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PAGE Thursday, January 29, 2026 EZT FIRE CHIEF TO RETIREThePAGE APPLEJACKS HANG ONTO SECOND Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette
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Motor-vehicle collisions in Oxford up substantially this winter OPP offers advice on staying safe LEE GRIFFI Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
out is Essex, and how they are trying to contain farmland and make sure it continues to exist; kind of working with farmers and how to deal with small roads and big equipment, and all of these things.” He added two other items caught his eye, including the need for long-term care beds. “The thing that was concerning for me,
This winter has been the most volatile and dangerous for Oxford County and Wilmot Township motorists, leading to a record number of collisions. But, according to one member of the Oxford Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment, it doesn’t need to be that way. Const. Randi Crawford said the OPP doesn’t have rankings of causes for winter collisions, but the top few are very obvious: driving too fast for the conditions and following too closely. “It happens all the time and with any type of vehicle, be it a commercial motor vehicle, a small car, an SUV or a pick-up truck. All types of vehicles seem to be driving too fast for the conditions,” Crawford said. When it comes to being too close to the vehicle in front, Crawford said tractor-trailers aren’t always at fault. “When one jackknifes, people may jump to the conclusion that the truck was going too fast for the road conditions, which could have been a contributing factor. But people sometimes cut them off and those trucks take time
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(PHOTO COURTESY OF WILMOT TOWSHIP)
Wilmot Township participated in the recent ROMA conference. Pictured from left to right are Jennifer Bouzane, executive officer for mayor and council; Steven Martin, Ward 4 councillor; Dr. Steven Harrison, CEO, Tri-County Mennonite Homes; Mayor Natasha Salonen; Rick Bresee, MPP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington; and Stewart Cressman, Ward 1 councillor.
Area municipalities take part in ROMA conference LEE GRIFFI Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The annual Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) Conference was held last week in Toronto, and many area politicians attended the three-day event. ROMA is the rural voice of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). A number of its executive
members serve on the AMO board of directors. Policy, research and advocacy activities are undertaken by ROMA through AMO. Scott Zehr was one of three members of East Zorra-Tavistock council to attend, and he highlighted a session on rural land management. “I had a number of different areas that were working on at that. One that stands
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