This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 1 month agoDuration 2:29Amherstburg residents out of options to remove 'inappropriate' lawn ornament1 month agoNewsDuration 2:29A lawn ornament on an Amherstburg lawn is raising some eyebrows and some outrage. Trump film tariff threat is ‘very troubling,’ ACTRA national president saysCBC News |18 minutes agoTrending NowVideo2:17 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video11:28 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |9 hours agoVideo1:19 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem WindsorNewsAmherstburg asks province to be removed from strong mayor powers expansionBy Robert LothianUpdated: April 15, 2025 at 8:17AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved And while some councillors expressed disappointment with how the City of Windsor recently announced it wanted out of a current policing contract that ends in 2028 a town meeting last week heard a renewal of that policing agreement is still one of the options being eyed Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience At the time council was advised in February the Windsor Police Service wanted out of an agreement that saw it take over policing from the town’s own service in January 2019 councillors indicated they were never given the reason for its decision A notice of motion just to have staff look into the cost of hiring a consultant to explore what a regional police service would cost was roundly defeated In addition to an OPP contract or renegotiated Windsor agreement Amherstburg was also exploring a merger with neighbouring LaSalle Police Service By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Several councillors last week voiced displeasure with the way Windsor announced it was terminating its policing contract Don McArthur said he “wasn’t particularly enamoured of the way the City of Windsor handled this “They sent us a letter that said ‘We want out,’ and then after they said they want out maybe we should renegotiate.’ I would have preferred it went the other way.”  Deputy mayor Chris Gibb said he was “a little bit soured” on the Windsor option and noted the town can still pursue policing from LaSalle Administration advised council it could not bail out of its current contract with Windsor before it runs out even  if the OPP could provide suitable police services before then “I find it a little disconcerting the way the city approached us with this,” Gibb said “It’s almost a situation of they’re not that into us the Town of Essex examined its policing services with the OPP at an April 7 council meeting Essex dropped its own police service in favour of the OPP in 2009 a move administration advised councillors resulted in savings of more than $1 million a year over the first five years of the contract OPP policing cost Essex $3,090,664 in 2024 That decline is attributed to the increase in population in the town Essex councillors were told Leamington went through a request for proposal (RFP) process for policing in 2020 The town was unhappy with the level of service and transparency it was getting from the OPP which has been policing the municipality since 2010 That RFP drew responses from the Chatham-Kent Police Service and the Windsor Police Service The Windsor Police Service was the preferred option Leamington initially cancelled its contract with the OPP in 2021 LaSalle has the highest policing costs in the county Essex respondents gave their overall satisfaction rate of 2.9 out of five Satisfaction with visibility had dropped to 2.5 from 2.8; information sharing had dropped to 2.7 from 2.9 and satisfaction with police working with the community dropped to 2.8 from 3.2 Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy pointed to a survey by Nanos Research survey showing a 95 per cent satisfaction rate in Tecumseh with its OPP service Lakeshore also has a high satisfaction with the OPP LaSalle is “not going to budge” from its own police force despite paying double what Essex pays Katie McGuire-Blais said she has had complaints from residents over the lack of visibility of OPP officers She said police are supposed to be patrolling on bicycles and ATVs Bondy said OPP visibility has increased following a recruitment drive following depleted resources after the COVID-19 pandemic “I do believe that they’re doing a better job Essex council voted to send a letter to the Essex County OPP Detachment Board–North requesting more community engagement Correction: The cost of police services are for each household bamacleod@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account leaving island residents stranded on the mainland Amico Properties is owner and developer of the island and owns and operates the Amherstburg Ferry Company says after Tuesday night's council meeting He says he showed up to the dock around 9:45 p.m. and had learned it had gone out of service shortly after 8 p.m "When I got there they said it would take a few hours so I just curled up in my car and fell asleep for a bit woke up four or five times during the night to turn the car on because it was cold they knocked on my window and said 'we'll take you now'," said Prue "So I spent my night on the streets." "A couple of cars were there before me and there was two or three cars after me that were in the line at 6:30 a.m. so maybe a dozen people spent the night in their car some had two or three people in them," Prue said Prue says the ferry company sends out emails as a way of communicating outages or downtime In March, the Town of Amherstburg served Amico notice stating the company was failing to meet its legal obligations to the town as it currently does not have a working backup ferry service raising safety concerns on the island with the town potentially not being able to respond to fire As a condition of development of Boblo Island the town said it secured two specific legal commitments to protect the interests of the community but owner Dominic Amicone raised more questions Prue said that he planned to meet with the town CAO on Wednesday afternoon to determine if they needed to engage their legal counsel because nobody's going to buy anything while this is going on is to have a second ferry," Prue said he could have pulled it into the adjacent dock put up the other ferry and ran all night." A spokesperson for Amico confirmed to AM800 News that the ferry is back up and running Immediate Need  The Family Interactive feature enhances An Amazing Life Authorized family members can securely access their loved one's memorial website settings at any time Please enter the name and email details so that we can send your friend a link to the online tribute No names or addresses will be collected by using this service Please enter your question or comment below: A receipt has been emailed to the address provided Agreement with Policy and Continued Use of Site We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Susan Elizabeth here so that the family and other loved ones can always see it and can even comment on those shared by others it will also remain on this memorial website in perpetuity PLEASE NOTE: The reproduction of any copyrighted images is forbidden without express written permission from the copyright holder any image in violation of any copyright laws you will receive two daily updates containing all new stories one week prior to the anniversary of death The email will only serve as a reminder should you choose to connect with the family at what will no doubt be a difficult time Please select your relationship to the deceased and add your email address before submitting Operated by Families First Funeral Home and Tribute Centre Inc Medical Officer of Health at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has issued a Boil Water Advisory for waterline system consumers serviced by the Amherstburg Water Distribution System County Rd 8 in Tecumseh from Walker to 13073 County Rd 8 County Rd 8 in Lasalle from 5791 County Rd 8 to Walker Rd 5791 County Rd 8 in Amherstburg east to 13073 County Rd 8(Old Malden Rd) in Essex Walker Rd in Amherstburg and in Essex from County Rd 8 to County Rd 10 14th Concession in Essex from Walker to 14689 14th Concession 13th Concession in Essex from Walker to 13396 13th Concession 12th Concession in Essex from Walker to 12380 12th Concession 11th Concession in Essex from Walker to North Malden Rd North Malden in Essex from Walker Sideroad to 12th Concession Walker Sideroad from North Malden to County Rd 8 Old Malden Rd from 12th Concession to 14th Concession County Rd 15 in Essex from 2065 County Rd 15 to County Rd 8 The reason for the boil water advisory is due to a water main break that led to a loss in water pressure throughout the distribution system The WECHU is working closely with the Amherstburg Public Works Department The boil water advisory measure will remain in place