DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Local non-profit organizations have new opportunities for support, as Kawartha Lakes announces the opening of its 2026 intake for Economic Development Funds. Applications officially opened, on Friday, November 21st, with three programs available, to help strengthen community-based economic and cultural initiatives. This year brings a significant update with the launch of a new cultural projec

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: The wonder of the holiday season will light up Ken Reid Conservation Area, near Lindsay, once again, as The Illuminated Forest returns for its fourth year. From Friday, December 12th to Sunday, December 28th, visitors can wander through trails adorned with thousands of twinkling lights, creating a winter wonderland for the whole family. Since it first opened in 2022, The Illuminated Forest has

By Shawn Lackie I was recently reading a monthly report on a local internet news site about house prices in the Durham Region. It got me thinking. I read those as do thousands of others, but what are we really to believe? The reason I ask is that I mentioned this before in a piece I called "Tell Your Numbers To Shut Up" in October. And it made me wonder. What DO people believe? Many real estate boards would have you believe what they say is the gospel truth. I think some coul

Rob Van Der Vleuten The Standard SCUGOG: On Saturday, December 13th, The Bomb and their touring ‘Retro ‘80s Live Experience’ are continuing their tradition of blowing up everyone’s winter blues & wrapping up a full year of touring with some exciting pre-holiday musical cheer at Port Perry’s 1873 Town Hall Theatre! For fans of ‘80s hits (and the decade of new wave) who have not had the opportunity to enjoy a rocking night with The Bomb before; just imagine one band recorded a

Deborah Movoria, FCC Media Relations SCUGOG: Farm Credit Canada (FCC) invites the media to attend its FCC Young Farmer Summit event in Port Perry, Ontario, on November 29th. The FCC Young Farmer Summit is a series of free events across Canada aimed at attracting and engaging the next generation of farmers, as well as food manufacturers and retailers. Participants will get real-world advice from engaging speakers, network with peers and take control of their business journey.

by Lauren Walker It seems Christmas is coming quickly! I am so happy to share my latest happenings, as its been a busy few months. Christmas Ornaments It is that time of year, and my 2025 Christmas Ornament, “The Place to Meet for a Christmas Treat,” featuring Hanks Pastries, has already sold out. I currently have two designs available, so please check my Facebook page for more information. Santa’s Float Fundraiser I’ve partnered with the North Durham Chamber and my design, “

by Helen Nicolaou Early snow and frigid winds caught many of us off guard before we could complete the garden duties. However, with the return of recent warm temperatures, there was a chance to finish tucking in perennials. Tender ones like roses will need six inches of mulch as well, and newly transplanted plants need to be watered and protected with about 2-3 inches of leaves/mulch to survive the winter. Many gardeners were dividing their time between putting up holiday lig

by Joanne Mulholland   Monday Morning Singers, the well-known women’s choir, directed by Anne Mizen, based in Uxbridge, draws its singers from many areas around the town, including York Region, Durham County, Brock and East Gwillimbury. The choir is starting work on the exciting repertoire for a Christmas concert, planned for Friday, December 5th, at 7:30 p.m., in the beautiful St Paul’s Anglican Church, in Uxbridge. The concert is called “Dancing Day,” the main work in the p

Phil Nero, Artistic Director, DreamCo SCUGOG: A New Family Musical. An original musical pantomime retelling of a classic tale. In the grand British tradition where audiences cheer the hero and boo the villain, Hook shifts the focus of the timeless classic Peter Pan to our anti-hero, the one and only Captain Hook! This production will feature flashy musical numbers, outrageous costumes, comedy, mayhem, and of course...you’re part of the show! Come and boo the villain (which

