NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Big crowd out for Polar Bear Dip in Port Stanley

March 7, 2020 | 0 Comments

Young members of London FC (Football Club) sprinted into the chilly waters of Lake Erie during the annual Polar Bear Dip to benefit Childcan, a London-based charity serving children with cancer and their families. The event involved 38 teams and 266 participants, and raised nearly $100,00, double the goal. The team which raised the most…

Bridge replacement awarded

February 25, 2020 | 0 Comments

Elgin County councillors on Tuesday, Feb. 11, awarded a $5.1-million contract to Hayman Construction Inc. to build the permanent replacement for the collapsed Imperial Road Bridge in Port Bruce. That bridge fell into the creek two years ago. Currently, access across Catfish Creek is via a one-lane temporary bridge. Construction on the new bridge could…

Vienna flood warning

January 13, 2020 | 0 Comments

The Long Point Region Conservation Authority has issued a flood warning effective today, Monday, Jan. 13, for Big Otter Creek in Vienna. Watercourse levels across LPRCA remain high and are running swiftly, the authority reported.  In many cases watercourses are still exceeding their banks and flooding low-lying areas.  Most watercourses appear to have peaked and…

Susana Peters, 62, dies in crash

December 24, 2019 | 0 Comments

Susana Peters, 62, of Bayham died in a two-vehicle crash on John Wise Line between Imperial Road and Rogers Road on Monday, Dec. 23, at 5:20 p.m. Elgin Ontario Provincial Police Constable Adam Crewdson said Ms. Peters was a passenger in a westbound vehicle. An eastbound vehicle crossed over into the westbound lane, resulting in…

Springfield, New Sarum public schools saved from closing

November 26, 2019 | 0 Comments

Thames Valley District School Board trustees voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday night, Nov. 26, to rescind decisions made in 2017 to close New Sarum and Springfield elementary schools. They also voted unanimously to make the building of a new elementary school in Belmont, to replace ageing South Dorchester and Westminster Central, one of their two top…

Big, big band for Aylmer Kinsmen Santa Parade

November 23, 2019 | 0 Comments

The massive Burlington Teen Tour Band, which bills itself as the largest youth marching band in Canada, made a big impression on spectators during the 75th annual Aylmer Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, Nov. 23. “Best parade ever,” commented one spectator afterward. More pictures will be in the Nov. 27 edition of The Aylmer…

Rail strike leads to propane being cut off to local grain dryers

November 22, 2019 | 0 Comments

Scott Persall, left, Elgin-Norfolk director for Grain Farmers of Ontario, Dan Kelly, chairman of the Propane Association of Canada, President Dave Karn of Dowler-Karn of Central Elgin and St. Thomas, Elgin-Middlesex-London MP Karen Vecchio, Cathy Lennon, general manager of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Chatham-Kent-Leamington MP David Epp spoke at a hastily-organized press conference…

TVDSB sets schedule for public hearing on school closures

November 18, 2019 | 0 Comments

Thames Valley District School Board has published its agenda for a special board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19, to hear from the public on a motion to rescind the planned closings of public elementary schools in Springfield and New Sarum. Representatives of affected school councils involved, including New Sarum, Springfield, South Dorchester and Westminster Central,…

First “Festive RIDE” of the holiday season

November 14, 2019 | 0 Comments

Aylmer Police Acting Inspector Nick Novacich, left, Elgin Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant Gene Laarman and Constable Adam Crewdson and St. Thomas Police traffic specialist Const. Chad Nevill prepared to start the first “Festive RIDE” (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) checkpoint of this year’s holiday season on Highway 3 at the St. Thomas Municipal Airport on Thursday,…

TVDSB creates website on school closings debate

November 13, 2019 | 0 Comments

Thames Valley District School Board has set up a special website where those interested in the debate over the potential closings of Springfield and New Sarum public schools, can ask questions and apply to appear before the board during a public hearing. That website is at www.tvdsb.ca/epar01. The board decided in 2017 to close four…

Remembrance Day in Aylmer

November 11, 2019 | 0 Comments

Middle, Chief Zvonko Horvat, left, and Acting Inspector Nick Novacich saluted after laying a memorial wreath from Aylmer Police Service at the town Cenotaph on Remembrance Day, Nov. 11. Attendance was good at the annual ceremony, despite damp, snowy weather. More coverage of the Remembrance Day services in this area will be in the Nov.…

Plenty of pumpkins for fire station Halloween

November 1, 2019 | 0 Comments

Malahide South Fire Station held an open house for young trick-or-treaters on Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31. Showing off some of the decorated jack-0-lanterns were, from left, Probationary Firefighter Cassandra Young, Firefighter Alan Vandenwyngaert and firefighter’s daughter Alexa Loewen, 14. (AE/Rob Perry)