until system repairs are complete and satisfactory water sampling results are received For more information contact the Amherstburg Public Works Department at 519-736-3664. Consumers can also visit The Town of Amherstburg webpage at https://www.amherstburg.ca/en/Index.aspx for more information Download PDF Map Windsor Office  1005 Ouellette Avenue  Windsor Leamington Office  33 Princess Street  Leamington, ON N8H 5C5  Ph: (519) 326-5716 © Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, 2025    All rights reserved. Police said he was believed to be living in the Brampton area Investigators charged two 19-year-old men in March one from Brampton and the other from Mississauga It was the third time in 16 months that the same property had been the target of a deliberate fire who had obtained footage of three suspects running from the property carrying gasoline cans No physical injuries were reported during the Jan the fire caused an estimated $1-million in damage to the building and a neighbouring property The tally from all three fires at that same location — the first in September 2023 that caused nearly $4-million in damage to the home and a second property — totaled $6.6 million The second intentional blaze occurred the following September and caused an estimated $1.6 million in damage The Windsor police arson unit was able to obtain surveillance images of a third suspect wanted in connection to the incident Windsor police identified the Brampton man as the third suspect and shared a surveillance photo and description Pelia has been charged with arson causing damage to property possession of incendiary materials and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of arson jkotsis@postmedia.com WindsorNewsAmherstburg hears feedback on proposed residential towers at former high school siteBy Robert LothianPublished: April 30, 2025 at 6:02AM EDT The Town of Amherstburg and County of Essex are taking extra measures to deal with speeding complaints and safety concerns around St Speedsters were put on notice in December after Amherstburg council called for a report on establishing a community safety zone on Concession 3 North by River Canard The speed limit on Concession 3 North is 80 km/h but then drops to 50 km/h in the 800m leading up to County Road 8 Joseph Parish regarding safety concerns on nearby County Road 8 and South Riverview Street Concerns from the church included school buses using the church parking lot to turning around requesting a 20 km/h reduction in the 50 km/h speed limit on County Road 8 near the church and listed conflicts between traffic and parishioners crossing the road Councillor Diane Pouget said the area was difficult to navigate and then you have people coming out of the parking lot because it's a school safety zone," Pouget said Councillor Peter Courtney was in support of adding safety measures so this is good that there's something happening here for safety for all involved," Courtney said Councillor Donald McArthur said the town would ask the the county to conduct its own traffic study for possible future speed reductions but that the town would not wait to take action we can solve it tonight," McArthur said "We make it 40 km/h and that will be a beachhead that the county can then say if we want to be uniform Why you would stand on a heel and defend that it should be 50 km/h in front of a school and a church at an intersection like that is beyond me." Amherstburg council passed a number of measures:  The County of Essex previously agreed to complete the following items:  The Family Interactive feature enhances An Amazing Life. Authorized family members can securely access their loved one's memorial website settings at any time. Please enter the name and email details so that we can send your friend a link to the online tribute. No names or addresses will be collected by using this service. A receipt has been emailed to the address provided. A receipt may also be printed. We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Edward Paul here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. You can upload cherished photographs, or share your favorite stories, and can even comment on those shared by others. If you purchase a tribute gift, it will also remain on this memorial website in perpetuity, for future generations to see. PLEASE NOTE: The reproduction of any copyrighted images is forbidden without express written permission from the copyright holder. We reserve the right to delete, without warning or notice, any image in violation of any copyright laws. By subscribing to email updates, you will receive two daily updates containing all new stories, photos, condolences, and more. You will also receive a one-time email, one week prior to the anniversary of death. The email will only serve as a reminder should you choose to connect with the family at what will no doubt be a difficult time. Please select your relationship to the deceased and add your email address before submitting. 3260 Dougall Ave. Windsor, Ontario, Canada  N9E 1S61065 Lauzon Rd. Windsor, Ontario, Canada  N8S 3M8 Operated by Families First Funeral Home and Tribute Centre Inc. “This is the first time we’ve ever run into somebody putting up such an object,” said Mayor Michael Prue “It’s just a stone statue but it is very crude.” It’s been two months since the sculpture was first erected outside of the Texas Road home where it remains in plain view from the street in the otherwise quiet neighbourhood but said she was told there’s nothing officials can do “I think it’s inappropriate and I think it could be triggering to some people Despite knocking on the door two days in a row the Windsor Star could not reach the homeowner for comment the sculpture was dressed as the Easter Bunny With the road serving as a bus route for both elementary and secondary schools Carney expressed concern about the sculpture being visible to students who pass the house daily “As a parent I don’t think the kids on the bus need to see that,” Carney said “I don’t know why they felt the need to put that up whether they think its funny or whether it’s a statement I just don’t understand why somebody would put that up.” Without a bylaw restricting certain types of art on private properties “People are asked to use good taste when putting up a statue on their front lawn,” Prue said “I know the woman who complained is hugely upset but sometimes there are no laws for things Carney said a local bylaw officer told her that if she could find a clause in the Municipal Act addressing offensive items she might be able to get a municipal councillor’s support to introduce a new bylaw “I contacted a local councillor and asked for their help but I got the same answer as the bylaw officer the town plans to reach out to other municipalities to determine whether a solution exists elsewhere “I’m hoping that these people will be a good neighbour and just take it down,” Carney said “Don’t be the reason why we have to have a new bylaw “It would be nice if this would go away without further frustration because this is embarrassing.” The Mayor of Amherstburg and town councillors passed a motion on Monday night sending a message to the Ford government that they oppose the expansion of strong mayor powers The Ontario government recently announced it is looking to grant so-called strong mayor powers to leaders in 169 more municipalities Strong mayor powers allow heads of council to propose bylaws and pass them with the support of one-third of councillors veto bylaws and hire and fire department heads The province says expanding the powers starting May 1 will allow municipalities to build infrastructure and homes faster Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue said he opposed the powers "I ran in the last election and was asked whether I believed in strong mayor powers I don't believe that's necessary in a town like Amherstburg Resident Jen Deluca had three simple words when she stepped up to the podium in council chambers Resident Larry Amlin also did not agree with the strong mayor powers "We're suppose to be living in a democracy," Amlin said "A democracy where everybody gets a chance to speak I don't want you speaking by yourself." Councillor Peter Courtney said the fact that the province wants to push these powers onto more municipalities is concerning "The only thing we can do is all send in our responses in that a strong no and if it falls on deaf ears then we can all be very concerned about where our provincial leaders are taking our country and that's a whole other conversation," Courtney said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was granted strong mayor powers in 2023 Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy recently spoke out against the powers and said the town would be bringing forward a motion asking the province if they can opt-out -With files from AM800's