Electronic Voting Opens in Wawa Municipal Election

Voting opens in Wawa's municipal election today.

The voting period runs from 10 o'clock this morning to 8 pm on the October 24th Election Day, and Municipal Clerk Cathy Cyr reminds voters should have received a Voter Instruction Letter on casting their ballot electronically.

Cyr says those who don't have a letter yet should contact the Municipality, to ensure they're on the electors list.

Cyr emphasizes that voting is only by phone or internet, though there are some options of assistance in-person, including at the Town Hall during regular hours - a schedule of other events can be found in the letter, or on the municipal website.

While current councillor Melanie Pilon has been acclaimed as mayor - with local school board trustees also acclaimed - voters are able to vote for up to four of the nine candidates running for the four remaining Council seats.

Interviews with each of the Wawa Council candidates can be found here.

Wawa Tourism Survey Nearing Close

Time is running out for Wawa residents and businesses to "have your say" in the community's new five-year tourism plan.

An online survey to assist with creation of the plan is set to close Friday - it asks participants to share views on "what makes Wawa a great place for visitors and tourists" by answering a few short questions.

A link can be found on the municipal website, though a paper copy or assistance is available at the Town Hall, Tourist Information Centre, and Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre.

Wawa Public Library Launches Programming, New Equipment Coming

Straight off the Thanksgiving weekend, the Wawa Public Library's kicking off some programming.

CEO and Head Librarian Sue Jarrell explains that includes a number of things oriented for youth.

Jarrell notes a "generous donation" has allowed the library to get an interactive "play table" - with games that'd interest children and adults - and she highlights another key donation.

Jarrell does remind that October is Ontario Public Library Month and Ontario Public Library Week is next week, with plans for a local celebration to be announced soon.

PHSD Reports New COVID-19 Cases, Including Northern Sudbury District

COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise in the region - including the northern Sudbury District.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 96 across its region since Wednesday - 81 in Greater Sudbury, ten in the Sudbury District, and five in the Manitoulin District - pushing known "active" cases up to 331, with 44 in hospital, one in an ICU.

The "active" cases include three in the northern Sudbury District, up from Wednesday's three - the communities aren't specified, but the region includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations.

Wawa Council Candidates Make Their Pitch

All nine candidates for the five seats on Wawa Municipal Council were given the opportunity to answer the same questions in a conversation up to five minutes. Below are all nine, in alphabetical order (by surname).

Electronic voting (by phone or internet) is set to begin at 10 am Tuesday, October 11th, and concludes at 8 pm Monday, October 24th (which is the province-wide municipal election date).

Details on voting in Wawa’s municipal election can be found on the municipal website.

Charges Laid After Local Family Dispute

Charges have been laid after a local family dispute.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a dispute on Michipicoten First Nation around 1:30 pm Sunday afternoon, with investigation leading to the arrest of a 24-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, charged with two counts of mischief and three of fail to comply with probation order.

They've been released from custody, scheduled to appear in Wawa's Ontario Court of Justice next month.

Superior East OPP Joining in Operation Impact for Thanksgiving

Local police will be watching the roads over the Thanksgiving long weekend, joining a national campaign.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police Constable Ashley Nickle explains the detachment's participating in Operation Impact, which will mean a focus on road safety.

Constable Nickle notes that means a focus on "The Big Four" driving behaviours.

Nickle says the enforcement will see patrols on roads and trails - when officers aren't responding to calls for service - urging everyone to "share our roads safely" so everyone can have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

OPP are reporting 268 fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads headings into October, a 24 percent increase over the same time last year, with the majority of the deaths attributed to "motorists consciously making bad decisions behind the wheel and failing to take seriously their enormous responsibility to drive and share the road safely" - that includes 69 speed-related fatalities, 57 inattentive-related fatalities, 40 alcohol or drug-related fatalities, and 40 associated with a lack of seatbelt use.

