Wawa Thanked for Supporting Local Toy Drive for Christmas Hampers

The Wawa community's being thanked for supporting an annual effort to support children in the Wawa area this holiday season.

Wawa's Red Apple store wrapped up its annual toy drive on Saturday with a "Fill a Sleigh Day" featuring local emergency services, and have no confirmed the campaign raised $19,989.50, which manager Josee McCoy notes is 222% of the target for the multi-week initiative.

McCoy notes the funds raised included a $10,000 anonymous donation.

The drive supports the Wawa Christmas Hamper Fund, which is set to deliver the hampers to recipients December 15th.

PHSD Reports New COVID-19 Cases, Reduces Death Toll

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

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting eighteen since Friday - seventeen in Greater Sudbury, another in the broader Sudbury District - though known "active" cases are down to 100 - 20 in hospital, one in an ICU - with two in the northern Sudbury District (Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations), down from Friday's six.

The health unit's also removed four previously reported deaths in Greater Sudbury from its data - all of which had an unknown cause of death - bringing the health unit's death toll down to 192, 166 in the city.

Wawa Public Library Holding Silent Auction

The Wawa Public Library's putting a few items up for auction.

CEO and Head Librarian Sue Jarrell explains the library's trying something new, holding a silent auction over the next couple weeks, with a few items up for bid.

Jarrell notes funds raised through the auction will go toward "little extras" the library would like to get.

Starting today, bids can be made at the library until 2 pm on December 17th.

1 Dead After Single Vehicle Collision South of Chapleau

One person is dead after a single-vehicle collision south of Chapleau.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to the incident near the intersection of Highways 129 and 667 - about 40 kilometres south of Chapleau - around 4:12 pm Sunday afternoon, confirming one person was dead as a result of the collision.

While 129's since reopened between Chapleau and Thessalon, the investigation's continuing with assistance from the Northeast Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team.

Deceased in Fatal Hwy 17 Collision Identified as Wawa Firefighter

More details are emerging about last week's fatal collision on Highway 17, near the intersection with 519.

Superior East OPP have confirmed the person killed in the crash was 33-year-old Christian - or Chris - Casavant, a member of the Wawa Fire Department and worker at Alamos Gold, who was also involved in mine rescue.

Police say Casavant was the passenger in a northbound pickup truck that collided with a southbound commercial motor vehicle around 5:47 pm last Tuesday evening, and he was pronounced dead at the scene while the pickup's driver - who has not been publicly identified - was taken to hospital for injuries now described as "non-life-threatening" - the tractor-trailer's driver was not injured.

The investigation's continuing - with assistance from the Northeast Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team - and police ask any potential witnesses - including anyone who was in the area of the collision between 5 pm and 5:45 pm that evening - to call the OPP or Crime Stoppers.

MVFA Cash Draw's Early Bird Draw Nears

A lucky supporter of Wawa's firefighters will soon be $1000 richer.

The Michipicoten Volunteer Firefighters' Association's annual cash draw is set to have its "Early Bird" draw next weekend, and Past President Kyle Ouellet reminds ticket sales support the firefighters.

The "Early Bird" draw will be made Saturday night, and Ouellet notes the winning ticket will be re-entered for the next draw on Valentine's Day, and the final draws at the Wawa Ice Fishing Derby.

Fill a Sleigh Event Wraps Toy Drive Supporting Wawa Christmas Hampers

An annual effort to support children in the Wawa area this holiday season came to a close over the weekend.

Josee McCoy - manager of Wawa's Red Apple store - explains Saturday's "Fill a Sleigh Day" with local emergency services was the culmination of a multi-week toy drive.

Emphasizing the local police are happy to join in - as it's a "worthwhile cause", helping out families in need - Superior East OPP Constable Ashley Nickle says response to the event was "amazing".

Wawa Fire Department Deputy Chief Pierre Gauthier is appreciative of the support seen Saturday.

The firefighters were also out Sunday - with staff from St. Augustine French Immersion school - collecting food for the Christmas Hampers, which will be going out December 15th.

PHSD Reports New COVID-19 Cases

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

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 34 since Wednesday - 27 in Greater Sudbury, four in the broader Sudbury District, and three in the Manitoulin District - though known "active" cases are down slightly, to 134 - 22 in hospital, one in an ICU - with six in the northern Sudbury District (Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations), down from Wednesday's nine.

$300k Fine Over July 2021 Death at Marathon Mine

A Toronto mining company's been fined over the death of a worker at Marathon's Hemlo Mine last year.

Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development says Williams Operating Corporation (which conducts some portion of the mine operations and contracts out for others) entered a guilty plea to ensuring controls were installed for an automatic door and that the installation was maintained as designed, resulting in a $300,000 fine, plus a 25% victim fine surcharge, which goes to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

According to the Ministry, the incident occurred July 14th, 2021, after power to the underground portion of the mine had been restored following a full-day shutdown for maintenance to underground electrical substations, with an employee of a contractor involved in clearing and readying the automation zone of the mine for use by the night shift advised that an automatic gate needed to be reset - while there were no witnesses, investigators say it appears the worker attempted to go through nearby access doors after resetting the gate, but was fatally injured in the process, with investigation determining the doors were designed to default to a closed position following a power outage - the opposite of other doors in the mine - leading to the charges against Williams.

Marathon Palladium Project Receives Federal & Provincial Approvals

Another mine project near Marathon has received the green light.

Generation PGM's received provincial and federal approvals of its environment assessment proposals for the Marathon Palladium Project about ten kilometres from the town - a provincial government release notes it's expected to produce an average of 245,000 ounces of palladium equivalent production annually over an estimated 13-year mine life.

Palladium's a key material in catalytic converters.

Site construction's expected to take 18 to 24 months, requiring over 900 workers, with an operating workforce estimated at 375 people.

APH Reports New COVID-19 Cases, Including 1 in North Algoma

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

Algoma Public Health's reporting sixteen since Tuesday - ten in the Sault Ste. Marie area, four in Central and East Algoma, one in the Elliot Lake area, and another in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - pushing known "high risk active" cases up slightly, to 82, 13 in hospital, three in ICUs.

The neighbouring Thunder Bay District Health Unit's reporting three more COVID-related deaths, bringing its total to 127.

TBDHU’s also reporting 127 new COVID-19 cases - it no longer reports "active" case counts, but does show 23 in hospital, three in ICUs - it's also reporting 42 new lab-confirmed cases of influenza, just over half of those reported last Thursday.

Festive Events Planned for This Weekend in Wawa

Wawa's getting into the festive season this weekend.

Municipal Recreation Coordinator Stacey White notes tonight marks the beginning of the annual Festival of Lights decoration contest.

White reminds votes can be cast online or by dropping them off at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre Pro Shop - maps of participating homes are likewise available online, through Wawa Recreation on social media, or at the "Bundle Up! Market" being held this weekend.

White is also excited for the market, noting a "really good lineup" for four separate markets this weekend, offering a chance for some Christmas shopping.

White also notes there'll be a special guest at each market: Santa Claus.

The "Bundle Up! Market" will be held from 6 pm to 8 pm tonight, 1 pm to 3 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm Saturday, and 1 pm to 3 pm Sunday, at the Goose Nest Market in downtown Wawa.

White also reminds the deadline to register for the December 16th Santa Claus Parade is December 10th, just over a week away.

Festive Wawa Fundraisers Happening This Weekend

A few local fundraisers are happening this weekend, supporting some Wawa organizations.

The Wawa Goose Seniors Centre is hosting its annual Christmas Bazaar in support of the club, including a penny sale, silent auction, white elephant sale, bake sale, and a couple contests for cake decoration and Christmas gift basket - it runs from 11 am to 3 pm Saturday, though those wishing to drop off items for the bake sale can do so before 10 am.

Wawa's St. Paul's Anglican Church is also holding a bake sale Saturday - from 1 pm to 3 pm - while the Wawa Adult Learning Centre's hosting a "pop up fundraiser" supporting the Wawa Food Bank, from 10 am to 3 pm Saturday.

Emergency Services & Local School Staff Joining in Efforts to Support Wawa Christmas Hampers

Wawa's emergency services and others will be out in the community this weekend, to raise support for an annual tradition helping the needy in the community.

Michipicoten Volunteer Firefighters Association Past President Kyle Ouellet explains the firefighters are joining in the annual "Fill the Sleigh" event tomorrow.

Ouellet notes the firefighters are also partnering with staff from St. Augustine French Immersion School on Sunday.

Emphasizing the hampers support those in need - families, seniors, and others - Christmas Hamper Fund President Richard Watson explains they offer a few items to brighten the season.

Watson notes the hampers will be distributed Thursday, December 15th.

The "Fill the Sleigh" event runs from 11 am to 2 am Saturday at the Red Apple store in Wawa, with the food drive in Wawa - including the Mission - from 10 am to 1 pm Sunday.

