Northern lights, parking lot arrest, 'BORGs': Here are the most-read stories of the week

Did you see the northern lights? Photos show lights dancing across southern Ontario

The northern lights above Authur, Ont. on March 23. (Kevin Gilbert)

An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

According to the Government of Canada, auroras occur when charged particles - electrons and protons - collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. Those collisions produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with colourful light.

The light display was a result of an Earth-facing coronal hole on the sun and solar winds, according to National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA).

On Thursday night these flashes were so bright they were visible across southern Ontario. Keep reading and see photos here.

Ontario man fails driving test, almost hits 4 people with vehicle before doing burnouts in parking lot: police

Police in Guelph, Ont. have charged a man who they say failed a driving test before driving off and nearly hitting four people with his vehicle and then deciding to do burnouts in a parking lot.

According to a news release, officers were called to a Woodlawn Road West plaza around 4 p.m. Monday after a man got angry after he failed his driving test.

The driver allegedly yelled at drive test staff, got into his vehicle, sped through the parking lot, drove through a walkway nearly hitting four people, and then did a number of burnouts in the plaza parking lot. Keep reading here.

'BORGs' abound at Waterloo St. Patrick’s Day, but what are they?

Students carry 'BORGs' in Waterloo's university district on Friday March 17, 2023. (CTV Kitchener)

A new youth binge-drinking trend was on display in the streets of Waterloo’s university district Friday.

If you looked closely, you could see many St. Patrick’s Day party-goers drinking from something called a ‘BORG.’ Keep reading here.

Ont.’s police watchdog investigating after Centre Wellington man seriously injured

A black car is seen in the ditch near the corner of Wellington Road 18 and Fourth Line in Centre Wellington on March 22, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)

Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating a crash near Belwood Lake that saw a 43-year-old Centre Wellington man transported to hospital.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says it happened around 1:45 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Wellington Road 18 and Fourth Line, a few kilometres northeast of Fergus, Ont.

The SIU says shortly after midnight, Halton police officers attempted to stop a black Chrysler 300 alleged to have committed traffic infractions in another jurisdiction.

“The attempt was unsuccessful and officers disengaged,” the SIU said in a media release.

When the car entered Wellington County, OPP officers tried to stop to the vehicle.

At 1:45 a.m., the car left the roadway and entered a ditch. Keep reading here.

'Everybody’s pulling together': Community reels following death of 10-year-old girl near Brantford

Ava Howick, 10, is seen in this undated photo. (Facebook - Bonnie M Howick-Childs)

A community is in mourning after a 10-year-old girl was killed earlier this week when flames tore through her family’s camping trailer southeast of Brantford.

The family says they have been overwhelmed by the kindness people have been showing since that tragic day. They are now working to support the rest of the surviving family members as they mourn the loss of 10-year-old Ava Howick.

"I was just basically numb, devastated," said Ava’s great aunt Bonnie Childs.

Flames ripped through a camping trailer in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation just before 2 a.m. on Monday March 13. Keep reading here.