Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
School year won't be lost, say Sudbury's colleges:
With the strike involving Ontario college faculty now more than a month old, Cambrian College president Bill Best said he's confident the school year will not be lost. “It's a matter of how we adjust the time frames of the academic year,” Best said. “In reality, the semester and the school year just start to move further into the spring. It really doesn't move into that process where the academic year would be lost.” The strike began Oct. 16. Talks resumed briefly between the College Employer Council and OPSEU, which represents the 12,000 college professors, before breaking down again last week. The council asked the Ontario Labour Relations Board to schedule a vote on its offer, which is happening this week between Tuesday and Thursday. Find the full story here.
Conservative candidate launches petition to support NEO Kids:
Sudbury PC candidate Troy Crowder pledged his dedication to bringing a new children's hospital to Sudbury with the launch of the website NeoKidsNow.ca. After announcing that as MPP he would work tirelessly to get NEO Kids a new facility in Sudbury, Crowder announced the Ontario PC Party is launching a new petition to give the community an opportunity to have their voices heard. Crowder encouraged everyone in Northern Ontario who wants to see better health care services to sign the petition at www.neonow.ca, and said that he will be dropping off the signatures at MPP Glenn Thibeault’s office.
Hydro bill texting scam has reached Sudbury:
A hydro texting scam making the rounds from Southern Ontario to Thunder Bay has now reached Sudbury. A number of Greater Sudbury Utility customers have reported receiving a text claiming to be from Hydro One. The text typically cites payment is required for their account, yet in these instances they are not, nor have they ever been, a customer of Hydro One. Recent Thunder Bay area scam attempts suggested “Ontario hydro” was the source of the text. GSU cautions that any time a text is received asking for payment or asking for you to click on a link, it is important to think before you act. Be suspicious and never hesitate to call the company the text claims to be from, in order to verify the text.
Brewer's Loft developer seeks $9.5M, including interest-free loan:
The man behind an ambitious plan to redevelop the former Northern Breweries building on Lorne Street is headed to the city's planning committee next week seeking a combination of tax relief and loans totalling a little more than $9.5 million over the next 15 years. Greg Oldenburg says when completed, The Brewer Lofts would create 50 high-end condos out of the historic building. It has largely been unused since Northern Breweries closed in 2004, despite efforts in 2005-2006 to save the business. The exterior has deteriorated considerably since then, and while it was sold in 2010, the buyer was unable to find a way to make it viable. Oldenburg has spent the last few years planning the redevelopment, and heads to planning Nov. 20 with a big ask from the city to help make his plan a reality. More on this story here.
Find your spot: Santa Claus Parade is Saturday, but take note of the changes:
Despite a few changes this year, Santa Claus will still be coming to town on Saturday as part of the Santa Claus Parade. The most significant changes are the change in direction of the parade route and the timing of the fireworks display, said Maureen Luoma, executive director of Downtown Sudbury BIA. While the parade route will remain the same, it will actually go in the opposite direction this year. As for the fireworks, they will light up the sky starting at 5:15 p.m. — prior to the start of the parade, instead of at the end of the parade. Find out more about this year's parade here.
Sign of the season: Festival of Lights launches this weekend:
The Sudbury Charities Foundation’s annual Festival of Lights is set to launch Sunday, Nov. 19 at Science North. The lights will be turned on for the first time this season around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Sudbury Charities Foundation is also hosting a special screening of the holiday short film “The Light Before Christmas” at 4:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the Science North IMAX Theatre that evening. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at Tony V’s Pizza while supplies last. With the help of the volunteers from Ten Rainbows and the Sudbury Manitoulin Children’s Foundation, the Festival of Lights will run until Jan. 6. Admission to tour the Festival of Lights on the grounds of Science North is free of charge, however a donation to the Sudbury Charities Foundation is appreciated.
Sudbury company lands distribution rights for all-terrain vehicle:
Felix Lopes Jr. has Sherp fever, and he’s betting his fervour for the rugged all-terrain vehicle (ATV) will catch on amongst industry types throughout the province. In September, Lopes’ Sudbury company, Coniston Industrial Park, became the exclusive Ontario distributor for the Sherp, a rugged, amphibious ATV designed to traverse any terrain in extreme operational conditions — from rock to muskeg to sand to ice, the Sherp has passed all tests for durability and performance. Comprised of an aluminum body, the Ukraine-made behemoth is as tall as it is wide (eight feet), measures 11 feet long, and weighs in at 3,000 pounds. It’s been outfitted with a Kubota engine and a five-speed manual transmission, and can reach a top speed of 40 kilometres per hour. Full story can be found here.
Thursday weather:
More of the same for Thursday as cloudy skies and some snow are in the forecast. Thursday will see periods of snow and a high of -2. Partly cloudy this evening with the low dropping down to -10. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
