Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Wolves drop the puck on 2019-20 season tonight:
The Sudbury Wolves will get their 2019-20 campaign underway tonight when the take on the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines. The Pack announced Tuesday that fifth year players Shane Bulitka and Macauley Carson will serve as the team's co-captains, while David Levin and Emmett Serensits will be alternate captains. The team opens their season with a trio of road games starting with tonight's contest against the IceDogs. The Wolves will travel to Erie to take on the Otters on Friday, before wrapping up their road trip in Mississauga where they'll face off against the Steelheads. The Wolves will play their home opener on Sept. 27 when their northern rivals the North Bay Battalion pay a visit to the Sudbury Community Arena.
MPAC appeals costing city $3M a year in lost tax revenue:
As the city struggles with a way to make up lost revenue from provincial funding cuts – a big part of the $6-million budget hole they are facing in 2020 – there's another major drain on local revenues that gets much less attention. While some people may remember the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. from its flawed voters list from the last election, MPAC's main role is determining the value of land in each Ontario community — and that determination is the basis for how much property tax everyone has to pay. But a trend that has emerged, especially since 2017, are appeals of those assessments by big industrial and commercial companies seeking to lower their tax bill. Those appeals are heard by Ontario's Assessment Review Board (ARB), an independent body created by the provincial government. Ed Stankiewicz, the city's budget director, told members of the finance committee Tuesday those appeals have increased in number in recent years, to the point the city is losing millions to ARB decisions each year. Get the full story here.
Earning less than $70K? NDP leader promises you free dental:
Jagmeet Singh said if he's elected prime minister Oct. 21, Canadians would no longer have to worry about affording dental care. With Collège Boréal's dental hygiene student lab as a backdrop, the federal NDP leader announced the party's “denticare” plan extending public dental care to the 4.3 million Canadians Singh says currently don't have coverage. Dental care will be free for households making under $70,000, with a sliding co-payment for those who earn between $70,000 and $90,000. He said the plan is a step toward realizing the vision of Tommy Douglas — the late former NDP leader widely credited as the father of universal medicare — to include comprehensive dental care as part of the Canadian health-care system. The NDP said the plan would save a family of four at least $1,240 if they received the recommended dental examinations and cleanings in a single year, and if each child was treated for a single cavity. More on this story here.
Accused Sweeney killer headed to pre-trial meeting Nov. 20:
A pre-trial meeting between Robert Steven Wright's lawyers and Crown prosecutors will take place Nov. 20. Pre-trial meetings are not open to the public. Wright was first charged with first-degree murder for the 1998 death of Renée Sweeney, a 23-year-old Laurentian University music student. Sweeney was working at an adult video store on Paris Street at 11 a.m. on Jan. 27, 1998, when she was attacked and stabbed to death. Wright will return to court via CCTV on Sept. 26 for his child pornography charge. His lawyers, however, have expressed confidence in that charge being dropped. Wright was denied bail in March. A publication ban has been imposed concerning evidence at the bail hearing.
Wanted Wednesday: Woman allegedly tried to cash a forged cheque:
Greater Sudbury Police Service has an outstanding warrant for the arrest of Rachelle Beaulieu. Police allege that March 18, Beaulieu entered a bank (neither the bank nor the branch location was released by police) to cash a cheque drawn on the account of a non-profit agency. This cheque had been issued for services rendered to a company and was stolen. Police say the evidence shows Beaulieu forged the cheque to make it out to her name and deposited the money into her account, committing fraud. Beaulieu is known to be in the city of Greater Sudbury area and is wanted on counts of: Possession of stolen property under $5,000, Utter Forged Document, Fraud under $5,000. If you know Rachelle Beaulieu and where she 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).
Chamber hosting debates in both local federal ridings:
The Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce has a long history of hosting forums for candidates for political office to share their platforms and positions, specifically on issues related to the business community and how to improve the economic viability of our area. The chamber will continue the tradition this year and invites the community to election events in the Sudbury and Nickel Belt ridings ahead of the Oct. 21 federal election. The Sudbury Riding event will take place Oct. 9 from 7-9:30 p.m. at Collège Boréal. The Nickel Belt Riding event will take place Oct. 10 from 7-9:30 p.m. at Confederation Secondary School.
Lo-Ellen student Brendon Matusch headed to another international science fair:
Grade 12 Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School student Brendon Matusch is one of 45 finalists from the 2018 and 2019 Canada-Wide Science Fairs headed to Expo-Sciences International in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this weekend. Held Sept. 22 to 28, Expo-Sciences International brings together some 1,200 students from more than 50 countries to showcase their innovative STEM projects. Matusch is well known locally for his dominance at science fairs at every level. This past May, he took part in the 2019 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and received the second place grand award, which put him in the top 50 of 1,800 students worldwide. Full story here.
Thursday weather:
A mix of sun and cloud Thursday with 30 per cent chance of showers. Today's high will get up to 24, feeling like 27 with the humidity. Mainly cloudy into the evening with 30 per cent chance of showers. Overnight low will be around 15. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
