Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Hundreds get the shot at Sudbury's first drive-through COVID-19 vaccine event:
Hundreds of Sudbury area residents took advantage of a new style of mass vaccination event Monday to get immunized against COVID-19 while sitting in the comfort of their own vehicles. Sudbury's first ever drive-through vaccination clinic is being held at the Real Canadian Superstore at 1485 Lasalle Boulevard, a collaborative effort between the Primacy Medical Centre and Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD). The event is by appointment only, but even before the event began at 8 a.m. Monday, vehicles were lining up. They were met by traffic marshals moving the vehicles into one of six vaccination stations. There they were met by PHSD staff who did brief screening interviews with each patient, checking out their Ontario Health cards and assigning them to a drive-through station. Find more on this story here.
Expansion: Grocery, restaurant workers can book their COVID-19 vaccine:
Ontario is expanding its vaccine rollout plan on two fronts this week. As of Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 8 a.m., individuals with at-risk health conditions such as dementia, diabetes and sickle cell disease, as well as Group Two of people who cannot work from home including grocery store, restaurant and transportation workers will be eligible to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Ontario government said this is due largely to "a stable and reliable increase in vaccine supply" In addition, effective Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 8 a.m., individuals turning 40 and over in 2021 in non-hot spot communities will also be eligible to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass immunization clinic. Get the full story here.
‘Dilemma’: Judges allowed Laurentian to sever ties with federated universities because alternative was bankruptcy:
Although presenting the court with a “dilemma,” two Ontario Superior Court of Justice judges say they allowed Laurentian University to sever ties with the federated universities operating on campus because the alternative was allowing LU to go bankrupt. The judges have now released the detailed reasoning behind their rulings, which were released earlier this month. Laurentian argued that given its insolvency, it cannot afford to continue to transfer around $7 million per year to the federated universities. Thorneloe University, the University of Sudbury and Huntington University had all offered courses counting toward Laurentian degrees. But with the severing of ties to the federated universities, Laurentian plans to educate these students in-house. Spring classes at all three federated universities have now been cancelled due to the situation. Both Thorneloe and the University of Sudbury went to court late last month to fight Laurentian’s plans to terminate the federation agreement that goes back to the founding of the university more than 60 years ago. Full story here.
Public Health Sudbury reports seven new cases of COVID-19 for Monday May 10:
Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) has reported seven new cases of COVID-19 for Monday, May 10. PHSD also said there are now 80 active cases being monitored by public health officials. Also, since the PHSD began tracking COVID-19 cases just over 14 months ago, there have been 2018 total COVID-19 cases confirmed locally. PHSD also said 1,938 of those cases have now been resolved. With respect to where the newest COVID-19 cases might have occurred, the PHSD daily update page reported that seven cases were found in the Greater Sudbury area. In terms of possible causes of the new and recent cases, PHSD reported seven cases linked to close contact of confirmed cases. On the provincial COVID-19 register Monday, the Ontario government daily website reported 2,716 new confirmed COVID-19 cases across the province.
It’s National Police Week, and celebrations are virtual again this year:
May 9-15 marks National Police Week, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrations will take place virtually this year. This year’s theme is “Working together to keep our communities safe,” Greater Sudbury Police said today. “We thank all of our members, both sworn and civilian, for their dedication to community safety and well-being,” said the GSPS.ca website. “We also thank you, our community members, for your ongoing support.” National Police Week began in 1970 as a way for the police to connect with their communities and to increase awareness about the services they provide. Typically, police services would host a community event to engage with community members; however, for the second year in a row, celebrations are being held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Greater Sudbury Police will be introducing the public to various members and units of the service over social media this week. So keep an eye out for that.
Ontario stay-at-home order may be extended past May 20:
Ontario is considering extending a stay-at-home order set to expire next week in an effort to control a devastating third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The move would keep thousands of businesses closed and outdoor recreational facilities shut, despite critics saying the latter would help boost deteriorating mental health among residents. Health Minister Christine Elliott said Monday that experts are advising the government to "stay the course" with restrictions set to lift May 20, even as case counts and hospitalizations have begun to decline. "We're looking at that information on a daily basis," she said, of the province's COVID-19 figures. "(Medical experts) have advised us to stay the course for now, but we really need to see a pretty significant drop in the numbers of cases." The province reported 2,716 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, along with 19 more deaths. The cases were based on more than 27,000 tests. More on this story here.
New Music Monday: Lisa Marie Naponse unveils ‘Power and Strength’:
The song is called “Power and Strength”. It was written by Lisa Marie Naponse, a singer and songwriter from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, as she watched her niece’s hair blowing in the breeze. Naponse, who is also known as ‘Odeminkwe’ or ‘strawberry/heartberry woman,’ was at the lake, sitting in the grass with her guitar in hand. There was a melody and few chords swimming around her brain and fingertips, but no words yet. Until she saw her niece standing in front of her. “The lyrics just flowed,” said Naponse. “I wondered if she knew how much power and strength she has, as an Anishinaabe Kwe (woman),” said Naponse. “I want her to grow up knowing she belongs, that she has a purpose and gifts to share with the world, and that she is loved. I want this for every Indigenous girl.” It was this desire that translated into the lyrics of the song, Power and Strength, now available on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon as well as Naponse website, Odeminkwe.com.
Let’s eat! Check out Papaya Pops, Greater Sudbury’s artisanal frozen treat shop:
There is a buzz around popsicles. Maybe it is the trend for summer 2021? Are you ready for those blistering days of June, July and August? Look for these local treats to beat the heat. There were kids milling around the shop window on Main Street in Chelmsford. The attraction? A small-framed menu card was their focus. It gave the names and ingredients of a dozen frozen treats awaiting inside. No hesitation, they knew they wanted popsicles, but which ones? They were having trouble making their minds upIt is a challenge, so a box can be assembled for you. Maybe bring a cooler? Spicy Mango, Coconut Cream, Chaga (no kidding) and Chocolate-Dipped Pineapple are but a few. The cherry and maple syrup “May the 4th be with you” was a one-day-only feature that I happened to chance upon — oh, so good! Roxanne Langemann is a professional, but has never had a business before. This idea is a winner sure to garner attention now, and experience sustained interest for years to come. Learn more about Papaya Pops here.
Tuesday Weather:
A few flurries to start the day, changing to a few rain showers late in the afternoon. Mainly cloudy today and we could see up to 2 cm of snow. Daytime high will be sitting at around 9. Clear skies into the evening with the temperature dropping to 3 overnight. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
