News Headlines
Smoky haze covers area
A smoky haze descended on Aylmer and area on Tuesday afternoon, June 27, as smoke from forest fires in Northeast Ontario drifted south. On Wednesday, June 28, Southwestern Public Health issued a special advisory, warning that the air quality index for the region was expected to reach 10 or higher. The health unit recommended everyone…
Read MoreCat-killing dogs sought
Elgin Ontario Provincial Police are seeking the owner of two dogs allegedly responsible for the deaths of two cats in separate incidents in Sparta recently. Constable Brett Phair of Elgin OPP said one dog was possibly an Akita breed with white and fluffy fur and the other possibly a Burmese Mountain dog with longer, brown…
Read MoreAir quality warning issued
Southwestern Public Health is warning local residents that air quality would continue to worsen through Thursday because of smoke from ongoing forest fires in Northeastern Ontario and Quebec drifting into the region. Environment Canada first issued an advisory for Oxford County on June 5 and Elgin County on June 6. As of 1 p.m. Wednesday,…
Read MoreVW neighbours seeking compensation
Central Elgin residents around the edges of the proposed new Volkswagen electric-vehicle battery plant are calling for compensation for suddenly finding themselves with a “gigafactory” as a neighbour. They lined up to convey that message at a public hearing about proposed rezoning for the north side of Highway 3, between the road and a railway…
Read MoreTensions rising at CE council
Tensions between Central Elgin councillors and staff flared at council’s May 23 meeting. Deputy Mayor Todd Noble suggested that interim chief administrative officer Wendell Graves was out of line asking council to approve a new psychological health and wellness policy, just two weeks after a show of emotions by the deputy mayor. The deputy mayor…
Read MoreMore calls for roundabout
Malahide councillors continue to demand that Elgin replace the current crash-prone intersection of county-owned Imperial Line and Ron McNeil Road with a traffic roundabout. At a meeting Thursday, May 18, Councillor Rick Cerna said yet another crash had occurred two days earlier at the intersection, the fourth or fifth since January. He suggested Malahide pressure…
Read MoreCelebrating 75 years of “Optimism”
Aylmer Optimist Club held a banquet and danced to live music as members and guests celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the club on Saturday, May 13, at Saxonia Hall. “It turned out really well,” President Linda Stewart said the following day. “It was nice to have the bigwigs there,” including Aylmer Mayor…
Read More“Resounding no” to EESS changes
East Elgin Secondary School will send a “resounding no” to proposed changes to the boundaries of East Elgin Secondary School. A planning committee made up of local representatives held a second public hearing on the proposal at EESS on Monday, May 15, but the report it initially filed with Thames Valley District School Board will…
Read MoreBeach Patties re-opens after roof ripped off former site
Beach Patties, a Caribbean/breakfast restaurant in Port Burwell, has reopened at 29 Wellington St. after a severe winter storm blew the roof off its former home at 34 Robinson St. just before Christmas. Lisa Partap and Jon Staples are the owners of the restaurant, with Lisa’s mother Joan Partap providing the cooking expertise in the…
Read MoreDoctor calls for more provincial funding for staff
Family physicians need more support from other health-care and office professionals to cope with a growing shortage of doctors in Ontario, Dr. Kellie Scott of St. Thomas says, as well as modernized electronic systems for referring patients to specialists and other health care services. She’s been practising in St. Thomas for 17 years, explaining she…
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