Kayaker missing near Grand Bend
Travis Thompson of Florence proudly displays his championship pumpkin at the Brigden Fair this weekend. It weighed in at 1,544 pounds. He grew the pumpkin from special seeds he acquired from the Giant Vegetable Growers Club of Ontario. Thompson says seeds from the prize-winning pumpkin will be harvested and made available to those who wish to grow their own mammoth gourd.
Bonnie Stevenson Photo
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Kayaker missing near Grand Bend
September 5, 2026
The Independent The search continues tonight for a lost boater. Saturday, OPP received a report of an overdue boater near Grand Bend. By 7:40 pm that evening, police said search crews were looking for a man who was last seen in a solid blue kayak. Police say he was wearing a yellow life jacket. OPP are actively searching for the
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Over $8 million in Illegal tobacco, nicotine pouches seized at Bluewater Bridge
September 4, 2026
The Independent Over $13.8 million of illegal tobacco products have been seized at southern Ontario border crossings – including the Bluewater Bridge – in August. Canada Border Services Agency officers say the seizures were “significant quantities in commercial shipments” from the US. Officials say the cash generated from the illegal tobacco trade is often used to support and expand other
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Going down: Petrolia’s water intake pipe placed next week at Bright’s Grove plant
September 4, 2026
Heather Wright/The Independent It is a moment Amanda Pepping – and a lot of people at Town Hall in Petrolia – have been waiting for. Pepping is a senior project manager at CIMA+ in charge of the $16 million replacement of the water intake at Petrolia’s historic – and still active – water treatment plant in Bright’s Grove. The moment
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A Knight to remember in Watford
September 4, 2026
Blake Ellis/The Independent He would have liked the ‘W’ but Evan Van Gorp was happy to be home. He and the London Knights were in Watford Saturday for an OHL exhibition game against Erie – a fundraiser for theAlvinston arena floor renovations. “It is great to play in front of them, unfortunately we weren’t able to get the win,” said
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