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Good Morning, Sudbury! Here are eight stories to start your day

090518_psw
Staff shortages, tough working conditions, and low paying job have PSWs frustrated as they fight an uphill battle. (File)

Good morning, Greater Sudbury.

Here are some stories to start your day.

PSWs feel they're fighting a losing battle:

Everyone has the occasional bad day at work, but they have nothing on Nancy Rodrigue. She has been struck, almost had her wrist broken, had her hair pulled, been punched and kicked and subjected to full-out attacks, and had feces flung in her face during her eight-hour shifts. Violence is almost a given in her job as a personal support worker at Villa St. Gabriel Villa in Chelmsford, as it is for PSWs working in hospitals, other long-term care homes and the community. Rodrigue, 50, has 13 years as a PSW, six of them at St. Gabe’s. Her job is to provide basic, intimate care to people who are old, frail and arguably at the most vulnerable point in their lives. It’s work that often pays less than $20 an hour and which many PSWs, most of them women, are leaving -- or just not entering -- in droves. More on this story here.

Looking to the future: HSN unveiling two major plans next year:

Health Sciences North is in the midst of a crucial period of planning as the hospital will be finalizing their Strategic Plan and Master Plan in 2019. Meeting May 8, the Health Sciences North board of directors heard from CEO Dominic Giroux with respect to where the hospital will be headed in the years to come.  Giroux outlined some highlights in his update to HSN's capital master plan, explaining that it must be aligned with the 2019-2024 strategic plan which will be finalized in January 2019. When speaking about the two plans, the hospital's strategic plan is a much more concise document, made up of no more than five key goals and no more than 25 measurable outcomes to be achieved by HSN and HSNRI by 2024. The master plan is a larger, more overarching document that looks at the hospital's phyiscal footprint over a span of up to 20 years and the capital costs associated with the bricks and mortar at HSN. Outlined in Giroux's expectations for the Master Plan is to have fewer patients in unconventional bed spaces, in spite of the growing demand that an aging population will be putting on the system. Giroux says that opportunities need to be explore to expand the number of beds to meet clinical standards to meet future demand, and to do so in a cost-effective manner.

Thibeault excited to pound the pavement:

Glenn Thibeault was brimming with excitement on May 9, as the incumbent MPP for Sudbury opened the doors to his campaign office on Barrydowne Road. Manning the grill and greeting supporters who stopped by, Thibeault was in high spirits, talking about getting out and knocking on doors. "I logged over 14,000 steps today," he said, checking his FitBit on his wrist. "We were knocking on doors all over New Sudbury, meeting and talking with people in the community." While he doesn't deny that there is a great deal of work involved with campaigning, Thibeault says he relishes the opportunity to be out speaking with constituents and discussing the issues that matter most to them. "Day one is an opportunity for me really to hear from people without actually being part of the election. Hearing what their concerns are, what they want to talk about, or what they've been waiting to say." he said. "For me this truly is my job evaluation." More on this story can be found here.

This is our shot, Sudbury NDP hopeful says:

As he describes it, Sudbury NDP candidate Jamie West says he has neither a hockey card nor a byelection scandal, so he's still unknown to many voters. The backhand reference to Tory candidate Troy Crowder (a former NHLer) and Liberal MPP and Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault extends more broadly to the provincial campaign, where he says controversies involving both parties have dominated the headlines. "The Patrick Brown fizzle sucked all the air out of the room, so it was difficult for the press to pay attention to anything else," West said, sitting in his newly opened campaign headquarters on the Kingsway. "It was like a car crash that lasted for two weeks ... You couldn't look away. "But I think that will change as (NDP Leader Andrea Horwath) gets out, and the candidates get out and start talking about the platform, and demonstrating that this election is all about change,” he said. “I think it's very, very unlikely that Kathleen Wynne is going to win again. You don't have to be a pundit to know that.” What has him eager to get started is the number of people telling him they're considering voting New Democrat for the first time. Full story can be found here.

Wanted Wednesday: Accused animal abuser breached court-ordered conditions:

Sudbury Rainbow Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the arrest of Zakkary Hall. The 26-year-old man is the subject of this week's Crime Stoppers Wanted Wednesday press release. Hall allegedly breached his court-ordered conditions April 20. He's wanted for injuring or endangering animals and breach of recognizance. He's described as 5-8, 130 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. If you have information about Hall or his whereabouts, you are urged to call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or locally at 705-222-TIPS.

