Latest news with #Hanmer
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Couple wins record-shattering hospital 50-50 draw
A couple from the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer has won more than $6.4 million in Canada's largest hospital 50-50 draw ever.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Sudbury children invited to learn from famed graphic novelist
Award-winning graphic novel author J. Torres has been invited to the Greater Sudbury Public Library for children's workshops during March Break. (Supplied/Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival) Award-winning graphic novel author J. Torres has been invited to the Greater Sudbury Public Library for children's workshops during March Break. Torres is a Filipino Canadian comic book writer whose credits include Teen Titans Go, Batman: Knightwatch and Adventure Comics for the DC Kids channel on YouTube. Families can join Torres for free at the Valley East Public Library on Elmview Drive in the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the Lively Public Library on Kin Drive on Friday between 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The event, geared for children between the ages of eight to 12, will teach how a graphic novel is created from writing to drawing and finally to book form. 'Participants will take part in engaging activities related to creating comics, sharing story ideas and a chat with the author,' said officials with Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival in a news release. 'His (Torres) award-winning graphic novels for younger readers include Brobots, How to Spot a Sasquatch, Lola: A Ghost Story, Planet Hockey and Stealing Home.' Torres has also written comics for the Archies, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Degrassi, Rick & Morty, Scooby-Doo, The Simpsons and X-Men along with several other notable franchises. Planet Hockey J. Torres has several award-winning graphic novels for younger readers -- including 'Planet Hockey.' (Supplied/Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival) Registration is required for this event, with the first 10 registrants to receive a free copy of J. Torres' book 'Planet Hockey.' To register, contact Quinn Van Essen at 705-673-1155 by email. Download the CTV News app now Get local breaking news alerts Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival's youth program Nickel City Literacy League is helping to address the need for activities centered around literacy for children who have struggled to connect to reading and writing during and following the pandemic. The program offers targeted reading and writing activities to engage children in school, at the library and in after-school program environments and activities are offered at no cost with the financial support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
CTV News
10-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Northern Ont. man claims $250K top prize with instant lotto ticket
Peter Lafreniere of the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer won $250,000, the top prize on the Big Time Cash Instant lottery ticket. (Supplied/Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation)
Scoop
01-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Family Legacy Honoured At Hanmer Springs Opening
John Rutherford returned to his former home towns of Hanmer Springs and Culverden on Anzac Day as the legacy of one its forebears was honoured. The 103-year-old attended the official celebration to mark the $3.6m restoration of the Soldiers' Block in Hanmer Springs, which his grandfather Duncan Rutherford was instrumental in establishing. Earlier in the day he attended the unveiling of a new war memorial in Culverden, with some of his great-grandchildren helping him to plant a tree to mark the occasion. ''We really appreciate what the council has done to recognise our family,'' Mr Rutherford said. Duncan Rutherford, a local sheep farmer, owned the Hanmer Lodge Hotel, which he offered to the Government in 1915 as a convalescent home for injured soldiers until the Soldiers' Block at Queen Mary Hospital was opened in 1916. He formed a Red Cross committee to fund the makeshift hospital, employing a matron, a cook, domestic staff and provide meals, while the Government provided a doctor, a military officer and medical supplies. Around 218 soldiers were cared for at the lodge, where local women volunteered as nurses. Queen Mary Hospital continued to rely on local generosity, with Duncan Rutherford paying for a verandah attached to the dining room, chairs, tables and lounges so soldiers could recuperate in the fresh air. Christmas dinner and parcels were also provided for the soldiers and hospital staff from the Rutherford family's Leslie Hills farm. The Rutherford family has been farming in the Amuri district since 1860, when Mr Rutherford's great-great-grandfather George Rutherford arrived in the district. Mr Rutherford lived and farmed between Culverden and Hanmer Springs for 65 years, until moving to Hanmer Springs where he lived for 25 years. Hurunui Mayor Marie Black said the $3.6m Soldiers' Block restoration was the culmination of two decades of community advocacy to preserve the site. ''It is tremendous. It demonstrates the value of working in the community.'' The Soldiers Block was built alongside the hot springs, long valued for healing qualities. Queen Mary Hospital later became a mental health hospital, and then a drug and alcohol addiction treatment centre under the Taha Māori recovery programme up until 2003. The Ministry of Health had intentions to sell the site, but the local community rallied round and it was eventually vested in the council in 2010. The restoration was made possible by funding from Government, the Lotteries Commission, the Rata Foundation and the council's earthquake fund. Hanmer Springs firm O'Brien Construction began work restoring the Soldiers' Block in May 2024. ''It has been an enjoyable job,'' Mark O'Brien said. ''The building was very sound. It was in very good condition considering its age.'' To ensure the building survives for another 100 years, O'Brien Construction laid down new foundations, with 64 piles drilled into the ground 900mm deep. The floors were then restored with the same material as the original floors - Jarrah in the wards and rimu in the hallway. Hanmer Springs business owner Jason Fletcher was a driving force behind the project. He said the Soldiers' Block is now open for community use for events and community functions and there is a community fitness centre onsite. A wharenui attached to the Soldiers' Block is also being restored by Ngāti Kūri and will be officially opened later in the year. Long term the community plans to turn the Soldiers' Block into an interactive museum, bringing the stories of the soldiers back to life. The Queen Mary Historic Reserve Trust has been working with Weta Workshop on the design, but will need to raise around $6m. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New study uncovers deadly virus decimating critical species: 'A serious problem'
Ecologists are seeking help from British gardeners after new research has revealed an alarming drop in blackbird populations. According to research by the British Trust for Ornithology, the number of blackbirds in London has decreased by about 40% since 2018. Playing a key role in the decline of blackbirds is the Usutu virus, a deadly mosquito-borne virus originating in South Africa. Since the virus' detection in the U.K. five years ago, it has played a significant enough role in the decline in blackbird populations to put ecologists on high alert. Although the Usutu virus has primarily impacted blackbird populations in southern and southwest England, ecologists warn the disease may soon spread to the Midlands and beyond. As one of the most common birds in the U.K., blackbirds are commonly seen and heard in many parks and gardens across the country. The birds are revered for their friendly personalities, melodious, flute-like songs, and their striking, inky feathers. A decrease in blackbird populations would be a significant aesthetic loss in outdoor spaces across the U.K. A major drop in the blackbird population would be an even greater loss to local ecosystems, where they play important roles in pest control, protecting crops and forests, seed dispersal, creating habitat for other wildlife, and as a food source for many predators. "We're not going to lose blackbirds," Hugh Hanmer, a senior BTO research ecologist, told The Standard of the risks. "But we could have a lot fewer of them." The ecological role of blackbirds in U.K. ecosystems cannot be overstated, and a marked decline in their population would have rippling effects, harming other wildlife species and overall biodiversity. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Ecologists say individuals across the U.K. can help prevent the spread of the Usutu virus by making minor adjustments in their backyards and gardens. Simply covering up open sources of standing water like rain barrels, known as "water butts" in the U.K., can make a big difference. "That's a standard approach in countries where mosquito-borne disease is a serious problem," Hanmer said, adding that "wildlife-friendly gardening" can also make a difference, including non-standing-water "ponds, native bushes, and trees." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
