NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Rewards for reading success at SDPS

September 26, 2015 | 0 Comments

Teacher Teresa Webster tried to get a cookie from her forehead into her mouth without using her hands during an assembly at South Dorchester Public School on Friday, Sept. 25. Several teachers had agreed to participate in a series of silly games if pupils read more than 1,015 books at the Belmont library’s Summer Reading…

Snakes provide slithery thrills at MarshQuest

September 24, 2015 | 0 Comments

Immanuel Christian School Grade 4 pupil Alysson Mantel, right, was handed a corn snake from East Elgin Secondary School Environmental Leadership student Dalton Cain at Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area’s Herb Kebbel Wetland near Sparta during MarshQuest on Thursday, Sept. 24. About 100 private Christian school and London District Catholic School Board pupils had just listened to a…

Full house for farm debate

September 24, 2015 | 1 Comment

A standing room only audience attended the Elgin and Middlesex Federations of Agriculture all-candidates’ debate for the Oct. 19 federal election at Belmont Arena and Community Centre on Wednesday night, Sept. 23. Five of the six candidates running in the riding of Elgin-Middlesex-London were able to attend: Conservative Karen Vecchio, New Democrat Fred Sinclair, Bronagh…

Serving up soup for the United Way

September 23, 2015 | 0 Comments

United Way Elgin-St. Thomas volunteer Debbie Boersema, right, had some sour cream added to a sample of curry butternut squash soup by Central Family Restaurant’s Marylu Verboom while Aylmer German Canadian Club volunteers Brigitte Schneider, back left, and Rosemary Horeth got ready for their turn to serve at the second annual Supreme Soup Challenge at the…

Officers set off for a Ride to Remember

September 23, 2015 | 0 Comments

More than 120 police officers from over 20 different services and some civilians embarked from the Ontario Police College northeast of Aylmer on Wednesday morning, Sept. 23 for their 710-kilometre four-day cycling road trip to Ottawa for the annual Ride to Remember. In its 15th year, the Ride to Remember leads up to the National…

Over 300 attend Saxonia Oktoberfest party

September 20, 2015 | 0 Comments

Over 300 attendees danced or simply enjoyed the music, food and atmosphere of the Oktoberfest party held at the Aylmer German Canadian Club’s Saxonia Hall on Saturday night, Sept. 19. “Polka King” and three-time Grammy Award winning musician Walter Ostanek and his band performed all of his hits and dance favourites in front of the…

Polka King Walter Ostanek performs in Aylmer

September 20, 2015 | 0 Comments

“Polka King” and three-time Grammy Award winning musician Walter Ostanek and his band performed in front of over 300 attendees of the Oktoberfest celebration held at the Aylmer German Canadian Club’s Saxonia Hall on Saturday night, Sept. 19. The event coincided with the official opening of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. The dance party included a…

Doors Open “catching” on

September 19, 2015 | 0 Comments

Cameron Bolohan, 11, of Byron nabbed a grasshopper (perched on his arm) while he was trying to capture Monarch and other species of butterflies with his net at Hawk Cliff just east of Port Stanley on Saturday morning, Sept. 19 during Doors Open Port Stanley-Sparta. Hawk Cliff was just one of several locations local residents and tourists…

Fire destroys abandoned barn just west of Aylmer

September 14, 2015 | 0 Comments

Malahide Fire Chief Brent Smith said a controlled burn that was allowed by a permit issued to the property owner turned into a fully engulfed fire in an abandoned barn behind the house located at 496 Talbot Street just west of Aylmer on Monday morning, Sept. 14. The abandoned barn was on the south side…

Hundreds dine at Port Bruce Fish Fry

September 12, 2015 | 0 Comments

An estimated 350 diners ate 500 pounds of fried perch during an annual fundraising dinner put on by the Port Bruce Ratepayers Association at the community pavilion, Saturday night, Sept. 12. Organizers hoped to raise $2,000 to put toward community projects.

Welcome to the first day of school

September 9, 2015 | 0 Comments

Immanuel Christian School Principal Keith Cameron addressed the crowd gathered for the annual “Back to School Chapel” assembly at his school on Tuesday morning, Sept. 8. A special welcome was extended to the new families who have decided to send their children to the school this year. Principal Keith Cameron said his school now has…

Breakwater opens in Port Stanley

September 6, 2015 | 0 Comments

Central Elgin Mayor David Marr, middle, along with his wife Sandy, left, and Joan Sutherland gathered at the end of the newly refurbished breakwater at Port Stanley harbour that local residents and dignitaries celebrated the grand reopening of on Saturday morning, Sept. 5. Mrs. Sutherland’s late husband Orton was the last lighthouse keeper in Port Stanley…