Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Tuesday morning.
Courtney Gaudreau and Julie Lamothe want you to know their names
Two women in Sudbury want you to know their names: Courtney Gaudreau and Julie Lamothe. Both women have accused someone of sexual assault, and during the court process, their names were shielded from public view. It’s a way to protect those who are accusing another in a court of law. But both women told Sudbury.com the ban was preventing them from healing. They felt a ban put in place for their protection shouldn’t prevent them from telling their story, and though it would expose them, both felt it was necessary to ask the court to have the publication ban covering their names lifted. Covered under Section 486.5-1 of the Canadian Criminal Code, publication bans are used in court to protect the identity of a victim or witness from public knowledge, and prevents the media from publishing identifying information. It’s often use to shield witnesses who are afraid to testify or vulnerable witnesses, such as children, but also, it is used to encourage victims to report offences that are usually under-reported, like sexual assault.
Rainbow Board: 149 newcomer students registered in just five weeks
The Rainbow District School Board said it registered 149 students who are newcomers to Canada in just five weeks in the lead up to and beginning of the new school year, reflecting the influx of newcomers to this region in recent years. “Our aim is to ensure that children get into the schools as soon as possible,” said Melanie Bertrand, Rainbow board principal of student success, speaking at the Sept. 24 Rainbow board meeting. “So we have a family who's starting at their new school tomorrow, three children who are thrilled. They can't wait to attend.” Over that five-week window, the schools with the most newcomer registrations were Lockerby Composite School, Churchill Public School, Princess Anne Public School and MacLeod Public School.
Downtown traffic stop turns up pipe bomb
Greater Sudbury Police turned up a pipe bomb following a traffic stop in downtown Sudbury Saturday night. Just after 8:30 p.m. Sept. 28, while on general patrol in the area of Elm Street at Elgin Street, Greater Sudbury Police Service officers observed a motor vehicle bearing a licence plate that was not authorized, and subsequently conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. During the traffic stop, officers discovered open alcohol inside the vehicle. A subsequent search was conducted on the vehicle and on the three individuals occupying the vehicle. During the searches, police located a pipe bomb in the trunk of the vehicle. GSPS officers immediately set up containment of the area to ensure public safety. The Emergency Response Unit and Explosive Disposal Unit arrived on scene to safely seize the explosive device and transport it to a safe location.
Agreement with Nairn adds backup fire protection in Beaver Lake area
Beaver Lake-area residents can rely on firefighters from the Township of Nairn and Hyman Fire Department as backup for emergency services along the western edge of Greater Sudbury. That is, unless township firefighters are busy tending to incidents in their own community. An aid agreement with the township was agreed to in August, which Greater Sudbury Fire Services Deputy Chief Jesse Oshell said finalizes an arrangement already in place. “It formalizes and brings up to date our historic aid agreement we’ve had with Nairn Centre that was not particularly formal or well-documented in the past,” he said. “It’s an aid agreement that allows Greater Sudbury to contact Nairn Centre fire services and request their assistance in a predetermined geographic area.”
Let’s eat! Delight in this new pho spot that opened downtown
It’s a remarkable foodie feat. Viet Nguyen has narrowed his comfort foods and his wife’s favourite dishes down to one menu. Everything served on the menu at Pho Viet Delight downtown, from Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio to pho and traditional fried spring rolls called Cha Gio, are featured. Viet, a mechanical engineer and real estate investor, has now added the title “restaurateur” to his list of accomplishments. He and his wife, Natalie, opened Pho Viet Delight in the downtown core earlier this month. The couple is part of an investment firm that owns residential and commercial properties from Manitoba to New Brunswick. Florida is also on the acquisition list for the Nguyen’s and Infinite Property Investment Group. “This one is named after me and might even become a franchise for us one day,” Viet laughed.
Smart Commute Sudbury: 125 potential carpool partners signed up
Practising what they preach when it comes to environmentalism, staff from the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee have signed up for the Smart Commute Sudbury rideshare program. Available online at SmartCommute.ca and through an app of the same name, the program provides tools and resources to help cyclists, walkers, carpoolers and transit users navigate their routes along with other people. “When we heard about Smart Commute, it sounded like a natural fit for the stewardship committee to be involved,” Junction Creek Stewardship executive director Miranda Virtanen said, pointing to their environmental mandate. With more staff during the summer, including placement students, Virtanen said arranging sustainable transportation was a good way to promote not only environmentalism, but also helped those summer students without vehicles get to where they need to be.
