Columns
In January of 1876, a station on the London, Huron and Bruce Railway (CNR) was established at the east end of Dinsley Street and, a year later, the Village of Blyth was incorporated as a legal entity with a population of about 800.
Last Thursday, I watched a building come down that held a lot of history within its walls. Now, the majority of that history happened before I was a Huron County resident, but hearing some people talk about their experiences with Bainton's, it just...
There are people who know about rocks. And then there is Dr. Michael Stearns. The Chaff was fortunate enough to secure an exclusive interview with Stearns, an associate professor of Earth science whose expertise reaches into the deep geological...
Driving into town on the weekend I was shocked to see a pile of rubble where Bainton Limited had formerly stood. On thinking about it, I knew it was going to happen. Construction fences had earlier been installed around the empty building, but...
This month, I'll be wrapping up a run of coaching two of my kids' sports teams this summer. I coached Tallulah's soccer team in Brussels and her baseball team in Blyth.
Huron County Warden Jamie Heffer has thrown his considerable political weight behind a proposal to honour one of Wingham's most famous, and least expected, ancestral exports: the late Hollywood icon Betty White.
Last week's Citizen contained a large article about the Clinton Horticultural Society's garden tour, written by a friend of Jill's and mine. It was a sign of how much things have changed in the newspaper business since The Citizen was first published...
North Huron Council has made a decision. Whether it made the right decision is a matter on which thoughtful people clearly disagree.
It's truly amazing to see on television the wildfires that have scorched huge areas of Spain, France, Greece and Turkey, displacing hundreds of thousands from their homes.
In the immediate aftermath of the death of Glen Hansard, the beloved Irish singer and songwriter, I received a number of messages from friends, knowing that I was a tremendous fan of his and saying that, when they heard the news, their minds turned to me.
Hey, guys, it's awfully hot today! Let's take our bikes up to Bert's for a Wishing Well pop.
As I approach 20 years of living in Huron County this October, this issue in particular offers me an opportunity to reflect on the food culture of Huron County and how it has changed (or not changed) in the time that I've been here.
The Chaff has received a thoughtful, sincere and impressively well-organized critique from a member of our local business community regarding the general Chaffiness of The Chaff.
Almost every newscast on TV these days deals with the high cost of groceries. One story I read says the price of groceries has increased 30 per cent in the last five years - 3.9 per cent in June, alone.
A changing landscape, What a weekend, Inaction is not an option
There was a time, and it really wasn't all that long ago, that the concept of having a private swimming pool or a local municipal pool was a far-off fantasy.
They said it couldn't be done. And yet, here we are.
There are times when a community faces a challenge and responds with careful planning, measured analysis and a responsible consideration of all available options.
One of the great things about a small town is that it's a perfect place for dreamers - the people who want to be their own boss.
Allow me to let you in on a little secret; some people have noticed this - others haven't. It also depends on your level of familiarity with the week's task, but, very often - not always, but very often - I try to find a theme with the headlines on...