LAURIE WEIR I am uneasy to “celebrate” Canada Day.Canada was built on land that was taken without consent. Indigenous nations were betrayed. Agreements were made and broken. Children were stolen. […]
SUBMITTED Beckwith Street bridge closed due to person in crisis On June 15th, 2025 Smiths Falls Police Service received a report of a male possibly in a mental health crisis […]
LAURIE WEIR He always has a smile and a wave, through any kind of weather. If you’ve ever driven through Smiths Falls during school hours, chances are you smiled and […]
SUBMITTED Members of the Lanark County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), along with the Emergency Response Team (ERT), the Snow Vehicle, All Terrain Vehicle, Vessel Enforcement/Education (SAVE) unit, […]
LAURIE WEIR Two well-known Ottawa personalities, Michael Wood and Dylan Black, are lacing up for a 56-kilometre walk from Barrhaven to Smiths Falls to raise funds and awareness for the […]
STAFF Royal Canadian Legion Branch 95 is extending heartfelt thanks to all residents, businesses, service groups, schools, first responders, volunteers, cadets, and retailers across Smiths Falls, Montague, and Rideau Lakes Township […]
LAURIE WEIR He gave his time freely, made friends easily, and never stopped helping people. In recognition of his legacy, John “Bud” Fawcett’s name will now grace the town’s senior […]
SUBMITTED As we come to the peak of the local growing season and with the ‘buy Canadian’ movement continuing to be top of mind, now is a great time to […]
SUBMITTED Two individuals from within the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) have been awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for their remarkable service and dedication to their […]
SUBMITTED Male facing charges after attempting to use dog to attack officers On May 10th, 2025 officers were on proactive patrol when they observed a subject who was wanted by […]
SUBMITTED An individual is facing multiple charges after a heated dispute involving threats and an assault, as well as further incidents at a local hospital. On Saturday, May 31, 2025, […]
LAURIE WEIR A fire at the Lombard Street Subway/Pizza Hut location caused extensive damage Tuesday morning, with losses estimated between $250,000 and $500,000. Smiths Falls Fire Chief Rick Chesborough told […]
LAURIE WEIR The Spirit of the Drum Powwow returns to Duck Island this weekend following a one-year hiatus. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June […]
LAURIE WEIR Residents in South Crosby Ward of Rideau Lakes Township will head to the polls June 26 to choose a new representative. The seat was left vacant on March […]
SUBMITTED A head-on collision west of Kemptville sent three people to hospital with life-threatening injuries. It happened Friday, June 6, 2025, just before 6:00 p.m., on County Road 43 near […]
SUBMITTED A 29-year-old woman is facing a string of charges following two separate disturbances Saturday evening that led to her arrest and court detention, Smiths Falls Police say. Around 9 […]
SUBMITTED On June 4th 2025, the Smiths Falls Police Service with the assistance of the OPP East Region Intelligence Unit obtained and executed a search warrant at a local residence. […]
Township has spent $500,000 on paperwork for two projects that have gone nowhere fast LAURIE WEIR Raise your hand if you saw this one coming. Raises hand. Yes, I sure […]
LAURIE WEIR It wasn’t just a veto. When Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom blocked a long-planned office retrofit using Ontario’s new strong mayor powers, it sent shockwaves through township politics. […]
LAURIE WEIR Residents in South Crosby Ward will head to the polls June 26 to choose a new representative on Rideau Lakes Township council. Four candidates have filed their nomination […]
SUBMITTED Traffic stop results in arrest On May 3rd, 2025 at approximately 1:57 a.m., a member of the Smiths Falls Police Service conducted a traffic stop in the downtown core. […]
LAURIE WEIR Residents in South Crosby Ward will head to the polls June 26 to choose a new representative on Rideau Lakes Township council. Four candidates have filed their nomination […]
SUBMITTED The Lanark County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has charged two Smiths Falls residents after single vehicle collision. Officers respond to a collision on Maitland Street in […]
LAURIE WEIR The Town of Smiths Falls released its 2024 Annual Year in Review report and council had a chance to reflect on a busy year of accomplishments. CAO Malcolm […]
