LOCAL HEADLINES

On November 16, just over 100 people gathered to celebrate Lynnwood Arts’ 50th anniversary.

Norfolk resident Jessica Durka has undergone some tough times in the last few years and knew she wanted to do something.

Remembrance Day services were held in Simcoe, Waterford, Delhi, Fairground (Houghton), Port Rowan, St. Williams, and Port Dover.

Their forests may be a point of pride for Norfolk County officials, but councillors have turned down an opportunity to join a national database on protected forests. Despite some interest, councillors at the Nov. 13 council-in-committee meeting voted against a report, and a follow up amended motion, that would have seen some or all of the forested area that’s owned and managed by Norfolk County entered into the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas database.

Many would say exercise is a four-letter word… unless you’ve discovered one of the newest additions to your workout options. Located at 127 Woodley Road is a very interesting structure that catches your attention the instant you see it. Inhale Exhale Move is the brain child of Hilary Anderson, a therapeutic level yoga teacher whose studio is a one-of-a kind Geodome. “We love Waterford and wanted to find the right spot,” said Anderson. “We looked for years and found this sma

Waterford Wolves senior girls managed to hold off the Valley Heights Bears 19-16 on Oct. 24 in what was the closest AABHN basketball game of the season for both teams. “Too close for comfort,” said Waterford District High School coach Jason Mayo, who admitted there was a bit of stress during the final minutes. “Very proud of both teams for just playing their hardest and giving their all. They did great – both sides.”

The Lynn Valley Voices have been rehearsing since September for their upcoming Advent concert, “Wintersong,” which will be presented in two locations in Norfolk County this holiday season. Janice Ketchen, founder and director of the 23-voice ensemble, says they will be sharing some beautiful, relaxing holiday music in anticipation of the busy Christmas season. “Advent is a time for peace and reflection leading up to Christmas, so the music we are presenting is full of image

Sometimes no news is good news. Year two of an agreement between the county and private landowners to provide beach access in Port Dover was described in a staff report as “uneventful” and a success, leading them to recommend continuing the agreement. In 2023 the county entered into lease agreements with the largest private landowners of Port Dover Beach to provide space for the public to go in the summer and formalize what had been

Holy Trinity girls basketball teams have been lights out this season in the AA Brant Haldimand Norfolk league. “I’ve been coaching both junior and senior girls (basketball) for about seven-eight years, ever since I’ve been at HT,” Holy Trinity coach Nick Flynn after a 64-12 junior win against Simcoe Composite School and 41-19 senior win. “We’ve had some pretty good teams… and there’s been some continuity, people know what to expect when they come through. Both Titans basket

You don’t need to cross the border to experience the rich flavours of authentic Mexican cuisine - just visit the heart of Simcoe and discover So Mexican Eatery. Offering a true taste of Mexico, this local gem has quickly become a favourite for those seeking vibrant, flavourful dishes made from the freshest ingredients. The journey of So Mexican Eatery began with owner Vera Mandes de Lores, who moved to Simcoe from Portugal in 2003. After building a life in the community, me

The annual Norfolk Literary Prize awards ceremony was held Friday, Nov. 1 at the St. Williams Community Centre. “Tonight, we recognize more than just literary achievement, we celebrate the transformative power of the written word,” said Julie Kent, Norfolk Count Public Library CEO. “Each of you who submitted to the Norfolk Literary Prize has taken a courageous step. You have channeled your thoughts, experiences, and creativity into stories and poems that not only reveal some

Years after it was closed to vehicular traffic and months after a fallen tree fully doomed it, the Porter Bridge could be getting replaced, though the replacement could potentially be familiar to any local pontists out there. Norfolk councillors have asked staff to look at the possibility of using the Concession 3 bridge as a replacement for the Marburg Road b

Work is ongoing to better understand, and ultimately mitigate, erosion along a section of Lake Erie’s north shore that includes parts of Norfolk County. Councillors will also be considering continuing support of the project, which includes work along the shorelines of several neighbouring communities. At the Nov. 13 council-in-committee meeting Sarah Emons, a conservation director at the Long Point Biosphere Region, provided councillors with an update the North Shore Resilie

In today’s society where the majority of Canadians live in urban centres and no longer have a connection to rural areas, more is lost than just a connection to the land. Not that long ago, many of the people living in cities were only a generation or two away from rural living. They had parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles, who lived on the farm or were hunters and anglers living in rural areas. If they didn’t know about wild game and fishing, they knew about grass-fed bee

This year’s Rotary Club of Simcoe Holiday House Tour features six locations – old and new – in the Norfolk communities of Port Rowan, Long Point and South Walsingham. On Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8, the public is invited to visit a Georgian-style home built in the 1830s by prominent businessman John Henry Killmaster. It was purchased in the 1990s and lovingly restored.

Get your jingle bells and hot chocolate ready, it’s the season for Christmas parades in Norfolk County. Delhi BIA’s annual Santa Claus Parade is Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. Parade applications can be received by emailing parade chair Brandon Marques (bmarques25@outlook.com). Entries have included businesses, sports teams, churches, schools, etc.

Long-awaited renovations to a 76-year-old Simcoe elementary school should pick up steam now that the province has signed off on the project. Elgin Avenue Public School has been closed since July, with work crews removing asbestos while the Grand Erie District School Board waited for Ministry of Education approval for a 17,000-square-foot addition. The new space will include four classrooms - including two Kindergarten rooms - next to a child-care and EarlyON centre, along w

Homelessness is on the rise in Norfolk County. But while a tent encampment in Simcoe made headlines over the summer, advocates say there is still hope of a turnaround. “It is a crisis, but in Norfolk County we have an opportunity to try and solve this while it’s still relatively small,” said Virginia Lucas of Church Out Serving, a Christian charity that runs an overnight warming centre out of a downtown Simcoe church. “Yes, it’s growing,” Lucas said of the number of reside

What is a Veteran? Gene Castagnetti has described Veterans, whether active duty, discharged, retired or reserve, as someone who, at one point in their life wrote a blank check made payable to their country ‘for an amount, up to and including their life.’ It seems that no matter the weather there is always a good turnout for the Waterford Legion Remembrance Day Services and wreath laying and this year was no exception. The long-standing service has been held since 1928 and i

Emma Richard awoke to the sound of her mother screaming. She ran down the stairs to find a police officer comforting the distraught woman in the family’s living room. Confused, Richard asked her mother what was wrong. “And she said, ‘Daddy died,’” Richard told justice of the peace Audrey Greene Summers during an August 21 court hearing in Simcoe into the death of Richard’s father, Junior Romain Richard, a fleet truck operator with Waterford-based waste collection company N