Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Downtown Sudbury teen fight ends in stabbing
A 16-year-old male youth is facing charges including aggravated assault after allegedly stabbing another teen in downtown Sudbury Feb. 1. Around 1:55 p.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to the area of Elm Street in relation to a weapons complaint. Information provided to police was that two male youths were involved in an altercation, and one of them had stabbed the other. The 16-year-old who sustained the stab wound was transported to hospital by paramedics with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect in the stabbing, also aged 16, fled on foot prior to police arrival. Just after 6:50 p.m., officers located the suspect in the area of Notre Dame Avenue and Louis Street. He was placed under arrest and charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. This is a targeted and isolated incident, as the two individuals involved are known to each other, said police. The suspect was held in custody overnight, and is scheduled to attend bail court today, Feb. 2, to answer to the charges.
Retirement home food so bad people ordering in, residents say
Several residents of a retirement home in Sudbury have voiced disappointment with the quality of the food served to the residents. In a letter sent to the management of the Chartwell Southwind Retirement Residence, several of the clients said the situation is such that they're asking for a rebate on their monthly fees because many people are ordering food from outside the home, at their own expense. The letter was signed by Judy Erola and 19 other residents, who have formed a food committee. She is the same Judy Erola that was once an MP for Nickel Belt and a former member of the Liberal cabinet headed by the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. "Over the past two years, we have made a number of appeals for improvements to the food served to residents here at Southwind Residence in Sudbury," said the letter. "Despite meetings and discussions and promises, nothing has changed. In fact, the quality of the food had declined." The food committee, made up of Southwind residents, said it was decided to forward the concern to Chartwell's head office. The letter is addressed to Chartwell CEO Vlad Volodarski. Read the full story here.
Sudbury roads en route for slip to ‘poor’ status by 2030
Greater Sudbury roads are on a path toward further degradation due to a funding gap, and are expected to drop from an overall “fair” to “poor” condition by approximately 2030. This, according to the city’s latest update on its asset management status, which maps out both the condition of assets and the degree to which they are being funded. The latest annual total capital funding gap for various areas of municipal operations is at least $103.3 million, according to the latest incomplete estimate. Some areas of potential funding shortfalls, such as buildings and facilities, haven’t been calculated yet. Some of the existing data relies on assumptions and outdated information, which future reports are anticipated to update and refine. Municipal roads alone face a capital funding gap of $45 million per year to maintain them in their overall current state. The city’s five-year historical investment in roads is $35 million per year, and the annual need is $80 million. Read the full story on Sudbury.com's home page. Read the full story.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Laurentian University marks 2nd anniversary of CCAA declaration
In Feb. 1, 2021, Laurentian University became the first publicly funded university in Canada to file for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). The process lasted for 22 months and included mass layoffs, program cancellations, and severing ties with federated universities. The situation attracted national media attention and damaged Laurentian’s reputation, and its creditors will only receive a fraction of what they are owed over the next three years. The university recently exited the CCAA, and is now led by its new interim president and provost. At a recent meeting, the interim president shared her to-do list, which includes hiring consultants and increasing faculty. The university's plan of arrangement is funded by the province's agreement to purchase its real estate worth up to $53.5 million, though the university has yet to reveal which properties it will be selling. The Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk stated that Laurentian never needed to enter the CCAA in the first place, and the situation has raised questions about the future of public universities in Canada. Sudbury.com's Heidi Ulrichsen recently went Behind the Scenes with Scott Sexsmith to provide her perspective after spending the last two years covering this story. View the video here.
Espanola residents advised of drinking water contamination
Residents of Espanola who consumed water from that community's local water system earlier this week are advised they might have been exposed to a parasite called Cryptosporidiosis. Public Health Sudbury and Districts said the Espanola Drinking Water System had an internal mechanical problem at the local water plant between 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31 and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1. PHSD said there is the possibility that untreated water somehow entered the drinking water system. "The issue at the plant has been resolved and the risk is very low that anyone who has consumed this water during the affected times will experience any ill health effects. Water entering the distribution system after 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2023, has been properly treated," said a news release from the health unit. Residents who drank any untreated water might experience gastrointestinal discomfort. Learn more here.
OPP, RCMP warn of increase in ‘grandparent’ scams
In partnership with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, police are launching an awareness campaign to prevent “emergency scams” targeting seniors. The awareness campaign, put on through a partnership between the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), runs Feb. 6-10. Emergency scams, including variations called "grandparent scams,” use urgency and the manipulation of emotions to extort money from victims. In 2022, the CAFC received fraud reports totalling $530 million in victim losses. This was nearly a 40-per-cent increase from 2021, where reports totaled an unprecedented $380 million in losses. Specific to emergency or “grandparent scams,” in 2022, more than $9.2 million was reported lost to these schemes, according to the CAFC. This was a drastic increase from $2.4 million in 2021. Read the full story.
Nancy Deni to replace Sudbury Catholic trustee who resigned
Nancy Deni, who previously served two terms as trustee with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, has been appointed to replace a trustee who stepped down last fall, just weeks into his second term. Deni will represent Zone 5, which encompasses Wards 9 and 10 in the City of Greater Sudbury, along with the municipalities of Killarney and French River and more than a dozen unorganized townships. She was appointed trustee by the board following a formal application process. Deni previously served two terms as a board trustee for Sudbury Catholic from 2014 to 2022. She had represented Zone 4 as trustee during those years, but did not run for re-election last year. Zone 4 is now represented by another trustee, Stefano Presenza. Read the full story.
Pets & Animals: Safe and not-so-safe chew toys for dogs
Let’s set the scene: You are at a BBQ, dogs are running around living their best lives and you are playing Texas horseshoes — you know the game where you toss metal washers into a wooden box with three holes in it? You forget for a moment that your dog loves fetch, and frisbees are their favourite. You go to make a throw, the washer leaves your hand and from the corner of your eye you see that familiar face dead focused, eager to catch the ‘frisbee’ you must have been throwing for him. That is how my dog, Einstein, broke his tooth. Broken teeth most commonly occur due to trauma (hello, metal frisbee), or inappropriate chewing. Chewing is important for dogs. In puppies, it is one of the first ways they learn to interact with the world. It provides mental stimulation, relief from teething, and can help when they are anxious. Read the full story by local veterinarian Dr. Courtney Andrews in our new pets and animals series here.
Windchill of -44 C expected on Friday
Friday there will be extreme cold. Skies will be sunny. Wind becoming northwest 30 km/h gusting to 50 in the morning. High -22 C. Wind chill -44 C and -30 C in the afternoon. Frostbite in minutes. UV index 1 or low. Friday night will be clear with a low of -27 C.
