NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Complex business plan delayed again

December 16, 2014 | 0 Comments

It will be 2015 before any decisions are made on a long-awaited business plan for East Elgin Community Complex. Newly elected Mayor Greg Currie was supported by most councillors to put off decisions to hold a joint meeting with Malahide councillors and to award a contract to a qualified consultant to prepare a business plan.…

Santa scores on a slapshot in Springfield

December 16, 2014 | 0 Comments

Santa Claus, played by Kayla Voros, left, and Mrs. Claus, played by Sarah Thomas, share a quieter moment on the couch in front of a hockey game playing on their television during Springfield Public School’s production of Slapshot Santa Scores Again on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 16. The fun, Christmas-themed play included several songs performed by…

Dancing at Summers Corners

December 16, 2014 | 0 Comments

East Elgin Secondary School Grade 11-12 dance class students Clarissa Giesbrecht, front left, Monique Froese and Claire Dennis, along with their teacher Alicia Steenholdt, front right, led the Grade 8 pupils at Summers Corners Public School through a hip hop-style warm-up to the song Fireball by Pitbull on Monday, Dec. 15. Not pictured was dance…

A Charlie Brown Christmas at Davenport PS

December 15, 2014 | 0 Comments

Gavin Fisher as Charlie Brown, left, watched while Zoe Collins as Sally flirted with the long-suffering Linus, played by MacGregor Row, during a rehearsal for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Davenport Public School in Aylmer, Monday, Dec. 15. The show, with a cast and crew of 30 pupils, will be performed for the school and public…

Santa, politicians visit Straffordville for annual parade

December 13, 2014 | 0 Comments

Elgin-Middlesex-London MP Joe Preston, left, and his provincial counterpart Jeff Yurek waved to the crowd and threw down candy canes during the annual Straffordville Santa Claus Parade on Saturday morning, Dec. 13. The parade route had to be altered for this year’s Christmas-themed parade as the Straffordville Community Centre, usually where the parade ends and…

Hundreds of Nativities shown in Port Burwell

December 12, 2014 | 1 Comment

Betty Elliott, left, and her daughter Patricia Baker set up over 380 Christmas Nativities from their joint collection in the Parish Hall next to Port Burwell Trinity Anglican Church for a free display that was open to the public on Friday, Dec. 12. The public display would continue on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 1-8 p.m.…

Incensed over new school closing policy

December 11, 2014 | 0 Comments

Elgin County councillors on Thursday, Dec. 11, strongly objected to proposed changes to how potential closings of rural and small urban schools were handled. They were up in arms that the current “Accommodation Review Committees” (ARCs), that must hold public hearings before a school could be closed by any board of education, might be eliminated.…

Songs and costumes liven up Christmas concert

December 11, 2014 | 0 Comments

Assumption Catholic Elementary School pupils Cole Brower, front row left, Trenton Masschaele, Ivana Csinos, back left, Melena Siannas and Zoe Hodgetts played costumed characters in the dress rehearsal for the school’s annual Christmas Concert at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, Dec. 11. The performance for their parents, grandparents and friends was…

Christmas concert at SCPS

December 11, 2014 | 0 Comments

A seemingly pensive Yuki Martell as Santa Claus awaited his class’s turn on stage during a dress rehearsal for a Christmas concert at Summers Corners Public School the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 10. A public performance was held that night.

Door-to-door mail to end in Aylmer

December 11, 2014 | 0 Comments

A Canada Post official confirmed on Wednesday, Dec. 10 that Aylmer’s door-to-door mail delivery would be “converting” to community mailboxes in the second half of 2015. Aylmer post office employees were told about the development that morning. “The postal codes affected will be N5H,” the Canada Post spokesman said via an email message. “Within the…

Stop sign down at Spruce/John

December 10, 2014 | 0 Comments

The stop sign at Spruce Street East at John Street North in Aylmer was seen snapped off at the bottom of the pole on Wednesday morning, Dec. 10. This image was taken shortly before 8 a.m. Neither the Aylmer Police or town public works staff were on the scene at the time and the downed…

Ens new Elgin warden

December 9, 2014 | 0 Comments

Bayham Mayor Paul Ens was named Elgin warden for 2015 at a special county council session on Tuesday night, Dec. 9. In his inaugural speech, he cited options for the redevelopment of Terrace Lodge first among challenges facing council in the coming year, but also called for “security upgrades” for Elgin’s Provincial Offences court and noted the county’s…