Morning Coffee – By Aaron Hall
A winter weather travel advisory remains in effect for Chatham-Kent
Snow squalls are expected southeast of Lake Huron into this afternoon. These snow squalls will extend into the region at times, reducing visibility in locally heavy snow and blowing snow. Snowfall accumulation up to 10 cm is possible in localized areas through this afternoon.
Untreated surfaces could become icy and slippery and an impact to the morning commute is likely in some areas.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.cpio-tempetes-ospc-storms.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
Weather forecast from Friday, November 10, 2017 to Sunday, November 12, 2017
Today – Mainly cloudy. A few flurries beginning this morning. Local amount 5 cm. Wind north 20 km/h becoming light this afternoon. High minus 1.
Tonight – A few clouds. Increasing cloudiness after midnight then 30 percent chance of flurries overnight. Low minus 5.
Saturday, November 11 – Mainly cloudy. High plus 3.
Saturday night – Cloudy with 30 percent chance of showers. Low plus 2.
Sunday, November 12 – Cloudy with 30 percent chance of showers. High plus 3.
Sunday night – Cloudy with 30 percent chance of rain showers or flurries. Low minus 1.
Upcoming events
– The Kent Branch of The Ontario Genealogy Society is pleased to have Len and Gabrielle Maynard, now retired from military service, as their speakers on Friday at the McKinlay Funeral Home Reception Centre at 7:00 p.m. They will discuss military records available to family researchers. The event is open and free to the public.
– Remembrance Day activities are taking place in Dresden on Saturday, November 11. The Remembrance Day parade forms in the parking lot of Branch 113 at 10:45 a.m. and will proceed to the Cenotaph in downtown Dresden. At 11 a.m., two minutes of silence will be held, and act of remembrance and laying of the wreaths. Later that evening at 6:30 p.m., a Remembrance Banquet is being held at Branch 113. Tickets are $13. Call 519-683-4862 for tickets.
– In Wallaceburg on Remembrance Day, a service is being held at Wallaceburg District Secondary School at 9:30 a.m., with the laying of family and business wreaths. At 10:20 a.m. the crowd will march from the high school to the Cenotaph, there will also be a people mover available. At 10:55 a.m., the official service at the Cenotaph will take place with the laying of the Silver Cross and others wreaths, along with government officials speeches and a moment of silence. Following the service, a light lunch will be provided free of charge at Branch 18.
– The Wallaceburg and Dresden libraries, along with downtown businesses, charities, and merchants are partnering to offer a Remembrance Day Walk-A-Story to enjoy throughout your community. Maps are available at the branches until November 15. The story is Who’s that Man? by Marny Duncan-Cary.
– Looking ahead to next week, the Downtown Wallaceburg Holiday Open House is taking place on Thursday, November 16 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Downtown merchants will offer in-store promotions and draws, product samples, plus there will be horse & carriage rides, Christmas carollers, gourmet roasted nuts & hot chocolate bar, a special visit from Santa and his helpers, plus a chance to win up to $250 in BIA bucks.
– Also on November 16, Santa will be stopping by the Wallaceburg Library at 7 p.m. Take some time, make a craft, and read a story – and visit with Santa as the holidays approach.
– The Knights of Pythias are gearing up for the annual Santa Claus Parade in Wallaceburg, which is set to take place on Saturday, November 18, at 2 p.m. The route for the parade will stay the same as previous years starting on Arnold Street, down Dufferin and the downtown core, up Nelson and finishing on Elgin. Resister beforehand to take part in the float judging.
– The day gets started at the K of P Hall on November 18 with ‘Breakfast with Santa.’ It starts at 8 a.m. and runs to 11 a.m. Cost is $6 for adults and kids that are 12 and over, children 11 and under are free.
– The Dresden Kings are holding a dinner and dance on November 18 at the Dresden Arena Hall. The event will feature music from the Jessika Rabbitt Band. Tickets are $35, Doors open at 6 p.m. with the dinner running from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and it is catered by Burn’s. The dance runs from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Call Dave at 519-359-8982 for tickets.
– And finally… a Christmas House Tour hosted by the Catherine McVean Chapter IODE in Dresden is taking place November 19. The event starts at the Dresden Legion and runs from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Cost $15. Six houses are included on the tour, including one decorated by children and one of historical significance. Call 226-972-1818 for more details or to reserve your tickets.
Remembrance Day Municipal Holiday Hours
Municipal offices and most services will be CLOSED Monday, November 13, 2017 in recognition of Remembrance Day.
