makeshift ball diamond at Lambton Centennial elementary school near Petrolia will be replaced by a field of dreams We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe school will receive $150,000 as one of 15 projects across Canada sharing about $1.5 million to build enhance or refurbish community baseball diamonds as part of the Jays Care Foundation’s Field of Dreams program funded by the bank A group of Lambton Centennial pupils and their families took part in a watch party Sunday when the winners were announced ahead of a Jays’ game broadcast “The kids and the parents all roared,” said teacher Steve McGrail He led the school’s application to the annual Field of Dreams funding program after noticing some schools had been successful in the past Lambton Centennial has a massive playground but its previous baseball diamond has been out of action since “big chunks” of it were torn up to fix a septic system issue “I think every school should have a baseball diamond to play on,” McGrail said It’s a hole-ridden grassy patch,” he said about a portion of school yard pitch hitting for ball games The school put together a video featuring pupils as its initial submission in September and then made it to the short list “They loved our submission with the kids all whining and crying about their baseball diamond being destroyed,” he said “There were bulldozers and diggers in the background Staff at the school were told a few weeks ago its submission was successful but they had to keep it a secret ahead of Sunday’s announcement The school held a pep rally Friday to build excitement for Sunday’s announcement and the viewing party was held at Black Gold in Petrolia The Lambton Kent District School Board also came onboard with the project They have 18 months to build the new diamond to qualify for the funding “Since we have construction wrapping up here I think it will go sooner rather than later,” Spence said How far the $150,000 can be stretched will determine the scope of the new diamond project “It should go a long way considering we’ve got wide open space here,” Spence said He learned recently that the school south of Petrolia on Oil Heritage Road has one of the largest yards among sites the board owns “We can’t even use the whole yard,” Spence said about the school of 215 pupils schools fundraise when playground equipment has to be replaced and it’s unlikely the board would have been able to fund a new baseball diamond “This will hopefully be a better facility that can be used by the community as well,” after hours “Baseball is booming,” said McGrail who is also involved with a community minor ball organization The lack of available diamonds is the complaint it hears most often “It’s good for the community,” McGrail said “It has been a rough couple of years here with all the construction and the sewage issue.” “It’s nice to have some positive things happen.” pmorden@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 A 29-year-old from Petrolia has been charged after a two-vehicle crash in St Clair Township sent one person to the hospital Lambton OPP said first responders were called to the intersection of Brigden Road and Petrolia Line at 2:20 p.m and one passenger was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries one person was charged with failing to yield to traffic Point Edward Fire and Rescue is reminding boaters of the importance of carrying all safety equipment onboard proposed the public-private partnership during a city council meeting on April 29 asking members to support the pilot project and designate nine areas to be used as parking locations The Huron Shores Optimist Club has decided to pull out of a proposed outdoor ice rink in Plympton-Wyoming due to skyrocketing costs Emergency plans are being developed in Kettle and Stony Point First Nation in case the sewage treatment facility fails Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry scored the winning goal 16:10 into double overtime for a 4-3 game seven victory Sunday over the St One firefighter was taken to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance in Wallaceburg Lambton Public Health issued an alert of a potential measles exposure Monday at the hospital emergency department in Petrolia We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentPossible exposure times at the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital of Bluewater Health ER on Blanche Street were from 2 a.m People who may have been exposed should contact Lambton Public Health at 519-383-8331 if they have a severely weakened immune system or are pregnant and not protected against measles Children or adults born in or after 1970 who are unvaccinated or have only received one dose of measles vaccine should also contact the public health agency Anyone exposed to measles should monitor for symptoms which can appear up to 21 days after exposure but usually occur within seven to 12 days “If you think that you or a family member has symptoms of measles and call your health-care provider immediately,” Lambton Public Health said People with symptoms should avoid attending public places such as work They are also urged to call health-care providers or health-care settings ahead of time before attending so appropriate precautions can be taken Measles are highly contagious and spreads through the air when someone with the virus which can live for up to two hours in the air 15 cases of measles had been reported in Lambton since an outbreak in the province began in the fall according to Public Health Ontario’s latest update The total number of cases increased by five in Lambton since April 23 The Kiwanis Club of Petrolia and Area has received a big boost to help pay for its new splash pad at the YMCA The club was named the runner up in the Growing Home with BASF contest and will receive $10,000 for the project Voting wrapped up on April 15 and the winners were announced on Tuesday Fundraising board member Melissa Duquette said it was a close race "We were in first place as of midnight Tuesday (April 15) Eastern Standard Time but the contest went to midnight Mountain Standard Time and we were not in the lead at 12:30," Duquette said so we really don't know how many votes we were off by The top prize of $25,000 was given to the Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation We knew going against Palmerston that they definitely need every dime they can get as well because they are paying for an MRI machine," she said While an official opening date for the splash pad has yet to be announced, construction was expected to be completed by June.  "We are just so happy to have $10,000 for our little community of Petrolia and so proud of everybody that took part helping us get there," Duquette said. The total project costs $150,000 and with this contribution about 27 per cent of the fundraising goal has been reached. "We're just really excited that this gives us a pretty good jump on our fundraising for the year," she said. Point Edward Fire and Rescue is reminding boaters of the importance of carrying all safety equipment onboard, including personal floatation devices. Lambton OPP said first responders were called to the intersection of Brigden Road and Petrolia Line at 2:20 p.m. on Friday, May 2. Cory Tukeli of Current Inc. proposed the public-private partnership during a city council meeting on April 29, asking members to support the pilot project and designate nine areas to be used as parking locations. The Huron Shores Optimist Club has decided to pull out of a proposed outdoor ice rink in Plympton-Wyoming due to skyrocketing costs. Emergency plans are being developed in Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, in case the sewage treatment facility fails. Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry scored the winning goal 16:10 into double overtime for a 4-3 game seven victory Sunday over the St. Louis Blues. Jacques Boudreau is the only national party leader to campaign We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentCampaigns of other leaders hadn’t stopped in the riding in Ontario’s far southwest as of Monday but Boudreau He lives in near Petrolia and is running in the April 28 election to be MP for Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong “My wife and I moved to Petrolia February of last year,” he said “It was a lifelong dream for me to move to the country,” said Boudreau who lived in London “I guess I’m technically a Franco-Ontarian because I was born in Hamilton.” his parents moved to Quebec where they were born Boudreau worked as an actuary for 38 years He described himself as “pretty average” swing voter until his early 40s “trying to find the right fit” and “get a government that would get things right.” a website of an institute promoting teachings of Ludwig van Mises an Austrian economist embraced by libertarians I would actually begin my day” on the site reading about Austrian economics and libertarianism I could no longer defend my previously held beliefs and became a libertarian.” Boudreau noticed a lawn sign for a Libertarian candidate in the London riding where he lived but when he looked at his ballot on election day He contacted the party to ask why and discovered what he would later experience firsthand it didn’t have the means to help candidates get on the ballot “I decided I was going to put my money where my mouth is and ran as a Libertarian candidate for the first time in the 2015 federal election,” he said This is Boudreau’s fourth federal election running as a candidate He has also run in three provincial elections including the one earlier this year where Boudreau finished with about one per cent of the vote He started out seeking a deputy leader post thinking his proficiency in French could be helpful and then the sitting leader decided not to seek another term the party calls for “a marked reduction” in the size and powers of the federal government “I would shrink the government to a fraction of what it is now,” Boudreau said I have precious little in common with most politicians because you will find me extremely blunt and transparent.” At an all-candidates meeting last week at the fairgrounds in Wyoming ““I’m fearful to say that if the Liberals are re-elected we may have no choice but to consider civil disobedience to protect our rights.” He is disappointment only 16 Libertarian candidates are registered to run this election and he set a target of at least 100 this time around “One of the things they treasure most in life is to be left alone,” which makes recruiting candidates a challenge We have to field candidates so libertarians can have a voice.” The party received 4,765 votes nationwide in the 2021 election 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. A youth is charged after three people were shot with a pellet gun on Tank Street in Petrolia around 5 p.m We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentOne of the pedestrians hit had minor injuries, the OPP said in a news release. Police located and arrested a 14-year-old, who is charged with assault with a weapon and possession of an imitation weapon for a dangerous purpose. The youth was released and is scheduled to appear in Sarnia court. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers, 1-800-222-8477. Two break-ins reported Friday are believed to be connected to three earlier burglaries in the city. A break-in on Cathcart Boulevard happened between 6 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. and one on Stonebrook Road in Bright’s Grove occurred between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., police said. No one was home when the residences were entered by smashing a rear window, police said. In each case, the homes were ransacked looking for items of value. The break-ins happened in neighbourhoods in the city’s north end and Bright’s Grove. The previous incidents were on Moores Lane, Wespencer Gate and Huron Shores Drive. A black crossover style SUV was seen in the area of one of the earlier breakpins and a black sedan was seen in the latest incidents. Police ask residents of the Stoney Creek subdivision and the Cathcart Boulevard area bordered by Lakeshore Road, Modeland Road, Errol Road, Watson Trail and Murphy Road to check home security cameras for suspicious behaviour, including pedestrians cutting through yards, idling vehicles with people inside and a black sedan. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det.-Const. Fraser Moore, 519-344-8861, ext. 6236, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. A small family-owned pet food store in Petrolia has taken to social media after notices were issued to three Petrolia Line businesses to vacate their rental spaces by the end of the month to make way for a franchise store Joshua McDonald posted a video to Facebook on March 31 three days after his family's store -- the Cash & Carry Feed Bin at 4349 Petrolia Line -- received a notice that its lease would be terminated on April 30 He told Sarnia News Today his family was shocked and later confirmed with their landlord the space would be occupied by Pet Valu McDonald said he wanted to post the video for two reasons: to spread awareness and hopefully "Social media kind of gives everyone an equal playing field in terms of sharing their message and getting the word out We wanted to spread awareness to the community so there wasn't a misconception that we just sold to Pet Valu," he said "I was pretty upset when I found out it was going to be a Pet Valu franchise so I basically went straight to my laptop and started writing a script and that was sort of my way of channeling my anger in a healthy way into something that would hopefully produce some results and help keep the business alive." the video had been viewed over 140,000 times and received over 1,200 shares our whole family has just been so grateful for all of the support We're still kind of blown away and processing it all," he said "Having all of the messages swarming in and people giving us support it gives us that strength to keep going and keep pushing to make this work because clearly An edit to the Facebook video clarified its purpose is to shine a light on what can happen to small businesses "as a result of corporate greed." we ask that you don't paint every Pet Valu franchise with the same brush," read McDonald's Facebook post "Every business has a different story and from what we're told this specific location was the result