APH Surpasses 10,000 COVID-19 Cases Reported, 4 More in North Algoma

Algoma Public Health's surpassed an unfortunate milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic: 10,000 cases.

The health unit's reporting 79 since Tuesday - 67 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, twelve in the Elliot Lake area, six in Central and East Algoma, and four in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - bringing the total number of cases reported since the pandemic began to 10,007.

It's also pushed known "high risk active" cases up to 229, with 22 in hospital, two in ICUs.

3 Local First Nations Taking Legal Action Over Ontario's Management of Forests & Environment

A trio of local First Nations are taking legal action, accusing the Ontario government of mismanaging forests and the environment.

A release from the three Ontario Treaty 9 First Nations - Chapleau Cree, Missanabie Cree, and Brunswick House - notes Treaty 9 "stretches across two-thirds of Ontario", and their action "aims to force Ontario to make meaningful changes now before harms are irreversible to the detriment of the boreal forest, all Treaty 9 First Nations, and all Ontarians".

They emphasize that the Supreme Court's made it clear the Crown "must act honourably when implementing its treaties with First Nations" but that honour "is not upheld when First Nations' concerns about environmental protection and forest management and the safety of the foods and waters on their territories are not addressed", specifically citing the widespread spraying of glyphosate herbicide as an issue, adding "the result [of extensive industrial and forestry activities authorized by Ontario without the full participation of the First Nations] has been rampant landscape fragmentation, degradation, and contamination of traditional territories over time."

The First Nations also warn "the pace of degradation has been increasing, resulting in decreasing forest cover and lower forest resilience", noting "these are known contributors to climate change".

PHSD & PHU Report New COVID-19 Cases

More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 99 across its region since Monday - 82 in Greater Sudbury, fifteen in the Sudbury District, and two in the Manitoulin District - pushing known "active" cases up to 308, with 38 in hospital, one in an ICU.

The "active" cases include one in the northern Sudbury District - the same as Monday - the communities aren't specified, but the region includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations.

The neighbouring Porcupine Health Unit's reporting 115 cases over the last two weeks - it didn't issue an update last week - it no longer breaks it down by region nor reports "active" case counts, but is reporting 26 in hospital.

Wawa Council Lifting Hold for Superior Aggregates, Approve Site Plan Agreement

Wawa Municipal Council's cleared a key roadblock for Superior Aggregates.

In meetings last night, Council heard a presentation from Robert Lehman of Lehman & Associates, who noted he wrote the community's first official plan four decades ago and also served as the municipality's planner for Superior Aggregates, which was seeking the removal of a "hold" for its wharf lands with a new site plan agreement - both requests were accepted in the regular meeting, along with a road use agreement.

Lehman assured conditions set when the hold was placed have now been met, but he'd also met with regulators to clarify what efforts would be necessary, with Superior Aggregates to be required to meet conditions set by any government agency with authority over the project, including obtaining a certificate of environmental compliance, along with noise monitors already required in the Ontario Municipal Board's decision on the project - he also recommended a committee including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to look at the impacts.

Councillor - and incoming mayor - Melanie Pilon thanked Lehman for his work on a "very complicated matter", while outgoing Mayor Pat Tait said he was in a "similar seat" - Council made no other comments or asked any other questions before passing the by-laws.

APH Reports COVID-19 Cases, 2 In North Algoma

More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region - including North Algoma.

Algoma Public Health's reporting 106 since Thursday - 84 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, thirteen in Central and East Algoma, eight in the Elliot Lake area, and two in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - with known "high risk active" cases up to 190, including 22 in hospital, two in ICUs.

Impaired Driving Charges After Single Vehicle Collision on Wawa's Harbour Road

A Wawa driver's facing impaired driving charges after a collision on Harbour Road.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to the single vehicle collision last Tuesday morning, with investigation leading to the arrest of a 20-year-old on charges of operation while impaired - alcohol and drugs and operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus).

They've been released from custody, set to appear in Wawa's Ontario Court of Justice next month.

