NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Breakwater work goes ahead despite price overrun

September 3, 2014 | 0 Comments

Central Elgin councillors on Monday, Sept. 2, approved proceeding with proposed repairs to the west breakwater in Port Stanley Harbour, despite the low tender of $1.625-million from East Elgin Concrete Forming of Tillsonburg being $637,000 over the original estimate for the project. When the work is done, the general public for the first time in many years will…

Renewed threat to Malahide school?

September 2, 2014 | 0 Comments

Malahide Deputy Mayor Jim Jenkins recently called on municipal politicians and the public to voice opposition to the potential closing of rural schools, and especially Springfield Public School, to the Ontario government and Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek. At a township council meeting, Deputy Mayor Jenkins said he attended a meeting of the Community Schools Alliance…

Lanterns sail away from Springfield library

August 31, 2014 | 1 Comment

Richard DeVos, left, Jason Fehr and library assistant Colleen DeVos released a floating lantern during a celebration to mark the end of the summer reading club at Springfield library, Thursday, Aug. 28. A total of 75 sailed away, released by young participants in the club. This year 138 children were registered in the summer program.

Crash closes road east of New Sarum

August 28, 2014 | 0 Comments

What appeared to be a two-vehicle crash had both lanes of Talbot Line (Highway 3) closed just west of Pleasant Valley Golf and Country Club and east of New Sarum on the late afternoon of Thursday, Aug. 28. Central Elgin firefighters, Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police officers and paramedics responded to the scene, this photo…

Animal hospital gets icy for ALS

August 28, 2014 | 0 Comments

Most of the staff of Imperial Road Animal Hospital of Aylmer were drenched in cold water during an Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) after they were done work on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Taking the Challenge in front of their workplace by way of water dropped by the bucket of a front end…

Police investigate Belmont fires

August 28, 2014 | 0 Comments

Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police have asked for the public’s assistance in finding a suspect or suspects who might have set at least three fires in Belmont and the surrounding area over the past month. A fire that started around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24 completely destroyed a Dyer Street home and was believed…

Ice bucket challenge accepted

August 27, 2014 | 0 Comments

Ron Sidaway of Aylmer was doused in icewater by Steph Broer at the Elgin Community Living centre in Aylmer on Wednesday, Aug. 27. He raised $150 for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Society of Canada in the process. He challenged friend Peter Martens, who was at the dousing (“I accept!”), Becky Whittingham and the entire Aylmer Spitfires Junior…

Aylmer Mayor takes the ALS Challenge

August 25, 2014 | 0 Comments

Aylmer Mayor Jack Couckuyt was soaked by three buckets of ice water in front of Town Hall at noon on Monday, Aug. 25 after he accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Aylmer Police Chief Andre Reymer. He also made an undisclosed donation to the ALS Society of Canada. Pouring the ice water over Mayor…

Fun at the dairy museum

August 23, 2014 | 0 Comments

Chase Coffin, 11, of St. Thomas hammed it up and pretended to be a dairy princess for a few seconds at the third annual Family Fun Day and Open House at the Gay Lea Dairy Heritage Museum west of Copenhagen on Saturday, Aug. 23. Admission was free and the attractions included food, a bouncy cow,…

Hundreds descend on Straffordville for Melon Fest

August 23, 2014 | 0 Comments

Evelyn Arlow, 13, was one of several children and young teenagers who decorated their bicycles and showed them off along the parade route during the 17th annual Straffordville Watermelon Fest on Saturday, Aug. 23. The day-long event was packed full of fun activities including live entertainment, a small midway for children, watermelon, cotton candy, pony rides,…

Crash sends five to area hospitals

August 22, 2014 | 0 Comments

A two vehicle crash south of St. Thomas on the early evening of Thursday, Aug. 21 sent five people to area hospitals. Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police Constable Troy Carlson said the crash happened at 7:07 p.m. at the intersection of Fairview Road and John Wise Line. One woman was airlifted to a London hospital…

Mennill calls for study of building a new Terrace Lodge

August 20, 2014 | 0 Comments

Malahide Mayor David Mennill, after listening to a crowd at Terrace Lodge demand putting emphasis on improving the living conditions at the long-term care home over building a new county administration building, publicly called for a fresh study of a new home over limited renovations to the existing one. He’s one of three members of…