of Pet Valu corporate really pushing to take on the Petrolia market." McDonald said the family business started with the Brigden Feed Mill about 50 years ago and expanded when his late grandfather opened the Cash & Carry Feed Bin just over 30 years ago with fewer than 30 days to decide their next move McDonald said his father and grandmother are scrambling to find a new location for the store and they need parking space for delivery trucks to be able to pull in and out," he said McDonald said it's important to him and his family to keep his grandfather's legacy alive McDonald said the business had multi-year leases but due to a recent change in landlords McDonald said they were hoping for more of a "heads up" regarding the termination Lease terminations for two other tenants have also been confirmed Digital Ink Graphics & Printing, located at 4351 Petrolia Line, posted to Facebook and shared McDonald's video "To say the last few days have been a whirlwind would be a complete understatement My business is one of the businesses affected by this decision and I am left scrambling to find a new home for Digital Ink," read the post confirmed with Sarnia News Today it received a notice we were also affected by the eviction with a 30-day eviction notice given and a Pet Valu will be occupying the [three] existing units," read an emailed statement "I am currently searching for office space but 30 days is an unrealistic time frame to relocate a medical practice." According to Pet Valu's website one of the franchise opportunities listed for Ontario is at 4351 Petrolia Line McDonald said he emailed Pet Valu on April 1 to voice his frustrations and ask that they reconsider the move responded to an email from Sarnia News Today and said the company and the landlord sympathize with the challenges faced by the tenants "The landlord has provided each of the tenants with proper notice and has complied with all legal requirements," read the emailed statement "Guardian and the landlord sincerely wish these tenants all the best in the future." Sarnia News Today made multiple attempts to connect with Pet Valu but did not receive a response by the time of publication The rain held off Friday for the 37th Petrolia and District Lions Easter egg hunt We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentMembers of the service club prepared for a typical crowd of about 350 youngsters and families at the Lions Hall in Greenwood Park The park next to the hall was sectioned off with yellow caution tape to mark egg-hunting grounds for age groups the youngest group of hunters gathered with families inside the hall where they shared space this year with a federal election advance poll Overturned tables sectioned half of the hall off for the egg hunt by members of the newborn to two-years-old group “We made that arrangement” to share the space when the hall was booked for a polling place Youngsters inside the hall and outside in the park gathered plastic eggs starting at 12:30 p.m They also could have their photo taken with a human-sized Easter Bunny who was handing out chocolate eggs and the LEO youth group of the Lions Club sold hot dogs and bottles of water for $2 About 15 to 20 of the club’s 66 members were in the park Friday to help out The day was overcast leading up to the hunt “This is one of our first big events of this year,” Schleihauf said Other events coming up at the hall include a fish fry May 9 a Mother’s Day brunch May 11 hosted by the LEO club and a lobsterfest June 29 The club also operates a food truck that travels to events through the year including the town’s upcoming Pizzafest and Art on the Park Money raised by the service club supports local youth organizations as well as projects at  Bluewater Health Lambton County received approval from the province to begin construction of a 12-bed “small house” long-term care addition at Lambton Meadowview Villa near Petrolia We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentIt will be the first centre to use the small-house approach in Ontario for residents living with dementia The concept provides “a home-like environment where residents experience increased autonomy and personalized care” in a small more intimate setting rather than traditional long-term care “We’re really going to be an innovative project here to address the challenges that complex dementia has in long-term care,” said Michael Gorgey Lambton’s general manager of long-term care Demolition at the site on Petrolia Line is expected to begin soon with construction scheduled to be completed by July 2026 The addition will replace a section of the building at Meadowview Villa that previously housed the county’s ambulance offices Those offices were moved to the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park in Sarnia “We’re hoping to get most of the exterior building done before winter,” Gorgey said Being attached to the existing long-term care home will allow the addition to use some of its services After a round of construction bids in November were over the estimates the project’s construction manager and architect revised the design and a new round of bids came in at $8.4 million The project’s overall budget also includes about $1.4-million in planning and pre-construction expenses and $1.75 million for contingencies Lambton plans to use reserves and borrowing to pay for the project with a provincial construction subsidy and a top-up subsidy covering a portion of borrowing costs “A substantial amount of construction costs are covered by the province,” Gorgey said about the construction funding subsidy of $21.53 per resident per day plus the top-up of $35 per resident per day The province is also providing $600,000 in grants for the project At the same time as the long-term care addition is being built 49-space child care centre at Meadowview Villa The small-house model of long-term care is growing in popularity Instead of the traditional approach where residents are grouped together on floors or in units small house units are designed around a central “hearth” area where a small group of elders live socialize and take part in activities together “This project will be able to manage people with complex dementia,” Gorgey said Small-house residents have lower rates of infectious disease less violent and aggressive behaviour and reduced need for anti-psychotic medication Lambton operates three long-term care homes including North Lambton Lodge in Forest and Marshall Gowland Manor in Sarnia the Petrolia Discovery oil heritage site has been vandalized PETROLIA – For the second time in about four months We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThis time the damage which the Petrolia Discovery Foundation described as devastating including some that were more than a century old “This senseless act threatens our cherished site and places a tremendous financial and logistical burden on our entirely volunteer-run organization,” the foundation said in a statement “Early estimates place recovery costs at over $20,000 which is overwhelming to this organization both financially and from a volunteer standpoint,” the foundation said said at the time four people broke windows smashed locks off doors with a sledgehammer