NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Rabid bat in St. Thomas

July 22, 2016 | 0 Comments

Elgin St. Thomas Public Health is warning residents to stay away from bats after a rabid one was found in St. Thomas, a first for 2016. Rabies is spread through the saliva of infected animals from a bite, lick or scratch, causing inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Although human cases were rare in…

One tough balloon

July 22, 2016 | 0 Comments

Faith Abell, 7, left, and Khanan Hernandez, 8, right, struggled to burst a water balloon over the head of teen volunteer Leah Moore during a Summer Reading Club session at Springfield library on Thursday, July 21. The balloons used that day proved tough–but in the end not impossible–to break. Children are encouraged to read books…

Wacky Wigs at Aylmer Old Town Hall Library

July 21, 2016 | 0 Comments

Ryker Graham, 5, left, and his brother Preston, 9, right, were joined by their cousin Madison, 3, for the TD Summer Reading Club’s Wacky Wigs activity at Aylmer Old Town Hall Theatre on Thursday afternoon, July 21. The Aylmer Library staff had the craft session moved upstairs where there was more room for the several children…

Racing around at Vacation Bible School

July 21, 2016 | 0 Comments

Aron Wall, front, was among several youngsters who participated in a timed game that had them compete in teams to pick up the most balls and sponges and put them in a bucket during the Bethel United Reformed Church Vacation Bible School on Thursday morning, July 21. The theme of the week-long Vacation Bible School…

Summer day camp at the Complex

July 21, 2016 | 0 Comments

Aylmer’s Sophie Stirling, 8, left, blew on the rock she was painting which brought smiles to the faces of camp counsellor Lauren Jewell and events and programs assistant Lindsay Ward while Nolan Shackelton, 6, of Springfield continued to paint his own rock during the East Elgin Community Complex Summer Day Camp on Thursday morning, July…

OPP quote for Aylmer could take over a year

July 19, 2016 | 0 Comments

While an Ontario Provincial Police analyst called the new process “streamlined,” Aylmer’s request to get a quote for OPP service to potentially replace the town’s own municipal police force could take more than a year. Sergeant Kevin Hummel, a “Deployed Contract Analyst” with the OPP’s Municipal Policing Bureau, led a presentation on the OPP costing…

Smoky climax to Rotten Ride

July 16, 2016 | 0 Comments

Smoke drifted upward from where a rider was doing a “burn-out” with his motorcycle at host DG Custom Cycle on College Line in Malahide on Saturday afternoon, July 16. A total of 375 riders had just completed the 11th annual “Rotten Ride” put on by the business with help from 50 volunteers and Aylmer Optimist…

Full park for Bandshell Bible school play

July 15, 2016 | 0 Comments

Actors from an annual week-long vacation Bible School at Bradley Street Church of God put on “Gold Rush,” a comedy, at the Bandshell at Palmer Park in Aylmer on Friday night, July 15. The park was packed with spectators.

Springfield Summer Reading Club goes “Wild”

July 15, 2016 | 0 Comments

Megan Sleegers, 9, took a plunge in a mock-jungle pool that was part of an obstacle course for Springfield library’s Summer Reading Club on Thursday, July 14. This year, 109 children 6 through 12 years old have signed up for the club, and 32 were out for the weekly special program at the library at…

Cr. Stevenson resigns from STEGH board over executive “overcompensation”

July 15, 2016 | 0 Comments

St. Thomas Councillor Linda Stevenson has resigned from the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital board of governors in protest of what she describes as attempts to skirt around the provincial salary cap for a new president and chief executive officer being sought by STEGH. “I think the eye has to be on them,” she said…

Teen found dead in water off Port Stanley

July 15, 2016 | 0 Comments

Ontario Provincial Police officers and Central Elgin firefighters recovered the body of William Johnston, 18, of London in the water off of Port Stanley at about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 17. The teen was swimming with a 19-year-old woman on Thursday afternoon, July 14 when both experienced trouble in the choppy waves. Emergency personnel…

Checking out the classic cars (and trucks)

July 14, 2016 | 0 Comments

Marilyn Powers, 10, of Springfield checked out a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle owned by Don and Nancy Steenbergen of Aylmer during the Aylmer Shrine Cruise Night at the ICS Courier parking lot near the corner of Talbot Street West and Wellington Street on Wednesday evening, July 13. The truck in behind Marilyn was a 1956 Ford…