Exeter Examiner - July 16 by Grant Haven Media

SUMMER SUNSET SOUNDS PAGE

Exeter Examiner

LEGION CENTENNIAL PAGE Thursday, July 16, 2026

Thursday, July 16, 2026

VOL. 3 • ISSUE 10

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Tires no longer accepted at South Huron landfill JOHN MINER Examiner Reporter

South Huron’s tire recycling program has come to a screeching halt in the wake of changes to provincial regulations. The municipal landfill, which usually handles about 1,000 tires a year, will no longer accept them. Alyssa Keller, South Huron’s manager of environmental services, said the tire recycling program was paused after the municipality couldn’t find haulers to pick up tires at the landfill. Under Ontario government regulations prior to Jan. 1, 2025, companies that supply tires to the Ontario market were legally and financially responsible for managing their disposal after use by consumers. The target for tire suppliers was set at 85 per cent of the tires marketed in Ontario. But the government lowered the target 18 months ago to 65 per cent. Keller said South Huron noticed a slowdown in the pickup of tires by recyclers after the change. Then it came to a stop. “There was the odd truck we could catch and still kind of keep the program moving, but we were getting a backup,” she said. The municipality is unable for now to get rid of about 200 tires it has collected at the landfill. In a news release, South Huron said it decided CONTINUED TO PAGE 11

EXETER CELEBRATES CANADA DAY

(DAN ROLPH PHOTO)

It was a day to celebrate all things Canadian on July 1 as Exeter’s community gathered to celebrate Canada Day. The festivities were centred around MacNaughton Park where attractions included inflatables, a scavenger hunt, a touch-a-truck event, food and a free swim at the Exeter and District pool. Pictured are children as they participate in the kids bike parade, where everyone involved was adorned with the maple leaf and Canadian-themed attire. MORE PHOTOS FOUND ON PAGE 11

Zurich Country Fair brings returning favourites and new attractions DAN ROLPH Editor

The Zurich Country Fair will be back in town from July 24 to 26 for another weekend of classic festival fun.

This year’s event marks the 162nd year in the long-running agricultural fair’s history, and Jenna Becker of the Zurich Agricultural Society said the fair has changed a great deal over those years. “It’s a big title to keep going,” she said. “It used to be such a different type of fair back in the day. When my CONTINUED TO PAGE 18

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Exeter Examiner

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Exeter Examiner

EDITORIAL

The troubling trend of hotter summers getting fewer moments to enjoy time outside as we’re forced to retreat indoors to the solace that air conditioning provides. As I write this editorial, I am looking at a forecast filled with sweltering heat and warnings from Environment Canada telling Canadians to stay indoors and avoid extended periods in the sun. My news feed is filled with stories about a “Super” El Niño brewing over the Pacific and a heat dome in the U.S. that will push extreme heat into Canada. These extreme weather stories are becoming commonplace, and talk of record-breaking summers has seemingly turned into an annual tradition. At the beginning of 2026, Environment Canada predicted that this

DAN ROLPH Editor

We are now officially in the summer season. Summer brings with it beach days, times at the cottage with friends and family and plenty of community events taking advantage of the season when the landscape isn’t covered by mounds of snow. That is, however, when the weather permits it, because these days it seems that we’re

year would be amongst the hottest on record, and we’re now in the midst of feeling that reality every time we step out the front door and gasp at the sudden wave of heat. The trend that we’re seeing is clear. Our environment is warming, and it doesn’t look like we are on a trajectory that will put an end to that and reverse course any time soon. From 1949 to 2024, the average annual temperature in Canada increased by 2.4 C. Locally, temperatures are expected to climb by 4 C by 2050 in Huron County. The county’s Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan estimates that the increase will leave us with more than an extra month’s worth of days over 30 C in a single year. However, I think talking about climate change in num-

bers often fails to illustrate the looming impacts of what we are facing. So, what do those rising temperatures mean to us? They mean that the things we love most about summer become less possible as we navigate the heat. A day on the beach can already be a challenge when we are battling extreme heat, but that heat alone is just part of the equation. With higher temperatures, we can expect longer dry periods and more intense storms when they roll in off Lake Huron. We will also be more likely to see days where the air becomes difficult to breathe as intensifying wildfire seasons cloud our skies with smoke. These are everyday, real and quantifiable things that we are seeing before our eyes. They are things that are already

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having a noticeable impact on our lives as we plan around the heat, watch the forecast more closely and sometimes give up on the summer moments we had been looking forward to. It is easy to look toward the future of our climate, both locally and globally, and fall down the rabbit hole of doom and gloom as we see the daunting realities ahead of us. But even though it is vital for us to recognize the impact of a changing climate, giving in to despair cannot be our only response. If hotter summers are already changing the way we live, then perhaps they should also remind us not to take the good days for granted. When the weather gives us a break, we should be doing everything we can to make the most of it.

Publisher Stewart Grant • stew@granthaven.com

Submit your Letter to the Editor to us at info@exeterexaminer.com

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Editor Dan Rolph • dan@granthaven.com

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Contributors Deb Lord, John Miner, Samantha Lawson, Bob Heywood, Amy Wilhelm, Colin Carmichael, Paul Knowles, Judy Finkbeiner Johnson, Barry Johnson, Claire Jones 36 Water St. St. Marys, ON, PO Box 2310 N4X 1A2 info@exeterexaminer.com | 519.284.0041 | granthaven.com

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SCAN TO READ THE ONLINE PAPER www.granthaven.com

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

COMMUNITY

Huron County lays out homelessness strategy for next decade DAN ROLPH Editor

A plan that sets the strategy for tackling homelessness and affordability in Huron County until 2035 has been approved. County councillors approved the plan during the July 2 council meeting, where social and property services director Barbara Hall presented a report on the strategic document. “The plan is built around five strategic goals, including preserving existing affordable housing, strengthening homelessness prevention and support services, improving system co-ordination and expanding affordable, supportive, accessible and age-friendly housing options,” said Hall. The plan’s adoption comes as Huron County continues to see troubling trends in homelessness. The county’s latest figures reported 159 households were experiencing homelessness in June, one of the highest numbers reported by the county since it started sharing monthly homelessness figures in 2024. To address that rising figure, the plan’s first goal is expanding access to affordable housing, mainly by working with community partners, developers and multiple levels of government. The county will also work to maintain modernize its existing social housing, setting a goal of having no net loss in the number of its housing units. Strengthening the system of housing and homelessness supports is listed as a priority in the plan, particularly with a focus on enhancing homelessness prevention and early intervention to reduce the number of individuals accessing the system. Increasing the share of new housing that is classified as medium or high density is also included in

(DAN ROLPH PHOTO)

Huron County’s new homelessness and affordability strategy sets priorities for the next decade in improving the lives of residents struggling with housing. The county’s largest affordable housing initiative, the Gibbons Street apartments in Goderich, features 40 affordable rental units.

the plan, aimed at increasing housing diversity and accessibility. According to the plan, housing demand in Huron County is projected to shift toward higher densities, including townhomes and apartments, which could together make up the majority of development over the next decade.

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“Importantly, a shift to new built forms does not automatically produce housing that is affordable to low-income households or suitable for people with accessibility or support needs,” the plan states. “The projections underscore the need for deliberate policy and investment to ensure that new supply includes purpose-built rental and non-market options that support stability and prevent homelessness.” The county’s plan also looks back on its previous efforts to expand the amount of affordable housing options to residents. Its two largest affordable housing projects over the last decade include the 20-unit Sanders Street apartments in Exeter that opened in 2024, and the 40-unit Gibbons Street apartments in Goderich. Huron County has also changed its strategy for sheltering those experiencing homelessness over the years, shifting away from a motel-based emergency shelter model to bridge transitional housing, a partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association that makes 14 bedrooms available to those in need of urgent housing for up to three months. However, the county’s new homelessness strategy identifies the bridge housing model as a pressure point within Huron County’s homelessness system, particularly due to individuals with complex needs that exceed available supports. The plan also points to a lack of emergency housing options in winter and the need for better homelessness prevention as other local pressure points in the system. Though the plan lays out the county’s strategy over the next 10 years, Hall emphasized the county’s success in addressing homelessness and affordability will rely heavily on partnerships. “While the plan sets the county’s direction over the next decade, many of its objectives will rely on continued partnerships and advocacy with senior levels of government as addressing housing affordability and homelessness requires co-ordinated action and sustained investment,” she said.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Senior of the Week

Photo Quiz

Who are you looking at? By Judy and Barry Johnson

We welcome your submissions for Senior of the Week where you can nominate a loved one to be featured in the Exeter Examiner. Please send a photo and a brief description to info@exeterexaminer.com If you wouldyour like White to nominate someone for “Nominate Squirrel sightings Senior of the Week, contact us at by emailing info@exeterexaminer.com info@exeterexaminer.com

I dig a hole in soft dirt and gravel in a sunny place where I lay up to dozens of table-tennis-ball sized white eggs and cover them. Then my parenting work is done and I leave. If you see broken eggs, sadly predators like raccoons have sniffed out my underground nest. If you see a wooden box topped with wire mesh, my nest is being protected so the eggs can hatch. HINT: Don’t get too close to me. If you can hear me hiss, retreat!