and took some artifacts out of some buildings Welsh called the November incident malicious but the latest one is proving to be much more costly “The violent destruction and associated costs of this incident are far beyond what this organization has previously seen,” the group said in last week’s statement Anyone with information about what happened or who was involved is asked to contact Lambton OPP or the local chapter of Crime Stoppers Welsh said the work that will be required for repairs is too much for their volunteers but they still hope to reopen for the season by July “Our organization is dedicated to preserving Petrolia Discovery for future generations but repeated acts of vandalism make this mission incredibly challenging,” she said Volunteers have also been restoring a drilling exhibit known as the Canadian rig The site’s Fitzgerald rig was restored previously Petrolia became a centre for oil production in the late 1800s following its discovery at nearby Oil Springs The Petrolia Discovery offers tours of the oil field and buildings during warmer months and also hosts events such as the Halloween season’s Fiery Faces display tbridge@postmedia.com The Petrolia Discovery is asking for the public’s help identifying those responsible for recent vandalism at the volunteer-run working oil field and heritage site We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe foundation that runs the Discovery said in a statement “minor acts of vandalism” during the past month had intensified “culminating with a significant incident” Friday Damage estimated at $500 was caused when “four unknown suspects” entered the Discovery site at about 8:30 p.m. The first few times the site was entered this month “it just seemed mischievous and kids doing what kids shouldn’t do,” she said they were really quite malicious,” Welsh said smashed a lot of locks off doors with a sledgehammer discharged three of our brand-new fire extinguishers and took some artifacts out of some buildings.” Police said surveillance video is being reviewed in an attempt to identify suspects “People are generally respectful of the history here and they know the hard work we’ve put into it the last number of years,” Welsh said volunteers have been restoring a drilling exhibit known as the Canadian rig and previously the site’s Fitzgerald rig was restored most people just want to help” and vandalism hadn’t been a significant issue in recent years This is the time of year when volunteers typically have the site ready for winter but they’ve had to spend more time in recent days repairing windows and cleaning up damage “The reports of vandalism and mischievous behaviour are most disappointing and an affront to what the residents of Petrolia feel about the importance of preserving our heritage.” the foundation and police have asked anyone with information about the damage to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous Welsh said the foundation board is thankful for support and offers of help it has received following the recent damage The site is expected to open for Christmas tours on Dec “They were very popular last year,” she said It will be sort of our scaled-down winter tour.” The Kiwanis Club of Petrolia and area needs your vote to help win a cash prize for the new splash pad in the town Fundraising board member Melissa Duquette tells Sarnia News Today they've been selected as one of three finalists in the Growing Home with BASF contest which we would really love to have," said Duquette "It will help us to fund the community splash pad It will be opening this summer at the YMCA in Petrolia Online voting is open until April 15 at 11:59 p.m we need as many votes as possible," Duquette said so this would really help us get a big jump on our goals for fundraising." While an official opening date has yet to be announced Duquette said they've been told construction should be completed by June Plans for the water feature on Tank Street have been in the works for a few years now. Designs were first shared with Petrolia council in November 2022 Anyone wishing to contribute to the fundraising campaign can make donations on the Kiwanis Club's website or by contacting the club through its Facebook page In 2024, Three Oaks Cabin received just under 10,000 votes in the BASF contest and won the $25,000 prize. Petrolia Family Fun Days are back this weekend We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe town has joined with community groups in recent years to organize a long weekend of special events as part of Ontario’s Family Day holiday This year they include free skates at the Greenwood Recreation Centre two breakfasts and more planned for Saturday “We just really like to provide opportunities for families to get together and have some fun,” said Julie Bullock to spend lots of time together and have the opportunity to create some memories,” she said Most of the Family Fun Days events are free “We work with lots of other community groups to come up with events and they take on leadership roles” for much of what’s planned “It’s definitely a partnership between all kinds of groups.” the Petrolia YMCA on Tank Street offers free family sports and fun events from 10 a.m the Petrolia Heritage Advisory Committee hosts an open house with displays and information about local families from the Lambton County Archives Lambton Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society and Petrolia Camera Club the ladies’ auxiliary of Branch 216 of the Royal Canadian Legion serves a fundraising breakfast at the legion hall from 9 a.m $6 for ages six to 10 and free for those under six The YMCA events repeat Sunday and there will be free skating at the arena from 1:50 p.m New Life Petrolia church on Oozloffsky Street hosts a free breakfast and a showing of the movie Inside Out 2 at 8:30 a.m the YMCA will have free swimming from 10 a.m sponsored by the Lambton Central Petrolia Optimist Club and the Lions Club of Petrolia will offer free family bingo at its hall on Huggard Street from 3 p.m for a chance to win prizes supplied by the Optimists Club We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Janet Hardy (nee Dillon), 63 years, of Petrolia died surrounded by her daughters on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at Bluewater Health Sarnia. Janet was predeceased by her husband of 40 years Gary Hardy (2023). She will be missed by her daughters... