Posts by Craig Bradford

Aylmer budget comes in at 2.15% levy increase

Aylmer councillors on Wednesday, March 16 at their fourth and final Finance Committee meeting to work on the 2016 budget used $125,000 of a reserve made up of past year-end surpluses to reduce the amount of taxes that will be levied for the year. The councillors managed to reduce a $270,811 or 5.41 percent tax…

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Fun and games at Complex Camp

Evelyn Lasook, right, came to the rescue of Liam King during a game of “parachute shark” at East Elgin Community Complex on Thursday afternoon, March 17 during the March Break Camp the facility held all week for children from ages six to 12. Ms. Lasook was the “lifeguard” who patrolled the outside of the parachute…

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Karate demo thrills at Straffordville Library

Jenna Wieler showed off her karate skills with a bow under the watchful eye of black belt instructor Ken Andrews during a demonstration of the martial arts discipline at Straffordville Library on Thursday afternoon, March 17. The karate demonstration as one of a series of events for children and sometimes their parents too held during…

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Music and more music at Aylmer skating carnival

Allison Sleegers was one of the performers in the We Are Stars number during the annual Aylmer Skating Club Carnival at East Elgin Community Complex on Wednesday evening, March 9. This year’s Carnival, the Aylmer club’s 64th, was entitled Music, Music, Music. The event included several solo skaters, ensemble performances and the Beginner, Elementary and…

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Coffee House entertains at EESS

Lydia Deelstra performed the City and Colour song Lover Come Back during the St. Patrick’s Day Coffee House held at East Elgin Secondary School on Wednesday evening, March 9. Coffee House provides EESS students an opportunity to perform in public with proceeds going towards the school’s music program.

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“It could happen to anybody…”

An Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police officer accidentally backed his cruiser into a ditch right beside one of the laneways at Aylmer Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church in Summers Corners on Tuesday, March 8 shortly after 3 p.m. Buses had just begun arriving at Summers Corners Public School across the road to take pupils home. The officer,…

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Vehicle inspection blitz comes to Aylmer

Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Inspector Thomas Hansen, left, directed a police officer to where he could be of assistance during a commercial vehicle inspection blitz on Progress Drive in Aylmer on Tuesday morning, March 8. Mr. Hansen had just used an on-board diagnostic scanner to find out why a check engine light…

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Winter fun at South Dorchester Public School

Grade 5 pupil Tom Beggs pushed Grade 2 pupil Payton Schnarr during a heat of a toboggan race at South Dorchester Public School’s Winter Carnival on Friday afternoon, March 4. The sunny skies and not too cold temperatures that day provided ideal conditions for holding the Carnival.

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Tundra swans have arrived

A pair of an estimated 340 Tundra swans were seen in the water early Saturday afternoon, March 5 at the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located just south of the Ontario Police College off Hacienda Road northeast of Aylmer. The Tundra swans arrived in greater numbers on Tuesday, March 1 with 116 counted by volunteers with…

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High five for Smokey

Meyah Blanchard, 4, of St. Thomas got a high five from Smokey the Bear at the Springwater Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday morning, March 5. The Festival will continue on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) until March 20 and on March Break (March 14-18) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Springwater Conservation Area located on…

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