Jessica Lovell

GUELPH – The county is projecting a tax increase of 3.9 per cent this year despite an announcement from the province of financial relief for municipalities to offset the cost of OPP contracts.

GUELPH – The province has officially announced its approval for nine treatment hubs to replace safe-injection sites being forced to close at the end of March, including Guelph’s consumption and treatment services (CTS) site at the Guelph Community Health Centre.

MOUNT FOREST – For 15-year-old John Ray, fundraising is just a part of life, and his most recent project is a cookbook aimed at sharing healthy recipes while helping him raise money for a new mobility van.

GUELPH – Improvements are coming to the Elora waste facility site, but not without a significant impact to the county’s 2025 budget.

ROCKWOOD – It was a labour of love that produced Kathy Stinson’s latest picture book, The Rock and the Butterfly, and if it’s bringing comfort to others, so much the better.

KENILWORTH – The Senior Citizen Hall in Arthur officially has a new name. On Dec. 16, Wellington North council approved a request from the Arthur Optimist Club to rename the facility the “Arthur Optimist Town Hall,” reflecting a 15-year lease agreement that names the club as manager of the building.

ROCKWOOD – Rockwood resident Jenn Banfield is training for the Canadian Ski Marathon, North America’s oldest cross-country ski event, taking place on Feb. 8 and 9 in the Montebello, Quebec area.

KENILWORTH – Wellington North has passed its 2025 budget with a tax rate increase of 3.27 per cent.

BRUCEDALE – Residents of Ariss Glen Drive are concerned about the loss of privacy that may result from a proposed residential development behind their homes.

BRUCEDALE – While only a few members of the public spoke at a special council meeting to gather feedback on Guelph/Eramosa Township’s proposed 2025 budget, it seemed clear that residents think that a tax rate increase of more than 3.5 per cent is too high.

This is a Christmas story, and not just because it includes Santa, but because at its heart it’s about one simple gift: kindness.

MOUNT FOREST – The 2024 Mayor’s Charity Bonspiel was the revival of an event held for the first time in Arthur in 2020. And the second edition of the event exceeded expectations, raising $8,000 for local youth-related causes.

CENTRE WELLINGTON – The cause of a fire that destroyed a 19th-century barn on 4th Line on Dec. 13 remains undetermined, but it has not been deemed suspicious.

HOLSTEIN – Ponies, horses, and a few other animals were among the attractions as Holstein’s non-motorized Santa Claus parade returned for its 31st year on Dec. 14.