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Janet Hardy created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Made with love by funeralOne A Petrolia man is facing two dozen charges after authorities seized prohibited weapons bound for Canada at the border members of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted a package allegedly destined for an address in Petrolia Police said the package contained seven prohibited weapons The CBSA's Ontario Firearms Smuggling Enforcement Team (OFSET) notified Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) members assigned to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) for further investigation the OPP Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit OPP Community Street Crime Unit and CBSA searched a home in Petrolia Several weapons were seized including brass knuckles a centrifugal opening knife with a thumb stud A 32-year-old Petrolia man is charged with 24 weapons related offences under the Criminal Code (CC) and Customs Act (CA) including possession of a prohibited weapon unauthorized importation of a prohibited weapon and smuggling prohibited goods into Canada OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart of the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau said the cross-border movement of illegal commodities continues to threaten the safety of the communities they serve "The OPP has an important role in supporting the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in maintaining the security and integrity of our borders through combined enforcement and intelligence sharing," said Stoddart "These partnerships allow for seamless collaboration with the shared goal of combatting cross-border illegal activity detect and disrupt criminal activity in Ontario and beyond." If you've ever wanted to learn about archival research Lambton County Archives will host free Introduction to Archival Research sessions this spring at the Petrolia and Alvinston libraries Archivist/Supervisor Nicole Aszalos said participants will receive an overview of the many resources available through Lambton County Archives and Lambton County Library “Archives play a vital role in the preserving the stories and memories of our community," Aszalos said "These sessions will teach participants about the important work archives do as well as how they can access valuable research resources through Lambton County Archives and Lambton County Library By bringing this program directly to libraries we’re excited to connect with more people across Lambton County and help them discover how Lambton County Archives can support their research and connection to local history.” Archival and library staff will be at the Petrolia Library on Tuesday For more information, or to register, click here the Town of Petrolia and Waste Management have announced the winners of this year's Green Leader Program A total of $15,000 in grant money is being split between three projects aimed at reducing emissions The IODE Margaret Stokes Chapter received $5,000 to revitalize Moncrieff Park and Jubilee Trail It will use the money to plant native trees and vegetation The Petrolia and Enniskillen Agricultural Society was granted $4,000 to replace the lighting at the fairgrounds with modern The improvements are aimed at enhancing the visitor experience during the Petrolia and Enniskillen Fall Fair and other community events while significantly reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs The society said this will also enhance safety and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and the community will be planting a north perimeter hedgerow with its $6,000 grant and necessary planting materials from local sources The Discovery Foundation said the funds will allow it to complete plantings and fall maintenance (hemp mats and animal repellant) in 2025 and spring 2026 maintenance to ensure a healthy and successful hedgerow Petrolia Chief Administrative Officer/Treasurer Rick Charlebois said the timing of the announcement couldn't be better "Earth Day is the perfect day for this annual announcement as it brings community attention to the issues facing the earth and through this program, it is a nice opportunity to do our part. Residents are encouraged to visit earthday.org to learn more about what they can do for our planet," said Charlebois "We are very grateful for this partnership with Waste Management for the betterment of our community and for our earth." Kathryn Kuchta (nee McGirr), 81 years of Petrolia passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at Lambton Meadowview Villa. Kathy was predeceased by her husband of 56 years Joe. She will be missed by her sons Eric Kuchta and Phil Kuchta... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Kathryn Kuchta created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Lambton OPP is warning residents after a Petrolia resident was scammed out of $6,000 We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe “emergency scam” saw a Joe Street resident called about 1:30 p.m Sunday by someone they believed was their son saying he needed bail money after a vehicle crash The caller spoke with someone said to be a lawyer handling the case and told to provide money to a “court employee,” who collected the money at the victim’s residence Anyone with information about the case should contact Lambton OPP at 1-888-310-1122 Warning signs of a scam include a sense of urgency when money is requested which may cause the victim to not verify the story they’re being told “The scammer plays on the victim’s emotions by generating a sense of fear.” Anyone who faces such a request should check with a relative or trusted friend to verify information before providing money or credit card information Clair Township sent seven people to hospital Sunday Two vehicles collided on Highway 40 north of Bentpath Line about 5:15 p.m. All of the injuries were described by police as not life-threatening The highway was closed for four hours as officers investigated Anyone with information about the crash, or dashcam footage, should call Lambton OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. CLAIR TOWNSHIP – Several rural roads here were closed Wednesday morning after a two-vehicle crash sent three to hospital and caused a gas leak We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentOfficers were at a collision at Petrolia Line and Mandaumin Road Lambton OPP posted on social media shortly after 8 a.m “(Three) people have been transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” the post said “The (road) closures will remain in effect for an extended period while crews repair the gas leak.” Mandaumin Road was closed between Lasalle and Rokeby lines and Petrolia Line was closed from Fairweather to Waterworks roads “Please avoid the area and use alternate routes Updates will be provided as available,” the post said A Lambton OPP spokesperson said about 9 a.m Wednesday that road closings were expected to last for several hours Large emergency road closed signs with flashing lights and pylons were posted at several intersections leading to the crash scene west of Petrolia Flashing emergency lights could be seen in the distance from the shuttered intersection of Petrolia Line and Fairweather Road Petrolia Line also was closed at Marthaville Road police said in an update the crash took place about 7 a.m. and sent three people to hospital and not two as posted earlier on social media CORRECTION: 3 individuals were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. ^jr https://t.co/7kxXTq43y8 They also issued a photo of emergency crews at the crash site A Sarnia resident faces charges after a man committed an indecent act in a fast-food restaurant last weekend The incident took place Family Day in a Christina Street venue A man who had been lingering inside since 6:30 a.m “When he was refused access to the locked restroom exposing his genitals and urinated on the floor in front of staff Despite multiple requests by staff to leave Officers were called and a suspect was arrested was charged with committing an indecent act and breaching probation and held for bail On February 17th police were called to a Christina Street fast food restaurant.  