Assault Charges for 3 People in Wawa Incident

Assault and other charges have been laid after a Wawa incident last week.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a report of an assault on Second Avenue early last Monday morning, with investigation leading to the arrest of a 39-year-old from Wawa, a 27-year-old from Grand Prairie, Alberta, and a 29-year-old from Fraser Lake, British Columbia - all three have been charged with aggravated assault and break, enter dwelling house while the Wawa man's also charged with failure to comply with release order and the other two were charged with disguise with intent.

All three were remanded into custody, pending bail hearings.

PHSD Reports Rising COVID-19 Cases, Fewer for Northern Sudbury District

More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region - but fewer in the northern Sudbury District.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 165 across its region since Wednesday - 148 in Greater Sudbury, seven in the Sudbury District, and ten in the Manitoulin District - pushing known "active" cases up slightly, to 269, with 35 in hospital, one in an ICU.

The "active" cases include one in the northern Sudbury District - down from the three reported Wednesday - the communities aren't specified, but the region includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations.

The health unit has ten "active" outbreaks across its region: one in Espanola, the rest in Greater Sudbury.

Chapleau's Fall Clean-Up Week Arrives

Chapleau's opening up its landfill site for local residents free of charge.

Mayor Michael Levesque explains this week's the annual "Fall Clean-Up".

The initiative runs during regular hours at the landfill - 10 am to 2 pm Tuesday to Friday, and 10 am to 4 pm this Saturday - though residents are reminded to sort the materials "in the way of steel, wood, building products, and other household waste", with certain waste not accepted - details are on the Township's website.

Wawa Council to Consider Site Plan Agreement for Superior Aggregates

Wawa Municipal Council's set to discuss removing a hold - with a site plan agreement - for Superior Aggregates in meetings tonight.

First up is a Corporate Planning Committee meeting, which includes a delegation on the request, which will be followed by discussion about a memo on Water Treatment Plant water filters, a draft new policy on electronic monitoring, and a health and safety policy recommendation.

The Superior Aggregates item will come back up in tonight's regular meeting, which includes by-laws to implement it.

The meetings will be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm tonight, in Council Chambers - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.

SSM OPP Investigating Fatal 3 Vehicle Collision North of Sault Ste. Marie

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal multi-vehicle collision that closed Highway 17 north of the Sault over the weekend.

Sault Ste. Marie OPP say emergency services responded to the collision involving three vehicles on Highway 17 near Haviland Shores Road in Goulais Township around 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon, with investigation determining a northbound vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, continuing into the southbound lane where it made contact with one vehicle who narrowly avoided a head-on collision but continued on and collided with a second vehicle.

A passenger of the second vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, identified as 81-year-old Richard Harrison of Sault Ste. Marie, while the two drivers of the head-on collision were taken to hospital with "serious injuries".

The investigation's ongoing with the OPP Technical Collision Investigator and reconstructionist while the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario-Ontario Forensic Pathology Service is assisting, with a post-mortem examination planned.

Northern Lights Ford Launches Together Let's Scare Hunger Campaign

A Wawa car dealership is looking to "scare hunger" this month.

Today marks the start of Northern Lights Ford's annual "Together Let's Scare Hunger" campaign to support the Wawa Food Bank, and Danette Mathias from the dealership says everyone's encouraged to join in.

Mathias notes there are a few items that are especially wanted.

Northern Lights Ford's "Together Let's Scare Hunger" campaign runs through to Halloween, October 31st.

Paving Work Getting Underway for Chapleau's Monk Street

Paving work's getting underway for a Chapleau road.

The Township's warning existing asphalt will be removed and new asphalt pavement will be put down on Monk Street - between Water Plant Road and Teak Street - over the next two weeks, reducing traffic to one lane controlled by flag people.

Mayor Michael Levesque noted last month that the contract had been awarded to a Hearst-based company.

In addition to paving that section of Monk, asphalt patching's planned for various parts of town, including Maple, Teak, Pine, and Grey and Cherry Streets.