Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day.
Snow day blues: Weather has already cancelled school buses 11 times in Sudbury in 2021-22
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought its share of disruptions to the education sector, most notably periods of online learning for three consecutive school years as public health officials have attempted to get a handle on the spread of the virus. School bus transportation has also taken a blow, most recently involving multiple route cancellations because drivers are absent due to COVID-19 isolation rules. There have also been bus cancellations due to an ongoing labour shortage in the sector. On top of these COVID-related disruptions have been a large number of snow days so far this school year. When school buses are cancelled locally, schools are generally kept open, meaning students can still go to school - that is, if their parents are so inclined, and if they’re still able to get there without the school bus. According to statistics provided by the Sudbury Student Services Consortium, there have already been 11 days with weather-related school bus cancellations in the 2021-22 school year. Read the full story here.
Sudburians do their bit to help embattled Ukraine
The Greater Sudbury community is doing its bit to show support for Ukraine, which is under siege by neighbouring Russia. The Ukrainian Seniors Centre will be donating all proceeds from its sale of perogies and cabbage rolls in March to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. The Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress launched a public #HelpUkraineNow campaign to raise $5 million to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need in Ukraine. Total donations received to date amount to more than $2.3 million. Dozens of people gathered at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church on Sunday to pray for the people in their homeland. Sudburian Amanda Joe Luoma is putting her love of crocheting to work in raising funds for humanitarian relief in Ukraine. She said she has friends who have immigrated from Ukraine with family still there. Read the full story on Sudbury.com's home page.
Health Canada issues advisory about rapid antigen tests after calls to poison control centres
Health Canada has issued an advisory warning of the potential risk of rapid antigen test kits after about 50 calls were made to poison control centres in Canada regarding "accidental exposure" causing minor health issues. "Following an increase in reports to poison control centres, Health Canada is advising Canadians about potential risks associated with the misuse or accidental ingestion or spillage of COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit solutions on the skin," the advisory states. The kits — which have been widely distributed at grocery and drug stores in Ontario in recent weeks — are safe and effective when used as intended, the agency advises. However, many test kits include liquid solutions with chemical preservatives, including sodium azide and Proclin, that may be poisonous if swallowed or absorbed through the skin, particularly in children and pets, according to the advisory. Small doses of sodium azide can lower blood pressure, and larger doses may cause more serious health effects. Read the full story on Sudbury.com's home page.
Study: Smart packaging might improve how older adults take medication
Senior citizens have reported good results in an experiment to measure smart packaging to monitor the correct timing for taking prescription medications, according to a study carried out by the University of Waterloo in Ontario. Other studies have found that many elderly patients do not always take their medications properly or on time. "With an aging population where taking multiple medications is common, incorrect medication-taking – called medication non-adherence – is a problem impacting the health of patients and costs the health-care system billions of dollars," said the university news release. Smart packages are used to monitor electronically when patients take their medication. The smart packaging includes pills, tablets or capsules inside plastic blister packs. The package is synchronized with internet or cellular technology and records each time a participant opens a blister to take medications. If the prescription is not followed as advised by their physician, the smart system can notify patients and their caregivers. Read the full story here.
Let’s eat! Ezentials Spa and the Green Leaf Café, perfect stop for a retreat-and-eat kind of day
From design to decor and the menu, there is so much to consider when opening up a new restaurant or café. Tracy Gilbert, a naturopath and the owner of Ezentials Spa and the Green Leaf Café, had 7,000 square feet of space to map out on Barrydowne Road in New Sudbury. And it appears she has done it well. The retreat space opened in 2019 — pre-pandemic and it offers spa time, treatments, yoga. Then in August 2021, the café opened with carefully selected, well thought out healthy meals and drinks. Gilbert said the small-based menu was in the works for a very long time with taste tests, tweaks and lots of re-envisioning. Learn more here.
Stroke survivor fulfills dream by publishing youth sci-fi novel
Before he retired from his job working for a hydraulic company, David Leblanc would travel by truck to mine sites around Northern Ontario. While travelling, Leblanc would think of stories to write, and jot them down on a palm pilot. “I never went anywhere with it,” he said. Leblanc, a 70-year-old grandfather, was forced into early retirement eight years ago when he had a stroke. To pass the time, he joined the Sudbury Writers’ Guild and started writing fiction. “It was something that I thought about doing for three decades,” he said. “Because of the stroke, I had time on my hands, and I could type with one hand. So I went out, and I let my imagination take care of the rest.” The result is Leblanc’s first novel, a self-published sci fi book called “Black Hole,” which is aimed at the middle grade market. Read the full story on Sudbury.com's home page.
Tuesday weather:
Tuesday there will be periods of light snow ending in the morning then mainly cloudy with 40 percent chance of flurries. Wind up to 15 km/h. High of -3 C. Wind chill -14 C in the morning and -5 C in the afternoon. UV index 2 or low. Tuesday night will be cloudy with a low of -13 C.
