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Time's almost up for those interested in joining a Chapleau contest to light up the community.
Noting today is the deadline to enter Chapleau's Christmas Lights Contest, Assistant Leisure and Cultural Services Director Carole Ouellette encourages people to sign up for the chance at a few prizes.
To register, contact Ouellette at the Chapleau Recreation Centre - at 705-864-0154 - or email couellette@chapleau.ca
Time's running out to sign up for a holiday season decoration contest in Wawa.
Municipal Recreation Coordinator Stacey White explains there are incentives to join in the annual Festival of Lights.
White reminds those looking to compete must sign up by noon Wednesday, November 29th, so a map of participants can be prepared for this Saturday's launch at the "Bundle Up! Markets" - more details on the Festival of Lights and the markets can be found through Wawa Recreation on social media.
Registration's also open for floats in this year's Santa Claus Parade, which will be held Friday, December 15th.
The big draw is nearing for a province-wide lottery involving Wawa's hospital foundation.
Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation Chair Susan Switzer explains the foundation's part of the province-wide "Split the Pot Lottery", noting people can get tickets online to support the local hospital.
After a series of early bird draws over the last five weeks, the grand prize draw will be made this Friday - deadline for tickets is 11:59 pm Thursday night - with details - and tickets - can be found at splitthepot.ca
A fundraiser's approaching to support sending some Wawa students on a big trip.
Sir James Dunn Public School Special Education Resource Teacher Heather Watson explains tickets are currently being sold for a spaghetti supper.
Noting there is an option for takeaway - if preferred - Watson encourages people to get tickets by contacting the school.
The Spaghetti Supper will be held December 6th.
Chapleau Town Council's set to talk about the sale of Chapleau Hydro, economic development, and more tonight.
Included on the agenda for tonight's regular meeting are "public meeting" items relating to: the sale of the public utility to Hydro One; boosting economic development; business categories for water, sewer, and the landfill; and clearing and winter maintenance for walkways and pedestrian crosswalk.
Council will also look at a report on the Taste of the North Winter Carnival - and a related budget request - and there are a pair of "in-camera" items: a human resources matter and an update on a legal matter.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 pm tonight in Civic Centre Council Chambers - details on accessing it electronically can be found on the Township's website.
More COVID-19 cases are being reported in the region - but there are fewer active.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting eighteen new cases since Wednesday - sixteen in Greater Sudbury, two in the broader Sudbury District - though known "active" cases dipped to 135, two in the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations).
The health unit only updates hospitalization figures Wednesday, but last showed 61 in hospital, five in ICUs.
The local French catholic school board's sticking with its top board members.
Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says trustees have re-elected Sault Ste. Marie trustee Suzanne Salituri as President and Greater Sudbury trustee Louise Essiembre as Vice-President - the two have held those roles for the last two years.
The board elects its leadership annually, at this time of year.
Local health units are considering a potential merger.
A majority of Algoma Public Health board members voted Wednesday to seek provincial funding to study the feasibility of a voluntary merger with the neighbouring Public Health Sudbury and Districts, just shy of a week after PHSD's board voted to approach APH about exploring the feasibility of a merger.
Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker - who sits on APH's board - raised objections to the idea, saying he's "struggling to support" it, noting concerns about representation with a merged agency as well as a commitment to not reduce staff.
The two units have worked together before, even temporarily sharing Dr. Penny Sutcliffe as Medical Officer of Health after the resignation of APH's amid scandal in January 2015 - PHSD (whose coverage area includes Chapleau) is also in the midst of searching for a new Medical Officer of Health and CEO as Dr. Sutcliffe's set to retire soon.
APH's board had discussed in September provincial government pressure for health units to merge, as the province has offered funding for units who "voluntarily" merge - the PC government had also planned in 2019 to merge the province's dozens of health units into ten, with a single one for northeastern Ontario, claiming larger agencies would mean cost savings and lead to improved public health services, though that plan fell apart amid the COVID-19 pandemic - still, its release in August announcing the funding for voluntary mergers had claimed such moves would "reduce overlap of services and focus resources on improving people's access to programs and services close to home".