LAURIE WEIR Residents in South Crosby Ward of Rideau Lakes Township will head to the polls June 26 to choose a new representative. The seat was left vacant on March […]
LAURIE WEIR While Canadians watched Prime Minister Mark Carney handle high-stakes trade tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump this week, a different kind of power play was unfolding closer to […]
STAFF WRITER Conservative incumbent MP Scott Reid has been re-elected in Lanark—Frontenac following a tight race against Liberal challenger Michelle Foxton. Preliminary results show Reid winning 50.3 per cent of […]
STAFF WRITER Conservative candidate Michael Barrett has been re-elected in Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes following a closely contested federal election. Preliminary results show Barrett securing 50.2 per cent of the vote, […]
LAURIE WEIR Red dresses will once again sway in the spring breeze at the Smiths Falls bandstand — each a haunting symbol of the Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people […]
HEDDY SOROUR It’s a busy time of year for wooden baseball bat manufacturers, but since last weekend, it’s gotten a lot busier. “We’ve noticed a marked difference in the number […]
LAURIE WEIR As the incumbent MP for Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, Michael Barrett has weathered political storms, economic downturns and shifting party dynamics since first being elected in a […]
LAURIE WEIR Scott Reid, the sitting MP for Lanark–Frontenac, is the Conservative Party of Canada’s candidate in the upcoming federal election on April 28. First elected in 2000, Reid is […]
LAURIE WEIR With a federal election set for April 28, and the political landscape shifting under the weight of inflation, housing concerns and trade uncertainty, candidates are beginning to stake […]
LAURIE WEIR With a federal election on the horizon and the political landscape shifting under the weight of inflation, housing concerns and trade uncertainty, candidates are beginning to stake their […]
SUBMITTED Lorna Jean (LJ) Edmonds has been chosen by local Liberals to represent the party in the Federal election on April 28th. Dr. Edmonds is an accomplished community leader and […]
SUBMITTED On Sunday March 30th, Pakenham resident Danielle Rae was named the NDP candidate in the riding of Lanark-Frontenac for the coming federal election. Danielle is excited to be running […]
To the Editor, Rideau Lakers want to know why recommended 2025 tax increases are so high — there’s an easy answer: Because the tax increases in the past few years […]
LAURIE WEIR International Women’s Day (IWD), observed annually on March 8, is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. But beyond recognition, it’s a […]
SUBMITTED As a rural agency located in eastern Ontario, our work to support women and their children fleeing violence is central in our community. We are a 45-year-old agency active […]
LAURIE WEIR We asked the candidates running in the Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston riding in the Feb. 27 provincial election, the same five questions. Candidates are: Wendy Dilliston-Whitaker, Ontario Party; John Jordan (incumbent) […]
LAURIE WEIR We asked the candidates running in the Leeds-Grenville, Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes riding in the Feb. 27 provincial election, the same five questions. We will add to […]
SUBMITTED With the Ontario Provincial Elections set for later this month, residents in the riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston will have the opportunity to hear from local candidates at a special All-Candidates […]
STAFF WRITER This article was updated on Feb. 6 with the current list of candidates. Voters in Ontario will head to the polls on Feb. 27 as the Ontario provincial […]
LAURIE WEIR It’s hard to believe a year has flown by in the blink of an eye! What a fun and fulfilling year it’s been as a regular contributor to […]
At Hometown News, we’ve always believed that the best stories come from the heart of the community. Now, we’re inviting you to help shape the stories we tell by joining […]
STAFF WRITER MPP John Jordan is looking back on a successful 2024, highlighting key accomplishments in healthcare, housing, and economic development, while preparing for a busy 2025. “There were many […]
LAURIE WEIR Beckwith Township closed out 2024 with several significant milestones while gearing up for an ambitious 2025, according to Reeve Richard Kidd. Among the township’s standout achievements this year […]
