Blackburn News Chatham

The Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce says the Great Lakes Transformation Action Plan could bring big opportunities, but warns it may take time to pay off. Construction at the NextStar Energy plant in Windsor is done. Chatham teen Elise Moccia will represent Canada at the Miss Eco International Pageant in Egypt later this month. The Detroit Tigers beat Cleveland in Game 1 of the A.L. Wild Card Series. 

Walpole Island First Nation and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent are teaming up to honour and listen to the stories of Residential School survivors for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Ontario's government wants to make sure what happened at Residential Schools isn't forgotten. CK police continue to investigate the break-and-enter of a Chatham business. We now know more about the inquest into a local man's death. The federal Jobs Minister is urging Canada Post to quickly table a new offer to the union of striking postal workers. Chatham's Ethan Jordan recently broke the record for most career receptions by an OUA football player.

The latest round of job cuts at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance may not be the last. Chatham-Kent police and Essex County OPP have been granted $1.6M from the province to support local policing initiatives. Five people have been arrested and charged following a drug bust in Chatham. A Windsor man was arrested after Canada Border Services seized 48 firearms during a cross-border gun smuggling investigation. Minimum wage workers will soon see their paycheques increase. The federal and provincial governments have announced some major financial assistance to an Ontario-based company hit hard by U.S. tariffs.

The latest job cuts at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance may not be the last. Doctors are urging people to get vaccinated as flu season approaches. Ontario's minimum wage is going up again on Wednesday. The federal and provincial governments have announced half a billion dollars in assistance for Algoma Steel. The latest tariff announcement from the American president is a 100% tax on all movies made outside the U.S. Service is back at the customs kiosks at Canadian airports but travellers could still be in for a wait. Let us know which team you would rather see the Blue Jays play in the first round of the playoffs.

The Survivors' Flag was raised at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A mass shooting yesterday at a Mormon church outside Flint, Michigan. The Parliamentary Budget Officer is sounding the alarm ahead of the upcoming federal budget.  The Toronto Blue Jays won the A.L. East, the Chatham Maroons lost for the first time this season, and the Detroit Lions beat the Cleveland Browns. 

Canada Post mail carriers are on strike. The roundabout at Queen's Line and Merlin Road between Chatham and Tilbury will reopen this morning. The Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team is promising better primary health care over the next five years.

Workers at a Tilbury retirement home are demanding better pay. The East Kent Hot Rods for Hospice raised just under $35,000 this year. Canada Post is going to reduce the frequency of door-to-door mail delivery. A Chatham-Kent kickboxer is starting his amateur career on the right foot. Four Chatham-Kent Barnstormers have been named to the 2025 All-IBL teams. The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League is dropping the "J" from its name.

The third annual East Kent Hot Rods for Hospice raised a record amount during last weekend's fundraiser. Two more virtual information sessions, gathering public feedback about a proposed power plant at the former L-G-S site in St. Clair Township, are scheduled for Thursday. Let us know, on our daily poll, if you know how to perform CPR. Unifor is urging the federal government to keep the 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles. The College Employer Council plans to meet with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and a mediator on Friday. The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League is dropping the "J" from its name. A number of Chatham-Kent Barnstormers have been named to the All-IBL Teams following the 2025 season.

Wednesday's intense rainfall has prompted the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority to issue a Flood Outlook. A Chatham-Kent police officer is being praised for saving a newborn's life, and mayors and municipal leaders from across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region have unveiled a 10-year economic plan.

The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority is warning Chatham residents of potential flash flooding and water pooling on roads because of thunderstorms. The Dresden landfill issue has reached the desk of the federal Environment Minister. A 36-year-old CK man is facing serious charges after an argument went too far. CKHA has hired 13 new people following the elimination of multiple managerial positions. Chatham-Kent Public Health is defending the harm reduction work happening across the municipality, specifically at encampments. The federal government says it'll start a review of Canada Post next month. There is a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for the area.

