Welcome Home: New Alvinston Legion officially opens
Western University Photo
Branton claims five OUA medals
February 28, 2026
Barry Wright/The Independent
Shona Branton completed a career grand slam in the 50-metre breaststroke final at the OUA swimming championships in Toronto on the weekend.
The Port Lambton swimmer, representing Western, won the event for the fourth straight season with a time of 31.01 seconds.
She also won the 100-metre breaststroke in 1:06.19 and was part of an OUA record-setting performance for the Mustangs in the 4×50-metre medley final in a time of 1:49.67
The former Sarnia Rapids athlete also won silver medals in the 200-metre breaststroke final and the 4×100-metre medley.
“It felt great – especially in the 200 breaststroke, it’s been a race I struggled with a lot mentally for a few years so to be able to not only win but also get the OUA record really meant a lot,” Branton was quoted as saying in a Western University story.
For her stellar four-year career at Western, Branton received the OUA award of distinction.
She now advances to the U Sports championship at the Pan Am Centre in Markham March 12-14.
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Welcome Home: New Alvinston Legion officially opens
June 12, 2026
Blake Ellis/The Independent “I would like to welcome you to our new home,” said Alvinston Legion Branch President Jack MacDonald. After 56 years at its River Street location, the Alvinston Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion moved into its new home on Nauvoo Road at the beginning of 2026. The Branch 249 made it official with a grand opening celebration
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Plan calls for 1K of new affordable/supportive homes
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Heather Wright/The Independent Lambton County needs 1,096 affordable and specialized housing units in the next 10 years. That from Org Code Consulting which presented a 10-year Housing Plan for the county at Wednesday’s county council meeting. “Affordability concerns are now affecting more people, with rents rising between 38 and 42 per cent since 2020 and deeply affordable housing is also
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Lancer trio place second in Novice Girls category at OFSAA
June 12, 2026
Heather Wright/The Independent The future of track and field at LCCVI is in good hands after three members of the Novice Girls’ Team placed second overall at the provincial championship. Kallee Elliott, Rayah Minten and Jaylen Helps scored 30 points with their four medals, just one point behind Scholard Hall from North Bay for the Novice Girls Team championship. Track
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LCCVI celebrates the Class of 2026
June 12, 2026
The Independent Parents and friends packed Bradshaw Hall at LCCVI to honour the Class of 2026 Thursday. About 200 students crossed the stage ahead of exam week during the two-hour ceremony. Principal Rhonda Leystra compared the graduates school experience to the growth of a tree, with the high school years as a time to grow and expand. “You have matured,”
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