LAURIE WEIR From community-wide accolades to multimillion-dollar investments in infrastructure and recreation, 2024 was a banner year for Carleton Place. Mayor Toby Randell, reflecting on the year, called it “a […]
LAURIE WEIR Tay Valley Township Reeve Rob Rainer is reflecting on a productive 2024, marked by municipal milestones and personal achievements, while setting his sights on ambitious goals for 2025. […]
LAURIE WEIR Lanark Highlands Reeve Peter McLaren is optimistic about 2025, following years of turnover in senior management. “We ended 2024 with most positions newly filled,” McLaren said. “Some are […]
LAURIE WEIR The Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley experienced a busy and transformative 2024, with leadership transitions, housing initiatives, and economic development taking centre stage. Mayor Brant Burrows reflected on the past […]
LAURIE WEIR Ah, January. It will soon be upon us. The month where we’re all supposed to magically transform into the best versions of ourselves—right after spending December in a […]
LAURIE WEIR As 2024 comes to a close, Mayor Arie Hoogenboom of the Township of Rideau Lakes reflects on the year’s significant milestones and looks ahead to the challenges and […]
LAURIE WEIR Montague Township wrapped up an eventful year in 2024 with numerous accomplishments across council, infrastructure, grants, and community engagement. Reeve Karen Jennings highlighted the year’s key achievements, which […]
LAURIE WEIR Mississippi Mills Mayor Christa Lowry used her annual address to reflect on a year of resilience, achievements, and planning for the future. Despite challenges including housing, healthcare, childcare, […]
LAURIE WEIR Perth Mayor Judy Brown shared her top accomplishments of 2024 and outlined the challenges she looks forward to tackling in 2025. Top five highlights of 2024: 1. Bringing […]
LAURIE WEIR The ongoing drama surrounding the blue flyer, the integrity commissioner’s reports, and the public disagreements between councillors in Rideau Lakes have been significant distractions for the township. While […]
LAURIE WEIR When news breaks about animal hoarding cases, the public’s reaction is a mix of anger, sadness and frustration. Hundreds of cats or dogs are often found crammed into […]
STAFF We are thrilled to announce that Alicia Whyte has joined Hometown News in the role of Advertising and Communications. With over a decade of experience in the advertising industry, […]
LAURIE WEIR Rideau Lakes Township finds itself embroiled in yet another round of Integrity Commissioner (IC) investigations, raising important questions: Are these probes now par for the course in township […]
BRIAN PRESTON In keeping with my title, The Travelling Sommelier, this month I will tell the saga of sailing for 3 weeks from Boston up the New England coast and […]
LAURIE WEIR The Sept. 3 decision by the Rideau Lakes council to seek a third-party investigation into an Integrity Commissioner’s (IC) report, while keeping the report confidential, represents a crucial […]
BRIAN PRESTON Here we are in August already after a hot July when many of us still look to a brew as a thirst quencher. Yes, the younger crowd and […]
LAURIE WEIR The discussion surrounding the reopening of the Joyceville abattoir has sparked heated debates, with strong cases on both sides. Proponents argue that reopening the facility would help local […]
LAURIE WEIR In a democracy, transparency and accountability are not just buzzwords—they are foundational principles that ensure the public’s trust in their elected officials. Unfortunately, it appears that these principles […]
LAURIE WEIR In the heart of Lanark County, where the meadows are lush and the flowers bloom in a riot of colours, there’s a gentle hum that signifies more than […]
SALLY SMITH I used Maggie’s Maid yesterday. I remember mother trundling along the trails in the middle of Fairclough Island dragging the ‘maid’ behind her. She filled it with sticks […]
BRIAN PRESTON Well it finally happened. The Ontario government is keeping an election promise to widen the availability of certain alcoholic beverages to various retail stores across the province. The […]
COLUMN BY BRIAN PRESTON This month we will explore summertime wine, Rosé in particular. LCBO is featuring this versatile and easy-drinking wine in their Vintages Release publication too. I will […]
OPINION BY SALLY SMITH Everyone’s talking about the ‘no snow’ winter. It might still be coming. But it’s already the beginning of March and snow is melting…not drifting from the […]
On the front lines with some of Lanark County OPP’s female officers LAURIE WEIR As we recognize International Women’s Day on March 8, this year’s theme focuses on inclusion. Imagine […]
