Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Thursday morning.
All Greater Sudbury roads expected to be clear by noon today
All Greater Sudbury roads are expected to be cleared by 12 p.m. on Dec. 29, assuming more snow doesn’t fall by then. This is in keeping with city policy that all roads are cleared within 24 hours of a snow event ending. City Linear Infrastructure director Brittany Hallam indicating the latest event was considered over at 12 p.m. on Dec. 28. “Things are going fairly well,” she said during the early afternoon of Dec. 28, adding a full deployment of crews, both city and contractor running more than 50 machines, were working hard to clear off both roads and sidewalks. An average of between nine and 10 centimetres fell in Greater Sudbury between the evening of Dec. 27 and late morning on Dec. 28, which brings this year’s total accumulation since Dec. 15 to 35 cm. Although it’s anticipated city roads will be cleared within the 24-hour timeframe, Hallam told Sudbury.com it might take a bit longer for crews to clear sidewalks due to staffing levels, but they should be clear by late afternoon on Dec. 29 at the latest.
Sudbury man, 33, arrested for Travelodge double murder
An arrest warrant for first degree murder and attempted murder has been issued for a 33-year-old man in connection with last week’s double homicide. The man arrested is the same man who was charged with weapons offences on Dec. 21 for the same incident. He was originally arrested on scene on an outstanding warrant for failing to comply with a probation order. Upon searching the man, officers located two firearms, said police. Shortly after 2 a.m. on Dec. 20, officers were dispatched to the Travelodge on Paris Street at Walford Road in relation to a weapons complaint, as there were reports of gunshots. A 27-year-old man was rushed to hospital, where he later died. The 33-year-old man was pronounced dead on scene. Post-mortem examinations are to be carried out to determine the causes of death. Police added that "this is believed to be a targeted and isolated incident."
Laurentian University recently paid back some of its creditors
Certain classifications of Laurentian University’s creditors were recently paid back what they’re owed. This information was revealed in a “plan implementation status” report put out Dec. 13 by Ernst & Young, which is the firm that has acted as the court-appointed monitor of Laurentian’s insolvency restructuring. In February 2021, Laurentian University became the first publicly funded university in Canada to file for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Laurentian’s journey under the CCAA was to last the rest of 2021, as well as most of 2022, for a total of 22 months in all. After having its debt plan, known as a plan of arrangement, approved by creditors earlier this fall, Laurentian finally exited insolvency on Nov. 28.
OPP lays three impaired driving charges over the weekend
Ontario Provincial Police in the region laid three impaired-related driving offences over the holiday weekend. On Dec. 23 at 12:15 p.m., West Nipissing OPP officers were dispatched to a single-vehicle collision on Highway 144 that resulted in the 29-year-old driver taking the ditch and ultimately being charged with impaired operation with blood alcohol concentration over 80. Later that same day, a 38-year-old driver from North Bay was nabbed at a RIDE check on Highway 17 in Sturgeon Falls and faces two charges, operation while impaired and operation while impaired with a blood alcohol concentration over 80 mgs. Then, on Christmas Day at 12:54 a.m., a 57-year-old Sudbury woman was arrested at a RIDE check on Front Street in Sturgeon Falls after police determined she was inebriated. The woman is charged with impaired operation and over 80, and her licence was suspended for 90 days while her vehicle was impounded for seven days.
Geraldton open-pit construction reaches the halfway mark
Construction of the Greenstone Gold Mine is at the 50-per-cent mark with the project on schedule for the first gold pour during the first half of 2024.In its latest newsletter, Equinox Gold delivered an update on activities at the site, four kilometres south of Geraldton. Greenstone Gold Mines is a joint venture between Equinox and Orion Mine Finance. Equinox reports it’s two million hours lost time injury-free on the project. When operational, the open-pit mine will employ 450 over a projected 14-year mine life and will inject some economic stimulus into the area's economy. Before winter sets in, a priority at the site is to close in all the key buildings to allow mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation crews to do their installations in relative comfort during the first few months of 2023, along with pouring interior concrete slabs.
Safe Ride Home extends hours for Dec. 30, New Year’s Eve
As part of their commitment to providing travel for those out and about this holiday season, and to ensure that no one will be driving impaired, Safe Ride Home Sudbury will be operating on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. On New Year’s Eve, there will be no last call and the phones will be answered right up until 2 a.m. Potential clients are reminded that they must have a pink liability slip or other legal evidence that their vehicle is insured in accordance with the laws of Ontario or they will not be provided with a ride. More volunteers for New Year’s Eve are still needed. Please consider joining Safe Ride Home Sudbury to help keep the community safe.
There are showers (yes, rain showers) in the forecast today
So a week or so after a snowstorm, there are showers in the forecast. Expect a high of 3 today under cloudy skies with a 60-per-cent chance of showers or drizzle. The wind will be out of the southwest at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 in the morning. Tonight, the skies will stay cloudy with a further 60-per-cent chance of showers and a low of 4.
