DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The hardware is heading back to Sunderland. Uxbridge Bruins forward, Ryan Shier has been named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Orr Division, for the 2025-26 season, capping off a dominant campaign for the first-place Bruins. The 20-year-old Sunderland native led Uxbridge in scoring, with 22 goals and 31 assists, for 53 points in 40 games, playing a key role in the club’s run to the top of the division standing

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard A North Durham rivalry will take centre stage this weekend, as the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL)’s Orr Division semifinals open, with a familiar and heated matchup. The first-place Uxbridge Bruins will square off against the fourth-place Port Perry LumberJacks, in what promises to be another intense chapter in the Battle of North Durham. Uxbridge enters the series as the clear favourite, having dominated the regular season rivalry. The Bru

by Pat Asling Gone! What happened to February? A short month that seemed even shorter in spite of the extremes of winter weather. We had some nasty storms, but also some lovely days with temperatures above 0 °C, blue skies, and sunshine! Sitting on my front deck, you could have started on your summer tan! Strange that it can change from +6 °C to -12 °C in a matter of hours! Did anyone manage to see the parade of planets supposedly visible after sunset late last week? Unfortun

By Patricia Dawson Come out for a fun night of fundraising and an 80s dance auction! dress up in your favourite '80s attire. There will be a best 80s costume contest. This event will take place on March 7th, at the Sunderland Legion, located at 104 River Street. There will be a late lunch at 11 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. The dance will be at 8 p.m. You can buy your tickets at Home Hardware or the legion. The Uxbridge Farmers Market is indoors, and it takes place at 14 V

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard Opening weekend of the Provincial Junior Hockey League playoffs delivered exactly what local fans have come to expect, dominant performances at the top and high drama in one of the league’s fiercest rivalries. The first-place Uxbridge Bruins wasted no time showing why they were among the elite teams in the entire PJHL this season. Uxbridge set a new club record with 35 wins and finished with 71 points, second overall in the league, trailing only th

On the first Friday of March each year, a powerful wave of prayer circles the globe as more than 1.5 million Christians in over 150 countries unite in spirit for the World Day of Prayer. Speaking more than 90 different languages, participants gather to pray for issues affecting women and children, continuing a movement active for nearly 100 years. The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement bringing Christians of many traditions together to observe a common day of

by Pat Asling Another rather dreary week with the temperatures hovering around 0c most days and snow melting almost as fast as it fell, which happened most days. It was nice though to not be enduring such low temps as we had previously. We are warned though that these conditions will return soon! This week was rather uneventful as people and organizations gear up for more activities as we move into spring. I want to start with something I mentioned before but that is not happ

by Pat Asling A long weekend with a special day on either end! I hope you all had lovely valentines activities and family time together. The weather was warmer which no doubt suited most people but not those skiers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts. Then maybe, they were all inside watching the Olympics! A couple of local events scheduled for Valentine's evening were cancelled. No explanation was given for the cancellation of the RAD dance at the Legion. The dance at the Z

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES/NORTH DURHAM:  Kawartha Lakes and North Durham were hit by dangerously cold temperatures, over the weekend of February 7th and 8th, with overnight lows nearing minus twenty degrees Celsius. Wind chill values, during the early morning hours, made it feel closer to minus thirty to minus thirty-five degrees Celsius, prompting cold weather alerts from Lakelands Public Health and Durham Region Healt

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM: Businesses in Durham can now drop off Blue Box recycling at Regional Waste Management Facilities (WMFs) without paying fees, a move designed to ease the transition to Ontario’s new producer-run recycling system. The fee waiver was approved, as part of Durham’s 2026 Regional Budget, and is now in effect. Businesses which previously received municipal curbside Blue Box collection can bring dedicat

BRANDON CLARK The Standard NORTH DURHAM: Families across Durham Region will have several options to celebrate Family Day on Monday, February 16th, with a mix of free community events and low-cost outdoor activities planned in Scugog, Brock and Port Perry. In Scugog, the township will host its annual Family Day Fun event at the Scugog Community Recreation Centre, offering a full slate of free activities for families who pre-register for a time slot. Activities include crafts,

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was a weekend to remember for the Uxbridge Bruins, who continued their late-season surge, with a pair of impressive wins, to extend their streak to six straight wins, as the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) regular season winds down. The Bruins capped things off, on Sunday afternoon, with a 4–2 road win over their North Durham rivals, the Port Perry LumberJacks, in the final Battle of North Durham of the 2025-26 campaign. Uxbridge came out

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard Cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable cancers today, yet, too many people in Ontario are not being screened regularly. Dr. Rebecca Wray, a local physician and primary care lead, with the Central East Regional Cancer Program, stresses understanding the new cervical screening program and taking action is vital, for first-time testers, long-time patients, and anyone with a cervix. Ontario’s cervical cancer screening program underwent a ma

Ian McMillan Community Care Durham DURHAM: David Brazeau knows firsthand the meaningful impact a committed board of directors can have on a not-for-profit organization. With more than a decade of board leadership experience, including two six-year terms as board chair, David brought his passion for governance and community service to Community Care Durham (CCD) in 2023, joining the organization’s board of directors. An accomplished communications professional with experienc

By Patricia Dawson Come out and beat the winter blahs with the “Mood Boosting, Pot Decorating, and Planning — Beat the Winter Blahs” Workshop pm February 4th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at 18 Brock Street West, U xbridge. Gathering with friends are proven method to increase serotonin, a happy hormone, and don't we need as much as possible in February! Let's kick the winter blues by joining Bounty from the boonies shop owner Carly McDougall for a mental health boosting Works