LOCAL HEADLINES

The South Huron Hospital Auxiliary’s popular rummage sale is set to return this spring, continuing a long-standing community tradition that supports patient care at South Huron Hospital. The large annual sale will take place at the South Huron Recreation Centre arena floor on Friday, May 29, from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 30, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Donations are being accepted on Thursday, May 28, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the South Huron Recreation Centre’s Zam

There’s no doubt that there are those who might think starting a new newspaper in 2026 is a strange choice in this modern digital world. But when I took to social media to announce that the first issue of the Exeter Examiner was available, I received a reminder of why it’s more important than ever to have locally owned and staffed newspapers — especially in a small community like ours.

Huron County council has approved its 2026 budget, omitting the proposed roundabout at County Road 83 and Airport Line despite warnings that the county could be liable if someone is injured at the busy intersection.

Thousands of snowy-white tundra swans announce their arrival each year around the final weeks of winter, and their presence is heralded as a promise of spring. The chatty birds communicate with others flying in their group with honking or bugling sounds.

Three dogs are still one too many in a South Huron household. After debating a staff report suggesting South Huron’s animal control bylaw be revised to allow three dogs per dwelling, council voted to stick with the current limit.

South Huron will lose its representation on the local conservation authority under the Ontario government’s latest consolidation plan. The same goes for other municipal councils such as Bluewater, Huron East and Lucan Biddulph.

An annual craft show in Lucan is ramping up for another year of welcoming a diverse slate of artisans to the community, continuing its decade-long tradition of being a space for crafters to find their footing in the sometimes overwhelming realm of shows. Held on Mother’s Day weekend each year, the Not Your Mother’s Craft Show is organized by Sheena and Dave Clark, who have lived in Lucan for 21 years.

Residents and visitors in Lambton Shores now have a new option for getting around, thanks to a locally built transportation service with a focus on reliability, community and connection. Launched in mid-February, Dabs Cabs is a Grand Bend-based taxi and shuttle service founded by Robert Latta and his partner, Yasmine Kennedy, who have called the area home for the past three years.

Council remuneration reported The total bill for South Huron councillor pay and expenses in 2025 came to $213,166, up from $208,057 in 2024.

South Huron residents will get a break on their utility bill — at least for a while. In a split vote, council approved dropping the residential recycling fee of $47.68 a year, effective March 1 this year. But the reduction might not last long and future utility bill charges could end up going higher.

The rivalries may already be getting intense, but the experience will all be in good fun as the community comes together in support of a good cause. The third annual charity hockey tournament will be back in at the South Huron Recreation Centre April 9, bringing together six teams from local businesses to raise funds and collect food donations for the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre.

The Exeter Hawks’ playoff run came to an end in round two as they were eliminated by the Mount Brydges Bulldogs, closing the book on their season.

After dropping slightly in 2024, farmland values continued their upward climb in Huron County last year, according to the latest report by real estate appraisal firm Valco Consultants.

A new farm market in Lucan is looking forward to a year of expansion and growth as it aims to bring high-quality products from its own farm to the region.

Ontario soybean farmers are watching global trade negotiations closely as uncertainty around exports — particularly to China — adds to price pressure in a market already facing strong global crop supplies. Brazil is expected to have a record soybean harvest in 2026, a development that analysts say will weigh on prices worldwide.

For more than 25 years, chef James Eddington has built his restaurant around a simple idea: the best meals start close to home.

The Hayter name is one most in the region will recognize, but Canadians from coast to coast are now learning it as they find their turkey products in their grocery stores. Founded in 1948 by Harry and Frieda Hayter, the turkey farm based in Dashwood has remained in the family’s hands ever since, with their son, Tom, serving as president of Hayter’s Turkey Farms, while their daughter, Joanne Maguire, is president of Hayter’s Turkey Products.

A strong turnout from the local community filled the South Huron Recreation Centre on Feb. 11 for a screening of “We Lend a Hand: The Forgotten Story of Ontario Farmerettes,” a documentary rooted in Ontario history and closely connected to the Exeter area.

Teresa Van Raay is looking ahead to three more years of advocacy on behalf of the province’s farmers. Van Raay, a Dashwood native, was re-elected as an Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) director- at-large in November 2025, beginning her third three-year term with the organization.

Local maple syrup farms are ending the season on a high note despite inconsistent and unpredictable weather at the beginning of March.