The Chatham Daily News
TASTE OF CHERRYFEST
There were plenty of tasty treats available at the 43rd annual Blenheim Cherryfest. Vendors and community organizations were selling pies, including the Blenheim Youth Centre. From left are Madisyn Robinson, 17, BYC executive director Jen Acampora, and...
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CHAMBERS MUSIC
Local singer-songwriter Jacklyn Wills performs before Chatham Kent council's recent meeting, as part of the ongoing artist feature in council chambers. A veteran of numerous festivals, she is kicking off her Canadian run of shows for the summer.
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MARKING A MILESTONE
Pet And Wildlife Rescue's Mathew Kirk, volunteer Theresa Thompson and Sam I Am celebrate 100 cat adoptions at The Cat Lounge in The Glasshouse Nursery in Chatham recently. The lounge, opened in July 2024, lets visitors meet adoptable cats in a calm...
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SHORE LOOKS GOOD
Seen from the Third Street bridge, landscaping along the new sidewalk near the Thames River in downtown Chatham is starting to take shape, with workers laying mulch recently. The overall slope stabilization project involved installation of a sheet pile...
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30th anniversary Freedom Walk swings through Chatham-Kent
Maryland-based historian Tony Cohen admits his reasons for walking are different from when he first made the journey three decades ago. The Tony Cohen Freedom Walk 2026 was in Chatham-Kent this week as part of the 30th anniversary of his historic...
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`It was pretty crazy'
The powerful weekend storm that swept through Chatham-Kent, leaving a trail of damage on Communication Road between Blenheim and Shrewsbury, packed heavy winds but no tornadoes, area twister tracker say. “It kind of seems like a tornado touched down...
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PADDLE-BOARD PALS
Seventeen-year-old Rylan Romanick, front, of Chatham was giving a stand-up paddle board lesson to his friend Roen Duquette, 17, of Tilbury while at the beach in Erieau on Thursday.
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Heat wave continues in Chatham-Kent
A heat warning in place for Chatham-Kent and many parts of Ontario this week remains ongoing. Environment Canada expects scorching temperatures to continue through Friday, and possibly into the weekend. Highs of 35 to 37 C are expected, with humidex...
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TARTS OF GOLD
Zule Ankamah, owner of Windsor's Zule Eats, displays butter tart pies and tart buns at the second annual Tart and Soul Butter Tart Festival on Saturday at Sons of Kent Brewing Co. Featuring over a dozen bakers from across Ontario, there was a wide...
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Model search attracts young Chatham-Kent people hoping to be discovered
Plenty of young people took the opportunity to see if they have that special look at a model search held in Chatham on Friday. Toronto-based ANM Management was set up in the One Hundred King mall taking photographs and doing interviews people. The...
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Maple City Climbing offers fun, challenge for all skill levels
A rock climbing enthusiast turned his passion into a business by opening Maple City Climbing in Chatham. Owner Jacob Singleton was travelling to Windsor or London to rock climb, but after children came along he joked his wife “put the kibosh to me...
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PULLING THEIR WEIGHT
When you've got frogs, babies, music and the chance to milk a simulated cow, a good time is sure to be had. These were among the many fun family activities at the 2026 Thamesville Threshing Festival on Saturday. There were plenty of contestants in...
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TIME TO KICK IT!
Chatham's Mike Kolstein, 23, had the Chatham Skate Park to himself over a recent noon hour as he made the most of a bright sunny day to hone his skateboarding skills.
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HABITAT'S GARDEN GROWS
The six new raised garden beds, located on the property of Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent's ReStore site, were made possible thanks to the Hydro One Councillor Ward funding program. Seen here, from left, are Coun. Brock McGregor, Habitat volunteer...
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Helping hands in the backyard
Rachel Smale and her husband, Nick, were overwhelmed by the generosity they saw this past weekend, as about 30 people helped give their property a facelift. The Chatham couple, who have six children at their Semenyn Avenue home, were the beneficiaries...
