LOCAL HEADLINES

The Town of St. Marys declared a significant weather event Thursday afternoon in response to a significant snowfall and mechanical breakdowns with the town’s operating fleet.

With the closest MRI machines in Owen Sound, London, and Stratford, residents of Huron County must travel significant distances for possibly life-changing scans.

A local manufacturer has received a huge investment from the Government of Ontario in direct response to U.S. protectionism.

The spirit of Christmas filled the Huron County Museum during its annual Holiday Open House, where families enjoyed apple cider, gingerbread decorating, and a touch of Victorian charm. On December 7, the Huron County Museum hosted a holiday open house, welcoming locals for a free visit to see what the museum has to offer.

After recent reports that nearly half of Ontario’s Grade 6 students failed to meet the provincial standard in math, the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board (HPCDSB) and the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) say it’s not all bad news.

United Way Oxford’s second annual Ultimate Burger Battle concluded at the end of November with more than $20,000 raised after 2,831 burgers were sold during the lively charitable competition.

With financial support from the Badge of Hope Foundation and the Government of Ontario, the Family Violence Project Waterloo Region (FVP) is strengthening its impact in preventing and addressing rising levels of intimate-partner and gender-based violence across Waterloo Region, and provide better access to care in Wilmot Township.

The Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) board is opposing major changes to Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities.

The work to help the Town of St. Marys raise funds in support of the New Community Commons revitalization of 14 Church St. N, the former Mercury Theatre, has officially begun after an ad-hoc fundraising advisory committee held its first meeting Dec. 3.

The 2025 deputy warden and deputy mayor of West Perth, Dean Trentowsky, has officially accepted the gavel and chain of office as Perth County’s 2026 warden.

As December’s chill gently settled on the town of Paris, the excitement in the air was unmistakable. The annual Paris Santa Claus Parade has always been a cherished tradition, but this year held special significance for The Paris Independent. Not only were we attending, but we were also given the honour of judging the best float entry—a role that filled us with pride and anticipation. The memories of festive parades gone by mixed with the promise of new moments, stirring a de

The City of Woodstock is advising residents to avoid touching wild birds and bird droppings after two Canada geese in Southside Park tested positive for avian influenza.

The connection between California and Niagara that most people traditionally make is through their respective wine industries. But if a project being organized by a Niagara-on-the-Lake group gets the funding and support it needs, the two regions could share another similarity.

The holidays bring with it many traditions. Some remain constant over the years, others get tweaked and evolve, and still more sometimes crop up out of nowhere. But for Diana Tracey, while the traditions may be great, Christmas means one thing above all.

After the shortest budget deliberations in recent memory, the 2026 City of Stratford budget was approved with a projected tax increase of 3.19 per cent – the lowest in recent years. That figure translates to an approximate rise of $172 annually ($14 monthly) on an average home valued by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) at $317,000.

Two affordable housing projects are going back to the drawing board. At the most recent Stratford city council meeting on Nov. 24, council voted to cancel the request for expressions of interest (RFEOI) for two City of Stratford-led affordable housing projects at 38 Coriano St. and 161 East Gore St.

United Way Oxford’s annual 12 Days of Giving event has returned. The event, which started on Dec. 1 and runs until Dec. 12, encourages community members to show their Local Love by sharing 12 ways to give back to Oxford County and directly support those in need.

Wellesley council has officially dug into the township’s 2026 draft budget, which was introduced at council’s first budget meeting Nov. 27 with a proposed levy increase of 4.99 per cent, inclusive of growth.

Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus made their grand entrance ‘flying’ to the Simcoe Christmas Panorama light-up ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 29. “I have a tracker right here and I’ve been texting with Santa,” said Panorama MC Robynn Beazley at Wellington Park. “The firefighters are going to bring him over on the Bickle… but not quite yet. First, we need to hear from some special, important guests.”

A proposal to expand the boundaries of the Downtown Tillsonburg Business Improvement Association will not be proceeding.