Four Aylmer residents were among a dozen charged in the region for alleged drug and firearms crimes connected to the Outlaws motorcycle gang after an investigation that started with town police spread to other communities and the “Biker Enforcement Unit” of the Ontario Provincial Police. One of the four Aylmer residents was identified by police as a member of the…
Elgin Ontario Provincial Police reported late Monday afternoon, July 3, that a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing earlier that day had been found safe.
The number of deaths related to opioid abuse in St. Thomas, Elgin and Oxford rose from 4.2 per 100,000 of population in 2011 to 21.9 in 2021, and that doesn’t include the latest numbers from 2022 and 2023. That was one of the grim facts confronted by Southwestern Public Health Board members during a presentation on drug Consumption and Treatment…
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 reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor…
Fire chiefs from across Elgin County and St. Thomas announced Wednesday, June 14, that a ban on outdoor fires has been lifted following rain across the region.
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, June 7, the provincial air…
Fire chiefs in St. Thomas and Elgin County have issued an immediate ban on all open-air and recreational fires. In a statement, they said, “Open air fires are defined as any fire outside of a building and include bonfires, campfires, burn barrels, outdoor fireplaces/chimineas or any other fires set in open air. “Although there is some variation across Elgin County,…
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 line to the north that…
Most of the 25 participants in a “town hall” session Friday, May 26, on a planned one-year pilot program that would merge minor hockey Rep teams from Aylmer and Belmont under a new “East Elgin” banner were supportive of the test that will start in September. The only exceptions were Gary Rabbets and Eugene Lindsay, old guard members with years…
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 also maintained that the policy…