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Chatham's Morton celebrates century of taking life in stride
Vivian Morton has lived to be 100 years old, but the Chatham woman doesn't have any big revelation about reaching this milestone in life. “I haven't got any secrets,” she said when asked about reaching to the century mark. Morton, who turned 100 June...
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STUDY IN SUCCESS
Lambton-Kent's Sophia Metcalfe, left, Chatham-Kent's Ian Costello and McGregor's Noah Brinkman are this year's top local graduating high school academic athletes. They received Dr. Jack Parry Awards and a $1,000 scholarship at a ceremony at the...
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Howe bridge ribbon-cutting expected this week: source
Prime Minister Mark Carney says the $6.4-billion Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Windsor and Detroit will open “at the end of the week.” Carney made the comments while speaking to reporters Tuesday morning on his way to a cabinet meeting on...
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Med students receive hands-on learning at CKHA
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance set the scene this week, providing an up close and interactive experience for students from the Schulich school of medicine and dentistry at Western University. Discovery week, now in its 28th year, places first-year...
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Artist Studio Tour draws crowds throughout Chatham-Kent
With more artists and venues this time around, the Artist Studio Tour continues to grow in Chatham-Kent. Presented by the CK Arts Council on Saturday and Sunday, the event featured 57 artists exhibiting solo or in 25 artist hubs, two galleries and one...
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Public sounds off on proposed ARTspace relocation
Participants at an open house on the proposed relocation of ARTspace from downtown to the Chatham Cultural Centre voiced their concerns to municipal staff about the idea Wednesday. Held in Studio One, and attended by approximately 40 people, staff...
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HIS HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK
Dave Wellman, a technician with Chatham-based Field Electrical Contractors, performs maintenance work on a traffic light at the corner of McNaughton Avenue West and Sandys Street on Tuesday afternoon.
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Cool cars reign, despite the weather
Rain may have drastically limited the number of vehicles on display Saturday during RetroFest in downtown Chatham, but some cool vehicles with great stories were still to be found. At first glance, Frank Burggraff's 1989 Dodge Ramcharger may not seem...
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CKHA lands $1M to cut CT scan waits, to seek second scanner
The CT scanner at Chatham's hospital will be logging more hours to reduce patient waits thanks to $1 million from the Ontario government. But there could be more good news to come. In announcing the money Thursday, MPP Trevor Jones (PC-...
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Ontario's $1.6M to help more C-Kers get primary care
Ontario is putting up nearly $1.6 million to help more than 3,200 Chatham-Kent residents connect with a family doctor or nurse practitioner. But, given Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team success using similar funding, even more could get access,...
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PLAYING COOL
Four-year-old Blake Longbottom cools off at the Kingston Park splash pad, followed by three-year-old Ethan Hallinan, on a hot and humid Tuesday afternoon. However, temperatures are expected to drop to the mid-teens later this week.
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SPRING POWWOW
With thunderstorms and heavy rain rolling through the region, organizers of Walpole Island First Nation's 32nd spring powwow weren't about to pull up the stakes and head inside. Saturday's three-hour delay ended up being the right call, as the clouds...
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MAY FLOWERS
With spring hopefully here for good, local garden centres are keeping busy. Emma McKinlay, staff member at DeGoey's Flowers in Chatham, arranges a dahlia display on Thursday afternoon. Temperatures in the mid-20s are expected this weekend, rising to...
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WRESTLING CHAMP
Canadian arm wrestling champion Sam Knowler of Ridgetown battles with ChathamKent Mayor Darrin Canniff on Monday night, alongside East Kent councillors John Wright and Morena McDonald. Knowler was recognized at the beginning of the meeting for his...