LDHC Foundation Thanks Community for Giving Tuesday Support

Wawa's Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation is thanking the community for its support amid a one-day fundraising initiative.

Chair Susan Switzer says "Giving Tuesday" was quite a success, including a $1750 matching donation from Northern Lights Ford and its staff.

Vice Chair Lorraine Pihelgas notes the 24-hour donation drive was just part of the Foundation's ongoing holiday mailout campaign.

Switzer adds there's another fundraising initiative underway.

Funds raised go toward the Foundation's "One for the Dunn" initiative supporting the hospital's MediTech expansion.

Weather Played Important Role in April Plane Crash South of Wawa

Weather played a key role in a plane crash south of Wawa last spring.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada's released its report on the April 14th crash of Piper Comanche aircraft that killed two people - it states that investigators were unable to determine what weather information the pilot obtained before departing around 3:43 pm from the southern Ontario community of Delhi, heading for Marathon, as a stopover on the way to Alberta, though the flight did start in appropriate weather conditions, even if dense clouds could be seen west of the flight plan.

According to the TSB, the privately registered plane changed its heading slightly toward the west and was on track toward Marathon just before flying over Manitoulin Island, with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data collected after the incident showing it was heading toward Marathon just before 6 that night but also a higher frequency of heading changes and ADS-B information was lost five minutes later, when the plane was about 14 nautical miles - about 26 kilometres - south of the Wawa Municipal Airport, as weather conditions worsened.

The plane was later reported overdue, prompting a search hampered by poor weather conditions and reduced visibility, and the mission was called off April 24th, handed over to the OPP as a missing persons case - plane parts were discovered by a helicopter operator conducting a private search May 21st, in an open swampy area within a mountainous and densely wooded area about eleven kilometres northwest of the plane's last known position, with a subsequent search confirming the aircraft was destroyed and both pilot Brian Slingerland and his friend, John Fehr, were killed in the crash.

PHSD Reports COVID-19 Death in Greater Sudbury, More Cases Across Region

Another COVID-19 death's been confirmed in the region.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting a death in Greater Sudbury in which COVID contributed to but was not the underlying cause of death - this brings the health unit's COVID-related death toll to 196 - 170 in the city alone - it last reported two weeks ago.

It's also reporting 28 new cases since Monday - 23 in Greater Sudbury, four in the broader Sudbury District, and another in the Manitoulin District - but known "active" cases are down to slightly, to 143, with 23 in hospital, one in an ICU.

There are nine "active" cases in the northern Sudbury District, down from Monday's ten - the communities aren't specified, but the region includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations.

CP Holiday Train Set to Roll Through Region

A mobile event supporting food banks "rolls" through the region tonight.

After opting for a virtual "Holiday Train at Home" concert the last two years, CP's Holiday Train is back on the tracks for a cross-continent tour, explained by Media Relations and Community Affairs Manager Salem Woodrow.

Woodrow explains the train provides a free concert for communities when it stops.

While the concert's free, attendees are encouraged to bring donations for the local food bank - Woodrow emphasizes what is donated in each community stays in that community, and encourages people to arrive early to get a good spot for the concert.

The train's scheduled to stop in Cartier at 10:30 am this morning, Chapleau at 4 pm this afternoon, and White River at 8:45 pm, before continuing to Mobert, Heron Bay, Marathon, and further west tomorrow.

1 Dead, Another Injured in Pickup/Transport Truck Collision North of Wawa

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal collision on Highway 17, near the intersection with 519.

Superior East OPP say they responded to a collision involving a pickup truck and a commercial motor vehicle (tractor-trailer) about 40 kilometres north of Wawa around 5:47 pm Tuesday night, with officers confirming one person was dead.

Superior East OPP have also confirmed to JJAM FM News that another person was injured, but the extent of their injuries is currently unknown - both the injured and deceased were in the pickup truck, though it is currently unknown which person was driving.

A tweet from the OPP's Northeast Region Communications account initially announced 17 closed between Wawa and White River around 6:15 pm, citing "multiple collisions due to poor weather and driving conditions", though Superior East OPP have since clarified there was only a single collision and that multiple reports had come in, likely leading to the confusion.

The closure extended to Nipigon later in the evening, with another fatal collision reported east of that community.

The highway was closed for several hours, but has since reopened, though the investigation is continuing with assistance from the Northeast Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team.

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