Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Mine rescue kicks off this week
Mine rescue teams in seven districts across Ontario, including Sudbury and Onaping districts, will test their emergency response knowledge and skills in District Mine Rescue Competitions May 10-12. Four teams and equipment technicians from the Sudbury and Onaping districts will compete at the McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff. Representing Sudbury District are Vale West Mines and Vale East Mines. Representing Onaping District are KGHM and Glencore Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations. The competition, organized by Ontario Mine Rescue, a part of Workplace Safety North, will test the teams’ knowledge, firefighting skills, first aid response, use of emergency equipment and decision-making ability under stress in a simulated underground emergency.
Best in business
The Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce will host the 20th Annual Bell Business Excellence Awards on Thursday, May 11. The gala event will recognize 10 exceptional entrepreneurs and businesses whose achievements and contributions to the community distinguish them from their peers. From young entrepreneurs operating out of their home to established owners of international companies, the Bell Business Excellence Awards points a spotlight on the people who form the backbone of our community and the family, employees, friends and experiences that keep them going. The evening takes place at the Caruso Club.
Standoff ends peacefully
One man was arrested May 6 after a two-hour standoff with Greater Sudbury Police Service. Officers were called at 10:47 a.m. to a weapons complaint on Vermillion Lake Road in Chelmsford. A containment perimeter was set up at the scene, and the suspect was arrested at 12:46 p.m. without further incident. He has been charged with several weapon-related offences and is scheduled to appear in video bail court on May 7. For the full story, click here.
Fatality on Highway 17
A 24-year-old man is dead after being hit by a vehicle on Highway 17 west of Blind River, said the Ontario Provincial Police. On May 7, just after 4 a.m., the East Algoma Provincial Police (OPP) and the Algoma District Paramedic Service responded to a single motor-vehicle collision involving a pedestrian on Highway 17, at the territory of Mississauga First Nation. It was determined that an eastbound vehicle struck a man walking in the eastbound lane. The man is from Mississauga First Nation and has been identified as Bruce Cada. He died at the scene. The investigation remains ongoing at this time with the assistance of OPP Technical Collison Investigator (TTCI) and East Algoma OPP Crime Unit. For the full story, click here.
Car crash kills two men
Two men are dead after a single vehicle collision on Highway 637 in Killarney on May 5, said the Ontario Provincial Police. The men have been identified as Peter Surey, 27, from Maple, Ont., and Bryan Maher, 27, from Elmira, Ont. OPP officers responded to the crash at 6:24 p.m. Also responding was the Killarney Fire Department and the Sudbury-Manitoulin District Emergency Medical Services. For the full story, click here.
A lesson in humanity
Students at Redwood Acres Public School got a lesson in humanity on May 5. The Tour for Humanity, a 30-seat, wheelchair accessible, state-of-the-art, technologically advanced mobile human rights education centre rolled into town with one goal: to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds. For the full story, click here.
Be an organ donor
Not even a few snowflakes could keep about 100 Sudburians away from Bell Park on Saturday to raise money and awareness for organ donation. The 18th annual Michael O'Reilly Organ Donor Awareness Celebration took participants on a walk from Grace Hartman Amphitheatre, down Paris Street to Science North, then back to the amphitheatre along the boardwalk. The goal is to have every resident register as an organ donor. For the full story, click here.
PlaySmelter kicks off May 9
For the first time in its five-year history, PlaySmelter, Sudbury's new work theatre festival, will feature two full productions. You're invited to take in these new works by local playwrights next week: "Blind Nickel Pig" by Lara Bradley and Receiver of Wreck by Matthew Heiti. The May 9-13 festival, run by Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, also features first readings of three new scripts: Pakistani Sugar by Brigitte Gall, Debwewin (Truth) by Sarah Gartshore and The Sandcastle by Eli Chilton. Aspiring theatre producers will also be mentored on how to build theatre productions from the ground up during the festival. For the full story, click here.
Cambrian hack update
Cambrian College said on May 5 it was still on track to release students' final grades at noon on May 6 after many of its online systems were taken down by a ransomware virus April 27. The college was forced to reschedule the release of final grades due to the tech issues. It also had to reschedule registration for the spring semester, which now opens Sunday, May 7 at 10 a.m. For the full story, click here.
Going paperless a win-win
A recent push by Greater Sudbury Utilities to wean its customers off of paper billing has benefited NEO Kids to the tune of $50,000. When GSU made the decision to switch to monthly billing in September 2016, they saw it as on opportunity to eliminate an estimated 350 bags of shredded waste paper each year by encouraging their customers to opt into electronic billing. They launched a campaign called “Waste Less — Do More” with a pledge to donate $10 to the NEO Kids Foundation for every customer who made the switch away from paper. GSU expected a modest 2,500 customers to make the switch. However, eight months later, nearly 4,200 hydro users — roughly 15 per cent of GSU's customer base — have dropped their paper bills. For the full story, click here.
Weather
Mainly cloudy today with a 40 per cent chance of flurries. Expect a high of 3 C. Tonight will be cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of flurries and a low of -2 C. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