A male party had been lingering inside the restaurant since 6:30 am and had been disturbing customers.  When he was refused access to the locked restroom, he proceeded to pull down his pants exposing… pic.twitter.com/Jr6QZDZNCe Petrolia wins first championship in franchise historyAfter being handed the Petrolia Flyers’ reins a year ago general manager Bryan Timmington and head coach Adam Craievich set out to change the culture After being handed the Petrolia Flyers’ reins a year ago general manager Bryan Timmington and coach Adam Craievich set out to change the culture Article contentThe Flyers had never won a championship They’d never even been past the second round of playoffs players were told all summer they could beat any team “A lot of these players have won OMHA championships,” Timmington said “They’ve won International Silver Sticks (and) regional Silver Sticks They’ve done well at AAA or whatever level they’ve gone to “Petrolia’s been stuck in a rut for so long that it kind of wears on guys — season after season losing ‘This is the last kick at the can for you guys Let’s do something special this year.’ And they all bought in.” the Flyers earned the first banner in their 37-year history with a 3-0 win over the Exeter Hawks in Game 6 of the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Yeck Division final “It’s been a pretty cool experience on this little run we’ve had here,” Craievich said “We’ve kind of defied all odds and exceeded expectations.” Elijah Grant posted a 27-save shutout in front of 1,184 at Exeter’s South Huron Arena Craievich estimated the crowd included a few hundred Petrolia fans chanting “Let’s go Flyers!” late in the third period Austin Harper broke a scoreless tie 2:41 into the third Andrew Jaques scored at 14:51 and then Miller Mailloux added an empty-netter Noah Harse and Noel Sanderson were the first to raise the championship trophy “Everyone in the room is an actual leader,” Timmington said “They’ve all been a captain or an (alternate) captain on previous teams Next is the West Conference final against the Stobbs Division champion Essex 73’s but the best-of-seven series could start as soon as Friday in Essex Game 2 is tentatively slated for Sunday at Petrolia’s Greenwood Recreation Centre the Flyers placed sixth in the Yeck Division and lost in the quarter-finals They were eighth in 2022-23 and seventh in 2021-22 “We came into this season and everybody thought we were the same old Flyers,” Craievich said “Everyone had assumed we were going to be one of the bottom-tier teams “I think the boys bought into that underdog mentality We had a hell of a start to the season and took a lot of teams by surprise.” They placed first in the division with a 28-11-3-0 record “We had a certain goal — to place in the top three — but as the season went on “We knew we could go deep into the playoffs “And then obviously we picked up a few players along the way The Flyers’ strong start made Petrolia an attractive landing spot for veterans seeking a new team best friends and Western University students brought junior A experience when they arrived in late November Harper and Richardson were acquired from the junior B Sarnia Legionnaires “The biggest thing from the start of the summer training was just instilling a will to compete,” Craievich said but we’re going to outcompete and outskate and outhustle every team that we play.” That attitude’s helped them go 12-4 in the playoffs mmalone@postmedia.com We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentMichael Fiddick was charged in 2022 with three counts of assault attempting to render a person unconscious by choking The identity of the complainant is covered by a publication ban who was the owner and administrator of the 162-bed Fiddick’s nursing and retirement homes when the charges were laid had his case committed to Sarnia’s Superior Court of Justice in November 2023 but the list of charges was cut down to three counts of assault and one count of sexual assault A three- to five-day trial in front of a judge without a jury was tentatively scheduled for this past November the charges were withdrawn Friday after Fiddick signed a three-year peace bond told Superior Court Justice Jason Howie her office recently received new information about the case from Fiddick’s lawyer Terry Brandon “That information had a direct and substantial impact on the Crown’s reasonable prospect of conviction,” she said Mulpuru said after considering the new information along with other issues in the Crown’s case and getting input from the complainant and the OPP officer in charge of the investigation she agreed to have the charges withdrawn in favour of the peace bond A common law peace bond can be imposed when the court is satisfied the complainant has a reasonable apprehension the accused may breach the peace It does not mean the accused has committed a criminal offence and it is not a criminal conviction Brandon told Howie her client has maintained his innocence since the charges were laid more than two years ago “He has repeated this throughout and we’re pleased that he had the ability and the resources to be able to produce additional information for the Crown’s consideration and we thank the Crown for engaging with the file at that level,” she said noting the trial was going to last up to 10 days if it’d gone ahead due to some new witnesses Brandon also pointed out Fiddick has no criminal record and is an outstanding businessperson in the Lambton County area “A highly respected and reputable individual who found great embarrassment at the allegations and the need to be before the court,” she said who participated in Friday’s court session by video as Brandon said he’s out of the jurisdiction told the judge he agreed to the terms of the peace bond It includes two conditions: he can’t talk to the complainant unless it’s through a lawyer and he can’t be within 100 metres of where they live “I wish you the best of luck in the future Brandon issued a press release Tuesday in response to Friday’s outcome a longstanding and reputable businessman from the Petrolia area and proprietor of the Fiddick nursing home (in conjunction with his loving mother deceased one month before the charges) responds to the withdrawal of both sets of charges sharing his renewed faith in the justice system for her tireless dedication to his defence,” it says Fiddick reminds everyone that he maintained his innocence throughout.” Canada has a democratic system of justice with the constitutionally protected presumption of innocence. Unfortunately, when charges are laid and played out in the press, the damage can be insurmountable. Even more so in a small hamlet like Petrolia, Ont. Michael Fiddick has suffered exactly this nature of judgement by the allegations predominantly placed on the front of the newspapers and by the assumptions of guilt created by the accusations levied. Earlier in November 2023 all allegations of gun charges against Mr. Michael Fiddick were also withdrawn in the Ontario Court of