Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
City police budget increase could be as high as 4.8%
Facing a 6.1-per-cent budget hike, Greater Sudbury Police Service has managed to find enough savings to lower the increase to just under five per cent. Following a two-hour meeting Monday, members of the Police Services Board approved cost-savings measures that will see a budget increase of either 4.7 per cent or 4.8 per cent. The final amount will be tabled Tuesday morning in a special meeting. Going into budget discussions, GSPS was asked by city council to keep its budget increase to 3.9 per cent or less. In order to achieve that, Greater Sudbury Police needs to shave off $1.4 million in spending. Police Chief Paul Pedersen presented a budget totalling $59,419,559 to board members, as well as a number of options to consider. To get to 4.8 per cent, Greater Sudbury Police will pause its volunteer program, close its storefront offices, delay the hiring of two constables, and redistribute workload, victim referral and records workflow services. As well, GSPS plans not to fill for this year gaps left by officers retiring, cancel out-of-town travelling costs, and instead of a planned $750,000 contribution to its facilities reserve fund for a new building, the board decided it would contribute $500,000. Get the full story here.
3rdLine.Studio responds to council's concerns with Project Now:
The group behind a proposed Sudbury Community Arena renovation that vows $40 million in savings compared to the Kingsway Entertainment District has cleared up some questions from Mayor Brian Bigger and council that arose at an Oct. 6 council meeting. 3rdLine.Studio presented the Project Now proposal more than three months ago, and while council was largely complimentary of the design and the concept, some questions and concerns were raised. On Jan. 11, 3rdLine responded to those concerns in a five-page document that tackled individual concerns that were brought forward during the Oct. 6. Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger noted some challenges with building on to the existing structure, stating that through conversations with an individual who was previously an engineer with the city, he was told that the soil conditions in the downtown were challenging and that "the arena is actually similar to the Flour Mill, (and) is floating on logs; there were not piles that were driven into the ground as maybe current technology and so significantly altering the building it's something that engineers and architects would have to consider." In their email that was sent to Bigger and all members of council, 3rdLine stated that the mayor's information was untrue. "The Sudbury Community Arena is not ‘floating on logs’. The existing building has a deep foundation system that utilizes steel piles below concrete piers at all of the steel trusses that span the playing surface and support the vast majority of the roof," said the document from 3rdLine. "Vertical wood piles are used to support exterior walls only. To our knowledge excessive settlement at the exterior wall, where wood piles have been used, has never occurred during the 70 years since installation. Accordingly, it should be understood that the existing wood piles do not, in and of themselves, pose a negative constraint to Project Now." Full story can be found here.
Seven new cases of COVID-19 reported by Public Health Sudbury and Districts:
At the start of a new week, Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) is reporting seven new cases of COVID-19 locally. It is the same number of cases that was reported on Sunday. PHSD said these additional new cases indicate there are 67 cases being monitored by public health. There were 66 active cases being monitored on Sunday, but six of those cases were resolved in the past 24 hours.This means that since daily case tracking began by the health unit back in March of 2020, there have been 359 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of that number 292 cases are listed as resolved, according to the PHSD daily update page. Monday's update has revealed that all seven of the new cases were attributed to the Greater Sudbury area. PHSD also represents a wider rural area of the Sudbury District as well as several communities that make up the Manitoulin District. With respect to the possible causes of this latest number of infections, PHSD said "the information is pending or missing." With respect to age groups that might be connected to the seven new cases, PHSD said there is one increase in the under 19 age group, three persons in the 20 to 39 age group, and one each in the 40 to 59 group, the 80 and over group and one age group unspecified.
Man in stable condition after Queen St. stabbing:
Greater Sudbury Police arrested and charged a 34-year-old woman after a violent altercation at a residential building on Queen Street on Jan. 10. Information provided to police was that a man could be seen outside of the building and that he appeared to be bleeding. The man could be heard yelling that he had been stabbed. Officers quickly arrived on scene and found a woman outside of the building with a knife in her hand. Officers took the woman into custody. During this time, officers also located a 40-year-old man outside of the building with multiple stab wounds. Paramedics transported the man to hospital with serious injuries and he remains in hospital in stable condition. The two individuals are known to each other and this is a targeted and isolated incident. As a result of the incident, a 34-year-old woman has been charged with aggravated assault. Officers also arrested a 39-year-old man for four counts of breach of an undertaking. Both individuals were held in police custody overnight and attended bail court on Monday, Jan. 11 to answer to the charges. A publication ban has been issued in relation to this matter and no further information can be released.
Sudbury woman among those arrested after Sault drug bust last week:
A Sudbury woman was among four people arrested in a drug bust in Sault Ste. Marie Jan. 8. Various branches of the OPP, along with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrant at a residence on Chicora Street in the Sault around 8 a.m. that day. Officers seized a quantity of drugs suspected to be cocaine and fentanyl, along with a loaded semi-automatic handgun. A 23-year-old woman from Sudbury has been arrested and charged with the following: Possession of a Schedule 1 Substance - Opioid (other than heroin). She is scheduled to appear in Sault court Feb. 15. More on this story here.
Ontario Native Women’s Association launches program for human trafficking survivors:
For many, the words human trafficking conjure images of smuggling people across borders; so much so that the Ontario government includes a note about it as part of their Human Trafficking Action Plan. A better description of human trafficking is exploitation, said Cora McGuire-Cyrette, executive director of the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) and member of the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sand Point First Nation). While labour exploitation or “forced work” is one form of human trafficking, it is the sexual exploitation aspects of human trafficking that is the focus of outreach, crisis and trauma services from ONWA. It is the sexual exploitation of children, of adults, of children exploited until they become adults and do not know any other life but the use of their sexuality by another as a tool for profit. Exploitation by family members, by those who come to a community promising a new life to those without hope, to those who meet with vulnerable people living in urban centres but in precarious situations. In one out of every three cases, it is a former or current partner of the victim. Get the full story here.
Let’s eat! Wander down Durham for the unique elegance of Wander:
Wine bars are cherished social and epicurean features of big cities, global destinations, seaside and après ski party towns in snowy valleys and slope-side. In big hotels and national capitals, they have names like Vagabond, The Remedy, Cork & Bottle, or Noble Rot. In the Ottawa region there is award-winning sommeliere Véronique Rivest’s SOIF Bar à Vin (English translation “Thirst” is so appropriate). On the map — using Google or any other search engine — you will find only one wine bar nearby. Wander is wonderful, and no other Northern Ontario municipality has anything like this. Unique might capture the essence, but it is more special than that. A relaxed, exceptional place pleases the eye and other senses. Travelling the world, Stephanie Piché has been inspired to bring her experiences home. Piché is a chef, cooking instructor, wine educator, travel presenter, food writer and blogger, and has now opened her own cultural magnet. Some say ‘finally” as they have been waiting for the day when something like this would actually arrive. Piché made it happen. She pushed herself for a 2019 launch, but it took longer and finally opened Jan. 4, 2020, just over a year ago. Find out more here.
Tuesday Weather:
Another cloudy day in the forecast with chances of flurries. Mostly overcast today with a 30 per cent chance of flurries this afternoon. Daytime high will be steady near -1. Cloudy into the evening with the overnight low sitting at -2. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
