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The Independent The Royal Canadian Legion is 100 years old today. After the First World War, a number of associations serving veterans – Amputation Association of the Great War and the Tuberculous Veterans’ Association and the largest of the groups was the Great War Veterans’ Association – merged at the urging of Field Marshal Earl Haig, founder of the British Legion

Black Gold Fest in Oil Springs among cancellations The Independent If you’re heading out to an event this weekend, you might want to check to see if it is still on. A number of events have been cancelled for the weekend because of poor air quality in Lambton from wildfire smoke. In Petrolia, town officials have cancelled the Saturday morning

The Independent Sarnia firefighters helped a person who ended up in a garbage truck. Around 6 am Friday, firefighters responded to a report of a person trapped in a garbage truck. The person had been sleeping in a dumpster when it was emptied into the truck. Officials say fell into the nearly empty hopper and hurt their lower back. Firefighters

Blake Ellis/The Independent People living on Cameron Road don’t want to see a unique bridge crossing the Sydenham River closed. But fixing it could cause financial headaches for the Municipality of Brooke-Alvinston. Recently, BM Ross Consulting looked at the Cameron Road Bridge as part of the community’s regular bridge maintenance inspections. It recommended between $1.25 million and $2 million in

Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia councillors have extended the medical leave of one of their own until at least November. Ross O’Hara has been on medical leave since April, after attending only one meeting in 2026. The Petrolia-born O’Hara was first elected as a councillor in 1986. He spent 18 years on town council, the last nine years as mayor, before

Heather Wright/The Independent Lambton County’s skies are smokier Thursday as the wind shifts blowing smoke from wildfires in Northern Ontario to our region. The smoke moved into southern Ontario Wednesday, causing hazy skies and health concerns. Environment Canada has issued an Orange Air Quality Alert saying during heavy smoke conditions, everyone’s health is at risk regardless of their age or

$2.5 million raised for elevator project Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia council has given the green light to prepare to tender the $3.7 million additions to Victoria Hall. That could pave the way for construction on the first of two elevators and public washrooms possibly before the end of the year. In 2023, council gave Victoria Playhouse Petrolia approval to begin

Cathy Dobson/Local Journalism Initiative Ontario’s Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce was in Sarnia Wednesday rallying support for a new all-Canadian pipeline from Alberta to Ontario that would remove dependency on the U.S. for crude oil delivery.  The 3,300-kilometre Northern Shield Energy Corridor is proposed from Hardisty Alberta to Sarnia-Lambton’s refining hub, and would travel through Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern

The Independent Plympton-Wyoming has an open air burn ban in effect. The town’s Open Air Burn bylaw says burning isn’t allowed on poor air quality or smog days. Environment Canada has issued an orange air quality warning because of the smoke from wildfires in Northern Ontario. Officials say smoke from an open fire can further degrade the air quality. Town

Second mayoralty candidate in Brooke-Alvinston Heather Wright/The Independent A former LCCVI principal has thrown his hat into the ring for Petrolia council. Greg Nemcek filed to run for a councillor’s position Monday. Nemcek retired last year and currently is the chair of the Lambton OPP Detatchment Group board. He’s one of five people running for the councillor seats – only

Heather Wright/The Independent Three giant domes near Courtright’s CF Industries could be the solution to Ontario’s power needs. That’s according to Nick Didomenico of Originative Energy Solutions. It’s a partnership of five experts who have developed everything from natural gas power plants to wind farms. But Didomenico says the group has turned to a solution from Italy which uses CO2

Heather Wright/The Independent Peter Pickfield says WM hasn’t addressed all of Warwick Township’s concerns about the expansion of the site and the Ministry of the Environment should be taking action to deal with the issues. Pickfield heads up the township’s peer review team which has been monitoring the landfill for the municipality since it opened 15 years ago. Now WM