Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Former reporter returns to court Sept. 4:
Former Sudbury reporter Callam Rodya returns to court today. The court docket says he is appearing to take a plea in Courtroom B at 10 a.m. Rodya is charged with possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography, making available child pornography and one count of posssession of a Schedule 1 substance (cocaine). Rodya has been out on bail since February. He was a former reporter at Sudbury.com and was a reporter with CTV in Sudbury at the time he was arrested and charged. He has been suspended from his duties. Sudbury.com will provide a full story so be sure to check back with us.
New trial ordered for man convicted of sexually assaulting woman during breast exam:
A new trial has been ordered for a physician assistant convicted in 2019 of one count of sexual assault when he peformed a breast exam on a woman. Ontario Court Justice Louise Gauthier said there are apparent errors in Ontario Court Justice John Keast’s assessment of evidence and burden of proof when he sentenced Danish Bhuiya to 179 days (six months less a day) in jail on Feb. 5, 2020. He was convicted of sexual assault on Nov. 23 following three days of trial. He was also given a five-year weapons ban, DNA order and two years probation. He is not to contact the victim, and he has to perform 100 hours of community service and take counselling. Bhuiya was represented by defence lawyer Glenn Sandberg. In his decision, Keast called the woman a “credible and reliable witness,” while Bhuiya was not. Keast described Bhuiya as “vague, confusing, contradictory, argumentative and, at times, sarcastic and irritated with the cross-examiner.” Find the full story here.
‘Unwavering commitment’ on safe back-to-school: Joint statement from northern school boards, public health:
Educators and public health officials across Northern Ontario have announced they are united in their commitment to deliver on COVID-safe schools, now that the new school year has begun. The announcement was made in a joint news release issued Wednesday afternoon. "With schools reopening, many are experiencing mixed emotions. Families, educators and support staff, and students young and old, may all feel a combination of relief, fear, pride, worry, and excitement. We all share in this experience, and all our varied emotions are valid. We also all share a common aim -- our unwavering commitment to protect our students and our entire school community from COVID-19," said the joint statement. The document is endorsed by the seven medical officers of health in Northern Ontario and 24 directors of education at Northern school boards. The document includes a list of 10 basic rules for safe schools, which can be found here.
City looking to scale back road repair pilot project due to price tag:
Greater Sudbury city staff will recommend council move forward with a hot-in-place asphalt recycling (HIR) pilot project, but at a reduced scope than originally proposed. City Council gave the go-ahead for staff to enter into the tender process back in July, with a budget of around $1.5 million to repair about 25 lane kilometres of roadway. A trio of contractors bid on the project, with none coming in under the $2 million mark, prompting staff to recommend scaling back the project to stay on budget. Funding provided for the HIR pilot project includes $700,000 from additional Federal Gas Tax and $811,000 funding from the 2020 budget deliberations. The proposed culvert replacement will be funded with approximately $160,000 from the approved capital project account designated for culvert work. The three contractors that bid on the project were Pioneer Construction, Belanger Construction and Interpaving, with Pioneer offering the lowest price at roughly $2.1 million, a price tag that eclipsed the city's budget by more than $550,000. Belanger and Interpaving's bids came in at around $2.35 and $2.45 million, respectively. Get the full story here.
Northern Ontario Railroad Museum receives $16,000 in FedNor funding:
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré announced $16,000 in funding support for the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre in Capreol on Sept. 3. Specifically, the FedNor funding will allow NORMHC to purchase and customize a mobile app to facilitate self-guided tours of the facility and its railyards. This new tourism experience will feature a dramatic storytelling narrative to engage visitors as they explore an important era in Canadian history and the everyday lives of the people that helped create Northern Ontario’s rail network. “Self-guided app tours are a safe and exciting way for people to explore the history of Northern Ontario railways, while supporting the economic recovery of our region. I’m pleased that FedNor is stepping up to help the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre modernize its operations with new technologies designed to help them adapt to the new realities facing our tourism industry," said Serré. More on this story here.
Police seeking info on suspect who stole motorbike:
Greater Sudbury Police are seeking information in regard to a break and enter and theft from a business on The Kingsway. Around 4:20 a.m. Aug. 31, a break and enter occurred at a business on The Kingsway, where a red 2017 Honda CRF motorbike was stolen. At the time it was taken from the business, the bike had a licence plate of 2J7M4. Just before 10:30 a.m., information was received that a bike matching that description was seen in the area of Murray Street. Officers began patrolling the area, and saw the bike being driven on King Street, where it entered a wooded area. The driver and the bike were then seen on Mountain Street, where it proceeded toward the Adanac Ski Hill, where officers lost sight of it. Then, at 10:50 a.m., GSPS received a call regarding a motor vehicle collision involving what was believed to be the same bike behind an establishment on Notre Dame Avenue. The information provided was that two individuals were on the bike when it collided with a parked car. Both individuals on the bike left the area with the bike prior to police arrival. A short time later, police received a call regarding a bike matching the description being operated at a high speed on MR35 toward Chelmsford. In all instances, the driver has been described as being white with a thin build and facial hair. Anyone with information related to the bike and the driver is asked to contact the police at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477 or online at www.sudburycrimestoppers.com.
Friday Weather:
Cooler day ahead for Friday with chances of some showers. Mix of sun and cloud today with a 40 per cent chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. Friday's high is only expected to get up to 17. There is a risk of a thunderstorm this afternoon. A few clouds overhead this evening, clearing overnight. The low will dip down to 7 Friday night. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
