CKNow Daily
What's Happening in Chatham-Kent Today — Monday, October 26
It's Election Day: polls are open 10 AM to 8 PM, plus a pet pantry low on dog food and a food drive that moved up
By CKNow··6 min read
This issue went to CKNow subscribers by email. Get the next one free.
Morning, CK. It's Election Day, with polls open from 10 AM to 8 PM and a mainly sunny start to the day with a high of 18°. Here's what you need before you head out, plus a pet pantry running low on dog food and a food drive that moved up to this week.
⛽ Gas Prices
Regular: Chatham stations run from 164.9¢/L at the Esso on St Clair St to 167.5¢ at the two UPI Energy stations, with most between 166.2¢ and 166.7¢. Charing Cross is 166.5¢ to 167.7¢, Blenheim is 166.5¢ to 168.9¢, Thamesville is 168.9¢, Ridgetown is 175.9¢, and Dresden ranges from 167.5¢ to 178.9¢. Lowest around is Moraviantown First Nation at 139.9¢ to 145.9¢.
Diesel: Chatham is 259.3¢ to 259.9¢ at most stations, with the Petro-Canada on Grand Ave W at 269.9¢. Blenheim, Charing Cross and Thamesville are 259.9¢, Ridgetown is 262.9¢ and Dresden is 261.9¢ to 264.8¢. Moraviantown is lowest at 226.9¢ to 234.9¢.
☀️ Weather
Good weather for getting to the polls. Monday starts mainly sunny, with clouds building late in the morning and fog patches dissipating early. The wind turns north at 30 km/h in the afternoon, the UV index is 4 (moderate), and the high is 18°. Tonight is mainly cloudy, with the wind easing to light in the evening and a low of 4°.
🗳️ Major Story — Election Day: What to Know Before You Vote
Today is Election Day in Chatham-Kent. Polls are open from 10 AM to 8 PM, according to the Municipality. Voting is in person with a paper ballot that goes through a tabulator, and internet voting is over: it closed on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 PM. You'll need ID showing your name and address, and you may need two pieces. Accepted items include an Ontario driver's licence, an Ontario Health Card (photo card) or a utility bill, in original form or as a certified copy.
Not sure where to vote? Enter your address in the lookup at cknow.ca/vote to find your ward and voting place, or use the Municipality's ward map. Seven candidates are certified for mayor: Lauren Anderson, Michael Bondy, Nelson Burm, Darrin Canniff (the incumbent), April Colby, Ryan Gow and Randy Hope.
The Municipality says an Audio Tactile Interface and a Ballot Marking Device are available at the John D. Bradley Centre on Election Day. If marking a paper ballot is hard for you, you can bring a friend or relative to help. They'll take an oath, and you should let the greeter know you have help. Unofficial results will be posted at chathamkent.enrs.ca starting at 8 PM and refreshed every 15 minutes, and we'll have our own live results page at cknow.ca/vote. Read more at the Municipality of Chatham-Kent →
🐶 Major Story — Pet Pantry Running Low on Dog Food
The FreeHelpCK Pet Pantry is putting out an urgent call for dog food, according to Sydenham Current. The shelves are running low, and the group says many families who are struggling financially still count their pets as family, and no one should have to worry about how to feed them.
The pantry is asking for dry dog food (hard kibble, any brand or size) and wet dog food (canned or soft, any brand). Drop it in the bin beside the garage at 35 Oxley Drive in Chatham, or take it to Impact Storage (open 8 AM to 5 PM) and tell staff it's for FreeHelpCK. Cash can be dropped at 35 Oxley Drive, cheques are payable to FreeHelpCK, and e-transfers go to donation@freehelpck.ca, with tax receipts available for eligible donations. Read more at Sydenham Current →
🥫 Major Story — Scare Hunger Moves Up to Thursday
Students at Ursuline College Chatham are running the 19th annual Lancers Scare Hunger Food Drive on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 5 to 8 PM, according to the Chatham Voice. It was moved up from Halloween this year so students can enjoy the spooky evening of Oct. 31 themselves.