Non-alcoholic beers have come a long way since I last wrote about them in 2017. Non-alcoholic beer (or NA beer, as it’s sometimes called) starts life as a normal beer. […]
COLUMN BY BRIAN PRESTON.The Travelling Sommelier, Portland, ON at 613-272-3129, brianpreston@hotmail.com This fall I discovered Bridge Masters Brewery in Perth at 29 Beckwith Street East after visiting the Perth Royal Canadian Legion […]
Brian Hamilton is a graduate of Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, and was previously a winemaker at Malivoire, Southbrook Vineyard and Tawse Winery, all in Niagara Peninsula, and […]
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! This time of year has many joyous, merry times, gatherings, and events. No matter where you go, in every store, on television, radio, social media, or […]
Consider this Part 2, as last month I wrote about Side Launch Brewery, one of what I consider to be the two top breweries in the Collingwood area. This month […]
I’m just back from a week’s vacation in Collingwood on Georgian Bay, where I went to about 4 different local craft breweries and wineries, tasting my way through their portfolios. […]
We haven’t left. We’re still here. Others have gone…but Hometown News is still on the streets. For a week or two we thought there wouldn’t be any papers in Smiths […]
I happened to be at my son’s place in Kingston next to Base Kingston recently. Right around the corner off Hwy 15 at Innovation Drive is this lovely modern brewery, […]
With Sushi, quality matters and Yukihana delivers! Ever since Yukihana Sushi opened on Russell Street in Smiths Falls last month by the Chung family, the crowds and rave reviews haven’t […]
Canada’s first 100% solar-powered brewery opened in 2022 in Front of Escott, a small community near Mallorytown located between Kingston and Brockville in Eastern Ontario. The brewer, Phil Audet, and […]
Did the Right Honorable William Lyon Mackenzie King, the tenth prime minister of Canada, visit the Keyhole House? We are not sure. However, we know that he had his fortune […]
Monday was a sunny day and perfect for a country drive with the top down, meandering north to Maberly into the beginnings of the Canadian Shield where rocks, forest and […]
Great baked taste finds a home Carleton Place and area residents are about to learn what hundreds of Brockville and Kingston foodies have known for several years: there’s nothing like […]
If you like spine tingling tales and spectacular magic, you are going to love this. My wife, Marion, and I are now sharing our adventures unlocking secrets and living amongst […]
This month I will take you on a beer tasting tour of Provence and the Riviera in Southern France and the Costa del Sol in Spain ending in Barcelona. We […]
Evening strolls through Victoria Park often lead to a large stone adorned with a bronze marker laid in 1923. The marker reads “This swimming pool erected by the corporation and […]
We had a chance recently to sit down with Nick Ritchie of 4 Degrees brewery, at opening when the place wasn’t yet rockin’, to do a tasting and talk about […]
This month I am going to focus on one of the spirits that I think many don’t appreciate as much as they should in Canada, which has always been a […]
The adolescent stage is between 13-19 years of age. They are filled with untapped potential, but the teenage years are often not seen as positive. It’s the stage of life […]
Agnes woke up in pitch black darkness—she was shivering uncontrollably and drenched in sweat. By morning she was coughing to the point of choking. The 60-year-old could no longer ignore […]
With grocery prices soaring, we gardeners look for ways to feed our families with good nutritious food for less money. Vegetable gardening is a great solution. If you have a […]
When Jimmy Carter addressed the US in 1979, he talked about a growing doubt about the meaning of our lives and the loss of a unity of purpose for the […]
In today’s busy and fast-paced world, it’s unusual to find a business (especially in food service) that has a primary goal of getting their customers to take their time and […]
What can we look forward to in March this year? Well, let’s see, there is International Women’s Day on 8 March; setting the clocks forward for Daylight Savings time on […]
Several years ago, I unearthed a strange object in our backyard. It was a disc of pale green glass with the markings “F & G.” My efforts to research this […]