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MARKET MILESTONE
Downtown Van Zelst's Market owner Lee-Ann Van Zelst, right, joins Trinkets and Treasures owner Randy Aiken, one of the sprawling venue's 40-plus vendors, to mark the market's 10th anniversary Saturday
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FUTURE FOREST
Shown during Wednesday's tree planting are ESPC students Isabella Robson, Callie Root, Abigail Peltier, Ann Elyse Deline and Ava Zondervan.
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`The best feeling ever'
Comedy is not often associated with a play about surviving a residential school, but the Wallaceburg District secondary school drama club has made it work and made history at the same time. The school's drama club has advanced to the provincial...
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HELPING HOSPICE
The Branch 642 Royal Canadian Legion Pipe Band plays as participants hit Mud Creek Trail for the 10th annual Chatham-Kent Hike for Hospice on Sunday.
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OFF THE LEASH
With the sun out on Tuesday, Larry Cartier enjoyed a little game of Frisbee with his three-year-old shepherd-doodle, Brianna, as 13-year-old shih tzu, Levi, looks on, at the John Waddell off-leash park in Chatham.
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Right to refuse unsafe work prevents tragedies; day of mourning held
It's been more than 12 years since Donna and Ken Wall lost their son in a workplace accident and the pain remains. Tears well in the eyes of the Chatham couple when asked about their son Christopher Crawford, who was killed when a roof collapsed at a...
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Chatham-Kent Expo continues to draw a large crowd
It was a packed house for the 12th annual Chatham-Kent Expo at the John D. Bradley Centre in Chatham. Rob Bellamy, an organizer of the 2026 Chatham-Kent Expo, said pre-sales were the highest they've ever been on Saturday and it seemed there were more...
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`A GOOD STORY TO TELL'
Chatham-Kent secondary school students were busy Saturday rehearing for their upcoming production of the musical The Prom on May 8 and 9. Here Mazzelyn Galbraith, 17, front right, who plays Dee Dee Allen, is seen taking a selfie with Micaela Holt, 18,...
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C-K's wasteto-energy plan goes to council Monday
After preliminary reports and approvals in recent years, Chatham-Kent council soon will make its final decision on a proposed waste-to-energy project. The proposed partnership between Chatham-Kent and Greenfield Global would see an anaerobic digestion...
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Black Excellence Awards recognize leadership, impact
Chatham-Kent's rich Black history is a story that continues to be written, with award recipients having a chance to share their own experiences on Saturday night. The third-annual Black Excellence Awards, held at the Everest Convention Centre,...
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SAD FAREWELL
Pallbearers wearing jerseys with the name Dane on the front and Nisbet and the number 15 on the back wait to carry the casket of Dane Nisbet Friday into the funeral service at Temple Baptist Church in Sarnia.
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Strings are his thing
It's been 20 years since Jordan Clayton competed at the Chatham Kiwanis Music Festival and the nerves were still there when he returned as an adjudicator for the 80th festival this week. “I was more nervous than the kids in the first class,” said...
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`Turn yourself in,' police chief tells accused killer
Sarnia's top cop had this advice for a Londoner charged in a Sarnia student pub shooting that killed a 20-year-old Sarnia junior hockey player dead and injured two former teammates: “Turn yourself in.” “To Mr. Doe directly, I say that every time you...
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Former junior hockey player, 20, killed in Lambton College shooting: Police
The perpetrators remain at large after gunfire erupted early Friday at a campus bar at Lambton College in Sarnia, leaving one man dead and two others – all three played junior hockey together – injured, sources say. A 20-year-old Sarnia man died in...
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U.S. and Israel's war with Iran another blow to Canadian steel industry
More than a year after United States President Donald Trump decided to slap tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, the trade uncertainty continues due to his unpredictable actions. When news of the tariffs being imposed by Trump came early last year,...
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EGG-CITING FUN
Despite rain in the forecast, local Easter egg hunts went off without a hitch this past weekend, with various events held throughout Chatham-Kent. Here, four-year-old Noah Zimoch shows off his haul during Saturday's hunt at the Dover Rod and Gun Club....
