by Shawn Lackie I know the title sounds like a bit of a joke, to many, but there ARE realtors out there who care, and they carry themselves and their business with honesty and integrity; really. However, too often we hear about the “bad apples,” and there are more than a few of those. Recently, a brokerage was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Their trust account was audited and there was a $10 million dollar shortfall. The case is still under investigation but may

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: From pickleball players, hoping for more courts, to families, seeking accessible playgrounds, residents of Kawartha Lakes have made their priorities clear: they want recreation spaces which are flexible, inclusive, and designed for the community. Their voices helped shape the draft Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan, a bold new vision which looks ahead to 2040. Presented by Jenn Johnson, Dir

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Residents of Brock Township’s Ward 4 will soon have a new representative at the council table, following the declaration of a vacant seat, after the promotion of Cria Pettingill to Regional Councillor. Council formally declared the Ward 4 position vacant in accordance with the Township’s Council Vacancy Policy, which outlines a transparent and accountable process for filling vacancies that occur during

Douglas Ellis , Executive Assistant, Constituency Office of the Hon. Todd McCarthy SCUGOG: The Ontario government is investing $879,549 to help renew and rehabilitate critical infrastructure in the Township of Scugog. The funding will be delivered through the 2026 Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), as part of the government’s more than $200 billion capital plan to protect Ontario, by building key public infrastructure which will strengthen the economy and keep wor

Edward White, Executive Director, Office of Peter Bethlenfalvy MPP of Pickering-Uxbridge UXBRIDGE: The Ontario government is investing $983,894 to help renew and rehabilitate critical infrastructure in Township of Uxbridge. The funding will be delivered through the 2026 Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), as part of the government’s more than $200 billion capital plan, to protect Ontario by building key public infrastructure which will strengthen the economy and ke

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: An updated Emergency Management Program and Emergency Response Plan will help ensure the Township of Scugog is ready to respond to any emergency which might come its way. The new plan was presented to Council by, Alternate Community Emergency Management Program Coordinator (CEMC), Jacqueline Bjorklund and Fire Chief Mike Matthews at a recent meeting, where both emphasized the importance of keeping Sc

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A long-time community greenspace in Beaverton will now be preserved for generations to come, after the Township accepted the donation of Fox Park from the Beaverton & District Conservation Club. The matter was discussed at the October 14th council meeting, when, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities, Wayne Ward presented a report recommending the Township assume ownership and maintenance respon

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A recent report, presented to Council on Monday, October 6th, outlined the progress being made on dozens of infrastructure projects currently underway across the Township of Scugog. Financial Accounting Supervisor, Maria Turino delivered the update as part of the 2025 Capital Project Status Report which tracks the status of all active capital initiatives. The 2025 Capital Project Status Report, cover

by Shawn Lackie The title of this week’s piece comes from a classic baseball book, written in 1970, by then Seattle Pilots pitcher Jim Bouton. It is a CLASSIC. If you have never read it, do yourself a favour and set aside some time to do so. What he was saying was loosely based on a line from a Peanuts comic strip which said, “Tell your statistics to shut up.” At any rate, it was credited to his manager, at the time, Joe Schultz. Now, there was a character. What this is all l

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Following a thorough and transparent selection process, Councillor Cria Pettingill has been appointed as Regional Councillor for the Township of Brock, filling the vacancy, created earlier this year, when Mayor Mike Jubb was acclaimed and sworn in as Mayor. Residents had the opportunity to see three qualified candidates present their case for the position, during a Special Council Meeting, on Wednesday

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Starting in June of 2026, residents in urban areas of Lindsay, Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, and Omemee could see changes to how their garbage and green bins are collected, following a presentation, to City Council’s Committee of the Whole, on October 7th. Heather Dzurko, Manager of Waste Management, provided an update on the city’s Source Separated Organics (SSO) program, which launched earlie

William McGinn, BGC Kawarthas KAWARTHA LAKES: Fenelon Falls officially has a brand new youth after-school centre, at 30 Colborne St., called The Loft. It's operated by BGC Kawarthas (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes), where teens aged 12-17 will be able to meet after school. There is no cost for attending drop-in, and youth can register for the after-school program on their first visit. The new centre had its opening on Tuesday, October 7th. I’m really excited

BRANDON CLARK  The Standard Durham Region Police Service Board (DRPSB) Chair Shaun Collier presented the October 2025 Community Policing Report at Tuesday, October 14th's Brock Township Council meeting. Under the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA), changes have been made for Boards and Services. Training and Education, equipment, oversight by the Inspector General-new codes of conduct, and expanding the definition of “adequate and effective”. Current areas of focus incl

by Shawn Lackie I was perusing the listings, the other day, and came across something I have seen far too often in the last 20 years. An agent not doing their job properly and clients dictating what they feel the market should be doing. That, folks, is a recipe for disaster, no matter how you cut it. A good agent, or at least a semi-competent one, will do their homework, prior to going to a listing appointment. Armed with pages of data which are recent, the agent can pretty m

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Blackstock Arena, a community cornerstone since 1937, faces...

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, in Kawartha...

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Residents had the opportunity to see four candidates present...