Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day.
Where do they stand? City councillors share their latest takes on the KED
The Kingsway Entertainment District is continuing along its path toward a grand opening in 2024 with a divided Greater Sudbury city council steering the ship. Although they haven’t been unanimous in approving the municipal arena project, which is slated to be bolstered by a casino and hotel, the majority has spoken. At this point, a city spokesperson said that a decision to cancel or halt the KED project would require a two-thirds majority vote of city council. “As far as I’m concerned, this isn’t a done deal until there are shovels in the ground,” said Ward 1 Coun. Mark Signoretti, who remains concerned the project, off of The Kingsway near the Sudbury Landfill Site, is “going to be the biggest mistake our city’s ever made.”
Fraud trial against Ecolife Home Improvement owner David Murray resumes
The fraud trial against Ecolife Home Improvements owner David Murray resumed Wednesday with cross-examination of a civilian witness who told the court he reached a breaking point and tried to cancel the contract. There was confusion in the courtroom as both the Crown and defence lawyer Antoine-Rene Fabris attended court last week to resume the trial, only to find out the court had in their records the trial was to resume today, Sept. 1. When court began Sept. 1, the Crown had a list of three witnesses expected to testify, however, Fabris told the court he was under the impression he would be proceeding with his cross-examination of Kevin Fajcz, who testified against Murray in May. He said he was unprepared to deal with the three new witnesses, as a result. The trial will resume Sept. 20, with more dates in October and November. Originally, the trial had been scheduled for 15 days, but with these dates, it will pass that threshold.
Robbery suspect who led police on wild chase arrested
The suspect who led police on a wild chase from Sudbury down Highway 17 and up Kukagami Lake Road was taken into custody mid-Thursday afternoon. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, there was no word on charges, nor had the man’s name been released. GSPS Staff Sergeant Marc Brunette told Sudbury.com the arrest was peaceful, with the suspect surrendering to police about 15 kilometres up Kukagami Lake Road. The 28-year-old man was arrested and transported to hospital by ambulance. GSPS spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn told Sudbury.com police will not be holding a press conference to provide additional information on the incident, saying only that a media release detailing the charges would be issued, possibly tomorrow. The incident began around 10:30 Thursday morning with a robbery at a pharmacy on Riverside Drive. The suspect drove aggressively and erratically as he left the city and continued along Highway 17, managing to avoid police blockades before finally bein taken into custody.
Sudbury man $550K richer after winning hospital’s August 50/50 draw
Sudbury man Jack Tikkanen has won a jackpot of $549,045 in August’s Health Sciences North 50/50 Cash Lottery. “I only just heard about the HSN 50/50 draw this past month, so I made sure to buy some tickets,” Tikkanen said. “Seeing what the Foundations at HSN do was great motivation to try my luck. I never expected to be the winner – I was just happy to support!” Tikkanen said he’s likely to put some of the winnings away and support some family and friends, but that he’s also thinking about visiting family in Finland and Sweden, and is excited by the prospect of seeing them soon. September’s HSN 50/50 draw is live at hsn5050.ca, where the jackpot is updated online in real-time.
PHSD reporting Blue-green Algal blooms in Vermillion Lake, Long Lake, Lake Mindemoya
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is advising of Blue-green algal bloom reported in Vermillion Lake, Long Lake and Lake Mindemoya. A release said that the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has advised Public Health Sudbury & Districts that results from samples taken August 18 from Vermillion Lake, Aug. 18 from Long Lake and Aug. 20 from Lake Mindemoya, are positive for blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). The samples contained a species of cyanobacteria that can produce toxins. Blue-green algal blooms could also appear in other parts of the lake. Because blooms are not anchored, they can move from one location to another through wind and water action. New blooms can also form. All residents on lakes should look for blooms in their area. Blue-green algal blooms have an unsightly pea soup appearance and foul smell, and can produce toxins. Residents should avoid using or drinking water from areas where blooms are visible.
Public Health Sudbury reports four new COVID-19 cases for Sept. 2, Ontario reports 865
Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) has reported four new cases of COVID-19 in the local jurisdiction for Sept. 2. The health unit is also reporting there are now 34 active cases being monitored, a decrease of one case in 24 hours. Two outbreaks have ended and a new outbreak has been declared. Also, since the PHSD began tracking COVID-19 cases just over 18 months ago, there have been 2,289 total COVID-19 cases confirmed locally. PHSD also said 2,255 of those cases are now resolved. There are also 1,070 cases that are "confirmed or presumed to be" positive for variants of concern. This is an increase of one case since the last testing 24 hours ago. Public Health Ontario reported 865 new COVID cases today for Sept. 1. The latest update noted 681 recoveries and 14 deaths, but nine of the deaths occurred more than two months ago and were not previously reported.
Cloudy day in store for Friday
Expect a mainly cloudy day to end the week. The forecast calls for a high of 20 today, with a UV index of four, or moderate. This evening, skies will clear slightly and some fog patches will move in overnight. The overnight low is 11.
