Shay Smith-Ja-er | Journalist & Multimedia Storyteller

Convenience fuels rise in protein supplements among young adults

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Health & LifestyleMarch 20, 2026

Convenience fuels rise in protein supplements among young adults

At the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, protein shakes are as common as water bottles. Inside the FLEX gym, shared by Durham College and Ontario Tech University students, protein powders, bars and creatine are a common sight and reflect a broader national rise in supplement use among young adults.

SportsMarch 27, 2026

Ridgebacks adding varsity volleyball in the 2027–2028 season

For years, volleyball at Ontario Tech has lived mostly in intramurals: a space for friends, fun and a break from classes. But starting in the 2027–28 season, volleyball on campus could look very different. Ontario Tech University is set to introduce men's and women's varsity volleyball teams, creating a competitive pathway for students who have never had one on campus.

Crave's Little Bird and the stories the Sixties Scoop left behind

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Arts & EntertainmentMarch 2, 2026

Crave's Little Bird and the stories the Sixties Scoop left behind

Little Bird is cinematic television because it serves as an invitation demanding viewers to sit with discomfort and confront a chapter of Canadian history that is far too often ignored. Created by Jennifer Podemski and Hannah Moscovitch, and produced jointly by Crave and APTN, the six-part limited series premiered in May 2023.

NewsMarch 3, 2026

Police search for suspects after replica handgun found during high school basketball game

Durham Regional Police (DRPS) are searching for at least two suspects after an imitation firearm was found following a fight during a high school basketball game Monday night at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (CRWC). Police say paid-duty officers at a high school basketball finals game responded to a fight in the lobby of the athletic complex shared by Durham College and Ontario Tech.

FeaturesMarch 11, 2026

Durham College alumnus attempts four Guinness world records

Many students remember flipping through Guinness World Records books at school book fairs, scanning pages filled with unbelievable challenges, unusual talents and record-breaking moments from around the world. That was exactly what Brayden Slater set out to do earlier this week. Now 21, the Durham College Sport Management graduate returned to campus Monday with one goal: earn a place in the record books.

Health & LifestyleFebruary 20, 2026

All-day glam could lead to long-term risks: experts

Waterproof mascara. Long-wear foundation. Smudge-proof lipstick. For many consumers, durability is non-negotiable. Ellyssa Sunday, a second-year Police Foundations student, said makeup is part of her daily routine. 'I would say I do a full face, but I like to go for a more natural look, minus the eyeliner,' she said.

FeaturesFebruary 6, 2026

Some students rethink what's on their plates in the name of sustainability

A video of a rescued dog first made Avery Plivelic question the food on her plate. 'It wasn't graphic or gruesome,' she said. 'It just showed a dog being rescued, learning, and discovering her personality. I thought, Wow, animals aren't that different from me.' For Plivelic, then 12, the realization sparked a shift in her values.

Behind the Blockbusters: Lauren Abiouness on building cinematic worlds

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Arts & EntertainmentNovember 21, 2025

Behind the Blockbusters: Lauren Abiouness on building cinematic worlds

Lauren Abiouness never imagined a nannying job would change the course of her life. Fresh out of the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana, with a degree in design and photography, she found herself caring for three young girls, moving into their home, travelling with the family, and flying out to Los Angeles.

Arts & EntertainmentNovember 21, 2025

Book Drunkard Festival brings famous authors to Durham Region

Uxbridge's annual celebration of Canadian literature has drawn to a close after another season of bringing together readers, writers and fans of every genre. Now in its fifth year, the Book Drunkard Festival has filled venues across the town with book launches, author interviews and themed nights featuring guests such as Mona Awad, Chris Hadfield, Alan Doyle and Cecelia Ahern.

Arts & EntertainmentNovember 26, 2025

Small-town Christmas magic returns to Orono with Holiday in the Hills

'Holiday in the Hills' has returned to the Orono Fairgrounds for its third season, offering a close-to-home winter outing for Durham Region residents. The event runs Thursdays to Sundays until Dec. 22 and features light displays, meet-and-greets and activities spread across the fairgrounds.

Moving forward: Breaking cycles of criminalization for racialized communities

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Social JusticeDecember 8, 2025

Moving forward: Breaking cycles of criminalization for racialized communities

When Kent Larson's phone rings in the afternoon, he knows what to expect before he even looks at the screen. It's usually one of the men he mentors through Celebrate Recovery, calling from a correctional facility to talk through whatever he's facing that day.

The scariest part of 'Sinners' (2025) isn't the vampires, it's history

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Arts & EntertainmentOctober 28, 2025

The scariest part of 'Sinners' (2025) isn't the vampires, it's history

Sinners (2025) is most effective not as a simple horror movie, but as an allegorical exploration of America's sins: racism, poverty and violence. Director Ryan Coogler uses the supernatural to amplify, not distract from, history. Set in the Mississippi Delta of 1932, during the height of Jim Crow laws, the film depicts Black communities facing systemic oppression, racial terror and violence.

Trapped in the scroll: women and smartphone addiction

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FeaturesOctober 28, 2025

Trapped in the scroll: women and smartphone addiction

It's no coincidence that more young women than men are at risk of being addicted to their phones as social media is designed to make them doubt themselves, create insecurities, and feed into platforms that fuel and profit from their pain.

Health & LifestyleOctober 31, 2025

FEMFLEX offers an inclusive gym space for women and gender-diverse students

Durham College and Ontario Tech University are working to make campus fitness spaces more inclusive with the relaunch of FEMFLEX, a studio dedicated to women-identifying and gender-diverse students. Located inside the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (CRWC), the space offers a safe, inclusive environment free from the pressures and dynamics some people experience in mixed-gender gyms.

Campus & LabourSeptember 11, 2025

Durham College enters first day of full-time support staff strike

Full-time support staff at Durham College (DC) have wrapped up their first day on the picket line, in a fight for what they deem fair wages, job security, and protection against campus closures. The work stoppage comes after contract negotiations between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Employer Council (CEC) broke down.

Campus & LabourSeptember 9, 2025

DC full-time support staff could strike this Thursday

Full-time support staff at Ontario's 24 public colleges, including Durham College, could walk off the job this Thursday at midnight if a contract isn't reached. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents full-time support staff such as student advisors, clerks, technologists and facilities staff, issued a legal strike notice earlier this month after talks with the College Employer Council failed.

Durham College research aims to improve mental health care for Black Canadians

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NewsApril 6, 2025

Durham College research aims to improve mental health care for Black Canadians

The urgent need for mental health care in Canada has become increasingly recognized over the past two decades. However, for Black Canadians, accessing adequate mental health services remains a significant issue. A troubling statistic from the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2021 revealed that nearly 35 per cent of Black Canadians experience psychological distress.

Campus & LabourMarch 27, 2025

Contract faculty on the rise at Ontario colleges: Balancing costs, expertise and student learning

Colleges across Ontario have been increasingly relying on short-term contract employees to fill teaching roles – a strategy that helps manage costs while bringing real-world expertise into classrooms. However, the growing reliance on contract faculty has sparked concerns about job security, faculty preparedness and the overall impact on student learning.

NewsMarch 14, 2025

Anti-abortion protest at Durham College provokes strong reactions from students

A group of anti-abortion protesters demonstrated at Durham College (DC) on Thursday, March 13, holding large graphic signs that prompted strong reactions from students. Members of the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform's (CCBR) from Toronto stood near a busy walkway on campus, displaying what they call 'abortion victim photography.'