Stay up to date with what’s happening in your community.
Another COVID-19 death's been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's reporting its 118th since the pandemic began - it doesn't say where - it's the fifth straight weekly report in which the health unit's reported a death.
The health unit's also reporting 44 new cases over the last week - 34 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, six in Central and East Algoma, and four in the Elliot Lake area - though known "high risk active" cases stayed at 53, with thirteen in hospital.
Wawa's Regional Employment Help Centre is opening its doors for anyone to visit today.
Executive Director Cindy Szekely explains the centre has a special event happening.
Szekely reminds the centre - which serves Wawa, Dubreuilville, and White River - offers a variety of employment services.
Szekely says today's open house is a great chance to learn more about the services provided, though the centre would be happy to talk to people on any day about their needs.
The open house runs from 10 am to 2 pm today.
Grade 8 students and their parents will get a preview of what's in store for next school year, as the local French Catholic schools hold open houses later this month.
Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says Wawa's Ecole secondaire Saint-Joseph will hold an open house next Wednesday, January 17th, with Chapleau's Ecole secondaire catholique Trillium holding one next Thursday, January 18th - both start at 6:30 pm that evening.
The board's also holding a Kindergarten registration event the following week, from January 22nd to 26th, for parents of children born in 2020 who'll be attending school in September.
Local police are reminding "no ice is safe ice" after a truck went through the ice of Wawa Lake.
Superior East OPP say no-one was injured when the pickup went through the ice last night, after driving along the shoreline, though police emphasize "this could have ended in tragedy if the vehicle was in deeper water", urging everyone to "use good judgement on and around the ice".
Ontario Provincial Police have warned many factors affect ice thickness, including: the type of water; time of year; water depth and size of the body of water; currents, tides, and other moving water; logs, rocks, and shoals absorbing heat from the sun; and changing air temperature, nor does ice freeze at uniform thickness throughout a body of water, and while early forming ice may look safe, it is likely not thick, strong, or stable enough to support much weight, so thickness should be checked regularly as you move further onto the ice.
Wawa Lake only just froze over on Thursday - the latest ever, according to records provided to JJAM FM News by local resident Andy Stevens, surpassing the record set in 2015, when the lake froze on December 31st.
More COVID-19 cases are being reported in the region - but there are fewer active.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting fifteen since Friday - fourteen in Greater Sudbury, one in the Manitoulin District - though known "active" cases dropped to 67, still including one 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 49 in hospital, four in ICUs.
Organizers of Wawa's annual ice fishing derby are reminding there's still time to qualify for the derby's early bird draws.
Wawa Ice Fishing Derby President Shayne Wardrop explains organizers have changed up the early bird prizes slightly.
Wardrop reminds the early bird deadline is just shy of two weeks away.
Wardrop notes tickets are available through himself, at Canadian Tire in Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie, Superior Coast Outfitters in Wawa, or online, through wawaicefishingderby.com
The annual Wawa Ice Fishing Derby will be held March 1st through 3rd.
Time is running out to have your say on plans to change the names of some Wawa roads.
Community Services and Tourism Director Alex Patterson explains the current "High Falls Road" has led to confusion for tourists, so the Municipality's looking at changing that name, and a few others.
Public input's being accepted until Wednesday - call Patterson at 705-856-2244, extension 242, or email apatterson@wawa.cc - with plans for Council to vote on the move in their January 16th meeting.
Wawa's Regional Employment Help Centre will open its doors for the public later this week.
Executive Director Cindy Szekely explains the centre has a special event happening on Wednesday.
Szekely reminds the centre - which serves Wawa, Dubreuilville, and White River - offers a variety of employment services - for workers and employers - and calls the open house a great chance to learn more, though the centre would be happy to talk to people on any day about their needs.
The open house runs from 10 am to 2 pm Wednesday, January 10th.
More COVID-19 cases are being reported in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting fourteen since Wednesday - ten in Greater Sudbury, four in the Manitoulin District - pushing known "active" cases up slightly, to 90, still including one 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 49 in hospital, four in ICUs.
A local health unit's urging "simple precautions" to "stop rising reports of respiratory and enteric illness".
Noting several outbreaks in hospitals, long-term care, and retirement homes - along with general high case activity and very high hospital activity for respiratory illness, with enteric illnesses also increasing over the winter months - Public Health Sudbury and Districts is urging everyone to "protect yourself and others, and prevent the spread of illness" by washing hands frequently and thoroughly, covering coughs and sneezes - then washing hands - wearing a mask in crowded indoor public settings, staying up to date on vaccinations for COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcal disease and RSV if eligible, stay home if sick - wearing a well-fitted mask if you must go out - and follow any guidelines of hospitals, or long-term care or retirement homes if visiting.
