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Heather Wright/The Independent The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority says it needs a nearly six per cent increase in funding in 2025. And that’s not sitting well with some members of the board. Ken Phillips, general manager of the conservation authority, gave the board members preliminary estimates for the 2025 document Thursday. This year, the authority is spending $11,231,089 with

Heather Wright/The Independent A coalition of Forest businesses, community groups, artists and gardeners believe turning King Street into a one-way thoroughfare could improve the fortunes of the downtown. Glen VanValkenburg pitched the idea to Lambton Shores council recently saying they group wants the downtown to become a focal point for the arts.  “This proposal was started years ago, but was

Blake Ellis/The Independent The hall at the Camlachie Community Centre will be now known as Napper Hall.  Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Gary Atkinson made the announcement at an event to honour his predecessor, former Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Lonny Napper, on Oct. 1.  The event was a surprise planned by the municipality. Many mayors and council members from municipalities throughout Lambton County gave Napper

There are more police patrolling Grand Bend this weekend to try to stop some unwanted visitors from causing issues. Lambton Shores officials say an unsanctioned car rally is being planned in the community this weekend. It’s the same rally which has caused headaches in other beach towns in Ontario. Alex Boughen, the municipality’s manager of communication, says Lambton Shores became

New website urges residents to ‘Be Part of the Solution’ Cathy Dobson/For The Independent “We know the status quo is not acceptable…we are confident we can come up with a made-in-Sarnia solution,” says Michael John Kooy. He is one of the organizers of the forum organized by the Rotary Club. The Dante Club was packed Tuesday with about 350 people

Lambton OPP seem to have pinpointed a time vandals painted four PRIDE crosswalks in Petrolia. Lambton OPP has been investigating after crosswalks at Victoria Hall, LCCVI, Queen Elizabeth II School and Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital were painted white. Some of the sidewalks were also marked with a stencil saying Fear God in black capital letters. Lambton OPP ask that any

Lambton Public Health is warning residents to take extra precaution against mosquito bites after officials say eastern equine encephalitis virus has been reported in a horse in Lambton County. Public health officials say like West Nile virus, EEEV is typically found in wild birds and mosquitoes, but can be spread to horses and, in rare cases, humans, through an infected

Sidewalks covered in white paint; some bore “Fear God” stencil Heather Wright/The Independent Laurie Taylor had to come to LCCVI to see it for herself. The Petrolia woman stood crying at the PRIDE sidewalk at LCCVI, frustrated, angry and sad to see that overnight someone had used what appeared to be a roller and some white paint to cover the

The Independent The Independent of Petrolia and Central Lambton has won four national awards at the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. Newspapers of similar circulation size compete against each other and are judged by a panel of industry experts in 27 categories. There were nearly 800 entries this year. The Independent placed second in its division in the prestigious Best All-Around

Wind project generate $500,000 a year for Brooke-Alvinston Heather Wright/The Independent Peter Budd says the crunch is on for new power sources and municipal governments have a chance to make some cash. The representative of Venfor Inc – a team of developers and entrepreneurs with decades of experience in the Ontario electricity and natural gas sectors according to a filing

Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia is hoping the second time will be a charm. The town will again apply for the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund. The federal program was announced early in 2024 and early this summer Petrolia and Plympton-Wyoming and Warwick were shut out of funding which would have allowed the municipalities to attract more affordable housing investment in

Heather Wright/The Independent Norm Sutherland wants Petrolia to honour its musical history. He’s written a letter to town council asking if it will consider erecting a plaque at the new bandshell, built as a legacy project during the town’s 150th anniversary. “Mr. Percie Cox, musical director of the Petrolia White Rose Band and teacher of almost all of the youngsters