Stay up to date with what’s happening in your community.
A few local businesses are looking to open soon.
In Chapleau, Town Council has approved a zoning amendment in that community to accommodate a new business.
More from Mayor Ryan Bignucolo.
A building permit application is still in the works.
Meanwhile, in Wawa, Pet Valu is aiming to open in March.
Spokesperson Daryn Haight says the company hopes to be actively involved in the community.
The store will be located on Mission Road.
With cold weather here to stay, a local health unit's urging northerners to help prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
Warning hypothermia and frostbite can happen at a wide range of termperatures - but especially when it's colder - Public Health Sudbury and Districts is encouraging precautions, including dressing in layers with a wind resistant outer layer, covering extremities, and staying active but dry, as well as planning according to the weather forecast, limiting the amount of time spent in the cold, and seeking shelter from the wind.
It also recommends monitoring those who may be more vulnerable due to age, living conditions, health conditions, reduced mobility, or isolation, including the unhoused, reminding frostbite is skin that has actually frozen - usually starting with extremities like fingers, toes, ears, nose, and cheeks - while hypothermia's a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's exposed to cold for a long time and loses more heat than it can generate.
A day later than normal, Wawa Municipal Council's holding its first 2026 meetings tonight.
That includes a Committee of Adjustment meeting - with Council to hear an application for a minor variance for a Regina Crescent address - as well as a Committee of the Whole meeting including monthly reports from department heads and a quarterly report from the Economic Development Officer, as well as a regular meeting of Council including a resolution to accept the Integrity Commissioner's yearly report as well as a by-law to authorize the purchase and sale of land on White Drive.
The meetings are set to be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
Organizers of Wawa's recent "funspiel" are thanking everyone who helped make the event a success.
Sixteen teams were participated in the 5th Annual Doubles Curling Funspiel held last Saturday, with Team Tom Terris ending up first overall, followed by Team Leschishin in second, then "The Other Terris Team" in third.
The participants, refreshment server, Pat Harron and her crew, organizers, and Community Centre personnel are thanked for their efforts.
Curlers are reminded the Triples Funspiel's planned for February 28th.
A local health unit's sticking with its leadership.
The Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury and Districts has re-elected Greater Sudbury councillor Mark Signoretti as its chair, a role he took up last year as longtime chair René Lapierre retired from the board - Signoretti had been serving as vice chair the prior two years.
Fellow Greater Sudbury councillor Mike Parent was also elected as vice chair for a second year - Parent is also the president and CEO of Workplace Safety North, a not-for-profit health and safety association funded by the provincial government to provide approved health and safety training and services to the mining and forest products industries.
PHSD's coverage area includes Chapleau and surrounding area.
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 the "We're Not Taking This Lying Down" campaign for new hospital beds.
Foundation Coordinator Isabeau Allard outlines a few options to support the campaign.
Though the annual mailout campaign's ending, the Foundation reminds donations are accepted any time of year.
Some local schools are continuing to open their doors, to give prospective students and their families a preview of what's to come.
After Wawa's Ecole secondaire Saint-Joseph held a high school open house for Grade 8 students and their parents at last night, Chapleau's Ecole secondaire catholique Trillium is holding a similar event tonight, at 6 pm.
Wawa's Sir James Dunn Public School's also set to hold an open house, though for kindergarten students, from 6 to 7 pm next Monday, January 19th.
Time's almost up for early birds to register for Wawa's annual ice fishing derby.
Noting today is the early bird deadline, Derby board member Melanie Farrington reminds there are a couple early bird draws.
Farrington notes another popular prize is back.
Tickets are available at wawaicefishingderby.com or in person at Canadian Tire Wawa, Home Building Centre Wawa, and Superior Coast Outfitters.
The annual Wawa Ice Fishing Derby will be held March 6th through 8th.
Algoma Public Health's renewing a call for "Public Health Champions" - with a special focus.
The local health unit opened nominations for its annual Public Health Champion Award in November, saying it wants to celebrate people and organizations "who make a meaningful difference in the lives of young children and families across the Algoma District", specifically looking for those who are "support healthy child development in the earliest years of life (ages 0-6)", as "these early years lay the foundation for lifelong health.
There are four categories this year: Parent/Caregiver Champion, which includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and those "bonus caregivers" who go above and beyond for young children; Professional Champion, for educators, healthcare workers, and service providers who make a lasting impact on young children; Youth/Student Champion, for those 24 and younger who support early years programs, volunteer with community initiatives, or mentor younger children through play, creativity, and learning; and Organization Champion, for programs, agencies, and community groups that help young children and their families thrive.
Nominations close next Wednesday, January 21st - details on nominating can be found on the APH website.
Those interested in the history of Wawa and area are invited to a well-received event at the Wawa Public Library's tonight.
Johanna Rowe will be holding a new "Coffee and Culture" event, this time talking about artist AY Jackson and his impact on the art world, as "Wawa is proud to be connected to one of Canada's most beloved painters and founding members of the Group of Seven".
Everyone's welcome to attend the event, which starts at 6 pm tonight - coffee and tea will also be offered.
