DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: More students could soon be hitting the ice, during the school day, after Council approved a new non-prime school rental rate, at its Monday, February 9th, meeting, a move, sparked by a high school program, is already generating excitement among families with children in local elementary schools. Councillors voted to create a $120 per hour daytime school rate, at the Rick MacLeish Memorial Community C

By: Lauren Walker Working with older adults for 20+ years has allowed me insight to the aging process. I'll be turning forty this year and most of my clients are 30+ years older than I. I see common threads amongst the aging population and as they age, little things become big challenges. My purpose, as a personal trainer, is to help them maintain functionality in their daily lives. Let's look at the common issues I help my clients with. Its All in the Hips One of the biggest

Emterra Environmental is the new recycling collector for homes across Kawartha Lakes which started on January 1st, of this year, operating on behalf of Circular Materials Ontario. This company will now handle recycling collection, including inquiries about missed pickups or damaged bins. For recycling issues, the quickest way to reach out for assistance is to call 1-888-597-1541 or email customercareont@emterra.ca . Miller Waste will still be retained for normal garbage colle

by Geoffrey Carpentier Well, even though the days are marginally longer now, the sky still seems dark and foreboding. In the summer, clouds seem to vary in shape, size and colour, but in winter they often seem to be just dark, grey and gloomy. Let’s explore these clouds a bit and see if we can understand them a little better. Clouds are made up of water droplets or ice crystals which are so light they defy gravity. So, how did they form in the first place and how did they rea

By Lisa Salapatek SCUGOG: Folk music fans have something to look forward to on Saturday, March 28th, when singer-songwriter and wilderness guide Kate Weekes takes the stage at Greenbank Centennial Hall. Doors open at 7 p.m., with showtime at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35. Presented by the Greenbank Folk Music Society, the concert promises an intimate experience connecting audiences with some of Canada’s most talented musicians and storytellers. Weekes will be joined by James Ste

KIM COULTER RMH Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: Since it launched in 1972, Armada Toolworks Ltd has been advancing its design, development and manufacturing skills. Today, this Lindsay based company is a leading supplier of custom made automotive components. They know having the right tools in the right hands is critical to success. Support from the Armada Toolworks team for the WE ARE THE ROSS capital campaign will help fund the highest priority investments at Ross Memorial Hos

By Patricia Dawson A number of engaging programs are coming up at local branches of the Kawartha Lakes and Brock Township Public Library systems. Bobcaygeon Book Club Readers are invited to join the Bobcaygeon branch for its monthly book club on Tuesday, February 24th, from 1 to 2 p.m. at 123 East Street South, in Bobcaygeon. Registration is required; please contact the Bobcaygeon branch to sign up. The club meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month and explores a different n

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 SCUGOG: Generations of skaters, players, and families are uniting behind a shared goal, as the community puts forward the Blackstock Recreation Complex, as its nominee for the 2026 edition of the Kraft Hockeyville contest. Blackstock Arena is one of Canada’s true hockey originals. First opening in 1933 as an outdoor skating pad, it holds the distinction of being the second-oldest ice surface in the country.

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

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard SCUGOG: The Regional Municipality of Durham has announced plans to drill a new municipal water supply well near 12235 Simcoe Street in the Township of Scugog to help strengthen the water supply for the community of Port Perry. Construction activities related to the project are scheduled to take place from February 17th through September 30th. Initial drilling work is expected to begin during the week of February 16th, with full construction of the

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

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Families across Kawartha Lakes are invited to make lasting memories this Family Day, on Monday, February 16th, at the Lindsay Recreation Complex. From skating and swimming to yoga and crafts, Parks and Recreation has a full lineup of free and fun activities for families to enjoy together. “Family Day is all about bringing people together,” said, Parks and Recreation Coordinator, Christine Ma

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,

by Geoffrey Carpentier This is an exciting time of year, bird-wise. You might think winter is so close, nothing much is happening out there, but you’d be wrong! I’ve talked of hawk and eagle migrations in the past, but an additional migrational phenomenon is emerging, right now. It involves owls which come south every year, in varying numbers, not to escape the cold, but more so, to find food. Many species of owls migrate annually, and many individuals will settle in North Du

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: From dog and cat adoptions to responding to complaints about wildlife, Scugog Township’s Animal Control team handled another busy year, in 2025, maintaining stable animal populations while expanding community engagement. The department presented its year-end report to council, on Monday, February 2nd. “Even with modest increases in dog impoundments and decreases in cat and wild animal calls, our anim

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

By Jonathan van Bilsen Flying always comes with a degree of uncertainty, but I have long believed, as long as the aircraft remains airborne, I am prepared to negotiate the rest. After more than 800 flights, I have accumulated a respectable collection of mishaps and close calls, all of which I have survived, clearly against the odds. One of the more memorable episodes unfolded on a short hop between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, twenty-five years ago. Reaching Saint Petersburg

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