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Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia is hoping a new business will call the former ScotiaBank building home in 2025. In March, the bank closed the historic branch. The Bank of Nova Scotia had been on Petrolia’s main street since 1911.  The town expressed its frustration with the closure, but later struck a deal to purchase the building for $200,000. Mayor Brad

A Friday afternoon crash south of Port Franks has lead to impaired driving charges. Lambton OPP were called to a single vehicle crash on Haig Line at Blain Road around 1: 20 pm. The driver wasn’t injured. Police have charged a London man with two impaired driving charges. The drivers’ license was suspended and the vehicle has been impounded for

With the giant snowstorm in cottage country top of mind, the OPP is issuing its annual warning to be prepared for anything when you head out on the roads this winter. OPP say drivers should expect and prepare for the unexpected. Police suggest: More winter driving safety tips can be found at :http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/winterdrive/winterdrive.shtml).

An Enniskillen man is facing charges after an accident in Wyoming. Lambton OPP say around 10:50 pm Friday officers were called to Broadway Street to investigate a two-vehicle crash. No one was injured. A 33 year-old from Enniskillen Township faces two impaired driving charges and one charge of dangerous operation of a vehicle. Officer also suspended the drivers licence for

Heather Wright/The Independent Lambton County is backing a call to improve rural roads to reduce the risk of accidents. Scott Butler, executive director of the Good Roads Association, says in 2023, there were 616 people killed in Ontario and over 36,000 injured. That number is up 20 per cent in the last 10 years. Of the people who were killed

Ukrainian family makes Petrolia their permanent home Cathy Dobson/The Independent Petrolia’s Zelenchuk family do not want to return to Ukraine, even if the war miraculously ended today in their homeland. They say they want to remain in small-town Ontario, far away from the city of Lviv where they spent most of their lives. Petrolia is a place that feels safe,

Heather Wright/The Independent The big question residents have about a roundabout at London Line and Forest Road is when will it be built. Lambton County started looking at the corner after both the public and the politicians raised concerns in 2021. Watford’s Bob Hollingsworth died in a crash at the corner in September 2020. Then, in 2021, a motorcyclist was

Heather Wright/The Independent The average Petrolia homeowner will pay about $97 more in municipal taxes this year. But its the increase in their water rates which might be most noticeable. Petrolia council spent Nov. 26 reviewing the 2025 budget prepared by CAO Rick Charlebois and his staff.  Councillors approved a three per cent increase in taxes which will mean about

Heather Wright/The Independent Lambton County will spend about $20,000 to improve four intersections along Courtright Line. There have been several calls to improve safety along Courtright Line after a number of accidents in the last two years. Most recently, two people died on the Thanksgiving Weekend at the corner of Courtright and Mandaumin Line.  That prompted Kailey Dalgety to start

Lambton OPP have charged a Sarnia woman after the theft of a trailer from Warwick Township. Police received word early in November that the 2023 Salem camper had been stolen. It’s worth about $80,000. Tuesday, police executed a search warrant on Plank Road and found the trailer. Danielle Smith, 27, of Sarnia has been charged with possession of stolen property.

Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia Councillor Liz Welsh says it’s high time volunteer firefighters had a proper decontamination room at the Petrolia/North Enniskillen fire department. And she, and town council, are looking into financing to build the enhanced washroom in 2025. For years, the department’s leadership has been placing a washroom with showers into their budget only to have it turned

Heather Wright/The Independent Dawn-Euphemia is on the hook for over $30,000 in demolition costs for the former Florence high school. A year ago, on Nov. 3, residents walking by noticed pieces of the building looked ready to collapse and had the potential to injury people. They called the municipality and by that evening, a contractor was called in to bring