KENILWORTH – A new mayor will be leading Wellington North council following the October municipal election. 

After serving as mayor for 12 years and serving  on township council for 16 years, Andy Lennox announced during a May 4 council meeting that he will not be seeking re-election 

“Democracy depends on different ideas and approaches,” Lennox said. “And I believe its time for some renewal.” 

He expressed appreciation for the opportunity to contribute the to democratic process and for the support he has received from voters, councillors and staff. 

“I encourage candidates and voters to come forward and respectfully and vigorously debate potential solutions to the challenges we face,” Lennox said. “I wish my successor all the best and pledge my support and guidance if requested.” 

Councillor Steve McCabe, who has been a Ward 4 councillor for almost 12 years, told the Advertiser he will be running for mayor. 

The municipal election is set for Oct. 26. 

For more information about running for municipal office in Wellington North, visit wellington-north.com or contact township clerk Karren Wallace at kwallace@wellington-north.com or 519-848-3620.

Julie Anne Brailey (Sheppard) of London passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, May 3, 2026, age 52. Beloved wife for 14 years of Hamish. She will be lovingly remembered by her father Wayne (Ann) Sheppard; sister Jen (Travis Prange); nephew Devyn and his wife Haley; mother-in-law Jennifer Brailey; and brother-in-law Scott Brailey. Predeceased by her mother Brenda Sheppard.

Julie loved animals, especially her dogs Max and Harley. She enjoyed the great outdoors and many camping expeditions near and far.

Visitation on Friday from 6-8 pm at Harris Funeral Home, 220 St. James St. at Richmond, where the memorial service will be conducted on Saturday, May 9 at 2 pm.

Memorial contributions to the Canadian Cancer Society or London Humane Society would be appreciated.

PALMERSTON – Police say there's no ongoing risk to the community after a bullet was found outside a local school last week.

Wellington County OPP officers were called to Palmerston Public School on April 30 at about 11am after a student found "an undischarged round ... on school grounds."

"OPP officers attended the school, secured the item and conducted a search of the surrounding area," police stated in a May 4 press release.

"No additional items of concern were located during that search."

Police added that while they take such incidents seriously, there is no "ongoing risk to students, staff or the broader community."

They thanked "the student and school staff for reporting the item quickly and appropriately."

Anyone with information about this incident can contact the Wellington County OPP at 1‑888‑310‑1122. 

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at csgw.tips or toll free at 1-800-222-8477. Tip providers may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

What if the colloquial expression “I’m cooked” could evolve from a vague feeling into a measurable metric? Enter Singe: the AI-powered app featuring competitive leaderboards that turns “cookedness” into a quantifiable, shareable score.

Singe started off as what its creator, University of Waterloo management engineering student Neiloy Chaudhuri, describes as a mix of “procrastination and pattern recognition.” After seeing countless students post about being “cooked” for exams, Chaudhuri noticed a shared emotional experience that hadn’t been formalized. “Everyone was feeling it together but nobody was actually tracking it,” he said. “I wanted to turn that into something you could quantify and share.”

By the end of launch day, 227 scores had been generated. Chaudhuri described how the cultural weight of the term “cooked” backed his project, “When your score tells you you’re 87% cooked, you screenshot it because it’s funny and painfully relatable. That shareability was core to the concept from day one.”

Throughout the process, Chaudhuri had to figure out how to make the roast sting with specificity, rather than resorting to generic jabs. He also had to quickly implement nickname restrictions after users started submitting slurs in their nicknames on the leaderboard.

Singe would eventually come up in a product manager interview, landing Chaudhuri the job. “[The interviewer] got roasted, saw their score, and got the full product loop without me narrating it. I could point to real metrics, talk through the design decisions, and give them something genuinely fun to do in the middle of a busy day.”

For those in the early stages of their career, Chaudhuri emphasized the importance of side projects over resumes. “A resume tells someone what you’ve done in the past. A shipped product shows how you think and whether you can actually execute,” he said. He encourages students to abandon perfectionism and “ship the ugly version,” emphasizing that real feedback only comes once people start using a product.

He is already applying those lessons to his next project, Notchwatch, an ambient AI activity monitor designed to run in a MacBook’s notch and display real-time updates on active AI agents. Like Singe, it focuses on identifying a small but real friction point and solving it in a simple, intuitive way.

Singe’s journey from a playful side project to a professional asset leaves no doubt: someone cooked here.

Click here to get singed!

With files from Emma Danesh. 

It’s officially May and the spring term at UW will soon begin. Before the new term, consider taking the time to explore some great events around the region this weekend.

Looking to have a fun time and dance the night away? KW’S Official Cinco De Mayo Party is happening this Friday, May 1 from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Tickets are $17.31 and can be purchased online on the event’s web page.

