Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Superstore Hep A case update: Public Health has been vaccinating 70 people an hour:
Public Health Sudbury and Districts says it has been providing about 70 vaccines an hour to people who think they may have come in contact with hepatitis A after a grocery store deli worker tested positive for the virus. The health unit began offering a free drop-in vaccination clinic at its Paris Street location on the evening of Dec. 17. That continued today starting at 9 a.m. As of this writing, more than 500 people had received the shot, with a steady stream lining up to get theirs. Meanwhile, Loblaw says it is working closely with Public Health Sudbury and Districts in the wake of the confirmed case of hepatitis A in a deli worker at the Real Canadian Superstore on Lasalle Boulevard in New Sudbury. Loblaw is the parent company of Real Canadian Superstore. The case of hepatitis A was reported to Public Health on Dec. 15. The infected individual is an employee of the deli department at the Real Canadian Superstore located at 1485 Lasalle Blvd.
Tenant receives minor burns after Paris St. apartment fire:
A tenant was sent to hospital with minor burns after a structure fire at an apartment building on Paris Street on Tuesday night. Greater Sudbury Fire Services said the tenant has since been released from hospital. The source of the accidental fire was cooking oil, GSFS said. Damages are estimated to be in the range of $50,000. The three tenants in the building are being housed by the Red Cross currently, as they couldn't return to their units due to damage caused by the fire.
LifeLabs paid ransom to secure personal info of 15 million people after hack:
LifeLabs says the personal information of some 15 million Canadians, mainly in Ontario and B.C., is safe after the company paid a ransom following a cyberattack this week. The company is Canada's largest provider of general diagnostic and specialty laboratory testing services. There are five LifeLabs locations in Greater Sudbury alone. On Tuesday, the company said it paid a ransom to retrieve the personal information of millions of customers. The systems accessed by the breach contained the information of approximately 15 million Canadians, information that was potentially accessed in the hack. That customer information could include names, addresses, emails, login information, passwords, dates of birth, health card numbers and lab test results. According to published reports, the breach happened at the end of October, but the public wasn't notified for some five weeks for fear of further attacks. Full story here.
A Tribe Called Red heading back to Nickel City, but you have to wait for spring:
Northern Lights Festival Boréal has announced that Ottawa-based DJ duo, A Tribe Called Red (ATCR), will be headlining BLOOM 2 March 6 at the Grand in downtown Sudbury. The 2019 edition of the festival was a huge success, with "amazing performances" by Bombino, Shad, Kobo Town, Pierre Kwenders, Chippy Nonstop and more, said a press release from the festival. With the announcement of ATCR, organizers promise BLOOM 2 will be another vibrant and unique celebration of musical diversity. Full story here.
Sudbury teen Phoenix Wilson rising to the challenge of a film and TV career:
Most of the time, Phoenix Wilson is a typical Grade 9 student walking the halls of St. Charles College. But his career as a film and television actor has also taken him to places such as Oklahoma, Utah, New Mexico and Nunavut. He's been featured in films including “Two Lovers and a Bear” and “Indian Horse,” and television shows including “Longmire,” “Letterkenny,” “Maple Mysteries” and “Hard Rock Medical.” Phoenix said he went to his first audition at the age of five, and he's grown to love everything about film and television acting. Although his mother, Marty Wilson-Trudeau, is actually a drama teacher at St. Charles, Phoenix says he's not crazy about stage acting. Recently, Phoenix travelled to Oklahoma with his grandfather, Bill Wilson — who acts as his guardian when he's on location — to shoot a film called “Wild Indian.” He played a character called Mkwaa as a teen. Phoenix shared the role with Chaske Spencer, who plays the same character as an adult. More on this story here.
Wanted Wednesday: Man charged with sexual offences breached court-ordered conditions twice:
The Greater Sudbury Police Service has an outstanding warrant for the arrest of 43-year-old Michael Repuszka. It is alleged that on March 19, Michael Repuszka breached a court-ordered condition and that between Sept. 24 and Oct. 24,l Repuszka did breach court ordered conditions, stemming from sexual offences. The whereabouts of Michael Repuszka are unknown at this time. He is wanted for two counts of breach of probation. Repuszka is described as 6-1, 220 lbs. with 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.
Helpers: This principal shares her love of volunteering with her students:
For Maureen McNamara, mentoring youth and making a positive difference in the lives of seniors are passions that are reflected in her family life, career, charity work and community involvement. McNamara is married to veterinarian Tim Blatt, whose two grown sons have successful careers in Toronto. Jonah, the eldest, is a physiotherapist, while Noah is a professional dancer. McNamara grew up in Sudbury, moved to southern Ontario for university, and in 1995 began her teaching career in Timmins. She returned home in 1998 and began working for the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB). After teaching high school for 12 years, she transitioned into senior administrative roles, first as vice principal at Lasalle Secondary, then as founding principal of the RDSB’s Barrydowne College. She is now the principal of Lasalle. More on this story here.
Thursday Weather:
Mainly cloudy Thursday with a 30 per cent chance of flurries in the morning and early in the afternoon. More chilly temperatures today with the high sitting at -15, feeling like -21 with the afternoon. Partly cloudy this evening and clearing near midnight. Overnight low will be -19, feeling like -27. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
