Welcome to Inside the Village, where all news is local—and no topic is off-limits.
Launched by Village Media, this new podcast will provide a weekly window into the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. From city council chambers to courtrooms, from hockey rinks to hospitals, “Inside the Village” will explore the stories that matter most: the ones right in your neighbourhoods.
The show is hosted by award-winning journalist Michael Friscolanti, the editor-in-chief of Village Media, and Scott Sexsmith, a veteran of the broadcast industry.
Today's debut episode takes a closer look at the sudden disappearance of Katrina Blagdon, a retired Canadian soldier who mysteriously vanished in St. Catharines on New Year's Eve. Blagdon’s mother, Bonnie Leights, and sister Kelly Blagdon discuss their relentless search for answers, and the countless strangers who have banded together to help them.
The first episode also features an inspiring woman from small-town Echo Bay, who is opening her home, and her heart, to a mother and daughter fleeing war-ravaged Ukraine. And listeners will meet “Peter Piper,” a Fergus man who spent the pandemic paying tribute to front-line healthcare workers—with a daily bagpipe concert.
The audio version of “Inside the Village” is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.