The rising number of local cases of COVID-19 has led to a mandatory requirement for face masking to be extended indefinitely at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital and other hospitals in Southwestern Ontario. STEGH President Karen Davies said, “As a system of hospitals, we have been continually assessing what we feel are responsible protections for our patients, our teams, and those…

Southwestern Public Health announced Monday morning, April 11, that a St. Thomas man in his 80s had become the 157th resident to die with COVID-19 in St. Thomas, Elgin and Oxford since the pandemic began two years ago. SWPH also reported 139 new cases of the virus had been confirmed over the weekend, or an average of almost 45 a…

A “state of emergency” declared by Elgin County and its seven municipalities in March of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were rescinded as of Friday, April 8, at 10 a.m. In a statement, the county said the Ontario government had first declared as state of emergency on March 17, 2020, under the Emergency Measures and Civil Protection Act.…

Southwestern Public Health has announced that, as of Thursday, April 7, its mass-immunization clinics in St. Thomas and Woodstock would welcome anyone 60 or older for a fourth dose of COVID–19 vaccine. Anyone 18 or older from a First Nations, Inuit or Metis household would also be eligible. The health unit advised that while a fourth dose could be administered…

Elgin County has been experiencing an “ongoing technical disruption” since Friday, April 1, that has affected its website and other online services, and its ability to receive incoming email. The cause of the disruption has not been revealed. In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 6, the county said it was “working hard to get these services back up and…

Luca Kapogianes, with the puck, of host Aylmer Minor Hockey’s Under 9 Rep team got squeezed by two Walkerton players during the championship game of the “Rep Finale” tournament at East Elgin Community Complex on Sunday, April 3. The Aylmer team placed second in its preliminary pool with two wins and a loss, then advanced to the championship after defeating…

Goalie Oli Pede of host Aylmer Minor Hockey’s Under 9 Rep team made a save against a Walkerton player on a breakaway during the “Rep Finale” tournament at East Elgin Community Complex on Friday, April 1. Walkerton won this game 3-1, but Aylmer already had one victory from a 16-0 win over St. George on Thursday, March 31. Aylmer will…

Alastair Douglas of host Aylmer Minor Hockey’s Under 15 Rep team fired the puck past a Dunnville player during a “Rep Finale” tournament game at East Elgin Community Complex on Friday afternoon, April 1. The hardfought game ended in a 1-1 tie. The hometown team plays against Thorold Friday at 8:15 p.m. and against Oro Saturday at 8:15 p.m. Tournament…

Keegan Russell of host Aylmer Minor Hockey’s Under 13 Rep team lobbed a puck to a teammate during a “Ref Finale” tournament game, against Muskoka, held at East Elgin Community Complex Thursday, March 31. Aylmer, trailing 1-2 at the start of the third period, came back for a 4-2 victory. The tournament, for age divisions from Under 9 through Under…

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has announced that Port Bruce home owners, tenants and small business owners affected by February flooding have been approved for Disaster Recovery Assistance For Ontarians, but some conditions do apply. The deadline for applications will be July 29. Those with sufficient insurance to cover any damages will not receive funding, and the…