Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Parent assaulted after house league peewee game March 1, assoc. investigating:
The president of the Walden Minor Hockey Association said he is going to get to the bottom of a March 1 fight that broke out between parents of opposing hockey teams at Centennial Arena. Darren Vagnini said one parent was assaulted during an altercation that happened in the lobby of the arena following a game between two house league peewee teams. “We're conducting an investigation to find out exactly what happened,” Vagnini said. The parents involved in the fight were from teams from the Walden Minor Hockey Association and the Valley East Minor Hockey Association. Valley East Minor Hockey Association President Yves Lalonde also said the incident is being investigated. He said he didn't want to speculate on what happened, and declined to comment further. Vagnini said it's these types of parents who are ruining the sport for the children. More on this story can be found here.
Teachers' strikes cancel classes at three of four local boards Thursday:
Classes are cancelled at three out of four local school boards Thursday, March 5 due to strikes by two different teachers' unions. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has cancelled classes that day due to a provincewide, one-day strike by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association. There is also no school Thursday at schools run by the two local French boards, Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon and Conseil scolaire publique du Grand-Nord de l'Ontario. In this case, school closures are due to a provincewide, one-day strike by Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO). The only local board whose schools remain open Thursday is the Rainbow District School Board.
Video: Alex Trebek provides a video update on his health:
The one-year survival rate for Stage 4 is 18 per cent, Alex Trebek says, and he’s one of the lucky 18. The Sudbury native and iconic game show host released a video this week in which he updates his fans and followers on his condition. Trebek said the fight has been difficult at times. Now, I’d be lying if I said the journey had been an easy one,” he said. “There have been some good days, but a lot of not-so-good days. “There were moments of great pain.” Severe and sudden depression, a side effect of the treatment, sometimes made him wonder if it was really “worth fighting on.” He said he has been able to bounce back quickly from those bouts of extreme sadness. Trebek’s chance of surviving another year is about seven per cent, he said. For now, the Jeopardy! host says he’s taking things one day at a time. Watch the video here.
Hospice campaign raises whopping $9.1M for expansion:
The Sudbury Hospice Foundation wrapped up its three-year Stand By Me Campaign having raised a whopping $9.1 million for the expansion project at Maison McCulloch Hospice. The campaign was launched on Feb. 22, 2017 and exceeded its original goal of $8.1 million, which was needed to expand the hospice by 16,000 square feet and add 10 beds to the palliative care facility. Gerry Lougheed Jr., who chairs the foundation board, said the additional $1 million raised will go towards furnishing the building and purchasing state-of-the-art equipment. "It's not just the bricks and mortar," Lougheed said. "It's the enhancement and the maintaining of the gold standard for hospice care in our community." Construction of the expansion began in 2017, the same year the fundraising campaign was launched, and is expected to open this May. Get the full story here.
Helpers: Elise Denis says it’s a privilege to help bring zest for life to those living with dementia:
Sometimes you should just trust your heart to know the right thing to do. Years ago, Elise Denis did just that and it put her on track to giving back in a way that is helping the community and her elderly mother. Denis (née Brunet), her sister and two brothers grew up in the historical Flour Mill, a working-class section of Greater Sudbury. Although their parents were poor, Denis said the Brunet kids didn’t feel they were any less fortunate “probably because most of our neighbours were in a similar situation.” Denis retired from BMO in 2013, having proudly served for 38 years. Reflecting on her career, she described how the financial institution encouraged its employees to make a difference in their respective communities. Through her employer, Denis also became involved with United Way. She credits a former co-worker for mentoring her as a volunteer. In fact, the two women served together for several years on the organization’s allocations committee. Since retiring, Denis is involved as a bingo volunteer, raising funds for the Alzheimer society through Delta Bingo. At Pioneer Manor, she helps residents who love to play bingo, but who may have a difficult time recognizing numbers or marking their cards. Learn more about Elise Denis here.
MineConnect: Sudbury mining supply group takes new name:
A Sudbury-based mining supply group is rebranding itself. The Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA) has been renamed MineConnect. The group made the announcement at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada annual conference in Toronto, March 2. “SAMSSA was launched over 15 years ago to service the mining supply and services sector with a geographical focus on Sudbury,” said executive director Paul Bradette in a news release. “This doesn’t accurately reflect who we are today, as our focus has grown to include all of Northern Ontario. Our board of directors felt strongly that for us to truly become inclusive, our branding, name, and overall positioning needed to reflect that.” The group’s president, Rick Lemieux, believes the organization is poised for success. “MineConnect will play a major role in servicing the mining supply and services sector to continue to position themselves as the economic horsepower for all of Northern Ontario," said Lemieux. "We have not only changed the name and look of the company, but we have structured our board to ensure we have the right group of individuals in place to drive our message and fulfill our mission.”
Wolves host Greyhounds and Frontenacs this weekend:
The Sudbury Wolves are looking to build off a successful weekend where they picked up five of a possible six points against Central Division rivals. The push for the playoff continues this Friday at 7 p.m., when the Wolves get set to host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the final game of the Bell Challenge Cup before the Wolves wrap up the weekend as they host the Kingston Frontenacs. Sunday’s game is set for 2 p.m. The Wolves continue to lead the Central Division with 66 points and hold the lead by six points over the Barrie Colts. Prior to this weekend’s games, the Wolves will travel down Highway 69/400 to visit the Barrie Colts for the final time this season on Thursday. Game time is 7:30 p.m. In this matchup, Wolves overager Macauley Carson will break the franchise record of 301 games played in a Wolves uniform.
Team activates Five coach Logan Stutz as a player and fans are freaking out:
Late on the evening of March 3, the following, rather cryptic, post appeared on a fan page for the Sudbury Five, the Sudbury Five Fanatics. Some speculated the post was some kind of hoax, but it turns out that isn't the case at all. A fan got the news straight from the horse's mouth as it were, by visiting the Transactions page on the National Basketball League of Canada website. There, next to the date March 3, 2020, the NBLC reported the Five had not only released player Carl Lewis III, but had activated Stutz, the team's head coach, as a player-coach. Fans wondered rightly: What the heck is going on?Sudbury.com reached out to Miranda Swain, the marketing manager for SW Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Five. As it turns out, the answer was kind of mundane. "Logan will only play in an emergency situation tomorrow night (March 5) if required," Swain said. "It is unlikely, but if there is an injury or too many players get fouled out, he may need to step in. We are currently in the middle of a long road trip out east and are down a player."
Thursday Weather:
A mix of sun and cloud to start the day, becoming cloudy near noon then snow. We could see around 2 cm of snow this afternoon. Thursday's high will be right around the freezing mark. Snow is expected to continue into the evening with between 5-10 cm by Friday morning. Overnight low will get down to -7, feeling like -13 with the wind chill. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
