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In the eighth Strongman Talk of the season, JJAM FM’s Rick Labbe speaks with Martin Bergeron for the final time ahead of Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy…
Strongman Talk is heard at 8:40 am every Wednesday in the lead-up to Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy, which is set to be held Friday, September 19th through Sunday, September 21st.
A Wawa firefighter's been honoured for longtime service.
During Wawa Municipal Council's meetings last night, Wawa Volunteer Fire Service Deputy Chief Pierre Gauthier was presented with a medal and certificate recognizing 25 years with the local fire department, with Mayor Melanie Pilon lauding that service, during which he's responded to "hundreds of emergency calls and devoted thousands of hours to training and preparation".
Mayor Pilon also commended Gauthier for his "commitment, courage and selflessness [which] have stood as a shining example of service to our community", while Gauthier noted he's been happy to serve the community and appreciates the recognition.
Gauthier's wife, Amanda, was also presented a pin in recognition of her sacrifice, support, and dedication that made his service possible.
Ontario Provincial Police are assuring there are no safety concerns after a train derailed near Sultan.
Posts on OPP North East Region social media explain the derailment occurred Tuesday "just outside of Sultan, in the Chapleau area", assuring "there are no hazardous materials on the train and there are currently no safety concerns for the surrounding community".
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada's confirmed it is deploying to the incident.
A local health unit's warning about the dangers of West Nile virus as another bird's tested positive in the Greater Sudbury area.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts says it has received confirmation an American Crow tested positive - it last saw a bird test positive in July, though the last human case in its area was in 2023.
Still, the health unit emphasizes the bird testing positive reminds that "although the overall risk of a person becoming infected is low, the virus is still present", urging precautions such as wearing Health Canada-approved insect repellent and light-coloured, long-sleeved clothing, ensuring there are no holes or tears in screen doors and windows of your home, and removing - or weekly changing - of standing water around your home.
Algoma Public Health also reported a wild bird in Wawa had tested positive in August, warning that indicated the virus' "presence...in Algoma and the potential risk to its residents during peak mosquito season", as West Nile is spread to humans through the bite of a mosquito that has been infected by biting a bird carrying the virus.
Wawa Municipal Council's holding a trio of meetings tonight.
That includes a Committee of Adjustment meeting to consider an application for a minor variance for an Arnott Avenue property - though it'll be started by honouring firefighter Pierre Gauthier for 25 years service - followed by a Committee of the Whole meeting including a delegation about water and sewer concerns, monthly reports from department heads, a quarterly update on economic development, and an update on the third-party entity that will receive half of the proceeds from the Municipal Accommodation Tax.
Finally, there'll be a regular Council meeting, which includes a by-law to adopt a new Municipal Flag and Proclamation Policy.
The meetings will be held back-to-back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm tonight in the main level boardroom of Town Hall - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
A nearby mine is changing hands.
Barrick Mining Corporation's announced an agreement to sell the Hemlo Gold Mine east of Marathon to Carcetti Capital Corporation, which will be renamed Hemlo Mining Corp. once the transaction closes.
It's a deal worth up to $1.09-billion, with Barrick getting cash consideration of $875-million, an aggregate value of $50-million in stock in the company, and a production and tiered gold price-linked cash payment structure of up to $165-million, for a five-year term starting in January 2027.
Barrick plans to use proceeds from the sale to further support its balance sheet and return capital to shareholders, the same reason it gave for selling a gold and silver project in Chile last month and a 50 percent interest in an Alaskan operation earlier this year.
Hemlo's been operating continuously for more than 30 years, producing over 21-million ounces of gold over that time.
In the seventh Strongman Talk of the season, JJAM FM’s Rick Labbe speaks with Martin Bergeron for details about the upcoming Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy…
Strongman Talk can be heard at 8:40 am every Wednesday in the lead-up to Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy, which is set to be held September 19th to 21st.
A careless driving charge has been laid after a transport truck slid into a ditch south of Wawa.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say the southbound tractor-trailer lost control on a corner, sliding into the northbound ditch of Highway 17, just north of Orphan Lake late Monday morning.
The driver's been charged with careless driving over the incident, which at least partially closed the highway for several hours on Monday.
No injuries were reported by the driver or passenger.
The Canadian Red Cross in Wawa is seeking volunteers.
Community Services Coordinator Vangie Fournier outlines the need for volunteers.
Fournier notes there isn't a lot of time commitment involved.
Fournier says there are only a few things needed to volunteer for these programs.
As for expressing interest, Fournier says there are a few ways to do so.
In the sixth Strongman Talk of the season, JJAM FM’s Rick Labbe speaks with Martin Bergeron for details about the upcoming Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy…
Strongman Talk can be heard at 8:40 am every Wednesday in the lead-up to Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy, which is set to be held September 19th to 21st.
It's back to school time.
As classes begin for students, Chapleau Elementary and Secondary School Principal Lisi Bernier outlines the plan for today.
Noting there will be some new staff and students in the building, Bernier says there are a few things students should remember as classes start.
Petar Kusic - Acting Principal of Wawa's Sir James Dunn Public School - also reminds students to bring a few things with them.
Kusic also notes the annual "welcome back" barbecue will be held Thursday, September 11th, from 4 pm to 6 pm.
Local police are issuing a few safety reminders as kids return to school.
