The 40th snowman to be burned in as many years by Lake Superior State University received a stay of execution. The snowman can thank the Sault, Michigan Fire Department as they judged it to be too windy today to allow the open flames outdoors. The snow burning tradition at LSSU has only been postponed a couple of times over the 40-year history and was cancelled once back in ‘92 due to a student protest but was brought back the following year. Plans are to try again on Monday at noon.

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When the Aweres Township Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene of a fire that ended up destroying the Eagle Bar in Heyden, flames were coming out of the rear of the one story structure. There were people in the building when the fire broke out yesterday morning and they attempted to put it out with extinguishers. Cooking had been going on when the fire broke out. All were able to get out safely. The fire did spread to a couple of trees in the bush near the structure but it was contained and then put out. It took about 2-hours to put out the fire.

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The Eagle Bar out in Heyden was destroyed in a fire this morning. The structure is located just north of Trout Lake Road beside Christie’s Campers off of highway 17. The call came in just before 10 this morning and the Sault Fire Department assisted the Aweres Township Volunteer Fire Department. Nobody was hurt and we don’t know the cause of the fire. The Sault Fire Department provided one pumper and one tanker and assisted with the call for over an hour.

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Despite the damp weather today - The Township of Macdonald, Meredith & Aberdeen Additional and Laird Township have implemented a fire ban today - until further notice.

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City Police arrested 25 year old Everett Dunn yesterday afternoon - in possession of a vehicle that had been reported stolen from the 300 block of Dacey Road - he also had a concealed knife in his possession.

41 year old Darren Reed of Cooper Street was arrested yesterday afternoon and charged with assaulting another male and damaging his vehicle following an accident.

21 year old Jordan Morrar of Queen Street and 21 year old Joshua Vanatta of Korah Road were both arrested for causing a disturbance by fighting at a Queen Street apartment building last evening.

There were more reports of vehicles being entered and items such as cash, CDs, electronics and personal papers stolen.

As for mischief - a vehicle parked in the 100 block of Tadcaster was targeted - a home in the 400 block of Albert West was paintballed … while windows were broken in the 400 block of Queen Street West and the 1600 block of Wellington East.

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19 year old speedskater Richard MacLennan of the Sault was in Europe for a couple Junior World Cup Long Track events recently - winning a gold medal in the 1000 metres and a silver in the 500 metres in Berlin. He then travelled to Moscow where he represented Canada at the World Junior Long Track Championships and placed second in both the 500 and 1000 metre events. He also competed in the 1500 metres - in his old pair of skates that the local club shipped over after he noticed his custom-made skates were starting to coming apart - and he managed a 10th place finish in the old boots, over the 1500 metre distance.

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The final piece of the funding puzzle fell into place for the Algoma Manor redevelopment project and Algoma Manor Board of Management Chair Donna Latulippe says the project will be moving forward immediately. She’s hoping they will have a succesful bidder for the project named and on site within eight weeks. Algoma-Manitoulin M-P-P Mike Brown announced yesterday that the Ontario Government will be providing an additional 3-point-1 million dollars for the new facility bringing the province’s share up to 12-point-6 million for the over 15-million dollar project. Algoma municipalities and local fundraising efforts make up the balance. It’s hoped the project can be completed within 18-months. The new facility will have 10-less beds than the current 45-year old facility. Latulippe says it was a fight to get it up to the 96-bed level considering the province had recomended a 64-bed facility.

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City police finally caught up with 18 year old Andrew Petts early this morning - wanted inconnection with a breakin to a residence in the 100 block of Breton Road with two others, back in December.

A 16 year old girl was picked up yesterday morning after escaping from a detention centre.

33 year old Emanuel Esteves of Indiana Drive was charged with shoplifting at Sears yesterday, 56 year old Daniel McGrath of Tamarack Street was charged with stealing at the Churchill Plaza Metro store early this morning and a 12 year old girl was charged with stealing at Zellers-Station Mall yesterday afternoon.

A couple more breakins were reported yesterday - to a home in the 100 block of Routledge Avenue - and to an apartment in the 300 block of Lake St. where electronic items were stolen..

A light blue Yamaha ATV was stolen from a shed in the 700 block of Frontenac Street - more vehicles were entered across town with I-D and some cash among the items stolen.

A couple more vehicles were vandalized.

And a 49 year old male was arrested last night for a domestic assault.

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The removal of funding for a First Nations group was mentioned in the House of Commons yesterday. Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing M-P Carol Hughes is suggesting the Harper government should do more to reconcile with First Nations than deliver an apology. Hughes made the comment in the House of Commons yesterday as she tabled a petition with the signatures opposed to a government plan to remove funding for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. The foundation was created to help in the healing process and reconciliation of those affected by physical, mental and sexual abuse caused by the residential school system — Ottawa plans to stop funding for the group after March 31st.

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A labour force analysis and workforce development strategy by the Algoma Workforce Investment Committee has been going on for more than a month now. The group is working with Sault College on the study — the goal is to gather information from industry, education, training providers and other stakeholder groups to improve the employment outlook. The committee feels that immigration does not represent a significant addition to region’s population and workplace figures, adding the district is dealing with several variables from an aging workforce and youth/rural migration to a lack of opportunity for young people with post-secondary education and a lack of infrastructure that adds value to local resources. The project will assist communities in the creation of a workforce development strategy and outline recommendations to enhance the labour market outlook in Algoma District in the next three to five years. A study final report is due sometime in the fall of 2010.

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