News Headlines

Aylmer and East Elgin Agricultural Society President Randy Laur announced Monday, May 25, that the annual Aylmer Fair would not be held this year. He said that complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic had made holding a fair untenable. However, he added, board members were already starting to plan for the 175th edition of the…

Seven workers at Secord Trails Care Community, a long-term care home in Ingersoll, have tested positive for COVID-19, Southwestern Public Health reported on Friday morning, May 22. A single case had been confirmed in a health-care worker on Monday, May 18. Six additional workers have since tested positive. The employees hold a variety of positions…

A second new confirmed case of COVID-19 has popped up in Oxford, this time in Tillsonburg, Southwestern Public Health reported on Thursday morning, May 21. Earlier in the week, another new case had appeared in Ingersoll, identified as a staff member at a retirement home. All residents and staff there are now being tested. The…

Aylmer Church of God issued a statement on Saturday, May 16, praising the Ontario government for amending COVID-19 emergency regulations to allow drive-in religious services. The church has been holding such services for several weeks, in what appeared to be a contravention of those regulations. No charges have been laid though, and the church launched…

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that private parks, marinas and golf courses could re-open for business on Saturday, May 16, as long as strict distancing requirements continued to be met. Campgrounds can re-open to prepare for the coming season Saturday, but access is limited to campers with full-season rentals for now. He also said that,…

The number of COVID-19 cases confirmed through medical testing in the Southwestern Public Health Region, which includes Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford, dropped to seven as of Wednesday, May 13. Locally, Malahide continued to have two cases and St. Thomas two. Oxford dropped to three, with two in Woodstock and one in South-West Oxford. So…

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Wednesday, May 6, that effective Friday, May 8, garden centres and nurseries could re-open to public shopping, as long as distancing and other health precautions could be and were maintained. Hardware and safety supply stores could do the same starting Saturday, May 9. Finally, on Monday, May 12, all retail…

Southwestern Public Health’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock is telling cottagers and other seasonal visitors that the province easing some COVID-19 pandemic precautions “does not mean an immediate return to normal activities.” In a statement posted on Central Elgin’s website, she said, “This includes visits to secondary residences, such as cottages, beach houses,…

Southwestern Public Health hasn’t recorded a single new case of COVID-19 confirmed by medical testing in Elgin, St. Thomas and Woodstock since Friday, April 24. As of Saturday morning, Southwestern’s website was reporting seven ongoing cases in Elgin and St. Thomas. St. Thomas has four cases, and Aylmer Malahide and Dutton Dunwich one each. Oxford…

Chief Zvonko Horvat announced Thursday, April 30, that Aylmer Police would not lay any charges in connection with a drive-in service conducted by Aylmer Church of God on John Street North on Sunday, April 26. Police believed they had reasonable and probable grounds to lay a charge for a violation of Ontario’s emergency order banning…