News

FERGUS — A small group of citizens gathered in a parking lot on St. Andrew Street in downtown Fergus on Jan. 14, for what was advertised on social media as a protest against government lockdown measures aimed at thwarting the spread of COVID-19.

MOUNT FOREST – A local chapter of an international self-help/group support program is now in its 40th year of assisting participants struggling with mental health issues.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has issued a warning for local residents to stay off frozen bodies of water.

MAPLETON – An update to the township’s parks and recreation strategic master plan was approved at a special council meeting on Jan. 10.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – The region's top doctor is asking everyone in the community to do their part to ensure a safe return to class for local students, noting "the benefits of reopening in-person learning ultimately outweigh the short-term risks."

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Officials and staff at the Upper Grand District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board are preparing for the Jan. 17 return to in-person learning with newly acquired HEPA units, higher-grade masks and a new method for case monitoring.

FERGUS – Diane Ballantyne has been selected as the NDP's Wellington-Halton Hills candidate for the provincial election this spring. Party officials say the Wellington County councillor was chosen during a nomination meeting on Jan. 13 that was attended by over 50 people.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – The on again, off again rhythm of operating through pandemic restrictions ranging from capacity limits to lockdowns has been a struggle for all manner of business. But without question, some sectors have been impacted harder than others.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – There were 99 opioid-related deaths in Waterloo, Guelph and Wellington County in 2021 – an increase in numbers Kristin Kerr, executive director of Stonehenge Therapeutic Community, calls “dramatic.”

WELLINGTON COUNTY – While they dismiss the concept of "Blue Monday," Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) officials say the "winter blues" and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are very real, albeit very different, phenomena.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – As students once again settle in to online learning amid another surge in COVID-19 cases, school board officials say they recognize the toll  the constant uncertainty of the pandemic is having on students’ mental health. 

CENTRE WELLINGTON – Five people were injured, at least one seriously, in a two-vehicle crash here on Wednesday.

CAMBRIDGE – Drayton Entertainment is hoping to keep audiences connected and entertained amid another shutdown with its digital streaming series Backstage Pass.

FERGUS – The provincial government has approved a proposal from the Upper Grand District School Board for a new elementary school expected to be located in north Fergus. Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece announced on Jan. 13 the province is providing $8.5 million for the new school.