Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
AOK: 12 Days of Kindness
If you haven’t seen one of Sudbury.com’s 12 Days of Kindness videos, here’s what everyone has been talking about. Every morning at 7 a.m. until Dec. 21, we will post a video in which we reward one deserving Sudburian with an Act Of Kindness (AOK). Last week we surprised basketball enthusiast Cassandra Roberts and dedicated Northern Cancer Foundation volunteer Bev Brisco, but we’re not stopping there. Check back with Sudbury.com later today to see how we surprise one retired teacher that really ROCKS.
Elderly tax credit application deadline Dec. 31
Residents have until Dec. 31 to apply for the 2018 elderly tax credit. Eligible taxpayers are required to apply for this rebate annually. If approved, residents will receive their rebate in the form of a cheque. Visit Sudbury.com for details on eligibility.
Sudbury road closure
Lisgar Street will be closed from Dec. 10 until Dec. 17 for sanitary pipe repair. Motorists will not have access during the repairs, while pedestrians will have access on the west side of the street. The southbound curb lane on Paris Street between York Street and Ramsey Lake Road will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 11 for ditching and rock scaling. The road work has been scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and should reopen upon completion.
The dogged determination of a Copper Cliff couple
A Copper Cliff family has taken their desire to give their dogs treats with no additives or preservatives and turned it into a full-fledged business. Mike and Grace Dempsey have been operating Jake's Kitchen out of their home for about two months now. Their treats are made of dehydrated meats bought locally. For more details on Jake’s Kitchen visit Sudbury.com.
Jobless rate was 6.3 per cent in November, StatsCan reports
Greater Sudbury added jobs in November, but a surge in the size of the labour force – the number of people looking for work – pushed the city's jobless rate up. Factoring in the range of error, StatsCan says unemployment in Greater Sudbury could be as low as 5.5 per cent or as high as 7.1 per cent. Compared to the same time in 2017, city's unemployment stood at 6.4 per cent, with 81,800 people working out of a labour force of 87,300. Read the full report online at Sudbury.com.
City budget process begins next month
In May, councillors directed staff to prepare a budget that maintains existing services while keeping property tax increases to no more than 3.5 per cent. The direction included options on how to limit the tax hike to three per cent and 2.5 per cent. The process of finalizing Greater Sudbury's roughly $540 million budget will begin Jan. 22, when the new city council will formally receive a copy of the draft budget. Further details on the budget and projected budget cuts can be found at Sudbury.com.
Winning streak continues: Wolves trot the Barrie Colts out of town
The Sudbury Wolves secured their fifth straight win Friday night with a 5-1 victory over their Central Division rivals, the Barrie Colts. Wolves goalie Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen, made an impressive 28 saves throughout the evening holding the Colts to only one goal. Wolves goal scorers included Blake Murray, David Levin, Darian Pilon, Macauley Carson and Quinton Byfield. Enjoy the full game report online at Sudbury.com.
Sudbury Five Vs. The Windsor Express
The Sudbury Five faced off against the Windsor Express at the Sudbury Arena yesterday afternoon. Check back with Sudbury.com later today for photos and a full game report.
On a roll: Six straight wins for the Sudbury Wolves
Nothing but stars in the eyes of the hometown boys last night as the Wolves secured their sixth straight win with a 5-4 victory over Western Conference rivals, the Guelph Storm. After an 8-round shootout, Toropchenko was unable to match Pilon's goal leaving the Wolves to claim victory. Final shots on goal were 38-23 in favour of Guelph. Check out the full game report online at Sudbury.com.
Sleepy Monday weather
Increasing cloudiness will pair with light flurries in the afternoon for an overcast day. Winds of 15 km/h will make the high of -8 C feel more like -24 C in the morning and -13 C in the afternoon. Cloudy periods expected overnight with a 30 per cent chance of flurries and low of -11 C.