Noteworthy: A sad for all, and a tragic day for the City of Medicine Hat

By Bruce Penton on June 11, 2025.

Quite a shock last Tuesday to hear about the closure of CHAT-TV. This is the second local television station to go belly-up in my lifetime. Back in 2009, when I was living in Brandon, the local station, CKX-TV, suspended operations.

The biggest difference between the two however, is that in the case of CKX, the public was alerted 24 hours in advance of the station’s final day on the air. It enabled me – a community newspaper editor at the time – to seek approval to spend the station’s final day of operation within the inner sanctum of the TV station as employees went about the task of producing the final newscast, ‘News at 6.’

In the end, our newspaper produced a double-page spread on the station’s final day, recording all the tears, hugs and professionalism from staff members, and writing a feature that we all thought was a fitting obituary. The feature was headlined ‘Funeral at 6.’

CHAT-TV announced its closure to its staff on the morning of June 3, and no one was given the opportunity to offer fond farewells or reminiscences.

“If I had to put money on it, I’d have bet the newspaper would be the first to go, not CHAT,” said a former television station employee.

So what will fill the void in Medicine Hat when it comes to locally produced electronic media reports? Online outlets will probably expand or new ones will pop up. The Medicine Hat News will likely snag a few additional advertisers, and that might lead to the hiring of another reporter or two.

It’s definitely a sad day for everyone associated with CHAT-TV. And local viewers, who were kept up to date on a wide array of things happening locally, are among the biggest losers.

• Who will be on the ballot Oct. 20 when Medicine Hat voters go to the polls to elect a new city council?

So far, five folks have submitted nomination papers to run for councillor, but so far, there are no names on the mayor’s list. A number of names have been rumoured – current mayor Linnsie Clark, former mayor Ted Clugston, who lost to Clark in 2021, and former Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes. Heard any other names for the city’s top job?

So far, the five candidates for councillor are Kelly Allard, Dana Christensen, Chris Hellman, Pamela Kunz and Troy Wason.

School board trustees for both the public and Catholic boards will also be elected that day.

• Ask Google a simple question and you get a straightforward answer: Hey, Google, is a convicted U.S. felon allowed to enter Canada? Google’s reply: “Generally, a U.S. felon is inadmissible to Canada due to their criminal conviction. However, there are ways to overcome this inadmissibility, such as being deemed rehabilitated, applying for rehabilitation and getting approved, or receiving a pardon or record suspension. A temporary resident permit may also allow entry, according to ircc.canada.ca.”

Just wondering.

• Need a paperback for the beach? Or just a good read in a backyard lounge chair on a warm summer day? Then the Medicine Hat Public Library’s Paperback Exchange could be perfect for you.

From now until Aug. 31, you can drop off your fiction paperbacks in a bin at the front entrance of the library, and take the same number of paperbacks from the bin. No due dates, holds, late fees or fines for stains on these books. “Some people even exchange enough books to get them through the winter,” says an e-mailed release from the library.

• Short snappers: Here are seven fruits that should not be refrigerated: bananas, peaches, plums, nectarines, avocados, tropical fruits (mangos, kiwi, pineapple) and tomatoes. Refrigerating them causes them to go mealy, rubbery or watery, says Yahoo.com. … There’s hope for a peaceful world if players from two hockey teams bent on nearly maiming each other can stand in a line and shake hands at the end. … Tigers’ star Cayden Lindstrom has announced he’ll play for Michigan State next year. Let’s hope Gavin McKenna remains a Tiger and not a Lindstrom line-mate. … Hockey haters will be happy to know the Stanley Cup final won’t extend past June 20. That’s the date for a Game 7 in Edmonton between the Oilers and Florida Panthers. … It’s only been a week, but I miss Dan Reynish and his form of silly humour.

Bruce Penton is a retired News editor who may be reached at brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca

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