This week’s answers are found on pg. 30

WEEKEND

Position your business alongside the events, entertainment, and traditions that make the Exeter Rodeo a community favourite. Reserve your space in the July 30 Event Guide and connect with readers before and during the fair. AUGUST 8-9

QUIZ

By Jake Grant

CONTACT DEB LORD TO SECURE YOUR SPOT

1. What year did Doug Ford become premier of Ontario? 2. Who plays Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead? 3. What element makes up the majority of Earth’s atmosphere? 4. Which animal was the most sought after during the fur trade era? 5. Who says, “Th-th-th-that’s all folks!”? 6. What is botany the study of? 7. What prominent facial feature is Hello Kitty missing? 8. Where is the lowest elevation point in California? 9. Michael Stipe was the lead singer of which band? 10. What is the roman numeral for 10? This week’s answers are found on pg. 30

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

New Bayfield wastewater treatment facility comes online EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

The Bayfield wastewater treatment plant expansion project is nearing completion. According to a press release from Bluewater, substantial completion status signals the completion of major construction and indicates the facility is ready for use. The plant has been put into full service after having completed commissioning of the treatment process. The expanded facility is now ready to be used for treatment of additional effluent. Work on the expansion project began Nov. 19, 2024, after Bluewater was awarded $8,347,185 through the Ontario’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (MHIPHEWSF). The project involved the installation of a treatment plant at the Bayfield lagoons to increase effluent treatment capacity. The project was funded in part by the provincial grant with remaining costs funded through Bluewater’s sewer reserve, revenue generated through development charges and Bayfield expansion funds, a revenue stream pre-dating development charges.

Prior to completion of the expansion project, the Bayfield wastewater treatment facility was operating over its rated capacity, limiting growth in the Bayfield settlement area, and the municipality said the facility’s expansion will help to meet current and future housing needs within the community. “Through our government’s $4 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, we are protecting Ontario by investing in local infrastructure that drives economic growth, enables more homes and strengthens communities,” said Ontario acting Infrastructure Minister Todd McCarthy. “For families and residents in Bluewater, this project will help unlock the construction of more than 500 new homes, helping support long-term growth and new jobs across the region.” “Investments in critical infrastructure like the Bayfield Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion are essential to supporting strong, sustainable communities and creating the conditions needed for future growth,” said Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson. “Through the Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund, our government is helping municipalities like Bluewater enhance wastewater capacity, support housing opportunities, and

(MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER PHOTO)

Bluewater’s new wastewater treatment facility in Bayfield has been put into full service.

ensure residents and businesses have access to reliable services for years to come.” “We’re happy with the progress on the expansion project and thankful to receive substantial completion,” said Mayor Paul Klopp. “With this notice, we can keep moving forward by providing safe, valuable wastewater services to our residents and businesses

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in Bayfield.” Bluewater opened planning applications related to the expansion of capacity in January 2026. The development services department continues to accept planning and allocation applications. To ensure allocation is delivered fairly and equitably, the municipality has adopted an allocation policy.

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Adorable youngsters delight as they explore their world in their first summer JUDY AND BARRY JOHNSON Examiner Correspondents

It’s wonderful how there are so many different species nearby to spot, learn about, and simply enjoy watching as they interact with their world.

Mid-summer is an ideal time to watch young animals and birds being taught by their parents, and also discovering for themselves how things work during their first months of life. Superb photo ops, smiles, and making memories are all on the agenda when out and about. (JUDY & BARRY JOHNSON PHOTOS)

RED FOX KITS: Young fox kits are off the top of the chart for cuteness, insatiable curiosity, and playfulness. Both parents hunt and bring food back to the den where youngsters are waiting to dine. The menu includes rodents, other small animals and birds, even adult Canada geese. The kits spend their days exploring nooks and crannies, discovering the immediate neighbourhood of their den, playing with their siblings, re-energizing with naps before doing it all again.

WHITE-TAILED DEER DOE AND FAWN: Identify young fawns by their distinctive white spotted coats. This mom is teaching her fawn how to cool off on a hot day by standing in the river under the shade of an overhanging tree. See deer on roadsides and in farm fields, eating grasses and fresh greens. In the heat of summer days, and when they have their young, they will be in the cool and safety of the forest.

MUTE SWAN CYGNETS: Looking as if they emerged straight out of a book of fairytales, swan cygnets learn from their parents about how to tip their heads below the water to feed on vegetation. Mom and Dad watch vigilantly as their buoyant little fluffy offspring master the art of feeding themselves. If a youngster swims away or wanders off from the family unit, it isn’t long before a parent cuts off their “escape” route and firmly herds them back to safety.

DOMESTIC CATTLE CALVES: There are many cattle breeds, with different colours, sizes, and features. Calves are social herd animals and form deep bonds with Mom and other calves. They spend time with other youngsters from a very early age, playing and learning together. A cow looks after her calf for the first months while it depends on her milk for food. If you hear a calf bawling loudly, it is likely that it isn’t happy about being weaned now.

ROBIN FLEDGLINGS: Looking nothing like adult birds, these are young robin fledglings, the “teenage” phase of the birds. They have flown out of the nest where as nestlings they were fed by their parents. Now you will often see them on the ground, calling loudly for help before they learn to fend for themselves. It is a dangerous time for them because they can be hunted by many predators, including feral and domestic cats.

SANDHILL CRANE COLTS: Because sandhill crane youngsters can run within 24 hours after hatching, they share the colt name of young horses, as well as long sturdy legs and energetic, wobbly balancing behaviour. Both crane parents share nest building, incubating eggs, caring for and teaching survival skills to rambunctious fluffy-down-covered offspring. If a colt decides to go “walk-about,” a parent will quickly bring it back where it belongs.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Summer Sunset Sounds returns in Grand Bend

The weather may have been a challenge, but Summer Sunset Sounds pushed through an evening peppered with rain, marking the return of the popular summer concert series in Grand Bend on July 9. The concert series was moved to Thursday evenings this year, looking to bring more people to the beach during what is usually a historically quieter day in the community. The first show of the season hit the Rotary Community Stage with Justin Maki and Sarah Smith lined up to perform. Maki was first on the stage, but when rain began to roll into Grand Bend, the show was put on pause. However, Maki and Smith went acoustic as the rain continued, performing amongst the crowd

(DAN ROLPH PHOTOS)

Crowds were invited to bring their own chairs to sit down and enjoy the show.

Justin Maki, a musician from St. Thomas, was performing as the show paused due to the weather.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

A1 paints the town blue for Jessica’s House

It was a day in support of Jessica’s House Hospice in Exeter on July 3 as Blue Shirt Day returned. The local fundraising barbecue was organized by A1 Chiropractic, inviting the community to the downtown parkette in Exeter in support of the local hospice and its work to provide end-of-life care. From left are Michelle Insley, Becki Rice, Pauline Insley, Courtney Hanlon, Nicole Insley Sanderson and Zack Wilson.

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S atu rday, J uly 2 5 , 2026 E n t r y by D o n a t i o n • 8-10 Community Breakfast with music by Klassic Country • 9:30 Thistle Market opens – Vendors & Workshops • 10:00 Highland Games begin • 10:30 Locality Wellness Hub Kids Zone opens • 11:00 Opening Ceremony, Royal Scots War of 1812 Honour Guard • 11:30 Scottie Dog Picnic

• Noon Junior Highland Dancers, Sutherland School of Dance • 1:00 Bluewater Tug of War, music by Klassic Country • 2:15 Music by Celtic Hillbillies • 4:15 Music by Feed the Ducks • 5:00 New Moon Community Homestead BBQ Supper • 7:00 Closing Concert by Mudmen

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(DEB LORD PHOTOS)

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter celebrates Canada Day

(DAN ROLPH PHOTOS)

Michelle Hern and Ivory Elder were enjoying one of the many family activities set up at the park.

Vivie, Yara and Nova Wolfe got up close and personal with the Exeter fire station’s aerial truck.

Tires no longer accepted at South Huron landfill CONTINUED FROM FRONT

not to accept any more tires in order to prevent unnecessary costs to municipal rate payers. “We needed to make sure we could stop it where we didn’t have a large stockpile of tires there,” Keller said. Some other Ontario municipalities with tire recycling programs have also quit collecting tires, including Wellington County, which collected hundreds

of tonnes of tires a year. There is hope the province will change its regulations again to ensure tires are collected and processed in a timely manner. In a notice posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, the government said it was considering regulations that would require companies to collect tires from any site that requests pickup and has 50 or more tires.

During peak tire change months of October to December and April to May, the tires would have to be picked up within one month. The rest of the year it would be two months. If the regulations are changed and haulers are available, South Huron would like to reintroduce the tire recycling program, Keller said. The tire recycling is part of an overall program aimed at diverting waste from

the landfill, including wood, shingles, concrete, cardboard, metals and e-waste. With the program, about one-third of the waste that comes through the gates at the landfill is recycled, Keller said. Until the tire recycling program can be resumed, her advice for residents with tires for recycling is to contact the company they purchased the tires from to see if they can drop them off there.

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Grand Bend Rotary Club honours service above self with annual awards

The people behind the popular Paint Ontario art show were recognized with the Community Serrvice Award, highlighting the show’s contribution to the area. From left are Deb McNaughton, Paint Ontario founder Barry Richman, club past president Mary Ruston and Paint Ontario curator and Grand Bend Art Centre creative director Teresa Marie Phillips.

EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

The Rotary Club of Grand Bend recently announced its Service Award recipients for the 2025-2026 Rotary year. One Rotarian and three community members were honored with the awards, which were presented at a gala dinner on June 16. Club member Sue Stauth presented the Club Service Award to treasurer Ross Bryson. Bryson joined the Club in 2018, and Stauth said the from the beginning he “demonstrated a strong commitment to Rotary values through leadership, participation, and a willingness to contribute wherever needed.” Stauth praised Bryson’s work in mod-

ernizing the club’s financial systems and developing a rigorous budgeting process, and his participation in handson activities such as helping to load containers with surplus school equipment for shipment to Africa. “His self-deprecating nature, approachable personality, and great sense of humour make him a valued and respected member of our Rotary family,” said Stauth. Club member Chris Thompson presented a Community Service Award to Marg Alfieri. Alfieri has been a member of the Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre since 2021 and has served as chair since 2024. “She has provided exceptional governance, vision and advocacy in support of the organization and the communi-

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Marg Alfieri, chair of Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre board and the Grand Bend Community Food Pantry, was recognized with the Community Service Award. From left are club member Chris Tompson, Alfieri and club past president Mary Ruston.

ties it serves,” said Thompson. Alfieri also played a key role in the creation of the Grand Bend Community Food Pantry, which opened in October 2024. “True to Marg Alfieri style, she jumped in with both feet, rolled up her sleeves, and was able to guide the Pantry to becoming its own independent entity,” said Thompson. Alfieri now leads the 50 enthusiastic volunteers who operate the pantry. The second Community Service Award went to Barry Richman and Teresa Marie Phillips, two professional artists who are together responsible for the annual Paint Ontario art show. It was Richman’s brainchild that created and launched the show 30 years ago. Phillips, creative director of the

Grand Bend Art Centre, continues to organize the show. When it had to be moved from the Lambton Heritage Museum, where it was held for 25 years, Phillips raised $120,000 for lighting and temporary walls to accommodate it at the Grand Bend Legion. This year the show included 225 paintings and 39 sculptures by 149 artists and attracted more than 2,000 visitors. Mary Ruston, past president of the club, said the four honourees represent the very best of the Grand Bend community. “They each give unstintingly of themselves, improving the quality of life for others,” she said. “I’m proud that the club can shine on spotlight on such exceptional individuals.”

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Firefighters serve up breakfast in Bayfield

The community came out in numbers for the Bayfield Firefighter’s Breakfast on July 4. The morning at the Bayfield fire hall featured all the classic breakfast fare while supporting local firefighters. Pictured is Paul Egbers, who was serving freshly cracked eggs to hungry guests.

Dennis Roy was working the meat station alongside Robyn McClinchey.

(SAMANTHA LAWSON PHOTOS)

Mike Dietz was behind the tables serving breakfast to the crowds.

The lineup for breakfast stretched outside the fire hall, passing fire trucks that were open to view.

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Ailsa Craig Highland Games return July 25 DAN ROLPH Editor

Bagpipes will be blowing and kilts will be abundant as the annual Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival returns July 25. The local festival, born from the spirit of Ailsa Craig’s Gala Days, hearkens back to Ailsa Craig’s namesake — a volcanic island off the coast of Scotland where the microgranite used to make most of the world’s curling stones is quarried. Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival committee chair John Mombourquette said the idea for a Scottish-centric festival in the community came from local minds who thought an event that celebrated the village’s roots would be a hit. “People thought we should do something that has a Scottish theme,” said Mombourquette. “It’s a fun event.” Mombourquette said the local festival aims to be community-centric while hosting athletic competitions, making it a place fit for the whole family. It’s that vision for a place for the whole community that keeps the festival from selling tickets, opting to instead offer entry by donation. “We try to keep it a community feeling, trying to replicate the spirit of Gala Days,” he said. “Though the highland games themselves are a competi-

tion, everything else is just fun. “We’ve been fortunate that local businesses and the town have really come in with fundraising. The community has really got behind us.” This year’s event is the third hosted in the community so far, boasting a lineup of both returning and new attractions at the Ailsa Craig Community Centre. The day will begin with a community breakfast at 8 a.m. with music by Klassic Country, a local musical duo who will entertain breakfast-goers with classic country hits. The Thistle Market will then open at 9:30 a.m. Run by the Ailsa Craig Arts Centre, the market will feature 16 vendors with Scottish and Celtic themes, as well as workshops. The games themselves will begin at 10 a.m., and competitors will be able to participate in events that put their skills to the test. A new addition to the festival this year will be the Highland Community Loom by Aime Latta, a local fibre artist who will help attendees as they weave a tartan fabric. Another new attraction, the Scottie Dog Picnic, will begin at 11:30 a.m. The picnic will be a chance for the owners of Scottish terriers to gather and celebrate the distinct dog breed in a fun setting. “People can bring in their Scottie dogs, and they do activities with

(AILSA CRAIG HIGHLAND GAMES AND SCOTTISH FESTIVAL PHOTO)

The Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival will be returning to the community on July 25 for another day celebrating local Scottish roots.

them,” said Mombourquette. “People can come up and see the dogs.” Keeping with its community-centric theme, the festival will also feature a Kid’s Zone, organized by the Locality Wellness Hub, which Mombourquette said is another example of the many members of the community in Ailsa Craig coming together to make the festival a success. “We’re partnering with all kinds of different groups in town,” he said. The main stage will be the spot to catch local musical talent throughout the day as artists fit for the Scottish theme perform. The Celtic Hillbillies, a quartet from Sarnia, will perform their own take on Celtic music. Next on stage will be Feed the Ducks, a duo

with a modern spin on Celtic music. As the festival wraps up a day of fun and athleticism for the year, the Mudmen will be returning to the stage after having been so well received during the festival’s inaugural event in 2024. “They bring a lot of people in,” said Mombourquette. With admission by donation and a full day of music, markets, family activities and highland competitions, the festival continues to grow as a celebration of Ailsa Craig’s Scottish heritage and the community spirit that keeps it going. For more information about the Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival, visit ailsacraighighlandgames.ca.

Exeter Examiner

LOCAL SPORTS

Thursday, July 16, 2026

SCRAPBOOK

(DAN ROLPH PHOTOS)

The Exeter Lawn Bowling Club hosted an open pairs tournament on July 8, welcoming bowlers from clubs throughout the region to compete. The tournament winners were: 1st place: Derek McKie and Murray Bennewies (3 wins and 35 points), 2nd place: Rick Wood and Kay Johns (2 wins and 34 points), 3rd place: Bill Tschirhart and Carol Larson (2 wins and 29 points), 4th place: Janice Collings and Phyllis Dalgleish (2 wins and 26 points). Pictured is Kay Johns of the Clinton Lawn Bowling Club as she bowls in the tournament in Exeter.

Ena Kearney of the Parks Lawn Bowling Club in St. Mary’s competed in the tournament.

The Seaforth Lawn Bowling Club’s Rick Wood

Wilma Vissher of the Exeter Lawn Bowling Club.

Pictured is the Exeter Lawn Bowling Club’s Bert Visscher.

Mike Pim of the Grand Cove Bowling Club.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

LEGION 100 1926-2026

Celebrating the centenary of the Royal Canadian Legion Thank you for supporting and honouring veterans and their communities for 100 years! To all our Legions-

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Exeter Legion reflects on a century ofEditorial service copy

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The am auteni cullor millam similitate el mo berovid Exeter branch also supports other local initiatives and HMP the all new 2010 HMP introduces introduces the all new 2010 elendit, que renis derferum aligniat raturios groups, such as athletic associations and clubs. as ullibus cietur, core, nobit esequiandam Chevy Camaro -- 1 available Chevydolum Camaro 1 available But Willard said the work the Legion does is only volumenti imin rem nullaborio. Bit poreptibus. possible with the support of the community it serves. Camaro Coupe with RS Package Camaro 2SS 2SS Coupe with RS Package Itae. Nem lis est, velloresequi aliquid et lac“Without the community supporting us, we can’t ••Finished with Black Leather ••Engine Cover FinishedininRed RedJewel JewelTintcoat Tintcoat with Black Leatherseats seats Engine Cover cae. 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BostonAcoustics Acousticspremium premium speakerdis system Andcuptat much more!!! 519-235-0363 Fax 519-235-1685 519-235-0363 1-800-265-3476 Fax 519-235-1685 The Exeter branch is just one of many that serve the ••Bluetooth Bluetoothfor forphone phoneand andaudio audio seceptatur, consend elloreceate quaspeliqui ut www.hmpexeter.com E-mail info@hmpexeter.com region, with local branches also including Grand Bend, www.hmpexeter.com E-mail info@hmpexeter.com UR ENTIRE UR ENTIRE Family alisi conserrumquo dernatem que net Familyowned owned id utatian Y ONLINE 235-0363 RY ONLINE AT AT 235-0363 Certified and operated Hensall and Lucan. Certified and operated exeter.com Main St., Exeter pexeter.com SERVICE LINE 519-235-3483 Main St., Exeter Pre-Owned SALES DIRECT SERVICE 519-235-3483 since 1965. “ADIRECT Century Remembrance, Pre-Owned SALES || SERVICE SERVICE || LEASING LEASING plicid enti bea quibusdam que maximi, volut fusince 1965.of LINE 1-800-265-3476 1-800-265-3476 One thing they all share in common, however, is git placiliquis dolupti issimi, sinto dem quam la their commitment to keeping the memory of those who A Community Hear non esecabo. Unt eum, conofniata sitatit.” qui authave served their country alive. That commitment can Ferum que non niet iur, sunt autem volo be seen most clearly during annual Remembrance Day N

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Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

LEGION 100

1926-2026

Celebrating the centenary of the Royal Canadian Legion Thank you for supporting and honouring veterans and their communities for 100 years!

