Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Unravelled by HIV, schizophrenia: 20 years later, he’s a university grad
Twenty years ago this past spring, Mathew Kennealy marked his 24th birthday by going to the Sudbury health unit office and getting tested for HIV. A gay man, and with HIV disproportionately affecting this population, he figured he’d do the responsible thing. “I need to know,” he said. “I'm gonna be a good gay guy and go get my HIV test.” Much to his surprise, he tested positive, and he had to tell his family and the intimate partners he’d had to date. Kennealy has no idea where he got HIV. Already experiencing symptoms of mental illness, what followed was the catastrophic unravelling of his life. “The story’s not good,” Kennealy said. “The story is homelessness and prison and mental unwellness.”
Family of woman missing since May hasn't given up hope
The family of Catherine “Wendy” Lafortune hasn't given up hope that their loved one, missing since May 1, will be found. In a Nov. 27 news release, Greater Sudbury Police Service said efforts to find Lafortune continue and police are still requesting the public’s assistance in sharing information that might locate her. Lafortune is 5-3 tall, around 130 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen in New Sudbury wearing blue jeans, a grey hoodie, a black and white windbreaker-style jacket and brown leather boots. Since she went missing, officers with the assistance of North Shore Search and Rescue have conducted a ground search of the area where she was last seen and detectives have followed up on all information and tips that have been received, states a GSPS release.
Dispute between landlord, organization could leave people homeless
A dispute between two landlords and an organization that provides transitional services to people who are homeless could end with at least nine people back on the streets of Sudbury. The accusations of unpaid rent and disputed maintenance costs have closed the Sudbury Centre for Transitional Care (SCTC) rooming houses at 495 and 519 Notre Dame. The move means nine people who were working to transition off the streets are about to be homeless again and another 12 who are precariously housed could follow them. A volley of complaints and accusations, all of which will likely be hashed out in small claims court between SCTC and the landlords, but the real impact will be felt in the loss of affordable and transitional housing in a city that desperately needs it. The landlords of the two rooming houses where SCTC clients live are accusing the founder and executive director, Jehnna Morin, of misappropriating upwards of $50,000 in funds between them and of not providing the services she claimed to offer; Morin denies the accusations, and alleges the landlords, father and daughter, Paul and Danièle Gervais, have refused to cover expenses like repairs and maintenance and have interfered with her clients’ recovery.
Council OKs $25M College St. underpass project, in principle
Built in 1949, the College Street underpass is the city’s oldest bridge yet to be rehabilitated. During Tuesday’s city council meeting, the city’s elected officials resolved to remedy this situation by approving in principle a $25-million full bridge rehabilitation project. The project would include active transportation improvements and a roundabout to the north of the underpass, where College Street meets Frood Road. Although approved in principle, city council members aren’t expected to make a final decision on whether to proceed until next year. Meanwhile, a successful motion by Mayor Paul Lefebvre passed during Tuesday’s meeting which seeks funding from senior levels of government.
Legacy of OPP Sgt. Dan Lee is remembered in Ontario Legislature
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas rose in the Ontario Legislature last week to pay tribute to a well-known Sudburian who died earlier this month. Gélinas was honouring the outstanding legacy of former Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Dan Lee, who died on November 12 at the age of 80. Lee was a career police officer with the OPP, who followed in his father's footsteps and served for 31 years with that organization. Although he was well-known in his policing role in Sudbury, it was after he retired in the 1990s that Lee became more involved in local community service. Among his many activities, Lee was a past director of the Sudbury Community Services' Board; a member of the Salvation Army advisory board; president of the Sudbury Sports Council; co-founder of Operation Red Nose; co-founder of the Sudbury Bridge of Nations project; co-chair of the 2010 Ontario Summer Games; co-chair of the Special Olympics’ National Summer Games with a long time commitment to the Law Enforcement Torch Run; founder of the OPP Strike Force Group involving at its peak four sports and 34 teams; past president and committee member for Holy Redeemer Church and Vice Chair with the OPP Veterans’ Association. Lee was a life-member of the Sudbury chapter of the OPP Veteran's group.
Ancestry of Métis Nation chair, a Sudburian, called into question
The Indigenous ancestry of the Métis Nation of Ontario’s (MNO) chair is being brought into question. While currently on leave as he deals with health issues, reports provided to MidlandToday suggest Hank Rowlinson doesn’t have any actual FNMI (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) blood. Rowlinson, who grew up in Sault Ste. Marie and now lives with his wife in Sudbury, says these allegations are false and that he has hired an investigator to track down the perpetrators. “It’s a drive-by smear campaign,” Rowlinson tells MidlandToday during a phone interview. “It’s not the first time. I’m just the flavour of the month they’re going after. Somebody started with false information and it’s like everything — it snowballs.”
