Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Vale lays off 18 full-time employees:
Vale has laid off 18 full-time non-union employees across various areas of their Sudbury operations. Layoff notices were issued to the employees on Wednesday, April 18. Vale spokesperson Angie Robson said that the past year has been one of transformation for Vale's Ontario operations, particularly due to the closure of Stobie Mine last May and transitioning to a single furnace operation at the smelter. The 18 individuals who were issued layoff notices were all full-time non-union employees who worked in service and support staff roles with Vale. "We acknowledge the impact this has on affected employees and their families and transitional support is being provided to those departing our organization. As we move forward, we will continue to operate on the principle of minimizing impacts on our workforce as best we can as we make necessary operational decisions according to our evolving business needs," said Robson in an email. "We are working hard to create the conditions for a strong and sustainable future in Sudbury by continuing to make decisions that are in best interests of our Company, and by extension our employees and the broader community."
City considers bailout for symphony:
Another arts organization in Greater Sudbury is struggling, and city council is considering throwing them a financial lifeline. In February just before a performance, the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra announced to its supporters it was short of money and may not be able to complete its concert season. Although the announcement inspired audience members to donate after the Feb. 24 show, SSO president Claire McChesney told Sudbury.com that they collected enough to “get us to the next show,” but not enough “to get us to the end of the year. “We're broke,” she said at the time. McChesney said the problem is that SSO's overall revenues have declined, with fewer people purchasing subscriptions to the symphony's full season. A motion headed to city council April 24 presented by Mayor Brian Bigger proposes giving the symphony a $52,000 grant to help it out of its financial crisis.
Northern Ontario Microbrew Festival kicks off today:
Stack Brewing will present the fourth annual Northern Ontario Microbrew Festival at the Caruso Club, April 20 and 21. This two-day event will showcase Northern Ontario craft beer. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample beer from Split Rail Brewing (Gore Bay), Northern Superior (Sault Ste. Marie), Lake of the Woods Brewing (Kenora), Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. (Thunder Bay), New Ontario Brewing (North Bay), Manitoulin Brewing (Little Current), Full Beard Brewing (Timmins), Highlander Brew Co. (South River), Norse Brewery (Parry Sound), and of course Sudbury’s own Stack Brewing. In addition to the beer, attendees will get to enjoy two nights of entertainment featuring Aerial Borealis & Sudbury Burlesque and music by The Sunparlour Players, The Elwins, My Son The Hurricane, and Hollerado. Friday evening (6 p.m. - 11 p.m.) tickets are $40, Saturday afternoon (1 p.m. - 4 p.m.) tickets are $10 and Saturday evening (5 p.m. - 10 p.m.) are $30.
Good samaritans beware: Roadside scam has many miles on it, now it's in Sudbury:
Good, neighbourly kindness shown toward drivers in distress may turn into something best described as 'anything but neighbourly', according to a recent warning put forward by Greater Sudbury Police Services. A scam originating in Europe has officially made its way north to the Nickel City. Called the 'Roadside Scam', fraudsters pretend to be in distress next to their vehicle either on the side of the road, or in a parking lot. From there, they attempt to flag down vehicles. When vehicles stop and good samaritans ask what's wrong, the fraudster says they've run out of gas and don't have any money. One signature of this scam is offering "gold" that is actually fake jewlery in exchange for cash. The Ontario Provincial Police has reported numerous incidents of roadside scammers in the Greater Toronto Area; some of these date back to 2012. In Greater Sudbury, two incidents have been reported within four weeks.
NOSM partnership looks to improve health and educational opportunities for First Nations:
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) and University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth (UMMSD) have established a cross-border program to improve the health and educational opportunities of First Nations, Métis and Native Americans in Northern Ontario and Northern Minnesota. The program will provide an exchange among cross-border experts in Indigenous health profession programs and ideas on mentorship programs for undergraduate and postgraduate learners including students, residents and faculty, as well as compare models for health research with Indigenous communities and examine each school’s ties to and relationships with Indigenous communities. Leaders, faculty, staff and community stakeholders from UMMSD and NOSM met in Thunder Bay on April 19 to discuss the project and Indigenous health as it relates to their respective institutions. “We are pleased to welcome our colleagues from the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine as part of our ongoing efforts to exchange knowledge about the issues currently facing Indigenous peoples in Northern Ontario and Minnesota,” said Dr. Roger Strasser, Dean and CEO of NOSM. “This meeting will bring together a spectrum of experts whose insights and ideas will help fulfill the School’s mandate to provide culturally safe care and education to these populations.” The program will ultimately provide a framework to create a First Nation and Métis Centre of Excellence for NOSM, based on the model of the Center of American Indian and Minority Health (CAIMH) at UMMSD.
Voyageurs will hit the diamond this fall:
Laurentian University will field a varsity baseball team this fall. The team will begin their inaugural season September 2018 with Brodie Jeffery at the helm serving as head coach for Voyageurs Baseball. “I’m excited to be part of this initiative at Laurentian University,” said Jeffery. “It opens up pathways for baseball players who want to pursue the sport they love while getting a top-notch education.” Jeffery’s coaching experience began as an instructor with the Toronto Mets in 2013, followed by Assistant Baseball Coach at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee, and Assistant Baseball Coach at Athens High School in Athens, Alabama. You can meet the coaches and the first group of student-athletes recruited on April 27 at 10 a.m. at the Atrium, Laurentian University. Home openers are scheduled for Sept. 8 against Western University and Sept. 9 against the University of Guelph.
Friday Weather:
Finally some spring weather for Sudbury. Friday will be mainly sunny with a daytime high of 8. A few clouds overhead this evening with the low falling to -2. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