Noting that parents should talk with their kids about "stranger danger" - not approaching unknown people or vehicles - Superior East Ontario Provincial Police Detachment Commander, Staff Sergeant Kevin Fellinger, advises kids to be careful.
Warning drivers to prepare for more pedestrian and vehicle traffic - especially in the morning and mid-afternoon - Staff Sergeant Fellinger reminds drivers to be careful around school buses.
Fellinger notes bus drivers and other witnesses can call police to report vehicles that fail to stop for police, emphasizing a first time offence can mean a fine of $400-$2000 - but even worse is that it could lead to injuring a child.
JJAM FM and John's Your Independent Grocer in Wawa are inviting everyone mark the coming long weekend with a barbecue helping a great cause.
John Michalcewicz explains today's event.
Michalcewicz outlines the reason the local store's hosting the barbecue.
Michalcewicz highlights the work the charity does.
Also sponsored by Wawa Canadian Tire, Davidson's Fuels, Lock City Dairy, and Old Dutch Chips, the barbecue runs from 11 am to 2 pm at John's Your Independent Grocer in Wawa, broadcast live here on JJAM FM.
A group of local passenger train advocates are urging residents to tell the federal government the "Bear Train" passenger train service is important and needed now.
Noting today's the last day of pre-budget consultations by the federal government, the Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains is encouraging supporters to fill in the government's survey and add a comment at the end about the need for the "Bear Train" proposal for passenger train service between Sault Ste. Marie and Oba Lake.
CAPT points out proponent MTA Inc. is proposing the feds and provincial government split the start-up and annual operating costs, like with the Huron Central Railway, with an operator, Watco, already lined up so service could start quickly.
The former Algoma Central Railway passenger train service ended a decade ago, cutting one of - if not the only - option to access many remote locations.
A small forest fire is already out after being confirmed in the Chapleau area.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources says "Chapleau 14" was reported Wednesday, on the south side of Bunting Lake - about 2.6 kilometres west of Perth Lake and 1.1 kilometres south of Nackawic Lake - but never grew beyond a tenth of a hectare in size before it was declared "out" later that day.
The fire hazard's low in areas north of Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins, and primarily moderate to high for the rest of the northeast.
Northwestern Ontario municipal leaders are backing a call from their northeastern counterparts for a "nation-building commitment" to the Trans-Canada Highway in northern Ontario.
The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) is joining the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) in urging the Ontarian and Canadian governments to modernize both Highways 11 and 17 across Northern Ontario, and - to help with that - designate it a "nation-building project" under the Building Canada Act.
Both organizations note the Trans-Canada Highway's a four-lane corridor in most other provinces, but is mostly two-lane in Ontario, making it the "weak link in Canada's national highway system", with FONOM proposing a combination of strategic four-lane widening, selective twinning, and 2+1 highways - featuring alternating passing lanes with a crash-rated median barrier - to improve the highway, warning "each accident not only causes human tragedy but also disrupts more than 8400 trucks moving $200-million in goods daily", with expectations truck traffic will double in the next decade.
In the fifth Strongman Talk of the season, JJAM FM’s Rick Labbe speaks with Martin Bergeron about preparations for the upcoming Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy…
Strongman Talk can be heard at 8:40 am every Wednesday in the lead-up to Dubreuilville Sans Pitié/No Mercy, which is set to be held September 19th to 21st.
Northeastern Ontario municipal leaders are calling for a "nation-building commitment" to the Trans-Canada Highway in the region.
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is urging Ontario and Canadian governments to modernize both Highways 11 and 17 across Northern Ontario, and - to help - designate it a "nation-building project" under the building Canada Act.
They argue the mostly two-lane highway has "some of the highest fatality and collision rates in Canada", noting "each accident not only causes human tragedy but also disrupts more than 8400 trucks moving $200-million in goods daily", and - with expectations that truck traffic will double in the next decade - urgency to address the problem is growing.
To address the "weak link in Canada's national highway system", FONOM is proposing a combination of strategic four-lane widening, selective twinning, and 2+1 highways - featuring alternating passing lanes with a crash-rated median barrier - emphasizing that other "upcoming national priorities, including the Ring of Fire, the NWMO nuclear facility in Ignace, expanded St. Lawrence port activity, and proposals for a James Bay port" would all rely on the Trans-Canada Highway, and that FONOM's proposals are supported by its northwestern counterpart, NOMA, as well as the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and Rural Ontario Municipal Association.
Chapleau's mayor is thanking the community for its support as the checkered flag's been waved for the second Gold Rush Nationals Drag Race.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo says last weekend's event - the first edition of the Chapleau drag races since they debuted in 2019 - was quite successful.
Bignucolo particularly highlights work done on the airport ahead of time.
Mayor Bignucolo thanks the various sponsors and supporters - particularly Discovery Silver/Discovery Porcupine, who provided $50,000 in support - and notes plans for the third edition of the event to be held next year, though the date has yet to be confirmed.
A small forest fire is already out after being confirmed in the Wawa area.
While the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed "Wawa 7" Tuesday - located "midway between Ruthie and Danny lakes" - it now shows the fire was called "out" after growing to seven-tenths of a hectare in size.
The fire hazard's mainly low to moderate across the northeast, with a "large swath" of high hazard from the north shore of Lake Huron to the shores of James Bay.
