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 Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES/DURHAM: A powerful line of severe thunderstorms swept across Kawartha Lakes and Durham Region on Canada Day, bringing damaging winds, torrential rain and intense lightning, disrupting celebrations, toppling trees and hydro lines, and leaving thousands of residents without electricity. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued severe thunderstorm warnings, as the fast-moving system crossed ce

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Floodwaters are surging through communities across the region, leaving a trail of damage, emergency rescues, and anxious residents along the Burnt River and beyond. In the Burnt River area, homes and cottages, particularly downstream from the village, have been inundated, as water levels continue to rise. Roads have disappeared beneath the floodwaters, while Wrex Road effectively turned into a

JAY THIBERT NDN UXBRIDGE: For years, the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) has been monitoring the aquatic community, within the Lower Don River, gathering valuable data on the health of local fish populations. As the Don Mouth Naturalization Project (DMNP) nears completion, these ongoing monitoring efforts are critical in understanding the project’s impact on the area. Bryann Coey will present an overview of the project, focusing on TRCA’s long-term monitoring o

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

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

BRANDON CLARK & DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES/BROCK: Ontario has experienced brutal winter weather since last November, and with it have come repercussions for road and sidewalk maintenance. The City of Kawartha Lakes and Durham Region are two municipalities among many across the province that have experienced harsh seasonal conditions. Kawartha Lakes typically sees an average of 50 winter weather events that require snowp

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

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 David Minns UXBRIDGE: St. Paul’s Anglican Church, in Uxbridge, is going to be a busy place, on the weekend of November 15th. The St. Paul’s Anglican Church and Trinity United Church invite you to the Festival of Trees. It starts on November 15th, before the Santa Claus Parade, from 10 a.m., in front of the St. Paul’s’ Church, at 59 Toronto Street S., in Uxbridge. Hot chocolate and treats will be served on the lawn. For Saturday, November 15th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and S

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM: After weeks of hot, dry weather which saw restrictions...

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: After days of smoke-filled skies and the constant hum of aircraft overhead, the forest fires...

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Local leaders are taking steps to recover from the...

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Local councillors recently appealed to the provincial...

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A new proposal, brought forward by Councillor Mike Perry, at the most recent council meeting,...

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES/BROCK: Residents across Kawartha Lakes and northern...