Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
"Something has to be done", Mayor Bigger weighs in on Northern Ontario bubble:
Greater Sudbury has been hit hard by COVID-19 in the past week, with an outbreak of the virus at Amberwood Suites retirement home resulting in four deaths so far in January. Mayor Brian Bigger expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones to COVID-19, while stating that the Ontario government's support in protecting Sudbury and Northern Ontario is of the utmost importance. "Clearly the threat against our community is real and we've seen an immense tragedy in just one week, so it tells you how quickly COVID-19 can spread and change the lives of so many people in our community," said Bigger. The mayor said that it's known that the majority of COVID-19 cases in Greater Sudbury have been linked to travel, specifically with visitors coming to and from southern Ontario. When questioned if the province should impose a Northern Ontario bubble and restrict travel from outside of the region, Bigger said that there were some challenges. "I understand logistically that the call for roadblocks and other solutions is difficult but when people from southern Ontario are coming here when they're being told not leave home other than for essential purposes, they're not listening," said Bigger. "It's up to the province to do their part. I really believe that we've done our part and I look forward to how Premier Ford will do his part." More on this story here.
One person hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after shooting incident in Espanola:
On Thursday Jan. 21 at approximately 10:20 a.m. members from the Manitoulin Detachment of the OPP responded to a shooting incident on Albert Street in Espanola. A person suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to a nearby hospital with serious life threatening injuries. The three suspects believed to be involved in this incident then fled the area in a vehicle via Highway 17. OPP immediately engaged the assistance of Greater Sudbury Police Service who deployed their tactical unit to assist.A short time later, the GSPS Tactical Unit arrested three individuals believed to be involved in the shooting while they were traveling in Lively. The investigation is ongoing with members of the OPP's Manitoulin Detachment Crime Unit under the direction of the OPP's Criminal Investigation Branch. Assisting with this investigation was an OPP Critical Incident Commander, an OPP Community Street Crime Unit, an OPP Canine Unit and OPP Forensic Identification Services. Further information will be released as it becomes available. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or your nearest police authority. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or visit www.p3tips.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
Sudburian Nicholas Fex’s life was short, but he lived it to the fullest:
A young Sudbury man who faced many medical challenges throughout his life passed away Jan. 17 at the age of 22. Sudbury.com (and its predecessor publications) featured Nicholas Fex’s story several times throughout his short life. Fex was born with tracheoesophageal fistula; a condition in which an abnormal channel, called a fistula, connects the windpipe – or the trachea – to the tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach – called the esophagus. Food and saliva can get into the lungs through this channel, which can make a child cough or choke and lead to lung infections or pneumonia. He had to be rushed to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, where surgeons attempted to repair his esophagus, but stretched it too much. They had to install a metal stint to keep his esophagus from collapsing – and when he was around a year old, installed a second stint after the middle of his esophagus collapsed. Fex nearly died leading up to that surgery. Fex breathed through a tracheotomy. He could not eat solid food and sustained himself on a steady diet of Peptamen 1.5, a liquid supplement similar to Ensure, that he receives through feeding tubes. “It's been a wild ride,” Fex told Sudbury.com in a 2015 interview after his mom, Lyne Fex, started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his medical equipment costs. At the time of that interview, Fex was 17 years old, and had already undergone 45 surgeries. His obituary said “Nicholas the fighting man was the biggest fighter ever … “Nicholas lived life to the fullest and always had a smile on his face no matter what. He will be dearly and truly missed by way too many people; he was an inspiration to all. Your wings were ready, but our hearts were not. You no longer have to be in pain and fight. Our hero. Till we see you again.”
City holding two public input sessions on homelessness:
Greater Sudbury city council will be holding two special meetings next week to discuss issues around homelessness in the city. Residents are being asked to share their feedback about homelessness in the community, including personal stories, potential improvements in services, concerns and local needs. A special virtual city council meeting will take place Jan. 27, at 6 p.m. for community members, businesses, agencies and grassroots organizations. A second special virtual city council meeting will be held Jan. 28, at 4 p.m. for those with lived experience of homelessness. People wanting to make a presentation or speak at the meetings will need to register in advance by emailing [email protected] or calling 705-674-4455, ext. 4209.
Laurentian president hopeful face-to-face classes will be possible this fall:
As the Laurentian University senate voted Jan. 19 that instruction and exams continue to be delivered remotely for the spring 2021 semester that starts in May due to COVID-19, the university’s president suggested a return to face-to-face classes may be possible this fall. Laurentian, like all post-secondary schools across the country, has been operating largely through remote platforms such as Zoom since the pandemic hit Canada last March. “If you look at my report to the senate today, I do suggest we begin returning our attention to fall and the prospect of more regular programming,” said Robert Haché. “It’s impossible to say today, but if the distribution of vaccine occurs according to what we are presently told should occur by the government, we may expect that the virus will be well under control as we get into the summer. And certainly if there is any university that has the opportunity to come back face-to-face with appropriate social distancing, it’s certainly a university with as large and expansive a campus as Laurentian that exists in a community that has been less impacted by the virus than many in the country.” Haché said he hoped the matter would be able to be brought before the university’s senate by late winter for some decisions to be made. Get the full story here.
Six Ontario snowmobilers have died so far this season. Stay off lakes, warns OPP:
Two fatal snowmobile accidents last weekend have the OPP warning snowmobilers to stay off frozen waterways, while the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) urges them to stay off closed trails. With Snowmobile Safety Week now underway, the OPP is reporting that six people have lost their lives in snowmobile accidents so far this season. On Sunday, January 17, three people died in two separate accidents after their snowmobiles broke through the ice on Georgian Bay. "These latest incidents are a tragic reminder of the serious risks associated with snowmobiling on frozen waterways," says Chief Superintendent Rohan Thompson. "Approximately 40 per cent of OPP-investigated fatal snowmobile incidents in the last 10 years have occurred on lakes and rivers. Excessive speed, driving too fast for the conditions, and alcohol/drugs are other top contributing factors in snowmobile deaths." More on this story here.
Friday Weather:
Chilly temperatures return as we head into the weekend. Mix of sun and cloud to start the day, temperature steady at -12. It's going to feel like -22 with the wind chill today. Partly cloudy into the evening with the low dropping to -20 overnight. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.