Most-read stories of the week: Pride flags stolen, craft brewery struggles, kitten found during traffic stop

57 Pride flags stolen from Norwich Township home, family says

A family is speaking out after they say they’ve had more than 50 Pride flags stolen from their Norwich Township property.

Tensions around the Pride flag in the community boiled over this spring when Norwich Township council voted not to fly it or any other non-government flags.

Earlier this month, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) released video that shows someone ripping down several Pride flags. This prompted LGBTQ2S+ advocates in Norwich Township todemand action from police and council days later.

Peter Luciani said he and his wife started putting up Pride flags shortly after council made the decision not to fly them. 

“[We started] shortly after our town council decided that they would vote against both allowing the flag to be hung on municipal property and for not even declaring June Pride Month in Norwich Township,” Luciani said.

Local brewers 'tapped out' amid inflation, changing liquor trends

The craft brewing industry is feeling the effects of inflation, evolving trends and the lingering impact of the pandemic. Cambridge brewery Rhythm and Brews has closed its doors after five years of business. The owner says all things combined made for the perfect storm that was too much to overcome.

“Things got harder and harder, so we kind of had to pull the plug,” owner Andrew Byer said. “Last year was great but we remortgaged twice during COVID-19 just to keep the doors open. We did everything we could but we’re tapped out.”

He said it was a difficult decision. Immediately following pandemic lockdowns he said he noticed a bump in business, but throughout all of 2023 it’s been tough. The cost of operating has made it too much to overcome.

Antiques market near Waterloo, Ont. pulls Nazi uniform after controversy

An antiques market just outside Waterloo, Ont. has removed a Nazi uniform from its store after a Jewish human rights organization condemned the sale of the item. On Tuesday, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) issued a statement calling on St. Jacobs Antiques Market to stop the sale of the uniform.

“While it’s not illegal to display or sell Nazi memorabilia, profiting off such items associated with the genocide of six million Jews and millions of others goes against good conscience,” said FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt in a news release. “This Nazi uniform belongs in an appropriate educational institution, used as an education tool to teach the public about the Second World War and the horrors of the Holocaust. Otherwise, it may end up in the wrong hands, including extremists and Nazi sympathizers.”

According to FSWC, the uniform was described by the dealer as a “very rare” Nazi political tunic and was listed for $6,500.

The organization said it had reached out to the market via email to express its concerns. On Monday, the market was quoted by CityNews as saying it did not support Nazism but “history cannot be erased, and it is extremely important to educate people of the horrific past.”

A Nazi uniform is seen for sale at St. Jacobs Antiques Market on Wednesday morning. (Sijia Liu/CTV Kitchener)

Father has car stolen while moving daughter into university in Guelph

Guelph police are investigating a vehicle theft after they say an American man had his rental car stolen while moving his daughter into university. Police say the two had travelled from New Jersey and checked into a hotel in the south end of Guelph.

The man contacted police Tuesday morning after he said their 2023 Chevrolet Suburban went missing from the hotel parking lot. According to police, two large suitcases full of clothes were also stolen.

A Guelph police cruiser is seen in this undated file photo.

Cambridge OPP officer discovers kitten during traffic stop on Hwy 7/8

A routine traffic stop on Highway 7/8 took an unexpected turn for a Cambridge OPP officer. While stopping a driver for an undisclosed reason, the officer heard an unusual sound coming from a nearby ditch.

Shortly thereafter, as the officer spoke with the driver, a kitten emerged from the tall grass and sat at the officer's feet. The driver was cautioned for the initial offense and police say the kitten was rescued.

An OPP officer rescues a kitten from the side of highway 7/8. (@OPP_HSD/X)