Chatham-Kent police are investigating a pair of fatal crashes. Police are also looking into two accidents involving dirt bikes. A mediator will try to get the two sides in the labour dispute at Ontario's colleges back to the bargaining table, and travel to the U.S. fell for the seventh straight month in July.

Chatham-Kent police responded to a pair of fatal crashes over the last week. Chatham-Kent council unanimously passed a motion to create a pilot encampment advisory committee. An open house at the John D. Bradley Centre is being held regarding the new Parks and Recreation Master Plan. A local man, who usually volunteers behind the scenes, recently stepped into the spotlight to receive a provincial award. Chatham Maroons forward Trevor Zanutto has been named the Western Conference Performer of the Week.

A crash has closed the westbound lanes of Highway 401 near Shedden. A Chatham councillor's motion to include more public input on encampment issues was approved unanimously. The Municipality is hosting an open house on Tuesday afternoon about its new Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Local volunteer Chris Taylor was recently presented with the Jason Rae Award. In his speech at the U.N., President Donald Trump lauded his own accomplishments and lectured other world leaders. Let us know if you're part of the 75% of Canadians who are eating out less in our daily news poll.

Another man has been charged with first-degree murder in a Chatham murder case from 2024. A Tilbury man who recently pleaded guilty to second-degree murder will learn his fate on December 16, and the Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission has been asked to reconsider its decision to close the Coatsworth bulk water station.

Two Chatham-Kent natives involved in a half-million dollar drug bust will learn their fate in December. A 60-year-old Chatham man needed medical attention after a reported assault outside his home. A 53-year-old man is facing a number of charges, including assault of a police officer, after an incident over the weekend. Chatham-Kent Councillors will have plenty on their plates tonight when they meet. Ontario's Premier was in Barrie over the weekend touring the city's homeless encampments. Chatham-Kent Barnstormer infielder Evan Morrison has been named the IBL's Rookie of the Year.

CK Council meets tonight and there's bound to be plenty of debate.  The next phase of Ontario's $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan launched Monday. Ontario's Solicitor General wants harsher punishments for people who repeatedly break the law. Canada is ramping up efforts to deepen trade ties with Europe as the future of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement faces renewed uncertainty over U.S. tariffs. Let us know if you agree with Canada formally recognizing a Palestinian state. A Chatham-Kent Barnstormer is taking home one of the Intercounty Baseball League's top annual awards.

Chatham residents are being asked to conserve water after an electrical failure at the Chatham Water Treatment Plant. The Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission is defending its decision to close the Coatsworth bulk water station, and Fall officially arrives at 2:19 p.m. on Monday and it will start a little warmer than normal.

One CK Councillor thinks more voices need to be heard about issues presented by homeless encampments. Chatham-Kent police have charged a 19-year-old for some alleged dangerous driving. CK police are asking the public for help after $30K worth of property was stolen from a Chatham home. The Children's Hospital at LHSC in London is observing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The federal government is launching public consultations on CUSMA ahead of next year's planned review. While Canadians might be skipping vacations to the U.S. corporate travel is still strong.

Chatham-Kent police are asking the public for help after 30 thousand dollars worth of property was stolen from a Chatham home. The London Health Sciences Centre Children's Hospital is trying to raise awareness and advocate for funding to fight childhood cancer. Will you be getting the latest flu and COVID-19 vaccines when they are available to you this fall? A walk-in clinic in the Toronto area is under fire for using unsterile needles over a six year period. An author writing about forgotten athletes is coming to Chatham-Kent to discuss a local hockey player.

The Wheatley Water Treatment Plant won't be ready to go back online until sometime in November. A new wind farm with up to 20 turbines could be coming to the Ridgetown area. The next phase of work to protect the beach at Hillman Marsh near Wheatley is underway, and the provincial government is rolling out its fall immunization program.

