Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Thursday morning.
Santa Claus is coming to town this Saturday: Get the details
You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to Greater Sudbury for the 63rd annual Greater Sudbury Santa Claus Parade Saturday, Nov. 18. Sudburians turning out for the popular downtown Sudbury event kicking off the holiday season will notice it’s a bigger parade than last year. “We have 74 floats registered for this year’s parade,” said parade co-chair GSPS Const. Rick Carr, speaking at the Nov. 15 press conference outlining details of the parade. In 2022, following the parade’s return after the COVID-19 pandemic, there were only 50. Carr said “we never know year-to-year” how many floats will apply to take part in the parade.
GSPS investigating residential building fire in Garson
Greater Sudbury Police are investigating after local firefighters who battled a Garson blaze on Nov. 13 determined the fire to be suspicious. Police said that just before 5:15 a.m. on Nov. 13, officers were dispatched to a residential building on Orell Street in Garson in relation to a suspicious fire. “Information provided was that City of Greater Sudbury Fire Services had attended the scene and firefighters determined the fire to be suspicious,” GSPS said in a news release. Police also said that prior to the residents being alerted to the fire by the fire alarms inside the residence, they reported to police that an unknown suspicious person dressed in dark clothing was seen in the vicinity of the building that caught fire.
Man’s 2018 death at HSN subject of coroner’s inquest
The 2018 death of a man at Health Sciences North following him being detained by the Ontario Provincial Police is now the subject of a coroner’s inquest. On Nov. 15, Dr. Harry Voogjarv, the regional supervising coroner for the North Region out of Sudbury, has announced that an inquest will be held into the death of Erkki Mannisto. A release from the Ministry of the Solicitor General states Mannisto, 22, died in hospital on Sept. 7, 2018, “after an event that occurred while he was detained by Ontario Provincial Police.” An inquest into his death is mandatory under the Coroners Act. “The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Mannisto’s death,” the solicitor general’s office said. “The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.”
Silver Stick tournament kicks off this coming weekend in Sudbury
The biggest minor hockey tournament in Sudbury will thrill avid hockey fans throughout the city over a period of two weekends in mid-November and into December. It is Silver Stick time again and that will see hundreds of fans lining up at local arenas to watch the action. Games will be played at the T.M. Davies Community Centre and Arena, the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex, the McClelland Community Centre and Arena and the Carmichael Arena. Admission is free to all tournament games, said tournament director Peter Michelutti. The full slate of games is available through the tournament calendar which is located online. The first games will be held at noon on Thursday when the Nickel City Sons (U13A) play the Copper Cliff Reds at the Countryside Pad No. 1. Games will continue through until Sunday night, Nov. 19, and then pick up again on Nov. 30. Hockey action will continue through until Dec. 3.
First case of influenza confirmed in Sudbury for the fall season
The first locally confirmed case of influenza for this fall season has appeared, Public Health Sudbury & Districts said this morning. "Similar to last year, this local activity indicates an early start to our influenza season. Area residents are reminded to protect themselves and others from respiratory infections by implementing simple and effective protective practices." said the news release from Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD). “As we enter the respiratory season, getting your flu shot is a simple and effective way to protect yourself, loved ones, co-workers, and the community,” said Christina Baier, a manager in the PHSD Health Protection Division. She said the flu vaccine is available at many locations throughout the city, including local drug stores and doctor's offices.
Fashion TV icon finds comfort in sharing breast cancer story
When Canadian television icon Jeanne Beker was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring of 2022, she decided to share her story openly. She said she has a close friend who had gone through breast cancer and had kept it secret, and saw what a burden that was for her. “I didn’t have the guts to keep the thing secret,” said Beker, speaking Nov. 14 at the 25th annual Luncheon of Hope fundraiser in support of breast cancer care and research in Northeastern Ontario. The 71-year-old Beker said she was also “brought up with the belief that our personal stories are the most precious gift that we can give one another,” and made a career out of being an open book. So the first day in the chemo chair at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, she went on Instagram and shared that she had breast cancer.
