CKNow Daily
What's Happening in Chatham-Kent Today — Saturday, October 17
A frosty 3° start with sun and a 12° high, the bus rollover that sent 26 to hospital, and a mastodon sculpture in Highgate
By CKNow6 min read
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Morning, CK. It's a frosty start at 3° this Saturday, but sunshine takes over and we climb to a high of 12°. A big weekend of events is on, and there's a hospital story worth a read below. Here's your Saturday rundown.
⛽ Gas Prices
Regular: Chatham stations run from 171.8¢/L at the Petro-Canada on Grand Ave W to 172.9¢ at most stations, with the Mobil on Grand Ave E higher at 179.5¢. Blenheim is 172.9¢, Charing Cross is 172.3¢ to 172.5¢, Dresden is 173.4¢ and Thamesville is 173.9¢. Lowest around is Moraviantown First Nation at 144.9¢ to 146.8¢.
Diesel: Chatham is 259.3¢ to 259.9¢ at most stations, with the Petro-Canada on Grand Ave W at 269.9¢ and one Mobil on Grand Ave E reporting 287.3¢. Blenheim, Charing Cross and Dresden are 259.9¢. Moraviantown is lowest at 233.9¢ to 236.9¢.
☀️ Weather
A cold, bright start: 3° at 8 AM and a mix of sun and cloud, with a 20% chance of precipitation early that drops to 10% by mid-morning. It's 6° by 11 AM, 9° at 1 PM, and a high of 12° around 4 to 5 PM under mainly sunny skies. The evening is clear and chilly: 9° at 7 PM, 8° by 9 PM and 7° at midnight. Tomorrow is sunny with a high of 16°.
Courtesy of thegardenonking.com
📍 Local Spots
The Garden on King. Right on the Thames River, this downtown restaurant and bar is known for its big front and back patios. The Festive Fall Menu is the draw right now, and we can personally vouch for the Butterscotch Hot Chocolate. Open seven days a week at 193 King St. W. thegardenonking.com
Got a favourite local spot we should feature? Reply to this email and tell us about it.
🏥 Major Story — Bus Rollover Sent 26 People to Hospital
The Thanksgiving weekend bus rollover just outside Chatham sent 26 people to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA), according to CK News Today. The extent of the injuries hasn't been released, but no one died.
CKHA first issued an orange alert, then upgraded it to a major alert, something the hospital hasn't done in a few decades. Six extra doctors came in, one from another department and five on their day off, along with other staff and leaders. Caen Suni, CKHA's vice president of clinical operations, called it one of the rarest events the hospital has handled, and said a recent simulation with EMS partners helped. The emergency department still treated 110 other patients, and no current inpatients had their care delayed. Read more at CK News Today →
🦣 Major Story — A Giant Mastodon Sculpture Lands in Highgate
A large wooden mastodon sculpture is now on display in Highgate, at the main intersection into the community across from the Mary Webb Centre. It was carved by Mike Winia of Bothwell with Paul and Jacob Frenette, the father-and-son duo from HGTV's "Carver Kings."
The piece weighs at least a couple of tonnes and took about 200 hours.
📰 Today's Quick Stories
🏒 Feasey steps down as Maroons head coach. Brennan Feasey left the Chatham Maroons after Thursday's 6-3 win in Sarnia to take an assistant coaching job with the OHL's Owen Sound Attack. GM Richard Santos is interim head coach, and the team (9-2, second in the GOHL Western Conference) says it has several strong leads on a permanent hire. CK News Today
🖼️ Nearly 80 works picked for Eye4Art 2026. A four-person jury selected the pieces for the biennial exhibition at Thames Art Gallery. The free opening reception is Friday, Oct. 23, 7 to 9 PM, with appetizers and live entertainment. Sydenham Current
📚 School furniture and books head to Honduras. The St. Clair Catholic District School Board donated surplus desks, chairs and books to Canadian Food for Children - Chatham-Kent, which will ship them to schools in Honduras. CK News Today
🎩 HELLARIOUS is tonight. The Halloween-themed show of illusions and comedy stars illusionist Aaron Matthews, 8 PM at the Kiwanis Theatre, 75 William St. N. Sydenham Current
🚓 Charges laid after Highway 40 crash near Wallaceburg. OPP allege charges followed the Oct. 4 collision between an SUV and a motorcycle on Highway 40 between Langstaff Line and Stewart Line. The 45-year-old motorcycle rider from Chatham-Kent was injured. Sydenham Current
🌴 Tropical Tan and Palm Tree Boutique turns 10. The Wallaceburg shop at 208 Margaret Ave. holds an open house today with storewide sales, door prizes, cake, coffee and tea. Sydenham Current
🗳️ Reminder: last day of advance voting. Advance polls are open today from 10 AM to 4 PM. Online voting has closed, and Election Day is Monday, Oct. 26.
