Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Black Lives Matter Sudbury marches through the rain for equality:
More than 50 Sudburians marched through the rain, crossing the BIPOC Lives Matter mural painted on Elgin Street during a rally held Sunday afternoon. BLMS organizers gathered Sunday to reiterate their demands made to city council on Sept. 22. BLMS Sudbury co-president Ra-Anaa Brown felt that their demands fell on deaf ears when presented to council. "We're here to mobilize the public and get everyone on board with us and also talk about why our demands our important, as well as showcase our beautiful mural," said Brown. "We were kind of disappointed with the response (city council) gave us, some of the responses were very patronizing, there was a lot of silence so it wasn't the most ideal situation, our demands deal with education, the public sector and the arts, so we're excited to talk about it here." Attending Sunday's march was a wide cross-section of the Sudbury community, with Sudburians of a multitude of races showing up to offer their support. "This is an actual representation of what Sudbury is and we have to always keep that in mind," said BLMS co-president TiCarra Paquet. "Our demands specifically cater to our community, our constituents here, it's Sudburians trying to help other Sudburians and I think that's what's important here." Full story here.
Driver shortage cancels multiple school bus routes:
The Sudbury Student Services Consortium has announced the cancellation of a number of school bus routes for the week beginning Oct. 19. There will be three complete cancellations and three partial route cancellations. "COVID-19 has greatly impacted one local school bus operator, as many of their drivers have decided not to return behind the wheel," said a news release from the consortium. "The Sudbury Student Services Consortium is working closely with school bus operators in finding solutions and ensures that recruitment efforts are ongoing." All affected parents will receive an automated call regarding the cancellations. Find the list of cancelled routes here.
City staff preparing to get outdoor rinks and ski hills up and running for the winter:
The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on outdoors enthusiasts, as many recreational activities were curbed over the summer. Beaches, sports fields and parks were vacant throughout much of the summer, as pandemic restrictions limited the numbers of people who could gather in certain areas. City council will receive their latest COVID-19 update on Oct. 20, which includes plans to prepare for the upcoming winter. Staff are still in the process of consulting with public health officials in order to finalize the details of their plans, but all signs point to Sudburians being able to get out and enjoy their favourite leisure activities this winter. The province has stated that recreational activities such as ski and snow recreation are not subject to gathering limits listed for sport and recreational facilities. Other sections of the province's regulations may apply for indoor spaces - for example, a facility may be opened to the public, but the number of individuals permitted in a chalet or support building will be limited to ensure physical distancing can be achieved. More on this story here.
Man charged with second degree murder being held at Sudbury jail:
The man arrested in connection to a fatal downtown stabbing will remain in the Sudbury jail after being arrested on Oct. 16. Douglas Jeffries was video remanded on Oct. 17 and his matter has been held over until a bail hearing scheduled for Oct. 22. Greater Sudbury Police Services Staff Sgt. Sherry Young confirmed that Jeffries was video remanded on Saturday, Oct. 17. Douglas Jeffries was located in Toronto on Oct. 16 and was arrested for second degree murder. Jeffries is alleged to have stabbed a 25-year-old man during an incident near Cash Money on Elm Street on Oct. 14. The man succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 15.
Ontario reports 658 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday, down from Saturday's 805 cases:
Ontario reported 658 new cases of COVID-19 and five new deaths related to the virus on Sunday. That's down from the 805 cases and 10 deaths reported on Saturday. The province says 197 of Sunday's new cases are in Toronto, 155 in Peel Region, 94 in York Region and 66 in Ottawa. Sunday's figures come from nearly 40,900 completed tests, down from 44,700 the day before. This weekend the public health unit in York Region, north of Toronto, imposed tighter restrictions on local long-term care homes after an upward trend in COVID-19 cases there. York Region will also join the COVID-19 hot spots of Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa in moving back to a modified Stage 2 of pandemic protocols on Monday. The modified Stage 2 includes the closure of gyms and movie theatres, and a ban on indoor dining in restaurants or bars. Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa reverted to the modified Stage 2 on Oct. 10. Ontario now has a total of 64,371 cases of COVID-19, including 55,371 that are considered resolved and 3,046 deaths.
Sudbury Airport recognized for health and hygiene protocols:
The Greater Sudbury Airport has been awarded the Safe Travels Stamp, an international symbol designed to allow travellers to recognize companies around the world, which have adopted health and hygiene, standardized protocols. As air travel begins to steadily increase, the Greater Sudbury Airport launched its “TravelCare + Strategy,” a commitment and a comprehensive program that outlines the steps the airport and its partners have taken to be ready for the new realities of air travel, and to lead the aviation industry in advancing the future of healthy travel. “We are delighted to confirm that the Greater Sudbury Airport has been awarded the Safe Travels Stamp. Across Canada, tourism businesses big and small are doing all they can to offer Canadians the best travel experience. More and more Canadians are looking closer to home to escape from the challenges of and rediscovering their own provinces," said Beth Potter, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario President & CEO. Find more on this story here.
Sudbury man, 30, nabbed for impaired at Hwy. 69 interchange RIDE check:
A 30-year-old Sudbury man is facing impaired driving charges after going through a RIDE spot check on Regent Street at the Highway 69 interchange Oct. 14. The Nipissing West OPP were conducting the spot check at 2:05 a.m. that morning. Officers approached a northbound vehicle at the spot check and detected the odour of alcohol coming from the driver's breath, said a press release. The driver subsequently provided a breath sample into an Approved Screening Device (ASD) and registered a “fail.” The individual was arrested and transported to the Sudbury OPP Detachment for further testing. Officers seized opened liquor found in the vehicle.
Monday Weather:
Cloudy day to start the work week with 30 per cent chance of drizzle early in the morning. Cooler day on tap with the high only getting up to 7. It's going to feel like -5 with the wind chill this morning. Cloudy into the evening with 30 per cent chance of flurries or rain showers. Overnight low will dip to -2. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
