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9/10/2010 Fontana Gets Specific on Tax Freeze Promise; Mayor Not Impressed AM980 News He has pledged to hold the line on Londoner's property taxes for four years if elected mayor, and today, Joe Fontana outlined exactly how he plans to accomplish that goal.   Fontana says under his leadership, London city hall would embark on a new economic path by producing what he call a "no-frills" budget.   At a morning news conference, Fontana indicated that he's found $13.2 million dollars in tax savings.   He says he met with Senior City Administration and his plan can be accomplished without laying off police officers or firefighters, but Anne Marie DeCicco-Best is skeptical.   "When you're talking about a tax freeze it's a promise that seems very popular, and people would want to rally around it," said the Mayor. "(But) every single one of these ideas that I've heard about today, either we've already done it, it's already been implemented, or his information is incorrect."   Fontana says he can achieve a zero % increase by holding the line on council and city management salaries, reviewing temporary contracts, and hiring no outside consultants.   He has also identified a $6 million dollar surplus London will receive from the province in 2011 as part of Ontario Works uploading, but ... Read more...
9/10/2010 Listowel Suspect Turns Himself into OPP AM980 Provincial police say a suspect who was considered armed in dangerous has been taken into custody. It all started this morning when police say there was an incident involving a firearm at a home in Listowel. No shots were fired but four schools in the Listowel area went into lockdown as a precaution. Emergency response officers began searching for the suspect, and this afternoon he was arrested without incident. "He was arrested shortly after 3 p.m. at a residence in Drayton," said Huron OPP Cst. Joanna Van Mierlo.  "He requested police to attend (the residence) in order to affect the arrest." 19-year-old Joshua Drummond was taken into custody.  OPP say charges are pending. Read more...
9/10/2010 2 London-Area Investors Bilked, RCMP Charge 6 People AM980 London RCMP have charged six people in connection with a fraud scheme estimated to be more than $300 000. R-C-M-P allege companies known as Carlant Holdings from the British Virgin Islands and Themed Technological Innovations of Toronto were used in the fraud.Police say two London-area investors thought they were investing in the development of entertainment centres, and were promised a return of 40 pet cent in a few months.It's believed the funds were diverted to the personal use of those charged. Peter Snyder, a 51-year-old Woodstock resident is among the six individuals charged with fraud over $5,000. The accused are scheduled to appear in court on October 12th in London. Read more...
9/10/2010 Western Fair Opens 135th Edition AM980 News The cooler weather may be getting you down, but the Western Fair is boasting plenty of fun to lift your spirits. The 135th annual fair opens Friday with everything from the classic midway, to the new treat sweeping the fair circuit: deep-fried butter! If you'd rather feed your soul, there will also be lots of live music and cultural displays. The 10-day spectacular is bringing back popular shows like the Demo Derby, but is taking on lots of new attractions. Heather Blackwell, a Western Fair spokesperson, tells AM980 the one that seems to be getting hearts racing and thighs widening is the deep fried butter. "It comes with various toppings like raspberry, carmel, and vanilla. It had line ups at the CNE like an hour and a half long. So we'll see how it does here, but that's the food attraction here." The supplier claims the butter balls have fewer calories than a timbit. For a more cultured craving, the Fair will highlight a different culture each day, featuring food, fashion displays, and live music.  For example, Saturday is Incredible India Day, and Sunday is Mexican Fiesta. For the first time since 1960, there will be live harness racing at the fair.  If that doesn't get your ... Read more...
9/10/2010 London's Unemployment Rate Climbs to 8.3% Canadian Press The local, provincial and national unemployment rates all climbed higher in August.Statistics Canada says the jobless rate in London climbed one-tenth of a point last month to 8.3%, up from 8.2% in July.  It was 8.3% in June.  Ontario's jobless rate rose to 8.8%.The national unemployment rate is again over 8%, even though the economy actually created 35,800 new jobs in August.  Statistics Canada says the jobless rate rose one-tenth of a point to 8.1% last month due to an increase in the number of people looking for jobs.The agency notes that despite the job growth, employment is noticeably slowing in Canada.Over the past two months, gains averaged just 13,000 compared to 51,000 during the first half of the year.And the unemployment rate has risen from a post-recession 7.9% low reached in June to the current 8.1%.The details of Friday's report were even weaker than the headline, since August's gains included a 68,000 pick-up in educational workers, completely reversing the losses in the sector suffered last month. Read more...
