Good Morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are some stories to start your day.
Motorcyclist dies after striking moose on Hwy. 144
An overnight collision on Highway 144 was fatal, the OPP are reporting.
Emergency responders were called to the scene of a collision involving a motorcycle on Highway 144 in the City of Greater Sudbury at 11:50 p.m. June 23.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the motorcycle had struck a moose and the driver was ejected.
The driver of the motorcycle was pronounced deceased at the scene. She has been identified as Debbie Johnsen, 60, of Chelmsford.
The highway was closed for approximately three hours, while members of the OPP Traffic Incident Management Enforcement Team (T.I.M.E.) attended to process the scene.
Affordable housing by the water tower to open next summer
The long-discussed affordable housing complex slated to be built next to the Sudbury water tower is expected to break ground this year and open to residents by next summer.
So said project lead Tim Laderoute earlier this week while giving Sudbury.com a walkthrough of the site earlier this week, east of the water tower on the Pearl Street hill.
The 38-unit building will consist of one-bedroom units marked below market rent, and the project will be undertaken by the not-for-profit Sudbury Peace Tower Housing Inc. on land donated by local businessman and developer Dario Zulich.
You can read all about the new complex here.
City says it’s fixing up damage in Tom Davies courtyard
Anyone who has visited the courtyard behind Tom Davies Square lately may have noticed it’s looking a bit rough.
The area, which is close to the recently-shuttered warming centre for the city’s vulnerable population, has sustained some damage. The courtyard is also in need of landscaping.
Kevin Fowke, manager of corporate services for the City of Greater Sudbury, said not only are repairs in the works, but so is a great deal of weeding.
The city says work will begin immediately to repair the area, which was originally built as part of a project to fix the parking garage underneath, and that work should be completed by October.
You can read the full story and see the photos here.
People quitting at Laurentian as CCAA drags on
People quitting their roles at Laurentian University - whether they be employees or members of the board of governors - is becoming an issue as the insolvency restructuring process drags on.
That was a common theme that emerged during the June 24 Laurentian University board of governors meeting.
After declaring insolvency and filing for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (or CCAA) in the winter of 2021, Laurentian has been undergoing court-supervised restructuring.
The “stay of proceedings” protecting Laurentian against its creditors was recently extended once again to Sept. 31, with Laurentian hoping to come to a plan of arrangement to pay out its creditors late this summer.
Laurentian University Staff Union (LUSU) president Tom Fenske said he thought it was important to make the board of governors aware there’s a “massive exodus” of staff and faculty from the university.
He said he can think of about 20 people who are thinking of leaving the university right now. On the other side of the coin, Laurentian is having trouble recruiting to replace departing employees, Fenske said.
Due to this issue, in some areas it’s getting “impossible to meet the needs of students,” he said.
Read the full story here.
Inclusive track meet brings out hundreds of students
Hundreds of students who would otherwise be unable to participate in a track meet were invited to the Laurentian University track to participate in Thursday’s Rainbow District School Board Challenge Meet.
“It’s a great opportunity for our students and their families to come out and watch them participate in athletics,” Special Education Programs and Services principal Colleen McDonald told Sudbury.com of the day’s meet, which was rescheduled from earlier in the month due to poor weather.
A longstanding tradition of the past several years, the annual track meet saw approximately 330 students with special needs invited from 22 Rainbow District schools to participate in such events as races, high jump, long jump, softball throw, shot put and other common track events.
You can read the full story and see the photos here.
Thirty new COVID-19 cases and only 80 active cases in Sudbury for June 24
Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) reported Friday there was an increase of 30 new COVID-19 cases in Greater Sudbury as of Friday June 24, but at the same time, PHSD said there is "a three-day lag in the data" it is reporting.
Of the 30 new cases reported Friday, 27 were believed to have originated in Greater Sudbury, one new case was in the Sudbury District and two new cases were in the Manitoulin District.
PHSD also reports that the total accumulated number of COVID cases has reached 16,138 since March of 2020. The health unit also reports that 16,058 cases have been resolved in that same time period. It means there are currently only 80 active cases.
No deaths were reported Friday, although a COVID-related death was reported on Wednesday. The total cumulative death count since March 2020 stands at 152.
PHSD also reported that as of 4 p.m. Friday, the accumulated number of local residents that are fully vaccinated is now at 82 per cent. The health unit also publishes a new metric called The Risk Index, which measures several factors. In Greater Sudbury, the risk index is low.
Also, Health Sciences North reports there are only 25 COVID cases at the hospital, with four of those in the intensive care unit. Only three patients were under investigation (being tested) as of Friday.
Also, in Sudbury there are only two active COVID-19 outbreaks in effect. One outbreak is at the Finlandia Village-Manty Area as of June 23. The second outbreak is at the Canadian Mental Health Association, Moonlight Avenue Home. That outbreak has been in effect since June 17. PHSD said the outbreak data is current to 8:15 a.m. as of Friday June 24, 2022.
St. Jean Baptiste Day, a yearly francophone celebration
Bonne St-Jean à toutes et à tous! Every year, on June 24, Francophones across Canada gather to celebrate St. Jean Baptiste Day, and Greater Sudbury is no different.
The city is home not only to those who speak French as a first language, but share a culture that is specific to this area, and arguably, was born here: Franco-Ontarian.
Families across the community have been celebrating all week, and the events will culminate in a concert experience on Saturday, June 25, with Cercle Intime, featuring renowned musicians Zachary Richard and Robert Paquette, a presentation of La Nuit sur l’étang.
You can read the full story here.
