Opinion

February is truly the month of love! Flowers are purchased by the hundreds of thousands to show our loved ones just how much they mean to us on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day. Did you get your roses?

Most of you readers probably have no idea who I am or why I have suddenly started con- tributing to the Midwestern Newspapers Corp, so I thought I would tell you a little about my- self.

It is a good news story that the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) trustees adopted their 2026 budget late last month, but it doesn’t line up with what is on the horizon. 

A quick glance at national and international headlines earlier this week was not for the faint of heart.

Contrary to popular belief, St. Valentine was never the patron saint of chocolate.

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” -Jesus -John 12:46

Love your maple syrup?  Well, no cold, no syrup! 

There are times while parenting small kids that you are abruptly reminded of the simple joys of life. I say abruptly, but also somehow the reminders are always perfectly timed in some divine, mythological way that we don’t understand in the moment.

To the Editor: The Bank of Montreal has announced it is abandoning branch service in Mildmay and Walkerton. No counter service. No ATM. No human beings. Just a locked door, a press release, and a suggestion that we all “go online.”

There’s nothing more disheartening than calling a company for help and being met with the flat, emotionless voice of an artificial intelligence (AI) operator, programmed with a narrow list of options it insists will “assist” you.

We have just passed – hopefully unscathed – the dreaded Blue Monday. The third Monday of January is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year, for many reasons.

Recent data released by Wellington County and Guelph shows 85,000 people in Ontario were homeless in 2025, up eight per cent from the previous year.