Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Sudburians brave Nepahwin's freezing water to raise awareness of First Nations water woes
For the past month, Greater Sudbury’s Jordan Cheff has been taking dips in the freezing waters of Lake Nepahwin. November and December might seem like an odd time to visit the beach, but it’s all part of Cheff’s initiative, Cold Water 4 Clean Water, which aims to raise awareness of the issue of First Nations communities in Canada that are living without clean water. The issue has been in the news lately, as the federal government says it will not meet a marquee pledge by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to lift all boil-water advisories in First Nations communities by March 2021. On Saturday morning, as a snowstorm just started to hit Greater Sudbury, nine other people joined Cheff in taking a dip at Nepahwin Beach in the South End, including Sudbury MPP Jamie West. Learn more here.
$930K from province to purchase property for new Valley-area French Catholic school
The Ontario Ministry of Education recently announced that it will grant the funding required for the purchase of property that will serve for the construction of a new French-language Catholic school in Val Thérèse. The province said it is contributing $930,238 for the project. Having already received the capital funding for the construction of this new school, Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon will be able to proceed with its project to build a new school for students currently enrolled at École Notre-Dame (Hanmer), École St-Joseph (Hanmer) and École Ste-Thérèse (Val Thérèse). Read the full story here.
Wiikwemkoong First Nation says there is a COVID-19 case in community
Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island says that there was a positive COVID-19 test result confirmed in the community Dec. 12. Public Health Sudbury & Districts also announced Saturday that there has been a positive COVID-19 case in the Manitoulin District. Due to the confirmed positive COVID-19 case, the First Nation has closed all of its schools and is supporting virtual learning only until Jan. 7. “Further information pertaining to online learning will become available as soon as possible,” said the press release. All in-person community programming has also been cancelled until Jan. 7. Read more here.
Sudbury Police looking for missing woman Gretchen Gunduras
Greater Sudbury Police are asking for the public’s assistance to locate missing woman Gretchen Gudrunas. She was last seen in the Howey Drive area on Dec. 11. The woman is described as being 5’7” tall, medium build, with long, straight blonde hair.
Mistle’toes’: Wish Sudbury’s less fortunate a Merry Christmas by filling socks with essentials
If you’re looking to help one of Greater Sudbury’s less fortunate citizens this Christmas, you’re invited to take part in the Mistle”toes” project. All you have to do is fill a pair of warm winter socks with personal care items (see full list of suggestions below) and drop them off at one of Greater Sudbury’s Giant Tiger stores or Extreme North Gymnastics in Chelmsford until Dec. 15. Elgin Street Mission executive chaplain Pastor Amanda Robichaud said the Mistle”toes” will be handed out at the organization’s Christmas dinner. Read our full story here.
Watch: No Santa visits this year, so we got him to read your letters on video
Santa Claus made a special trip to Capreol to see the 219 Candy Cane Express at the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre (NORMHC). Ahead of his visit, Sudbury.com invited children to send in their Christmas letters and we made sure to pass them along to the big guy himself. Watch our video as Santa reads letters from children aged two to 70.
Monday's weather:
Monday there will be periods of light snow ending early in the afternoon then mainly cloudy. Amount 2 cm. Wind becoming west 30 km/h gusting to 50 in the morning. High of -4 C. Wind chill of -10 C in the morning and -20 C in the afternoon. UV index 1 or low. Monday night will be clear with a low of -21 C.
