OPP news release…

OPP CHARGE FEMALE WITH THEFT

(Blind River, ON.) – On May 30, 2012 Blind River OPP received a call of a theft at a local store on Woodward Ave in Blind River. Officers attended the store and were made aware of a theft that occurred on May 25, 2012. Through their investigation officers were able to identify the suspect who was later arrested. Charged with theft under $5000.00 is 59 year old Pauline LANGIS of Spragge. LANGIS is scheduled to appear in Blind River court on August 9, 2012.

OPP LOOKING FOR INFO ON STOLEN IPOD

(Blind River, ON.) – On May 30, 2012 Blind River OPP received a call of a theft from a vehicle on Laborne Street in Blind River. Police were advised that sometime overnight a vehicle was entered an IPOD was stolen along with some loose change. Police want to remind everyone to always ensure your vehicle is locked and any valuables are out of sight.

“If you have any information regarding this theft or any other crime, call Crime Stoppers at 942-7867 or 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), submit an e-tip from the Crime Stoppers web site at www.saultcrimestoppers.com or send a text to keyword SSM to the short code number 274637.”

OPP news release…

(Hearst, ON) – On May 31, 2012, members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, South Porcupine Drug Enforcement Unit, supported by the OPP Hearst Detachment and the OPP North East Region Canine Unit executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act Search Warrant at an apartment located on George Street in the Town of Hearst.

As a result of the investigation 43 grams of marihuana, 1.8 grams of cannabis resin, 1 oxycodone tablet and $7370 cash were seized. Jason Brown and Sophie Veilleux have been charged with a number of drug related offences. Both were released on a promise to appear in court on July 25, 2012, in the Town of Hearst.

The street value of the drugs seized is $905.

CHARGED IS;

Jason Brown, aged 31 of Hearst;
Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking
Possession of a Controlled Substance
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

and

Sophie Veilleux, aged 22 of Hearst
Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking
Possession of a Controlled Substance – 3 counts
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Stock car racing scheduled for tonight out at Laird International Raceway has been postponed and rescheduled for next Thursday June 7th.

Michigan DNR news release…

The Department of Natural Resources today reported that cooler temperatures Wednesday evening allowed the fire crews to make significant progress on the Duck Lake Fire in the Upper Peninsula’s Luce County. Most recent GPS data show the fire size at 21,458 acres with 57 percent containment.

Crews have constructed fireline across all of Division G in the southeast corner of the fire and roughly one-half of the fire’s west side. Saw crews also made headway in removing hazard trees.

The south end of the fire is 14 miles north of Newberry and 7 miles west from Tahquamenon Falls State Park campgrounds. The fire is long and narrow and stretches 11 miles to the north to Lake Superior. There are currently 40 miles of fireline. Of that fireline, 6 miles is Lake Superior shoreline, 13 miles is completed line (that includes County Road 500), and 21 miles is uncontained fireline. Access remains very difficult with few roads.

The latest estimate on structure loss is that there are 138 properties within the perimeter of the fire; 138 sites have been inspected to this point, with one remaining that had no fire number. A total of 132 structures have been lost, with a breakdown as follows:

46 homes/cabins
23 garages
35 sheds/outbuildings
26 campers
1 store
1 motel

Landowners (including in-state and out-of-state residents) who have property located within the fireline should call 211 (Upper Peninsula residents) or 1-800-338-1119 (all others) to register their structure location and contact information. Officials do not have contact information for all properties within the fire perimeter, so it is very important that all landowners make contact. As the structure inventory and damage assessments are completed, the involved parties will be contacted and informed of the status of their property.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park’s Lower Falls campground and Upper Falls viewing area and visitor center reopened to the public Wednesday, May 30. Hiking trails on the north side of M-123, including the North Country Trail, will remain closed until further notice.

An evacuation order remains in effect for the area from Pike Lake east to County Road 500 and north to Little Lake Harbor.

Road closures include County Road 414 east from the intersection with County Road 410 and County Road 500 from M-123 north to Little Lake Harbor. Please do not enter the area. All road closures remain in effect until further notice. No road reopening schedule has been determined due to ongoing fire issues and aircraft suppression efforts.

Today’s incident objectives are to:

Provide for public and firefighter safety
Provide for structure protection
Fell snags around homes and along roads in Divisions A & B (northeast part of the fire)
Finish line construction toward division breaks
Identify hazard trees around structures and roads for saw crews
Continue getting GPS data on completed line in all divisions
Saw crews will work on felling hazard trees along the road between Pike Lake and Little Lake. Mop-up will continue in all divisions.

Earlier this week, one of the National Guard helicopters experienced a mechanical failure and lost its bucket in Bone Lake. Divers were able to recover the bucket on Wednesday.

