Hey, you won't believe what happened in the Sault.
Bonjour from the North — three cities, one corridor, and the stories that don't make it south of Barrie.
### Someone used bear spray right here in the Sault
You know, sometimes the news out of the Sault is about big things, like the struggles at Algoma Steel or what's happening with the International Bridge. But sometimes, it's the little things, the everyday weird stuff that makes you stop and say, *tabarnak*, did that really happen? This past weekend, someone got bear-sprayed on Chestnut Street South, right in the central part of the city. Not by a bear, mind you. By a youth, during an outdoor gathering. That's right, someone told a kid to leave, and they responded with bear spray.
I mean, we live right next to the bush, eh? You see bear spray for sale everywhere, usually next to the fishing gear at Canadian Tire. It's for when you're out on a trail in Hiawatha Highlands, or maybe up by Searchmont, and you cross paths with a mama bear and her cubs. It's not supposed to be for a disagreement on a residential street. It just… it makes you shake your head, doesn't it? Like, what kind of world are we living in where that's the go-to?
### Why This Matters for Us
This isn't just a police brief; it's a peek into something else happening in our community.
* **Public Safety:** It’s a stark reminder that even in our smaller Northern cities, these kinds of incidents can happen anywhere, anytime. * **Weapon of Choice:** The fact that bear spray was used, not some other kind of weapon, is what really gets me. It highlights how easily accessible these things are and how they can be misused. * **Community Impact:** For folks living on Chestnut Street South, or anywhere in that central area, it probably makes them think twice about outdoor gatherings or letting their kids play outside after dark.
It’s one of those stories that, while maybe not front-page news for Toronto, hits different here in the Sault. It’s a shame, really. Our city deserves better than this kind of nonsense.
Marc-André Desjardins, MiTL Sports Desk, Sault Ste. Marie.
You want more of this kind of talk? Chantal and the crew on the morning show dive into everything. Check them out live at mornings.live.