9/10/2010 Alleged Drunk Driver Hits Tree, Street Light AM980 Police say a driver who hit a tree and street lights in London had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit.London police say witnesses estimated the vehicle was going more than 100 kilometres an hour on Jalna Blvd. when the driver lost control on a bend in the road early yesterday.No one was injured.Twenty-two-year-old Danilo Mejia of London is charged with impaired driving and being over point-zero-eight. Read more...
9/10/2010 London Police Ready If Students Get Rowdy AM980 News This weekend marks the second weekend for Project L.E.A.R.N. and city police say they're ready for anything. The initiative was launched years ago to combat rowdy behaviour by students who attend Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario. They'll be keeping a close eye on student neighbourhoods and along Richmond Row for any out-of-control partying and underage drinking. Constable Dennis Rivest says they didn't lay as many charges during the first weekend as they have in prior Labour Day long weekends. "This past weekend it wasn't so bad, the first week of Project L.E.A.R.N. saw us generate about 155 tickets so its been going pretty good." Rivest says police have been going door-to-door in student neighbourhoods, advising them of Project L.E.A.R.N. "This has been a program that we've done lots of consulting with the University of Western Ontario and Fanshawe College. The student associations from both of those schools have had an education program with incoming students. We were out recently near Fleming Drive and near the university. We were handing out pamphlets to residents and to students." During the spring installment earlier this year, Officers arrested 70 people, up from 49 a year ago.The number of charges laid also went ... Read more...
9/9/2010 London Military Officer Facing Sex Assault Charges AM980 News The Canadian Forces Military Police have laid charges against an officer accused of sexually assaulting recruits while performing medical examinations in London. Petty Officer Second Class James Wilks is charged two counts of sexual assault under the criminal code.  He's also facing three counts of behaving in a disgraceful manner, and four counts of negligent performance of duty under the National Defence Act.Few other details, including information about the victims, have been released at this point.  Investigators will only confirm theyt were female.  They would not reveal their names, ages or hometowns.   Wilks is a navy medic.The alleged incidents occurred at the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Detachment in London on Talbot St. between Queens and Dundas.  There's no word when the alleged incidents took place."The Military Police consider sexual assault to be a serious matter and will thoroughly investigate any such allegations related to Canadian Forces personnel, civilian DND employees, or any other person on DND property," said Lieutenant-Colonel Gilles Sansterre, Commanding Officer of the The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, in a news release. The accused is performing administrative duties pending the outcome of the judicial process. If anyone has any information pertinent to this investigation, ... Read more...
9/9/2010 Qur'an Burning By Florida Pastor In Limbo AM980, Canadian Press, CNN The leader of a tiny Florida church says he won't follow through on a plan to burn copies of Islam's holy text if he's able to meet Saturday with the organizers behind a mosque planned near ground zero in New York.Speaking to NBC's ``Today'' show, the Rev. Terry Jones said if he meets with the imam in New York, he won't burn the Qur'an. It wasn't clear if he meant the burning would be halted indefinitely or just for Saturday.Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, told CBS' ``The Early Show'' he had a commitment for Jones and himself to meet in New York with the imam there.Thousands of Afghans are protesting the small American church's plan to burn the Muslim holy book. At least 11 people have been injured.Police in the northern province of Badakhshan say several hundred demonstrators ran toward a NATO compound where four attackers and five police were injured in clashes. Protesters also burned an American flag at a mosque after Friday prayers.In western Farah province, police said two people were injured in another protest.Police say initial reports that someone was killed were wrong. Read more...
9/9/2010 United Way Hopes to Raise $8 Million AM980 News The United Way of London and Middlesex has set a lofty target for 2010. Thursday afternoon at the John Labatt Centre, the United Way officially kicked off its new campaign with the annual Harvest Lunch. Officials say this year's goal is a staggering 8 million dollars. "I think it is fair to say that the economy is rebounding, but there is still uncertainty," said CEO Andrew Lockie. "The economy taking it's downward turn is effecting people now as much as it did when it first started to happen." The United Way has had a lot of success in recent years in reaching it's goal. Last year's goal was 7.4 million dollars and rose by $100,000 from the year before despite the London area being hit hard by the recession. The target has steadily risen since 2007 when the goal was $7.2 million. "The eight million dollars is a very ambitious goal," said Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best. "Every year, it goes up a little bit, and every year, they surpass it". Carol Stephenson, the Dean of the Richard Ivey School of Business, is the chair of this year's United Way campaign.  "It's a challenge, but it's one that I feel really ... Read more...

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