Here's how it works: students go door to door in Chatham collecting non-perishable food. All you need to do is leave your porch light on and set your donation on the porch, and they'll pick it up. The food goes to local food banks. Read more at the Chatham Voice →
📰 Today's Quick Stories
🏆 Local foundation honoured. The Children's Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent won the Spirit of IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and access) award in the AFP Canada South National Philanthropy Day awards. The winners will be celebrated on Friday, Nov. 13 at the Hellenic Cultural Centre in Windsor, as the chapter marks its 25th anniversary. Sydenham Current
🎓 CKJobs education and training fair. It's set for Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 3 PM at 565 Richmond St. in Chatham, for students, job seekers and anyone looking to upgrade their skills. Universities, colleges, private career colleges and skilled trades groups will be on hand, and registration is through Eventbrite. A Women in Trades panel, "Women Who Build," follows at 5 PM at the John D. Bradley Centre. Sydenham Current
🫖 Right Royal Tea Party returns. The Wallaceburg Adult Activity Centre is hosting its second tea party on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 12:30 PM at 205 James St. Tickets are $30 per person and include sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and desserts. Registration closes Friday, Oct. 30. Sydenham Current
🗳️ The CKNow Election Tracker. Find your ward, your candidates, and your voting location all in one place, with local coverage on each candidate. No AI involved: every detail comes word-for-word from local news and the candidates themselves. Check it out at cknow.ca/vote
We will have a live results page at cknow.ca/vote once results start coming in tonight. Go out and make sure you vote!
Want us to email you when results start coming in? Let us know:
📌 Community Bulletin
Post yours free at cknow.ca/bulletin
🙋 Volunteers Wanted — Chatham-Kent Boards & Committees. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is accepting applications from residents interested in serving on local boards and committees. Applications are open through October 30 at 2 PM. Learn more →
🐴 TJ Stables Trick or Treat Trail and Story Time — Chatham. Join TJ Stables on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 1 to 4 PM at 837 Gregory Dr. E. for a Halloween afternoon for younger families. Wear your costume, explore the whimsical woods, collect candy, visit the gingerbread house and meet unicorns, fairies, witches and friendly farm animals. There's a story time station, candy in a haystack, a unicorn meet and greet, pony rides and a scavenger hunt. Bring your own trick-or-treat bag. $30 per child; adults enter free.
💼 Local Jobs
Recent Chatham-Kent postings on Job Bank:
Personal support worker (nursing care), Maple City Retirement Residence. $25 an hour. Details →
Construction site supervisor, 3D Gutter Services Inc. $25 to $35 an hour, to be negotiated; various locations. Details →
Food service supervisors. Tim Hortons on Third Street, $18.20 an hour (details). Mr. Sub, $21 an hour (details). Subway, $18.50 to $20 an hour (details). Taco Bell, $18 to $21 an hour (details).
Shift manager, KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut. $18.20 an hour. Details →
General farm labourer, Sarah's Farm Markets. $17.95 an hour. Details →
Occasional driver for the Christmas season, Burns Restaurant, Dresden. Email Rob at burnsrestaurant@hotmail.com or stop in. Details →
🎉 Coming Up
Today, Mon., Oct. 26 — Election Day. Polls are open 10 AM to 8 PM, in person only, at your assigned location. Bring ID showing your name and address. Find your location at cknow.ca/vote.
Every night — Wallaceburg Hometown Bingo, 1416 Dufferin Ave. Doors open at 5 PM, bingo starts at 7 PM.
Tonight — Polls close at 8 PM. Follow the live results at cknow.ca/vote once they start coming in. Tue., Oct. 27 — No events listed.
Wed., Oct. 28 — Master Forger Paint Night: Doris McCarthy, 6 PM, Thames Art Gallery ($40). Free Movie Night: Minions and Monsters, 7 PM, Capitol Theatre (free).
Thu., Oct. 29 — Lancers Scare Hunger food drive, 5 to 8 PM, Chatham. Halloween Bingo, 6 PM, Legion Branch 642, Chatham ($10). Barn Laughs, 7:30 PM, Red Barn Brewing, Blenheim ($25). Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 — Wallaceburg Halloween Town Fair, Glen Mickle Park. Fri., Oct. 30 — Escape the Milner House: Shadows After Sunset, 5 PM, Milner Heritage House ($75). Sat., Oct. 31 — Escape the Milner House, 10 AM ($75). The Garage Gallery, 10 AM, Blenheim (free). TJ Stables Trick or Treat Trail and Story Time, 1 to 4 PM, 837 Gregory Dr. E., Chatham ($30 per child, adults free). Golden Pumpkin Event, 4 PM (free).
Tue., Nov. 3 — CKJobs Education and Training Fair, 3 PM, 565 Richmond St., Chatham. Sun., Nov. 8 — Right Royal Tea Party, 12:30 PM, Wallaceburg Adult Activity Centre ($30).
See the full lineup at cknow.ca/events →
If you would like to sponsor a future issue of CKNow, you can advertise to 2,000+ people each day. Visit cknow.ca/advertise
Know someone who'd love CKNow? Share it — it's always free. 💙