By Ian Campbell

A sixty year old man was sent to hospital to be treated for second degree burns following a suspected explosion Friday in Hanmer.

It happened inside the garage of 60 Maurice Street.

When crews arrived they found a small amount of flames and were able to put them out within five minutes.

The man suffered burns on his head and shoulders, while the house received moderate fire, smoke and heat damage.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined, as the investigation continues by the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office and the Sudbury Fire Services.

By Ian Campbell

Talks continue to at this point to try and avoid a strike at Xstrata Nickel.

215 clerical, office and technical workers voted earlier 98 per cent in favour of strike action if bargaining teams could not reach an agreement.

The current contract with the Steelworkers runs out at midnight tonight.

By Ian Campbell

As exploratory talks continue this weekend between both sides to end the labour dispute, there’s word that Vale Inco is suing the Steelworkers for 1-million dollars.

The company alleges that there are striking members listing personal information about the staff that have continued to work.

They add it has made several personnel targets of threats.

So far union officials deny any of the allegations and there are reports that they plan to countersue for defamation.

Today marks Day 231 of the strike that has gripped the region.

By Ian Campbell

One 23 year old man, wanted for robbery, is back behind bars after a drug bust Friday night in the Flour Mill.

Police say he was observed by plain clothes police officers buying marijuana from a 24 year old.

Officers seized 77 grams of marijuana valued at $770.

The 24 year old now faces charges of trafficking and breaching his probation.

The 23 year old is charged with possession of a controlled substance and breach of probation.

Officers also discovered that he was wanted in relation to a robbery on February 11th that happened on Louis Street.

That’s when two men had entered a home pretending to visit an acquaintance.

Once inside they confronted a man and his fiance with knives and demanded money.

They took several large electronic items leaving the victims unharmed inside the apartment.

A second man, aged 24, in relation to the robbery was wanted but turned himself in at 6:30 this morning.

Bail hearings are set for tomorrow.

By Ian Campbell

City councillors hope March 11th, you’ll set down the plastic in favour of something out of the tap.

They have endorsed “Bottle Water Free Day”, backed by the Canadian Federation of Students, the Sierra Youth Coalition and the Polaris Institute.

Councillor Claude Berthiaume says there are a lot of reasons to stay away from bottled water including the cost and the fact the plastic bottles often end up in the landfill.

The city also hopes this might also create awareness about the dangers of water privatization.

By Stew Kernan

Two arrests with one traffic stop for Sudbury Police.

Yesterday afternoon a vehicle was stopped on Notre Dame Ave in Hanmer for going 80 kilometers in a posted 40 zone.

The 35-year old driver, already known to police, was charged with speeding and arrested and held for breaching the conditions of a long term supervision order.

Meantime…it was discovered the 23-year old passenger was wanted by North Bay Police on a drug charge.

He’s also now facing a charge for possessing a prohibited weapon here after a search found the suspect with a pair of brass knuckles.

By Stew Kernan

The Wolves deserved a better fate last night but finished on the wrong end of a 3-2 score against London.

The visiting Knights scored twice in the third period including the game winner at the 18:12 mark.

That erased a 2-1 lead the local juniors built up in the first period on goals by John McFarland and Eric O’Dell.

Goalie Andrew Loverock stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced.

The Wolves are off today before hosting the Windsor Spitfires tomorrow afternoon at 1 o’clock.

By Stew Kernan

The Sudbury Regional Hospital’s Cardiac Program has a new home.

The world-renowned program has moved from the Memorial Hospital to the one-site acute care facility.

Sudbury was the site of the first coronary arterial bypass in Canada, performed by Dr. Paul Field back in 1968 as well as the first beating heart off-pump coronary bypass surgery in 1991 by Dr. Avdesh Mathur.

Cardiac surgeons will perform between 400 and 500 open heart surgeries every year.

By Angela Gemmill

If Xstrata Nickel and Steelworkers Local 2020 can’t reach a new agreement by Monday then Sudbury will have another strike on its hands.

The 215 office, clerical and technical workers voted 98 percent in favour of strike action.

The two sides are still in negotiations and have until until 11:59pm February 28th, when the current contract expires.

Issues include seniority, sick pay and bonuses.

By Ian Campbell

Tired of waiting, Ward Two Councillor Jacques Barbeau says it’s time the Northeast LHIN comes up with some answers for the people of Walden.

A year and a half ago, the network ceased funding to the Home Support Program, making many seniors to look elsewhere for help.

Barbeau says it’s the LHIN that’s holding things up.

“You know we call and it’s always next month, then it’s two and then three months, enough is enough,” he exclaims. “We’ve got seniors that really rely on the services of grocery delivery and stuff like that.”

With a unanimously passed motion, the city is now officially asking the LHIN that those funds be returned.