Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Grace United Church struck by lightning twice, and second bolt caused the fire:
Grace United Church was struck by lightning not just once but twice on Wednesday, and that second bolt of lightning is likely what caused a destructive fire at the church. That's the theory the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office and Greater Sudbury Fire Services has come up with after an investigation into the fire as to the blaze's “probable cause.” According to Jesse Oshell, acting deputy fire chief with Greater Sudbury Fire Services, firefighters were first called out to the Minnow Lake church between 6 and 6:30 p.m. A resident saw lightning strike the church's steeple during the thunderstorm which hit the city around that time. “Our crews attended, and we indeed found some minor damage to the roof of the steeple,” Oshell said. There were some electrical issues firefighters thought were caused by the lightning, so power to part of the church was cut, and staff advised to contact an electrician. Then, at around 9:30 p.m., Greater Sudbury Fire Services were called out to Grace United Church because the building was on fire. The church was ultimately destroyed in the blaze. After an investigation by the fire marshal and local fire services, the conclusion is that a second bolt of lightning hit the church between 9 and 9:30 p.m. Get the full story here.
Meldrum Bay drowning victim ID'd as teen from Chatham:
The teen who drowned in Meldrum Bay off Manitoulin Island on July 22 has been identified as an 18-year-old man from Chatham. At around 1:26 p.m., Manitoulin OPP and Sudbury-Manitoulin EMS were called out to a report of a possible drowning. The young man was pronounced dead at the scene. He has since been identified as Kyle Benedict, 18, of Chatham. His death is currently under investigation by the Office of the Chief Coroner and Forensic Pathology Service (OCC-FPS). A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help his family cover funeral and travel costs. In the description, Erin June, who started the campaign, describes Benedict as "a gentle soul" who was "inclusive, fun, adventurous, caring and a pillar of strength." "Kyle Benedict was the loving son of his mother, Samantha Davis. He was his dad William Benedict's shadow. His little sister Aurora was his best friend from day one," Erin June wrote. Benedict recently completed Grade 12 at John McGregor Secondary School in Chatham, who was planning on returning to high school for a victory lap in the fall. A hockey player when he was young, Benedict became an avid cadet with the 59th Highlander Army Cadet Corps, rising to the rank of master warrant officer.
A great combo: McDonald's commits $50,000 to NEO Kids:
The owners of a trio of Sudbury McDonald's locations made a significant commitment to NEO Kids to the tune of $50,000 over the next five years. Brad Haines and his wife Joanne have been in Sudbury for just over a year and own the McDonald's on the Kingsway, along with the two Wal Mart locations. It hasn't taken Brad long to adopt the giving spirit of the community, as he parlayed the Kingsway location's grand re-opening celebration on July 26 into a chance to give something back. "For the past week leading up to the re-opening, $1 from every Big Mac sold at all three locations will be going to NEO Kids," said Haines. "That's our kickstart for this $50,000 commitment that we'll be making over the next five years." A large chunk of the funding will be coming from future McHappy Days, which is arguably the biggest single day fundraiser that McDonald's holds every year. In the past, funds raised on McHappy Day have gone towards Ronald McDonald House, but franchisees are allowed to split the money between that and a charity of their choice. For Haines, NEO Kids was an easy choice when it came down to deciding where the funds would be directed. "I had heard a lot about NEO Kids and I certainly understand the importance of having a facility like this locally," he said. "This is such a great cause and for my wife and I it was an easy decision."
Double-header Spartans playoff action hits the turf at James Jerome on Saturday:
The Sudbury Junior Varsity Spartans continue their playoff march this weekend with a semi-final matchup on Saturday at the James Jerome Sports Complex. The junior Spartans defeated the Orangeville Outlaws in the OPFL playoff quarter-final match last Saturday and will take on the York Lions in the semis. The York Lions defeated the North Bay Bulldogs last weekend in order to advance. They are sure to bring tough competition and make for a very entertaining match between the two teams. The JV Spartans had faced the Lions earlier this season losing by just a single point in a 21-20 battle. With their line-up sorted out and a full season of practice and play, the JV team is ready for the re-match. The Men's Spartans team will also be in playoff action this weekend as they get set to face off against the Ottawa Sooners in the NFC’s Quarter-Finals. Last weekend, the two teams faced off with the Sooners taking the victory over the Spartans in their final game of the regular season. The JV game kicks off at 4 p.m. and the Spartans will follow at 7 p.m., with both games taking place at the James Jerome Field.
