LOCAL HEADLINES

After another tumultuous year in global geopolitics, leadership with the Grain Farmers of Ontario painted a picture of an industry still very much concerned about the near future, but one that has also experienced a few key wins in the past 12 months.

If failing seven out of 10 times is enough to punch a baseball player’s ticket to the hall of fame in Cooperstown, a mistaken weather forecast here or there can be forgiven.

Wilmot Township, East Zorra-Tavistock (EZT), Oxford County and Perth County continue to face high demand for road salt, which remains in short supply.

The New Hamburg Board of Trade has welcomed Lillianne Dunstall as its new president for 2026, a milestone year marking the organization’s 75th anniversary.

The Tavistock Braves extended their win streak to six games following a perfect weekend with three victories in three days.

Just days after popular bus service Onexbus announced the ceasing of its Stratford line, another private organization announced a new stop for the Festival City, filling in a gap that had just erupted.

Coast Watchers have served as the eyes and ears of Lake Huron’s coastline for 20 years, and in 2025 Lake Huron Coastal Centre (LHCC) celebrated this monitoring program of volunteers.

As snow began to blanket Stratford and area, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) held a rally outside of Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae’s office. Kevin Cook, first vice-president of OCHU-CUPE, said they were there for one simple reason.

Members of our local communities and beyond joined in celebrations with the Menesetung Bridge Association’s (MBA) board members on a cold, windy day on December 13 to celebrate the reopening of this historic structure following a refurbishment that has taken many months.

Tillsonburg council gave the nod to an update of its Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

Looking for a challenge to tackle before starting law school, St. Marys native Kevin Oliver made the decision to undertake the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail that stretches between Georgia and Maine passing through 14 states in the U.S.

After a stretch of three games in four days, there is a new greatest modern era St. Marys Lincoln, with Chase MacQueen-Spence setting new team Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) records for most career goals, assists and points since the formation of the league in 2007.

Construction is now underway on the County of Brant’s new North Paris Fire Station, with early-stage work set to continue through the winter and a projected completion date of April 30, 2027. According to a recent staff update, construction officially began in late January with the next 45 days of work scheduled to focus on site preparation and excavation, marking the first major phase of construction.

The County of Brant and the Brant Community Foundation have opened applications for the 2026 Community Grant Program, offering local non-profit groups access to roughly $135,000 in one-time funding. 

The annual Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) Conference was held last week in Toronto, and many area politicians attended the three-day event.

The annual Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) Conference was held last week in Toronto, and many area politicians attended the three-day event.

This winter has been the most volatile and dangerous for Oxford County and Wilmot Township motorists, leading to a record number of collisions. But, according to one member of the Oxford Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment, it doesn’t need to be that way.

The forecast for Saturday, Jan. 24 called for a low of -22º Celsius, one of the coldest days of January. That didn’t stop this year’s Stratford Winterfest.

At the recent Police Service Board meeting, safety at the local mall was a top concern.

Henry Knelsen is not a professional ice maker. But Knelsen, his Handy Henry Concrete staff in Simcoe, and friends, are getting there. “Now that we’ve done it a few years, now it’s all about timing,” said Knelsen Saturday evening on their homemade temporary outdoor ice rink on property they lease across the street from Handy Henry Concrete on Norfolk Street South.