LOCAL HEADLINES

Residents across the County of Brant can lace up their skates as several outdoor ice rinks are officially open for the winter season. The rinks, maintained by community groups and volunteers, offer free outdoor skating and are a popular seasonal gathering spot for families, friends and recreational skaters.

There are birthdays - and then there are century birthdays. Marion Pearson’s came with cake, laughter, and a whole lot of love. Pearson marked her 100th birthday on Jan. 11, celebrating a day early so friends and family could gather at Queensview Retirement Home in Paris. The party felt less like a formal milestone and more like a joyful reunion, with visitors dropping in from across the village of Glen Morris many of whom Marion has known for decades.

Paris Optimist Club hosted its annual Bottle and Can Drive from its Elm Street headquarters on Saturday, January 10, 2026.  Members spent their morning sorting through various donations of bottles, cans, and even boxed-wine bags, and loading them into the truck before returning them in exchange for cash.  While the Optimist Club collects empties year-round, and has for many years now, the annual drive became a staple event when the COVID-19 pandemic initially thwarted their

In the world of home construction, there is a distinct difference between a contractor who simply follows a blueprint and a "project captain" who treats every home as if it were his own. For Adam Amato, founder of MADACON, that distinction is the foundation of his business.

The County of Brant is moving into the final years of its Recreation Master Plan, with dozens of park, facility and trail projects scheduled to advance over the next year or two. Council received the latest Recreation Master Plan status update for information at its Jan. 13 meeting, providing a snapshot of where projects stand and what residents can expect as the plan nears completion.

The time to file a nomination to fill the vacant County of Brant Ward 5 Council seat will officially close on Thursday, January 30, 2026 at 2 p.m. The upcoming by-election, which will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, will fill the seat left by former Councillor Christine Garneau after she resigned from her position on Monday, October 20, 2025.

At least one Brant County resident is out thousands of dollars after paying for chimney repairs he says were started but never finished. The Burford resident paid $5,000 last week to someone claiming they were from a Toronto-based company called 24 Hrs Roofing and Masonry, according to a media release from Brant County OPP.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 29 Paris is putting out a call for chili lovers and competitive cooks alike, as registration opens for its annual Chili Cook Off fundraiser in March. The fourth annual event is set for March 7 at the legion on William Street, with teams asked to arrive by 10:30 a.m. Doors open to the public for tasting from noon to 3 p.m. 

Last week, The Paris Independent asked councillors from Paris’ two wards about their work in 2025 and what’s in store for the new year. This week, we’re asking the remaining County of Brant councillors the same thing. Here’s what they had to say.

Two Olympians, Angela Schneider and Claire Scheffel, came to Paris to take part in the Brant County Public Library’s panel discussion as part of the library’s Unstoppable: An Olympic Celebration. Garret Riley of Brantford, a Paralympic hockey athlete, was also scheduled to appear but was unable to attend due to illness.

The County of Brant is moving to update its waste collection guidelines for condominium and multi-residential developments in response to recent provincial changes to Ontario’s Blue Box recycling program.

Titans have had an up-and-down year, starting the season strong with a four-game win streak, then alternating wins and losses. The team has also struggled in finding a coach to lead and teach the roster how to play winning hockey. The Titans had appointed Gord Christian, a veteran Junior, U Sport, and pro player and former referee, to prepare the team. While in charge, he focused on the transition game from offense to defense and conversely defense to offense and getting read

Girls Volleyball Brantford Collegiate Juniors came to Paris and defeated the Panthers last Monday. On Tuesday, the Junior team travelled to Caledonia and lost their match. The senior side siting in sixth place, also lost their match 3 game to 1.

The County of Brant is seeking public feedback on a draft Rural Prosperity Community Improvement Plan that would offer grants to support farms, rural businesses, tourism operators and commercial properties outside the county’s urban areas.

Five young athletes from Brantford and area are preparing to pull on the maple leaf this summer as members of Canada’s U13 ball hockey team, bound for international competition at the United World Games in Klagenfurt, Austria.

The Paris Drinks Fest will return to Twin Rivers Stadium this summer after County of Brant council voted 9–1 on Jan. 13 to grant a noise bylaw exemption, reversing a decision made just weeks earlier. Council had initially denied the exemption at its December meeting, a move that effectively

A spike of drug poisonings in Brantford-Brant has Grand Erie Public Health urging caution for those using unprescribed drugs. In the first four days of January, there were seven drug-related “incidents” — more than the health unit would expect in that period, an alert from the health unit said.

#1 Paris Optimist Peewee Wolfpack 2001/2002 The Paris Optimist Peewee Wolfpack hockey team of 2001/2002 had an incredible season and greatly impressed anyone involved with minor hockey in the earliest part of the 21st century. This team had an outstanding regular season in Southern Counties League play with an impressive 17-4-1 record. Paris also earned gold medals at both the Glencoe and Huntsville tournaments.

With eleven games left in the PJHL season, the Titans need to get into a winning groove for the February playoffs. The Titans started their run on January 4, defeating the Wellesley Applejacks at

As noted previously, the Junior side is composed mainly of Grade 9 students with little or no experience playing organized basketball. At the beginning of the season, they looked lost on the court, while their coaches screamed reminders about how to handle situations the boys had never encountered. Last Thursday, the Juniors faced the 7-1 Assumption Lions, and I was surprised by how much they have improved on bringing the ball down the court, their passing, and defensive play