Wolves mega fan has some strong opinions on the name of Sudbury's pro basketball team:

Like a lot of Sudburians, Jim Stefanko (you know, that Wolves mega fan!) was excited to find out what Sudbury's new professional basketball team will be called.  But a rant video he released Tuesday on the name of Sudbury's new pro basketball team went viral on Facebook, racking up more than 7,000 views and counting. The name was unveiled Tuesday at a press conference at the Red Fang Tavern downtown. In case you missed it, the team that will rep the Nickel City in the National Basketball League of Canada is called the Sudbury Five. Fittingly, Stefanko lists the five things he dislikes about the name, the Sudbury Five. Check out the rant here.

Annual Junction Creek brook trout release is on May 12:

The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee hosts its 10th Annual Junction Creek Festival and Trout Release from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 12. The event takes place this year at Twin Forks Playground on Gary Avenue. It is free to attend, and hot dogs and drinks will be available for purchase. Festival goers will release brook trout into the stream to help maintain a healthy population. Staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry will be on site to assist with the release of about 1,000 fish. The MNRF has donated more than 25,000 brook trout since the year 2000.

Concert puts local female musicians in the spotlight for a good cause:

Local female musicians will be in the spotlight for a good cause during a concert called SHE ROCKS – A Night Celebrating Women in Music set for May 11. The concert is being put on by the Voices for Women Sudbury Sexual Assault Centre, and starts at 8 p.m. at the Grand Night Club. Among the performers are Angie Nussey, Pandora Topp, Sarah Craig, Loire Doyon, Darlene, Mimi O’Bonsawin, Jennifer Holub, Jennifer Herd and Julie Katherine. The performances will be followed by a dance party hosted DJ Vynelle from Voluminous Entertainment. Tickets cost $40 in advance and $45 at the door.

Thursday Weather:

Cooler day ahead for Thursday with rain showers early in the day. Thursday will be mainly cloudy with rain ending near noon. High will be 12 today. Partly cloudy this evening with the low dropping below zero to -2. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.

Current Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

-2.8°C

Pressure
101.5 rising
Visibility
32.2 km
Dewpoint
-6.3 °C
Humidity
77%
Wind
WNW 14 km/h

Radar Satellite


Hourly Forecast

Today
10 AM
-4°C
Chance of flurries
Today
11 AM
-3°C
Chance of flurries
Today
12 PM
-2°C
Cloudy
Today
1 PM
-1°C
Cloudy
Today
2 PM
0°C
Cloudy
Today
3 PM
0°C
Cloudy
Today
4 PM
1°C
Cloudy
Today
5 PM
1°C
Cloudy
Today
6 PM
1°C
Cloudy
Today
7 PM
0°C
Cloudy
Today
8 PM
0°C
Cloudy
Today
9 PM
-1°C
Cloudy

7 Day Forecast

Chance of flurries

Today

1 °C

Cloudy. 30 percent chance of flurries this morning. Wind becoming west 20 km/h late this morning. High plus 1. Wind chill minus 12 this morning. UV index 3 or moderate.


Mainly cloudy

Tonight

-9 °C

Cloudy. Becoming partly cloudy after midnight. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 9. Wind chill minus 13 overnight.


Periods of snow

Saturday

4 °C

Mainly sunny. Increasing cloudiness in the afternoon then 40 percent chance of snow late in the afternoon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High plus 4. Wind chill minus 14 in the morning. UV index 4 or moderate.


Chance of flurries

Saturday night

-6 °C

Cloudy with 40 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 6.


Sunny

Sunday

6 °C

Sunny. High 6.


Clear

Sunday night

-4 °C

Clear. Low minus 4.


Sunny

Monday

9 °C

Sunny. High 9.


Cloudy

Monday night

-3 °C

Cloudy. Low minus 3.


A mix of sun and cloud

Tuesday

4 °C

A mix of sun and cloud. High plus 4.


Chance of flurries or rain showers

Tuesday night

-3 °C

Cloudy periods with 30 percent chance of flurries or rain showers. Low minus 3.


Chance of flurries or rain showers

Wednesday

5 °C

A mix of sun and cloud with 40 percent chance of flurries or rain showers. High plus 5.


Cloudy periods

Wednesday night

-5 °C

Cloudy periods. Low minus 5.


A mix of sun and cloud

Thursday

7 °C

A mix of sun and cloud. High 7.


Yesterday

Low
-4.4 °C
High
1.6 °C
Precipitation
1.2 mm

Normals

Low
-7.1 °C
High
3.2 °C
Average
-2.0 °C

Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise
7:08 AM
Sunset
7:50 PM

Record Values

Type Year Value
Max 1977 14.7 C
Min 1970 -22.2 C
Rainfall 2009 26.6 mm
Snowfall 1975 8.1 cm
Precipitation 2009 27.2 mm
Snow On Ground 1959 94.0 cm

Based on Environment Canada data