LOCAL HEADLINES

As of 2027, after next year’s municipal elections in all four of the county’s lower-tier municipalities usher in new councils, members of Perth County council will begin seeing an increase to their base pay.

Updates have been scarce on the Region of Waterloo’s plan to acquire 770 acres for a future mega-industrial project, leading one opponent to accuse members of maintaining a troubling lack of transparency.

At the Nov. 24 council meeting, the proposed upgrade to the Petersburg water system – estimated at more than $3 million – was discussed, but the decision was deferred to January 2026 to allow time for public input.

Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis is hosting cultural gatherings at its Ukrainian Cultural Hub in New Hamburg.

The Wellesley area is grieving the heartbreaking loss of nine-year-old Christopher Thomas Franklin, who died in a car accident on Nov. 10 in West Virginia while returning home from a family vacation.

David Cripps wasn’t allowed to talk to the media as a vice chair and trustee of the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), but the Ingersoll resident said nothing is holding him back now.

“Fences make bad neighbours.” That was the title of a news release sent by Lisa Hagen, a New Hamburg resident concerned about an outdoor development by Tri-County Mennonite Homes (TCMH). It includes a yet-to-be-erected fence on the non-profit’s property.

Families in the south end of Sebastopol, just outside Tavistock, are getting ready for the real Santa Claus – and for Rence and Kasey Dietrich, the excitement has already begun.

In preparation for the start of 2026 budget deliberations on Nov. 27, Wellesley council set the township’s schedule of fees and charges for 2026, which includes a number of cost reductions to bring rates more in line with those charged by other municipalities and encourage use of township facilities.

The Oxford OPP detachment is now equipped with body-worn cameras (BWC).

A night out at a small-town theatre can offer some of the best entertainment around, especially when the script comes from celebrated playwright Dan Needles.

There are many longtime farm families in the New Hamburg and Tavistock area who will remember Don and Joanne Russel, a couple whose determination and innovative thinking helped them build a dairy operation against the odds.

Young people in East Zorra-Tavistock often grow up surrounded by the work ethic and responsibility that come with farm life – qualities that can shape impressive careers. One such example is Alyssa Lupton of Hickson, who is now just 10 months away from writing her final exam to earn her Chartered Professional Accountant designation.

When members of the former Hickson United Church joined the congregation at Grace United Church in Tavistock, they wanted to express their appreciation for the warm welcome they received. On Sunday, they did just that by presenting Grace United with a special gift – their church’s electric piano.

Wellesley solidified its hold on first place in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s (PJHL) Doherty Division thanks to a 5-3 victory in Tavistock on Friday night.

Kinna Sohna, the boutique space at 55 York St. in Stratford, is celebrating 25 years of traditional craftsmanship and ethical fashion with 15 per cent off most items from Dec. 4-7.

The Ford government passed legislation that abruptly ended speed-camera programs across Ontario, but affected municipalities are being offered a pot of money to implement other traffic-calming measures.

Work is well underway in New Hamburg on a new Nithview long-term-care home, and going hand-in-hand with it is an outdoor development along the Nith River flats.

Preparations are complete for this year’s Santa Claus Parade in Tavistock, and organizers say the 2025 edition is set to be one of the most exciting parades the community has seen.

Tri-County Mennonite Homes’ (TCMH) second annual fundraising dinner was a big success last Saturday, with the event furthering the organization’s mission of building a new Nithview long-term care home in New Hamburg.