Kathie McMann and Rob Hindi WindsorNews‘Offensive’ statue gets holiday themed makeoverBy CTVNewsWindsor.ca StaffPublished: April 07, 2025 at 9:22PM EDT Police said he is believed to be living in the Brampton area Pelia is wanted for arson causing damage to property and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of arson in connection to the most recent fire at the home It was the third time in 16 months that the same property had been the target of an arson attack Members of the arson unit were able to obtain footage of three suspects running from the property carrying gasoline cans before fleeing the scene in a black luxury SUV The two men turned themselves in at police headquarters in Windsor on March 19 the fire caused an estimated $1-million in damages to the building and a neighbouring property The tally from three fires at that same location since September 2023 totals $6.6 million An update to the story AM800 News brought you last week regarding the ferry situation on Bois Blanc Island The Town of Amherstburg served notice to Amico Properties stating Amico is failing to meet its legal obligations to the town as it currently does not have a working backup ferry service Amico owns and operates the Amherstburg Ferry Company Amico vice-president Cindy Prince told AM800 "I can advise that the Amherstburg Ferry Company operates in compliance with all Transport Canada regulations" Transport Canada says its regulations do not require operators to have a certified backup at all times and that the decision to have a backup ferry lies with operators tells AM800 that Transport Canada regulations are not the issue at hand "The issue for the town is in the absence of a second ferry boat we cannot the deliver the services that we are required by law to deliver and we cannot gaurantee the safety of the people on the island in case there's a fire in case there's a heart attack," said Prue the town says it secured two specific legal commitments to protect the interests of the community "We're giving them time to get the second ferry in operation," said Prue "There are two ferries that he owns that are in dry dock and he just has to do the necessary repairs get them on the water and he will be in compliance and says the town would still like some sort of acknowledgement "If [Amicone] says it'll be on the water in another two or three weeks which provides service between Amherstburg and Boblo was inspected in July 2024 and currently holds a valid operating certificate does not currently hold an operating certificate and is not permitted to operate until it meets all Transport Canada certification requirements WindsorNewsWhy an ‘offensive’ lawn display is drawing attention in Amherstburg By Stefanie MasottiUpdated: April 02, 2025 at 10:09PM EDT after city council made the decision to end its contract with the town Mayor Michael Prue confirmed Wednesday the town was notified by Windsor of the pending change but said as far as he knows “Council is going to have to look at all the options available to us,” he said “We’re hoping that our CAO (chief administrative officer Valerie Critchley) can talk to the CAO (Joe Mancina) of Windsor and see if there’s anything that can be done then we have other options we’re going to have to explore.” the city advised the town it wants out at the end of that term Amherstburg town council is set to meet Monday at 4 p.m in closed session to discuss those options Mayor Drew Dilkens told the Star that Windsor is “more than willing” to maintain the current service if there’s a way to “renegotiate the dollars and cents of the contract.” LaSalle has its own municipal police service while the Ontario Provincial Police provide service in Essex “The report has not been written,” Prue said “Our CAO is going to make a verbal report and some written documentation available to council for Monday at four o’clock.” Windsor Police Service officially took over policing in Amherstburg in January 2019 Amherstburg disbanded its municipal police department after council narrowly voted to contract out the service with then-mayor Aldo DiCarlo casting the deciding vote Windsor and Amherstburg signed a deal to have Windsor Police Service handle Amherstburg’s policing for 20 years with a review every five years The move was expected to save the town about $570,000 a year Amherstburg council approved the first five-year renewal of the contract Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said the city has given the town four years notice of the change it’s really just a financial issue,” Dilkens said “We evaluate the provision of the service every year and we’re pretty close to the wire in terms of Windsor taxpayers almost subsidizing the provision of policing to Amherstburg.” Dilkens said it became clear that Windsor could not provide the service Amherstburg wanted under the current contract you have a better revenue and expense picture when you actually start delivering the service,” said Dilkens “It’s just clear to the city council and the police board we’re in a position where we’re lucky to break even “It’s just not a position that city council feels comfortable being in.” But he added that it’s not an acrimonious split and Windsor is willing to see if there’s a way to “renegotiate the dollars and cents of the contract.” “If there is and both sides can agree to it we’re more than willing to continue providing service to the town,” said Dilkens at least they’ve been given four years notice that we’re going to discontinue the service and that gives them plenty of time to figure out what their next step might be.” Continuing with the same level of service would require a “different cost structure,” Windsor’s mayor said “If they want a different level of service we can look at that as well,” said Dilkens where we don’t want to have a conversation with them and try and figure it out but just based on the wording of our contract we had to give them notice that we don’t want to continue it.” Prue was not a fan of disbanding the town’s police force when discussions were held seven years ago “I just want to say I was there (when discussions were held regarding the disbandment of the Amherstburg police force),” he said “I was not a member of council but I did come to the public meetings and I did speak at length about what a bad idea it was for our police force “We just will have to make a strong and firm decision on Monday at four o’clock exactly what path we’re going to go down.” as the town increases charges that pay for new roads Municipal council has approved a 54 per cent hike in development charges for new fully serviced single-family homes raising fees to $34,744 from $22,522 as of Jan “That extra $12,000 certainly is a significant jump and we don’t take that lightly but the costs are associated with growth,” said deputy chief administrator Melissa Osborne “Development charges recover less than 70 per cent of the cost of growth that’s already going to be happening because of these investments “If it isn’t done through development charges then it’s on the existing taxpayers in the community to fund those costs.” The new fee for fully serviced non-residential developments will drop from $11.80 to $11.29 per square foot of building area He said the added $12,000 in charges for new single-family homes could prompt future developers to turn to neighbouring communities such as LaSalle “I think it’s going to have a negative impact,” said Coulson “It saddens me because there is a lot of potential for Amherstburg “I know it’s only an extra $12,000 when we look at the grand scheme of the things but it does start to add up There’s the risk of people pulling away from the town.” which was conducted by Watson and Associates Economists Ltd. infrastructure requirements and service costs to calculate the updated fees for residential and non-residential developments The town is forecasted to have 1,378 new homes builds by 2033 Amherstburg plans to spend about $180 million over the next 10 years More than $71 million — $56 million from residential and $14 million from non-residential — will be recoverable from the development charges “Everybody is aware costs for everything have gone up exponentially which is reflective of housing prices as well,” Osborne told the Windsor Star and roads… those are projects funded through our development charges for growth Their increase is outside of what we would have normally seen as inflation.” Development charges will also go into effect for wind turbines The rate for solar farms is set to drop from $4.07 to $2.83 to per square foot for panel surfaces while the rate turbines and telecommunication towers will jump from $7,130 to $10,766 per unit Could an arsonist be on the loose in Amherstburg fire and insurance investigators are probing potential links between a recent spate of deliberately set — and costly — residential property fires in