Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Will we set another heat record?
The spring heat wave Greater Sudbury is currently experiencing is officially record-breaking. Wednesday’s temperature got up to 30.9 C. The previous temperature record for May 31 in Greater Sudbury was 30.2 C in 2007. The current temperature record for June 1 is 27.1 C set in 2005, meaning today’s predicted high of 31 C could easily shatter that record as well. The city is currently under an Environment Canada heat warning. Daytime high temperatures are expected to be near 30 degrees Celsius today through Friday. Overnight temperatures are expected to be in the high teens, providing little relief from the heat. Cooler temperatures return on Saturday. Sudbury.com will report later this morning whether we set a heat record on Thursday.
Restricted fire zone in effect across much of Northern Ontario
A restricted fire zone has been declared effective Thursday, June 1, at 12:01 a.m. due to the extreme forest fire hazard in parts of northern Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says. No open air burning, including campfires, is permitted within the boundaries of a restricted fire zone. (Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth but must be handled with extreme caution, the ministry said.) All burning permits are suspended. The restricted fire zone is in place until further notice, the ministry said. The zone includes the districts of Sault Ste. Marie/Blind River, Chapleau/Wawa, Sudbury, North Bay, Hearst/Cochrane/Kapuskasing, Timmins/Kirkland Lake, Minden/Parry Sound/Bracebridge, Pembroke, and parts of the Peterborough/Bancroft District.
Reward offered for tips on whereabouts of murder suspect
Sudbury Rainbow Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of a man police say was involved in the April 21 shooting at Overtime Sports Bar on Notre Dame Avenue that left a man dead. During the evening of April 21, Greater Sudbury Police said multiple men were involved in a verbal altercation at the sports bar. The group was ejected from the bar, but according to a statement issued by the owner of Overtime Sports Bar, a group involved in the altercation returned a short while later and fatally shot 22-year-old Joe Cabigon. Incidentally, the pickup truck GSPS said was used as the getaway vehicle in the shooting was seized by police late last month. Not only was the truck used in the Overtime shooting, GSPS alleges, it was also used in the commission of several other crimes. One arrest has already been made in relation to the murder of Cabigon. On April 29, the 16-year-old young offender police allege was the shooter was arrested in Toronto. However, another suspect, 19-year-old Noah Singh, is still at large. Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
North to reap the rewards of BEVs, minister tells delegates
Just as the discovery of oil in Texas fuelled the U.S. economy for a century and a half, so will the critical minerals of Northern Ontario fuel the electric vehicle economy of this province in the years to come. That was part of the message Wednesday when Ontario Mines Minister George Pirie spoke to the second annual BEV-In-Depth conference being held to promote the battery electric vehicle industry in Sudbury and the rest of Ontario. Pirie’s speech was nothing short of a rally-the-team pep talk for Northern Ontario mining. The BEV event is on at Cambrian College with hundreds of delegates gathered to discuss how Sudbury can best take advantage of the economic opportunities provided by the growth of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in both the automotive and mining sectors. Battery electric vehicles require energy from large new-technology batteries that are created using critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and graphite.
Public feedback sought on Garson Arena’s proposed renaming
The City of Greater Sudbury is seeking the public’s feedback on a proposal to rename the Garson Arena after former Greater Sudbury resident and hockey hall of famer George Armstrong. The Nickel Centre Minor Hockey Association put forward a formal request earlier this year to rename the Garson Community Centre and Arena as the George Armstrong Community Centre and Arena. The centre’s current name is “generic,” according to a nomination form submitted by the Nickel Centre Minor Hockey Association, which has proposed the new name, George Armstrong Arena and Community Centre. “In the spirit of Indigenous culture and recognition” in the City of Greater Sudbury, “and due to the fact that George Armstrong had an incredible career as a professional hockey player of Indigenous descent,” they said the centre should be renamed after him.
Queer North film fest program reveal kicks off Pride Month
Pride Month kicked off in Greater Sudbury on June 1 with the reveal of Queer North Film Festival’s program. Queer North Film Festival is back at Sudbury Indie Cinema from June 15-18 for its seventh edition with its biggest program ever. The festival is currently the only queer film festival in Northern Ontario. It celebrates the diversity of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and two-spirited communities through quality cinema. Queer North spans four days, drawing crowds from across the region with film premieres, artist talks, and parties that focus squarely on queer-themed films and videos from Canada and around the world. “Happy Pride Month to you,” said the festival’s director, Beth Mairs, who’s also indie cinema’s executive director and lead programmer. “It’s a time of year that we really look forward to. And I think with Queer North, what we're looking to do is to be a bit of a respite, that will be a restorative place and an inspiring space.
High of 29 and a risk of afternoon thunderstorm
Expect a high of 29 today that will feel like 32 thanks to the humidity. There will be a mix of sun and cloud with a 40-per-cent chance of showers in the afternoon and the risk of a thunderstorm. The UV index today is eight, or very high. Tonight, expect cloudy periods with a 30-per-cent chance of showers and a low of 15.
