Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
GSPS investigation into religious statue beheadings comes to a stand-still
Eight religious statues depicting the Stations of the Cross at Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Downtown Sudbury have been beheaded. Those responsible for the vandalism, however, remain unknown. And with no video surveillance in the area, no suspects, and no witnesses, it doesn't appear as though this fact will be changing any time soon. Read the full story here.
Superior Court hearing on Kingsway Entertainment District starts Monday
Sudbury businessman Tom Fortin and Casino Free Sudbury will make their arguments against the Kingsway Entertainment District to the Superior Court of Justice starting Monday, June 29. The hearing will be streamed on YouTube and you can watch it here. Fortin filed a more than 1,500-page appeals package to the Superior Court last October. While he is joined by the Downtown Sudbury BIA and others in the LPAT appeal, Fortin is the only name on the Superior Court application. The BIA had been involved but has since withdrawn. Read the full story here.
Neighbour pitches in after break-in at Big Brothers Big Sisters
The saying that when one door closes, another one opens, now rings truer than ever for the staff at Downtown Sudbury’s Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) not-for-profit service agency. On Saturday, an attempted break-in was brought to their attention after a staff member drove by to check on the building and noticed the back door had had its glass broken. The second pane of glass was left intact, however, explaining why the alarm wasn’t triggered and also proving that entry into the facility was unsuccessful. Heartbroken, executive director Chantal Gladu-Depatie posted about the incident on Facebook, but as luck would have it, that frown would be turned upside down sooner than she could have expected. Read the full story here.
Watch: Trudeau pledges $300 million to health, global fight against COVID-19
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced Canada will contribute $300 million towards the international effort to battle COVID-19. Trudeau announced the new funds this morning in another virtual international fundraiser — this one sponsored by an organization, Global Citizen, that is trying to raise $42.8 billion. Trudeau says Canada will contribute $180 million to address the immediate humanitarian and development impacts of the pandemic. And Canada will contribute $120 million towards a new initiative called the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was created in April by the World Health Organization, the French government, the European Commission and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to ensure equitable access to medical treatments.Read the full story here.
Air Canada, WestJet to drop physical distancing policies as air travel ticks up
The country's two largest airlines are ending their on-board seat distancing policies starting July 1, raising health concerns amid a pandemic that has devastated the travel industry. Air Canada has blocked the sale of adjacent seats in economy class, and WestJet has done the same throughout the entire plane, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The carriers said Friday they will revert to health recommendations from the United Nation's aviation agency and the International International Air Transport Association (IATA) trade group. Read the full story here.
Sunshine welcomes the Nickel City into a week of beautiful weather
Nothing but sunny skies promised for the work week starting Monday accompanied by a high of 29 C, feeling more like 35 C with the humidex. Fog patches expected in the early morning should dissipate by the afternoon. As beautiful as the day may be, that hot summer sun is expected to carry a UV index of 9, or very high tomorrow, meaning a higher chance of sunburn. Clear skies to carry into the night as temperatures dip to a low of 15 C.