Exeter Legion reflects on a century Editorial copy of service CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

services. In Exeter, the annual service is held on the Sunday before Nov. 11, where the community is invited to the Exeter cenotaph for a morning that honours veterans. While speaking about the support the Legion and veterans are shown by the community each year, Willard pointed to the 2025 Remembrance Day service, where the weather was cold and snowy, yet Main Street was still lined with those who showed up to remember. “It’s very heartwarming to have that kind of support,” said Willard. “We realize that when we are doing it, we’re doing it for the right reason, and that is remembrance.” Additionally, the Exeter branch ensures members of the Legion are present for other Remembrance Day services in the community, including five that are held in local schools. The events around Remembrance Day also include the well-known national poppy campaign — the Legion’s biggest fundraiser of the year that supports its many programs. “What those donations do is help veterans,” said Willard. “The branch cannot spend that money unless it’s towards a veteran.” In recognition of the Royal Canadian Legion’s 100th anniversary, branches across the country are accepting new members and waiving the membership fee for them.

Am,a odi soluptatur, dolorae volore throughout the nonet region, “That’s big jump,” said nem restis eum fugit, quas sitcontinue volupitatet qui cusanto carry forward Exeter Legion vice-presmagnamRoulston. inisquam haritae nus, rooted volupicid identdisJonathon a mission in etrequidellandae sitiameniet ariosam int ulparchicit As the Royal Canadian membrance, service and faci seque dit re solestio. Ut quam support. quiatem qui community Legion marksa its 100th rehendis imusant, ere pa nones et disinciliquo anniversary, the Exeter quo torro demposs inctibusape dercima ionbranch, andquebranches sectorem quae est ea in corro te quaerat atiaspi enihili cipsam doluptat vit doluptasitem fugit alitaes acculluptat eici aut fugia et dolestrum sitatesti nonsed que moditae nonsendus, cullora doluptatet laborro temqui am est, sapicid es repudan disquam repudiciati ate net es apicidis eate velende repti odicabo rersper natiorp oressequiam ex eos non endelen escipicae odiorum aut eos mi, con prae ducil molorpo rrovid ut rendict atumquunt ex essit, sequi consed quassitatem. Ut as aut a qui ut fugit vidus veliquatur alit omnihil idis quidessite desed quam fugita quodict emporem ne estrum qui vollupid minctiatem ea dolum aut precusam veliqui vidusandae dolum la et omnimendae sit dolupiet rempore commo beati unt laborempor minvenim il il iusae nobit incimi, quat. Ut invere a de volo totae venectu ritio. Id modi am auteni cullor millam similitate el mo berovid elendit, que renis derferum aligniat raturios dolum as ullibus cietur, core, nobit esequiandam volumenti imin rem nullaborio. Bit poreptibus. Itae. Nem lis est, velloresequi aliquid et laccae. Ucia dolupti dolenihiti aut dusapic iandeni molorer spiduntibus sero veria ducia que sim (DAN ROLPH PHOTO) sandi dis etur aliquam que cuptat as doluptibus Exeter Legion R.E. Pooley Branch 167. seceptatur, consend elloreceate quaspeliqui ut alisi conserrumquo id utatian dernatem que net plicid enti bea quibusdam que maximi, volut fugit placiliquis dolupti issimi, sinto dem quam la non esecabo. Unt eum, con niata sitati qui autFerum que non niet iur, sunt autem volo For the Exeter branch, the free membership has seen its ranks grow by more than 20 members just halfway through the year, far surpassing the usual annual numbers.

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Zurich Country Fair brings returning favourites and new attractions CONTINUED FROM FRONT

dad would go to the fair as a little boy, it was all a part of a week of school being off and businesses would shut down. “That’s how the community would enjoy the fair all together as one.” Though there have been many changes in 162 years, community spirit remains at the heart of what the Zurich Country Fair is about. This year’s fair will begin on Friday, July 24, at the Zurich Community Centre with the return of a crowd favourite that hasn’t been seen at the fair since before the COVID-19 pandemic — wrestling. London’s Hammerlock Wrestling is lined up to put on 6 matches, starting at 6 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $10 for adults and $5 for children, and the proceeds from the evening will support the Hunter Costello Memorial Foundation, which

provides support to families in Huron County and the surrounding area with ill or injured children. Once the sun goes down, eyes will turn skyward as a fireworks show lights up the night. “It’s a great community event for everyone to come and enjoy,” said Becker. “It’s a great way to kick off the fair.” Saturday, July 25, will be the main event at the community centre, with attractions including horse shows, exhibits, food trucks, inflatables, a petting zoo and more. The annual parade will start at 11 a.m. on Main Street, while the opening ceremonies are scheduled to take place at noon. Another Zurich Country Fair staple, the annual baby show, will also be returning for another year of fun, where some of the area’s youngest members

of the community will be on stage. “It will be a hit,” said Becker. “It’s always a great time.” The Saturday evening will also bring the festivities outside for the first ever Dancing in the Dirt, where Copper Sky and Graham Bedard will take to the stage for a night of fun, and the elimination draw will take place. Becker said the move outdoors has been brought up by organizers during planning before, and this year’s shift in locale should particularly help with temperatures, as the ice surface can get warm in the summer. “We just said ‘you know what? This is the year we’re going to do it,’” said Becker. “We’re doing it outside where we can pump things up a bit as a group and just have some fun.” The festivities will wrap up on Sun-

day, July 26, with tractor pulling and a food truck at 10 a.m., with the beer tent opening at 11 a.m. Though the group that plans the fair consists of eight people, Becker said the event requires the help of as many as 100 volunteers to make everything happen over the weekend each year. She said they are always looking for volunteers who may want to get involved, whether they’re interested in lending a quick hand or taking on more responsibilities throughout the weekend. Those interested in volunteering can reach out by emailing ZurichCountryFair@outlook.com or by messaging the Facebook page @ZurichCountryFair. For more information about the Zurich Country Fair, visit zurichcountryfair.com.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Students explore healthcare careers at Discovery Healthcare Camp

EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

24 high school students from across Huron County and surrounding areas spent an exciting week exploring the world of healthcare at Discovery Healthcare Camp in Goderich. Led by medical students from Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, the camp provided students with hands-on clinical experiences, opportunities to discover a wide range of healthcare careers, and the chance to learn directly from healthcare professionals in our community, including teams from Huron County Paramedic Services, Maitland Valley Family Health Team, and Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGH). “Programs like this are an investment in the future of healthcare,” said Huron Health System president and CEO Jimmy Trieu. “Throughout the week, it has been incredible to see the students’ curiosity come to life. They’ve asked thoughtful questions, explored every opportunity to learn, and shown a genuine interest in healthcare careers. Inspiring young people early is essential to building a strong, skilled workforce that will continue to provide exceptional care for our communities for years to come.” The impact of the camp can be seen at AMGH, where Laurie Hakkers, interim manager of the emergency department, first discovered her passion for healthcare through a summer camp just like this one. Her journey demonstrates how early exposure can spark a lifelong interest and inspire students to pursue rewarding careers caring for their own communities. Throughout the week, students took part in interactive learning experiences, including casting and suturing workshops, CPR and life-saving skills, and behind-thescenes hospital tour. The week concluded with a graduation barbecue celebrating the students’ achievements alongside their families, community partners, and mentors. Gwen Devereaux is president of the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH). “Gateway CERH, together with our partners, is so pleased to welcome a wonderful group of high school students to Discovery Healthcare Camp at Camp Klahanie in Goderich,” she said. “This one-week camp, delivered by Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, will help these students consider a career in healthcare. We know this initiative is so important as we face a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, especially in rural communities such as ours.” Gateway CERH launched Discovery Healthcare Camp in 2022 in partnership with Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Huron Health System, and the Goderich Lions Club. Together, they are inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals while helping strengthen the future of rural healthcare.

(HURON HEALTH SYSTEM PHOTOS)

Huron County students interested in a career in healthcare were able to get a hands-on experience at this year’s Discovery Healthcare Camp in Goderich

Elia Eazaz and Ashton Buhrows practice with a bag valve mask.

