Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Health unit instructing commercial businesses to ramp up face covering:
As of Wednesday, July 8, all commercial establishments in Sudbury and districts will be required to ramp up their efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As part of COVID-19 prevention efforts, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, is issuing instructions to owners and operators of commercial establishments, as well as public transit, to have policies in place to stop people from entering if they are not wearing a face covering. The instructions are being issued under the authority of the provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. “The face covering requirement for commercial premises that are open to the public is in addition to the diligent work many are already doing to ensure physical distancing and hand sanitizers. Face coverings are extra protection to prevent COVID-19 spread, they also send a message that the wearer wants to protect others,” said Sutcliffe. “As we successfully re-open across the province, we also increase the risk of spreading the virus. Establishing common expectations about routine face covering helps reduce this risk now and will pave the way to successful Stage 3 re-opening. It will also help protect us against a potential second wave in the fall and keep businesses and services up and running,” said Dr. Sutcliffe. Commercial establishments are expected to use their best efforts to implement their face covering policies. This means that signs and verbal reminders are used but there is not a requirement that a business must turn away the customer. Full story here.
City buses will be used as cooling stations as heat wave rolls on:
As the extended heat warning continues, the City of Greater Sudbury will be using four transit buses as temporary cooling stations throughout the community. The buses will be in place from today, July 3, through Sunday, July 5. An update on the service will be provided on Monday, based on the weather forecast and usage. Residents are strongly encouraged to wear a mask or face covering when using this service. Physical distancing measures will be in place. Capacity is limited to 15 people at a time. The Sudbury Community Arena and the YMCA are also open for members of the public to shelter from the heat. Arena hours have been extended to 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and YMCA hours are 12 – 5 p.m. Check out where the buses will be located here.
Guaranteed $1K reward offered for tips that lead to who decapitated Grotto statues:
Crime Stoppers, in conjunction with a community partner and the Greater Sudbury Police Service, are offering a guaranteed minimum $1,000 reward for tips about the decapitation of four bronze statues at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. Police are seeking the public’s help in finding whomever is responsible for a mischief. Sometime between 1 p.m. on May 22 and 7 a.m. on May 23 23, someone went to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, located at 271 Van Horne St. and decapitated the statues depicting saints. These statues do have a great historical value for the city of Greater Sudbury as they were placed there in the early 1900s. The heads that were removed have not been found. Sudbury Rainbow Crime Stoppers is convinced someone has information on the identity of these people. A guaranteed minimum $1,000 reward is being offered for tips received before midnight on Thursday, July 16 if the information leads to the identity of the culprits (reward money will be divided if many successful tips are received).
Ontario launches free online health and safety training to promote safe workplaces:
As the province safely and gradually reopens, the Ontario government is investing $3 million to provide free online health and safety training for the first time. These virtual courses will make it easier for job seekers and workers to get essential qualifications, while practising physical distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19. The announcement was made Friday by Premier Doug Ford and Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. "In this new environment, we need to look for new and innovative ways to deliver services, while keeping people safe and healthy," said Ford. "This virtual approach to safety training will ensure employers and employees have access to the latest information without the need to physically interact with others. In this way, we also reduce the risk of spreading this deadly virus." Up to 100,000 job seekers can now take free online workplace health and safety training through Employment Ontario. You can watch Friday's press conference here.
Noelville man charged with impaired after allegedly ditching his van:
A 62-year-old man from Noelville has been charged with impaired driving even though he was a passenger in another vehicle when he was caught by police. The Ontario Provincial Police responded to a call on June 28 at 1:30 a.m. on Prévost Road in French River. A witness said a van had crashed into a ditch and was being pulled out by a pickup truck being driven by the suspect’s friend. While responding to the scene, officers were told both vehicles were now heading towards Highway 535. Officers found the truck and pulled over the driver. They found the suspect was now a passenger in the pickup truck, and that he was drunk. He was arrested and charged with impaired and failing to remain at the scene of a collision. He was released and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on July 22 in Sudbury. The van was later found in a field, not far from the collision scene and was impounded for seven days. The man was issued a 90-day suspension.
If you know a bookworm kid, they could win prizes with the TD Summer Reading Club:
The Greater Sudbury Public Library is gearing up for its annual TD Summer Reading Club, a summer-long program featuring virtual activities, games and special guests. Youth between the ages of four and 12 are encouraged to register with the help of a parent at www.tdsummerreadingclub.ca in advance of the program start on Monday, July 6. Registration includes an online notebook to track the number of books read and a chance to win a gaming/book prize pack at the end of the summer. Each week will feature a special theme at no charge on facebook.com/GSPLibrary: upcycling and recycling activities, video games, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Discovery Week, board games, puzzles and sports week. Library program staff are working to make the program as accessible as possible during this time of physical distancing. More information about the TD Summer Reading Club is available at www.sudburylibraries.ca.