Justice, in the city of Sarnia, Ont. Mr. Michael Fiddick, a longstanding and reputable businessman from the Petrolia area and proprietor of the Fiddick nursing home (in conjunction with his loving mother, Maxine Fiddick, deceased one month before the charges) responds to the withdrawal of both sets of charges sharing his renewed faith in the justice system. He thanks his lawyer, Terry L. Brandon, for her tireless dedication to his defence. Mr. Fiddick reminds everyone that he maintained his innocence throughout. Now he trusts his innocence is known to all the community. Mr. Fiddick’s greatest regret is the damage that these allegations brought to the family Fiddick name and to the Fiddick nursing home. Mr. Fiddick plans to take some time now to relax with family and friends. He plans to put this tragic part of his life in the past. He plans to enjoy every day with his loving wife, Leza, who supported him throughout this entire process… “Finally the truth is heard. Thank you for listening. Thank you for hearing.” Michael Fiddick in response to the withdrawal of all charges. Editor’s note: This story was updated to add details of a news release issued Tuesday and to clarify the type of bond Michael Fiddick signed in court.  It is with deep sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Tom Currie on Sunday, December 29, 2024 at the age of 74. Loving father of Katie (John) Alvarado and Jacob Currie. Cherished papa to his loving granddaughters Olivia and Sophia... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Tom Currie created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories It is with deep sadness that we announce the unexpe.. An industrial fire that closed a section of Petrolia’s Centre Street for 12 hours Wednesday caused damage estimated to be $1 million We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentChief Rick Cousins with the Petrolia and North Enniskillen Fire Department said Thursday in an email the cause of the fire is undetermined Firefighters and other emergency crews were called out shortly after 2:20 p.m Wednesday and Centre Street was closed to traffic from James Street to Discovery line Clair Township’s Brigden fire hall and the Plympton-Wyoming Fire Department assisted the Petrolia department the Petrolia department thanked the crews from its neighbouring communities for their assistance some equipment was able to be saved and it’s because of the teamwork displayed today that was able to happen,” the post said Cousins said the fire damaged a pole barn structure that had gasoline The cold weather also was a challenge for fire crews “Temperature caused some issues with nozzles and hydrants freezing up,” Cousins said the fire is not being treated as suspicious.” Lambton OPP thanked the public for its “patience and cooperation” while the road was closed to traffic so crews could fight the fire Centre Street runs north from Petrolia’s downtown through a mostly commercial and industrial section of the town It’s also the street where the town’s fire hall is located The Petrolia Flyers were shut out until late in the third period Sunday in a 7-1 loss to the Essex 73’s in Game 2 of the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s West Conference final the Flyers trailed 6-0 until Lucas Rogers spoiled Brogan Colquhoun’s shutout bid with 5:44 left in front of a season-high 827 fans at the Greenwood Recreation Centre Losing goalie Ethan Everaert gave up five goals on 20 shots and Elijah Grant allowed two more on 18 shots Karson Beuglet scored twice and Colquhoun made 25 saves for the 73’s who led 2-0 after one period and 5-0 after two Ryan Richardson scored and Grant made 41 saves in Essex Game 4 is Thursday in Petrolia at 7:30 p.m Sarnia’s Rachael Riley competed as an individual and with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the NCAA regional gymnastics championships in Tuscaloosa Riley tied for 12th out of 28 competitors on the beam with a score of 9.850 in the second-round quad meet Friday Rutgers was eliminated from the team competition Thursday after losing to Clemson 195.400-193.875 in a play-in Riley tied for second on the beam with 9.800 and tied for seventh on the vault with 9.725 Rutgers was at the regional championships as a team for the first time since 2014 Watford’s Mason Pomoransky and Port Lambton’s Brock Lane are going with the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks to the Telus Cup the Canadian U18 AAA hockey championship April 21-27 in Chilliwack Petrolia’s Brian Dobbin is the Canucks’ coach They qualified Sunday with a 3-2 overtime win against the Vaughan Kings in the final of the Ontario Hockey Federation’s Central Region championship in Kemptville Pomoransky had one assist in seven tournament games going 0-2 with a 3.21 goals-against average The Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference semifinals begin Thursday with the top-seeded London Knights hosting the Erie Otters while the second-seeded Windsor Spitfires host the Kitchener Rangers Watford’s Evan Van Gorp had four assists in four games as the Knights swept the Owen Sound Attack in a quarter-final Sarnia’s Jack Nesbitt had a goal and six assists as the Spitfires ousted the Soo Greyhounds in five games and Huron-Perth Lakers defenceman Dante D’Andrea were invited to take part in the OHL development combine this past weekend in Oshawa OHL teams use the combine to scout draft-eligible players — 36 forwards skills training and a series of five-on-five and three-on-three games Players also attend a seminar on nutrition and training Wyoming’s Core Jackson is ranked second in the Big 12 Conference and 13th overall in D1Baseball.com’s latest rankings of college shortstops The Utah Utes senior ranks in the top five in the Big 12 in batting average (.398) He’s in the top 10 in home runs (seven) and slugging percentage (.686) Jackson was 4 for 8 with three runs and a two-run homer as Utah lost to West Virginia 6-4 and 14-4 in a doubleheader Saturday in Morgantown Sarnia’s Brianna Fraser was a finalist for the Brock University female athlete of the year award for the second consecutive year after winning gold in the 83kg division at the OUA and U Sports championships Fraser was chosen the Badgers women’s wrestling MVP for a season in which she was an OUA first-team all-star and U Sports first-team all-Canadian winning bronze at the U23 Pan-American championships and placing ninth at the U23 world championships Port Lambton swimmer Shona Branton was a finalist for Western University’s F.W.P which goes annually to a female student-athlete for contributions to intercollegiate sports during her Mustangs career Branton also received a purple blanket from the Mustangs for her academic and athletic achievements Petrolia’s Amanda Pieraldi says the book she self-published came from “life’s challenges.” Article contentSpiritual Gangster Daily Affirmations is her first book and includes 113 affirmations “It kind of started from a marriage that just didn’t work out to losing my mother on Christmas morning in 2019 and then there were health issues with one of my children,” plus a job loss at what seemed to be “the absolute worst time,” Pieraldi said “When we get these hardships that come into our