the municipality “We’re in a position to transition from dealing with the most recent fire and work backwards,” said Sgt Rob Durling of the Windsor Police Service’s financial crimes unit “We are going to go back and review the previous fire dates to see if we can actually connect the dots.” in connection to the most recent fire at a new-build home in the 200 block of Cowan Court on Jan another Amherstburg subdivision was targeted No physical injuries were reported from the latest incident the fire caused an estimated $1 million in damages to the building and a neighbouring property and Peel Regional Police Service — who were key in the fact of getting this arrest,” Durling told the Star The local department’s arson unit was able to obtain surveillance images of a third suspect wanted in connection to the arson incident The suspect is described as an East Indian male with a medium build and a tattoo on his left hand Police said the suspect may reside in the Brampton and Mississauga area “There has been a lot of investigative time put into this case,” Durling said “A considerable amount of resources have also gone into this and it’s attributed to the fact that we’ve had multiple fires at that location I gave it kind of almost extra importance in the fact that I need to solve this to prevent future fires.” January’s incident follows two previous arsons involving the same house a deliberate fire caused nearly $4 million in damages to the home and a second property An intentional blaze the following September also resulted in an estimated $1.6 million in damages another fire in Amherstburg’s Kingsbridge subdivision destroyed a newly constructed townhome and severely damaged another of a blaze in the 700 block of Elliot Point Road that engulfed a high-end The home was part of a fourplex structure that sits at the corner of McLellan Avenue in the town’s north-end subdivision  Damage to the townhomes was estimated at upwards of $1 million Durling told the Star that fire was not connected to the Cowan Court fires “I wouldn’t say it’s a common theme that properties get burned multiple times,” Durling said Durling couldn’t provide an answer as to the motive behind the fires but suggested it may be linked to the initial investment in the house it could be a valuation issue tied to the home’s declining price “The buyers or whoever’s tied to that residence was looking for a way out,” Durling said “The easiest way to get out of something is to make it disappear “Some fires are insurance- or contract-related and others are just either vengeance or revenge.” “I had hoped there would be a good deal of more empathy shown to us,” Prue told reporters after Wednesday’s council meeting “They all say they’re glad they’re not in (this) situation but they don’t want to take the necessary steps to look at options.” the City of Windsor advised the town it wanted out at the end of its current term The town’s council recently asked its administration to examine several alternative options “We’re down to two options at this point,” Prue said “The only options that appear still doable is to see if LaSalle is still interested or go to the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police).” County council weighed a motion from Prue Wednesday to look into the viability of a county-wide police service and a regional force with optional participation for municipalities But despite Prue’s plea for councillors to consider the matter as Amherstburg works to determine the future of its policing council members voiced concern over the potential cost of launching their own force and hiring a consultant to study its feasibility “I think this is an important conversation to have and I do feel terribly for the situation that Amherstburg is in,” said LaSalle Mayor Crystal Meloche “When I look at the options put in front of us and I listen to what’s been said here today it doesn’t sound like anyone’s interested in even getting a report.” Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers’ attempt to table the debate until the next county council meeting was defeated with a 10-4 vote “The only way for us to move to a regional force is for us to either save money or to increase service,” Rogers said “I can’t see a scenario where we’re going to save money “You look around across the board and I think there’s some satisfaction as far as service levels this isn’t really a road I think we got to go down.” Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy put forward a notice of motion to have staff provide a cost estimate report for engaging a consultant to conduct a feasibility study Warden Hilda MacDonald joined Bondy in supporting her motion to examine the cost of hiring a consultant calling it an opportunity to explore the matter further “I think this is a good option to look at the costing of it,” MacDonald said The Ontario Provinical Police serves the municipalities of Kingsville is his top choice for a potential solution “I think LaSalle is a very good police force and if they would cut us a deal and not walk away from us as others have done Meloche told reporters that LaSalle is open to having a conversation with Amherstburg but said the decision would largely depend on the type of service Amherstburg wants “There’s lots of things that we could discuss and consider but until we really understand what it is they’re looking for we’re probably not going to have any further discussions at this time,” Meloche said Emergency officials responded to an active fire at the new-build house in the 200 block of Cowan Court at around 5 a.m It was the third time in 16 months that the property had been the target of an arson attack No physical injuries were reported during the incident the tally from three fires at that same location since September 2023 totals $6.6 million The local department’s arson unit was able to obtain footage of three suspects running from the property carrying gasoline cans before fleeing the scene in a black luxury SUV Investigators identified the suspects and issued arrest warrants for two 19-year-old men Police said the two men turned themselves in at police headquarters in Windsor on Wednesday (March 19) The suspects have each been charged with arson causing damage to property and conspiracy to commit an indicatable offence of arson a deliberate fire caused nearly $4-million in damages to the home and a second property Emergency officials responded to the fire in the 200 block of Cowan Court at 5 a.m “The Amherstburg Fire Department quickly responded to the scene and extinguished the blaze,” police said in a release Monday afternoon the fire caused an estimated $750,000 in damages to the building and a neighbouring property Investigators canvassed the neighbourhood Monday for information from nearby residents Police said a black luxury SUV was observed in the area around the time of the arson and believe it may be linked to Saturday’s fire The incident follows two previous arsons involving the same house An intentional blaze the following September resulted in an estimated $1.6 million in damages The fire’s cause is still under investigation Investigators urge nearby residents to review any surveillance or dashcam footage taken between 3 a.m have been served notice by the Town of Amherstburg stating that the town believes they're failing to meet legal obligations regarding ferry service the town says it secured two specific legal commitments to protect the interests of the Amherstburg community and the public at large: and is also responsible for the Amherstburg Ferry Company says Bois Blanc is required to have two working ferries at all times under the town's emergency services plan "It causes great difficulty to the town in order for us to provide emergency service should there be a fire or necessity of police or an ambulance on the island," he said "It also is difficult for us just to provide ordinary services anything that the town would have to go over for." The ferry has been plagued by a number problems over the years, most recently in January 2025, when the ferry was out of commission for three days after large ice floes damaged the propeller.  In the fall of 2023, the main ferry was out of service for two weeks for 'routine maintenance', and the back up ferry was deemed unsafe by Transport Canada. A prior service disruption also occurred in December 2022. Prue says the town is requesting that Amico work in good faith immediately to put in a second working ferry, and that two ferries be available at all times.  "They can use one ferry primarily, but they have a second ferry should the first one break down or there be any problems, so that we are not stranding stuff that we need to get over and done on the island to service the people, and nor are they put in any kind of precarious situation, due to us not being able to help them," said Prue. Prue says the town is reserving their right to take further legal action as it awaits a response from Amico. "The letter also clearly sets out that the people on the island, and I'm one of them, have a responsibility if they're not satisfied to get their own legal advice, and do their own legal things, we are just acting on behalf of the town," he said. "We have an obligation to them because they're taxpayers, and because they pay, to do all those things to keep them safe and harmless." Island residents are required to pay upwards of $5,000 in ferry dues each year, for access to the private ferry that is supposed to operate 24/7, 365 days a year on a 20 minute schedule. The free disco dance party on the downtown streets of Amherstburg is an opportunity to escape hibernation get outside and warm the soul to lively beats “TRUE Fest is more than just an event; it’s a celebration of community Live entertainment includes drag performers Dulce the Fire Guy Show and emcee and singer Benjamin Doncom Warm up around an outdoor fire pit while roasting a s’more at Lot 10 Brewing Company or stop by for a hot apple cider or hot chocolate to fuel your dancing available from the Amherstburg Rotary Club whose name comes from the idea that people of all sexual orientations can be true to themselves began in 2020 as a celebration of diversity all-ages winter festival runs from 6 to 10 p.m Dress for the weather and bring your dancing shoes town council this week voted to move forward with restoration proposals for the two-century-old Belle Vue National Historic Site The municipality will continue negotiations with Amico Properties and the Loop family from Kingsville concerning their expression of interest to transform the run-down manor into a hotel Deputy mayor Chris Gibb said the proposal is the town’s opportunity to restore the site which has sat vacant and neglected for more than two decades “I don’t think this council will be remembered as the one that abandoned Belle Vue,” Gibb said during Monday’s meeting “I think we might just be remembered as the council that restored Belle Vue “If we hold onto this building with the hopes that we are going to be able to publicly restore it I think we run the risk of being accused of demolition by neglect I see this as an option that will actually restore this building and bring it back to its former glory.” The motion to proceed passed with a 4-1 vote at Monday’s town council meeting with Mayor Michael Prue casting the only opposing vote Councillor Diane Pouget declared a conflict of interest and did not vote Councillor Peter Courtney was not in attendance The vote authorizes town staff to draft a bylaw to designate the property as surplus An agreement would then see the town sell the historic manor and property to Amico/Loop Mayor Prue called in “premature” to designate the land as surplus or finalize the negotiations with Amico and Loop to see whether there is any movement,” said Prue “Let’s find out if Amico and Loop are actually going to pay for this property and what it’s worth and whether they’re going to allow us to have access Since the town purchased the manor and its surrounding 16 acres of property in 2016 the town only considered one from Amico Properties and the Loop family Their proposal is to build approximately 52 semi-detached homes and transform the manor property to include hotel rooms was designated a national historic site in 1959 Its importance lies in its Palladian architectural style “This building is so important to Amherstburg history and Canada’s history that we have to try and and get this building restored,” said Gibb “I really think that this is the way to go.” Council has requested a staff report on the negotiations no later than March 31 mmazak@postmedia.com and Tecumseh are being told to boil any water used for consumption A water main break that led to a loss in water pressure throughout the system led to the advisory being issued Residents in the following areas are affected: Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute before use Bottled water can be used as an alternative during the advisory “The WECHU is working closely with the Amherstburg Public Works Department,” the health unit said in a news release Monday “The boil water advisory measure will remain in place until system repairs are complete and satisfactory water sampling results are received.” The City of Windsor is moving to end a deal to provide policing in Amherstburg. AM800 News has learned that city council, following an in-camera vote near the end of December 2024, informed the Town of Amherstburg of its intention to end the agreement that had the Windsor Police Service providing policing in the town. According to sources, increasing policing costs have been cited as one reason for the decision. However, AM800 News has also learned that the town has been in contact with the city to see if there are any avenues to save the deal. Windsor has been providing policing in the town since January 2019 after the Amherstburg council voted to approve a 20-year contract with the city and disband the former town police service. The 20-year agreement is divided into four five-year segments, and in late 2023, the town approved the first five-year renewal phase of the contract. Under the terms of the original agreement, an 18-month notice of termination must be provided, but the agreement would not end until the current renewal expires, which is Dec. 31, 2028. The Town of Amherstburg will officially see a new long-term care home built.  The announcement was made Monday that Building Ontario Fund has entered into an agreement with Arch Corporation to finance four new and redeveloped long-term care homes in rural communities - including Amherstburg. The new long-term care home will be able to accommodate a total of 160 residents. This announcement was first made in February 2022, however funding issues due to the rising cost in construction delayed the project.  The long-term care home will be built on the northwest corner of Richmond Street and Fryer Street.  Amherstburg deputy mayor Chris Gibb says there was a delay from the original announcement nearly three years ago. "The company that had planned to build a 160 bed long-term care home had to put their plans on hold, but the province has come through with an updated funding model, and it's being announced that it's going to be moving ahead. So, we're very excited that the province is increasing the funding." He says this will allow care to stay close to home. "There'll be a place for Amherstburg residents and area residents when they need to avail themselves to long-term care. It's going to be 160 beds right in Amherstburg. The company has already purchased the property, so we're expecting construction to begin very, very soon." Gibb says the space is definitely needed within the town. "You do find that there's a lot of Amherstburg residents that unfortunately have to go out of town, or have to send their aging relatives out of town to find a long-term care bed. So, we're hoping that with this additional capacity for long-term care that will happen less and we can keep Amherstburg residents near their families where they belong." Construction is set to begin in the first half of 2025, and is expected to be completed by late 2027. The other three long-term care homes approved will be built in Lancaster, Prescott, and Tay Valley Township.  The Building Ontario Fund's commitment includes a senior secured loan of $133.6-million to fund construction and operational costs across the four homes. Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue relayed the next steps during the regular council meeting “Council met in closed session and we have directed administration to formally advise the City of Windsor that the town wishes to have discussions regarding removal of the current contract post-Dec 2028,” Prue said during the public meeting Amherstburg council approved a five-year renewal of its 20-year contract with the Windsor Police Service on Jan Windsor city council accepted a recommendation from the Windsor Police Services Board to pull out of the contract at the end of the current term Prue said Monday that town council is asking town administration to examine several options They include meeting with the Town of LaSalle to discuss a potential partnership or contract for services; researching the cost of a contract with Ontario Provincial Police; preparing cost estimates for reviving a standalone Amherstburg police service; and looking into the possibility of a regional county police service Amherstburg disbanded its municipal police service after town council narrowly voted to contract out the service but has said he spoke out against the turnover at public meetings The Windsor Police Service officially took over policing in Amherstburg in January 2019 The city and town signed a deal to have Windsor police provide services