Kayla Keyes of host Aylmer Pool swim team created an arc with her arm as she backstroked through the water at an eight-team meet, Saturday, Aug. 23. The event involved 200 swimmers from across the region, and races continued through the afternoon.

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 a county council building committee…

Attacker Tyler Lammers, left, of Roszells Furnishings is paced by defender Sandi Vanderkooy of Pioneer Seeds during the Under 15 final of a season-ending tournament for East Elgin Soccer teams at Columbus Park in Malahide, Saturday, Aug. 18. The game ended in a 2-2 tie and a double-shootout was needed before Pioneer was determined to be the winner.

Katlyn Van Bommel of Belmont Westminster Insurance Under 16 Girls team popped a short shot that scored despite being squeezed by two Coulters Pharmacy defenders during the final for the West London Soccer Challenge Cup in Dorchester, Sunday, Aug. 17. The Under 16 team won 5-1 and the Belmont Van Bommel Farms Under 18 Girls 4-0 over DKB 1 to…

Bicyclists participating in the fourth annual 3 Port Tour Classic Century Ride passed Lake Erie as they approached lunch at the picnic pavilion in Port Bruce, Saturday, Aug. 16. Gusty winds created some challenges, especially for bicyclists heading up a steep hill on Dexter Line leaving Port Bruce, but otherwise weather was ideal for the event, which involved 380 riders.

Despite rumours to the contrary, the 17th annual Straffordville Watermelon Fest will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23, with most activities still free to the public. Pauline Schram, one of the organizers, said that with the Straffordville Community Centre closed for emergency repairs, Bayham council had provided a 40 by 80 foot tent to house activities that usually took place indoors,…

Bo Mercer, left, and Evan Flikkema of Belmont library’s summer reading club poured paint onto a block of ice in the branch’s parking lot, Tuesday, Aug. 12. They and other youngsters used salt to start ice melting, then added paint to pick out the cracks and crevices that formed . This year the Belmont club has 83 members,  and they’re…

Katherine Bak of host Aylmer Pool’s team swam Open Girls backstroke during a meet against Dorchester on Wednesday, Aug. 13. The meet involved 75 swimmers, and Aylmer won 373 points to 334. Aylmer will host this year’s eight-team championship meet on Saturday, Aug. 23.

St. Thomas and London police have issued a warrant for the arrest of a 48-year-old man wanted in connection with the high-speed pursuit of a suspected impaired driver, and the ramming of a police cruiser, on Wednesday, Aug. 13, starting at 1:40 p.m. St. Thomas Police Sergeant Jeff Pallister said London Police tried to stop a driver in the area of…

Elgin County officials didn’t make public an incident at Terrace Lodge in 2011 that involved “pranks” on residents and resulted in the firing of two employees, supposedly to avoid marring the reputation of the long-term care home and its staff. That’s what Malahide Mayor David Mennill revealed to his township councillors at a meeting Thursday, Aug. 7, after they complained…