🗳️ 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
📌 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 →
🎃 Halloween Bash at the Barn — Blenheim. Head to Red Barn Brewing on October 23 for a Halloween fundraiser supporting the Children's Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent. Live music, costumes and more. Event details →
💼 Local Jobs
Recent Chatham-Kent postings on Job Bank:
Chef, Links of Kent Golf Club. $70,000 to $85,000 a year. Details →
Restaurant manager, Satellite Restaurant. $20 to $24 an hour. Details →
Visiting nurse, VON Canada. $29.41 to $41.34 an hour; two more VON visiting nurse postings list $26.29 to $29.35. Details →
Draftsperson, Franklin Terrazzo Company. $20 to $28 an hour. Details →
Farm and produce work, Pain Court. Kejay Farms is hiring a general farm labourer and Nature's Finest Produce a fruit and vegetable grader, both at $17.95 an hour. Farm labourer · Grader
Part-time bartender, Wallaceburg Moose Lodge 1156. Smart Serve required, weekends. Drop your resume at 110 Duke Street, Attn: Ron Cooper.
🎉 Coming Up
Today, Sat., Oct. 17 — Advance polls, 10 AM to 4 PM. CK Animal Rescue Dog Coat and Sweater Sale, 9 AM, Active Lifestyles Centre. The Garage Gallery, 10 AM, Blenheim (free). Kid's Club: Trick-or-Treat, 11 AM, Dresden library branch (free). DIY Lip Balm, 1 PM, Chatham library branch. Wallaceburg Haunted Museum, 7 PM ($5). Neil Diamond Tribute Show, 7:30 PM, Capitol Theatre ($66.50). Hellarious, 8 PM, Kiwanis Theatre ($43.99-$65.99).
Every night — Wallaceburg Hometown Bingo, 1416 Dufferin Ave. Doors open at 5 PM, bingo starts at 7 PM.
Sun., Oct. 18 — Nothing listed on our events page yet.
Tue., Oct. 20 — Toddler Tuesdays, 10 AM, CK Museum (free). Wed., Oct. 21 — Municipal Tax Sale tender opening, 3 PM, Civic Centre Council Chambers. Free Movie Night: The Librarians, 7 PM, Capitol Theatre.
Thu., Oct. 22 — Cultural Hall of Fame induction and silent auction, 6 PM, Chatham Cultural Centre (free). Book Bedazzling, 6 PM, Tilbury library branch. Fri., Oct. 23 — Eye 4 Art opening reception, 7 to 9 PM, Thames Art Gallery (free). Parabolus: Complete TOOL Experience, 8 PM, Kiwanis Theatre. Tom Arnold: My Crazy X-Wife, 8 PM, Capitol Theatre ($55-$70).
Sat., Oct. 24 — Spooktacular Halloween Party, 11 AM, Camlachie Community Centre (free). 80's Gone Wild: A Tribute to Hair Bands, 7 PM, Kiwanis Theatre. Forever Seger, 7:30 PM, Capitol Theatre. Sun., Oct. 25 — Capes & Crowns CK, 11 AM, Everest Convention Centre. A Taste of Ireland, 6 PM, Capitol Theatre. Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, Old Czech Hall, Dresden. Details →
See the full lineup at cknow.ca/events →
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