Other services are scheduled as follows:
Emergency Services – Police, Fire and Ambulance are operational 24 hours a day, every day, and are accessible by dialling “911” for emergency calls only.
Libraries – All branches of the Chatham-Kent Public Library will be closed on Saturday, November 11. All branches that are normally open on a Monday will be open on Monday, November 13. Administration offices will be closed Monday, November 13.
Recreation Facility Operations – All arenas will be open during normal operational hours. Blenheim Gable Reese Rotary Pool and Wallaceburg Sydenham Pool will be open with normal operational hours.
Cultural Services – The Thames Art Gallery and the Chatham-Kent Museum will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Box Office and Cultural Centre will be closed. Chatham Capitol Theatre administration offices will be closed. The Theatre will re-open at 8:00 p.m. for an event.
Cemetery Operations – During this time, Cemeteries staff will be available on call for funeral homes who are in need of at-need lot sales or interment orders.
Garbage and Recycling – Collection services for the week of November 13 will not be affected. Please refer to the Recycling and Waste Collection Guide for further details.
Transfer Startions – All transfer stations will be open regular hours.
Leaf and Yard Depots – Chatham and Romney Depots will be open regular hours.
CK Transit – All CK Transit services will be open and operating as per normal hours.
Health and Family Services – The Health and Family Services building will be closed on November 13, including the offices of Employment and Social Services, Housing Services, Children’s Services and Public Health. The Employment Resource Centres located at 240 King St. W., Chatham and 786 Dufferin Avenue, Wallaceburg will be closed on November 13. The Chatham-Kent Homeless Response Line is available at 519-354-6628.
Public Health – Essential after-hours Public Health services are available by calling 1-866-446-8207. Public Health Clinic Services, located at 177 King St. E., Chatham will be closed.
Riverview Gardens – Reception and administrative offices will be closed November 13, but services, activities and visiting hours continue as normal. Nursing staff can be reached 24/7 by calling 519-352-4823.
Public Utilities Commision – At 325 Grand Avenue East will be closed Friday. The emergency call number is 519-352-6300.
Entegrus – at 320 Queen Street will be closed Monday
CKHA Services Altered for Remembrance Day Holiday on Monday, November 1
Some healthcare services offered at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (Chatham & Sydenham Campuses) will be altered on Monday, November 13, 2017 in recognition of Remembrance Day.
Routine X-rays, electrocardiograms (EKG), and ultrasounds will not be available on Monday, November 13, 2017. These departments will be staffed to meet the needs of inpatients and emergencies.
Ambulatory Care Services, Out-Patient Rehabilitation Services, Out-Patient Laboratory Services, Pre-Surgical Screening Services, Diabetes Education Centre, Pulmonary Function Lab, Health Records and Patient Appointment Offices will be closed on Monday, November 13, 2017.
The Chatham-Kent Mental Health and Addictions Program Out-Patient Department will be closed on Monday, November 13, 2017. For any immediate crisis, please call the crisis line at 1-866-299-7447.
Elston Pharmacy, located at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Chatham Campus, will be closed on Monday, November 13, 2017.
The Oncology/Chemotherapy Department will be closed on Monday, November 13, 2017.
The Business Office and Cashier’s Office will be closed on Monday, November 13, 2017. Please note there are two bill changers in the building to accommodate change for coin.
Hemodialysis Care will be open on Monday, November 13, 2017.
The Emergency Departments located at Grand Avenue, Chatham Campus, and Sydenham Campus, Wallaceburg are open 24 hours daily.
CKHA unveils new and refreshed look for Café Grand
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) unveiled a new and refreshed look on Thursday for Café Grand located at its Chatham Campus.
Operated by the Nutrition Services department, Café Grand serves a variety of breakfast and lunch options to patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians.
The opportunity to refresh the existing servery area of Café Grand came to fruition during recent renovations in the cafeteria which included required fire separation walls and an upgraded sprinkler system. A creative team of CKHA staff collaborated on the cafeteria’s interior design, which now portrays an industrial look with its unfinished wood, utilitarian objects and wood and metal surfaces.
“I’d like to thank our committed team who created this wonderful refresh of our existing cafeteria,” stated Lori Marshall, President and CEO, in a press release.
“With these recent renovations we expect the cafeteria to serve the needs of our patients and their families, our staff and the community into the future.”