life that’s where our true character comes from,” she said Pieraldi decided she could either “sit on the sidelines” following the series of unfortunate events affirm that life is still going to be beautiful amongst all these cracks.” “I’ve always been big on affirmations,” Pieraldi said She begins her days with a journal listing at least five things for which she’s grateful and then it’s a snowball for the rest of the day,” she said and I’ve made a point to be grateful for what I’ve got Pieraldi grew up in Wyoming in a family of teachers and spent about four years teaching in the Dominican Republic before moving back to Canada and settling in Petrolia She has an English degree but hadn’t attended teacher’s college and found work in developmental services as a support worker for six years When her marriage ended and she became a single mom she went back to school to study executive office administration and worked in that field for several years Pieraldi decided it was “a great time to work on my writing” while she searched for what was next The words “spiritual gangster” were originally written on a T-shirt she sold through a home business “I’ve always just loved the expression,” Pieraldi said “That is just someone who blends their spirituality with strength The book using the title is among three she has released around the same time A second is a “prompted daily journal” connected to the daily affirmations collection It’s in notebook form and includes the affirmations along with questions prompting readers “to really think about” what the affirmation is saying “It’s one of these things you can do at your own pace,” she said That’s also the case with the daily affirmations “You can just flip to a page and choose which one you want to read or you can simply start at the beginning,” she said Her third book is Dream Big Little Star with affirmations for children “I definitely see more coming,” Pieraldi said The Petrolia Flyers are still one win away from capturing the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Yeck Division championship after two weekend losses to the Exeter Hawks The top-seeded Flyers own a 3-2 series lead going into Game 6 of the best-of-seven final Tuesday at Exeter’s South Huron Arena at 7:30 p.m Game 7 will be Thursday at Petrolia’s Greenwood Recreation Centre at 7:30 p.m The Hawks won 4-2 Sunday in Game 5 before 802 fans at Greenwood Ryan Richardson scored two power-play goals in the third period after the Flyers fell behind 3-0 Elijah Grant made eight saves after relieving Ethan Everaert Parker Davidson and Lucas Rogers scored in the Flyers’ 3-2 loss in Game 4 in Exeter The Hawks broke a 2-2 tie with 2:12 left in regulation Back-to-back overtime losses put the top-seeded Alvinston Killer Bees on the brink of elimination in the Ontario Super Hockey League’s Western Division playoffs The Killer Bees trailed the Strathroy Jets 3-2 in their best-of-seven semifinal going into Game 6 Monday in Strathroy The Bees wasted a two-goal lead in the final two minutes of Saturday’s 6-5 overtime loss after squandering a three-goal lead in the final two minutes of Friday’s 6-5 overtime loss Ethan Lamoureux had two goals and three assists in Game 5 Brennan Feasey added one and Kaden Fulcher made 22 saves in Alvinston Owen McGowan and Jayden Lammel also scored The Jets began their comeback with two late power-play goals Ex-NHLer Rob Schremp scored in overtime on a two-man power play Knights 4-3 in Sunday’s final of the Alliance Hockey under-15 AAA championship at Progressive Auto Sales Arena Sting beat the Huron-Perth Lakers 4-2 in a semifinal earlier Sunday after placing third in the five-team round-robin with a 1-2-1 record They tied the Sun County Panthers 2-2 and beat the Brantford 99ers 7-2 before losing to the Lakers 4-2 and the Jr Knights qualified for the All-Ontario championship April 9-13 in Markham Sting were fifth in the Alliance regular season at 15-11-5 then beat the Panthers 3-1-1 in a playdown series Lukas Fischer and Beckham Edwards were named the Sarnia Sting’s players of the year at the team’s awards ceremony recently Edwards shared the rookie of the year award with Alessandro Di Iorio and the scholastic player of the year award with Liam Beamish Easton Wainwright won the Sting Values Award and was humanitarian of the year Zach Filak was the leading scorer and Al Coyne won the community champion award The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League is honouring three Lambton County players by renaming Western Conference awards for them The Pat Stapleton Memorial Award will go to the most valuable player the Bill Lochead Trophy to the most gentlemanly player and the John Faulkner Trophy to the most valuable goaltender Sarnia’s Stapleton played with his hometown Legionnaires before spending 10 seasons in the NHL and five in the World Hockey Association He also played for Canada in the 1972 and 1974 Summit Series Forest’s Lochead won a scoring title with the Sarnia Bees before playing six seasons in the NHL Sarnia’s Faulkner played four seasons with the Sarnia Blast and four more at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Forest’s Tyler McGregor captained Canada to a 2-1 win over the United States in Saturday’s finale of a three-game para hockey series in Thorold Canada lost 2-1 and 5-1 in the first two games Next is the world para hockey championship May 24-31 in Buffalo Wyoming’s Core Jackson is off to a blazing start in his senior season with the Utah Utes baseball team Jackson is sixth in the Big 12 batting race with a .406 average in 24 games He’s also in the conference’s top 10 in runs (31) slugging percentage (.689) and OPS (1.160) He was an all-conference selection last season when Utah still played in the Pac-12 Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove finished at two over Sunday to tie for 64th at the PGA Tour Champions’ The Galleri Classic in Rancho Mirage A Petrolia man charged earlier this year with dangerous driving and failing to remain at a crash following a collision on Petrolia Line has been convicted instead of careless driving We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe two-vehicle crash happened on April 13 on Petrolia Line between Tank Street and First Avenue “It was reported that a vehicle struck a pickup truck and left the scene The occupants of the pickup truck that remained on scene were not injured,” police said at the time was arrested the next day and charged with dangerous driving under the Criminal Code and failing to remain at a crash under the Highway Traffic Act A Sarnia courtroom recently heard the other vehicle was a Ford Mustang left the scene and went through two stop signs Police initially couldn’t find it or the driver that night Nesbitt went to the Petrolia detachment of the OPP (the next day) and gave a cautioned statement and confessed to the whole thing,” assistant Crown attorney Meaghan Jones told the judge Nesbitt recently pleaded guilty to careless driving and was fined $2,000 and put on probation for one year Nesbitt is remorseful for his actions and he does apologize,” paralegal Samantha Greaves said Nesbitt declined a chance to address the judge but the judge said his driving record was aggravating