Exeter Examiner N

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Zurich Country Fair 2026 July 24-26, 2026 - Celebrating 162 Years of Agriculture & Community

Event Schedule FRI 24 Placement of Exhibits: 9–11 AM Wrestling Admission: $10 Adults | $5 Kids Wrestling & Snack Food Booth at 6:30 PM Doors Open at 5 PM Fireworks at Dusk – Donations Welcome SAT 25 Admission: $5 Kids Activities All Breed Horse Show at 9 AM Exhibits & Displays 10 AM–4 PM Haflinger Horse Show at 10 AM

Inflatables, Petting Zoo & Youth Activities at 10 AM Food Trucks 10 AM–12 AM (Behind Community Complex) Parade 11 AM – Main Street (West to East) Goat/Sheep/Rabbit Show at 11:30 AM Opening Ceremonies at 12 PM Beer Tent – All Day Baby Show at 1 PM Mini Tractor Pull at 2 PM Indoor Exhibits Removed 4–5 PM Elimination Draw NEW! Dancing in the Dirt featuring:

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Exeter Examiner

COLUMNS

Hensall: The Petty brothers caught the vision and built a village

BOB HEYWOOD Examiner Columnist

James and George Petty were born Yorkshire gentlemen, but in and around 1851, they answered the call of adventure and made their way across the Atlantic from England to Upper Canada, following thousands of British countrymen who had already landed and staked their claim. The two brothers soon purchased farms, and by 1854 they owned lots 27 and 28 of Concession 2 Hay Township. An elder brother, John was also part of their enterprise. Their father had been a well known and successful cattle and sheep dealer in the “old sod.” He had apparently trained the “lads” well in how to make a dollar and how to make it multiply. Like other entrepreneurs in agriculture, they would import purebred stock from England and one historical sketch credits them for introducing Shorthorn cattle and Leicester sheep to our county. As astute businessmen, when the rumour mill began to spread news of a railway line planned to stretch from London to Wingham, the Petty wheels started turning. In the early 1870’s there was NO Hensall at all. There were several stores and businesses

in both Kippen to the north and Rodgerville to the south, while Zurich to the west was off to a promising start. However, apart from a few shantys, what we now know as Hensall was simply a crossroads on the way from London to Goderich. The Petty boys saw the pending opportunity, and they soon purchased the 50 acres of the south half of Lot 21, Concession 1, which was basically the north side of King Street now in the village proper. In his book “The Settlement of Huron County,” James Scott made this observation: “With the possible exception of Seaforth, there is no better example amongst the towns and villages of Huron County then Hensall, of how a community could be established on the foundation of the two basic ingredients of that period – #1 a railway line and #2 skillful enterprise (and vision).” Scott mused that to the south, Exeter and Francistown had quickly incorporated into one municipality and developed rapidly as soon as the railway stop was established there. With their recent 50-acre acquisition, the Pettys began to petition the LH&B Committee offering the railway free passage over their land as well as a free plot on which to build the station. No doubt George and James Petty spoke often to their fellow Anglican businessman in Exeter, Isaac Carling, who also owned much of the land in our town on which the tracks were laid. Isaac’s brother John Carling, who was a member of Canada’s parliament for Lon-

don/Middlesex, also was a director on two railway boards and he became a strong voice in the advocacy of the north running line. All the above-mentioned parties were successful with the Pettys soon drawing up a plan of subdivision and promoting that the new village be named Hensall after their hometown back in Yorkshire. The first locomotive whistled into the fledgling village on Jan. 10, 1876. It changed everything. The Pettys had already established a name for themselves in the livestock industry. With this new lifeline access to city markets, the Pettys had already built a large and imposing packing house on the west side of the tracks. It was touted as Ontario’s largest industry of its kind, processing over 12,000 hogs a year. The Petty brothers would buy the animals either live or dressed, sugar curing the carcasses and shipping them out to markets near and far. The enterprise ensured a considerable volume of business for the railway. The Pettys immediately started building homes and accommodations for their growing workforce, either renting

them out to the labourers or holding the mortgages so many of them could become homeowners themselves. The Yorkshire businessmen began to promote their new village by word of mouth and in print. With the plant in high production and houses and commercial buildings being raised, on Christmas Day 1876, they organized a shooting competition which attracted a large gathering of businessmen and farmers to come and witness a village rising from the virgin soil. With so much activity taking place, the Pettys no doubt organized and subsidized two Seaforth merchants “Johns and Rowcliffe” to transport their entire stock to the new village where it was put up for auction to the highest bidder. Pettys did everything they could to draw new residents to their community and it was bearing fruit. Since Rodgerville had not petitioned to be granted a railway station, the once busy hamlet immediately declined. In the June 11, 1949, edition of the London Free Press, there were several stories to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the County

of Huron. The Hensall part of the Huron tribute commenced in a strange note: “Near the Great Western Railway station, sweating gangs of Black men were sawing heavy logs into two lengths for the engine boilers. To one side the scurrying youngsters of Hensall were piling the lengths into cord racks – being paid one cent a cord and feeling quite wealthy. The year was 1880, 5 years after the train ran over the new tracks of the London Huron and Bruce Railway, and only 3 years after the village plan of subdivision was laid out.” Apparently, Hensall was a refuelling stop along the new line, to which local farmers traded their timber for ready cash. The Free Press goes on to say the first house was erected by the Pettys in April 1876, “but its growth and prosperity from that time have been unparalleled by that of any other Western Canada village during the same period.” Three years after the first home was built, the village had a population of close to 400, with six stores, two hotels, a furniture factory, grist mill and several other light industries along side

Petty’s packing house and the all-important train fuelling depot. Around the same time, T.J. Wilson built the first saw and planing mill, Samuel Rannie built a 3.5 storey flour mill, with four runs of stones and operated by a 60-horsepower steam engine. Rannie was said to have had a great faith in building what appeared to be far more than the prevailing requirement, but Hensall continued to grow, and with the advent of these early industries, a bona fide village was emerging. By June 1876, 40 houses and stores were under construction. Two additional small factories were established including Paterson and Bell’s planing and sash factory and George Cottel’s rake and bending establishment. Paul D. Bell built the first grain storage elevator in the fledgling community. Mr. Bell could never begin to fathom the expanse of the elevator and milling business that prevails in Hensall today, and how the Co-op and Thompson’s mill affect the national and perhaps the global markets. In the next column we will discuss more of how Hensall developed both commercially and socially.

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George and James Petty, the founders of Hensall.

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO: An undiscovered treasure Richmond’s Olympics Museum

PAUL KNOWLES Examiner Columnist

The first exhibit you encounter makes the point, immediately. It’s a display of 20 different and unique Olympic torches, including examples from the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics, the 1988 Winter Games hosted by Calgary, and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The information panel reads: “The Olympic flame is a symbol of peace, friendship, tolerance and hope. The Olympic Torch Relay reminds us that we are part of something bigger – a global community.” It immediately occurred to me that this was a message much forgotten in our current, fractured world – and that reminders like this one, at the Richmond Olympic Experience Museum, are even more important today. I was in Richmond, British Columbia for the 2026 Travel Media Association of Canada conference. I arrived in the city flat out ignorant about the place. I knew from looking at a map that Richmond was south of Vancouver, but close enough that the Vancouver airport is actually in Richmond. Media members of TMAC get the option of doing a “pretour” – spending a few days be-

ing guided around the conference’s host city, for example. So, for four days, I learned a great deal about Richmond. And one of the most striking experiences was our visit to the Olympic Oval, home to the Olympic Experience Museum and much more. Visitors are welcome to come to the Oval, to tour, to visit the museum, or, for a modest price, to use the outstanding athletic facilities now housed in the place. The “Oval Drop-in” pass, which allows you to use everything for the day, is $23. Adult admission to the museum is $16, less for kids and seniors. Those facilities are certainly impressive. In 2010, the building housed the Oval, home to Olympic speed skating competitions as well as spectator facilities, media centres, VIP areas and all the features that come with a world-class venue. But the Oval was designed to serve the community for decades to come – and it does so in amazing fashion. There are ice rinks, basketball courts, table tennis facilities, state of the art gyms, a terrifying rock-climbing wall, and more. The place is pretty special. It features the largest cantilevered wooden roof in Canada. More significantly, 2010 marked the first time Indigenous groups – the Coastal Salish – had been involved in planning and participating in the official opening of an Olympic facility. The Oval continues to be a key training facility for national teams including Canada’s Women’s National Volleyball Team. It also boasts a worldclass training area for para-athletes.

I will admit that for this relatively non-athletic writer, the athletic facilities offered only a certain level of interest. But the Olympic Museum experience was amazing. Gregory Huzor showed us around the museum. He’s the enthusiastic manager of the Richmond Olympic Experience. He told us that the Richmond museum is one of 36 official Olympics museums, located in 25 countries on five continents. Headquarters of the Olympic Museums Network is the museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Richmond museum is the only one in Canada. The Oval is also designated as an “Olympics Legacy Site,” which allows the facility to proudly display the much-protected Olympic rings symbol and other Olympic-branded material. The museum itself offers visitors a whole menu of hands-on activities, and I was surprised how immediately available they were, because the place was not busy. In fact, I think I could categorize the Richmond Olympic Experience as a hidden gem, one just waiting to be discovered by visitors – who will be thrilled by their find. There are fascinating exhibits in the museum, highlighting both Canadian involvement in the Olympics, and the global vision of the Games. Visitors can take enjoy an array of virtual experiences – careening down a bobsled run, experiencing ski jumping, kayaking through rapids, or walking a balance beam – conveniently located about 20 centimeters off the floor level, so even an

The Olympic Oval, home of speed-skating competitions during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

(PAUL KNOWLES PHOTOS)

An interactive “lazy Susan” that provides information about every Olympic nation.

unbalanced guy like me could give it a try without risking injury. This is very much an interactive facility. In addition to the virtual experiences, visitors can hoist an Olympic torch, don replica Olympic medals, and even dress in Olympic hockey jerseys. The entire Oval facility was designed to be of ongoing use to the community, and to welcome visitors from around the world. And more than that – Gregory Huzor told us that, should the opportunity arise, the Oval could be transformed back into a competition site for a future Olympics! The multi-purpose facility is a testimony to the vision of Richmond’s leaders. The Oval was originally supposed to be located at Simon Fraser Uni-

versity, but Richmond made an offer that could not be refused – the Oval eventually cost $178 million, and Richmond guaranteed to fund all costs over the $60 million mark. Huzor echoes the comments of many Richmond residents, who now, 16 years later, think that the $118 million investment has paid dividends far beyond the original price. Visitors will find that the people who planned this Olympic venue deserve a gold medal for foresight. Paul Knowles is an author and travel writer, and Past-President of the Travel Media Association of Canada. To contact Paul about travel, his books, or speaking engagements, email pknowles@golden.net.

