Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Area residents anxious to see something happen with old St. Joe’s hospital building
There are mixed opinions about what should happen with the old St. Joseph's Health Centre building, but the consensus among neighbours is that something needs to be done. “It’s so sad to see it sit there,” area resident Helena Shewchuk said. “Just sitting there like that, it’s not right.” Her kids and grandchildren were all born at the hospital, which she said increasingly looks like “squatters central.” “Anything is better than what is there now.” Shewchuk is one of several area residents Sudbury.com spoke with earlier this week while door knocking in the neighbourhood to gauge public opinion on the building.
Gas price takes massive spike, hits 186.9 per litre in Sudbury
Gas prices at some stations in Greater Sudbury have jumped 14 cents since this morning. The Esso stations at Kingsway and Bancroft, at Lasalle and Notre Dame and in Val Caron have set their prices at 186.9 a litre. Most gas stations in Greater Sudbury are still charging 172.9, which was the price this morning, as reported on OntarioGasPrices.com. Ontario drivers were warned this week to expect a big jump in the price of gasoline. Dan McTeague, the president of a group called Canadians for Affordable Energy, told CTV this week the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is helping drive the high cost of fuel even higher, warning prices would only get higher in the coming weeks and months. Prices have spiked in Timmins as well. TimminsToday’s Maija Hoggett tweeted this afternoon that prices in the City with the Heart of Gold jumped 18 cents since this morning, to 188.9. The NDP retabled the Fairness in Petroleum Products Pricing Act this week, a bill previously brought forward in 2017 and 2018 but failed to reach the finish line either time.
Minnow Lake Restoration Group will have their day in court on the KED on April 11
A court date has been set to deal with the Minnow Lake Restoration Group’s legal challenge against the City of Greater Sudbury, with a divisional court hearing set for April 11 at 10 a.m. These hearings are typically adjudicated by three judges, at which decisions can be rendered immediately or take several weeks, according to a media release issued by the group. The legal challenge was filed on Aug. 13, 2021, and alleges that members of council joined city staff in making “numerous errors of law” in the leadup to city council’s decision to proceed with the KED, which is expected to include a municipal arena on The Kingsway alongside a private casino and hotel. The main pillar of their argument is that numerous requests for information made by city councillors remained unanswered in subsequent reports, which meeting transcripts confirm.
Three arrested after parking on the side of Hwy. 69 with a carload of drugs and a gun
Sometimes people just make it easy for police, at least according to a news release from the Nipissing West OPP detachment. The release states officers were on patrol on Highway 69 at around 1:48 a.m. on Feb. 24 when they stopped to assist a vehicle parked on the side of the road with its hazard lights flashing. It didn’t take long for police to see something was off and they initiated a search of the vehicle. Police allege the search turned up a firearm, Canadian currency and drugs suspected to be cocaine, oxycodone and cannabis. Two 25-year-olds from Sudbury face numerous charges in relation to the incident, as does a 25-year-old from Toronto.
Freezing rain possible over the weekend
A special weather statement is in effect for Greater Sudbury and vicinity. Freezing rain is possible Saturday night into Sunday. A band of freezing rain is threatening to move through the region Saturday night into Sunday as a strong low pressure area approaches the region from Colorado. Freezing rain may persist for several hours before changing over to rain as milder air arrives on Sunday. Untreated surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. Consider changing travel plans accordingly as hazardous winter travelling conditions are possible.
Rainbow Board parents: Deadline is today to register kids for virtual school
If you wish to register your child in virtual school with the Rainbow District School Board for the 2022-23 school year, you only have until tomorrow (March 4). The board published a link to the online registration form on its Rainbow Virtual School Facebook page on Feb. 25. The deadline to complete the online form is March 4. “To plan for staffing and classes, no changes will be considered after this survey closes on Friday, March 4, 2022,” said information on the form. Students will remain registered at their home school for in-person learning unless remote learning registration at the Rainbow Elementary Virtual School is selected for the 2022-2023 school year. The registration survey for kindergarten to Grade 8 is available here, and the form for grades 9-12 is available here.
Read the full story on the Sudbury.com homepage.
Mild day in store with a chance of flurries
Expect a fairly mild day for Friday. The day will dawn fairly clear with increasing cloudiness anticipated starting early in the morning. A mix of sun and cloud will follow. There is a 30-per-cent chance of flurries late in the morning and the early afternoon. The wind will be out of the west at 20 km/h in the morning, so expect a wind chill of -25 in the morning and -6 in the afternoon. Tonight, the temperature will drop to -15 with cloudy periods.
