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News Update: 8:00am, Friday July 24th, 2026

News Update: 8:00am, Friday July 24th, 2026
News Desk
Jul 24, 2026 | 9:02 AM

Good morning, it's July 24th. We'll see sunny skies with a mix of sun and cloud this afternoon. A high today 26, humidex of 28, and a UV index of 8 or very high. The dollar is trading for 70.92 cents U.S. I'm Rob Kirwane. A Penetankasheen man is facing multiple charges following a large-scale copper theft investigation. On Monday, Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers responded to a reported theft at a construction and quarry site on La Fontaine Road, East in Tiny Township. The investigation determined sometime between July 18th and 19th, a suspect entered the property on a motorized electric style tricycle, accessed secure storage containers, and removed copper electrical wiring from a piece of heavy machinery. The theft caused approximately $60,000 in damage, rendering the equipment inoperable. and disrupting the company's operations. Investigators later identified a suspect who had allegedly sold stolen copper and brass to a local scrap metal recycler. First Nations leaders are calling for a public inquiry into the provincial response to the wildfires blazing through kilometers of forest, saying the Ontario government left communities to fend for themselves without timely evacuation support. Aerial photographs have shown the devastation in one Northern Ontario First Nation as a wildfire tore through the region last week. Premier Doug Ford says his government did everything it could to respond to the wildfires. Ford has told wildfire evacuees not to return to their homes. And on Wednesday, OPP said anyone found in areas under closure orders could face hundreds of dollars in fines and possible demerit points. One of Canada's 13 premiers is pulling energy off the table as trade talks with the United States heat up. Prime Minister Mark Carney said yesterday that everything is on the table if his government cannot secure a deal to avoid a dramatic escalation in US tariffs next month. But Alberta and Saskatchewan have previously drawn a hard line against using their province's cross-border exports as a negotiation tactic. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is warning the US could cut off oil and natural gas exports to Ontario and go back if Canada got into a skirmish over energy. In sports, Shane Bieber pitched a season-high 7 innings to win his second straight start. George Springer reached base three times and drove in a run. And the Toronto Blue Jays beat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Thursday to snap a four-game losing streak. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two singles and an RBI for the Jays, who are 2-5 since the All-Star break. JD will keep you up to date on the weather throughout the morning. From the Light 99.3 News Center, I'm Rob Kerwain.