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Tonight on 'Closer Look': Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is jeopardizing longstanding efforts between Canada and the United States to fight invasive sea lampreys.

In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find.

This new feature — ‘Closer Look’ — is a chance to hear directly from those reporters and editors. These conversations go beyond the headlines, helping viewers better understand how we gather the details that land in your local news feed.

On tonight's episode: Elon Musk and the blood-sucking "vampire fish."

For years, Canada and the United States have worked together to fight against a common enemy: sea lampreys in the Great Lakes. An invasive species, the eel-like creatures attach onto other fish, such as lake trout, whitefish and salmon, to suck their blood, feed on their flesh and ultimately kill them.

But our cross-border eradication efforts are now in jeopardy after cuts by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), helmed by Canadian-American billionaire Elon Musk.

SEE: Great Lakes ‘vampire’ fish eradication efforts delayed by DOGE cuts

TorontoToday reporter Gabe Oatley has been covering the story and joins us tonight with all the details. You can read his latest article HERE.

Stay tuned for more episodes of ‘Closer Look’ every weeknight at 7 p.m. ​You can find all our previous segments HERE.

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Tonight on 'Closer Look': Tiny Township in Simcoe County has won a court battle over vacation rental regulations that could have major implications on municipalities across the province.

In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find.

This new feature — ‘Closer Look’ — is a chance to hear directly from those reporters and editors. These conversations go beyond the headlines, helping viewers better understand how we gather the details that land in your local news feed.

On tonight's episode: A court battle over short-term rentals.

In municipalities across Ontario, Airbnbs and other short-term vacation properties have triggered plenty of complaints from neighbours. In response, communities like Tiny Township have enacted bylaws that require short-term rentals (STRs) to be licensed.

In Tiny's case, a group of owners challenged the regulations in court, arguing they essentially ban cottage rentals. A judge disagreed, issuing a ruling that could set a precedent for other cities and towns around the province.

SEE: Tiny mayor 'grateful' after Ontario court upholds STR bylaw

MidlandToday editor Andrew Philips has been covering the story and joins us tonight with all the details. You can read his latest article HERE.

Stay tuned for more episodes of ‘Closer Look’ every weeknight at 7 p.m. ​You can find all our previous segments HERE.

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Send us a text

In this new feature, Village Media journalists break down an important story making headlines around the province. On tonight's episode: How our local reporters chronicled the aftermath of a nasty storm.

Three days after a wicked ice storm rocked parts of central Ontario, tens of thousands of homes and businesses remain without power.

In Simcoe County, which bore the brunt of the epic storm, residents are still coming to terms with the damage left behind.

SEE: Couple staying strong amid ice-storm havoc

In Orillia, where most residents lost power when the storm struck on Saturday night, OrilliaMatters editor Dave Dawson wrote about how the city's "landscape has been scarred forever."

As hydro crews work around the clock to turn the lights back on, our local journalists in the region have been capturing powerful images of the storm's aftermath.

GALLERY: 50 photos show devastation of central Ontario ice storm as cleanup efforts begin

BarrieToday reporter Kevin Lamb, who is among the journalists covering the ongoing story, joins us tonight with all the details. You can read his latest article HERE.

Stay tuned for more episodes of ‘Closer Look’ every weeknight at 7 p.m. ​You can find all our previous segments HERE.

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Subscribe to our YouTube channel.