By Tracy Pastic SCUGOG: Do you have leftover Candy? Would you like to put it to good use while keeping it away from your waistline? We have a family-friendly solution for you! How about making a Gingerbread House and bringing it to the Scugog Memorial Public Library for the annual village? This year marks the 30th Anniversary of this very popular holiday event, and the best part is that it is FREE to enter and FREE to visit! Here are the guidelines: It is a non-judged event

by Susan Merriman Emmanuel Community Church, led by its Biker’s Church ministry, is once again calling on the community for support, as it reaches the halfway point of its annual Bundles of Blessings campaign. The initiative provides essential items to homeless individuals, in the Port Perry and Peterborough areas, during the cold winter months. Community members are encouraged to assemble a Blessing Bag—a backpack, duffel bag, or purse—filled with practical items, such as: w

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was a mixed weekend, for local teams in the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL), with the Little Britain Merchants delivering the area’s only win, while the Uxbridge Bruins and Port Perry LumberJacks came up short in their match-ups. A lively crowd of nearly 500 fans packed the Bear Den, on Friday night, November 21st, as the Uxbridge Bruins battled the Georgina Ice. The visitors escaped with a narrow 2-1 victory. After a scoreless first perio

by Patricia Asling What a rather dreary month this has been! Either too cold or too damp to do the many things outside that need to be finished up. My “to do” list never gets any shorter, since anything I manage to scratch off immediately gets replaced by something else. It’s been a slow week, socially speaking, compared to some. The main event was the full turkey lunch for Seniors on Tuesday. Kudos to Mary’s Country Kitchen and staff for a great meal! The guest speaker was J

by Janet Van Camp There was a small electrical fire at the Blackstock arena last week, which forced the shutdown of all programs from Tuesday to Friday. I am happy to announce it is open once again for all user groups. The Blackstock Co-op Nursery School's annual "Breakfast with Santa" is on Sunday, December 7th, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Blackstock Recreation Centre. The event features a pancake breakfast, photos with Santa, a silent auction, and a bake sale to rais

by Faye Ashton One month to Christmas. Isn’t that a shock! With the weather being “early fall like” for so long, it seems impossible we are this far along in the year. Most of the corn fields met their demise this past week which kept Reesors dryer chugging out steam. December 1st at Epsom Church, there is a 10 a.m. meeting of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank Project which will honour retiring regional rep., Henry Reminders, as he leads a show presentation and discussion on how g

By Patricia Dawson Come out to a fun event put on by the United Way of Haliburton Kawartha Lakes. This will take place on December 2nd from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at 68 McLaughlin Road, in Lindsay. Get ready to jingle all the way through a festive night of fun and friendly competition. Expect multiple trivia rounds with various holiday categories, prizes for winning teams, snacks and drinks, the party doesn't have to end after trivia, stay for a round of axe throwing after, at a dis

KIM COULTER Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: Whether you’ve lived here all your life or you are new to Kawartha Lakes, what matters most, for you and your family, is knowing the highest quality care is available nearby. That is the message Jeff Todd is sharing this holiday season, through the RMH Foundation holiday appeal letters, being delivered to households across Kawartha Lakes. Having grown up here, moved away for 20 years, and returned to raise his fa

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Long-standing concerns, over the future of the Blackstock Arena, were back before Scugog councillors, on Monday, November 10th, as the General Purpose and Administration Committee reviewed a detailed follow-up report, outlining five potential remediation options for the facility’s failing refrigeration plant. After extensive and, at times, tense discussion, councillors ultimately defeated a recommend

DARRYL KNIGHT  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A unanimous vote at a Special Council meeting on Wednesday, November 12th has resulted in the appointment of Ron Hodgson as the new Ward 4 councillor. The longtime community volunteer and lifelong Brock resident was selected from a field of seven candidates to serve the remainder of the 2022–2026 council term. The vacancy was created earlier this fall when former Ward 4 councillor Cria Pettingill was

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: A 22-year-old man is dead following a late-night shooting in Beaverton, marking Durham Region’s eighth homicide of 2025. Durham Regional Police say officers from North Division responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 11:10 p.m. on Sunday, November 16th. The call came from the area of Mara Road and Simcoe Street, where witnesses reported hearing several shots. A short time later, police were n