Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Wednesday morning.
A high-profile VP at Health Sciences North has left the job
A high-profile member of the management team at Health Sciences North in Sudbury has left the job. Jennifer Witty, who was the vice president, people relations and corporate affairs, is being replaced on an interim basis, according to a memo sent out to HSN board members from HSN CEO and president Dominic Giroux. Sudbury.com has been provided a copy of that memo. Giroux's memo did not indicate any reason for Witty's departure other than to note that it became effective on Monday, Feb. 13. "I would like to thank Jennifer Witty and acknowledge her dedication and hard work since joining HSN three years ago," Giroux stated in the message. He thanked Witty for her "diligence in emphasizing occupational health and safety imperatives throughout the pandemic and her leadership towards reducing workplace violence."
Sudbury woman pleads guilty in killing of her boyfriend
A woman who killed her boyfriend in Sudbury in 2019 has less than two months in jail left to serve after she pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Kiaro Chilton, 36, was sentenced this week by Ontario Superior Court Justice Kathleen Cullin to five years for the stabbing death of Carl Patrick Blais. But with the time Chilton has already served in custody going back to her arrest in November of 2019, she had a pre-trial credit of roughly 1,178 days. The court multiplied that credit by 1.5, which gave Chilton 1,768 days of time already served. That's four years and 10 months. To complete her sentence, Chilton must serve an additional 57 days in custody. The sentencing was based on a joint submission by defence lawyer Mary Cremer and assistant Crown Attorney Stephanie Baker. Court was told that the victim was stabbed in the abdomen sometime during the second week of November 2019, at a time when police information revealed that Chilton and Blais had been experiencing domestic difficulties and alcohol addiction. Police had been called to their home on Melvin Avenue more than once.
McIntyre Powder advocate to continue fight for workers' rights
Early on the morning of Nov. 30, Janice Martell and a group of like-minded worker advocates had gathered at Sudbury’s United Steelworkers hall, ready to board a bus for the long trip to Toronto. That afternoon, they would be seated in the Speaker’s Gallery in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to hear a long-awaited, official apology from the provincial government. At issue: a public health experiment that has left mine workers sick or dead after inhaling aluminum powder on the job. Full of nervous energy, Martell and her supporters spent the ride talking, swapping stories, and singing songs — “Working Man” by Maritime songstress Rita MacNeil was a recurring favourite — sharing in the camaraderie of a club that no one wanted to be a part of. “It was wonderful, just being on that bus with all of the other families who had all gone through loss and health issues and challenges; we were all together,” said Martell, reflecting on the day. “It was really lovely, and we just got to be able to spend time together and have that experience together.”
Pursuit: Kilby ready to take his gridiron game to the next level
Andrew Kilby might well have to tap into his pandemic patience yet again. In signing his commitment letter with the Waterloo Warriors football program last week, the St. Benedict Bears’ senior and SDSSAA all-star said one of the primary appeals of his new university coaching staff is their willingness not to sugar-coat the reality for soon-to-be high-school graduates. The simple truth is that far more often than not, the pathway onto the field for a new university recruit is typically two years or more in the making. That’s not that big a deal for the well-spoken 18-year-old who is about as “football” as they come. “I was born into a football family,” said Kilby, who will attend his first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) training camp this coming August even as he prepares to begin working toward his degree in Kinesiology at Waterloo. “My grandfather was an amazing coach at St. Charles, my uncle was a great football player and both played university ball,” Kilby said. “I just loved picking up insights from different people in my family. My grandfather is a brilliant football mind. Talking to him about football, schemes and plays as we watch NFL together, it just means a lot being able to learn from him.”
Interim Greater Sudbury tax bills in the mail
The City of Greater Sudbury has mailed out interim tax bills, whose first installment is due on March 3 and the second is due April 3. More than 27,000 properties in the community receive interim tax bills, and they are not mailed out for properties enrolled in monthly pre-authorized tax payment plans or those who have taxes remitted by their mortgage holder. Those who do not receive their interim tax bill by Feb. 17 are encouraged to phone 311. Interim property taxes help fund city services until the final tax bill is collected later in the year. These services include road maintenance and construction, libraries, firefighting, local police, parks, garbage and recycling, transit, and many more. The final bill is anticipated to jump by at least 3.7 per cent, according to the city’s proposed 2023 budget, which city council is slated to begin debating this week.
Onaping man charged for child pornography
A 72-year-old Onaping resident is facing two counts of possessing child sexual abuse material (formerly called child pornography) following the execution of a search warrant on Feb. 7. That day, members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Child Sexual Exploitation Unit along with officers of the Sudbury OPP Detachment arrested and charged the man following a child pornography and child luring investigation. “A quantity of child sexual abuse material was discovered and multiple electronic devices were seized for further analysis,” police said. The 72-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, contrary to section 163.1(4) of the Criminal Code. The accused was released from custody following a bail hearing and is next scheduled to appear in court on March 1 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Sudbury.
High of 6 on this rainy day
It’s a bit of a mixed bag of weather for your Wednesday. Expect periods of rain mixed with periods of snow in the morning and periods of drizzle late in the morning and in the afternoon. The wind will be southerly at 30 km/h. Today’s high is 6. The UV index today is one, or low. Tonight, the clouds will stick around with a 60-per-cent chance of rain showers or flurries. The overnight low is -14.