A Wawa tradition is going ahead this weekend, after being delayed over mild weather.
Wawa Cemetery Committee vice chair Claude Samson explains the 5th annual Ice Candle Celebration Day, which was originally to be held Boxing Day but is now set to be held tomorrow.
Samson emphasizes that - while the Municipality's responsible for maintenance of cemeteries - beautification is a function of the Committee.
The Ice Candle Celebration will be held at the Woodland Cemetery, from 4 pm to 5 pm Saturday.
The Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation's wrapping up its annual holiday fundraising campaign.
As their "Wish" campaign ends, Foundation Chair Susan Switzer reminds funds raised support capital equipment purchases, including replacing some important equipment nearing its end of life.
Though the annual mailout ends tomorrow, the Foundation reminds donations are accepted any time of year.
A sign of the mild winter season: Wawa Lake's only just frozen.
That's the latest ever, according to records provided to JJAM FM News (which date back to 1949, with some gaps), surpassing the record set in 2015 - when the lake froze on December 31st - this makes it the first time that the lake did not freeze before the end of the year.
More COVID-19 cases are being reported in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 33 since Friday - sixteen in Greater Sudbury, four in the broader Sudbury District, thirteen in the Manitoulin District - though known "active" cases dipped to 88, still including one in the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations), with 49 cases in hospitals in the health unit's region, four in ICUs.
Another COVID-19 death's been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's reporting its 117th since the pandemic began - it doesn't say where - it last reported a death last week.
The health unit's also reporting 29 new cases over the last week - eighteen in the Sault Ste. Marie area, seven in the Elliot Lake area, two in Central and East Algoma, and two in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - though known "high risk active" cases dropped to 53, with thirteen in hospital, one in an ICU.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a drowning death north of Sault Ste. Marie.
Sault OPP say emergency services responded shortly after 12:15 Tuesday afternoon, after a person who was ice skating on Trout Lake went through the ice in front of a residence on Point Road in Aweres Township - while emergency services were able to recover the skater and "life saving techniques were attempted", the person was pronounced dead at the scene.
OPP have identified the deceased as 58-year-old Andre Rausch of Sault Ste. Marie.
The investigation's ongoing, under the direction of the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, with a post-mortem examination to be held in the Sault at a later date.
Assault, forcible confinement, and other charges have been laid over a domestic dispute in Chapleau.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a disturbance on Martel Road shortly after 5 a-m December 23rd, with investigation leading to the arrest of a Chapleau 28-year-old on two counts of spousal assault, one of assault causing bodily harm, one of forcible confinement, three of domestic mischief, and one of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
The accused - who will not be identified due to the domestic nature of the incident, to protect the victim - was held for a bail hearing and subsequently released from custody, but is set to appear in court in Chapleau next week.
Time's running out for those wishing to provide input on the Municipality of Wawa's proposed operating budget.
Treasurer Manuela Batovanja explains the draft document presented last month outlines plans for this year and beyond.
Batovanja acknowledges the budget would see some costs increase for taxpayers and water users.
Batovanja emphasizes staff sought to minimize the cost increases while maintaining service and addressing priorities laid out by Council - including through the Asset Management, 10 Year Financial, updated Strategic, and other plans - but inflation plays a major factor, increasing costs for everything - including payroll - with lower revenues such as declining grants being another major factor, along with rising costs to meet regulatory requirements and capital needs.
The presentation can be viewed on the Municipality's YouTube channel, with information on the municipal website - plans are to accept public input until tomorrow, then bring the combined operating and capitals budget up for Council approval in the next meeting, on January 16th.
As we settle into a new year, the Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation's preparing to wrap up its annual holiday fundraising campaign.
With a little time left in the "Wish campaign", Foundation Chair Susan Switzer reminds funds raised through the annual mailout support capital equipment purchases for the local hospital.
Though the Wish Campaign ends this Saturday, January 6th, the Foundation reminds donations are accepted any time of year.
Wawa's firefighters are marking the new year by reminding tickets are still available for a major fundraiser.
The Michipicoten Volunteer Firefighters' Association's annual cash draw has returned, and Executive Committee President William Moore reminds - while the $1000 Early Bird Draw has been made - there are some more $1000 draws to go.
Moore reminds the draw supports local fire services.
Tickets are available in many places in the community and from local firefighters.
