LOCAL HEADLINES

his issue of the Exeter Examiner is our special Remembrance Day edition, marking a day where we take time from our lives to reflect on the past while remembering the importance of pushing for peace in our present and our future. As years pass and the memories of the most recent truly global conflicts fade, I worry that we are losing a connection to the lessons of the past that are vital to the act of remembrance.

South Huron’s new mayor says priorities in the next four years will include job creation, increasing affordability, and looking at the municipality’s recreation programs. A long-time councillor for Usborne Ward, Oke handily won election over incumbent George Finch and former mayor Maureen Cole.

South Huron council has given its blessing to a condominium project that will add 34 dwelling units in the southeast section of Exeter. The condominium units will be contained in three stacked townhome buildings on land that is next to the Pinnacle subdivision. While South Huron council voted unanimously in favour of the project, the plan still has to be approved by the County of Huron.

The holiday season trumpets its arrival with a much-loved tradition for area residents and those much further away who make their way to Huron Ridge Greenhouses near Zurich for its annual Poinsettia Festival. Starting Nov. 12 and running through to Dec. 5, people make the pilgrimage to enjoy the magical experience. Regular hours for this free event are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

When South Huron’s new municipal council officially takes over Nov. 15 there will be some fresh faces, some veterans, and some current councillors sitting in new positions.

South Huron Ladies Slo Pitch League is demanding answers from municipal council after garbage went uncollected, a toilet was left blocked, and there were toilet paper shortages during a recent tournament in Exeter.

With the results throughout the region having been certified after the municipal election on Monday, Oct. 26, local councils are set to be made up of a mixture of familiar and new faces for the next four years.

he Royal Canadian Legion has unveiled four uniquely designed murals, each of which tells the story of a fallen Canadian service member. The mural in Toronto’s Union Station tells the story of Allan “Scotty” Davidson who at just 22 years old was the captain of the Toronto Blueshirts, the team that would become the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1914, he led his team to that city’s first Stanley Cup.

South Huron’s finances are in good shape with debt levels well below the limits set by the province, according to the latest external auditor’s report. “The end of the year in 2025 gave you a good footing for 2026,” Paul Seebach of Seebach and Company told a recent council meeting.

How Bluewater should manage growth, housing pressures and rising costs took centre stage as the municipality’s two mayoral candidates joined its acclaimed future deputy mayor for a public forum on the next council term.

Voters in the Stephen ward of South Huron will choose from three candidates that have already served terms on council and one new contender. Ward 1 Stephen elects two representatives on the council, and also votes for mayor and deputy mayor of the municipality. The deputy mayor’s position this election has been filled by acclamation by the current incumbent, Jim Dietrich.

In northern climes, the transition from the harvest season to winter has always been a dramatic one for its inhabitants. The landscape gives way from harvest shades, fall flowers, and in this area, bursts of glorious, brilliant colours in forests with sugar maple trees, as the season ushers in a darker palette.

It was a full house at the Lucan Biddulph Community Memorial Centre on Thursday, Oct. 8, as residents gathered to hear from the candidates in the upcoming municipal election. A group of community volunteers, led by Colin Whitehead, hosted an all candidates meeting that included a mixture of questions directed at each of the candidates, as well as a period of questions from the audience. Topics ranged from managing growth to future plans for the Granton fire station.

I’ve always believed that Thanksgiving is a particularly special day. In Canada we celebrate occasions stemming from traditions that have shifted over generations. Some are born from religious practices, some are secular, and some stray so far from one origin that they become something new entirely. Thanksgiving, I think, has become a holiday that is truly unique.

Asked to talk about the future of South Huron, the three candidates running for mayor in the upcoming municipal election didn’t mind digging into the past to bolster their case for being the voters’ choice. Maureen Cole, George Finch, and Ted Oke participated in the candidates meeting Sept. 30 organized by the Huron Chamber of Commerce.

For the first time in three elections there is a contest for the Usborne ward seat on South Huron municipal council. Ted Oke was acclaimed to the position in the 2018 and 2022 elections. This time Oke is running for mayor against the current mayor, George Finch, and a previous mayor, Maureen Cole, leaving the Usborne spot open.

What started as an elevator pitch in a hospital as a local boy was receiving cancer treatment led to a day filled with fun, firsts and hope for families from throughout the region impacted by a child’s cancer diagnosis.

he emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in every facet of life is upon us amid warnings of how powerful the technology could become. Now, there are warnings AI has landed in municipal election campaigns. Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act has no provisions addressing AI-generated content, synthetic media, or deepfakes in campaign advertising.

Street signs honouring South Huron’s local war veterans are being enhanced with the veteran’s name, rank and the conflict in which they served. “It is something we are very proud of,” Mike Rolph, building and planning services director, told a recent municipal council meeting.

In 1956, the Exeter Kinsmen Midgets U18 team became Ontario Baseball Champions — a first for a team from Exeter. 70 years later, four of the players who were on that groundbreaking squad were welcomed to Alvin Willert Field on Wednesday, Sept. 23, to remember the achievement that inspired generations of local young athletes.