Some local schools are opening their doors , to give prospective students and their families a preview of what's to come.
The Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says Wawa's Ecole secondaire Saint-Joseph is holding a high school open house for Grade 8 students and their parents at 6:30 tonight, while Chapleau's Ecole secondaire catholique Trillium will hold a similar open house tomorrow night, at 6 pm.
Wawa's Sir James Dunn Public School's also set to hold an open house, though for kindergarten students, from 6 to 7 pm next Monday, January 19th.
Fellow Wawa school, St. Augustine French Immersion, held a similar event last week.
Wawa Municipal Council won't be hearing public comments on their strategic plan this week.
The Municipality of Wawa's issued a notice that a special meeting that was planned for tomorrow - with a review of public comments on the Wawa Strategic Plan the sole item - has been cancelled.
That means Council's next set to meet next week, on Wednesday, January 21st, a day later than usual.
Ontario Provincial Police in northeastern Ontario were kept busy over the holiday season - including locally.
North East Region OPP say the annual Festive RIDE campaign - which ran from November 20th to January 1st - saw 128 impaired driving charges laid, plus 14 "warn-range" and "zero tolerance" suspensions - both down from last year - with a total of 76 drivers charged.
It was quieter for the local Superior East detachment - covering Wawa, Chapleau, Dubreuilville, and Hornepayne - which conducted 110 RIDE events - totalling about 256 hours - with 43 roadside tests conducted, leading to one alert and one fail, while 2 charges were laid for impaired operation or refusal to give breath sample.
Provincially, 150 roadside suspensions were issued, with a total of 766 impaired drivers removed from Ontario roads through the Festive RIDE campaign.
Some local schools are opening their doors in the coming weeks, to give prospective students and their families a preview of what's to come.
Wawa's St. Augustine French Immersion is holding a Kindergarten Open House tonight, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, offering parents a chance to learn about its program.
Meanwhile, the Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says Wawa's Ecole secondaire Saint-Joseph will be holding a high school open house for Grade 8 students and their parents next Wednesday, January 14th, at 6:30 pm, while Chapleau's Ecole secondaire catholique Trillium will a similar open house next Thursday, January 15th, at 6 pm.
Wawa's set to honour a local who's made a positive difference in the community.
The Municipality's set to host a ceremony to present the annual Civic Achievement Award to Dorothy Egan, as announced last month by Mayor Melanie Pilon.
The award presentation will be held tomorrow at 2 pm in the Municipal Office Downstairs Boardroom, followed by cake & coffee.
Wawa's Regional Employment Help Centre is set to open its doors for the public.
The centre - which serves Wawa, Dubreuilville, and White River - is holding an open house tomorrow, offering a chance to meet staff and learn about its services, along with soup, snacks, and light refreshments.
The open house runs from 11 am to 2 pm Wednesday, January 7th.
A local miner and a neighbouring First Nation are touting progress for a major energy project in the region.
Alamos Gold and Batchewana First Nation say they're advancing with the next phase of their "Mine Connector Transmission Project" to deliver "clean, reliable energy to the Algoma District and support the continued growth of Alamos' Island Gold District".
It builds on the partnership they announced last summer for the construction of a $70-million, 115-kilovolt transmission line from just east of Wawa to a new transformer station at the Island Gold District, which is expected to be in service by this year, with Batchewana First Nation operating and retaining long-term ownership of the line once it's constructed.
Two people are facing numerous charges over a series of B&Es off Highway 129.
East Algoma OPP say the Sault detachment was conducting proactive patrols on December 27th when they located an encampment with "a large amount of stolen property" in a bush area near the intersection of Highways 129 and 556, with two people - a 40-year-old and a 22-year-old, both from Reilly Township, north of the Sault - arrested with the help of the North East Region Emergency Response Team and Sault Police Canine Unit.
Over 130 charges have been laid, including theft, and possession of property obtained by crime over and under $5000, break and enter a place to commit indictable offence and to steal a firearm, mischief, and several weapon-related charges.
The charges relate to multiple break-ins in the Peshu Lake, Aubrey Falls, and Ranger Lake areas in September, October, and December, which saw many items stolen, including vehicles, ATVs, trailers, snowmobiles, power tools, power equipment, and electronics.
Investigators believe there may be more victims than reported, urging them to call the East Algoma OPP.
Crime Stoppers is asking for public help solving a mischief case in Goulais River.
Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District Crime Stoppers says that unknown individuals damaged multiple hydro poles and insulators at the end of Old Goulais Bay Road on three separate occasions between the middle of October and the end of November - the equipment was shot at with a firearm, leading investigators to believe they were used for target practice.
The total cost to repair or replace the damaged equipment is over $220,000.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the OPP or Crime Stoppers.
Staff from Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources office in Chapleau are thanking the community for helping those in need.
The Chapleau MNR held its annual food drive yesterday, and organizers say they met their goal of filling up the box of a truck with donations, and raised $825 worth of Valu-Mart gift cards.
Conservation Officer Melissa Fairbairn reminds the drive is their way of giving back.
The donations go toward the Chapleau Pentecostal Church Food Bank.