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FINISHING TOUCHES
Many area retailers were putting the finishing touches on their Easter displays this past week. Here, Sherrie Piens, a designer at Stan's Flowers, arranges flowers and eggs on the Easter tree in the Chatham shop on Thursday.
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`It's amazing them being able to help'
The charitable organization FreeHelpCK joined forces with many of its community partners to ensure 100 families can enjoy a great meal this Easter. A steady stream of people arrived at the parking lot of Chatham's Quo Vadis restaurant Wednesday to...
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Ontario's BYOB event plan spurs local concerns
Ontario's new plan to loosen rules to allow people to bring their own alcohol to designated outdoor events has some Chatham-Kent event organizers concerned. The changes, slated for this spring, mean event-goers could bring their own alcohol to consume...
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Calls grow for Ontario to slow overhaul plan
Calls are growing for the Ontario government to slow down its plan to overhaul the province's conservation authority system. The plan is to consolidate Ontario's 36 conservation authorities into nine, overseen by the newly created Ontario Provincial...
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SHOWING THE WAY
Ryan Cloutier, a professor in the paramedic program at St. Clair College, shows École secondaire catholique de Pain Court students Kiana Rivard, 15, front, and Jada Mallette, 17, the proper technique to perform CPR on a child during the Healthcare...
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`Such a beautiful way to live': Chatham diver remembered for warmth, charity
Well-known in his community and beyond, a Chatham diver who died last week in Lake Erie is being remembered as larger than life, with a positive impact on those around him. According to numerous tributes, Gary Smith, 67, who died last week while...
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`So much uncertainty'
Southwestern Ontario, home to one of Canada's richest farm belts, is a world away from the war in Iran, but it's hitting farmers here hard. A focal point of the war is the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman....
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STEPPING LIVELY
One of several stops for the group on St. Patrick's Day, the Cornell School of Irish Dance was on hand Tuesday night at the Central Tavern in Pain Court, performing a number of routines to traditional and modern Celtic music.
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Chatham house blaze under probe: Chatham-Kent Fire
A fire that badly damaged an Edgar Street home in Chatham is under investigation, Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue says. Firefighters from Chatham Stations No. 1 No. 2 arrived to find smoke coming from the rear of the home about 9 a.m. Sunday, fire...
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`Our community has strong connections'
In an age where many people don't know who is living beside them, a new photo exhibit highlights the connection between residents of one of Chatham's oldest neighbourhoods. Where Love Resides: The Tecumseh Park Neighbourhood exhibit is on display at...
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TRADITIONAL TUNES
École Secondaire Catholique de Pain Court teacher Roger Daniel, far left, and his music students play a selection of Celtic and other traditional tunes before Monday's council meeting. The performance was part of the ongoing artist feature in chambers.
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Chatham marchers mark International Women's Day
In a loud show of support for international women's day, more than 100 people marched through the streets of downtown Chatham Sunday. The gathering, consisting of women and men, along with many children, met at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre before...
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FUTURE FARMER?
Annalee Martin, 15 months, of Chatham-Kent, checks out a tractor under the watchful eye of her dad, Jermaine Martin, at the recent London Farm Show — billed as eastern Canada's largest indoor spring farm show — at the Western Fair District's J-AAR Expo...
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What's in store for C-K's trees?
If you've seen a lot of tree trimming going on across Chatham-Kent recently, there's a reason. A comprehensive, proactive tree maintenance and trimming program to enhance public safety, improve streetscapes and protect the long-term health of...
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Trillium grant helps Linck upgrade phones, parking
A $39,400 Ontario Trillium Fund grant has been stretched by Linck Child, Youth and Family Supports to upgrade its communication system and improve its parking lot. Details recently were announced about the agency acquiring a 3CX phone system, popular...
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Crisis in child welfare: Some C-K kids housed in Linck building
The demand for highly specialized care for children exceeds available resources and has led to eight youth being housed, at various times for extended periods, at the Linck Child, Youth and Family Supports office in Chatham. Following a news...
