Michipicoten First Nation's 25th Annual Youth and Elders Gathering Arrives

Michipicoten First Nation is welcoming band members and others to the community over the next week, with the 25th Annual Youth and Elders Gathering.

Set to include special guests Turtle Concepts and Miss World Canada Emma Morrison - along with crafts, sweat lodges, dance, live music, feast, traditional teachings, voyageur canoe rides, medicine walks, and much more - the Youth and Elders Gathering begins tomorrow morning with a sunrise ceremony, followed by breakfast and then opening remarks, with festivities continuing to next Friday, August 11th.

PHSD Strategic Plan Survey Closing

Time's running out for residents of the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts to have their say about their local health unit's priorities.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts has launched an online survey to inform its next Strategic Plan, which would identify priorities and approaches for how the agency delivers services.

Residents - including those in the Chapleau area - have until 4:30 pm this afternoon to fill out the survey, which can be found through PHSD's website.

Assault Charge After Hornepayne Domestic Dispute

An assault charge has been laid over a Hornepayne incident.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a verbal domestic dispute early Wednesday evening, with subsequent investigation leading to the arrest of a 32-year-old from Hornepayne on a charge of spousal assault.

The accused - who will not be identified due to the domestic nature of the incident, to protect the victim - was released from custody with a future court date.

Pedalling Possibilities Across Canada Passing By Wawa

A quadriplegic man's hand-cycling through the Wawa area on a cross Canada trek.

Kevin Mills - who sustained a spinal cord injury in 2009, leaving him quadriplegic - explains the cross-country journey, dubbed "Pedalling Possibilities".

Saying he believes Canadians are "amazing" - meeting many kind and positive people on the journey - Mills notes there are a few ways people can show support.

Mills also encourages people to get out, active and moving.

Mills emphasizes hopes this will help accessibility.

Mills and the "Pedalling Possibilities" crew reached the Agawa Rock area yesterday, and should soon be passing by Wawa.

Small Forest Fire Reported in Wawa District

A small forest fire's been confirmed in the Wawa district.

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says "Wawa 11" is located two kilometres northwest of Lurch Lake in Pukaskwa National Park - it was half a hectare in size when the Ministry's report was issued, but was considered "not under control".

It was one of 34 active wildfires in the Northeast - the only considered "not under control".

The Northwest saw nine new fires, leaving it with 46 active, 10 "not under control".

The fire hazard's mostly moderate to high for the North, with pockets of low hazard or even extreme in parts of the Northwest.

OPP Update Description of Missing Man Last Seen in Wawa

Ontario Provincial Police have updated the description of a missing man last seen in Wawa.

Superior East OPP on Monday asked for public help finding "Jim", a 66-year-old reported missing by family last Thursday, but last seen in Wawa Tuesday, July 25th - he's believed to still be in the Wawa area, but also has ties to Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins.

The updated description calls him a white male, five feet ten inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds, with short white hair and goatee beard - he was last seen wearing a blue tank top and blue jeans, green camo ball cap, black running shoes, and a green jacket.

Anyone who has seen him or knows of his whereabouts is urged to call police or Crime Stoppers.

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

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

Algoma Public Health's reporting fifteen over the last week - thirteen in the Sault Ste. Marie area, one in the Elliot Lake area, and the other in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - pushing known "high risk active" cases up to sixteen, though it shows none in hospital.

Assault & Mischief Charges Over Wawa Domestic Dispute

Assault and mischief charges have been laid over a Wawa domestic dispute.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say officers responded to an incident on Mackey Street shortly after 1 o'clock Monday morning, with subsequent investigation leading to the arrest of a 32-year-old from Wawa on charges of spousal assault and domestic mischief.

The accused - who will not be identified due to the domestic nature of the incident, to protect the victim - was released from custody with a September court date.

Chapleau Resident Charged With Break, Enter & Theft After "Large Sum of Money" Taken

A Chapleau resident's facing break and enter and theft charges.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they were notified of a break-in at a Connaught Street residence shortly after 8 o'clock Friday morning, told a large sum of money was taken at the time.

Police arrested a 47-year-old on charges of break, enter a dwelling house and theft over $5000 - he's been released from custody, set to appear in court next month.

Dubreuilville Man Facing Impaired Driving Charges After Highway 101 Crash

Impaired operation charges have been laid after a collision east of Wawa.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a collision on Highway 101 - near Highway 547 - shortly after 9 o'clock Thursday night, with subsequent investigation determining the driver had consumed alcoholic beverages, leading to the arrest of a 35-year-old from Dubreuilville on charges of operation while impaired - alcohol and drugs and operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus).

They've been released from custody with a court date later this month.

PHSD Reports New COVID-19 Cases

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

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting three in Greater Sudbury since Friday, though known "active" cases were down slightly, to eighteen - the health unit only updates hospitalization figures on Wednesdays, but last showed six in hospital, one in an ICU.

The health unit notes it has one COVID-19 vaccination clinic planned in Chapleau this month - on Wednesday, August 16th - offering the primary series for those at least six months old, or booster doses by recommendation only.

