Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Decision in Robert Steven Wright bail hearing expected today:
Superior Court Justice Edward Gareau is expected to deliver his decision on the bail review hearing for Robert Steven Wright, the man accused of killing Renee Sweeny in 1998.Gareau plans to deliver his decision on May 14, by telephone conference, at 1:30 p.m. There is a publication ban in effect with respect to evidence during the bail review hearing. This is the second time Wright is seeking bail. He was denied bail in March 2019 after Ontario Superior Court Judge Edward E. Gareau cited concerns about the adequacy of monitoring devices and the ability of his proposed surety at the time to keep a close enough eye on him. Sweeney was murdered in 1998 while she was working at an Adult’s Only video store on Paris Street. She was 23.
Fear of COVID-19 not a good reason for bail for teen accused of Sudbury attempted murder:
A Toronto teenager accused of attempted murder in Greater Sudbury couldn’t use COVID-19 as a reason to get bail from Sudbury District Jail, a judge has ruled. Superior Court Justice Alex Kurke dismissed an appeal from Keshaun Halovich, one of five people charged in a Feb. 9 incident on Whittaker Street that wounded two men. Combined, the five suspects face 51 charges with 11 offences including attempted murder with a firearm, weapons dangerous, prohibited device, possession of a firearm without being the holder of a licence, pointing a firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm and being masked with intent. Halovich was denied bail in March during a special bail hearing. His lawyer, Robert Beckett, said following that hearing, his client intended to appeal the decision. Full story here.
Four kittens found in a dumpster in apartment complex:
Greater Sudbury Police were called in relation to an animal in distress at an apartment complex on Edmund Street at around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, May 13. Upon arrival Officers were met by the individual who called in the complaint indicating that there were kittens in the dumpster located on the apartment complex property. The kittens could be heard crying and moving inside of the dumpster. Officers with the assistance of the caller gathered and removed four small kittens from the dumpster, taking them to a cruiser to keep them warm. The kittens were brought back to GSPS headquarters and are currently safe. The kittens are going to be placed with a local rescue that has nursing mother cats. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact GSPS at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.
Latest COVID-19 festival cancellation: Downtown Sudbury Ribfest:
Downtown Sudbury Ribfest is the latest Greater Sudbury festival to announce it is cancelling its 2020 edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “With the current concerns about public safety due to the covid-19 crisis, the Board of Directors of ‘Downtown Sudbury’ BIA has decided, with heavy hearts, to cancel the 2020 edition of the event with plans to see the event re-emerge in 2021 bigger and better than ever,” said a press release from organizers. The festival has taken place on the Labour Day long weekend since 2008, and has raised more than $115,000 for local charities over the years. For the past few years, the festival's charity of choice has been the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, and in 2019 over $20,000 was donated from the event. The three day festival draws more than 50,000 people to the city’s core for a weekend of local music, family entertainment, festival foods and of course: six professional rib teams competing to see who serves up the best food. “We look forward to seeing everyone for a bigger and better Downtown Sudbury Ribfest 2021,” said the press release. “In the meantime – be safe, stay healthy and be kind to one another!”
In-person Relay for Life cancelled, but Canadian Cancer Society has virtual event planned:
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian Cancer Society recently made the decision to cancel its in-person Relay for Life event in Sudbury, scheduled for June 19. This year, the charity has reimagined Relay For Life into Relay At Home – a way for people to Relay online from home and respect physical distancing. The Canadian Cancer Society invites everyone to join them online for the event on Saturday, June 13 from 7–9 p.m. This online event will feature all the hallmark components of traditional in-person events and allow people to make a difference from the comfort of their homes. There will be interactive activities for people of all ages and special moments to help celebrate survivors and remember those we’ve lost to cancer.
Of the 475K people tested so far, fewer than 1% confirmed positive:
Apart from the 13,395 pending tests, fewer than one per cent of the 475,058 people tested for COVID-19 in Ontario to date have actually been found to have the virus. There was a slight dip in the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded since Tuesday's update, once again outweighed significantly by the number of individuals presumed to have recovered. An additional 329 cases were logged with this latest update, along with 454 resolutions, 40 deaths, and the testing of 15,137. This brings the total number of cases confirmed in the province to 21,236, including 15,845 resolutions and 1,765 deaths. There are currently 1,018 individuals hospitalized with the virus provincewide, of which 189 are in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 144 in the ICU on a ventilator. Health Sciences North has one of these confirmed cases in its ICU as well as seven unconfirmed cases in other departments. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care reported seven more outbreaks at long-term care (LTC) homes, bringing the total number of active events to 180, following the resolutions of 64. There are now 2,690 LTC residents or patients and 1,672 LTC staff fighting the virus in relation to these outbreaks. Since the pandemic began, 1,269 LTC residents of patients and less than five LTC employees have died as a result. Included in this total are three active outbreaks in the area, at St. Gabriel’s Villa and Finlandia Nursing Home in Sudbury, and Wikwemikong Nursing Home on Manitoulin Island, each with one case.
Essential Worker spotlight: New nursing grad never imagined being on the front line of a global crisis:
Sudbury.com's Essential Worker of the Day is a new daily feature that applauds our local health care and other essential workers who continue to serve our community during these uncertain times. We honour an essential worker every day at noon. But that's not all. Every other Wednesday, we will feature an essential worker as part of our Community Leaders Program. On Tuesday, as part of National Nursing Week, we are shared the story of a new nursing graduate who found herself in the middle of a global crisis. When Victoria Falvo earned her nursing degree in June 2019, she never imagined she would be working on the front line of a pandemic just eight months later. "I think I can safely speak for all the new grads out there when I say it’s been a challenge for sure and school did not prepare us for this," Falvo told Sudbury.com. Find the full story here.
COVID-19 pandemic brings out the need for speed, say police:
Preliminary investigation results show that speed was a factor in a fatal single-vehicle crash on Municipal Road 35 on May 6, said Greater Sudbury Police Service at the launch of Road Safety Week in Greater Sudbury. That crash killed the 19-year-old driver, and is one of three fatal crashes investigated by Greater Sudbury Police in 2020. Over a three-year span, from 2017 to 2019, police investigated 30 fatalities — 10 each year. In about 65 per cent of those fatailies, alcohol, drugs or prescription medications or a combination of these substances were factors, said Traffic Sgt. Tim Burtt. It’s an important aspect to highlight the launch of National Road Safety Week, which coincides with Police Week, he said. This year's theme for National Road Safety Week is about "Shifting Gears," and police are encouraging Canadians to think differently about problematic driving behaviours by broadening their understanding of the rules. Full story here.
Thursday Weather:
Cloudy skies today with periods of rain beginning in the afternoon. Thursday's high will be sitting at 12. Showers expected to end near midnight. Overnight low will be 5 with a 40 per cent chance of drizzle. Wind south 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light late in the evening. Low plus 5. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
