Morning News – September 18

Weather – Sunny. High 11. UV index 5 or moderate.
Tonigh – Clear. Becoming partly cloudy before morning. Low plus 2 with risk of frost.

Frost Advisory – Frost advisory and special weather statement in effect for most of Northern Ontario this morning and on Friday morning as temperatures are expected to once again dip to near or below the freezing mark.

Statistics from Algoma Public Health:

Tested (1)	33,641
Positive	29
Negative	32,422
Deceased	0
Resolved (2)	29
Updated: September 17, 2020

(1) That Algoma Public Health is aware of.
(2) Patient tested positive but is resolved according to current public health criteria. This number includes any persons who are deceased.

News Tidbits

There were no new fires confirmed in the Northeast Region by late afternoon on September 17. There are no active fires in the region. The fire hazard is low to moderate across the Northeast Region.

There was one forest fire confirmed following yesterday’s update: Kenora 43 is under control at 0.3 hectares and is located on an island on Lake of the Woods, approximately 13 kilometres south of Kenora. At the time of this update there were two active fires in the region. One fire is under control and one fire is being observed. The forest fire hazard is mainly moderate with pockets of low and high hazard scattered across the region.

Ahead of the federal Throne Speech, Ontario Premier Doug Ford will join Québec Premier François Legault, the incoming chair of the Council of the Federation, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney for a news conference at 1 p.m.

Todd Smith, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, will be joined by Christine Elliott, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora, and Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, to make an announcement about support for veterans at 1:30 p.m.

It has been 28 years since an explosion at that Giant Mine in Yellowknife claimed the lives of nine miners: Chris Neill, 29, Joe Pandev, 55, Norm Hourie, 53, David Vodnoski, 25, Shane Riggs, 27, and Vern Fullowka, 36. The other three victims were replacement workers: Robert Rowsell, 37, Malcolm Sawler, 38, and Arnold Russell, 41.

A monument was built, commemorating all miners who lost their lives on the job, but particularly the nine who died during a bitter labour dispute, when a bomb was placed in the Giant Mine. A striking co-worker, Roger Warren was found guilty of the murders and served 18 years in jail.

Robert Rowsell lived in Hawk Junction, and had worked at Citadel Gold Mines and when the mine closed in 1989, was looking for work when he went to Yellowknife and took the job to support his family.

Eleven years after the deaths, September 2003 court convened in a Yellowknife specially-built courtroom (cost of $1 million). A decision 15 months later, meant that the widows of the nine men were awarded more than $10.7 million in damages. There is no record as to what the widows had to pay their legal counsel.

Robert’s widow passed away in 2013.

Don’t Forget – to get your smile cookies! This year they will benefit the Wawa Christmas Hamper Fund – and give more smiles!