The Maroons notched a 5-2 over Strathroy, but Lambton Shores kept pace of the Maroons and remain two points back with a 6-2 win over LaSalle.

Sam Studnicka led the way with a hat trick for Chatham. The Maroons and Predators face off on Saturday.

Story by Trevor Thompson, Blackburn News.

The highlight was the Toyota Corolla that was auctioned off for $19,000.

Overall, donations were off last year’s total of $63,000.

Story by Trevor Thompson, Blackburn News.

Director of Marketing and Communications Sandra Pakosh says people making those purchases should remember to dispose of their old electronics properly.

“Old TVs contain material that you don’t want leaching into the water or ending up in the landfill,” says Pakosh. “From research we’ve done in a recent survey, 96% of Ontarians support the reuse and recycling of electronics to prevent those substances of concern from ending up in our landfill.”

A list of a dozen drop-off sites in Chatham-Kent is available at www.recycleyourelectronics.ca.

Story by Dave Richie, Blackburn News.

Randall Van Wagner, Project Co-ordinator of the Greening Partnership, says local groups and grant programs are helping support the improvement and development of wooded areas like O’Neill’s Nature Preserve in Chatham.

“It’s just impressive to see a group like (Rotary Club of Chatham Sunrise) stand up and take on a project that will benefit the community,” says Van Wagner. “There’s a lot of interest in this woodlot and it’s great to see everyone is continuing on with this.”

The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority is working to fill-in seven acres of donated land in Merlin with trees and trails.

Story by Dave Richie, Blackburn News.

Cash is available for not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses to employ people between the ages of 15 and 30  who are also full-time students returning to school in the fall.

To help employers complete their application, the Canada Summer Jobs Applicant Guide is available online.

Applications must be submitted before the end of the month.

Story by Trevor Thompson, Blackburn News.

However experienced producers are nervous about sap flows this year and although most are holding off tapping, the weather will determine the volumes.

There is some sap in the trees right now but it has very low sugar content, and that means a lot more fuel has to be used to turn it into sugar, so some are guessing larger flows will start in about two weeks.

Story by Simon Crouch, Blackburn News.

Together Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and Chatham-Kent Tourism have hired a project facilitator to work with all organizations holding events. War of 1812 Commemoration events start this spring and will take place until 2015.

The local historian Kyra Knapp will work with all organizations to coordinate and promote their events.

“We want to attract as many people to our region as possible. So I think that having a strong level of communication not only within our region but out to multiple communities and across the border as well is really important,” says Knapp.

Story by Maureen Regier, Blackburn News.

With only seven games left in the regular season, the Maroons are currently sitting in the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, just 4-points ahead of 9th place Lambton Shores.

Maroons goalie Gianluca Palmieri believes they have a chance to move up the standings and overtake LaSalle. “We’re just gonna take it one game at a time. We have the confidence in that room to bounce back and definitely gain that 7th spot, and hopefully make a run at the playoffs.”

The puck drops at 7:30 tonight in Strathroy.

Dr. Martin Lees has experience in urgent care and is a former chief of staff at Bluewater Health, and chaired the LHIN’s Pelee Island Task Force.

He also has a Master’s degree in healthcare administration and a PhD in management.

He will help in the development of primary care as it is added to the LHIN’s mandate and help ensure those services are better integrated with other health sectors.

Story by Simon Crouch, Blackburn News.