The display of Olympic torches greets visitors to the Richmond Olympic Experience, one of 36 Olympic museums around the world.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

ABOUT TIME AND TIMES: Caroline and Daniel 92 and took his first airplane ride here in his 90s to visit his daughter, my mom Irene.

Ca r r i e a n d D a n i e l : E a rly ye a rs

JUDY FINKBEINER JOHNSON Examiner Columnist

In this column, I am using “ladders” to reach the family tree branch of my maternal grandparents, Caroline Pfaff and Daniel Gower. The information ladders accessed are stories told to me and first-hand experiences written down by my relatives

A s l e i g h r i d e o r t wo It was March 2, 1904, and two horse-driven sleighs called cutters were on their way from outside Dashwood to Parkhill. Blowing snow created snowdrifts on roads bordered by split rail fences that prevented the snow from blowing straight across. One cutter held a young couple who had met just two or three days before at a house dance at her parents’. It was love at first sight and they had decided to elope. Their wedding took place in the Methodist parsonage in Parkhill. The second cutter was carrying the bride’s younger sister and the groom’s elder brother who were to be their attendants. That sleigh didn’t make it to Parkhill, and not because of the bad weather or a mishap with their horse or cutter! The occupants, Caroline Pfaff and Daniel Gower, had been “keeping company,” the term for dating then, for less than a month. When they reached Corbett, they stopped off at the Methodist church to exchange their wedding vows. Two brief courtships, two elopements, two sisters and two brothers — what do you imagine happened to these two young couples with stars in their eyes? Did the celestial stars align for successful marriages? Mary Pfaff and Isaac Gower celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary before Mary became a widow. She lived past one hundred years of age. Caroline Pfaff and Daniel Gower celebrated 59 years of marriage before Carrie died of cancer. Daniel lived to be

Caroline, known as Carrie, and Daniel Gower settled near Shipka, where he dug wells and was a labourer. There was a flax mill there and many people were needed to hand cut the flax harvest. Daniel’s brother James, who had moved west, wrote about there being lots of work there. That coincided with the federal government’s push to populate the western provinces, including Manitoba, luring farmers to settle and clear land for agriculture. In the spring of 1910, Carrie and Daniel and their three children boarded the train in Centralia, to go to Snowflake in southern Manitoba. There were tears from family here who believed they would never see them again. Snowflake was just being settled and Daniel soon had lots of work digging wells. He once passed out from gas in a well and was unconscious for several minutes before he came to, thanks to the quick action of a friend he worked with

D irty B owl

‘30s

Dust

By 1933 to 1934, southern Manitoba was experiencing severe drought, strong windstorms, dust storms and destruction of any remaining vegetation by grasshoppers. By then the family was living on a farm in Purvis, a few miles from Snowflake. My uncle Ernest wrote of the strong windstorms citing that when a neighbour’s cattle couldn’t make it back to the barn in time they all were killed and scattered across many acres of fields. The dust was so thick that Daniel strung thick string from the house to the barn and outbuildings and taught the children to hang onto it. My mom vividly recalled the Dust Bowl experience there and the hardships in that time. She shared her dad’s love and trusting relationship with horses. He was known as a horse whisperer. Under 5 feet tall even as an adult, Irene was a young girl when she was tasked with bringing fresh teams of work horses to the field for her father. On one

day, a storm came up super fast, while she was in the field with several teams of the huge animals. The horses sensed the bad weather before she could see it, and formed a protective circle around her, with their heavy rumps facing out into the winds and their heads down close to her where the wind couldn’t reach. Daniel was frantic, racing to the pasture where he expected to find the horses had panicked, trampling and killing his daughter. Or maybe the windstorm had killed both horses and Irene. He could hardly believe his eyes when he arrived! The impact of the Dust Bowl years on the family was immense. They lost everything they had worked so hard for. For her whole life, Mom still suffered nightmares of hearing those beloved horses screaming after they ate what was left of the crops. When the grasshoppers were finished, sharp spikes were all that remained of three hundred acres of wheat, 75 acres of barley and 75 acres of oats planted in the spring of 1934. Railcars of straw were brought in from Ontario for the animals to eat.

Making the best of it During the hard times, the people also had good times at card games and dances in their homes. Daniel was a great step dancer, even into his 90s, and my mother was often his partner for complicated folk dances that she tried in vain to teach me as a teenager. In winter, the Pembina Hills a few miles away were a Sunday destination. Toboggans, sleds and even the big sleigh box that held all of Carrie and Daniel’s kids that was steered by its tongue flew to the bottom of the hills to the delight of all!

The bull they had taken along chased after every strange cow he saw. He made a mistake when he spied a nice heifer across a river. By the time he was in mid-air, it was too late to stop running, and he went to the bottom of very deep water for several minutes. It must have been quite a splash! After he finally came up for air, he seemed to have learned prudence over passion and behaved himself the rest of the trip.

Glencairn at last The shelter promised for them in the land agreement for Glencairn didn’t materialize, so they turned a wagon rack upside down and covered it with whatever could repel water. It wasn’t very successful. It was almost winter when they had enough logs and lumber to build their shanty for the winter. They ploughed sod and built a barn for eighty head of stock with it. The rest of the family came north in the fall via railroad, and the oldest brothers rode back by horseback. Carrie became a local midwife in the era when that role involved not only delivering a baby but also taking care of the rest of the family and doing the household chores for several days before the mother was able to resume her duties. 2 of the older boys were at a track when a racehorse broke a leg. The owner was ready to shoot the animal but was convinced to wait until Daniel, who did veterinary work, came. He ended up taking the horse home. That horse became a driver for light cart visits to town for years. Fully healthy again, its only drawback was that if you pulled too

tightly on the reins, that was the signal for flat-out running and the cart, or its load of eggs or milk weren’t intact when the reins were loosened and the horse trotted nicely along again.

Ke lwo o d c a l l s Carrie and Daniel spent their later years outside of Kelwood, Manitoba, where Daniel worked in various endeavours after retiring from farming. He drove a horsedrawn school van and delivered water to people’s cisterns and for steam engine use in a horse-drawn water wagon. In her 60s, Carrie was diagnosed with aggressive, terminal breast cancer. She volunteered to be a “guinea pig” for a medical treatment experiment that she knew would not help her but still chose to do, explaining that it could help a young mother with a cancer diagnosis to live longer to raise her children. For 10 days Carrie and another woman were isolated in a room that no one could enter. Food was passed through a slit in the door. The treatment being tested was radiation therapy. Carrie was well known for the beautifully pieced quilts she made, and during her final hospital stay in Winnipeg was busily piecing quilts for the next generation. Her Winnipeg medical specialists came to Kelwood for Carrie’s funeral, honouring the kind, brave woman that a whole town called Grandma, and I am so very proud to do, too. With appreciation for information from my mom Irene Gower Finkbeiner, aunt Eleanor, uncle Ernest, and our cousin Wallace Pfaff.

No r t h to G l e n c a i r n Some neighbours told the family they were going north of Winnipeg where they heard things were better. They wanted the Gowers to come along. The two oldest brothers made the first move. Four wagons were covered with canvas over the top. One had seventeen calves and some hens in it. They moved 35 head of cattle, 20 horses, and 17 milk cows that produced milk and cream to barter or sell for food along the trip north.

(JUDY FINKBEINER JOHNSON PHOTO)

Carrie and Daniel Gower on their 59th wedding anniversary.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Mentoring Matters: The Little Shop

AMY WILHELM Examiner Columnist

While we offer several mentoring programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Huron (BBBSSH), they all have one thing in common — they cost money to operate. And finding that funding is becoming increasingly difficult. If you’ve heard me speak before, you’ve probably heard me talk about our finances. It often

feels like I’m having that conversation everywhere I go. But the reality is that balancing our budget is one of the greatest challenges we face. Running a charity isn’t free. Like any charitable organization, we have wages, mileage, rent, utilities, insurance, membership dues, and the many direct costs associated with delivering safe, high-quality mentoring programs. Looking ahead, that challenge has become even greater. The loss of funding from United Way Perth-Huron, combined with the uncertainty surrounding provincial funding for our school-based mentoring programs, has left us with a significant funding gap to fill. Seven years ago, we found ourselves at a crossroads. We asked ourselves an important

question: How can we spend less time fundraising and more time doing what we do best — changing the lives of young people through mentoring? At the time, we were hosting two very successful Mom2Mom Sales each year. We were also searching for a new office space. That’s when someone suggested an idea that would completely change the way we operated: open a children’s consignment store. The concept was simple — a year-round Mom2Mom Sale. A community store where families could buy and sell quality children’s items, while supporting BBBSSH with every purchase. Even better, we could locate our office right inside the store, creating a true one-stop destination. It gave us a permanent home, increased our visibility in the com-

munity, and ensured our doors were open and welcoming, even when staff were out in the community supporting volunteers, children, and families. Since opening our doors in 2019, more than 454 consignors have registered with The Little Shop, bringing in gently used children’s clothing, toys, books, and baby gear that their families have outgrown. Every item is carefully inspected, sorted, and priced by our incredible team of dedicated volunteers and staff before it finds its place on our shelves. When an item sells, a portion of the proceeds is returned to the consignor, while the remaining portion directly supports BBBSSH. We are also fortunate to receive generous donations from community members who choose to

donate their items outright. In those cases, 100 per cent of every sale stays with BBBSSH. If you have children’s items your family has outgrown, we encourage you to consider consigning or donating them. Whether you choose to earn a portion of the sale through our consignment program or donate your items to maximize the impact, your gently used items can help create brighter futures for local children and youth. If you haven’t had the chance to visit The Little Shop yet, we’d love to welcome you. Stop by and see what we’re all about at 355 Main Street South in downtown Exeter. Every visit helps support local mentoring programs and the young people we serve.

