Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Tuesday's council meeting has the makings for some fiery debate:
The turbulent times at Tom Davies Square show no signs of slowing down, with the June 25 meeting shaping up to be as fiery and controversial as any in recent memory. In addition to motions on a policy to force Greater Sudbury Utilities to pay the city annual dividends, which the utility has issues with, and a motion to restrict the actions of the downtown BIA , council will also tackle a sweeping economic development reform plan from Mayor Brian Bigger. The council meeting starts at 6 p.m.
Chi-Cheemaun death: TSB and MOL not investigating after passenger falls off ferry:
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) and the Ontario Ministry of Labour are not are investigating after a passenger died when she fell overboard the Chi-Cheemaun ferry on Lake Huron Friday. A spokesperson for the TSB said the organization was notified of the woman's death. “We are not investigating, this is an OPP investigation,” the spokesperson said. The TSB is an independent agency that advances transportation safety by investigating occurrences in the air, marine, pipeline and rail modes of transportation, said its website. Janet Deline, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Labour — which, among other functions, investigates deaths and injuries in Ontario workplaces — said the ministry was not notified of the Chi-Cheemaun death, and is not investigating. The Manitoulin OPP said it is investigating the woman's death. According to a press release put out by police Saturday, the fatality is not being considered suspicious. The Chi-Cheemaun was travelling on Lake Huron between South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory late Friday night when the woman fell off the ferry. The Manitoulin OPP Marine Unit and the Canadian Coast Guard were able to locate the woman's body. Her identity has yet to be released.
Timmins 2 forest fire is now being held:
There were no new forest fires reported in the Northeast Region by late afternoon June 24. At the time of the MNRF update, there is one wildland fire in the region. Timmins 2 covers 4,645 hectares and the fire is now being held. Crews continue to identify hot spots along the fire’s perimeter. Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry staff continue to work with the community of Gogama to aid community leaders and area residents. At the time of the update, the fire hazard is mostly high across the Northeast Region, with a few areas north of Chapleau showing an extreme hazard.
Crime of the week: Suspect stole $30,000 worth of electronic equipment:
Greater Sudbury Police are seeking the assistance of the public in identifying a suspect in relation to a theft from a business on Chalmers Road. On June 17, sometime between 5:10 and 5:45 a.m., an unknown culprit driving a grey four-door Chevrolet vehicle was captured on a business' surveillance camera and was seen wandering the property. A van on the property was broken into and specialized fibre-optic electronics along with a laptop were taken. The estimated value of the stolen items is $30,000. If you know who committed this crime or any other crime, you can call Crime Stoppers at 705-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or go online at sudburycrimestoppers.com. Surveillance video can be viewed here.
Have you seen the 360 reverse scorpion dunk?
Sudbury's high-flying dunk king Jordan Kilganon is at it again with something new for fans of the jam. Kilganon has made waves worldwide by posting his impressive arsenal of aerial acrobatics to social media, racking up thousands of followers and views. His dunking ability have earned him a trip to the NBA All-Star Game, the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game, and got his photo permanently on his former school, École Secondaire du Sacré Coeur's wall of honour. Kilganon was back in his hometown of Sudbury recently, in a gym you'll probably recognize as the practice facility of the Sudbury Five, and had a new trick up his sleeve (if he was wearing a shirt). Check out the 360 reverse scorpion in the video here.
Rainbow flag and rainbow crosswalk: Cambrian celebrates pride month:
To celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ2S community, Cambrian College is flying the rainbow flag during the month of June, and its rainbow crosswalk has been given a fresh coat of paint. A flag-raising ceremony was held earlier this month at the entrance to the college’s main campus in Greater Sudbury. The ceremony was organized by Cambrian’s diversity committee and included a teaching about Two Spirit from Kelly Senecal, the Cultural Facilitator at the Wabnode Centre for Indigenous Student Services at Cambrian. It is the first year Cambrian has raised the rainbow flag, and the second year for the rainbow crosswalk. “Celebrate today by looking at everybody as one, and by learning from one another,” said Cambrian College president Bill Best to the crowd of more than 100 people attending the ceremony.
St. John Cemetery celebrates life, community at their sixth annual BBQ:
Under a blanket of sun, St. John Cemetery hosted their sixth annual barbecue fundraiser for the Garson community Sunday, with an afternoon of music from organist Ben Scagnetti, good food and old friends. This year, St. John Cemetery chose the Sudbury Food Bank as their principle beneficiary, although a small portion of funds will be allocated to installing a few water lines at the Garson property. For the first four years, the barbecue was held to support improvements to the cemetery, but founding member of the St. John Cemetery Improvement Group John Monaghan said the group decided to pick a local beneficiary now that the majority of renovations have been completed. In 2018 St. John's Cemetery welcomed more than 400 people to their pristine grounds, and was able to donate $7,000 to Maison McCulloch Hospice. The 2019 BBQ saw far better weather than last year, and Monaghan is confident that they will once again be able to make a sizeable donation. Full story here.
Hey, did you pay your property taxes yet? The deadline is coming up fast:
If you own property in Greater Sudbury, be aware that your taxes are due very soon. Tax bills will be due on July 8 and August 8. If you have not received your final 2019 tax bill, phone the city at 705-674-4455, ext. 2601.
Tuesday Weather:
Some cooler weather and rain showers in the forecast today. Mainly cloudy with a 40 per cent chance of showers and risk of a thunderstorm this afternoon. Tuesday's high will only get up to around 21. Increasing cloudiness this evening with a 60 per cent chance of showers. There is a risk of a thunderstorm. Overnight low will be 14. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.