Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Pay stations will soon be replacing downtown parking meters:
Parking downtown is about to get more convenient, as parking meters are being replaced with accessible pay stations. The new pay stations will be in place as of Sept. 23. The city is installing 27 of the devices throughout the downtown, and they will be clearly marked with new signs and will include the parking zone number. Parking patrons will simply input their licence plate and zone number into the pay machine or HotSpot app to register their vehicle as paid. The pay stations are equipped to accept cash, credit, debit or tap. Parking patrons can also continue to pay for parking through the HotSpot Parking app on their mobile device. Find the full story here.
Wahnapitae band councillor 'disappointed' by raid on pot dispensaries:
Chants of “Free Derek Roque” could be heard outside the Sudbury Courthouse Thursday morning and dozens of people gathered to support the owner of Creator's Choice, who was arrested Sept. 18 after Anishinabek Police Service raided his dispensary on Wahnapitae First Nation. Both Creator's Choice and First Nation's Medicinal were raided at 12:10 p.m. on Sept. 18. A bail hearing for Derek Roque, the only person arrested in the raids, was set for this morning. It was postponed, though, to this afternoon. When it finally went ahead, Roque was granted bail, posting $60,000 bail with no deposit ($20,000 each for Roque and two sureties). Sudbury.com will publish an interview with Roque on Friday morning. Wahnapitae First Nation band councillor Ted Roque, who is related to Derek Roque, said Chief Larry Roque and council were surprised by the raids. He was at the courthouse Thursday morning to show his support for the release of Derek Roque. “I just don't understand it,” he said. “We are a little disappointed in APS for not being in communication with our chief. This was preventable.” Full story here.
HSN waiting for more info from province on tracking vaping-related illnesses:
Health Sciences North says it’s waiting to hear from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care concerning its order that hospitals report vaping-related cases of severe lung disease to the province. Health Minister Christine Elliott announced this week that due to concerns about possible health issues related to vaping following a strange surge in severe breathing problems or illnesses that seem to be related to vaping, she was ordering all public hospitals in the province to report all possible cases to the government. Health Sciences North says it is waiting on further direction from the ministry regarding the order. Elliot’s order came shortly after the Middlesex-London Health Unit announced that a teen from London was recovering at home after having to be put on life support due to a severe pulmonary illness, seemingly linked to vaping. Officials say they believe it is the first case of its type in Canada.
Fall fans rejoice: Much more gradual transition into winter this year:
Summer 2019 is making its curtain call this week, as Greater Sudbury has been graced with some sunny and warm late September weather.The official first day of fall is Sept. 23, and fans of crisp and cool days got some welcome news, as the Weather Network is forecasting an extended stretch of fall weather this year. "Last year the bottom really fell out of the fall season and we rushed into winter," said Weather Network meteorologist Michael Carter. "We're projecting a much more gentle transition this year and people will have more opportunity to enjoy the fall weather." While the autumn weather is projected to stick around longer this year, temperatures will still be right around their seasonal average throughout October and November, and as with every fall season, the temperature will decline fairly rapidly. Find more on the fall forecast here.
Verner welcomes the agricultural world to its doorstep:
The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo 2019 (IPM 2019) is officially underway in Verner. Taking place from Sept. 17-21 in the small rural community about an hour east of Sudbury, the event is expected to draw close to 80,000 visitors over five days. The annual event features plowing matches, agricultural exhibits, a vendor showcase, entertainment and more. Organizers said all 5,000 advanced tickets to the event sold out in the week leading up to the show. However, tickets will be available at the gate. More on this story here.
MacDonald: Where Bob Kirwan went wrong:
Ward 5 representative Robert Kirwan has the dubious distinction of being the first politician in the city's history to run afoul of the integrity commissioner. Robert Swayze only took office in January, but you knew right away Bob Kirwan's abrasive approach to dealing with critics online was going to lead to a ton of complaints. Swayze's reprimand will go to council for a decision Sept. 24, and the normally talkative councillor declined an interview request this week, pointing to his defiant comments on his Valley East Facebook page. He remains defiant and hopes council will defer a decision on the reprimand. Get city hall reporter Darren MacDonald's take on this story here.
Friday weather:
A mix of sun and cloud Friday with 30 per cent chance of drizzle or showers in the morning. Today's high will get up to 24, feeling like 30 with the humidity. Partly cloudy into the evening. Overnight low will be 12. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
