Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Family confirms body found in Junction Creek was that of Branden Bodson-Gratton:
A family member of Brandon Bodson-Gratton, who had been missing since Dec. 3, confirmed that a body found in Junction Creek Thursday afternoon was the 25-year-old. Brandon's uncle, Doug Gratton, confirmed that the family had visually identified Branden, though police have not yet released the identity of the deceased, and will not do so until a post-mortem is completed on Monday. "It's a relief ... that this has come to a close," said Gratton. Doug asked that the public respect the family's privacy for the time being, and that no funeral arrangements have been made at this time. Full story and video here.
Batten down the hatches, some severe weather could be on the way:
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Greater Sudbury and vicinity at around 3:30 Thursday afternoon. Significant rainfall is possible Friday. Freezing rain will change to rain Friday morning before ending late Friday afternoon. There is also a risk of a thunderstormFriday morning. Significant rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 mm are possible, especially in areas that see a thunderstorm. Local ponding on streets and low lying areas is possible.
Three suspects on the loose after violent robbery of New Sudbury convenience store:
Greater Sudbury Police are warning convenience stores to be extra cautious after a violent robbery of a New Sudbury convenience store on Tuesday night. Police said, just before 10 p.m. on April 9, officers responded to a call about a robbery that had just occurred at a convenience store on Madison Avenue in New Sudbury. A conducted energy weapon, better known as a Taser, was used on the store clerk. Based on the police report, the robbery was well-planned and well-executed, and, in the words of police, “carried out with an alarming level of aggression and violence.” Given the violence of the robbery and the fact the suspects are still at large, police are warning convenience stores to take extra precautions until the men are arrested. Full story here.
Man seriously injured after being shot by GSPS officer:
A 22-year-old man was seriously injured Wednesday night, after being shot by a Greater Sudbury Police officer. Greater Sudbury Police attended the Esso gas station on Regent Street at around 10:45 p.m. on April 10, after receiving a tip about an armed robbery suspect. While in the parking lot of the Esso station, there was an altercation between police and a man, and one GSPS officer shot him. The man was transported to hospital with serious injuries. The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the police-involved shooting. Five investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to this investigation. The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.
In unusual case, Sudbury Red Cross loses battle to keep staff names from client who insulted them:
Ontario's privacy commission has ruled that a client of the Canadian Red Cross in Sudbury who made offensive comments about the intelligence of women has the right to know the full names of the female staff he insulted. The man, who is very sick and is in a wheelchair, made a request for a complete copy of all records the Red Cross had relating to his care, under the Personal Health Information Protection Act. The Red Cross complied, but redacted the full names of four staff members involved with his care. The complainant appealed to the Information and Privacy Commission, and Adjudicator Jaime Cardy issued her ruling late last month. Get the full story here.
Sudbury pot store owners fined $12,500 for not opening April 1:
The owner of the Highlife cannabis store set to open on Marcus Drive in Greater Sudbury says he's optimistic the wait is nearly over and that he'll soon be open for business. And with the province fining pot store owners who haven't opened yet $12,500 on Wednesday, Anton Lucic said he is working as fast as he can to complete the process. But Lucic said Wednesday they're still submitting information to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario as part of the process to get his license to operate. More on this story here.
Dragon Boat Festival celebrates 20 years in Sudbury this summer:
It has been 20 years since dragon boats first took over the waters of Ramsey Lake. In 2000, the Sudbury Canoe Club and the Chinese Heritage Association of Northern Ontario joined forces to celebrate the Chinese culture and promote activity through the dragon boat races. Over the 20 years, thousands of paddlers have taken on the challenge of raising money for local charities, and to compete for bragging rights. This year, the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival happens July 13 at Bell Park. More than $1.7 million has been raised for local charities since the festival's inception. This year, the NEO Kids Foundation has been chosen as the beneficiary. Full story here.
The Pothole Reporter: See a hole, report a hole with Sudbury.com:
Pothole season is here and Sudbury.com has partnered with Fuel Media to create an easy and convenient way for you to report potholes to the City of Greater Sudbury, right from your cellphone. You can find the Pothole Reporter by visiting Pothole.Sudbury.com. There you can upload photos and descriptions of the pothole you found, and the app will produce a report that you can send along to Tom Davies Square. Let's help the city not miss any potholes this year. Check with Sudbury.com every week day to find out what our Pothole Crew is up to. Drive safely out there.
Friday Weather:
Freezing rain to start the day, changing to periods of rain or drizzle in the morning and ending late in the afternoon. Cloudy later in the day with 40 per cent chance of drizzle. There is a risk of a thunderstorm in the morning. Daytime high will be 8. Mainly cloudy tonight with a 40 per cent chance of drizzle. Chances of some flurries overnight with the low sitting near zero. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
