LOCAL HEADLINES

While many delegates at the Sept. 8 Stratford city council meeting agreed that the Rotary Complex was not a good location for a shelter, nearly all of them acknowledged that something must be done.

Amid rumours that the trustee-system will soon become a thing of the past, trustee Michael Bannerman, chair of the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB)’s board of trustees, warned that uncharted territory is before them.

Wilmot council will likely disband the volunteer-based committee that has organized and run the annual Wilmot Canada Day event for the past two years in favour of a staff-led approach.

Speed-camera programs are stirring controversy across Ontario, with Premier Doug Ford threatening to scrap them entirely and a growing wave of vandalism targeting the devices.

A motion to build the town’s new hall on vacant town-owned property at the corner of Brock and Harvey Streets was defeated by a narrow 4-3 margin.

A St. Marys mother has transformed her son’s eczema struggles into inspiration for a new venture, launching Stonetown Tallow to offer beef tallow skincare as a natural alternative to chemical-heavy products.

The St. Marys Museum is extending its mission beyond exhibits, offering a mix of community events and programs that drew large crowds this summer and are expected to continue through the fall.

It was a full-on ‘70s theme as Science Hill Country Club celebrated its 50th anniversary with a retro golf scramble tournament on Saturday, Sept. 6.

The Afro-CariBrant Festival returned this past weekend, bigger and stronger than ever, expanding from a one-day celebration in its first two years to a two-day cultural showcase in 2025. Organizers say the growth is proof of the community’s embrace of the event, which celebrates the African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) culture through music, food, art and storytelling. In 2024, the festival drew 4,022 attendees. This year, attendance records were broken on opening day alone.

This year’s International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD)’s theme was “one big family, driven by hope.” As Holly Smith, director of clinical programs at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Huron Perth, told a crowd that gathered on the front steps of Stratford City Hall on Aug. 29, that highlights the huge impact overdose has on individuals and on families and communities.

Mayor Martin Ritsma joined local families outside Stratford City Hall on Sept. 2 to raise the Childhood Cancer Awareness flag and proclaim September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the city.

Significant disruptions in mail delivery services have been caused by the ongoing dispute between Canada Post and Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) while the two parties attempt negotiations for a new contract.

In the London and Area Women’s Soccer League (LAWSL) action, Goderich Tempest captured the First Division Cup with a 4-3 victory over St. Thomas at the North London Soccer Complex.

Oxford Tourism is attempting to make planning a trip to Oxford County easier with the newly revamped Tour Oxford website.

The Oxford Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is investigating the discovery of human remains in South-West Oxford Township.

Charlotte Bolton will be seeking shot put and discus personal bests at the end of the month in New Delhi, India.

He could have been a grape grower, or he could have been a winemaker. Instead, Greg Yemen chose option three: Both.

St. Marys council has put its stamp of approval on a master plan that will see the town spend an estimated $4.06 million to renovate the former Mercury Theatre building at 14 Church St. N into what staff are calling a multi-generational community hub.

The St. Marys singer-songwriter duo, York Street Thought Process, recently had the chance to have their live-music sessions filmed at a local landmark.

August 31st is the annual International Overdose Awareness Day. Mayor Al Strathdee and outreach worker Jade Orquin were on hand as a moment of silence was observed and a flag was raised to remember those that we have lost to overdose.