Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Mills launches campaign Tuesday:
On Tuesday, Greater Sudbury mayoral candidate Patricia Mills will be launching her campaign today at her campaign headquarters at 176 Larch St. at noon. Mills will talk about what she’s heard during her Listen Learn Lead activities and share her platform for growing the community, attracting and retaining the next generation of citizens and creating an open and transparent city hall. Sudbury.com will bring you coverage of today's campaign launch so be sure to check back with us.
Election roundup - Sept. 17:
A pair of mayoral candidates had comments on roads this week. Dan Melanson says that one simple change could break the never ending cycle of filling the same potholes on Sudbury's roads. Melanson held a news conference on Sept. 17 on the grounds of Laurentian University to discuss the city's pothole issue and how the problem can be addressed. The candidate chose Laurentian as the site for his conference as the school has been using different material to patch its potholes than the city uses. "It's about 50-per-cent more expensive for this material (at Laurentian) but the lifespan is indefinite," said Melanson. "You look at the patches here and they were done years ago, then you go around to some of the patches the city has put in, you're lucky if they last a couple of hours." Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger says he'll fight to ensure the four-laning of Highway 69 is completed. In a news release Sunday, Bigger said that the new Progressive Conservative government has said it's reviewing the project as part of its line-by-line review of spending, but haven't said they won't complete it. “It is commonplace for every new government to analyze projects between phases and prioritize spending but there’s been no formal indication or cause for concern with regards to the finishing of Highway 69,” the letter said. Bigger said finishing the project is vital to Northerners and is something that should be above politics. In council race, Ward 11 candidate John Lindsay is wondering if the city breached Election Act advertising rules. Last week, the City of Greater Sudbury purchased two-page ads in both local English-language newspapers concerning the large projects on the books that have become one of the defining characteristics of this municipal election campaign. Lindsay said the rules regarding election advertising are pretty clear and he feels the ad that ran in Northern Life and The Sudbury Star break those rules.
Gélinas calls for Ontario government to address cuts at Health Sciences North:
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas rose during a rare Saturday sitting of the legislature, to compare the priorities of her constituents in Sudbury and Nickel Belt to the current focus of Ontario’s legislature. “I want to bring forward to the House something that is happening in Sudbury right now. Our hospital, Health Sciences North, is facing an $11-million deficit. They were really encouraged when they heard the Premier say that there would not be any layoffs of nurses, that he would make sure, moving forward, that hospitals would be staffed with the right amount of personnel to look after us. Well, this is not at all what is happening," said Gélinas. "In Sudbury right now, we have already lost 70 nurses. Just this week, Health Sciences North announced that it is closing parts of the breast screening clinic, which helps women who are diagnosed with breast cancer access services in a timely fashion." "We’re going to be talking about the “notwithstanding” clause that the Premier wants to bring forward," said Gélinas. "There are some real needs out there. There are promises that have been made to people who count on this government to be there for them. Those are the people I represent, and those are the priorities that this chamber should be occupied with.”
Rash of counterfeit bills moves closer to Sudbury:
On Sept. 9, West Nipissing police received a complaint of counterfeit money from a local pharmacy. Police learned that a young man with short hair wearing a white top and shorts was a customer in the store, and asked for change for a $20 bill. After receiving two $10 bills he left the store. The suspect’s identity is unknown at this time, police said. Meanwhile the next day another complaint of counterfeit money was received by the WNPS. The business owner contacted the police after the counterfeit bills were discovered while conducting a financial review of payments. The police seized the counterfeit $20 bills and the investigation is ongoing. Counterfeit Canadian bills have been circulating in the region all summer, but so far, Sudbury has mostly avoided the problem (or at least the issue hasn't been widely reported to police). Greater Sudbury Police say there hasn't been much reported in the Nickel City regarding counterfeit money. Over the summer, one fake U.S. $20 was reported. The bill was catalogued and sent to the RCMP's national anti-counterfeiting bureau.
You can drop off gently-used winter clothing donations at Rainbow board schools:
Rainbow District School Board schools are making this winter a little warmer by participating in the Winter Clothing Drive powered by Cooper Equipment Rentals in support of Our Children, Our Future. Members of the community are invited to drop off gently used winter clothing at any of the Rainbow District School Board’s elementary and secondary schools in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island until Oct. 31. Clothing will be redistributed within the schools and communities served by the board. “This is our fourth year of participating in the Winter Clothing Campaign,” said R.H. Murray Public School principal Chris Bourré, who is co-ordinating the effort on behalf of Rainbow schools. “Last year, Rainbow schools collected 5,816 items of clothing, from coats, to hats, to scarves, to mitts. Thanks to generous donations from the entire community, we were able to distribute 14,428 clothing items to children in need across the city."
Sudbury has more than a dozen little free libraries: here's where you can find them:
Sudbury’s newest libraries are so small, you can’t even go inside. The Greater Sudbury Public Library (GSPL) has put up 12 “Little Free Libraries” across Sudbury over the past two years — from Coniston to the Donovan — and several residents have set up libraries independently. They’re proving to be a hit. The GSPL’s charming, dollhouse-sized red boxes with cedar-shingled roofing and glass doors have an informal “take-one-leave-one” policy, and are intended to supplement traditional libraries. “I know a lot of people use libraries, but a lot of people don’t,” explained Jessica Watts, who co-ordinates outreach, projects, and programs for the GSPL. “It’s a different way to get books into peoples’ hands.” Find out where you can find Sudbury's little free libraries here.
Seventh chapter of 'Perspective' film screens at Cinéfest Friday, Sept. 21:
Chapter seven of the nine-part, locally-produced dramatic feature “Perspective” screens at Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 21. Subtitled “Variations on a Love Triangle,” Perspective was written, produced, and directed by Canadian filmmaker B. P. Paquette, and stars Stéphane Paquette, Patricia Tedford and Pandora Topp. The film is divided into nine chapters, shot over nine years, and spans nine years in the lives of three characters named “Alex.” “Perspective” is unique in that it is a film in progress, and will continue to evolve until 2020. Every year since 2012, a new chapter has been presented exclusively at Cinéfest, along with each proceeding chapter. Each chapter runs approximately 10-20 minutes, with the completed film expected to run 140 minutes.
Tuesday Weather:
After a balmy day on Monday we'll be returning to more seasonal temperatures for the rest of the week. A mix of sun today with a high of 18. Partly cloudy skies this evening with the low dropping to 8. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
