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Wawa's Regional Employment Help Centre is marking a return to its office with a treat for the community.
After more than 2.5 months temporarily based at the Municipal Office building, the local employment centre has reopened the doors of its office at 65B Broadway Avenue, and is inviting residents to stop in for coffee, tea, and treats until noon today.
The weather's postponed a local fundraiser.
While St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School in Wawa was going to hold a bottle drive supporting the Grades 3-5 swimming and gymnastics programs that is being postponed to next Wednesday, December 3rd, due to weather conditions.
Those who want to support the bottle drive are reminded they can call the school to arrange pickup.
The weather's also forced the Wawa Public Library to postpone its monthly "Coffee and Culture" event from tonight to next Wednesday, December 3rd.
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Some Wawa students will be out in the community tonight to collect bottles.
St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School Principal Nadine Cartledge explains tonight's bottle drive.
Cartledge notes you can help with the collecting.
Assuming the weather's good enough, the bottle drive runs from 5 pm to 8 pm tonight.
Ontario Provincial Police are urging caution amid an expected major winter storm.
Multiple detachments - including the local Superior East OPP - are warning motorists to prepare for "hazardous driving conditions", as "heavy snowfall and blowing snow are expected across the region, creating slippery roads, reduced visibility, and increased risk of collisions", further warning travellers to "anticipate delays and plan accordingly", including check road conditions through Ontario 5-1-1 and listening to local radio for updates, as well as ensuring your vehicle's "winter-ready with proper tires, functioning wipers, and an emergency kit".
Drivers are also reminded to slow down and increase following distances, avoid sudden braking, and use headlights in low visibility, and to ensure all snow and ice is cleared from your vehicle before driving.
A new executive's been announced at the local French Catholic school board.
Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says Julie Chenard Azzi has been appointed Superintendent of Education, set to start December 1st.
Holding various Master's and Bachelor's degrees, Chenard Azzi has been with the board since 2002, including as a principal in Blind River since 2018.
Registration's continuing at the Chapleau Ski Club tonight.
For the second time in a week, a special "early registration" event's being held at the chalet at 274 Martel Road, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
The local French catholic school board's sticking with its top board members.
Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says trustees have re-elected more than 20-year Sault Ste. Marie trustee Suzanne Salituri as Chair - a role she's held the last four years - while Greater Sudbury trustee Marcel Montpellier will continue to serve as Vice-Chair - he's served as both Chair and Vice several times over his more than 30 years as a trustee.
The board elects its leadership annually, at this time of year.
Wawa's Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation is thanking the community for its support of a recent fundraiser.
Coordinator Isabeau Allard says the recent "Glam for Good Gala" was well supported.
Chair Susan Switzer also touts the event as "a magical night".
Switzer thanks all the donors, sponsors, and volunteers who made the event possible, while Allard notes the Foundation is looking forward to the third annual gala next year, though it is currently preparing for the annual "Giving Tuesday" donation drive, which will be December 2nd, followed by the Foundation's annual Wish campaign starting December 5th.
Funds raised through the gala and the upcoming campaigns support efforts to purchase new beds for the Lady Dunn Health Centre's acute and long-term care.
Wawa Municipal Council's set to receive a few delegations during a pair of meetings tonight.
First up is a Committee of the Whole meeting, which includes delegations from Muskoka Wi-Fi about broadband in Wawa, from Reconcept about a local energy project, and from the Northern Policy Institute about the Wawa Housing Needs Assessment - the meeting agenda also includes monthly reports from department heads, discussion about the proposed meeting schedule for 2026, a CAO report on the by-law regulating vehicular traffic in the municipality, and continued discussion about a request to put up "Stop the Spray" signage - that was discussed in the last Committee of the Whole meeting two weeks ago, though Council requested further information before making a decision, suggesting reaching out to Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources to hear its explanation about forest spraying.
That will be followed up in a regular meeting to be held right after the Committee of the Whole meeting, along with the 2026 schedule and the updated traffic control by-law.
The meetings will be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 tonight in the main level boardroom of Town Hall - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
Wawa's Superior Children's Centre is holding a major meeting tonight.
Board Chair Margaret Davidson explains the purpose of the upcoming annual general meeting.
Davidson says the board is looking for a new member.
Davidson notes the meeting is open to the public.
Anyone who cannot attend in person can do so via Zoom, but must email Chrystal Morden at cmorden@sccalgoma.org ahead of time - the meeting begins at 6:30 tonight, at the Superior Children's Centre, at 41 Algoma in Wawa.
Two people from North Bay are facing drug trafficking charges after another bust in the Chapleau area.
Nishnawbe Aski Police say the NAPS Intelligence Unit and Emergency Response Team - along with the OPP Street Crime Unit and frontline officers - executed a search warrant at a Chapleau residence last Wednesday afternoon, seizing "a quantity of suspected cocaine, codeine tablets, and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking".
A 37-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman - both from North Bay - were charged with possession of cocaine and "trafficking opioid" - codeine - for the purpose of trafficking, then released from custody with conditions and future court dates.
It's the latest drug bust by NAPS in the Chapleau area, after three others resulting in a total of nine arrests in the last two weeks of October.
Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board trustees have chosen some familiar faces for leadership.
In their monthly meeting this week, trustees re-elected long-time Sault Ste. Marie trustee Sandra Turco as chair, a role she's held the last year - and also held from December 2020 to November 2022 - defeating fellow Sault trustee John Bruno, who was then re-elected as vice chair.