Along with its revived look, the Nutrition Services staff attended to recent requests from customers to bring back longstanding favourites to Café Grand’s menu such as buddha bowls, fish tacos, and a pasta bar with new additions.
“I’m thrilled that Café Grand’s refreshed look will provide a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere for our patients, their families, visitors and staff,” said Beth Hall, Director, Support Services.
“I’d like to thank all those involved for their work and spotlight our Nutrition Services staff for their knowledge and dedication in assembling a menu that will offer a variety of choices to our patrons.”
Café Grand is located on Level 0 in the Public General Hospital wing of CKHA’s Chatham Campus.
Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
St. John Ambulance ‘Home Alone’ Course at Wallaceburg Library
The Chatham-Kent Public Library is partnering with St. John Ambulance to offer the Home Alone course at Wallaceburg Branch on Friday, November 24 – a P.A. day. The course will run from 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Registration can be done through the St. John Ambulance website https://portal.sja.ca or by phone 1-877-726-9928.
There is a cost of $35, payable through St. John Ambulance.
Home Alone is designed for 9 and 10 year old youth by the Canadian Safety Council.
This course will prepare participants to handle unforeseen emergencies and stay safe when they are alone.
Participants learn how to handle phone calls and visitors, recognize hazards, follow home safety procedures, first aid basics, healthy eating, fire safety, and how and when to use 911.
Crime Prevention Week: Building Safer Communities Together
Earlier this week, members of the Chatham-Kent Police Service, along with CN Police and the Ontario Provincial Police held a Policing Exposition at the Adult Language and Learning Centre in Chatham.
This exposition was prepared by the CKPS Community Mobilization Unit.
Throughout the day, men and women learned about the various services within policing, such as the Traffic and Marine Services Unit, Critical Incident Response Team, Forensic Identification Unit, HELP Team / Mobile Crisis Team, Youth Officer Unit and the Community Mobilization Unit.
Here are some photos:
OSAP applications now open for 2018-19 school year
Starting this week, students can apply for the new Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) for the 2018-19 school year — the earliest launch of OSAP applications ever.
Premier Kathleen Wynne was at Glenforest Secondary School this week to talk with students about the new OSAP and changes that are making college and university more affordable for Ontario families.
“Students and their families need to know about these changes to OSAP, because for the majority of families in Ontario the new OSAP means a vastly more affordable college or university education,” Wynne stated.
“Through free tuition, by providing more upfront grants and by giving young people more time to pay back their loans, we are building a fairer postsecondary system for everyone.”
This year, more than 210,000 full-time university and college students are receiving free tuition for the first time ever.
Almost all students who receive OSAP get some or all of their funding as a grant — money they will never have to pay back. The province is also making the process of repaying student loans fairer and more flexible.
Students will not have to start repaying the Ontario portion of their student loans until they are earning a minimum of $35,000 a year, a $10,000 increase from the previous minimum of $25,000.
The updated application process includes an OSAP calculator that lets students quickly see what financial assistance they could get. Students will receive an estimate of costs including tuition and available financial aid — helping students and their families get the information they need to make decisions and plan for the future.
Other actions underway to make life more affordable for students include:
– Protecting student renters against unfair rent increases and evictions
– Working with eCampusOntario to develop and provide free and low-cost online textbooks
– Raising the minimum wage so working students can better afford the costs of going to school
– Free prescription medications for children and youth under 25 starting this January.
“The opportunity to attend a college or university should be based on a student’s potential, not their ability to pay,” stated Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Digital Government.
“For some students, knowing they can get the financial support they need to attend postsecondary can be the difference in getting to go at all. Early applications to the new OSAP will help them find out if they qualify for generous grants or free tuition. And applying for the new OSAP is now easier than ever, giving students and their families more time to explore their options and plan for a brighter future.”
Breaking down barriers to postsecondary education is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of Medicare in a generation.
More details:
– The new OSAP application is launching four months earlier than in previous years. Applications for OSAP are up by nearly 20 per cent for the 2017-18 academic year.
– Immediately upon completing their online university or college application, students can apply to OSAP and be directed to the application.
– Students from families with a combined income of up to $175,000 will benefit from more generous grants to assist with college and university expenses.
– Ontario plans to increase the number of postsecondary students graduating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines by 25 per cent over the next five years, to 50,000 per year. This will position Ontario as having the highest number per capita of postsecondary STEM graduates in North America.
World news
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If you have a suggestion, story idea, column idea, or if you want to say hello… drop me an e-mail at aaron@sydenhamcurrent.ca.