When you picture a romantic dinner date, what comes to mind… a candlelit dinner, roses, chocolate, slow music, some red wine? Red wine is often associated with Valentine’s Day, so […]
In 1884, at the age of twenty-two, Alice Maude Butler (1866-1935) found herself in a United States courtroom with her fifty-four-year-old mother, Hannah Cordelia (Friar) Butler. The courageous mother-daughter duo […]
In 1873 McGill University granted its first Engineering degrees which at the time were known as Applied Science. Robert James Brodie (1851-1938) was one of only six scholars to be […]
Westport Brewing Company opened in 2018 and I wrote an article back then showcasing the new brewery and the new brews that they were making as well as getting a […]
When Reginald Burroughs moved into the Keyhole House, he left his mark by signing his name, his son Nelson’s name, and the year “1907” into the wet concrete of a […]
Agnes Lamb was a wealthy woman when she died of tuberculosis in 1903 at the Keyhole House. The 60-year-old spinster left executors of her estate with some very clear instructions. […]
Ambrose Halladay moved into the Keyhole House in Smiths Falls with his wife and three children in 1945. His son, Ace, remembers eating a freshly baked bun while sitting on […]
John Perrin was a member of the team of carpenters who built the Keyhole House in Smiths Falls in 1892. During its construction, he left his signature on the back […]
On April 12, 1882, John Bourchier Briggs (1882-1938) was born into an affluent and influential family in St. Pancras, London. His father, William Edward Briggs (1847-1903) was a Liberal politician […]
Heiress to a fortune In 1861, fourteen-year-old Anna Marie Gould (1847-1895) became heiress to William Simpson, the largest landowner in Smiths Falls. At the age of seventeen, she inherited a […]
This is the latest craze in the wine world. I will concentrate on just a few Orange wines from Ontario, B.C., France and Spain. We just returned from a long […]
No matter how you get there, it’s worth the trip! We are undoubtedly blessed with a proliferation of quaint picturesque small towns and villages and especially fortunate to have the […]
Building the future The year was 1883, and Benjamin Glover Byram (1862-1943) left his fiancée, Louisa Marion Dean (1861-1936) in England with a promise. He told her that he would establish […]
In 1829, Jason Gould (1802-1864) made the journey from Roxbury, New York to the raw, undeveloped wilderness of Smiths Falls, Ontario. He had been hired to work on the Rideau […]
Conservative | Green | Liberal | NDP Yes it’s election time again. On Thursday, June 2 Ontarians will go to the polls to choose their next MPPs. Hometown News has […]
When we moved into the Keyhole House, we noticed an odd-looking panel nailed to the wall in the second-floor hallway. A few weeks later, we pried off the mysterious board […]
Companies are doing a great job rebranding corporate greed as inflation. Take Starbucks for example, which says they are forced to raise prices due to inflation and supply chain issues and […]
In 1825, 400 acres of Smiths Falls land was auctioned off for £105 by a sheriff. Major Thomas Smyth defaulted on his mortgage, and Charles Jones took advantage of a […]
Old houses are keepers of secrets and witnesses to history. They have many stories to tell if you are willing to listen. We bought an old house with a view […]
The birth of Smiths Falls begins with a tale of intrigue and espionage. During the American Revolution (1775-1783), the Smyth family were involved in covert spying missions. Working on behalf […]
Elevating a simple pleasure to new heights If you ever wonder if we obsess on donuts, consider that Canadians consume more of them per capita than any other country in […]
The US reached a stark milestone this month of 100,000 people dying of drug overdoses in one year. That is 275 overdose deaths every day. In Canada, 20 people die […]
Architect extraordinaire When we moved into the Keyhole House in Smiths Falls, we decided that the 1960s chandelier with space-age globes hanging in the front hall had run its course. […]
Finding a one-hundred-year-old golf ball hidden in the Keyhole House has led to the discovery of some fascinating golf history. During the dining room restoration, an ancient, brittle piece of […]
Where friends and great food meet In June, Perth’s beautiful heritage downtown welcomed an exciting new food neighbour, Gather, located at 40 Gore Street East. Owned and operated by the […]
When we visited the Keyhole House for the first time in 2018, entering through the Moorish arch was almost like crossing a threshold into another world. We touched the ornate […]