Knife-wielding thief robbed Lasalle corner store:
Greater Sudbury Police have released an image of a suspect in an armed robbery of a convenience store on Lasalle Boulevard last Sunday. “At 2:15 a.m. on July 21, 2019, officers responded to a robbery that had just taken place,” police said in a news release Friday. “A man entered the store, approached the employee and demanded money while displaying a knife. “The employee did what he was told and the man left the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. The employee was not injured during the interaction.” A K9 track failed to locate the wanted man. He is described as white, about 5-foot-5, with light brown wavy hair. He was clean shaven at the time of the incident and has a large tattoo on the inside of his left forearm. He was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and black pants. Anyone with information regarding the man’s identity is asked to contact police at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.
Union upset as Gateway cuts 70 jobs at Casino Rama:
The union representing workers at Casino Rama in Orillia is “outraged” Gateway Casinos has announced layoffs of 65 full-time and five part-time Casino Rama workers. More non-union layoffs are also planned, although the number of jobs have not been revealed. With the cuts, Gateway will employ less than 1,200 unionized workers at the casino, down from its peak of 1,700. “Gateway has already profited from the privatization of Ontario casinos,” Jerry Dias, Unifor national president, is quoted as saying in a news release. “Now Gateway is gaming the system on the backs of its employees.” The B.C.-based Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Limited added Casino Rama to its gaming properties on July 18, 2018, and has plans to expand in communities across Ontario. Unifor, Canada’s largest gaming sector union, raised several concerns regarding the decision to sell off Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s assets and grant private operator licenses.
St. Charles man charged for sexually assaulting a youth:
On July 22, a 36-year-old man from St. Charles was charged for sexually assaulting a young person. Members of the Nipissing West OPP Detachment with the assistance of the Sudbury OPP Crime Unit responded to a report of a sexual assault of a young person on July 22. As a result of a police investigation, a 36-year-old man from St. Charles has been charged with the following Criminal Code offences: Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference. The accused was released on a promise to appear and undertaking and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Sudbury on Sept. 4. The accused's name has been withheld to protect the identity of the victim.
Family devastated at having to endure yet another parole hearing for their parents' murderer:
A split decision at a recent parole board hearing is devastating news for a family fighting to make sure the man who killed their parents stays in jail. George Harding Lovie, now 59, was convicted of murdering Donna and Arnold Edwards in Hamilton in March 1991, as well as the attempted murder of their daughter, Michele, with whom he had a brief relationship. Lovie was out on bail on charges of sexually assaulting her and forcible confinement when the murders took place. Lovie hid under Michele's porch overnight with a knife and a gun, and attacked her when she walked out of her home. When she ran across the street to where her parents lived, Lovie shot and killed Donna Edwards, and stabbed Arnold Edwards to death, shouting “d'you like me now?” as he inflicted the fatal wounds. In 2016, he applied for six unescorted temporary absences to allow him to come and stay in a halfway house in Greater Sudbury for three days at a time, over 12 months. The Parole Board of Canada turned him down, but he was granted a one-day pass to visit his father in Peterborough. Don Edwards, son of the slain couple and a former NHL goalie with the Buffalo Sabres, said in an email Lovie is now applying for day parole, which would allow him to live in a halfway house in Greater Sudbury. His application was heard by the parole board July 9. Under a new format, the parole board now has two members, not three, meaning that split decisions are now possible. In this case, it was a tie vote, meaning a new hearing has to be held with different parole board members. Full story here.
