Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Bribery trial enters second week in Sudbury:
The second week of the bribery trial related to the February 2015 byelection scandal in Sudbury begins Monday morning. Former Liberal fundraiser Gerry Lougheed Jr. and former party CEO Pat Sorbara are on trial on Election Act offences. Witnesses expected this week include Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne on Wednesday, as well as former Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci. Follow along at Sudbury.com for ongoing live trial coverage, and for daily updates.
Olivier finishes testifying at Sudbury bribery trial:
The first two days of the Sudbury byelection bribery trial wrapped up Friday, with defence lawyers keeping their focus on whether Andrew Olivier knew he had been ruled out as a candidate for the February 2015 vote. Gerry Lougheed Jr., a Liberal fundraiser at the time, and Pat Sorbara, former Ontario Liberal Party CEO, are accused under the Election Act of offering Olivier a job or appointment to get him to step aside for Glenn Thibeault, who was Wynne's preferred candidate. Sorbara is also facing a second charge, in relation to an alleged offer made to Thibeault to get him to become the candidate. It emerged this week the offer was to have two Thibeault staffers – Brian Band and Darrell Marsh – move with him into paid positions if Thibeault agreed to run for the Liberals. Full story can be found here.
Oh when the Jazz goes marching in:
Downtown Sudbury was alive with the sounds of Jazz music on Saturday, Sept. 9. The Jazz Sudbury Festival wraps up on Sept. 10, after a full schedule on Saturday that saw a concert in Memorial Park and a jazz walk that filled the city's streets with Dixieland Jazz tunes. Musicians made their way through the downtown core and to Fromagerie on Elgin where the LU Jazz Quartet performed for a packed house. Check out the photos from Saturday's festivities here.
Trooper raises a little hell at Valley East Days:
Valley East Days kicked off Friday night with Canadian rockers Trooper taking the stage in the parking lot of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. Valley East Days featured a full musical lineup Sept. 8-10. Clash of the Bands winner Unfinished Business started off the Friday night show, followed by Tragically Hip tribute band Little Bones and then Trooper closed out the evening. Daytime Saturday entertainment included a Sudbury Youth Rocks youth band showcase, Le Big Franco Show with Sudbury musician Dayv Poulin and tribute performances of pop stars like Katy Perry and Selena Gomez. Saturday night featured Virtual Journey (a Journey tribute band), Canadian rockers Chilliwack and local band Toe Jam Tequila. Check out some photos here.
Monday marks 16th anniversary of September 11 attacks:
On Sept. 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked and crashed into prominent United States landmarks, most notably the north and south towers at the World Trade Centre in New York. Nearly 3,000 people were killed on that day in 2001, 343 of which were New York City firefighters, and 23 NYPD officers. Close to 200 people died when American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and another 93 died when a plane crashed in a field near Shanksville, PA. To this day, only 1,641 (or 60 per cent) of the 2,753 people who perished at the World Trade Centre have been positively identified, according to the medical examiner's office.
Wolves United announcement to be made today:
The Sudbury Wolves Hockey Club and United Way Centraide North East Ontario, will be making an important announcement on Monday Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. at the Sudbury Community Arena. Sudbury.com will bring you coverage from this morning's announcement so be sure to check back with us later today.
United Way 2017 campaign launches this week:
United Way Centraide North East Ontario's campaign has arrived for 2017. Campaign Chair, Kevin O’Connor, the Campaign Cabinet, and United Way staff and volunteers will be at the Northern Water Sports Centre in Sudbury on Sept. 13 as they launch this year's campaign and reveal their new goal and tactics for the coming year. Staff will also discuss their successes and impact in the community of the past year.
Monday weather:
Sunny start to your work week today. Mainly clear skies for Monday with a high of around 20. More of the same into the evening with the low falling to 9. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