With genuine curiosity I had to google why the Bloc Quebecois leader, Yves-Francois Blanchet was at the federal debate on September 10. He has no intention or desire to be […]
In 1887, The Toronto Mail newspaper raved about the town of Smiths Falls. They wrote that “there were over one hundred buildings erected in Smiths Falls last year” and stated […]
The Smiths Falls Canadian Pacific Railway Station was constructed in 1887. The structure was built on what was once swampland belonging to John McGill Chambers. The town was experiencing a […]
Progressivism claims to be a movement that aims to represent the interests of ordinary people. I’m not so sure about that. We are living in an era with more fences […]
In 1886, the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway yards in Smiths Falls, Ontario created some incredible business opportunities. Matthew Ryan was a local carpenter who took advantage of the […]
For twenty years, Agnes Lamb lived in what was considered to be the finest mansion between Montreal and Toronto. Alexander Wood’s “Glenwood” Mansion was built on Chambers Street in Smiths […]
I have made my living as a magician since I was 19, and the art of magic has been part of my life ever since. Over the last 22 years, […]
I am currently in my third year of a four-year undergrad degree at Saint Francis Xavier University. I am pursuing my literary passions through editing the school newspaper and writing […]
Smiths Falls is where the magic happens. Not just metaphorically, but also literally; world-famous illusionists Ted and Marion Outerbridge have made this their home. The performers, who have delighted audiences […]
How is a person with disabilities, mental health issues and addictions supposed to improve their lot in life when the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits get clawed back whenever […]
When the president of Eastern Ontario Development Association, J.A. (Joe) Perkins, addressed a large crowd at the grand opening of Perth Municipal Airport on August 30, 1956, he could not […]
I think it is a fabulous idea to write your own personal political manifesto. Am I the only one that gets annoyed when leaders speak ”on behalf of all Canadians […]
A set of weaving headlights could be seen coming from the east on Highway 7, followed by a string of red flashing lights. The stolen vehicle had a drug-crazed and […]
During the middle years of the twentieth century, high-speed chases in Perth and surrounding townships were not uncommon. Some of those chase stories became legends, often discussed among police officers, […]
I do not like the narrative that a working mom is essential to the economy. The Throne Speech promises a national childcare system with high standards that is accessible and […]
We are too complicated for simple labels. I think we should just stop trying to put people in categories and subcategories before we get so divided, we forget which way […]
When this column appeared in November, 2018, the subject was the deadly pandemic which began in 1918, commonly known as the Spanish Flu. My closing remark was: “Stay healthy, my […]
On May 8, known as VE-Day (Victory in Europe), we again remembered the fallen, the wounded, and all those who fought in World War II. The negotiations leading up to […]
I work in a little store and people come in and want to talk about the president. Donald Trump does not care about political correctness and uses Twitter as his playground. […]
An era which was best known for the counterculture and Vietnam war, also saw the birth of organized women’s softball in Canada in the 1960s, and Perth was in step […]
I believe as we go through this pandemic, self-care is very important. One thing I do is go for a walk. Even before the pandemic, walking every day has been […]
The green rush is on while Ontario is busy reinventing the wheel. Alberta has 400 Cannabis stores while Ontario loses $42 million setting up a website and making stickers. A short […]
From its beginnings as a British-influenced military town in 1816, Perth citizens continued to march through two World Wars with the 42nd Field Artillery Regiment and its various incarnations. Many […]
Am I the only one that thinks there is an implicit connection between the blown-up beauty industry valued at $530 Billion and the increase in anxiety and antidepressant use in […]
Perth, like most other small communities, has two faces it would seem. One face is the “Prettiest Town in Ontario”, with heritage building galore, and beautiful parks. The other – […]