Today’s top- stories for Barrie residents.
A harsh yellow streetlight flickered over the empty crossroads of Peter and Colborne in Orillia, casting long shadows across an abandoned service station—a place that, until recently, had been forgotten by all but the wind and the rain. That changed on a Saturday night, when police, responding to a tip about masked figures and a […]
Orillia kidnapping case stirs Barrie court proceedings Read More »
Almost 10,000 times this summer, the Orillia OPP found themselves at the sharp end of local life—from sunlit park patrols to the midnight shadows of Colborne Street. New detachment commander Insp. Todd Landon laid bare the sheer scale during his recent presentation to the Couchiching OPP Detachment Board. Over June, July, and August, officers responded
Public safety gets a workout as Orillia OPP logs 10,000 calls Read More »
Would you sit outside, pint in hand, as snow dusts your boots and the breath of winter curls in the air? In Barrie, this is no longer just a dare between friends—it’s a question at the heart of the city’s latest policy experiment, and the future of its downtown identity may depend on the answer.
Would You Brave a Barrie Winter for a Pint Outdoors? Read More »
Thursday after midnight in Barrie, the real drama wasn’t a masked burglar—it was a raccoon with a gourmet craving and a knack for comedy. Forget your average crime, this was a home invasion with a punchline, right in the heart of Ontario. Picture this: a homeowner on Sunnidale Road, nerves on edge, calls 911 after
Everyone in Barrie Is Buzzing About the Midnight Apple Thief Read More »
On a brisk October evening, Barrie council delivered a unanimous verdict: public encampments would face stricter regulation as the city wrestled with a persistent homelessness crisis. The council’s decision updates longstanding bylaws, granting municipal officers greater power to remove tents and shelters from city property. This move arrives as Barrie’s emergency declaration, prompted by mounting
New bylaws reshape Barrie’s response to homelessness Read More »
On a quiet Sunday in Orillia, a routine police patrol shifted rapidly into high gear when officers spotted suspicious activity near a cluster of mailboxes on Memorial Avenue. The events that followed exposed not just petty theft, but a web of criminal enterprise stretching far beyond the city’s borders. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers were
OPP seizes weapons and cash in weekend Orillia arrest Read More »
Before sunrise on October mornings in Barrie, clear bags filled with once-loved shirts, worn sneakers, and faded linens line the curbs, waiting for a second act. In a city ever mindful of its landfill’s limits, the question is no longer what to toss but what can be salvaged. Barrie faces a challenge familiar to municipalities
Barrie curbs landfill waste with textile collection Read More »
Shattered glass and the wail of sirens punctuated a Sunday afternoon in Wasaga Beach, as a vehicle chase that stretched across Simcoe County reached a violent conclusion on Bells Park Avenue. The drama began around 1:30 p.m. when police in Penetanguishene were alerted to the theft of a white Honda CR-V. The suspect, a 52-year-old
OPP officer injured as suspect smashes into cruiser and home Read More »
A cloudless afternoon on Codrington Street, usually marked by the gentle rhythm of daily life, was upended when a bold break-in sent shockwaves through Barrie’s east end. Friday, just after lunch, the calm of a residential neighbourhood fractured as a 67-year-old man allegedly forced entry into a home. The risk of daylight and the familiarity
Swift action leads to arrest in Barrie east end case Read More »
Blue and white poured onto Toronto’s streets as the Blue Jays seized the American League East title, lighting up a city that lives and breathes baseball every autumn. When the final run crossed home plate on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, decades of pent-up anticipation burst at Rogers Centre. More than 42,000 fans roared,
Optimism soars as Blue Jays return to AL East glory Read More »