to Amherstburg for 20 years with a review every five years Amherstburg council approved the first five-year renewal of the contract in late 2023 Prue confirmed last week that the City of Windsor had notified the town it will end the contract The city has given the town four years notice of the change Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens previously told the Star that the contract was being ended for financial reasons but added the city is open to renegotiating Continuing with the current level of service would require “a different cost structure,” he said twilhelm@postmedia.com in a house on Lake Beach Drive at Amherst Pointe on the south end of the town “It had spread to the second home just on our arrival,” Mio said “Thirty-two firefighters were on scene,” he added “Crews gained control quickly but had to chase hot spots “We got the fire under control but then it was a deep seated fire so we were chasing hot spots and battling a little bit of a wind.” Fire crews were on scene for about five and a half hours “Everyone was out (of the houses) by the time we got there,” Mio said which caused approximately $800,000 in damage “(The) first home was basically destroyed,” Mio said “The second home had a garage and it looks like a bonus room on top that it looks like it was destroyed as well.” Mio said homeowners and tenants should be sure to test smoke alarms and CO alarms to ensure they are working “As well as ensure any natural Christmas trees are kept watered,” Mio said “Tend to candles and makes sure (not to) overload temporary extension cords — make sure you spread the electricity out.” It’s also good practice to turn lights off on Christmas trees when leaving the home or going to sleep A conversation around regional police in Essex County didn't go the way Amherstburg's deputy mayor thought it would Chris Gibb says he was taken aback by the conversation during Essex County Council on Wednesday night where a report with two options were presented by Amherstburg mayor Michael Prue This report stemmed after Windsor City Council voted at the end of December 2024 to end the agreement that had the Windsor Police Service providing policing in the Town of Amherstburg due to increased costs The service has been provided since January 2019 Option 1 was to have administration work with local municipalities to explore options for a traditional regional policing model in the county And Option 2 was to see administration working with municipalities on a collaborative approach to policing in the long term with Ontario Provincial Police - managed by one central command majority of the mayors and deputy mayors stated they were satisfied with policing in their municipalities and instead a motion was presented to have administration look into the cost of having a third-party consultant look into how much regional policing would be Gibb says he thought the other mayors and deputy mayors would have been more open to the idea of a regional approach "Policing is a big expense for every municipality It's something that residents expect to have excellent police service for their municipality and I thought they'd be more open to the idea of looking into it." He says he was taken aback by the comments - especially since these municipalities were facing steep OPP budget increases just a handful of months ago "Considering what just happened with all these municipalities they all got hit with a huge increase from the province Now the province did come through with some one-time cost offsets Even the OPP is going to get more and more expensive." we are looking at every possible solution to this issue I think we owe it to our residents to leave no stone unturned and come through with the best possible option for them." the Ontario government announced over $77-million in financial relief to municipalities to help address the budget impacts resulting from the collective bargaining agreement that was reached between the province and the Ontario Provincial Police Association in July 2024 The current agreement for policing between the City of Windsor and the Town of Amherstburg will expire on December 31 WindsorNewsTwo suspects charged with arson in $1-million Amherstburg house fireBy Melanie KentnerPublished: March 20, 2025 at 12:40PM EDT The Town of Amherstburg will be hosting an emergency preparedness training exercise starting later this week.  From March 14 to March 21, Amherstburg will work in collaboration with the City of Windsor, Windsor Regional Hospital, the Town of Essex, the County of Essex, and provincial and international partners, to simulate a coordinated response to a fictional nuclear event. This is the first time this type of training exercise will be held in the region, and is aimed to prepare community partners in the event of a nuclear emergency due to the location of the Enrico Fermi 2 Nuclear Generating Station in Michigan. Those involved in this exercise will be able to test response protocols, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and enhance emergency management skills. The public does not need to be alarmed, but they may encounter actors engaging with emergency personnel in a simulated emergency environment. Dan Monk, Deputy Fire Chief with the Town of Amherstburg, says this will allow everyone involved to accurately prepare for this scenario. "It would never happen within a few hours, it'll happen over a period of days. So a scenario built out this way will allow us to practice a lot of different people, a lot of different agencies, while keeping to a real life timeline so we can practice out how we would actually act with an emergency." He says the public does not need to be alarmed. "Residents may see actually plight taking place in which our first responders are responding to various points in our community. There's no cause for alarm. In a real emergency we would notify the public as required." Monk says this is also a reminder for residents to ensure they have up-to-date potassium iodide (KI) pills. "Any residents over the last five years within the primary zone may have received those pills. Those pills are coming to an expiration date, we are asking those residents to check those expiration dates to ensure that their pills at home are good. They are available through the Windsor-Essex Health Unit and they're also available through the municipality." KI pills block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine, which may be released during a nuclear incident. KI pills would help to prevent the development of thyroid cancer in such instances. During the exercise, some locations will experience temporary service interruptions, and certain sites will be closed to the public. The Amherstburg Libro Centre will be closed to the public from March 17 to March 19. And Windsor Regional Hospital will be participating in exercises on March 18. Patient care will not be impacted. says the head of the union representing workers there Diageo’s Amherstburg plant handles Seagram’s Crown Royal and the various flavoured versions of that rye whisky “They (Diageo) are doing the opposite here They’re creating more jobs in the area,” D’Agnolo told the Star “They’ve called back anyone who was on layoff from a couple years ago “They hired some more people not that long ago They can’t keep Blackberry Crown Royal (introduced in March) on the shelves.” but company officials were unavailable for comment “given the dynamic nature of our broader business and our emphasis on productivity we have decided to pause the development of our facility in Lambton County’s St We will be revisiting plans and timeline at a later date.” The company’s plans for that site included a distillery and blending facilities to supplement its existing Canadian manufacturing operations whose local represents Diageo workers in Amherstburg said the plant there now has more than 50 employees After receiving the alcohol from Seagram’s Gimli the Amherstburg employees do all the final mixing packaging and shipping of the Crown Royal products Diageo is one of the largest alcoholic beverage companies in the world with over 30,000 employees at 132 production facilities around the globe making 200 brands among the company’s brands are such well-known names as Johnny Walker D’Agnolo said since the COVID pandemic Crown Royal products have performed very well for Diageo Diageo is still facing some materials challenges in the supply chain materials to make the caps and even shortages of sugar have been common for the world’s distillers “They’re the biggest handlers of alcohol beverages in the world and are doing very well,” D’Agnolo said “I know there had been talk of taking Crown Royal global because it’s not global right now It would’ve meant more sales and more workers “I’m not sure if those material shortages didn’t make the time right The detail of the decision they didn’t share with