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There are still some big questions for municipalities that depend on the OPP for policing. The OPP is in the middle of reworking the way it charges communities for the work officers do. The province and OPP recently announced the new scheme will see municipalities pay a base amount for crime prevention, officer training and administrative duties making up about

  If you’ve seen an unusual bird in the skies of Petrolia, it may not have been a bird at all. Remote controlled drones equipped with cameras are becoming more popular and they’re being seen in the skies in Petrolia and Central Lambton. When the Town of Petrolia was inspecting the water tower, they didn’t have to send people into

Megan McGrail and Olivia Wainwright have become fast friends during a cultural exchange over the summer.   Olivia Wainwright has seen mosquitoes before but not like the mosquitoes in Canada. Wainwright, who is from Switzerland, is part of an international exchange with Megan McGrail of Wyoming. The 16 year-olds spent three-weeks in each other’s homes, practicing their French and English

The Petrolia/North Enniskillen Fire Department has struck oil; but it’s not a good thing. The local firefighters association has been planning a new fire training centre and historic center behind the Petrolia fire hall on Centre Street. Construction on the $170,000 project was expected to begin in July, but so far only the asphalt on the parking lot has been

You can learn about the remarkable people who have shaped Petrolia. The Petrolia Heritage Committee is once again holding Walk Into the Past at Hillsdale Cemetery Sat. Sept. 13. It’s the second time the group has hosted the event which includes a walking tour of some of the historic gravestones and members of Petrolia Community Theatre telling historically accurate stories

Petrolia has hired a retired OPP officer with experience in conflict resolution to be the town’s next bylaw enforcement. In July, town council ended its contract with the Municipal Enforcement Unit. Officials at the time said they wanted a “friendly” approach to bylaw enforcement. Retiring OPP Sgt. Kerry Bedard was sworn in as the new bylaw officer Monday night after

Lambton-Middlesex-MPP Monte McNaughton is touring the province gauging support for a run for the leadership of the Ontario Conservative Party. Tory leader Tim Hudak resigned on election night after Premier Kathleen Wynne was reelected to a majority government. That led to speculation about who might lead the Conservatives next. At press time, Whitby-Oshawa MPP Christine Elliott is the only declared

Petrolia will ask Lambton County to help stop the convoy of transport trucks heading through downtown Petrolia. Petrolia Line – a county road dissecting Lambton County – runs right through the historic downtown. For years, local politicians have voiced concerns about the safety of large transports in the downtown saying they may not be able to stop for pedestrians as

A fundraiser planned for the Wyoming to Reece’s Corners Trail has been cancelled. A second Block Party was being planned for Aug. 23, but Plympton-Wyoming Councilor Muriel Wright – a member of the organizing committee – says in a letter to council signed by the committee members says the delay in a trail committee meeting “effectively put the planning for

Bonnie Stevenson The Independent After 100 years of enjoying life, Doris Gibson is still ready to celebrate life. Doris, a resident at Albany Retirement Village, celebrated her centennial birthday on Aug. 1 with a big afternoon party in the facility’s dining room attended by a happy crowd of friends and family. Doris and her husband, Fred, went to school together

Two buildings in Petrolia’s downtown core have been demolished to make way for new medical office buildings. Dr. Mike Hoben of Petrolia Dentistry owed the former dry cleaning building and the brick building on Albany Street and recently hired a crew demolish them and clear the land to make way for his new, one-storey dental building. Hoben says he has

  If you’ve ever wanted an up close look at the moon and the stars, Saturday may be your night. The Petrolia Optimists are sponsoring Stargazing at the Discovery. Starting at 7:30 there will be a family friendly movie and following that the Royal Astronomical Society will be present with telescopes for stargazing. Optimist spokesman Ted Gravelle says on a