Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Exotic animal store owner worried about health of stolen hedgehog:
A 17-year-old girl was arrested and charged with theft under $5,000 after she allegedly took a hedgehog from a local pet store earlier this week. The teen can't be named, as she is a young offender. She was released on a promise to appear in January. With sonic speed, news of a stolen hedgehog circulated through social media in Greater Sudbury this week, reaching 61,429 people as of Friday afternoon. The owner of the Northern Exotics pet store, Dennis Epps, posted a video of the suspected thief, hoping to identify her. Commenters took no time in making her identity known. “This is so frustrating for us,” said Epp, following the theft. “They are living animals, and who knows how they are being cared for. We are really worried as the cold is especially bad for hedgehogs.” As a small business owner, Epp said they cannot keep having people steal from them. Epp said their main focus is their animal sanctuary, where they take in unwanted exotic animals and educate the public on good and bad pet choices. However, theft greatly affects their ability to care for the more than 100 animals under their care.
Health unit extending hours for hepatitis A vaccinations:
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is extending the hours of the free vaccination clinic being offered Saturday, Dec. 21. The clinic will offer free hepatitis A vaccine to those who qualify. Free vaccination clinics are being held at Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ main office at 1300 Paris Street in Sudbury. Drop-in (no appointment needed) and free parking is available on site. For clinic dates and times click here.
TrailblazHers' uses personal stories to bring women in trades message to Sudbury girls:
About 120 Grade 7 and 8 girls from Sudbury schools took part in NORCAT’s TrailblazHers Career Showcase, held at the innovation centre Dec. 19. Both the Rainbow District School Board and Sudbury Catholic District School Board sent students to the event, which had a career showcase featuring skilled trades and technology companies from around Sudbury. There were also a number of guest speakers, with the keynote speaker being Jamie McMillan, a journeyman ironworker and boilermaker and founder of KickAss Careers. Originally from Timmins, she became an ironworker in 2002 when women only represented two per cent of those in that trade across Canada and the United States. As co-founder of KickAss Careers, McMillan promotes women in the skilled trades by speaking in classrooms and at national trade events around North America. Sharing her life story, she encouraged the girls at the event to take shop classes in high school and consider becoming a tradesperson. Full story here.
'Really dark times': Sudbury hip-hop artist's powerful new single explores ravages of addiction:
“Strangers,” a powerful new single and music video by Greater Sudbury hip-hop artist Mickey O'Brien, addresses a topic that's very much top-of-mind right now — the toll addiction and mental health take. O'Brien, also known as OB or OreBody — he works as a miner here in Sudbury for his day job — said it's a real-life account of his own struggles with addiction and depression. He wrote the song when he was at “rock bottom,” going in and out of rehab. O'Brien said honestly and truthfully writing about his problems has given him the power and strength to overcome them one day at a time.He said he lost four friends who were like brothers, whose deaths were all in one way or another related to addiction — two to overdoses, one to suicide and another to murder. Full story here (https://www.sudbury.com/lifestyle/really-dark-times-sudbury-hip-hop-artists-powerful-new-single-explores-ravages-of-addiction-1976478).
Major North Bay fire: Firefighter sent to hospital with frostbite, fire declared 'suspicious':
North Bay Fire Chief Jason Whiteley told BayToday that the Main Street fire early Friday morning has been declared "suspicious" and has sent one firefighter to the hospital with frostbite injuries. "Right now we're treating the fire as suspicious," said Whiteley, who would not elaborate on the reasons. "I can't go into that right now, but we are treating it as suspicious until we can determine otherwise." As for injuries, one firefighter was taken by EMS to hospital for frostbite injuries. The fire was under control before 9 a.m. The alarm was called in just after midnight.
More blood donations needed on Boxing Day:
Canadian Blood Services is reminding the community the Sudbury Donor Centre at 944 Barrydowne Rd. will be open for blood donations on Boxing Day, Dec. 26, from 10:30 a.m. To 2:30 p.m. “Currently, we only have eight donors booked to donate on this date and have a donation target of 35 units of blood to support hospital patients in need over the holiday season,” said a press release. Donors can contact 1-888-2DONATE or book online at blood.ca. Walk-in appointments are also available.
Lancers b-ball team looking to make a statement this season:
The Lasalle Lancers senior boys basketball team is back with a vengeance. Claiming their sixth straight SDSSAA banner last February but upset by the Lo-Ellen Park Knights in the NOSSA "AA" final and denied a return trip to OFSAA, the crew that will graduate no less than ten players next June feel that they have a little something extra to prove this winter. They have made that fact abundantly clear in the early going, posting a 19-1 record to date and walking away as tournament champions in two of the three events they have entered, their only loss coming in a 55-54 heartbreaker to the White Pines Wolverines from Sault Ste Marie in the final of the Nystedt Invitational. Full story here.
