Illegal drugs with an estimated street value of $230,000 were seized by Ontario Provincial Police officers during a March 12 raid at a property on County Road 15, North Stormont Township.

Officers seized 34 pounds of cannabis, 30 pounds of hash cannabis resin and 50 pounds of cannabis shake, speed pills and a firearm.

Gérard Sauvé, 75, of North Stormont, was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, production of a controlled substance, and unauthorized possession and careless storage of a firearm.

Details about a major seizure of illicit drugs and weapons in Alexandria last week have been released.

Raids on homes and a business resulted in the seizure of

• 2260 methamphetamine pills (speed)
• 1064 Hydromorphone pills
• 27 Fentanyl patches
• 594 grams of marijuana
• 66 grams of hash

The estimated street value of drugs seized is $42,540

 This also resulted in the seizure of a quantity of weapons and Canadian currency:

• 2 handguns
• 2 Conducted Energy Weapons (Tasers)
• Nunchucks
• Over $15,000 cash
• Multiple Long guns
• Ammunition
• 6 replica handguns

The following individuals were arrested and charged.

Pierre Larose, 59, of North Glengarry, was charged with

• Possession of a Controlled Substance for the purpose of Trafficking (11 counts)
• Unauthorized Possession of a weapon (2 counts)
• Careless storage of ammunition (3 counts)
• Public Mischief
• Fraud over $5,000 (5 counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime (2 counts)

He was held in custody pending a bail hearing at Cornwall Court.

Brigitte Martinson, 49, North Glengarry, was charged with

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (11 counts)
• Unauthorized possession of a weapon (2 counts)
• Careless storage of ammunition (2 counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime (2 counts)

She was held in custody pending a bail hearing at Cornwall Court.

Claude Lavigne, 53, North Glengarry, was charged with

• Possession of a controlled substance
• Production of a controlled substance
• Fail to comply with conditions of a recognizance
• Fail to comply with conditions of an undertaking

He was held in custody pending a bail hearing at Cornwall Court.

Luc Leroux, 52, North Glengarry, was charged with possession of a controlled substance. He was released and scheduled to appear in Alexandria court April 4.

Christian Seguin, 34, North Glengarry, was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. He was released and scheduled to appear in Alexandria court April 4.

Gordon Hodges, 31, North Glengarry, was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. He was released and scheduled to appear in Alexandria court April 4.

Jonathan Carrierre, 21, North Glengarry, was charged with

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)
• Fail to comply with conditions of a probation order (2 counts)
• Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to probation order (2 counts)

He was held in custody pending a bail hearing at Cornwall Court.

Rebecca Lacombe, 40, North Glengarry, Ontario was charged with

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)
• Fail to comply with conditions of a probation order (4 counts)
• Fail to comply with conditions of a recognizance

She was held in custody pending a bail hearing at Cornwall Court.

Maxime Cater, 28, North Glengarry, was charged with

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Unauthorized possession of a weapon (3 counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime

The investigation continues.

 "These arrests will have a significant impact in the small community of Alexandria," states Dean Canham Detective Sergeant of the Ontario Provincial Police Community Street Crime Unit.

Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell, North Glengarry Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee members Carma Williams and Karen Davison Wood, and Harvey McCue, Chair, Ontario Heritage Trust, at the presentation of the 2017 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation. The award recognizes the Glengarry Routes Heritage Tour and interpretive panels which were unveiled in 2017, and the committee’s support in launching the Community Improvement Plan program back in 2016. The North Glengarry Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee was established by the municipality in 2011 as a means to promote and raise awareness about arts, culture and heritage.

Committee chair and Councillor Carma Williams commented,  “The Township of North Glengarry is an area that is rich in history. We take pride in our roots and as a committee, we work to ensure that the municipality's heritage remains alive and meaningful.”

Also composed of Natalie-Anne Bussière, Councillor Jeff Manley, Dane Lanken and Nicole Nadeau, the committee thanked Nicole Geoffrion who was a long-standing member of the group.

