Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Most Sudbury-area students returning to the classroom:
Preliminary data gathered by two of the Sudbury district’s four school boards suggests that most children will be returning to the classroom to learn this fall. In the government’s reopening plan, which was announced by Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce on July 30, parents were given the option to enroll their children in remote delivery if they were not comfortable with their children returning to school. The Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) and the Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario (CSPGNO) are currently in the process of surveying parents to determine how many students will be learning from home. Both school boards report high in-class enrollment, although the final results of each survey will not be in until sometime next week. Find the full story here.
Man arrested for involvement in Hanmer Skate Park incident:
A 42-year-old man was arrested on Aug. 18 for his alleged involvement in an incident that occurred at the Hanmer Skate Park on July 22. On July 22, an assault occurred in the skate park in Hanmer involving two 13-year-old girls and a man in his 40s. The assault occurred during daylight hours and was witnessed by several bystanders. A video purporting to show the incident has been widely shared on social media. In the video, the two girls begin fighting while a man encourages one of the girls, at one point counselling her to hit the other girl in the face not the top of the head. As a result of the fight, a 42-year-old Sudbury man has been charged with being party to an assault, and counselling an assault. In addition, the Greater Sudbury Police Services criminal investigation has determined that the man was in possession of a tire iron during the time of the incident. As a result, the accused has also been arrested for weapons dangerous and assault with a weapon. Full story here.
Sudbury teen creates handheld device that detects cancer cells in real-time:
A fourteen-year-old boy who has just moved to Sudbury is hoping to make some connections with Health Sciences North and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine where he can show off his new LIGHT IR device, which he said is designed to to detect cancer cells far more quickly than any other device. Aaryan Harshith, who is soon to enter Grade 10 in Sudbury, said he came here earlier in the summer from the Ottawa area because his parents moved for work reasons. vLast year, during his first year of secondary school, Harshith got professional help in developing the light device from the MakerSpace Program at Algonquin College through its Office of Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Harshith was given expert help on creating circuit boards as well as 3D-printing for some components of the light probe. Harshith said he developed the light device because members of his extended family had suffered and died from cancer. He said he became curious about cancer treatments.
Victim in Aug. 4 Massey murder identified:
The victim in an Aug. 4 murder in Sables-Spanish Rivers Township (Massey) has been identified. The man who was killed has been identified as 46-year-old Vincent Gagne of Sables-Spanish Rivers Township. A 45-year-old woman was charged with second-degree murder in the man’s death. The Manitoulin OPP responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at 8:38 p.m. Aug. 4. Police located the victim, who was transported to a local hospital, and pronounced deceased. The accused, Melissa Eden of Sables-Spanish Rivers Township, was arrested and charged with second degree murder, contrary to section 235(1) of the Criminal Code. She is due to appear in video remand court in Sudbury on Aug. 20.
Pandemic recovery: Help Top Glove score a knockout with this fundraiser:
It’s no secret businesses and organizations are struggling to recover from the closures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic response. Top Glove Boxing Academy is one of those gyms that has finally been able to reopen. But being forced to close for five months has left the non-profit gym struggling. “At Top Glove, it is a struggle,” Top Glove owner and respected boxing training Gord Apolloni said this week. “We are membership driven. Being closed for five months has put a damper on operations. “We are presently open, but with strict protocols for everyone's safety. Upon closing our membership stood at approximately 70 — today it is 17.” To help it weather the storm, Top Glove has kicked off an online 50/50 draw to raise much-needed funds. It’s easy to take part. Visit Top Glove’s page on the TheLottoFactory.com. More on this story here.
Dairy Queen Out Of The Cold Concert Series cancelled:
The annual Out Of The Cold Concert Series fundraiser has been cancelled this year due to limits imposed on large indoor gatherings as part of Ontario’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The annual event, which is generally sold out, features three performances over three months of the best in Canadian blues, roots and folk. Funds raised support the Out of the Cold hot meal program, which is hosted at St. Andrew’s Place and the Church of the Epiphony downtown. The meal program is run jointly by several Sudbury churches and volunteers, and is open to anyone looking for a hot meal and some good company during the winter months, each Friday evening from mid-November to mid-April. The 2020 Out of the Cold Concert Series was to feature the Ian Thomas Trio for September, Jack De Keyzer blues duo for October and the four-piece Slocan Ramblers Band for November. An effort will be made to rebook the above acts for the fall of 2021, organizer Bob Bale told Sudbury.com.
Time to include mental health professionals in public health insurance, paper argues:
Ontario needs to be more proactive to enable better mental health care, according to a couple of clinical psychologists from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. A recently published paper in the Canadian Journal of Public Health (CJPH) is encouraging the province to integrate registered mental health professionals into the public health insurance program, especially with COVID-19 pushing the limits of mental health care. Lakehead psychology professors Drs. Deborah Scharf and Kirsten Oinonen presented arguments that the provincial response to the pandemic highlights the short-comings of the physician-only health care system in Ontario. They claim it limits access to appropriate and sustainable health care, said a news release from the university.
Wednesday Weather:
A mix of sun and cloud to start the day, becoming sunny later in the morning. Wednesday's high will hit 21. Mainly clear skies overhead this evening. Overnight low will drop to 10. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
