Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Fire guts 78-year-old Grace United Church:
An investigation into the cause of a fire that gutted the 78-year-old Grace United Church in Minnow Lake Wednesday night is just getting started. Multiple eyewitnesses captured footage of Greater Sudbury Fire Services battling the blaze. “There has been a lot of grief and a lot of lamentation, especially for a number of our older parishioners and those that have been with Grace for their whole life,” said Rev. Melody Duncanson-Hales, a regional minister with the United Church of Canada. Greater Sudbury Fire Services told Sudbury.com they were called to Grace United Church twice Wednesday evening. They investigated a report of a lightning strike at the church at around 6 p.m. Three trucks were dispatched and firefighters searched the area for about half an hour before departing. Then, at around 9 p.m., they were called out to Grace United once again after flames broke out. It took firefighters five or six hours to put out the blaze, and they were still on scene early Thursday morning, putting out hot spots. Video of the fire can be viewed here.
Dilapidated St. Joe's to become home of Canada's largest mural during Up Here 5:
It's been called an eyesore and an embarrassment, but during Up Here 5 the dilapidated site of the St. Joseph's Hospital on Ramsey Lake will become something else: the home of the largest mural ever painted on a wall in Canada. Famed U.S. street and graffiti artist RISK (a.k.a. Kelly Graval) has agreed to paint an 80,000-square-foot mural on the walls of the old hospital, Up Here announced Thursday. "Up Here 5 will shatter the record for largest mural in Canada next month with an 80,000-square-foot mural in Sudbury," the festival said in a news release. According to festival organizers, the mural that will overlook Ramsey Lake will be four times larger than the current record holder. Up Here says guest curator of the fifth edition of the festival, Kwest, helped get RISK on board with the project. That record is currently held by Thompson, Manitoba. The Highland Tower in Thompson sports a 20,000 square foot, photo-realistic wolf mural.
Man transported to hospital after running naked through downtown:
Video circulating on social media this week shows a heavy-set, and very naked, man running through downtown Sudbury. Filmed July 23 and posted to YouTube by Kris Rydholm, the video shows a man running east on Elm Street before turning south on Durham Street. Another man is chasing him, yelling angrily that his children were exposed to the man’s nude form. In the video, the man runs along Durham until he comes to the Cedar Street intersection when he suddenly stops, drops to his knees and puts his hands in the air. A GSPS cruiser rolls into the frame moments later and officers arrest the man. Police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said GSPS received a call at about 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday about the man. Sudbury.com has learned the man had been asked to leave the Hardrock 42 Gastropub on Elm Street after he walked into the restaurant. He then proceeded along Elm Street, Dunn said, flashing pedestrians and traffic. “Officers approached the man who appeared disoriented and manic,” Dunn said. “Due to the man’s erratic behaviour he was apprehended and transported to hospital to receive treatment.” No charges were laid. Video can be viewed here.
Hey Sudbury! You drive pretty safely, but boy do you like to speed:
When it comes to collisions, drivers in Greater Sudbury are among the safest in the province, according to a study released this week by InsuranceHotline.com. The survey ranked 60 cities in terms of how likely drivers are to be in collisions, get a traffic ticket, get both a ticket and be in a collision, and, finally, a letter grade for drivers in each city. The data was collected in surveys in which insured drivers looking for quotes for insurance were asked questions about their driving and ticketing histories. In the first category, the survey found 8.98 per cent of drivers in Sudbury were prone to accidents, good for 42nd out of 60 on the list. Sault Ste. Marie, in contrast, finished third-highest, with 12.41 per cent of drivers rated as collision prone. The most dangerous cities to drive in when it comes to collisions were Woodstock (13.59 per cent) and Orleans (12.8 per cent). The safest three cities were Ancaster (7.04 per cent), Toronto (7.09 per cent) and Peterborough (7.33 per cent.) While Sudbury drivers were less prone to collisions, they made the top 10 in another category: how likely they are to get a ticket. The survey found 11.04 per cent of drivers were prone to get tickets in the Nickel City, good for sixth on the list. Overall, Sudbury drivers received a 'C' grade from the survey, placing them 13th overall out of 60.
Health minister: Gov't working to streamline process to bring pediatric treatments online:
Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor didn't deliver any news or make any announcement during her visit fto Health Sciences North on July 25. Instead, the minister shared some of the work she said Health Canada has been doing to support better access to pediatric treatments. Health Canada has already begun engaging more with the pediatric community to determine where gaps are occurring, she said, and how to modernize the regulatory system in order to encourage more manufacturers to bring more products to Canada and to expand pediatric indications for existing medications. Full story can be found here.
Possible algal bloom spotted in Moonlight Beach:
Public Health Sudbury and Districts and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks are currently investigating a possible blue-green algal bloom at Moonlight Beach on Lake Ramsey in Sudbury. “The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is testing water samples to confirm the presence of blue-green algae,” Public Health Sudbury said in a news release Thursday. As a precaution, the health unit posted signs advising the public to avoid swimming, drinking the water, and allowing pets into the water if the algal bloom is present at the beach. “If no bloom is present, water can be used for regular recreational activities,” the release said. For more information on blue-green algae, including a list and map of water bodies with confirmed blooms, visit the health unit's website at phsd.ca or call 705-522-9200, ext. 398, or toll-free 1-866-522-9200.
For its 6th birthday, Stack Brewing gives sneak peek of new Falconbridge Rd. brewpub:
Stack Brewing invites everyone to its sixth anniversary party Saturday, July 27 at its new second location called Stack Brewhouse. That second location is located at 947 Falconbridge Rd. (that's in the building that previously housed the now-defunct Solid Gold strip bar). Stack will soon be opening a brewpub there, and you can get a sneak peek at the anniversary party. The event, which will mainly be held outside in the parking lot, features games, brewery tours, live music, food and, of course, beer. There will be three food vendors: The Laughing Buddha, Tuco’s Taco Lounge and Stack Brewhouse. Everyone will be serving their favourite dishes from the three locations — Buddha bowls, tacos and smoked goodies, respectively. You’ll also be able to catch three live local bands: Barry Miles & the Congregation, Hugh Jazz and Run the Program, so bring your dancing shoes. On top of new beer releases and live music there will also be tons of games, henna, and free Brewhouse tours.
Friday Weather:
Sunny start to the day with some increasing cloudiness early in the afternoon. Friday's high will be sitting at 26, feeling like 29. Cloudy into the evening with a 60 per cent chance of showers overnight. Low will be around 17 overnight Friday with some showers expected Saturday morning. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
