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Good Morning, Sudbury! Here are eight stories to start your day

Here's what's happening around Greater Sudbury today
170418_Shelefontiuk
The president of the union representing 1,150 clerical and service workers at Health Sciences North is disappointed with the operating budget released by HSN’s board of directors marking 113 jobs that need to be cut because he fears many of them will be his members.

Good morning, Greater Sudbury.

Here are some stories to start your day.

‘You’re killing us’: Union prez scoffs at hospital plan to cut staff:

The president of the union representing 1,150 clerical and service workers at Health Sciences North is disappointed with the operating budget released by HSN’s board of directors marking 113 jobs that need to be cut because he fears many of them will be his members. While neither the board nor hospital administrators have said where the cuts will be made, CUPE 1623 President Dave Shelefontiuk did his own math after attending a meeting of union leaders with HSN president and chief executive officer Dominic Giroux. The budget identifies 37 fewer full-time equivalent jobs in management and non-union positions and 76 FTEs in unionized positions to be cut. By his rough calculations, Shelefontiuk figures 62 FTE positions will be lost among his members. Find the full story here.

LHIN review of HSN budget to ensure funds used in 'most optimum way':

A third-party validation review of the $505.8-million budget Health Sciences North’s board of directors approved last week is the next phase of the planning cycle, says a vice-president with the North East Local Health Integration Network. HSN’s board passed a budget containing a $4.9-million deficit, that trims 113 jobs from the payroll, reduces $6.9 million in program expenses outside clinical departments and cuts HSN’s capital budget for renovations, equipment and information technology by 23 per cent. The LHIN’s mandate requires it to ensure providers such as HSN take the broader health care system into consideration when devising their own budgets, regardless of individual constraints. The LHIN wants to ensure that patients in the Northeast continue to have access to services and access to those services as close to home as possible, said the LHIN’s vice-president Kate Fyfe. More on this story here.

Election fever hits the Legislature as Thibeault accused of 'lying':

The pre-election rhetoric is heating up at Queen's Park, where a Tory MPP was forced to withdraw a comment Monday aimed at Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault, accusing Thibeault of lying. At issue is the Liberal government's Fair Hydro Plan, introduced last year to reduce hydro bills by 25 per cent. In a report released last spring, Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk wrote that the complicated accounting procedures will add an extra $4 billion in costs to the plan, on top of the almost $40 billion it will cost taxpayers by 2028. In response, Thibeault, who is the province's energy minister, said that accounting firms such as KPMG and Deloitte LLP signed off on the plan, and it was a matter of accountants having a disagreement over accounting practices. He also said several provinces and U.S. states use the same accounting practices. On Monday, however, Ontario PC Energy Critic Todd Smith accused Thibeault of lying to the House. He cited a letter Lysyk wrote to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on April 11. Find the full story here.

Witness saves dog while bystanders try to break up fight that shut down Cedar Street:

Greater Sudbury Police responded to an unusual call for help downtown today. At around 11 a.m. Sudbury Police tweeted to ask the public to avoid engaging with "two individuals fighting on the street after a possible collision" on Cedar Street. Eight minutes after their initial tweet, police tweeted again to say there were "Reports of additional individuals getting involved in the altercation." What one might have assumed to be road rage between two motorists at the scene of an accident was anything but — at least according to a witness at the scene. The hullabaloo was limited to two people (aside from those trying to break them up) and one bystander said as she understood it, the men who were fighting are in fact father and son. Find the full story and video here.

Pedestrian suffers serious injuries after being involved in collision with vehicle:

A woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being involved in a collision with a motor vehicle Tuesday afternoon. Greater Sudbury Police, Fire and EMS responded to a collision involving a pedestrian on Regent Street near Telstar Avenue at around 4:30 p.m. No updates have been provided as to whether or not charges were laid in the incident. Check back with Sudbury.com for more as information becomes available.

Sudbury.com is rolling out a new commenting system this week:

We are very close to making a big change at Sudbury.com. Starting April 18, we have our own brand new comment system. It will be easier. It will be friendlier. It won’t require you to have a Facebook account, something we heard prevented many people (who didn’t have a Facebook account) from participating in debates on Sudbury.com.  And, if it works like we hope it will work, it will be a place to have more meaningful conversations about the issues that matter to the community. Sudbury.com brings you breaking news, video, sports and lifestyle stories, but we also bring you commentary on the issues of the day, and provide a forum where our readers can discuss and debate those issues.  One thing we’ve heard from you is that what we need is a better way to comment on the site, while still getting the best out of what we have to offer. Our goal is to build a better comment environment, one where people can debate and disagree in a more respectful climate.

The Almighty Rhombus gives Sudbury.com a sneak peak of their new single!

Sudbury rockers The Almighty Rhombus have a new album coming out — and it's set for a 4/20 release (4/20 is the annual celebration of marijuana; that said, we don't have any knowledge of the band's opinions on marijuana). The new album, SWISH, was produced by rock legend Ian Blurton, of indie darlings Change of Heart and C'Mon, was recorded live off the floor at Blurton's Pro Gold Studios last year. According to the band, "it's jam-packed with hooks, melody, and fun flourishes."It's the band's first official release since 2013's Lucid Living. Get an exclusive listen to the new song here.

Jacob Horgan rink adds bronze to 2017 gold:

The Curl Sudbury U-18 rink of Jacob Horgan, Max Cull, Nicholas Bissonnette and Shane Robinson knew full well just how difficult it would be to defend the title they captured when nationals for that age bracket were played for the very first time last year. And though there is undoubtedly disappointment in not repeating, there is an unmistakable sense of pride in reaching the podium for a second straight year after the local lads claimed bronze Saturday afternoon in St. Andrews, New Brunswick.

Wednesday Weather:

Here's a shocking weather forecast, more flurries are possible today. Mainly cloudy Wednesday with a 40 per cent chance of flurries in the morning. Today's high will be 3. Overcast this evening with a 40 per cent chance of flurries late in the evening and overnight. Low will drop to -5. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.


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