Chatham-Kent police have charged a 33-year-old woman after she was found inside a Chatham home that wasn't hers. The St. Clair Catholic District School Board has donated multiple loads of furniture and books to underfunded schools around the world. The provincial government and the Ontario Medical Association have reached an agreement to protect provincial health care. A new study shows that living standards for the average Canadian fell from 2020 to 2024, despite growth in the overall economy. A Blenheim senior will be skydiving this weekend to raise funds for a good cause.

Chatham-Kent police stopped a break-and-enter in progress yesterday. CK Jobs is holding a job fair in Tilbury on Thursday afternoon. Multiple loads of furniture and books from the St. Clair Catholic District School Board are on their way to underfunded schools around the world. The Prime Minister is expected to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during his visit to Mexico. Ontario's Premier wants to keep the 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric cars to protect EV manufacturing here, but a new survey suggests Canadians disagree. Let us know if you're concerned about networks caving to political pressure to remove certain television shows.

All of the residents of the housing complex at 99 McNaughton in Chatham should be back home by November 1st, and Chatham-Kent has joined the Southwest Ontario Data Consortium and now has access to economic and workforce data from across the region.

Some Chatham highway on and off ramps will soon be closed for construction. A road rage incident has led to charges against a 32-year-old Chatham driver. A 39-year-old man is facing charges after a Tilbury woman was reportedly attacked multiple times. The new Southwest Ontario Data Consortium is made up of six founding members, including Chatham-Kent. The Bank of Canada is lowering its key lending rate again, down another quarter point to 2.5%. The province wants to expand the scope of some health professionals.

The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is laying off several members of its management team to better align with its new strategic plan. A former migrant worker was in Chatham to talk about his new book, while calling for better protections for farm labourers. The Bank of Canada is set to announce its interest rate decision today, and the federal government will table their budget on November 4th.

A 22-year-old from Wallaceburg has died, after being hit by a vehicle on Walpole Island First Nation. Chatham-Kent police have arrested a man charged with with assault by choking and theft. Hot Rods for Hospice will take over Ridgetown this Saturday. A day before the Bank of Canada releases its latest policy rate announcement, Statistics Canada says inflation in August rose to 1.9%. Food Banks Canada is giving the federal government an overall mark of "D" in its latest report. Democrats in Washington say they'll force a pair of votes on U.S. President Donald  Trump's tariffs in the coming weeks.

A Chatham man, wanted for a reported violent altercation earlier this summer, has been arrested. Crime Stoppers says last weekend's Children's Safety Expo had a record turnout. Inflation rose to 1.9% in August. Prime Minister Mark Carney has meetings scheduled with his cabinet, the premier of Saskatchewan, and canola industry leaders on Tuesday. Actor, director, and environmentalist Robert Redford has died at the age of 89. Let us know if you're worried about the salmonella outbreak linked to dog food on our daily poll.

There were two major drug busts at the border in Windsor and Sarnia last week, a new wooden sculpture honouring the War of 1812 has been unveiled in Thamesville, and the Public Health Agency of Canada is warning consumers about a Salmonella outbreak linked to dog food and dog treats. 

Thick fog patches have led to a fog advisory this morning in Chatham-Kent. Members of Parliament head back to Ottawa today as the House of Commons opens its fall sitting. $11,000 was raised during the second-annual Jordan's Run the Runway in Chatham-Kent, and the Chatham-Kent Film Group is screening a documentary about the Ontario Farmerettes tonight.

Quebec canning company Ideal Can is close to opening a plant in Chatham, which would create over 100 jobs. A man who grew up in Chatham will pay tribute to his mother this weekend with a 500 km solo bicycle ride while raising money for the Alzheimer Society.   

Over $160,000 worth of drugs were seized, and four people were arrested following a drug bust in Chatham. Bert Rammelaere, a former Reeve of Tilbury East, has passed away, and thousands of people are expected to flock to Chatham next week for Crowfest.