What's Happening in Chatham-Kent Today — Wednesday, August 26

Made In Cookware® - The Cookware Chefs Actually Use

Plenty of cookware brands will pay a famous chef to hold a pan and smile. Made In doesn't do that. Their cookware is used in 4,000+ professional kitchens and has been adopted by millions of home cooks.

Now you can cook with the exact pieces from your favorite restaurant at home. Every piece of cookware is built by craftsmen in the USA and Europe, using performance materials and construction that hold up to the rigors of the world’s most demanding kitchens. There’s a reason why it’s the cookware with the most 5-star reviews on the internet.

Morning, CK. Good news out of St. Angela Merici for local families today, plus the final tally on this fall's record-setting election field, and a moment to mark five years since the Wheatley explosion. Here's Wednesday.

⛽ Gas & ☀️ Weather

Gas: Prices around Chatham are tightly packed at 159.9¢ today — Pioneer, Petro-Canada, Esso, and both Mobil locations are all sitting there, up to 163.5¢ at UPI Energy. Check today's cheapest stations on GasBuddy →

Weather: A warm, unsettled day. Morning starts mild at 18° under a mix of sun and clouds. Afternoon heats up to 25° but feels like 31° with the humidity, still mixed sun and cloud. Things turn tonight — evening brings a real risk of thunderstorms with a 60% chance of rain (1-3mm) and gusty south winds, continuing into an overnight low of 19°. Keep an eye on the sky if you've got evening plans.

🎓 Major Story — St. Angela Merici Partners on New Autism Transitional Classroom

St. Angela Merici Catholic School is partnering with the Children's Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent to launch an Autism Transitional Classroom starting in the 2026-27 school year. The program is designed to give students with autism specialized, hands-on support as they move toward adulthood — covering things like life skills and independence, not just classroom learning.

Read more on CK News Today →

🕯️ Major Story — Five Years Since the Wheatley Explosion

Today marks five years since the explosion that tore through downtown Wheatley on August 26, 2021. Hydrogen sulphide gas from an undocumented well ignited, injuring 20 people and destroying multiple buildings in the small community's core.

Five years on, Wheatley has largely rebuilt, but the explosion remains one of the most significant events in the the municipality recent history — a reminder of both how quickly things can change and how a community pulls together afterward.

Read more on CK News Today →

📰 Today's Quick Stories

🗳️ The final tally: 86 candidates. That's 7 running for mayor and 79 for council, all competing for a newly restructured 14-seat council — down from 17 councillors last term. See every candidate in the race, by ward →

🗳️ Small business owner joins the Ward 8 race. Bruce Caldwell, a local small business owner, is running for one of two Ward 8 councillor seats representing southern Chatham. Read on CK News Today →

🤝 New business coalition hosting candidate open house. The newly formed Chatham-Kent Growth Alliance — representing agriculture, business, housing, real estate, and property rights — is hosting a municipal candidate open house in September to introduce itself to the community. Read on Chatham Daily News →

⚾ Barnstormers split a wild week. The Barnstormers blew the doors off Toronto Monday, winning 24-7 at home, then dropped a 10-1 decision to the Barrie Baycats Tuesday. They're back on the road tonight at 7:05 PM against the Kitchener Panthers at Jack Couch Park.

🏒 Sports roundup. The Dresden Kings and Blenheim Blades are underway in PJHL pre-season action this week, while the Chatham Diamonds host the OBA finals. Read on Chatham Daily News →

💙 Kidney Walk set for September 20. The Kidney Foundation of Canada's annual Kidney Walk comes to Mud Creek Park on Sept. 20, with registration at noon and the walk starting at 1 p.m. Read on Chatham Daily News →

Know someone who'd love CKNow? Share it — it's always free. 💙