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Heather Wright/The Independent When Abraham Smith and his wife, Anna Hoy, arrived on the shores of the St. Clair River, there was nothing but trees which blocked out the sun. The couple landed around what we now know as the St. Clair Parkway and Smith Line in 1820, along with two children and another family, and settled in the area.

Heather Wright/The Independent Harold Snary stands under a tree in the postal village of Croton. Those standing with him see a new, siding-clad school and church, a few homes and the traffic whizzing down Oakdale Road. At the corner of Oakdale and Croton Road, they might notice the building which used to be the general store. For most, this 39-person

Heather Wright/The Independent Almost 700 acres of land along the Sydenham River, including some in Petrolia and Wawrick, will be recognized as conservation lands in Ontario. It’s part of an international plan to protect 30 per cent of the earth’s land and sea by 2030. Tim Payne, manager of forests for the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority, was contacted by

The Independent Farmers severing a house from their land won’t have to pay a park land fee in Plympton-Wyoming. The idea came up for discussion at June 30 council meeting after the Committee of Adjustment suggested the town consider the idea. Developers of subdivisons must provide park land or pay a fee in lieu of land. Farmers severing homes don’t

The Independent The parking lot of the East Lambton Community Complex was transformed into a beach on Sunday, as the East Lambton YMCA held its Teen Beach Bump Volleyball Tournament in partnership with the Watford Optimist Club. The Flaming Flamingos won in the 13 to 15 age division while the Sand Spikers captured the 16 to 18 age division.  The

Cathy Dobson/The Independent Harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens may have a vast list of accomplishments already but says that being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada is his greatest moment yet. It is certainly the most humbling, says Stevens who grew up in Sarnia and now lives in Point Edward. When he received the call recently to ask if

Heather Wright/The Independent A year and a half after Brooke-Alvinston council gave up the battle to save Campbell House from demolition, it’s still standing. And officials with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority says it probably will be until at least the fall. The fate of the historic farm house at Alvinston’s AW Campbell Conservation Area has been hanging in

The Independent A 12 year-old known for his kind heart and being a role model to others died in an ATV accident in Dresden. Chatham-Kent Police, Dresden firefighters and paramedics were called to a Dresden property just after 8 pm July 3 after three boys crashed. One was “injured and not responsive.” Police say officers on the scene, Kyle Merrit

Heather Wright/The Independent Lambton Shores council has approved plans for a private, paid parking lot in Ipperwash. The owners of the DeJong Grand Bend Clothing want to use their 50-spot parking lot to generate revenue. Lambton Shores planners didn’t recommend it saying there is parking in the area. Officials added the lot, which fronts onto the beach, is partly in

Blake Ellis/The Independent Myles Vanni says the Alvinston community has been very supportive of Lambton Scouts building water wells in Uganda.  Vanni was the guest speaker at the Canada Day Ecumenical church service held at the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood community centre. Vanni has made five trips to Uganda where Scouts helped to give villages clean drinking water. “Fresh water is so critical

Heather Wright/The Independent The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority and local cattlemen have reached an agreement for 187 acres of land to create a community pasture. About 30 members of the Lambton Cattlemens’ Association expressed an interest in the idea of a large pasture area managed by an association with a feed per head of cattle. There are 11 community

Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia’s mayor won’t be using some of the new powers he received under the Strong Mayors Act. In the spring, 170 mayors in smaller municipalities were given the power to hire and fire the chief administrative officer and senior staff, propose a municipal budget and veto bylaws they believe will go against the provincial priorities such as