OPP Searching for Missing Man Last Seen in Wawa

Ontario Provincial Police are searching for a missing man believed to be in the Wawa area.

Superior East OPP say "Jim" was reported missing by family Thursday, July 27th, but was last seen in Wawa Tuesday, July 25th - he's believed to still be in the Wawa area, but also has ties to Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins.

The 66-year-old's described as a white male, five feet ten inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds, with white shoulder length hair, white beard, and brown eyes - he also wears glasses, and was last seen wearing a blue tank top and blue jeans, navy blue baseball hat, and green rain jacket.

Anyone who has seen him since Tuesday, July 25th or who knows of his whereabouts is urged to call police at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, which is 1-800-222-8477.

41st Annual Wawa Salmon Derby Nears

Preparations are ramping up for the annual Wawa Salmon Derby.

The 41st annual event's set to be held August 18th through the 20th - with the "pre-fishing contest" running August 12th to 16th - and organizer Brad Buck notes there are tickets left, available a few ways.

Buck touts the $3000 prize for the biggest salmon of the derby - sponsored by Red Pine Exploration - plus other prizes for the biggest lake trout, the biggest fish of the day, and more.

Wawa Launches Fire Services Survey

Wawa residents are being encouraged to have their say about local fire services.

Fire Chief Kevin Sabourin explains the Municipality's launched a survey to get feedback on fire services that are available or potentially available for Wawa.

Sabourin notes the survey's intended to inform a broader review.

Sabourin encourages any Wawa resident to fill out the survey, noting participants can be anonymous or they can fill out details to be entered into a draw to win prizes of $250, $100, or $50, along with smoke detectors.

The survey can be found through the municipal website, with paper copies available at the Municipal Office, the Wawa Public Library, and the Wawa Seniors Goose Club - they must be completed by Friday, August 18th.

Arrest After Tractor-Trailer Flips on Highway 17 North of Wawa

An arrest has been made after a transport truck flipped just north of Wawa earlier this week.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police Constable Ashley Nickle explains the incident happened early Tuesday morning.

The highway was closed for about six hours as emergency services attended the scene while a heavy tow removed the vehicle and two occupants were taken to hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released.

Constable Nickle says that has led to an arrest.

PHSD & PHU Report New COVID-19 Cases, More Hospitalizations for TBDHU

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

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting its six since Monday - four in Greater Sudbury, two in the Manitoulin District - bringing known "active" cases up to sixteen, with six in hospital, one in an ICU.

The neighbouring Porcupine Health Unit's reporting two cases over the last week - it no longer breaks that down by region nor reports "active" case counts and shows none in hospital.

The nearby Thunder Bay District Health Unit has stopped reporting case counts, but does show 24 in hospital, one in an ICU, both up from last week's report.

Conservative Leader Poilievre Visiting SSM

Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre is visiting Sault Ste. Marie today.

Poilievre's will hold a rally for supporters at 12 noon at the Machine Shop, expected to comment on the Liberal goverment's policies, including its handling of inflation, grocery prices, carbon taxes, and crime.

It's part of a broader tour of Northern Ontario, with past stops in Kenora, Thunder Bay, Timmins, and Kapuskasing, as well as Sudbury later today and North Bay tomorrow.

Forest Fire Near White River Now Out, Along With Small Fire in Chapleau District

A couple forest fires in the region are now out.

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says "Chapleau 15" - confirmed early Tuesday evening, located about five kilometres north of the east end of Cow River, or 25 kilometres northeast of Batchawana River Provincial Park - was called out on Wednesday, after growing to 0.2-hectares in size.

Meanwhile, the "Wawa 3" fire reported near White River on May 27th has also been called out - it had grown to 6678.1 hectares in size before it was declared "being held" June 10th and under control June 28th.

The Ministry did confirm four more fires in the Northeast since its Tuesday report - two in the Cochrane district, two in the Sudbury district - leaving the Northeast with 33 active and 44 in the Northwest.

The fire hazard's mostly low to moderate around Sault Ste. Marie, Greater Sudbury, Kirkland Lake and south, or high to extreme around Timmins, Cochrane, Hearst, and north.

Chapleau Resident Arrested for Threats Twice in 12 Hours

A Chapleau resident's facing multiple charges over two incidents in as many days.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they were called to a disturbance on Lansdowne Street shortly before 9 o'clock Monday night, resulting in the arrest of a 51-year-old man on charges of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and mischief - interfere with any person in the lawful use, enjoyment, or operation of property.

He was released from custody with an August court date, but - about 12 hours after the first incident - officers were notified that the accused had breached release conditions by returning to the victim's property, leading to his arrest on another charge of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and two counts of failure to comply with undertaking - he was released again, still set to appear in court in August.

Assault & Sexual Assault Charges After Wawa Domestic Dispute

Assault and sexual assault charges have been laid after a domestic dispute in Wawa.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they were called to a disturbance on Klondike Street shortly after 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, with subsequent investigation resulting in the arrest of a 46-year-old Wawa resident on charges of sexual assault, spousal assault, and spousal assault causing bodily harm.

The accused - who will not be identified due to the domestic nature of the incident, to protect the victim - was released from custody with an August court date.