Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Tuesday morning.
Public hearing set for old Paris Street hospital site proposal
Panoramic Properties’ intentions for the old Paris Street hospital property will be put under the lens on April 29 during its first public hearing on April 29. The developer’s application is on the April 29 planning committee meeting agenda, which notes the project consists of 109 retirement home guest rooms, 421 multiple dwelling units, up to three levels of underground shared parking and 380 square metres of restaurant space. With this the first of two public hearings, city staff made no recommendations for the April 29 hearing, but will do so for the application’s second hearing. The application tabled for the April 29 meeting echoes the proposal outlined in a media release Panoramic Properties issued last year, which company spokespeople declined to answer questions about. In the wake of last year’s initial round of information on the latest proposal for the property, city council expressed optimism that the company would pull through this time around.
Sudbury officer accused of assault back in Espanola court
A Greater Sudbury Police officer appeared virtually in Espanola court on April 22, a second appearance for charges including assault, uttering threats (death or bodily harm) and causing a disturbance. Melisa Rancourt, a GSPS officer since 2018, was disciplined two years ago for refusing to show proof of vaccination at a hockey arena in Espanola and is facing these new charges after allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old hockey player on Feb. 11. Rancourt’s lawyer, Len Walker, told Justice Dana Peterson that after instructions were received from the assigned Crown attorney, David Kirk (who is based out of Sault Ste. Marie), Rancourt would be proceeding with a judicial pre-trial (JPT). Her next appearance in Espanola court is June 17 to update the judge. The judicial pre-trial is a meeting between the defence and their client, the Crown, and a judge. The JPT is meant to sort out issues before the trial or, if possible, resolve the case without a trial. Outcomes might include a withdrawal of the charge(s), diversion, or a guilty plea. Unless the case can be resolved, at the conclusion of the judicial pre-trial, a date will usually be set for a guilty plea, preliminary inquiry or trial.
‘Generous spirit’: Former Battistelli’s YIG owner remembered
Frank Battistelli, former owner of Battistelli’s Your Independent Grocer in Lively, died April 1 after a short illness at the age of 85. “His life was a precious gift to all who knew him, and he was loved by so many,” said his obituary. A celebration of Battistelli’s life took place Saturday, April 20. He’s survived by his wife of 56 years, Linda Battistelli, and his two children, Brent (Jane) and Lisa (Chris Brown), and their families. “Frank was a highly respected grocer for 48 years having worked alongside many in his franchise business and with Loblaws,” said his obituary.
Cubs go up 2-1 in championship series lead over Voodoos
Noah Metivier earned his fourth shutout of the playoffs and helped lead the Greater Sudbury Cubs to a 5-0 win over the Powassan Voodoos on Sunday, and allowed them to take a 2-1 series lead in the race to the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League final. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series was played at the Powassan Sportsplex. “Supplying an eventual early game-winner, the Cubs opened the scoring just over three minutes into the match-up as defenceman Brock Houser moved along the blueline and took a Noah Kohan feed and fired a shot from the high slot that hit off a defender and flipped past Voodoos’ netminder Daniel Dirracolo,” the league said in a news release. Both teams were a bit chippy out of the gate and the first period was a testy affair with more than its share of penalties. By intermission, the Cubs single goal was all that had been scored in the first. The Voodoos picked up a couple of power plays in the second period, but couldn’t beat Metivier. The Cubs didn’t have that concern though, and earned themselves two goals in the middle frame.
Totally tubular: Nostalgiacon a trip down memory lane
With a musical backdrop of MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” the theme to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and more, a lot of very happy millennials and Gen X-ers, many with their kids in tow, were at Cambrian College April 21 for a trip down memory lane. The second annual Nostalgiacon, organized by Northern Gaming Events, celebrates “everything we grew up with as kids, reliving our youth,” said organizer Brad Davidson. Want to buy vintage video games or records? Merch from your favourite 1980s or 1990s television show? Check out a real-life R2 D2 robot? Get your photo taken in a throwback photo booth? Those were all options at the event. “You can see them walking around with smiles on their faces,” said Davidson.
Let’s eat! Las Churras has empanadas and more at the Sudbury Market
Melisa Valenzi is known for sharing her love of the Spanish language with the Sudbury community for almost 15 years. Now under the name “Las Churass”, she is bringing her empanadas to visitors to the Sudbury Market. These crescent-shaped dough delights can be filled with ingredients like beef, chicken, cheese or vegetables. Las Churras, Valenzi explained, is a term used to describe something or someone that is particularly good-looking, which is exactly what she wants people to say about her food. “When you pass a handsome or beautiful person, you say this and that’s what I want people to say about these,” she said. Valenzi began offering the empanadas for customers in June, 2023. Growing up in an Italian/Argentinian household, she said she learned to make great pasta and pizza, and empanadas.
