Grant Haven Media

By Emily Stewart A new play about workers’ rights by Laughing Cactus Productions will have its one-night-only run at local coffee shop Snapping Turtle Coffee Roasters. Laughing Cactus Productions will present Robin Taylor Wright’s Ruby in the Dust at the Snapping Turtle on Aug. 7 starting at 6: 30 p.m. Ruby in the Dust is about Polish-Canadian coal miner Eddie Zabrowski and his daughter, Ruby, finding refuge in the home of childless farmers Abner and Jo Ballantyne.

By Galen Simmons Drivers travelling southeast of St. Marys can expect a temporary road closure later this summer as Perth County replaces a deteriorating culvert on Perth Road 139. At its July 2 meeting, Perth County council awarded the construction contract for the culvert replacement project to Wellington Construction Contractors Inc. after the company submitted the lowest compliant bid of $322,000, excluding HST.

A large century tree in the St. Marys Cemetery was severely damaged by the Canada Day storm. St. Marys town staff say the town had an arborist in last week to assess whether the tree would need to be taken down entirely or if it could be saved.

Friends and neighbours gather for the annual Canada Day breakfast hosted by Alex and Verna Strathdee at their farm near Avonton.

Pictured from left to right are Andrew Cunningham, Jim Ahrens, Jeremy Foran and Rob Lemmons, who won the St. Marys Golf and Country Club’s (SMGCC) Four-Man Scramble tournament July 4. By Spencer Seymour The team of Jim Ahrens, Andy Cunningham, Jeremy Foran and Rob Lemmons shot 17-under-par July 4 to win the St. Marys Golf and Country Club’s (SMGCC) Four-Man Scramble tournament. The tournament featured 24 foursomes competing in the tournament.

The Town of St. Marys proclaimed July as Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Month, with free admission for St. Marys residents being offered July 28. By Spencer Seymour The Town of St. Marys announced July 2 that town council has proclaimed July as Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Month in St. Marys, recognizing the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s (CBHFM) significant contributions to Canadian baseball, tourism, and the St. Marys community.

By Lee Griffi The confusion surrounding the water situation in Wilmot Township and the Region of Waterloo didn’t improve following the release of what’s called a centre well field groundwater monitoring results report. Citizens for Safe Ground Water (CSGW) is calling on the region to treat it as an early warning signal, not as reassurance the aquifer is healthy.

A new poultry barn takes shape east of Shakespeare along Perth Road 106, contributing to a significant increase in agricultural construction values across Perth East in 2026. Gary West photo By Gary West Construction activity in Perth East is off to a strong start in 2026, with building values for both agricultural and residential projects well ahead of where they were at the same time last year.

By Lee Griffi The Region of Waterloo announced what it calls a significant increase in water capacity at the Mannheim Service Area. “This restores water capacity, ensuring a continued safe and sustainable water supply to support community needs,” said a region press release. The move means a seven-month freeze in construction starts in Kitchener, Waterloo, Elmira and other parts of the region will be lifted later this month.

Nithy the Nith River Monster is making a comeback as the featured mascot in the Township of Wilmot’s new social-media tourism campaign, When in Wilmot. Image courtesy of the Township of Wilmot By Galen Simmons Wilmot Township is hoping its most famous mythical resident will help introduce more people to some of the community's biggest attractions.