Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
High times for medicinal marijuana biz in Sudbury:
What started out as a two-day medical marijuana clinic has become a full-time operation in Greater Sudbury. Brian Warner, president of Bodystream Medical Marijuana Services, says the Sudbury clinic now has about 3,000 patients. His business, which began in 2012 with one clinic in Barrie, now has 18 across the province. The patients are mostly age 50 or older, and come in looking for relief from arthritis pain, sleep issues, nausea and a host of other ailments. What changed since he opened, Warner said, is the fact doctors are a lot more willing to refer people to the clinic. Full story can be found here.
Where's the best patio in Greater Sudbury?
Welcome back to Sudbury.com's Summer's Best series, where we ask you, the readers, to help us find the best the Nickel City has to offer. So far we've visited Sudbury's best chip stand, best golf course, best beach, splash pad, and we've even tried Sudbury's best chicken wings. This week we'll be stopping in at the best patio in Sudbury, as voted on by our readers. Be sure to check back with us later today to find out who was voted best patio.
NHLers and doctors hit the ice for NEO Kids:
NHL stars and Sudbury doctors squared off at Countryside Arena on Thursday night for the second annual NHL vs Docs hockey game. The event was spearheaded by Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno and Dr. Sean Murray last year, and this year's game featured even more doctors and more NHL players. Find photos from the game and more here.
Policy move puts forestry at risk, say Northern leaders:
Northern and rural mayors say the Ontario government is reneging on a promise to consult with them on proposed policy changes surrounding legislation to protect species at risk. A joint Aug. 3 news release from the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) and the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (RONA) express concern that the province isn’t listening to them or to stakeholders who make a living in Ontario’s forests. The municipal groups say the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change (MNR) is preparing to post online a draft version of the Species at Risk guide to the Environmental Registry for 28 species. Find the full story here.
Editorial: Health care shouldn't mean destroying families:
How, if we live in a just society, can a parent be expected to give up custody of a child in order for that child to receive medical care? Three years ago, Sudbury.com introduced you to Dr. Nicole Desmarais. Faced with little choice, the Sudbury mother was forced to make her adopted son a Crown ward in order for the boy to receive the intensive therapy he required to overcome severe mental health challenges. Find more on this story here.
Nearly 75,000 people left without power:
From Hearst at the top of Highway 11, south to Englehart in the Tri-Towns, from Gogama to Foleyet and in a big chunk of Timmins, some 74,877 people were without electricity Thursday afternoon. More than 14,000 people in the Timmins area alone were without power. Hydro One crews restored power to most areas affected in Northern Ontario by around 5 p.m., though the utility company was still investigating the cause of the outage.
Binge-watching just got pricier for Netflix customers:
Binge-watching just got a bit pricier for Canadian Netflix customers. The online streaming service, home to popular original series like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and Stranger Things, is hiking subscription rates across the board for the first time in two years. The company, headquartered in Los Gatos, California, will immediately increase prices north of the border for new customers. Existing subscribers will also be hit with the same spike in the coming weeks and will be notified by email. Netflix is raising its standard plan, which allows customers to stream on two screens at one time, by a dollar to $10.99 per month.
'We are people too': Ceremony remembers those who have died behind bars:
Crystal Kimewon's cousin, Marlan Assinewai, passed away due to prison violence at Millhaven Institution in 2003. Another young man from her home community of Wikwemikong, Jordan Trudeau, also died at Millhaven for the same reason in 2011. Kimewon herself has spent some time behind bars, albeit years ago. So it's no wonder Prisoner's Justice Day — an event remembering those who have died unnatural deaths inside Canadian prisons — carries a lot of meaning for her. Kimewon was among about 50 people who gathered outside of the Sudbury Jail Aug. 10 for the community's annual Prisoner's Justice Day ceremony. Find more on this story here.
Sudbury couple win $50,000 on scratch ticket:
Denis Michel and Laurie Martin-Michel of Sudbury are celebrating after winning the $50,000 top prize with Instant Crossword. “I actually purchased this ticket as part of the Holiday Gift Pack last Christmas. I tucked it into my desk drawer at work and that’s where it lived until now,” said Denis while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings. Denis said he played a few games then walked across the street to see if any were winners that he may have missed. “It was the last one I scanned. It said ‘Big Winner - $50,000,’ but I didn’t believe it until the retailer confirmed it was a winner. I was in shock! Happy, excited and had no clue what to do next.”
New name, same service for Operation Red Nose:
For 18 years, holiday revelers in Sudbury have called on Operation Red Nose to provide them with a way to get their vehicle — and themselves — home safely after a night of drinks. During peak “celebration” times — think Christmas, New Years, St. Patrick's Day — the volunteer-driven organization can be called on to send someone (sober) to drive you and your car home anywhere in the city.And it will continue to provide that service — but under a new name. The organization has broken away from the national Operation Red Nose network and has re-branded itself as Safe Ride Home Sudbury, which president Lesli Green bills as a “made-in-Sudbury organization” that will allow for “greater flexibility and autonomy” when it comes to tailoring the program for the community. Find the full story here.
Friday weather:
Mix of sun and cloud for Friday. There's a 40 percent chance of showers in the morning and a few showers beginning near noon. Risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. High 22. Rain is expected to continue into the evening with a low near 14. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