If you’re in the mood to shop and stroll in search of some unique finds, the Wonderfully Made spring market at Catalyst 137 in Kitchener runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. Over 65 vendors will be present at the venue, so you can wander around and appreciate the spring weather while shopping around for gifts or unique items. The event is free for all attendees.

If you’re a fan of classical music and are looking for a relaxing way to spend your afternoon this weekend, head over to the Preserve concert at the Trillium Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m. The pieces you’ll hear center around the theme of preservation and how we preserve the things in our lives that bring us joy and wonder. The program will feature the premiere of a composition inspired by nature and composed by Leonard Enn. Tickets are $15 for post-secondary students and can be purchased online on the event web page.

FERGUS – The Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team (GWOHT) will receive $4,479,600 from the province to help connect an additional 12,800 patients to a primary care team.

The Primary Care Action Plan funding was announced by Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae and Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Joseph Racinsky on April 30 at the after-hours clinic in the Fergus Walmart. 

“Connecting everyone to primary care has been a priority for our government, especially in rural areas," Racinsky said during the announcement.

"Today’s announcement will build on the progress we’ve already made and will connect thousands of residents in Wellington County to the primary care they need.”

Rae added the funding will connect "more than 12,000 people to primary care, closer to home" and it "delivers for rural communities in Wellington North, Minto, and Mapleton.”

GWOHT will disperse the $4,479,600 in funding to family health teams in the region, including: Guelph, Mount Forest, Minto-Mapleton, East Wellington and Upper Grand, as well as the Guelph Community Health Centre.

Those without a family doctor or seeking one closer to home can add their name to the Healthcare Connect list, officials say.

GWOHT spokesperson Emmi Perkins called the funding "a transformative step towards improving the health" of area residents.

"Through strong collaboration across our primary care partners, we are now positioned to connect every resident in Guelph Wellington to high-quality, team-based primary care – ensuring people receive the right care, at the right time, close to home," Perkins stated.

"This funding validates the strength of our collaborative model. By building on our existing high-performing primary care teams, we can rapidly expand access, reduce inequities, and deliver more connected, person-centred care for the people of Guelph Wellington."

For more information about how to find a primary care provider, visit guelphwellingtonoht.com.

MAPLETON – Mapleton Fire Rescue will be better able to reach more remote emergencies thanks to the generosity of the local Kinsmen club. 

The Kinsmen Club of Drayton donated a $30,000 four-door utility terrain vehicle (UTV) to the department for off-road rescues and fires. 

Fire Chief Chris Harrow brought the UTV to council on April 28.

He said the Kinsmen offered to donate the vehicle last year and purchasing it has been part of the department’s long-term plans.

“We are seeing more and more off-road type activities, which is leading to more incidents," stated Harrow's report.

“These incidents are hard to access with our larger apparatus. Just this winter we had a snowmobile accident which was difficult to access.

“Now, having use of the UTV will make our responses more efficient and safe.” 

The four-seat UTV will bring firefighters and equipment to hard-to-access locations, including during winter. 

“Staff are also hoping to have the capability for some water and a small pump on board to help with grass fires, which are becoming more frequent,” the report states. 

It calls continued support from local service clubs including the Kinsmen “unbelievable. 

“The financial donation for us helps make other projects a reality more quickly. Staff cannot express enough gratitude for their support and helping us protect the community.” 

The 2027 capital budget will include an undetermined amount of funding for lights, logos and additional features for the UTV.   

Mayor Gregg Davidson and councillor Michael Martin expressed appreciation for the donation.

“I’m sure the fire department is going to find great use for this – probably even more than they anticipate already,” said Martin.

MAPLETON – Flood mitigation work here will move forward with a $100,000 grant for studies, designs, assessments, advice and business case development.  

“This work is critical for the Drayton community because it will guide decisions that protect homes, businesses and infrastructure from increasing flood risks driven by climate change,” states an April 28 report to Mapleton council from climate change coordinator Martin Tamlyn. 

The grant is provided through the Cooperators Resilience Acceleration Lab and also includes technical support.

The Cooperators will reimburse the township for expenses incurred before Oct. 31, up to a maximum of $100,000. The township applied for a $250,000 grant from the Cooperators earlier this year. 

There will also be an initial Drayton dike study, including alignment options and a cost analysis. It will be funded by $20,000 from the federal Climate Ready Infrastructure Services program and conducted by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). 

“This study will help staff and council to better understand the projected long-term impacts of climate change on the intensity, duration and frequency of precipitation patterns on the Coestogo River,” states the report.

“CIMA will provide flood modelling scenarios, Class D cost estimates and visual renderings for the different dike alignment options." 

On Dec. 9, council affirmed the need to abate flooding risks in Drayton, with a preliminary high-level cost estimate of $4.3 million.