Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to kick off your Friday.
More than 1,000 students suffered sexual abuse by staff at Canadian schools: report
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection is calling for more transparency after a new report found school employees were responsible for 750 alleged sexual offences involving students. Calling it "the most comprehensive study of child sexual abuse by school personnel ever done in Canada," the report studied data from disciplinary decisions, media sources and criminal case law of child sexual abuse cases across the country over the last two decades. Among the findings, there were 750 cases of sexual offences against a minimum of 1,272 children, carried out (or allegedly carried out) by 714 employees or former employees. Only Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan publicly release disciplinary decisions involving teachers. The report says parents should have the right to know about any professional misconduct involving people who have access to their children and makes several recommdenations. Disciplinary decisions by the bodies responsible for the certification of teachers need to be made publically available in every province and territory, the report recommends.
Read the full story here.
Man guilty of child porn charges breaches probation
A man convicted last year of child pornography offences in southern Ontario is facing new charges in Sudbury. In a release Wednesday, Greater Sudbury Police said the unidentified 44-year-old was arrested after the police's cyber crime unit discovered him in the company of someone under age 16 who wasn't accompanied by a parent or guardian. He had been convicted in June 2017 of possession of and accessing child pornography, police said in the release. He is charged with two counts of failing to comply with his probation orders and one for failing to comply with a Section 161 Order of the Criminal Code of Canada.
Read the full story here.
When is driving in Sudbury most dangerous?
A report headed to the operations committee June 18 says there were 2,107 collisions reported in 2017, including seven fatal crashes and 324 where someone was injured. That's down from 2013, when there were 2,771 collisions. In fact, the number of crashes has dropped each year since 2013. January is the worst month for collisions in Sudbury, followed by December and November. More occur on Fridays than any other day of the week, with Thursday coming in second. Most collisions occur during evening rush hours, starting at 3 p.m., peaking at 5 p.m. before dropping at 7 p.m. And more than 75 per cent of all crashes take place on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h. The majority of fatal collisions – 72 per cent – take place on roads where the speed limit is between 50 and 60 km/h. Using a model that predicts how many collisions can reasonably be expected at a given intersection, the study came up with the top 20 roads in Sudbury where added safety measures are most likely to have an impact.
Read the full story here.
Mayor's race: Head of NEO Kids throws her hat into the ring
Patricia Mills, the head of the NEO Kids Foundation, announced this morning that she is throwing her hat in the ring to try to unseat Mayor Brian Bigger in the October municipal election. Mills is the former publisher of Northern Ontario Business and Sudbury Living Magazine, both of which are owned by Laurentian Publishing, which also owns Sudbury.com and Northern Life. Mills hasn't worked for Laurentian Publishing for four years. In a press conference this morning at the Italian Club in Copper Cliff, Mills said she's watched Mayor Brian Bigger's tenure with "horror and disbelief," adding she "doesn't care" if the arena stays downtown or goes on the Kingsway; her goal is to heal divisions.
Read the story here.
Get your head out of your apps, OPP says to drivers
According to Greater Sudbury police Service, officers issued 145 provincial offences in 2017 for use of handheld communication devices while driving. As of June 6, 2018, officers have issued 180 provincial offences. The Sudbury Road Safety Committee gathered Wednesday to launch a distracted driving campaign. The launch was held at the Sudbury OPP station on Hwy. 69 south, complete with a wrecked pick-up truck that served as a reminder of what can happen as a result of disracted driving. Distracted driving refers to all forms of distracted or inattentive driving such as adjusting the volume on the radio, operating a GPS, eating or drinking and using a handheld device or attending to children in the back seat.
Read the full story here.
The challenge of being Indigenous in the sciences
A student at Laurentian University in Sudbury – currently the only Indigenous woman in the engineering degree program – is on a mission to get more First Nations people to the sciences and boardroom tables. Kaella Earle said schools, businesses and government are making improvements, but there are many systemic problems blocking Indigenous people from pursuing professional careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs and executive positions. Heading into her fourth year of studies, the Wikwemikong Unceded Territory member from Manitoulin Island is also working as a district engineering tech intern at Union Gas, now Enbridge. Since childhood, Earle said she has received support and encouragement to pursue her career aspirations. However, she points to deep-rooted problems that are keeping Indigenous people out of STEM careers, including colonial mindsets imposed on First Nations, distrust over companies working in traditional areas, and the financing of Indigenous education.
Read the full story here.
Sports Hall of Fame: A night to remember for the giants of Sudbury’s sports scene
Holy Mackinaw, it was a night to remember. Friends, family and well-wishers came together at the Caruso Club on Wednesday night to cheer on some of the city’s best current athletes, teams and coaches, while at the same time witnessing history as 11 new names were immortalized in Greater Sudbury’s Sports Hall of Fame. Hosted by Kiss 105.3’s Gary Beech and none other than the Voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs (and a proud Sudbury native) Joe Bowen, a duo that kept the crowd in stitches all evening long. Beecher can certainly hold his own with a mic in his hand, but Bowen’s risqué and self-deprecating brand of humour had people doubled over with laughter at times. There was a real feeling of camaraderie in the room as the newly inducted Hall of Famers each delivered speeches about the road that brought them where they are, name-dropping old friends and rivals along the way.
Read the full story here.
Tickets now on sale for YES Theatre's first ever repertory summer theatre festival
Tickets are now on sale for YES Theatre's inaugural repertory summer theatre festival. Patrons can enjoy two fantastic, passion-filled musicals — “Violet” and “Merrily We Roll Along” — this summer Aug. 1-19 at The Ernie Checkeris Theatre at Thorneloe University. Tickets are available in person at One Sky (125 Durham St.) on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12-5 p.m. They can also be purchased online at www.yestheatre.com or by phone at 1-844-307-7469. Save 10 per cent off when purchasing tickets for both shows using the code SAVE10YES.
Read the full story here.
Friday's forecast is awesome!
The forecast is pretty darn great for today, Greater Sudbury. Today’s high is expected to be 27 under mainly sunny skies. The UV index for today is eight, or very high, just as it was yesterday. If you plan on being outside for a time, you should slap on some sunscreen for protection. Winds will be from the northwest at 12 km/h, gusting to 18. With the summer solstice just around the corner, we’ll have 15 hours of daylight tomorrow. The overnight temperature is a comfortable 15 degrees. And with clear skies, Friday should be a good night for star-gazing.