ural areas and the people that surround them. One notable effect that coyotes have, which could actually be said to be of benefit to game populations in particular, is how their presence affects plant communities. Potential prey is motivated to keep active and moving, which helps to prevent overgrazing. Similarly, their denning sites become largely off-limits to all manner of creatures. As a result, the vegetation surrounding the den is given time to regenerate. This improves overall habitat health and seed production, increasing biodiversity and contributing to greater food abundance for all forms of wildlife in the future. Many species of birds gain extra benefit from coyote presence as well. Raccoons, skunks, weasels, and many other critters featured on the coyote menu are notorious nest raiders. Multiple studies have shown that the population and diversity of songbirds and waterfowl are often notably higher in habitats where coyotes are present then they are in similar habitats devoid of them. Most people don’t fully appreciate the role coyotes play in pest control. As prolific hunters of rats, mice, squirrels, and other such animals, coyotes help control their populations, meaning less of them find their way into our homes, sheds, and chicken coops. Further, by helping to limit these populations, coyotes help reduce the transmission of many dangerous illnesses. One increasingly important exam-

ple of such here in Ontario is Lyme disease, which is carried by ticks that attach themselves to many animals in the coyote diet. Even our fields and backyard gardens may benefit from having coyotes nearby. Rabbits are a treasured part of every coyote’s meal plan. Given the futility of killing coyotes, and the benefits this species delivers to us and the rest of nature, peaceful coexistence should be something worth pursuing in earnest. Many municipalities in Ontario are attempting to do exactly this by instituting policies and directives aimed at protecting citizen safety and livelihoods by prioritizing aversion and deterrence over violence. It may surprise some people to learn that the number of coyotes per square kilometer is generally much lower in rural areas than we find in large urban centers. If only for this reason, the City of Toronto stands at the forefront of those municipalities developing comprehensive approaches to managing interactions between coyotes, people, and property. The 2025 update to their Coyote Coexistence and Response Strategy calls for investments in public education, a new Wildlife Response Team, and changes in construction management. Most notably for those of us living elsewhere in the province, Toronto is pushing the Government of Ontario to update provincial best practices for wildlife management, and to shoulder a greater share

of the associated costs. Of course, best practices are highly situational and depend not only on intent, but economics. The difference between a farmer securing their livestock and someone protecting Rover on a walk are pretty significant. Luckily, enough commonalities exist that many general tips are universally applicable. Coyote-proof your property. Ensure that outdoor garbage, compost, and food stores are secure, study, and pest-proofed. Avoid putting out household waste until the morning of collection. Setting up motion-activated deterrents like lights or sprinklers may also be effective. The old adage that good fences make good neighbors is sound advice. Tall, stable fences are perhaps the single best defence against unwanted intrusion. Control your pets. Small dogs may be considered prey but large dogs may be viewed as competition, so keep them leashed during walks. Keep cats indoors or in safe outdoor enclosures. Spring is a time for increased attention. Conflicts are most likely to occur when coyotes are lambing and rearing their pups. If you are approached by a coyote, do not run or turn your back on them. Instead, convince them that being curious is not in their best interest. Make noise, look large, and act threatening. Stomp your feet, yell, wave your arms, shake a jacket aggressively, and throw rocks or sticks in their direction.

In defence of coyotes

JASON RAMSAY-BROWN Examiner Columnist

Back in high school, a teacher passed along some words of wisdom: “Want to know what will be on the exam? Listen for the words I repeat the most during class time.” Had I let this clever tip guide me as I took my Canadian Firearms Safety Course, I would have assumed that half of the final exam would be about shooting coyotes. Had it been, I just might have failed. Truth is, I love coyotes. Unpopular opinion in some circles, I know. Look, I get it. A coyote wanders on to your land and eats your chickens, that’s a problem. One is lurking nearby when you’re out for a peaceful stroll with your kids or the family dog, seeing it as a clear and present danger is completely understandable. But shooting one in the bush for merely existing is something else entirely. For many of the hunters I’ve known over the years, their hate-on for coyotes seems to come down mostly to a perceived competition for game. While it is absolutely true that coyotes will prey on turkeys

and young or injured deer, the impact that coyotes have on these populations tends to be somewhat overimagined. Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores, most interested in eating whatever is easiest to catch. This includes the likes of rats, mice, raccoons, geese, snakes, grasshoppers, beetles and even berries and grasses. They’re also happy to scavenge any roadkill, garbage, or gut piles they discover. During a typical day, a coyote is far more likely to encounter many of these things than a vulnerable fawn, game bird, or family pet, and making a meal of them requires way less energy and risk. Killing coyotes doesn’t actually reduce their local population. Data collected by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources over the last several decades illustrates this conclusively and is the reason all provincial government-run coyote culls were abandoned in the mid-1980s. In fact, it often leads to the exact opposite effect. To quote from “Coyotes as controversial canids,” an Ontario Out of Doors article published in January, 2025, “Removing coyotes triggers a compensatory response: litter sizes increase, and transient wanderers immediately move in to occupy the vacant territory.” Where once there was a single pack, there may now be two, with larger litters on the way. Coyotes, like all predators, are a vibrant and vital part of our ecosystems and provide many benefits both to our nat-

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Living Retired: ‘Overheard Overhead’

BY GARY CHALK Examiner Columnist

You know what is wrong going to an airport? Going to an airport! This is what I mean… In the past year Jan and I have flown through airports in Toronto, New York City, Phoenix, Madrid, Lisbon, Vancouver, Boston, and Calgary. (I hear you, “Gary, are you nuts?” Guilty as charged.) This is what I have come to know about air travel… The reason passengers are instructed to arrive at the airport as many hours as possible before their flight is so the airlines

have as many hours as possible to make arrangements to delay or cancel your flight! At the airport, passengers drag all their luggage to a computer kiosk to print their boarding pass which leads to a meltdown trying to manipulate the luggage stickers — that resemble hanging fly strips at the cottage — so they adhere to the luggage handles. Living Retired wives do this because Living Retired husbands always get the sticky side stuck to their pants. Just saying… Next, husbands hoist hernia-inducing suitcases onto the scale. Whew! Now it is time, you cannot avoid it, to begin “The Airport Hike” — hauling your carry-on luggage with wheels that do not roll to the “Hurry Up and Wait Gate” conveniently located close to where you’re flying to. Call me stupid but to save steps I can’t resist taking the moving sidewalk. This is when

I can count on Jan saying, “GARY! Watch when you step off the moving sidewalk. Last time you propelled yourself toward the Duty-Free Shop!” Eventually, your Living Retired compression socks send a signal to your brain that causes you to blurt out, “I cannot possibly take another step!” Exhausted, you arrive at the “Hurry Up and Wait Gate” and reach for your nitroglycerin spray! The “Hurry Up and Wait Gate” has everything passengers need to kill time in the airport: plastic chairs, spotty Wi-Fi, and mandatory very important passenger announcements made using obsolete war surplus microphones that do not work. “ATTENTION. WOULD THE FOLLOWING PASSENGER PLEASE REPORT TO THE GATE IMMEDIATELY: Passenger — [aggravating ear-piercing microphone static]. Thank you.” “Jan, did that sound like they called CHALK?”

“Maybe Gary, but it also sounded like WUNDERPUS PHOTOGENICUS.” Also, near the “Hurry Up and Wait Gate” are a variety of food options similar to what you find in a mall food court, but at many times the price! Last fall in Vancouver I ‘Dole’d’ out $5 for one friggin’ banana! Jan asked, “Did you buy the entire plantation?” Just then… “ATTENTION. WOULD THE FOLLOWING PASSENGER PLEASE REPORT TO THE GATE IMMEDIATELY: Passenger — [aggravating ear-piercing microphone static]. Thank you.” “I swear it sounded like Chalk, Jan. I wonder if there’s a problem?” “Gary, you know you cannot trust your hearing. If I had to guess it sounded like they are paging passenger Aardvarkinheat to come to the gate.” At the Vancouver airport I grabbed a coffee before we boarded. The clerk slid an emp-

ty paper cup toward me to pour my own coffee and told me to tap the machine: $6.85 — including a 20 per cent tip! I gave myself the 20 per cent tip for serving myself. I checked out a pre-made sandwich: $19.95. Food prices like that are, well, hard to swallow. Back at “The Hurry Up and Wait Gate” it happened again. “ATTENTION. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL PASSENGERS ON FLIGHT — [prolonged aggravating ear-piercing microphone static]. We sincerely apologize. Thank you for understanding.” “Jan, I couldn’t understand what they said.” “Sorry Gary, I couldn’t understand either. It was something about thanking us for understanding.” That is it for this week’s Living Retired. Thank you for understanding.