me.” Dwaddell@postmedia.com which took place over three days last weekend “The festival is unique to the area,” said Jen Ibrahim the town’s economic development and tourism manager “It’s something that our region hasn’t experienced before.” “I love seeing the community come out in costume,” Ibrahim told the Star the Uncommon Festival has expanded in popularity attracting visitors from across the border we think this festival is great,” said Samantha Sullivan who traveled from Chicago with her two daughters After attending the Uncommon Festival last year Dan O’Connor said he and his wife Sheila couldn’t wait to return “We look forward to this event,” O’Connor said “There’s some wild outfits here … we enjoy the weirdness of it all.” This year’s expanded festival featured new attractions such as a sand sculpture “Offering different types of entertainment for the public to enjoy.” We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Gordon Joseph here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. You can upload cherished photographs, or share your favorite stories, and can even comment on those shared by others. As town frustration mounts over the quality of the ferry service to Bois Blanc Island so does the number of For Sale signs within the offshore Detroit River community warning that legal action could be pursued if a more reliable ferry service is not provided soon “This is notice that we’re not happy,” said Mayor Michael Prue “We’ve been frustrated in the town for quite some time As a condition of developing the island — still known to many by its former name Boblo Island — the town said it secured two legal commitments to safeguard the community’s interests Ferry service must meet all requirements and safety standards set out by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and federal Transport Canada; be provided and available whenever required by the town for administrative “The town has assessed that the developer is not meeting its legal obligations to the town with respect to these contractual duties,” the town said in a public statement on Monday “There may be additional legal obligations owed by the developer to which the town is not party including obligations to the Boblo Island residents and property owners.” which is the island’s sole transportation link when it was out of service for four days after heavy ice flows in the Detroit River damaged the vessel and mechanical equipment need repair from time-to-time and break down,” Prue previously told the Star “Those of us who live on the island expect that but what we don’t expect is that there is no provision for a second ferry.” Demands for a backup ferry were raised by island residents in November 2023 when the service was unexpectedly paused for 14 days after routine maintenance Another service disruption occurred in December 2022 a smaller vessel acts as a backup when the main ferry is out of service it has been unavailable since October 2023 due to an expired Transport Canada safety certificate “It’s just not acceptable,” Prue told the Star these interruptions raise concerns about emergency access and the impact on residents who depend on the ferry for work “All the things the town needs to do — snow removal water and sewage — can’t happen,” Prue said to ensure that there is a mode of transportation that people feel is reliable.” who moved to Bois Blanc Island in 2023 after purchasing property in 2017 has grown increasingly frustrated with the island’s ferry service He said he has enjoyed the tranquility of island life but the absence of a backup ferry has become a real issue “People are frustrated because this is a man-made problem,” Wiesner told the Star in an interview at his Bois Blanc home on Tuesday “They need to step their game up and fix it.” there are 16 active listings on the island ranging from residential homes to vacant land with prices spanning from $285,000 to over $3.5 million The island community has new roads along the south end of the island for about 220 dwellings to be built there will be about 370 total homes on the island “There’s been a couple of sales because people have been frustrated,” Wiesner said “The people who are selling are the ones who actually have to get off the island and go to work Bois Blanc was Boblo Island when it hosted an amusement park for almost 100 years Some of the buildings from that amusement park era remain intact on the island But there are even older historic structures on the island vice-president of development for Amico Properties did not respond to the Star’s request for comment Amherstburg council directed that the developer be formally apprised of the town’s interests and its legal position to require the developer to outline the immediate steps to rectify this situation “The town understands the importance of safe and reliable ferry service for the residents of Boblo Island and other members of the Amherstburg community,” the town said in a statement “The town is committed to ensuring that the developer meets its obligations in a timely and co-operative fashion.” “This is one of the most controversial issues that council will or have had to deal with since the beginning of this term,” said Coun But it also features downtown road closures A 2023 online survey showed the festival is popular among residents but a new survey of local businesses showed the festival also has detractors with some businesses saying they’re being hurt by weekend street closures and lost parking Open Air has been named ‘best street festival’ in the Best of Windsor Essex Awards and received a top ranking by Festivals & Events Ontario councillors on both sides of the issue argued passionately but ended up voting 4-2 to continue the festival in its current format Those in favour argued it’s a great opportunity to attract tourists and for residents to socialize with their families downtown while opponents argued the closed streets and lack of parking does too much damage to some businesses A town staff report pegged the 2024 Open Air cost at $57,000 Using a standard tourism model provided by the province it estimated the weekend festivals had a local economic impact of almost $4.3 million But the report also pointed to some businesses and demographics — particularly seniors and those with limited mobility — being heavily impacted by the festival suggesting the survey of businesses did not yield clear enough support for the festival discriminates against people with mobility issues … (businesses) don’t know how much longer they can remain with Open Air It’s unfair to the people that live in the downtown area,” she said “We are playing Russian roulette with other people’s lives and businesses.”  Allaire said closing area streets for 14 weekends was unfair due to the negative effect on some businesses and she sided with those recommending the festival be held just once a month but we’ve heard time and time again that it is making it impossible for others,” Allaire said The weekends kept progressing and it was slower in attendances I am sorry but those streets are empty until about four o’clock I feel so bad for those hairstylists that have been there for 40-plus years in the same spot and now we’re changing their business model.”  Don McArthur said the surveys show “overwhelming” support for Open Air and that the festival fosters a closeness in the community “That’s a free day out for families who don’t have to go to Windsor who don’t have to go to Leamington and I don’t want to take that away from people,” said McArthur Mayor Michael Prue said businesses surveyed showed two-to-one support “What I’ve heard is the same old arguments again “I think Open Air has been a resounding success.”  some people don’t like what’s happening to their businesses.” Citing comments by a bed and breakfast owner downtown “This is a great thing that is happening in the town.”  