PHOTO IAN CRYSLER, COURTESY OF THE ONTARIO HERITAGE TRUST

A dog owner has been charged after her pet killed a Shih Tzu in Vankleek Hill February 27. While walking her two small dogs, a woman's small dog was attacked by a large Great Dane/Lab mix. Serious injuries resulted in the dog's death a short time later, reports the Hawkesbury Ontario Provincial Police detachment.

Investigation revealed that the owner had the large dog on a leash but because of the size and weight of the Great Dane, she lost control of the leash when the dog began running towards the smaller dogs and attacked the Shih Tzu.

The owner of the Great Dane was charged under the Dog Owner Liability Act with Fail to prevent dog from biting, attacking a person or domestic animal.

She is scheduled to appear in L'Orignal court April 5.

Approximately 40 firefighters from the St-Isidore, Fournier, St-Bernardin, St-Albert, Limoges and Casselman stations battled a structural fire at the processing plant at Levac Propane in St-Isidore last night.

The blaze, which started at 6 p.m., forced the closure of Ste-Catherine Street between Concession 20 and Concession 21.

The fire is now under control.

There were no injuries and no explosions.

Ste-Catherine Street is now open.

Less than three months after accepting a job as North Glengarry’s Deputy Treasurer, Sarah Huskinson has been elevated to the township’s top job of Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk.

“Council knows that Sarah will bring to the CAO/Clerk position the same diligence and excellence in leadership that she has displayed in her position in finance,” said North Glengarry Mayor Chris McDonell shortly after the announcement. Later, he said that council had interviewed about 20 candidates before deciding that Ms. Huskinson was the best choice.

Nine people have been arrested in a seizure of illicit drugs and weapons at several homes and one business in Alexandria.

The investigation continues.

Further information will be released at a later time, says the Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police detachment.

Beau's Brewery of Vankleek Hill has received another honour.

The Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts (CHCA) at George Brown College has designated the company as a “Canadian Treasure,” an initiative launched in 2017 through which the accomplishments of culinary, hospitality, and tourism trailblazers across Canada are recognized and celebrated. Beau’s co-founder and CEO Steve Beauchesne accepted the award at a ceremony in Toronto last week, where Beau’s was honoured for its award-winning and certified organic craft beer, its commitment to being family-run and independent, and its consideration for the environment and local communities.

The Char-Lan DHS boys hockey team scored the SD&G championship, today on the ice in Williamstown. Unfortunately, the action happened after The News went to press, but we will have the details in the newspaper next week.

In the newspaper this week, we have a story that wraps up regular-season play.

Here's this week's front page.

A camp-out with a cause, “Operation Cold Turkey” in Alexandria this weekend will raise awareness of poverty and help the local food bank.

The Glengarry Stormont Branch of Clan Donald, the people who saved the 2017 Festival of Lights, and brought McSanta to Martintown and the first Kilt Skate to Alexandria earlier this month, are at it again with another community event, this time with a focus on poverty and food security.

Read about it in the February 28 edition of The Glengarry News.

North Glengarry will receive another honour Friday for its Glengarry Routes Heritage Tour and Community Improvement Plan.

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee will on Friday receive the 2017 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for excellence in conservation.

At the recent Conference of the Economic Developers Council of Ontario’s Awards of Excellence Gala, North and South Glengarry took home top honours for their heritage tour brochure while North Glengarry was recognized for its CIP.

The Raisin Region Conservation Authority is advising caution near local rivers and creeks. The recent precipitation and unseasonably warm temperatures are resulting in rapid snowmelt and ice breakup. Water levels are currently rising and water is moving quickly. Since water is currently contained within the river banks, for the most part, wide-scale flooding is not expected at this time.

This photo shows water in a field near Fassifern.

Visit the RRCA flood forecasting website for updates.

Pro hockey in Cornwall is no more, as today the Cornwall Nationals abruptly announced that the club would shut down.

Please see the story here in Sports in the Glens.