Farm, Family and Future: What is a farm really worth?

DAN FINKBEINER Examiner Columnist

A few years ago, I was standing in a farm shop talking with a producer who had spent his entire life working the land. The shop looked exactly as you’d expect: a tractor waiting for parts, wrenches scattered across a workbench, seed signs from another era hanging on the walls and a coffee pot that had probably been on longer than anyone cared to admit. Around here, some of the best conversations don’t happen in boardrooms. They happen in places like that. As they often do, our conversation drifted toward farmland. He leaned back in his chair, smiled and shook his head. “I just don’t believe it,” he said. I asked him what he meant. He started naming farms that had recently sold in the area, each one bringing another astonishing price. He wasn’t questioning whether those

numbers were real or suggesting anyone had overpaid. Quite the opposite. “I know that’s what they’re paying,” he said. “I just can’t believe it’s worth that.” What he couldn’t reconcile wasn’t the market. It was the idea that the same fields he’d planted, harvested and worried over for decades had somehow become worth millions more than the life he’d always associated with them. That conversation has stayed with me because I suspect many farm families across southwestern Ontario feel exactly the same way. On paper, they’ve become far wealthier than they ever imagined possible. Yet if you drove into most farmyards today, you wouldn’t notice much had changed. Equipment is still repaired before it’s replaced. Spending money is still approached with caution. Farmers still compare weather forecasts before deciding whether to cut hay, and they still grumble when fuel prices climb. Somewhere over the past 20 years, the value of the land changed dramatically. The people farming it, for the most part, did not. Perhaps that’s because farmers rarely fall in love with the value of a farm. They fall in love with the farm itself.

When people outside agriculture talk about farmland, the conversation usually centres on acres or dollars per acre. Farmers tend to describe something entirely different. They’ll talk about the 80 behind the bush, the field beside the creek, the quarter Grandpa bought after years of saving, or the piece everyone thought was too wet until tile drainage proved otherwise. Every field has a history. Every fence line marks someone’s hard work. Every farm carries the fingerprints of the generations who cared for it. That’s why some of the biggest conversations around rural kitchen tables today have very little to do with money. They’re about who wants to farm, whether the business can support another generation and how parents can be fair to every child when only one may choose to carry the operation forward. Growing up with roots along Babylon Line, I learned that every generation views the same farm differently. My grandparents’ generation saw survival. My parents’ generation saw growth. Many farmers today see complexity as they navigate rising land values, succession planning and unpredictable markets. The next generation may simply

see opportunity. None of those perspectives are wrong. They’re shaped by the times each generation has lived through. What remains remarkably consistent is the desire to leave the farm better than it was found. Whenever I sit down with farm families, I’m reminded that legacy is rarely measured the way the rest of the world measures success. Farmers don’t begin by talking about net worth. They talk about work ethic, stewardship, neighbours helping neighbours and whether someone will care for the land with the same pride they did. As wheat harvest begins across our region, combines will once again roll into fields

that have been cared for by generations before us. Yields will be measured, moisture checked and markets watched, just as they always have. And somewhere — over coffee in a farm shop, riding together in a combine, or around a kitchen table after another long day — the conversation will eventually turn toward the future. Because every farm we admire today exists for one simple reason: someone, years ago, believed the future was worth investing in. Perhaps that’s the real measure of a farm’s value. Not what someone is willing to pay for it today, but whether the next generation believes it’s worth carrying forward.

Exeter Examiner

Thursday, July 16, 2026

BACK IN TIME

30 Years Ago

July 10, 1996 - Kim Campbell and Darryl Hartman were the top Ontario Scholars at SHDHS this year. Others included Colin Bowers, Heather Davies, Marty Degroot, Lisa Eagleson, Jenny Ellison, Jennifer Graham, Andrew Hern, Kathryn Hern, Adam Jean, Shannon Kammerer, Lindsay McKay, Amy Swance, Sandra Vanderlaan, Amy Walper, Andrea Weigand, Anita Wein, Carisa Willis and Amy Zwart. Topping the other grades were Jessica Haddon, Jill Ramer and Julie Darling. Huron Produce, a local rutabaga and garlic operation, is expanding to include a tomato greenhouse. Construction of the Thames Produce greenhouse will begin this week and it’s expected to be completed in three months. A total of 30 employees will be hired. As for tomatoes, the new greenhouse will produce five million pounds of the hy-

mile track by going in 1.51.3.

droponic fruit in one crop.

across Canada and 100 from the United States.

55 Years Ago

40 Years Ago July 1, 1986 - Karla Josephson of Exeter was the tops of an even dozen Ontario Scholars at SHDHS this year. Best in the other four grades were David Dougall, Marie Debruyn, Dale Ducharme, and Leanne Dietrich. Anne Triebner, R.R. 1, Exeter received a young entrepreneurs achievement award from Ontario Minister of Skills Development Gregory Sabara for her Cotton Collection business. Quite A Sensation, owned by Claire and Linda Porter of Parkhill, won the North America Cup at Greenwood to become the wealthiest horse in North America for the time being. Last Friday at The Meadows Falcon Seelster set a record for a five-eighths

70 Years Ago

July 8, 1971 - One of the latest inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame is Cooney Weiland of Egmondville. He recently retired as head hockey coach at Harvard University after spending a very successful career with the Boston Bruins.

July 8, 1956 - Harold Kellerman of Dashwood had the two front wheels of his car stolen while he was attending the South Huron Crusade for Christ at the Zurich Community Centre, Thursday.

The first observance of Friedsburg Days in Dashwood was a tremendous success with more than 6,000 persons attending Friday and Saturday.

Hensall Public School, acting on advice of district inspector John Goman, has purchased a site for the new school on the south side of the village.

65 Years Ago

80 Years Ago

July 9, 1961 - Ted Wilson and George Godbolt, the first two Exeter Scouts to attend a Canadian Jamboree left Wednesday morning by bus for Ottawa. They will spend a full week at the capital with 2,800 other scouts from

July 9, 1946 - Dr. J.W. Corbett of Kincardine, recently retired from the Canadian Dental Corps, is taking over the dental practice of Dr. G.F. Roulston, Exeter.

POLICE BRIEFS EXETER EXAMINER STAFF Staff Contribution

Driver arrested after boating complaint A 55-year-old Bluewater man has been charged with criminal driving offences following a complaint from a concerned citizen in Bayfield. According to Huron County OPP, just before 3 p.m. on June 13, officers received information from a citizen that an individual who was operating a vessel may have been impaired. Officers then went to the boat launch on Fishermen’s Wharf Road and located the individual, who was arrested and charged. They now face charges including two counts of operation while impaired and two counts of operation while impaired (blood alcohol concentration 80 plus). The man was processed and later released from custody with a court date scheduled in Goderich for July 27. Traffic complaint leads to impaired charges Police have charged a 20-year-old Haldimand County resident after receiving a traffic complaint in Grand Bend.

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Police said members of the Lambton County OPP received a report of a possible impaired driver on July 1 around 11 a.m. on Ontario Street. Following an investigation, the driver was arrested and charged with operation while impaired and operation while impaired (blood alcohol concentration 80 plus). The driver has since been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 13 in Sarnia. Traffic stop results in impaired driving charges A traffic stop in Grand Bend has left a 38-year-old Toronto resident facing a list of charges Police said a Lambton County OPP officer was conducting general patrol on July 5 at 7:30 p.m. when they stopped a vehicle on Main Street East. Following the traffic stop, the driver was arrested and charged with operation while impaired, operation while impaired (blood alcohol concentration 80 plus), dangerous operation and driving a motor vehicle with liquor readily available. The driver has since been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 4 in Sarnia. Clinton man charged after mischief investigation

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One individual has been charged by police after a mischief investigation in Grand Bend. According to Lambton County OPP, officers responded to a mischief report at a business on Main Street West in Grand Bend on July 4 just before 11 p.m. Police said the individual had reportedly entered the property, damaged two parking gates then left the scene. After an investigation, a 21-year-old Clinton man was arrested and charged with mischief and being intoxicated in a public place. He has since been released from custody and has a court date scheduled for Sept. 14 in Sarnia.

Come Celebrate

Tom Bickell’s 90th, Sharon’s 80th & Married 60 years SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2026 DROP IN BETWEEN 1 PM - 4 PM Bickell Homestead, Wade and Tina’s 5637 Line 10, Perth South Bring Lawn Chairs, NO Gifts Please

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Exeter Examiner

Pet of the Week Riddles

What has a head, a tail, but no body? A coin! Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert? Because it was stuffed! What gets wetter the more it dries? A towel! What kind of tree fits in your hand? A palm tree! What did one wall say to the other wall? I’ll meet you at the corner! What do you call a dinosaur that is sleeping? A dino-snore! What kind of band never plays music? A rubber band! Why can’t Elsa hold a balloon? Because she’ll let it go! What do elves learn in school? The elf-abet! Why did the cow cross the road? To get to the udder side! What kind of key opens a banana? A monkey! Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one! Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use honeycombs! What did the ocean say to the beach? Nothing, it just waved!

PROTECT PAWS AND LIVES—NEVER LEAVE PETS IN A HOT CAR! Even a few minutes in a parked car on a warm day can be deadly for pets. Cars heat up fast, and pets can suffer heatstroke in minutes. Always leave pets at home or bring them with you in a climate-controlled space.