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The Sault Ste. Marie Medal of Merit Selection Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2011 Medal of Merit. This year’s winners are Zaafina Naqvi, the late Michael Sanzosti and Guy and Susan Traficante.

The Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie established a committee in 1972 to award the Medal of Merit annually to persons or groups in recognition of outstanding achievement in the areas of athletics, culture or academics, or those who make outstanding contributions to the community.

The Medal of Merit Selection Committee consists of: Mayor Debbie Amaroso, His Honour Justice John Kukurin, Mary Ellen Szadkowski, Sharon Graham, and Sylvain Brazeau.

The 2011 Medal of Merit awards will be presented at a civic ceremony in 2012.

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There are changes to the city services schedule for the New Years holiday … the last bus leaves the terminal at 11:45 tonight … the last parabus pickup will be 11:30 … with no transit service operating tomorrow, New Years Day. Most city offices and operations will be closed through Monday … and garbage pickup will be one day later than usual next week beginning on Tuesday.

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The next round of toll increases on the Mackinac Bridge takes effect tomorrow – January 1st – with the one way fare for passenger vehicles going to $4 and those pulling trailers will pay an additional $2 per axle. The rates will go up another 50 cents in 20-14. RV and commercial trucks will pay $5 per axle as of Januray 1st. The Mackinac Bridge Authority approved a series of toll increases to be phased in through 20-14 to help cover the ongoing costs of maintenance. The Bridge has seen a steady decline in traffic over the past year .

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Skiiers can finally strap on their boards and take to the hills – some of the hills at least, at Searchmont – with the resort set to open this morning on limited terrain and with two lifts. There will be special reduced rates until more runs are open … but they will get to cash-in on the second week of the Christmas break … open today and through all of next week from 9:30am – 9pm … before getting into a normal schedule January 9th.

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Workers at Community First Credit Union have voted overwelmingly infavour of strike action in support of a new contract for employees in Sault Ste Marie and Timmins. USW Local 7129 voted 88% infavour of rejecting the company’s latest offer and going out on strike just after midnight tonight. Community First says in a release, while it plans to continue negoitating with the union they will be open for business at the Bay Street branch come Tuesday morning following the New Years holiday. The Trunk Road branch will be closed for the duration.

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Sootoday.com is reporting that St Marys Paper fell into receivership yesterday having been in shutdown mode most this year. The company has reportedly confirmed the move but has not spelled out it’s next steps. The CEP, representing more than 300 workers at the mill had given the company until the end of January to decide on what was happening or the laid off workers would be taking legal action for their severance pay – some 200 of them having been laid off since March. St Marys had been trying to secure $175 million to procede with their co-generation unit deemed as essential to their continued existance.

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The Most Reverend Noel Simard who has served as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste Marie since 2008 – has been appointed this morning by the Vatican, as Bishop of Valleyfield, Quebec. The date of his installation has yet to be announced.

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Parks Canada is hosting an afternoon of old fashioned fun at the Sault Ste Marie Canal-National Historic Site’s superintendent’s residence this afternoon – from 1 – 3 … with indoor activities including Victorian games and crafts, shadow puppets, a dress-up corner and snacks … there’ll even be snowshoeing lessons around the site – assuming they’ve got enough snow. Its all happening this afternoon until 3, and free of charge.

And the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club is hosting a Holiday Lantern Ski tonight from 6 – 10 at Hiawatha Highlands – where they do have enough snow that’s packed and ready to go. Skiiers can warm-up afterwards with refreshments in the Kin Centre.

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City Police made a couple drug busts yesterday – at a home in the 100 block of Pim Street where a few marijuana plants, a small amount of pot and about 100 ecstacy pills were seized -leading to charges against a 21 year old male. Then a second search of an apartment in the 600 block of MacDonald Avenue turned up a small amount of marijuana in individual packages – leading to charges against a 22 year old male.

An 80 year old male was arrested and charged after breaking into an apartment – exposing himself and attempting to sexually assault the victim.

There was a breakin reported to a home in the 500 block of Wellington West where some cash was stolen. A yellow Dodge van was stolen from Pine Street. A couple other vehicles were entered with electronics, medication and I-D stolen. There were a couple more reports of vehicles being vandalized. And a purse was stolen from the Marconi Club with a suspect being sought – described as a male, about 5 feet tall, wearing a grey jacket and black pants and carrying a backpack.

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Its still business as usual out of Chippewa County Airport with two flights a day, seven days a week – on Delta, as the U-S Department of Transportation makes it’s final decision on a new subsidy deal for airlines servicing smaller locations. The comment period on three proposals submitted – two of them from Delta – closed at the end of November – but an extension was granted for the 30 day hold-in, pending the DOT decision which was still going to take ‘sometime’. There has been overwelming support for keeping the Delta service into Kinross.

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