Deputy Chief Chris McQuiggan, left, of Bayham Volunteer Fire Department and Captain Greg Coles, right, outfitted Straffordville Public School Kindergartener Logan Staley, middle, in a “bunker suit” and helmet during a fire safety presentation, Tuesday, Oct. 7. Deputy Chief McQuiggan is holding “Sparky,” a puppet used to help teach safety lessons.
Teri Stafford chaperoned her daughter Scarlet to Junior Kindergarten class at McGregor Public School in Aylmer on Wednesday morning, Oct. 8 for International Walk to School Day. Davenport Public School also celebrated Walk to School Day that is held each October to raise awareness about the benefits of walking or using other forms of active…
Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area has received a $42,500 grant from the Estate of Dorothy Fay Palmer. The grant was announced by Catfish Creek Conservation Authority officials on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Located on Sparta Line east of Sparta, the money would be used to plant new trees, attract native wildlife species and enhance the wetlands at…
Summers Corners Public School Grade 6 pupil Lexi Lewis was able to hold a corn snake at the Slimy or Scaly exhibit and learning station during the Carolinian Forest Festival at Jaffa Environmental Education Centre on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Jointly hosted by the education centre, Catfish Creek Conservation Authority and the Thames Valley District School…
Over 120 residents attended the first-ever Aylmer Express all-candidates meeting Monday night for the municipal election in Central Elgin. They grilled candidates on questions including rising taxes, costly fire trucks, the narrowing of Centennial Avenue and, if elected, would councillors “stand up” to staff in making decisions.
Announced within St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital’s Atrium on Tuesday morning, Bob McCaig and his wife Janet Taylor-McCaig donated a total of $1-million to hospitals serving Elgin County and St. Thomas residents. Residing just west of St. Thomas, the couple shared a jovial moment at the podium after something Mr. McCaig said during his remarks.…
An oversized load made its way through Aylmer westbound along Talbot Street on Monday morning, Oct. 6 starting just after 8 a.m. Along with an Ontario Provincial Police escort in front and behind, several utility trucks with workers were with the convoy to make sure the tall portable building on the flatbed truck didn’t interfere…
Goodwill’s Used Cars located on Talbot Street East in Aylmer celebrated its 40th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 4 with an open house that included a charity barbecue, free cotton candy and popcorn, a family photo booth and a Farmtown Canada petting zoo with wagon rides. Children could also enjoy two bouncy castles and a super slide. Those a…
Sparta’s first ever Scarecrow Festival attracted visitors from throughout the region to the village on Saturday, Oct. 4. The day-long festival included a scarecrow contest, some of the entries seen here which were mostly made by Sparta Public School pupils, several harvest-themed vendors, arts and crafts vendors, live music, pumpkins, pies and more. Event organizers…
About 15 members of the Aylmer and District Horticultural Society volunteered their time and effort to rejuvenate the rock garden within Balmoral Park in Aylmer on Saturday, Oct. 4. The plants were donated by Riverbend Farms which recently closed and by society members who spent all morning and part of the afternoon digging and planting…
Kelly DeJong, left, Adma Bergsma, Dean Rollins, Dylan Vandersleen, Luke Schuurman, Dyllon Bergen, Jake Bergen and Sue Dykxhoorn were about to embark on a 30-kilometre bicycle trek from Immanuel Christian School along rural roads southwest of Aylmer for the Ride for Refuge on Saturday morning, Oct. 4. Over 20 cyclists of varying experience participated in…
Malahide’s cost for Ontario Provincial Police patrols will increase to $973,000 next year, up from $892,000 this year. Mayor David Mennill reported at a township council meeting Thursday, Oct. 2, that Malahide representatives had attended a billing briefing by OPP in St. Thomas that morning. The OPP was changing how it billed municipalities in an…