MacArthur and Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb supported the motion to maintain the festival in its current format An online Open Air Weekends survey on Amherstburg’s “Talk the Burg” website in 2023 had 549 responses: • 89.3 per cent attended Open Air weekends; • 77.8 per cent liked festival’s downtown footprint; • Almost 75 per cent want it every weekend. A town survey of businesses this year also showed strong festival support among 49 respondents: • Just over 61 per cent actively participate in Open Air; • 25 businesses said they benefited; 15 said they saw no benefit; • 25 like current footprint; 17 don’t; 7 had no opinion; • Of 17 opposed to current footprint, 3 want it expanded; 12 want no road closures; 2 want reduced footprint; • 27 businesses like the festival every weekend; 21 want it monthly and 3 every other weekend; 3 want Open Air eliminated; • 16 businesses said they would see a decrease in traffic without Open Air; 19 said they’d see no decrease; 14 said the festival has no affect on their business. Almost half the 49 businesses that responded were in food service and retail sector; just over 34 per cent in personal and financial, professional services sectors; 29 of the 49 were located inside the festival footprint. A boil water advisory for all consumers of the Amherstburg Water Distribution System is now over The advisory was issued by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit on Monday evening due to a water main break that led to a loss in water pressure throughout the distribution system The Health Unit is informing residents that required water samples have been taken and meet drinking water quality standards Staff will continue to work closely with the Amherstburg Public Works Water Distribution System and will ensure consumers are notified of any water quality changes The rescinded notice applies to all areas from the original advisory: The Town of Amherstburg will need to find a solution to their policing issue on their own Essex County Council met earlier this week where a notice of motion was presented and discussed into having administration look into the cost of having a third-party consultant look into how much regional policing would be Windsor city council voted to end its agreement to provide policing to Amherstburg at the end of 2028 due to increasing policing costs. Options had been provided to County Council to look into a regional policing model or to join together as one central command with OPP however majority of the mayors and deputy mayors stated they are satisfied with the current policing in their municipalities Amherstburg's deputy mayor Chris Gibb says the Town will now have to look at other options which include reaching out to Windsor to renegotiate at a different price point talk with the Town of LaSalle to join forces Gibb says the Town is on their own with this issue they're not interested in looking into a regional service So in Amherstburg we still have four very viable options that we're going to pursue." He says talks will continue with Windsor and LaSalle while the Town looks at other options "Town council officially asking the province for pricing to bring OPP service to Amherstburg And then we're also working on an order of magnitude costing with re-establishing our own town police service That's absolutely one of the options on the table." He says he's not leaning one way or another when it comes to their options "An OPP costing is most likely the least expensive option And probably if we were to go with a town police service that may turn out to be the most expensive option it's also about the level of service." The city has been providing policing to the town since January 2019 after the Amherstburg council voted to approve a 20-year contract with the city and disband the former town police service WindsorNewsBoil water advisory in place for Amherstburg Public Works Water Distribution SystemBy Kate OtterbeinPublished: February 10, 2025 at 5:48PM EST ending a 54-year run as one of the town’s oldest family-owned businesses owner of Romano’s Specialty Meats and Italian Deli “It’s hard to let go but it’s time to slow down and create new memories with our family.” Mancini said his father worked several jobs before opening the store which is best known for its Italian-style shish kabobs and roasted porchetta — a family recipe passed down from their hometown of Lettomanopello porchetta and stuff like that,” Claudio said and decades of family traditions and values.” “It’s not easy work but this business is our home,” Anna told the Star When asked why the business isn’t being passed down to one of their children the Mancini’s said the parents felt it was important for the children to pursue their own careers the business is in their blood,” Claudio said “The business came first with everything and that’s part of why it’s been so successful Our main goal has always been to make the customer happy.” The decision to close the business after 54 years was not an easy one who shared the news of their retirement in a heartfelt social media post in July “While serving the Windsor-Essex community we have valued ourselves upon the principles of integrity “We are upholding these same principles as we announce our retirement and close our business that we have lovingly called home for so long we are closing our doors to spend the remaining years to create memories with our family.” In the final weeks before the business closed with twice the usual number of customers coming in to show their support “Our community and our customers have become family Romano’s has been a part of people’s families “That’s what we’re going to miss the most.” Sunday was met with mixed emotions as the Mancinis opened Romano’s for the final time and former employees to say their final goodbyes “We had a lot of our customers come in to say farewell,” Anna told the Star “We had employees who worked for us 20 years ago stop by “There was a lot of happiness inside the store but when we shut doors on Sunday WindsorNewsNew playground set coming to Malden Centre Park in AmherstburgBy CTVNewsWindsor.ca StaffPublished: April 20, 2025 at 11:03AM EDT WindsorNewsBoil water advisory rescinded in AmherstburgPublished: February 13, 2025 at 1:53PM EST 22 blaze at a residence in the 200 block of Cowan Court shows a pickup truck in the area at the time of the incident Police said the pickup is believed to be a dark-grey Fire crews and police responded to a call for a fire in the early morning hours The structure was completely engulfed in flames damage to the property is estimated at $1.6 million They found thick smoke billowing from the building and a male lying on the ground near the scene who was treated for non-life-threatening injuries When the town approached him about including a new civic hall in the redevelopment of the property he said he came up with a plan to make it work “My mom lived on Texas Road and I believe my uncle was a teacher there,” he told the Windsor Star “That’s why that’s probably one of the reasons why I bought it.”  The proposed development at 130 Sandwich St has yet to go through any planning process Town council on Monday voted to seek community input with a public consultation meeting to be held at the Libro Centre on Oct you don’t miss General Amherst because it’s got 850 feet of frontage So that’s what really excites me about this project,” said Valente The proposal for the three-acre property — without the adjacent park — includes preserving the heritage façade and about 60 to 70 per cent of the school to include a town hall retail and commercial operations and condominiums It would also see Bill Wigle Park redeveloped as a civic esplanade Preserving the heritage façade is important to acknowledge the heritage of the town and it used to be a farming exhibition centre They used to hold animal races in the park at that time.”  The plan includes a proposal for the town to share its space with a civic theatre, said Dan Soleski, design principal at Architecttura Architects.   “In your wildest dreams, do you think it would be possible to have a council chamber that would actually serve the cross-purpose of putting on a small play or a small concert?” said town councillor Don McArthur.  “What we envision is a space that is basically a black box that has interchangeable pieces,” Soleski said. “Having a desk that is built-in and permanent is something that you may have to compromise, but you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The flexibility of space is very much being practised as sustainable use.  “You have all these spaces (that are) really only used for certain events and at the end of the day it just becomes common sense for you to try and find ways to use multiple spaces for longer periods of time and … in a more efficient manner.  The town’s current location at 271 Sandwich St. faces deadlines for accessibility upgrades that would be impractical at that location. “We’re doing our planning reports and our traffic studies and all the necessary things that we need to rezone it,” Valente said.  If the project goes ahead, Valente Development is targeting 2025 to complete all necessary planning approvals and to commence construction in 2026, according to an administration report. It added the proposal “follows good urban design principles.”  Soleski called the development a “transformational project to this community as a true town centre. When you look at great cities with great mixed-use projects, they always have a diversity of use. “This has office space that really sets a new kind of bar to me. “People will be looking at this project provincewide and be saying, ‘Look at what they’re doing.’”  WindsorNewsThird suspect wanted in connection to Amherstburg house fire: WPSBy Kate OtterbeinPublished: March 24, 2025 at 1:39PM EDT We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Nancy Kay here