LOCAL HEADLINES

On its face, a game that was scoreless until well over halfway through the third period doesn’t seem like it could be a one-sided thrashing.

The Brant Battalion U11B team is headed to the OMHA Championships after a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Twin Centre Stars in the deciding game of the Southern Counties final on March 19. Backed by a strong hometown crowd, the Battalion completed an impressive comeback in the best-of-three series after dropping the opener 8-0 on March 13. The lopsided loss proved to be a turning point, as Brant responded with a 4-2 win in Game 2 before sealing the championship on home ice.

On March 15, The Girl Who Cried Pearls, a Canadian animated short film directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski and available through the National Film Board (NFB), won the Best Animated Short Film award at the 98th Academy Awards. Stratford’s Colm Feore narrated and voiced the film. He sat down with Stratford Film Festival director Megan Smith-Harris for a Q-and-A about the project just a day before the Oscars. Below is an excerpt from the conversation, edited for cla

An historic minor hockey tradition has returned to Goderich for its 75th anniversary tournament. A year ago, it was decided the 75th anniversary of Young Canada Week should have a proper celebration to acknowledge the rich history of the hockey tournament.

Known for its rich history as a strategic port town and founded in 1827, Goderich will soon celebrate its bicentennial in 2027.

Downtown property owners are calling for adjustments to Stratford’s parking programs to better meet the needs of residents living in the core.

A dozen Ontario education groups recently held a press conference to express their concerns about comments from the province’s education minister on the future of elected school board trustees.

A new partnership between Waterloo Region’s two school boards, local police and a national advocacy organization intends to tackle what officials say is one of the fastest-growing – and often hidden – crimes affecting local youth.

The Tavistock Braves have moved on to the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s (PJHL) Doherty Division final.

As the Rotary Club’s Community Pantry gets closer to launch, organizers are seeking volunteers as well as donations of time and goods.

St. Marys resident Jessie Doogan will be taking over ownership at Snapping Turtle Coffee Roasters effective March 31.

Organizers of the Paris Drinks Fest have unveiled the artist lineup for this summer’s festival, marking the next chapter for the popular event after a winter debate at County of Brant council nearly forced it to relocate, or fold altogether.

A partnership between three organizations in Ingersoll is bringing much-needed support to people experiencing homelessness or other hardships.

Life is a journey, with one step leading to another. In the case of Andrew and Candice Neufeld, their career path has led quite naturally to their new roles at the Stone Willow Inn’s Hillstone Restaurant.

Patricia O’Malley, the most recent Stratforder to become an Order of Canada member, pointed out that for a moderately-sized city, it has certainly left its mark on the nation.

In Ontario there are 47 municipalities charged with administering child-care services for their regions. Since 2022, the City of Stratford is one of three where licenced home child care is not available – though that is set to change in 2026.

Lion Jayne Staples and friend Sharon Carey walked 5 km on the Coldest Night of the Year Walk in Simcoe, raising funds for Norfolk Youth Unlimited, including the TeenLink program, and raising awareness in the community.

When flooding affects New Hamburg or other parts of Wilmot Township, several local and regional organizations coordinate the response to keep residents safe and informed.

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Ontario and The Food Bank of Waterloo Region are launching a new partnership to provide high-quality protein to families experiencing food insecurity in Waterloo Region, where one in nine households access food assistance.

A unique piece of local history now sits on the shelves of the library in South Huron District High School, thanks to one local woman who was the “face of the high school” by the time she left. That piece – the first yearbook published by what at that time was Exeter District High School in 1950 – was found by Karen Windsor, the niece of former school secretary Doris (Schwartz) Ohmayer.