Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Festive season is upon us and so is the GSPS RIDE campaign:
Greater Sudbury Police Services launched their festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign on Nov. 28. Officers set up a spot check on MR 80 in Hanmer and checked hundreds of vehicles to ensure that drivers were getting where they were going in a safe and sober manner. The police service runs RIDE spot checks throughout the year, but there is some added focus on stemming impaired driving during the holiday season. "The whole premise is that during the Christmas season drinking is intensified," said Sgt. Tim Burtt, GSPS. "We know that people are going to parties more often so there's definitely a focus on Friday and Saturday nights during the month of December." In addition to the "typical party nights" GSPS has added morning and daytime spot checks to their campaign this year as they are finding impaired drivers at all hours of the day. "We're focusing on different time frames this year, mornings and afternoons we're still catching impaired drivers," said Burtt. "We get a lot of morning afters where people were out late partying and they are still impaired in the morning. We've had a lot of morning collisions that we've responded to where the driver was impaired." Get the full story here.
Not giving up: Women form new watchdog group to monitor breast cancer services at HSN:
Health Sciences North administrators say it’s a done deal, but Anne Matte just will not give up. A registered nurse, Matte was one of a group of mostly women who two decades ago helped establish the Breast Screening and Assessment Service at what is now Health Sciences North. Earlier this year, breast surgeons were told by HSN administrators that consultations with patients would have to be moved into their offices in the community rather than be held at the HSN clinic. OHIP pays for consults in doctors’ offices, but surgical clinics at BSAS are funded by the hospital. HSN is cutting and trimming wherever it can to reduce an $11-million deficit. Months ago, surgeon Dr. Rachelle Paradis expressed the concern of hers and her colleagues that women would end up waiting longer for breast consultations because they would have to be fitted into surgeons’ general practices in the community. HSN was looking to trim $270,000 by changing what it says is just one element of a comprehensive breast program. Months of negotiations with surgeons, letter-writing campaigns by people fiercely loyal to the clinic and protests by dozens of people have caused HSN to reconsider. HSN is now agreeing to hold one clinic day a week for women for whom there is a high suspicion of breast cancer. The previous eight clinic days a month that were scheduled were under-utilized last year, which was not a good use of hospital resources, said Mark Hartman, former vice-president of cancer and clinical support at HSN. Matte, Murdock and others who protested the changes to BSAS are somewhat relieved the most severe cases will still be seen at the hospital clinic -- and quickly. But Matte is worried about the change of criteria for referrals in-house and how that will change. The women have formed a new group – the Breast Assessment Coalition – to keep a close eye on how changes may affect patients. Matte and coalition members are reaching out for volunteers to serve as president, secretary, treasurer and communications officer for the coalition. “We need new blood,” said Matte of the call for people, particularly younger ones, to get involved in the coalition. It will meet for an election of officers Thursday from 6-8 p.m. in meeting room one in the basement of the Mackenzie Street branch of Greater Sudbury Public Library. The public is invited to attend.
Wanted Wednesday: Police have outstanding warrant for Mika Raivio:
Greater Sudbury Police Services has an outstanding warrant for the arrest of 36-year-old Mika Raivio. It's alleged that on Aug. 23 and Sept. 4, Ravio breached court ordered conditions. Raivio also has many outstanding charges including fraud, personation with intent and theft. The whereabouts of Raivio are unknown at this time. He is wanted for breach of recognizance and fail to appear in court. Mika Raivio is described as 5-10 tall, 161 lbs. with light brown hair and blue eyes. If you know this person and where he is presently located, you are urged to call the Crime Stoppers tip line toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS or locally at 705-222-TIPS(8477). You must call this number to be eligible for a cash reward. Tips can also be submitted online at www.sudburycrimestoppers.com.
Postal uncertainty: ODSP benefits must be picked up, province says:
The federal government may have legislated them back to work Tuesday, but disruptions caused by the rotating Canada Post strikes are still being felt. The Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said Tuesday that because of the uncertainty related to the labour dispute, people receiving ODSP payments by cheque will not receive their November payment by mail. Instead, recipients are being asked to pick them up in person at local offices. You can determine where the closest location is by entering your postal code here.
'Wonderful': Sudbury Community Foundation hands out thousands on Giving Tuesday:
It was partly thanks to a Sudbury family's unexpected stock market windfall that more than $35,000 in grants were handed out to local non-profit groups by the Sudbury Community Foundation on Giving Tuesday. Fred Slade was at the Nov. 27 funding announcement, which he called a “wonderful” event, to hand out grants to half a dozen charities on behalf of the Gord and Pat Slade Heritage Fund. He said he was there to represent his parents, as they're now 89 and 90 years old, and in frail health. The money in the endowment fund came from stock that had done well on some of the boards his father sat on. “All of a sudden he had this money he never had, and really didn't have a need for,” said Fred. “He gave it away to a number of organizations, including this one. The beauty of this is it carries on … it leaves a legacy.” He said his father learned charitable values early on, as he grew up during the Depression, and his family often gave people who were down on their luck a meal. “If he was here talking to you today, he'd say the reason I do this is because I want other people to do the same thing — I want to be an example,” Fred said. “He said there's lots of millionaires here in Sudbury, and they should be more generous.” Alexandra Curry, executive director of Sudbury Community Foundation, said the organization has provided funding of about $1.4 million over the past 20 years to local charities. That includes more than $166,000 in 2018 alone.
Nickel City Cheese: Sudbury is falling in love with this local cheese maker:
Even Miss Muffet would approve of Nickel City Cheese. Sudbury's agriculture scene has gotten a lot more diverse with a cheese factory about 20 kilometres northeast of Sudbury on Regional Road 15 in the suburb of Azilda. The factory has been growing since it opened this past spring, offering made fresh daily cheddar curds and bricks in a variety of flavours. Owner Nicole Paquin says demand for their fresh cheese has been steady since they first opened, often selling out of their signature flavoured curds. For her, it's been a long-term goal for her to establish a cheese factory in the region. Before this, she worked in the office of the Ministry of the Attorney General for 14 years part-time and wanted something more. “I remembered the fromage des villages from where I grew up in Quebec, and wanted to bring that here,” she said. “We had fresh cheese on a regular basis.” She left her job and got certification in cheese making from the University of Guelph and began the process of opening her own business. Full story can be found here.
Hunting and fishing licences will be easier to get, says MNRF:
MNRF has launched what it hopes, will be a better way for hunters and anglers across the province to get their Outdoors Cards and hunting and fishing licensing products. “Our government is making life easier and allowing you to get outdoors quicker,” said John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry in a news release. “We have launched a new licensing service that makes it easier to buy hunting and fishing licences. It was designed with hunters and anglers in mind.” The new licensing service includes new mobile features and a single Outdoors Card. It can be accessed online at huntandfishontario.com, at participating ServiceOntario locations or at one of over 700 licence issuers across the province. “We’ve improved our service so you can get out on the lake or into the woods in less time by purchasing licences from the comfort of home,” said Yakabuski.
Thursday Weather:
Mainly cloud today with a chance of some flurries this evening. Thursday's high will be -1, feeling like -8 this morning with the wind chill. Cloudy into the evening with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Overnight low will be -5, feeling like -8. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