The neighbouring Porcupine and Timiskaming health units announced after that announcement that they were looking into a merger, something they had previously explored.
Chapleau's celebrating Christmas a little early.
Chapleau Firefighter's Association President Jim Apsey explains the Olde Fashioned Christmas and Santa Claus Parade are a long-running tradition to get people out having fun and into the festive spirit.
Apsey explains anyone interested can meet at Our Lady of Fatima school around 5:30 pm tonight, so the parade can head downtown at 6 pm.
Apsey reminds some businesses will also be staying open late, marking the start of the Christmas season.
A couple local communities will be feeling very festive this weekend.
The Hawk Junction Winter Craft Sale will be held at the Hawk Junction Community Hall from 11 am to 4 pm tomorrow, boasting "several vendors" including baking, knitting, preserves, crocheting, jewelry and hair accessories, handmade furs, yarn and hooks, quilting, driftwood, pottery, and more.
Meanwhile, the Wawa Goose Seniors Centre is hosting its Christmas Tea from 1 pm to 3 pm tomorrow afternoon - featuring entertainment from Doris and Isabella - and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 429 in Wawa will host its annual Seniors' Christmas Dinner on Sunday, opening at 5 pm.
Time is running out to place a bid in the Rotary Club of Wawa's largest annual fundraiser.
Wawa Rotary Online Auction Committee Chair Bill Devries explains the event - underway since Sunday - is a modified version of a longtime tradition supporting the club.
Devries explains the club has primarily focused on supporting children, but has also supported seniors as the population aged.
Bidding for the auction closes at 10 o'clock Saturday night - go to auctria.com/auction/wawarotaryonlineauction, a link is available at jjamfm.live - with the winning bidders to then be contacted with details on getting their items.
Time is running out for those looking for help from a Wawa tradition: the Christmas Hampers.
Christmas Hamper Fund President Richard Watson explains the hampers offer a few items to brighten the season for the less fortunate in the community.
Watson emphasizes the Hamper Fund is a registered charity run entirely by volunteers, adding they appreciate any help they get, including volunteers.
The Wawa Volunteer Fire Department and staff from St. Augustine French Immersion will be holding a food drive supporting the Hampers Sunday, December 3rd - from 10 am to 1 pm - with local emergency services joining a "Fill a Sleigh Day" toy drive at the Red Apple Store the following Saturday, December 9th, from 11 am to 2 pm
Hamper applications can be found at the Town Hall, Iris Place, and the Wawa Goose Seniors Centre, but must be submitted by the end of the day today - recipients will be contacted, with the hampers to be distributed in mid-December.
A Wawa car dealership's challenging businesses and the broader community to support those in need for the holiday season.
Mission Motors Sales Manager Alain Bouffard explains the challenge stems out of a decision to raise food or money for people in need within the community.
Bouffard encourages the community to help people in need, noting monetary or non-perishable food donations can be brought to the dealership, with Mission Motors giving away a jacket "to help out" - he hopes to have all donations by December 8th, so they can be donated in time, as the Christmas Hampers go out the following week.
More COVID-19 cases are being reported in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 25 since Monday - 21 in Greater Sudbury, two in the broader Sudbury District, two in the Manitoulin District - though known "active" cases stayed to 143, including one in the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations).
The number in hospital is up to 61, with five in ICUs, also up from last week's update.
This is the health unit's first update in a week not to include a COVID-19-related death.
The Municipality of Wawa's moving forward on efforts to get a new OPP detachment.
In their meeting last night, Wawa Municipal Council approved a resolution directing staff to pursue the possibility of contributing land for the building, as was recommended by Treasurer Manuela Batovanja in a thorough report on options to help facilitate the building of a new local detachment earlier this month.