Turco's been a trustee since 2000, while Bruno's only been a trustee since 2022, after 37 years with the board as a teacher, principal, and superintendent of education.
Both will serve roughly one-year terms in the roles.
Trustees also selected Wayne Greco to fill the Sault seat of Gary Trembinski, who died in October - a teacher and administrator with the board for 32 years before retiring in 2020, Greco was the next highest polling candidate for the spot in the 2022 municipal election.
Greco will be sworn-in during next month's meeting, and serve out the remaining year of the term.
Good news for skiers in Chapleau: registration starts tonight.
The Chapleau Ski Club says "early registration" will be held at the chalet at 274 Martel Road from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm tonight, and again next Thursday, November 20th, also from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
One person was taken to hospital after a single vehicle collision north of the Montreal River Bridge.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police reported the collision just after noon on Wednesday, warning it had closed Highway 17 in both directions at Montreal River Harbour, though it reopening shortly after 2 o'clock that afternoon.
Police say one person was transported to hospital with unspecified "non-life-threatening injuries".
It wasn't the only collision reported on highways in the region, with another closing Highway 129 from about 10 o'clock to about 11 o'clock that morning.
Wawa curling season's begun, and in the Men's League, Tom Terris' team had a strong start, winning both of their opening games to top the standings, followed by four-way tie for second between Aaron Bumstead, Mark Leschishin, Matthew Morrison, and Spencer Terris' teams with one win apiece, while Ron Hale's team was unable to claim a win in the opening week.
A study's been launched to look into a new truck rest centre at the junction of Highways 17 and 519.
Ontario's Ministry of Transportation says it has retained Egis - an international company active in the consulting, construction engineering and mobility service sectors - for the Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessment Study for the rest centre at the Dubreuilville turnoff, including potential location options and the selection of a preferred alternative.
Like with another rest area being planned for the Highway 17 corridor near Wawa - and another in the White River area, both of which are also using Egis - plans are to develop a new rest centre to support motorists, widen the existing highway to accommodate turn and/or acceleration lanes, and replace or extend impacted culverts - no commercial amenities like gas or food are included.
Information about this project - as well as the Wawa and White River area rest stop projects - can be found at northernhighwayrestareas.com, though questions and comments for the Highway 519 junction rest stop must be submitted by December 1st.
People across Canada and beyond are stopping to remember veterans and the fallen, as Remembrance Day is here.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 429 Poppy Campaign Chairman Larry Harvey outlines plans for Wawa's ceremony, which will be held at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre starting at 11:00 am.
Harvey further reminds everyone to wear a poppy, noting funds raised through donations to the Poppy Fund support veterans and more.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
Chapleau's ceremony will be held as usual, starting at 10:45 am, though Royal Canadian Legion Harry Searle Branch 5 will also be hosting a turkey dinner tonight at 5:00 pm.
A Wawa senior's facing impaired driving charges after being stopped for driving too slowly.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say officers conducted a traffic stop on Churchill Avenue after seeing a vehicle "travelling at a low rate of speed" the evening of October 20th, with the driver testing a "FAIL" on a subsequent breath test, so he was arrested and taken to the Wawa detachment for further testing.
The 82-year-old was charged with operation while impaired and operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus), then released with a December court date.
OPP remind drivers "no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe while driving", urging those who suspect an impaired driver - on roads, waterways, or trails - to call 9-1-1 as "your phone call could save someone's life".
Drug trafficking and other charges have been laid after a traffic stop in Wawa.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say the Community Street Crime Unit and the OPP's Emergency Response Team stopped a suspected prohibited driver on Mission Road late the morning of October 27th.
During subsequent searces, police found over $2500 in Canadian currency and over 40 grams of suspected cocaine - an estimated street value of $5000 - plus two digital scales and 3D-printed brass knuckles.
A Wawa 48-year-old's been charged with two counts of operation while prohibited under the Criminal Code, and one each of possession of a schedule I substance - cocaine - for the purpose of trafficking, possession of weapon for dangerous purpose, possession of property obtained by crime under $5000, and failure to comply with release order - other than to attend court - he was remanded into custody after a bail hearing.
The Sudbury district has its first confirmed case of influenza for the season.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts says the first confirmed case in its service area has been reported, using that to remind residents to "protect themselves and others from getting sick with respiratory infections", as "COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are available at many locations throughout the community".
Reminding influenza "is a highly contagious infection [that] can cause fever, cough, muscle aches, and fatigue" - or even severe illness like pneumonia for "some people, like young children, older adults, and those with underlying medical conditions" - the health unit also recommends wearing a mask in crowded or poorly-ventilated public settings, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, washing hands frequently and thoroughly, though it's better to stay home if sick until symptoms improve for at least 24 hours - 48 if you had nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea - and avoiding non-essential visits to higher-risk settings like hospitals and long-term care.
Wawa's food bank is thanking the local Ford dealership and the community for their support in a recent campaign.
Danette Mathias of Northern Lights Ford says the "Let's Scare Hunger Together" campaign was "a great success", raising two truckloads of food for the Wawa Community Food Bank.
Mathias says this wouldn't have been possible without the generous support of community partners.
Wawa Community Food Bank volunteer Debbie Banks is thrilled with the support.
The Wawa Community Food Bank's open every Wednesday - except for the first of the month - from 2 pm to 4 pm.