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HERO HONOURED
Patrick Humpage was recognized at council Monday for his courageous actions during an apartment fire at 85 Pine St. On Jan. 28 of this year, the building maintenance worker was on site when smoke was coming from a unit. He discovered an individual...
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PIPING HOT
Piping Hot: Hailing from Scotland, Red Hot Chilli Pipers showcased their thunderous sound at the Chatham Capitol Theatre Friday night. In addition to popular rock tunes, the group also performed traditional standards and jigs.
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GOING FOR GOLD
Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates his goal with Canada forward Sam Reinhart (13) and Canada forward Macklin Celebrini (17) during third period men's Olympic semifinal hockey action at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy...
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Warm weather, rain will boost river levels: watershed watchers
The area conservation authority continues to monitor the Thames River, with warm temperatures and heavy rain forecast this week. A warm weather system is expected to bring daytime highs above freezing for the coming days, a Lower Thames Valley...
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FUN IN THE SUN
These youngsters were enjoying a beautiful, warm sunny Saturday while ice fishing on Rondeau Bay during the Family Day weekend. Seen here from left is Ava Fordham, 13, of Chatham, Frankie Vandenbroek, 5, and Zane Vandenbroek, 3, both of Port Stanley,...
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Jury hears grim details as Walpole Island murder, kidnap trial opens
Jurors heard the Crown's grim account Friday of Oyebode Oyenuga's final hours as a Walpole Island first-degree murder and kidnapping trial finally got underway at the Sarnia courthouse. In his opening statement, prosecutor David Rows said Oyenuga, 25,...
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PIE YOUR PROF
To help support the United Way, occupational and physical therapy instructor Peggy Smolders gets the full cream pie treatment during Tuesday's Pie Your Professor event at St. Clair College's Chatham campus. Other fundraisers this week, held in Chatham...
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DOWNTOWN SHOWCASE
Yvon and Dava Robichaud show off their work at the Art & Heirloom Shoppe as the self-guided Art Under the Stars event, presented in partnership with the Downtown Chatham BIA, showcased culture, entertainment and downtown Chatham businesses Friday...
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Flex Plex `one more piece' of C-K recreational puzzle
An indoor athletic complex, located at the former Navistar site in Chatham, held a grand opening Wednesday. CK Flex Plex features indoor soccer fields, half-court basketball, volleyball, pickleball and badminton courts, as well as table tennis, for...
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A WINTER WALK
Pete Dicecca and his seven-and-a-half-year-old border collie, Jackie, take a stroll on a pleasant winter's day in Chatham's south end Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to warm slightly, with a high of 2 C on Friday, before dropping again on the weekend.
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SUITS THEM TO A TEA
Laura Nahdee, left, of Walpole Island First Nation and her grandchildren, Miji Nahdee-Soney, 6, back left, Miri NahdeeSoney, 4, back right, and Nisha Stonefish, 3, were enjoying time together on Saturday at the Beauty and the Beast Children's Tea Party...
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Facing eviction, Chatham tenants vow fight to stay in their homes
A letter slipped under the door of all 40 units in a Chatham apartment building, announcing the upcoming termination of their tenancy, has alarmed tenants and steeled many to fight for their rights. “I was distraught,” said Karla Harris, a 20-year...
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LOW TEMPS UP HIGH
It's chilly at the top, as crews work on a new apartment under construction Tuesday at the corner of Keil Drive South and Park Avenue West in Chatham. Wind chills were expected to drop to a low of -25 C to -30 C, with Environment Canada issuing an...
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VERY COOL RUNNING
Byron Butzer, 12, left, and his cousin, Kieran Berry, 13, didn't let the -20 C wind chill discourage them from hitting the hill at Kingston Park in Chatham on Saturday. Slightly warmer temperatures are expected this week, with a chance of more snow.
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