While the resolution passed by Council does denote land along Highway 101 - between the Tourist Information Centre and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry property - it does not outline whether the Municipality would simply donate the land or sell it - Batovanja had advised that "donating" the land isn't an option, and the Municipality should at least sell it at a reduced rate that would cover costs, such as for a survey or - if required by the OPP - land clearing or other measures to prepare the land.
More COVID-19 cases are being reported in the region - but there are fewer active.
Algoma Public Health's reporting 80 new cases over the last week - 44 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, nineteen in the Elliot Lake area, and seventeen in Central and East Algoma - though known "high risk active" cases are down slightly, to 98, with thirteen in hospital, two in ICUs.
The overall number of cases is actually slightly lower, as the health unit's removed a case previously reported in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations).
The Municipality of Wawa's considering reduced hours at the local landfill.
Infrastructure Services Assistant Director Rebecca Weatherall explains she presented Wawa Municipal Council with a report looking at landfill service at about twenty other communities.
While Weatherall outlined a few options - such as reducing hours and potentially closing on more days, as Wawa's landfill is open more hours and days than most of the others - she says that's just up for consideration.
The report coincided with a presentation on a possible option to help cut down on waste going to the landfill: a delegation from Food Cycle Science discussed the possibility of a pilot project wherein at least 50 households would purchase their "FoodCycler" at a discounted rate - partly subsidized by the Municipality - then track their use of the machine, which Council was told reduces food waste by about 90%, converting it to nutrient-rich soil that could be used in gardens in just a few hours, potentially reducing food waste going to the landfill, which can create harmful methane gas, attract nuisance animals, and simply take up needed space for other household waste - Council was told to take the presentation as information, and reach out through staff in the future, if interested, with Mayor Melanie Pilon expressing some interest, noting Dubreuilville as another community that has tried it out, though Council did not vote or give staff any direction in the meeting.
Some Wawa roads could be renamed - to end confusion.
The idea was discussed in last night's Committee of the Whole meeting, with Community Services and Tourism Director Alex Patterson noting tourists complaining of issues getting to Scenic High Falls.
Patterson - who has brought up the issue before - is proposing renaming "High Falls Road" - and a few connected to it.
Patterson says if the idea's approved, some wayfinding signage would be added to further cut down on confusion - while Council seemed receptive, it didn't come up for a vote.
The Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation's wrapped up one fundraiser - and launched another.
Foundation Coordinator Alisha Allin explains today saw the draw for a lovely piece of local art.
Tickets for the draw sold out within two weeks of the painting's unveiling at last month's High Tea, more than a month before today's draw date, and Foundation Vice Chair Lorraine Pihelgas thanks the artist.
Foundation Chair Susan Switzer explains today marks the end of not just that campaign, but the start of another - with more on the way.
The Foundation's also part of the ongoing Split the Pot Lottery - which involves 21 other hospital foundations - there's a deadline of midnight Thursday night for the final Early Bird draw, splitting $20,000 between 2 winners, while the deadline for the growing grand prize draw is 11:59 pm the following Thursday, November 30th - tickets for that are available at splitthepot.ca
The Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation's wrapping up one fundraiser - and launching another.
Foundation Coordinator Alisha Allin explains today is the draw for a lovely piece of local art.
Tickets for the draw sold out within two weeks of the painting's unveiling at last month's High Tea, more than a month before today's draw date.
That's not all for the Foundation, however, as Foundation Chair Susan Switzer explains today marks the launch of the annual Wish campaign, which also means a familiar sight in the hospital lobby.
Switzer thanks Canadian Tire Wawa for helping by offering a new tree at a substantial discount, with the campaign running through the holiday season, in support of various capital needs at the hospital - she also notes next Tuesday, November 28th, is "Giving Tuesday", with people able to donate to the Foundation as part of that initiative through the Foundation's web page.
The Foundation's also part of the ongoing Split the Pot Lottery - which involves 21 other hospital foundations - there's a deadline of midnight Thursday night for the final Early Bird draw, splitting $20,000 between 2 winners, while the deadline for the growing grand prize draw is 11:59 pm the following Thursday, November 30th - tickets for that are available at splitthepot.ca
