Blackburn News Chatham

Bail has once again been denied for a man accused of sexually assaulting three teens and a young woman in Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton in 1997. A fraud trial is underway for a Tilbury woman, accused of taking money from Community Living Chatham-Kent clients for electronics, but failing to deliver them. The Wallaceburg hospital is receiving funding to help modernize, thanks to Tim Hortons' annual Holiday Smile Cookie campaign. The Detroit Red Wings lost 4-1 to Utah to snap their two-game winning streak. 

A Chatham-Kent councillor believes a neutral perspective is needed to help address the local homelessness problem. A traffic complaint in Wallaceburg has led to drug charges for a Sarnia man. Ontario's hospitals are urging residents to get their flu shots. The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied for a 3-2 win over Chicago, the Detroit Red Wings got by the Islanders 3-2, and Chatham-Kent's Travis Konency had an empty net goal and an assist in Philadelphia's 4-1 win over Montreal.

A Chatham woman accused of arson has avoided jail time after pleading guilty to fraud and breaching her bail conditions. Chatham-Kent council approved land acquisitions and contract amendments to move forward with the Talbot Trail Realignment project. The ninth annual Holiday with a Hero event in Chatham was a big success. The Toronto Raptors snapped a four-game skid with a 106-96 victory over Miami, while the Detroit Pistons beat Boston 112-105 for their fourth straight victory.

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has ended its investigation into sexual assault allegations involving Chatham-Kent police after the complainant stopped cooperating.  The Chatham-Kent Hospice has received accreditation for another 3 years. Around 250 people came out to the WISH Centre in Chatham on Saturday for East Side Pride's 16th Annual Breakfast with Santa. The Detroit Red Wings held off the Calgary Flames 4-3 for their fourth straight win. Canada's women's hockey team lost 10-4 to the U.S. in game three of the Rivalry Series. 

The snow and rain has cancelled school buses in all zones in Chatham-Kent today. Schools are still open. An $8.8 million corn and soybean packaging and processing plant is coming to Blenheim. A routine patrol in Blenheim led to a short police pursuit and ended with a local man facing multiple charges. The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority is pushing back against the province's proposal to merge 36 conservation authorities into seven regional agencies. Chatham-Kent's Travis Konecny got his 500th NHL point as the Philadelphia Flyers beat San Jose 4-1. 

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Tuesday morning for heavy snow. Park Avenue West in Chatham has reopened following a water main break. A couple of Chatham murder trials have hit snags with issues including trial delays, venues, and new lawyers being brought in. A Chatham-Kent man is in custody after police say they linked him to two separate break-ins reported over the weekend. Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health  reports that COVID-19 and RSV activity is low in the province but cases of the flu are steadily growing and expected to peak this month. Air Transat is set to suspend all flights Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday's strike deadline.

A bail hearing is underway for a man accused of sexually assaulting three teens and one young woman in Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton in 1997. Chatham-Kent police have charged a 19-year-old woman following a road-rage incident. Just over $28,000 was raised for the Children's Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent thanks to the LoveWish Christmas Tree Raffle. The Toronto Maple Leafs blanked Tampa Bay 2-0, while the Detroit Red Wings shut out the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. Canada's training-camp roster is set for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.

Chatham-Kent police assisted the OPP after a report of a man holding a handgun in a vehicle on St. Clair Road in Wallaceburg. CK police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man believed to be involved in a theft at a store on Pioneer Line. A viral social media post is shining a light on a local cop. Fewer than 100 homes were sold in Chatham-Kent last month, well below recent November averages. A new "express entry" category for foreign-trained doctors is opening up. U.S. President Donald Trump seems non-committal when it comes to trade talks with Canada.

CK police are asking for help tracking down a man in connection with a theft at The Home Depot on Pioneer Line. A Chatham-Kent police officer is in the spotlight after a recent viral video. The province is providing $20M to improve safety at childcare centres. Access to primary healthcare is improving in Canada, but a recent survey shows that there's still a long way to go. A new "express entry" immigration category for foreign-trained doctors is opening up. Air Transat may start suspending flights as of Monday, as the clock ticks down on a strike deadline.

A fatal crash that closed the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 between Chatham and London for 10 hours is under investigation. Canada is facing the possibility of another airline strike after Air Transat pilots issued a 72-hour strike notice. The Chatham Thunder U10 ringette team improved to 17-0 after winning another tournament. The Chatham Maroons dropped both games of a home-and-home series, falling 5-4 to St. Marys. UCC's senior boys basketball team won the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame Blue and White Tournament. 

Reach Out Chatham-Kent employees and volunteers are trying to end misinformation surrounding some of the work they do when helping the homeless. While Next Generation 9-1-1 is now live at Chatham-Kent police and fire, the evolution of the system continues. Rondeau Provincial Park will be closed again this weekend for another Deer cull. If you bank at Loblaws, EQB, which runs the digital EQ Bank, is acquiring PC Financial. Industry Minister Melanie Joly says the feds will serve Stellantis with a notice of default. Canada and Ontario have agreed to a one-year extension of the Canada-wide early learning and child care agreement.

