5 Things You Need To Know For July 17, 2026

July 17, 2026 5:55 am Published by Chris McLeod

_{July 17th is the 198th day of the year. There are 167 days remaining until the end of the year.}

The Orange Air Quality Warning is still in place for Chatham-Kent today.

Air quality warnings are in place from Thunder Bay to Kingston and down to Toronto, through to Windsor-Essex, as residents of several First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario deal with forest fires.

Conditions are expected to improve today as winds shift, although some haze may linger. Saturday’s showers could help clean the air even more, and right now Sunday is looking like the best day of the weekend, with sunshine, lower humidity, and the cleanest air in the forecast.

Health officials urge residents to limit time outdoors, keep windows closed, and seek medical attention if they experience severe coughing, wheezing, or chest pain.

Couple of farmers markets in C-K this weekend.

The Wallaceburg Farmers Market is open 8 a.m.-noon in the municipal parking lot on James St. It runs bi-weekly until October.

Ridgetown will host a Farmers Market Saturday 8-noon. The market will be held is Main St. every Saturday until Thanksgiving.

Today is Healthy Parks Healthy People Day, and that means free day-use admission at all Ontario provincial parks.

The day celebrates the physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors. Whether you’re planning a hike, a picnic, a swim, or just some quiet time in nature.

Donors are needed!

There’s a blood donor clinic tomorrow at the Portuguese Canadian Club 10:30 to 2:30 p.m.

No walk-in appointments are available. Book your appointment at Blood.ca, call 1-888-2-DONATE or use the apps.

If you’re unable to donate this week, the next clinic locally will also be at the Portuguese Canadian Club Tuesday.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is Sunday with defending champion Argentina taking on Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Argentina, led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi, is chasing back-to-back World Cup titles, while Spain is looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 2010.

For the first time ever FIFA is introducing a World Cup Final halftime show. The 11-minute performance will feature Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS as co-headliners. The halftime show was curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. It’s expected to draw a global audience of billions and raise money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, to educate children.

The final is at 3 p.m. on CTV and TSN.