By Stew Kernan

The OPP are warning teens about the dangers of “sexting”.

That’s the practice of sending provocative pictures on cell phones…a lot of times done by girls.

Detective Sgt. Terry Paddon from the OPP’s child exploitation unit says teens teens need to be aware that this ever growing problem can be risky and lead to long term damage to their identity and reputations .

He says once you send something over a cell phone…you can never really get it back.

Paddon says parents need to talk to their kids and monitor their social media activities.

By Stew Kernan

Vale is rejecting the USW’s allegations of negligence.

In a response to the union’s report…Vale’s General Manager of  Ontario Operations Kelly Strong says they stand by their own internal investigation that concluded there were a number of factors that led to the deaths with no single cause or individual at fault.

Strong says there is no new factual information in the union report that the company’s investigation team had not considered.

However, there is a distinct difference with how the USW has chosen to interpret and draw conclusions from those facts.

He says the company remains committed to doing everything to put in place measures to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.

(Lawyer Brian Shell, Steelworkers Local 6500 President Rick Bertrand and Chair of Steelworkers Local 6500 Health & Safety Mike Bond)

By Angela Gemmill

Last June’s fatalities at Stobie Mine in Sudbury ”were directly a result of the reckless disregard of the mine’s owner, Vale”.

That’s what Steelworkers Local 6500 President, Rick Bertrand, told local media today when the union presented its findings from its 8-month long investigation into the workplace deaths of Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram.

The union feels there was a blatant disregard for worker safety by upper management since Chenier had previously warned about the water problem in two emails.

Chenier  had also put up double safety guardrails on the 2450 & 2600 levels to prevent the dumping of wet ore into Number 7 Ore Pass.

Bertrand says the investigation revealed those guardrails were removed on three separate occasions.

Water is the most dangerous hazard in underground mining, as it mixes with ore and sand and clogs ore passes (passageways that allow movement of ore from one level to another).

Bertrand explained that clearing blocked ore passes is the most dangerous work in underground mining.

He says during the probe many miners reported to the team that Vale management by threat of discipline and targeting discourages the reporting of health and safety violations.

The Steelworkers report includes 165 recommendations to improve and ensure a safe working environment at Vale’s five Sudbury mine sites and those in Manitoba.

Bertrand says all levels of the union agree that a public inquiry is needed into mine safety in Ontario.

The final report has been given to Vale, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Greater Sudbury Police and the Attorney General.

The union is also looking into possible criminal charges against Vale and company management, under the Westray provisions (Bill C-45) of the Criminal Code of Canada.

That’s why the union’s investigative document was given to the Deputy Attorney General (Criminal).

Union Lawyer Brian Shell says decisions under the Criminal Code are made by Crown Attorneys and the police, but presumably the Ministry of Labour would assist since it is the expert in regulating underground mine safety.

Bertrand says the Steelworkers also want the Ministry of Labour to set up a committee under Ontario’s Health and Safety legislation to ensure whether Health & Safety laws are being adequately enforced as they apply to mining.

An ore pass at Stobie Mine.

By Angela Gemmill

A stolen pick-up truck led Greater Sudbury Police to two suspects and a host of stolen tools.

Officers surrounded the vehicle at a business on Lasalle Boulevard yesterday just before noon after following it a short distance.

Investigators found a number of hand tools in side the truck, which had either been allegedly stolen or obtained through fraudulent means from two local businesses.

A small quantity of marijuana was also seized.

The two men in the vehicle were arrested.

One is charged with Theft over $5000, two counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Fraud Under $5000, Driving while Under Suspension and Breach of Probation.

The second man is charged with two counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

By David Lacasse

Sudbury City Council is looking at placing guidelines on how councillors distribute their portion of the Healthy Community Initiative Fund.

Each councillor has $50-thousand to spend in their wards on a yearly basis for projects they deem worthy.

Councillors have gone to the Chief Financial Officer to take a look at parameters of how the money is given out and if there are ways to make it more transparent.

Ward 7 Councillor Dave Kilgour says there are already stringent rules, but new guidelines will help.

For example no money should be given out in the last six-months of a term so it doesn’t look like councillors are trying to buy votes.

Another option may be to have city council approve any amount requested for over five-thousand dollars.

The fund came under fire recently by the Greater Sudbury Taxpayers Association, which said it was prepared to take the city to court over mishandling of finances.

By David Lacasse

Sudbury City Council made it official last night, voting in favor of a 2.8% tax increase for the 2012 budget.

Across the city, that equates to between $57 – $71 per home on a yearly tax bill.

The city had to dip into the Reserves and find new revenue to replace the $2.5-million not given by the province in OMPF grants.

The city is also still using its Attrition Policy to save money.

Last year, the local tax hike was 3.5%.

By Stew Kernan

United Steel Workers Local 6500  is set to release what it  calls “disturbing results” of their investigation into the deaths of two miners.

Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram were killed while on the job at the Stobie Mine on June 8th 2011.

News conferences will be held tomorrow morning both in Sudbury and at Queen’s Park in Toronto.

The union says it will call for immediate action by the Ontario Government in light of the powerful evidence it will bring forward.

Specific recommendations for ensuring safe working conditions in underground mines will also be made.

Vale released the results of its investigation into the deaths in late January.

goal

By Gary Beech

It was invented back in 1946 to help rehabilitate World War Two vets who suffered visual impairments.

Kyle Pelly is Executive Director of the Ontario Blind Sports Association and says Goalball is a simple game that needs three players and a ball, that’s the size of a basketball with bells inside.

Every player wears eye-shades so they have to rely on their hearing and sense of touch.

Pelly says sighted and visually-impaired people can both play the game together.

He hopes to establish clubs and leagues in Greater Sudbury.

For the past several days Pelly’s team along with several people from the CNIB have been showing off Goalball to students and residents during various sessions.

So far Pelly is pleased with the response.

He says many people trying it out for the first time don’t realize how difficult it is.

There are high-level elite teams across the province, but Pelly says its important to grow the sport at the grassroots level, with clubs and leagues at the local level.

For more information you can go to www.blindsports.on.ca

By Angela Gemmill

A lesson in vehicle modifications from police to local teens.

An officer with the Greater Sudbury Police Traffic Management Unit, who also has ten years experience as a mechanic, spoke to 20 students in the Auto Shop class at Lockerby Composite School this morning.

Constable Andrew Hinds says he and his fellow officers are always fielding questions about legal or illegal changes to vehicles.

He says it’s not always teenagers who are stopped for infractions to the Highway Traffic Act, involving modifications.

Some of the more frequent modifications that Greater Sudbury Police have ticketed local drivers for are tinted windows, coloured lights, excessive smoke, loud mufflers and obscured windshields.

Other infractions Hinds touched on in his presentation were: seatbelts, license plates and nitrous oxide systems.

He also discussed the importance of safety when behind the wheel, including not using a hand-held device while driving, and included display screens and entertainment devices in his warning.

By Angela Gemmill

Police have a man in custody after a hold-up at Sub City in downtown Sudbury.

Around 7:30 last night a man brandished a knife and demanded money, but didn’t make off with any cash.

The suspect was caught by Greater Sudbury Police shortly after the incident and is now charged with Robbery.