Part of Highway 40 north of Wallaceburg was closed down today following a two-vehicle collision. CK police have charged a man with arson and committing an indecent act following a fire at a Chatham apartment unit. A Wallaceburg senior has been charged with impaired driving after a vehicle was reportedly driven into a ditch. A new survey suggests more than half of the doctors in Ontario plan to retire within the next five years. The federal government has set up a new wastewater dashboard to get information about drug use and supply in Canada. A local Tim Hortons has presented Dresden Sidestreets Youth Centre with a Smile Cookie campaign donation.

A 46-year-old man is facing charges after a fire at a Chatham home. In an effort to improve police accountability, transparency, and public safety, local OPP officers will soon be wearing body cameras. Dresden Sidestreets Youth Centre has been presented with a donation from the Tim Hortons Holiday Smile Cookie campaign. As the negotiation period for the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement gets closer, it's been reported that the U.S. President could decide to withdraw from it completely. Let us know how concerned you are about the rising cost of food through our daily poll. There is a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the hospital in Chatham at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

School buses in zone 7 are cancelled today. Local EQAO results show students in Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton made steady gains, especially in reading and writing. Canada's latest food price forecast warns grocery bills will keep climbing next year, with Ontario expected to be hit harder than most. Fergie Jenkins and Doug Melvin have been named to the Baseball Hall of Fame's 16-member Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. The Chatham Maroons downed LaSalle 5-1 to pick up their fourth straight victory, and Chatham-Kent's Travis Konency had a goal and an assist in the Philadelphia Flyers' 5-2 win over Buffalo. 

While the province claims that Ontario students aren't meeting educational standards, the local public school board asserts that students are showing consistent growth. A wanted 37-year-old man is in custody after trying to cross the border. Chatham-Kent police have charged a 36-year-old man with theft after he was reportedly caught with stolen items. The Tim Hortons' Holiday Smile Cookie campaign raised just under $20K for Chatham Goodfellows. The Auditor General is slamming the province for actions taken without considering Ontario's Environmental Bill of Rights.

Two brothers from Chatham-Kent are headed to federal prison for several years after admitting to running a "high-level" drug operation. Two men are facing arson charges following a fire at a business in Chatham. The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation's 36th Annual Christmas Wish Tree campaign is underway. The Toronto Maple Leafs beat Florida 4-1, the Detroit Red Wings beat Boston 5-4, and the Toronto Raptors edged Portland 121-118.

Three major battery storage projects could be coming to Chatham-Kent, bringing new jobs and millions of dollars. Chatham-Kent police have arrested a wanted man following a disturbance call.  The Chatham Goodfellows have declared another successful Porchlight Campaign. If you run a small business, the final Canada Carbon Rebate payments for 2024-25 should be in your bank account soon, if not already. Canada has an agreement to join the European Union's Security Action for Europe, opening up new markets to Canada's defence companies and encouraging more investment. Four of the five hockey players, acquitted of sexual assault charges earlier this year, now have player contracts.

Three battery storage energy projects could be coming to Chatham-Kent. It was another strong showing for Chatham's annual porchlight campaign. There are no plans to move Dresden's Lambton Kent Composite School. Authorities have seized thousands of kilograms of illegal drugs and millions of dollars in an initiative to disrupt organized crime in Canada. Erie Shores Health Foundation has launched a new monthly giving program called Care 365. Cal Foote, who was acquitted of sexual assault in a high profile trial earlier this year, has signed a deal with the AHL's Chicago Wolves.

Roads are a little slippery this morning in Chatham-Kent after some snow fell overnight, but crews are out, and drivers are reminded to drive to the conditions. The local public school says there are no plans to move Lambton Kent Composite School in Dresden because of the proposed landfill project. Chatham-Kent councillor Rhonda Jubenville will now face a two-month pay suspension, reduced from the original three. The Next Generation 9-1-1 system is up and running in Chatham-Kent. The Detroit Pistons rallied to beat Atlanta 99-98. 

It doesn't look like the cap on the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund for Chatham-Kent is going away anytime soon. A 20-year-old from Blenheim is facing numerous charges following reports of a dangerous driver in Harwich Township. Broccoli florets sold under the Your Fresh Market brand are being pulled from store shelves across Canada. Algoma Steel has issued about 1,000 layoff notices because of pressure from U.S. tariffs. A recent Time Magazine article quoted a satirical Canadian news article as a fact. The Head Coach of the PWHL's Ottawa Charge has announced that she has breast cancer.

Ontario's Ministry of Infrastructure is defending the cap put on Chatham-Kent for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. Tariffs and pay suspensions are on the agenda tonight at the CK Council meeting. Hundreds of volunteers will be going door-to-door Monday night to make sure local families have a chance at a great holiday. Some precut broccoli florets are being pulled from the shelves for possible salmonella contamination. With the holiday shopping season now in full swing, small business owners are watching to see whether Canadians put their money where their mouth is.

The 79th annual Rural Urban Awards were handed out by the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce. The Ontario Provincial Police is looking for new auxiliary constables. The Chatham Goodfellows annual Porchlight Campaign is tonight. The Chatham Maroons have won three straight after getting by Sarnia 3-1. The Toronto Raptors dropped their second straight, falling 116-94 to the Knicks. Josh Allen threw for a touchdown and ran for another as the Buffalo Bills downed the Steelers 26-7.