Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Snowfall warning issued for Greater Sudbury:
Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Greater Sudbury with significant snowfall expected Saturday. Snow is expected to move into the area on Saturday morning as a low pressure system approaches. Snow will be heavy at times Saturday morning and afternoon. The snow will taper off to flurries overnight Saturday night. Total snowfall amounts of 15 to 25 cm are likely. Easterly winds gusting up to 50 km/h will create areas of blowing snow giving reduced visibilities during the day on Saturday. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.
Popescu 'obsessed with anti-gay rhetoric,' Crown says:
The man at the centre of a hate speech trial in Greater Sudbury told court Friday he was attempting to “shock a decadent society” and educate the public about the severe warnings of God against “the wicked.” David Popescu, 72, was in court for the end of a trial that started in November. He is charged with one count of willfully promoting hatred against an identifiable group in June 2018 during the provincial election. “The wicked,” Popescu was referring to in court Friday are homosexuals. He said God is very specific in his stance on homosexuals, or those who “practice abomination.” Popescu, who is representing himself in the trial, is a perennial fringe candidate who has run as an independent in all levels of government elections. Each time, Popescu distributed dozens of DVDs (his plan was to dole out about 800 DVDs) containing written and video footage of himself citing Bible scripture to spread his message. Find the full story here.
Rainbow board cancels classes for elementary students Jan. 22:
With the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announcing a rotating strike affecting the Rainbow District School Board on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the board has announced elementary classes are cancelled that day. All classes from kindergarten to Grade 8 in Rainbow schools in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island will be cancelled Jan. 22, including Grade 7 and 8 classes at Chelmsford Valley District Composite School, Confederation Secondary School, Lively District Secondary School and Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, said a press release from the school board. Classes will also be cancelled at Jean Hanson Public School, the Children's Treatment Centre (CTC), the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program (CAMHP), the Applied Behaviour Analysis Program (ABA) at the Ruth McMillan Centre, the Northern Support Initiative (NSI) Program at the Ruth McMillan Centre, and the Simulated Healthy Independent Living Opportunities Program (SHILO) on Gill Street. This includes secondary-school-aged students who attend these programs which are taught by ETFO members. Transportation is cancelled for all affected students. All sports and other extracurricular events are also cancelled for the day. Schools remain open for child care, before and after school programs and community use.
City writes off $75K in unpaid rent from Pioneer Manor resident:
Greater Sudbury city council will be asked to write off a bad debt from a now deceased tenant at Pioneer Manor, who passed away still owing the LTC home $75,733. The resident, who passed away in late 2018, was first admitted in 2011 and for the first two years, paid fees on time. In Ontario, the fees are regulated by the province and range from about $1,700 a month to more than $2,000 for a private room. But the payments became “sporadic” after that, and by February 2018, the amount owed grew to more than $75,000. The Public Guardian Trustee took over the resident's finances at that point, and the monthly bill was paid until the resident passed away. The trustee is a provincial body that steps in when someone becomes mentally incapable of handling it themselves. Before the trustee stepped in, Pioneer Manor dealt with the person who had the resident's power of attorney, who, the report said, promised to pay the overdue bills. “Multiple requests for payment were sent to the resident’s power of attorney, including a final registered letter in January 2015,” the report says. “In July 2015, the POA indicated that she was expecting a $50,000 settlement, and that it would be used to settle the past due amounts. She also promised to redirect all of the resident’s finances to Pioneer Manor to avoid future missed payments.” When that didn't happen, Greater Sudbury Police were asked to investigate the case as fraud, and the city's legal department got involved seeking a restitution order. More on this story here.
Speed limit on Panache Lake Road drops to 70 km/h:
The speed limit along a section of Panache Lake Road in Whitefish is being reduced from 80 km/h to 70. Members of the city's operations committee recently approved the change, which was prompted by requests from residents in the area. When such requests are received, city staff conducts an analysis that looks at factors such as the type of road, how much traffic it carries and the number of collisions in the area. That data is compiled into a risk assessment score, which determines the proper speed limit.
Vagnini to serve another term as police board chair:
Ward 1 Coun. Michael Vagnini was will serve another term as chair of the Greater Sudbury Police Board, after he was elected Wednesday at the board's first meeting of 2020. Dr. Rayudu Koka was elected vice-chair of the five-person board, which includes two city councillors (Ward 6 Coun. René Lappiere is the other), two provincial appointees (Koka and Richard Bois) and one council appointee (former Ward 10 Coun. Fran Caldarelli). “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as chair for an additional term,” Vagnini is quoted as saying in a news release. “Together with my board colleagues, we continue to lead the way in community safety and well being. Full story here.
Wolves, bears and hordes of blackflies: A Q&A with Arctic adventurer (and former Sudburian) Adam Shoalts:
The IMAX theatre is warm and comfortable; not what Adam Shoalts experienced for the four months he trekked across the Canadian Arctic. The Canadian Geographical Society’s Explorer-in-Residence, Shoalts is the guest of Rainbow Routes and Laurentian's Outdoor Adventure Leadership Program for a Jan. 22 talk at Science North. Sharing photos and videos from the Arctic, Shoalts will recount the challenges and highlights of this incredible journey from Yukon to Nunavut. Wolves, polar bears, hordes of blackflies, swarms of horseflies whose bites burn like bee stings, he pushes upstream to do what explorers do. The rewards include an affirmation of the vastness and raw beauty of this country. His new bestselling book, 'Beyond the Trees' forms the basis of the evening’s talk. Find out more here.
