Happy Wednesday friends!

Alright, who jinxed it? Last week I was out here backing Wiarton Willie's early spring call like a fool. Tuesday we hit 18.7°C. Broke the record for warmest March 10 ever. I was ready to put away my winter boots.

Friday? 15 centimetres of snow. OPP had a day. Over 3,000 calls and nearly 200 weather-related crashes in 24 hours.

And Willie? He passed away in his sleep that same Tuesday. Four years old. His last ever prediction was early spring. Rest easy buddy. Search for his successor will begin soon.

Big one this week. Regional council is launching a full investigation into the water supply shortage. Basically they want to know why nobody said anything sooner. Our water is fine right now but development approvals are frozen until they figure this out.

And, Kitchener summer camp registration opens March 24 at 8:30 a.m. Set up your ActiveNet account before registration day or you'll be fighting everyone at 8:31. Sign up

Did you miss it? the full seed and growing guide for Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge is still live. Every seed shop, community garden, free plot and nursery in one place.

AROUND THE REGION

Virginia Nowak of Kitchener checked her Instant Bingo ticket on the OLG app and froze. Then she started dancing. The 57-year-old says she's never danced that much in her life. Her partner grabbed the ticket, triple-checked it, kept saying "No way!" Plans? New recliners and spoiling her cat. Winning ticket came from Bill's Super Variety on Bleams Road. $50K. Not bad for a $3 scratch.

Pothole season. You already know. Kitchener crews are out 24/7 fixing up to 400 a day. See one? Kitchener.ca/ReportAProblem or call 519-741-2345.

Remember when November snow killed leaf collection in Cambridge? They're coming back. March 30. Streets that got skipped in the fall go first. Rake them to the curb. Region yard waste starts in April.

And if you bike, the 13th annual Tour de Guelph is June 28. Routes from 5km to 113km, free Harvey's BBQ at the finish, kids zone, all of it. Proceeds go to Guelph General Hospital. Early bird pricing until March 31. tourdeguelph.ca

OUT THERE

SIGHTING: Robins

They're here. People are spotting them on lawns across the region and losing their minds about it.

Fun fact: Robins eat different food depending on the time of day. Earthworms in the morning, fruit later on. And when they eat too many honeysuckle berries they actually get drunk. So if you see one stumbling around your yard, it might not be the snow's fault.

SKY: Spring officially arrives Friday, March 20 at 10:46 a.m. After that, every day gets about four more minutes of sunlight until the summer solstice. That evening, step outside after sunset and look west. You'll see a thin crescent moon glowing right next to Venus, the brightest thing in the sky. If you look closely, you might catch earthshine on the dark part of the moon. It's called "the old moon in the new moon's arms" and it's one of those things that makes you stop on your driveway and just stare. No telescope needed. Just go outside.

PETS: Rune will learn any trick if snacks are involved And JoJo, a shy-but-hoppy rabbit.

Saw a weird bird, a wild sunset, a fox in your backyard, something beautiful you can't explain? SUBMIT HERE and we'll share it with everyone.

ROOTED IN THE REGION

House of the week: 763 Angler Way

Council Meetings: Kitchener, Waterloo & Cambridge

Volunteer: Kitchener is hiring sewing instructors & Leisure Support Volunteer

TRIVIA

In 1906, Kitchener had a population of about 12,000. How many police officers patrolled the streets?

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EH & ADVENTURES

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🎬 Oscar Winners Now Playing at Princess Cinemas: Several of this year's Academy Award winners and nominees are still screening at Waterloo's independent art house, including Hamnet, The Secret Agent, Sinners, and One Battle After Another. 🎟️ Regular admission 🕘 Various showtimes daily 📍 Princess Cinemas, 6 Princess St W & 46 King St N, Waterloo

WEDNESDAY MARCH 18

Downtown Showdown — Rangers take over Carl Zehr Square. 3-on-3 hockey, free hot chocolate, maple taffy, live DJ, meet the players. Noon to 5 PM. Free.

St. Jacobs Market Food Tour — Two hours of Mennonite food, culture, history and tastings. St. Jacobs Farmer's Market.

THURSDAY MARCH 19

William Prince: Further From The Country Tour — Two-time JUNO winner, folk and country, sold out Massey Hall, played Tiny Desk. One of Canada's best live. Centre In The Square.

KW Titans vs Sudbury 5 — 7 PM. Home game at The Aud.

Rusty Nail Comedy — Shawn Hogan at TWH Social

Gary Cain Band: Twangadelic Birthday Blues — Blues, birthday shred, face-meltery. Back from England with OG's Donnie McDougall and Tom Nagy. Doors 7, show 8. The Jazz Room, Waterloo.

FRIDAY MARCH 20

Kitchener Rangers vs Sarnia Sting — 7 PM. Home game at The Aud.

New Friend Game Night (Ages 23-36) — Board games, brews, and new people. Trouble, Pictionary, Cards Against Humanity, the works. One free drink included. TWB Brewing, Kitchener.

Marc-André Hamelin & Charles Richard-Hamelin: Duo Piano — Two of Canada's finest pianists on one stage. Centre In The Square, Kitchener.

Cocoon & Bloom — Cacao circle, breathwork, yoga nidra, and community. A monthly evening to slow down and reset. 7-9 PM. The Village at 1883, Conestogo.

SATURDAY MARCH 21

Fairview Park Freeplay Retro Arcade — Free. March 20-21, 11 AM-5 PM. Fairview Park Mall.

Conestoga Pow Wow — Dancers, Indigenous vendors, sacred fire, traditional ceremonies. 10 AM-5 PM. $5. Conestoga College Recreation Centre, Kitchener.

Lucky Charm Speed Dating (Ages 28-36) — St. Paddy's themed, one free drink, 5-minute rounds, $45. The Rabbid Fox, Kitchener.

Holistic Gathering Conference & Witches Market — Workshops, healing, sound baths, tea lounge, and a free-entry market with crystals, herbs, and ritual goods. 12-9 PM. RIM Park, Waterloo.

Living Room for Small — Pop-alternative, album release, fresh off opening for Down With Webster. The Boathouse, Kitchener.

Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory — Thousands of Blue Morpho butterflies. March Break hours 9 AM-7 PM. Book ahead.

Sugar Bush Tours — 10:30 AM & 1:15 PM. Departs from St. Jacobs Farmer's Market.

MARCH 24-25

Shen Yun — Chinese classical dance and live orchestra. 7:30 PM. Centre In The Square, Kitchener.

That’s it for this week.

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