NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Taking the frigid plunge for Childcan

March 3, 2018 | 0 Comments

A team of men in fake grass skirts was the second group to brave the chilly waters of Port Stanley’s Little Beach in the fourth annual Childcan Polar Bear Dip on Saturday, March 3. The event raised over $70,000 for the London-based childhood cancer support group and 194 dippers participated. (AE/Craig Bradford)

Human remains found near Brownsville identified

March 2, 2018 | 0 Comments

Human remains found in a conservation area south of Brownsville on Saturday, Feb. 24 have been identified as Vanessa Anne Fotheringham,  a missing 24-year-old London woman who was last seen on Feb. 16, 2012 and presumed dead. In April 2016, London Police charged Antonio Valentin Resendez Cortez with second-degree murder and a warrant was issued…

Temporary bridge to Port Bruce considered

February 28, 2018 | 1 Comment

Malahide Mayor David Mennill, at a special county council meeting Wednesday, Feb. 28, called on Elgin to consider installing a temporary access bridge from Imperial Road to Port Bruce south of Catfish Creek, to provide a second exit in case of emergency. With the possibility that replacing the Imperial Road Bridge that collapsed Friday, Feb.…

Integrity commissioner urges reprimand for Cr. Dan McNeil

February 23, 2018 | 5 Comments

Central Elgin Integrity Commissioner Mark McDonald is recommending Councillor Dan McNeil be reprimanded and lose 30 days of pay after swearing at David Harding of Sparta during a public open house Jan. 16 on the municipality’s proposed new sign bylaw. Mr. McDonald said Cr. McNeil both admitted to the violation of council’s code of conduct,…

Port Bruce bridge collapses

February 23, 2018 | 2 Comments

On Friday afternoon, Feb. 23, the bridge spanning Catfish Creek in Port Bruce collapsed with a truck still on it. Pictured here, Malahide township volunteer firefighters performed a successful water rescue of the truck driver, whose vehicle remained on a fallen section of the bridge at an incline with its tail end in the flowing…

Extensive flooding in Vienna, Port Burwell

February 21, 2018 | 0 Comments

Recent heavy rains and resulting snow and ice melt due to unseasonably warm temperatures, along with trapped ice pack in Otter Creek, caused extensive flooding in Vienna and the flats next to the creek by Port Burwell harbour on Tuesday, Feb. 20 and Wednesday, Feb. 21. This photo of downtown Vienna along Plank Road across…

Flooding in Port Bruce

February 20, 2018 | 0 Comments

On Tuesday, Feb. 20 at about 12:45 p.m., Nathan Smale, the owner of Corner View Café in Port Bruce, slowly drove through a flooded section of Imperial Road in the lakeside hamlet a short distance from his restaurant which is located by the pavilion and park which can be seen in the background. This view…

Flood warning issued

February 20, 2018 | 0 Comments

A dragline was breaking the ice near the mouth of Catfish Creek in Port Bruce on Tuesday morning, Feb. 20 in an attempt to avoid flooding in the lakeside hamlet. The water level in the creek was near the threshold for flooding to take place and Malahide volunteer firefighters were in Port Bruce with road…

Going medieval on Family Day

February 19, 2018 | 0 Comments

James Provoost, 8, who lives near Copenhagen, played with a miniature wooden catapult during Medieval Day held at Elgin County Heritage Centre south of St. Thomas on the afternoon of Family Day, Monday, February 19. James Provoost is the grandson of retired Springfield and Belmont librarian Maria Smit. The Once Upon A Time exhibit from…

Sledding fun at Assumption

February 19, 2018 | 0 Comments

Left photo: Andrea Sleegers smiled all the way down the hill during her turn at La Piste de Toboggan, one of the activities set up for the children during the Olympic-themed Carnaval d’hiver (Winter Carnival) at Assumption Catholic Elementary School in Aylmer on Friday afternoon, Feb. 16. Right photo: Megan Sleegers had a similar fun…

The sap is running at Springwater

February 16, 2018 | 0 Comments

A crew from Catfish Creek Conservation Authority were out in the sugar bush on the Jaffa side of Springwater Forest on Friday morning, Feb. 16 tapping dozens of trees for the upcoming maple syrup season. Gathered together for a group photo were crew members volunteer Vic Herrington, left, program support assistant Tiffany Kalita-Guay, conservation areas…

Amalgamation for Aylmer, Malahide?

February 12, 2018 | 0 Comments

In an unexpected development, Malahide Mayor Dave Mennill has dusted off the long rejected idea of amalgamating his township with Aylmer. In bombshell fashion at the annual Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by the Aylmer and Area Chamber of Commerce at Saxonia Hall on Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, Mayor Mennill in the middle of his remarks asked…