial and territorial winners. The recognition mea

Darryl Knight – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter / Brandon Clark – The Standard News SCUGOG: Plans to develop a long-term vision for the Port Perry Fairgrounds are moving into their next stage following strong community participation in the first round of public consultation. At a special meeting on Monday, March 9th, Scugog council reviewed an interim report on the “Your Voice, Your Fairgrounds” land-use visioning project and agreed to move the process forward as the c

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Regional priorities, ranging from housing and transit to economic development and public safety, were outlined during a recent update, delivered to Brock Township. At council’s meeting, on Monday, March 9th, Regional Chair John Henry presented Brock councillors with the annual Regional Municipality of Durham update, offering a broad overview of major initiatives and the region’s long-term vision. Mr.

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A midpoint review of the municipality’s four-year strategic plan shows significant progress, with more initiatives now moving from planning into delivery and completion. At a council meeting, on Tuesday, March 10th, Josh Dunsworth, Manager of Strategy and Innovation for the City of Kawartha Lakes, presented the 2025 annual update and midpoint review of the 2024–2027 Strategic Plan. The repor

by Shawn Lackie Since there haven’t been a whole bunch of new ones these days, maybe it’s a good time to talk about listings and the different types you may encounter, when it’s time to sell your humble abode. There are many different types of listings and you can pretty much choose the one which best suits your needs. Make sure you have a reputable and reliable agent and also make sure you discuss EVERY step along the way. If you ever have a question about something and the

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The community is grieving, following the tragic passing of Woodville youth Rowen Greening, whose life touched countless people both on and off the ice. Rowen, a Grade 6 student and a member of the North Durham Warriors Under-12 AA hockey team, passed away, following an ATV accident, on Thursday, March 5th. In the days since, an outpouring of love and support has spread throughout

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Residents are encouraged to shine a spotlight on the people, organizations, and businesses which help make their community stronger. Nominations are now open for the 2026 Annual Awards of Merit. The awards recognize individuals, groups, and businesses which have added value to the community and enriched the lives of residents, through their contributions in a variety of fields. Nominations are curren

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Entrepreneurs, across the community, are being encouraged to take the next step to grow their businesses. Applications open for the Spring 2026 cohort, of the Starter Company PLUS program, in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The program, offered through the municipality, in partnership with the Province of Ontario, is designed to support small business owners who are looking to launch, expand, or

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Recognizing its importance to the local economy and workforce development, councillors in the City of Kawartha Lakes are calling on the province to strengthen funding for Ontario’s college system, to ensure the continued success of the Frost Campus of Fleming College. At its meeting, on February 24th, council passed a resolution, brought forward by Ward 3 Councillor Mark Doble, requesting th

By Shawn Lackie Remember the saying, you can’t choose your family but you CAN choose your friends? How about neighbours? In 1952, Norman McLaren created a short film, for the National Film Board, called Neighbours. It was so good, it won an Oscar. Talk about being ahead of its time. See if you can find it on YouTube and have a look. It’s THAT good and still relevant to this day. It pretty much encapsulates what happens to people living next door to each other, when things go

by Jay Thibert NDN SCUGOG: All around us, creatures are conducting their lives, many largely unseen. Who has observed amorous salamanders, piscine stonemasons, or crooning tree crickets? We are more aware of birds and the larger mammals, but there are a host of animals which are active underwater or after dark and are seldom noticed. Others use camouflage to conceal their presence. Everyone is welcome to North Durham Nature’s March talk, to hear Don Scallen share stories

Natasha O’Dell, Digital Brand Manager LSRCA DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) is warning residents, across the Lake Simcoe watershed, to exercise extreme caution near rivers, lakes, and streams, as warming temperatures and melting ice create increasingly hazardous spring conditions. After a winter, marked by heavy snowfall and significant ice buildup, a rapid warmup is now accelerating the seasonal thaw. Weather forecasts indicate t

Kate Dickson, The Land Between KAWARTHA LAKES : Residents, who spend time on the land, are being invited to share what they’re seeing in local forests, wetlands, and waterways at an upcoming community event, focused on environmental change. The The Land Between, working with Indigenous partners, is hosting a series of Talking Circles this spring, aimed at gathering community observations about shifting conditions across the region’s ecosystems. Organizers say, people who live