Air operations will focus on structure protection and supporting fireline construction in the wet, inaccessible areas of the fire.

Warmer weather with mostly sunny skies is expected today. There was frost last night, and crews had to protect the pumps on their fire engines from freezing. Temperatures today are expected to be in the high 50s to low 60s. Minimum humidity is expected to be between 37 percent and 52 percent, with higher humidities closer to the lake shore. Winds have switched to northwest this morning, and should remain steady at 6 to 9 miles per hour into the evening, with gusts of 10 to 20 miles per hour.

A total of 227 personnel – including 53 overhead personnel – are involved with fire suppression efforts. People, equipment and agencies fighting the fire include:

Four conservation officers and a sergeant are on duty around the clock
17 DNR fire engines and 3 Wisconsin DNR fire engines
10 Michigan DNR and 2 Wisconsin DNR bulldozers
1 US Forest Service helicopter
4 Michigan National Guard aircraft and ground support
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community hand crew
WIC #1 hand crew from Wisconsin Cooperating agencies include the Michigan State Police, Luce County Sherriff’s Department, Red Cross, Michigan State Police Emergency Management, Luce County Emergency Management, Michigan National Guard, Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota DNR, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and UPCAP (211).

On May 25, Gov. Rick Snyder declared a state of disaster in Luce and Schoolcraft counties. The declaration permits authorities to evacuate residents, and establishes a fireworks ban in the two affected counties and an outdoor burning ban in 49 counties:

Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Bay, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Emmet, Gladwin, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Iosco, Iron, Isabella, Kalkaska, Keweenaw, Lake, Leelanau, Luce, Mackinac, Manistee, Marquette, Mason, Mecosta, Menominee, Midland, Missaukee, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Schoolcraft and Wexford.

The DNR strongly encourages all residents and visitors in all parts of the state to avoid open burning and use of any fireworks during this extremely high fire-danger season to minimize the possibility of more wildfires. For wildfire prevention tips, and for information on what is and is not permissible under the outdoor burning ban, visit www.michigan.gov/preventwildfires.

For more information on the Duck Lake Fire situation, visit www.michigan.gov/dnr (where you can sign up for wildfire incident updates via email or text message) or follow www.twitter.com/michiganDNR, www.twitter.com/michiganDNR_UP or www.facebook.com/miDNR.

An Algoma University Librarian has won a North American professional association award for library and information science education. Dr. Michelle Atkin won the award for her paper “Examining the Limits of Free Expression through Canadian Case Law: Reflections on the Canadian Library Association’s Code of Ethics and its Supporting Statement on Intellectual Freedom”. The Association is a non-profit organization that includes individual members and institutional members primarily in the US and Canada.

A listener called us to let us know that there has been a bear sighting late this morning in the Farwell Terrace area north of 2nd Line. Police have been contacted.

A hand count of ballots following a tie in the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ primary election has determined that Jennifer McLeod has grabbed the sixth and final spot in Unit 1 for the general election next month. McLeod had been tied with Shirley Van Alstine in the recent primary vote but a hand count of ballots found two more votes for McLeod and one for Van Alstine. The result will need to be certified and deemed offical at the next board of directors meeting. There are three open seats in Unit 1 which covers most of Chippewa County and the general election vote count will take place on June 28th.

City police responding to a call regarding the possible use of bear spray – stopped a vehicle believed to be connected to the complaint – and determined that the driver, 20 year old Brandon Weston of Spadina Avenue was the person they were looking for … a passenger, 19 year old Tyler Wood of Spadina Avenue was wanted on a previous warrant for assault and administering a noxious substance – he was slapped with additional charges – with both suspects due in bail court today.

Last evening Police were called to the Canadian border station where a 50 year old American resident had been detained – after it was determined he was on probation for an earlier assault and was ordered to stay out of the country.

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(supplied)

The management of Laird International Raceway would like to notify fans and drivers that the races for Thursday, May 31st have been postponed.
Due to the forcasted temperatures at racetime and throughout the night, LIR will now look to kick off the 2012 season on Thursday, June 7.
This decision was made to make the opening night the most enjoyable for all those attending the venue.

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(supplied)

Following the most successful campaign in franchise history, the Soo Thunderbirds are currently seeking a new head coach to lead the team into the 2012-13 hockey season.
Interested applicants are asked to e-mail a brief letter of interest with contact information to kcain@tbirdhockey.ca. The deadline to apply is June 6. Those selected for an interview will be contacted for a resume and references.
The successful applicant will help build off the Thunderbirds’ momentum from last season, which included Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championships, playoff titles and Dudley Hewitt Cup championships.
More information on the club is available online at www.tbirdhockey.ca.
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