Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Decorum nosedives as councillors spar over KED-related emails
Frustrated by a lack of decorum and actual decisions being made, Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh walked out of Tuesday’s city council meeting several minutes early. “Life is too short,” she told Sudbury.com the following day. “I’m tired of having my time wasted and I wasn’t going to stay.” The councillor said that it was her first time walking out of a meeting since she was first elected to city council in 2014. She departed Tuesday’s meeting near the start of a heated argument regarding the contents of Kingsway Entertainment District -related documents from a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request. “I’m not going to sit here and listen to this,” she reflected after the fact. “We’re not making decisions, and this constant interrupting and talking over each other, I thought, ‘Nope.’” The FOI request in question was made by anti-Kingsway Entertainment District activist Hazel Ecclestone, and resulted in the city awarding 1,655 pages of documents related to the contended project. Due to public interest in these documents, the city posted everything online earlier this week.
Sudbury Theatre Centre confirms ‘new partnership’ with YES Theatre
Sudbury Theatre Centre’s board of governors released a written statement May 12 confirming what it calls a “new partnership” with YES Theatre, another local theatre company. This after an open letter signed by more than 40 local theatre supporters came out last week, alleging a merger or takeover is occurring behind closed doors. STC said that it approached the leadership back in December about what it would look like if “we came together — to support each other, share resources, and collaborate in reinvigorating the Sudbury theatre scene.” The statement said that for the 2022-2023 season, YES Theatre artistic and managing director Alessandro Costantini has been appointed as STC's interim artistic director. Scott Denniston, who’s the general manager and executive producer of YES Theatre, has been appointed STC's interim general manager. “Together the organizations will program a season that fulfills both STC and YES Theatre mandates,” said the statement.
Bail decision expected May 18 for man charged with murder in fatal Bruce Ave. fire
Submissions were made earlier this week in a bail hearing for one of the men arrested and charged with second-degree murder in a fatal house fire on Bruce Avenue. Jared Herrick is seeking bail. Herrick is one of five people charged in connection to the April 2021 fire that killed three people: Guy Henri, 49, Jasmine Marie-Claire Galin (Somers), 27, and Jamie Lynn Rose, 33. Another man, David Cheff, survived by jumping out a window on the second floor. Herrick and another man, Phillippe Jeannotte, 34, each face three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of arson with disregard for human life, one count of break, enter and commit an indictable offence, and one count of possession of an incendiary device. Herrick is being represented by defence lawyer Ken Walker.
Second-degree murder plea tough to hear for Brant Burke’s family
Watching her uncle plead guilty to second-degree murder for killing her father was a tough pill to swallow for Melanie Burke. Kerry Burke was originally charged with first-degree murder after Brant Burke’s body was found on a trail in Wikwemikong First Nations unceded territory, near Killarney. “It’s beyond infuriating that he has pleaded to a lesser charge,” Melanie told Sudbury.com following Kerry’s plea on Tuesday. Melanie is Brant Burke’s oldest daughter. Her sister, Lee-Ann, is also watching the court proceedings. There aren’t even words to describe how Melanie felt seeing her uncle for the first time since he was arrested, but she said she was disgusted by his lack of emotion as the assistant Crown attorney read out an agreed statement of facts.
Investigation of suspicious death underway in Dowling
Greater Sudbury Police have announced that detectives are investigating a suspicious death at a residence on Sturgeon Street in Dowling. A Facebook post from GSPS states that officers were dispatched to Sturgeon Street at approximately 10:55 a.m. after Greater Sudbury Fire Services responded to the home in relation to a man who was unconscious. “Unfortunately, the man was pronounced deceased on scene,” said the post from GSPS. “At this time, we do not have a confirmed identity for the man.” Based on the investigation, GSPS is treating it as a suspicious death and detectives from the major crime section of the criminal investigation division will be working in collaboration with the Coroner’s Office. A post-mortem will be conducted today, May 12, through the Coroner’s Office in order to assist in determining a cause of death and in order to confirm his identity. Detectives have been and will be canvassing the area for information and video surveillance footage. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the GSPS criminal investigation division at 705-675-9171.
Miners challenging the public to step up for plasma donations
Organized labour and the mining community in Sudbury is showing support for Canadian Blood Services (CBS) with an initiative called Mining Gives Back. Sudbury is one of three venues in Canada where people are able to make vital blood plasma donations. Local mining companies, affiliates, mining suppliers and contractors have kicked off the spring season with a friendly challenge of filling 500 donation appointments during April and May, said CBS communications specialist Agnese Caruso. She said it is inspiring other Sudbury residents to join the challenge. United Steelworkers Local 6500 President Nick Larochelle kicked off the Mining Gives Back campaign early. He donated plasma at the Sudbury plasma donor centre at 900 Lasalle Boulevard on March 24. "We are committed to making the second annual Mining Gives Back campaign a success,” Larochelle said.
High of 30 expected today
It’s going to feel more like mid-July than mid-May today. Expect a high of 30 under sunny skies. The wind will be out of the southwest at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 in the morning. The UV index today is nine, or very high. Tonight, cloudy periods are expected with the temperature dipping to 14.
