By David Lacasse

Sudbury Wolves forward Nick Baptiste recorded an assist on the first Team Ontario goal last night against Sweden.

Sault Ste-Marie forward, Darnell Nurse added 3 points in the 7 – 2 victory.

Iroquois Falls native, Ryan Kujawinski was also in on the scoring, netting an assist in the final goal.

Team Ontario is back in action on January 1st when they play the Atlantic team.

By David Lacasse

Greater Sudbury Police continue to do their Festive RIDE checks to deter impaired drivers.

During last nights Festive RIDE checks, police stopped 302 vehicles.

As a result, no impaired drivers were caught, however 4 drivers were charged with highway traffic act offenses.

By David Lacasse

Drugs from the Toronto-area didn’t make it to the streets in Sudbury after two males were arrested at the bus depot on Thursday evening.

Because of a joint investigation by the Greater Sudbury Police and the RCMP, 160 grams of crack cocaine were seized as well as a small quantity of marijuana.

The total value of the drugs was approximately 14 thousand dollars.

Both are being charged with various drug possession and trafficking charges.

By David Lacasse

The Sudbury Wolves needed overtime last night to beat the Belleville Bulls.

Andrey Kuchin scored the game winner with 37 seconds left in the overtime period.

Josh Leivo added 2 goals and Brody Silk scored for the Wolves, who now travel to Peterborough to take on the Petes on Sunday.

Joel Vienneau made 27 saves for the win, while Bulls goalie John Chartrand made 43 saves in the loss.

By David Lacasse

There are many options on New Year’s Eve to help you get home after a night of drinking.

Once again this year, Greater Sudbury Transit is extending its service from 10:15pm to 3:30 am and offering free rides.

Transcabs will also be offering free rides and extended hours.

For more details, see the online schedule at www.greatersudbury.ca

By Angela Gemmill

It’s been a very good year for a local author who’s been seeing a huge response from her first book, ‘The Beginner’s Guide to Chick Night’, published this fall.

The book, by Hanmer resident Colleen Kleven, is a guideline for women, giving them permission to take a few hours away from family responsibilities to ‘recharge their batteries’.

She describes Chick Night as a monthly date with girlfriends where the women shed their roles as mother, wife, professional, community member, etc., as a way to relax, have fun and re-discover themselves.

Since the book was released Kleven has been inundated with interview and book requests from all over North America and from as far away as Australia, South Africa and the UK.

She says she expected local support, but has been blown away by how much the book and its message have traveled.

For women looking to make New Year’s Resolutions, Kleven advises them to make themselves a priority.

She says what better way to improve the quality of your life than to get back into it and allow yourself the opportunity to enjoy what’s out there.

Kleven plans to use 2012 to market the book and write the next one in the series: The Intermediate Guide to Chick Night.

For more information: www.mychicknight.com

By Angela Gemmill

It was due to the quick thinking of officers conducting a Festive RIDE check that three Break and Enter suspects are now in custody.

A home on Chelsea Avenue in Val Therese was broken into early this morning and witnesses reported seeing three men leaving in a green Ford pick-up truck.

The suspect vehicle was stopped at the RIDE checkpoint on Municipal Road 80, near Tracks and Wheels, shortly after the call came into police.

The three men were arrested and stolen property recovered from the truck, including items that did not come from the recent break-in.

Investigators with the Break, Enter and Robbery Unit are looking into whether the trio is responsible for other recent thefts.

Three men, ages 33, 41 and 53 are charged with Break, Enter and Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of House Breaking Tools and breaching judicial orders.

Anyone who may be missing property from their cars or residences from overnight should contact the Greater Sudbury Police BEAR Unit at 705-675-9171 Ext 6624.

By Angela Gemmill

Two snowmobilers had a cold, wet swim to shore and then a walk to mainland after they fell through ice on Lake Nipissing, near Iron Island yesterday.

West Nipissing Police say the men from Sturgeon Falls were trying to cross the ice with their snow machines.

Despite the cold temperatures ice is very unstable this time of year.

Police say thick ice has not yet formed on Lake Nipissing and other waterways throughout the West Nipissing jurisdiction.

Anyone who ventures out should do so with proper and extreme safety precautions.

*****Update*****

Falconbridge Highway was reopened just after 9am after the tanker truck was towed off the road.

Greater Sudbury Police say a southbound car lost control and struck the oncoming transport truck and then a southbound pick-up truck.

One person was taken to hospital for observation.

Both the car and the transport sustained extensive damage.

The rig was carrying slurry, but none was leaked out of the container.

The driver of the car is charged with Careless Driving.

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By Angela Gemmill

Falconbridge Highway is closed in both directions at Spruce Street, just north of Garson after a collision between a tractor trailer (tanker truck) and a car.

Greater Sudbury Police expect the road to remain closed for some time since the larger vehicle jack-knifed across the highway and has to be towed away.

There is also debris strewn across the highway.

The accident happened just before 7:30am this morning.

There is no word on the extent of  injuries.

Several callers to our newsroom first alerted us to the situation and told us the roads were extremely slippery in that area.

By Angela Gemmill

2011 was a productive year for our community and Sudbury’s M-P-P is proud to have had some influence on the outcome.

Rick Bartolucci lists a falling unemployment rate, new job creation, fostering a booming film industry in the North and of course his re-election in October as highlights from the past twelve months.

He is optimistic about the coming year and feels all community partners needs to work together to continue the economic opportunities and future growth.

Bartolucci says 2012 will come with financial restraints as the province works to balance the books, and protects health-care and education.

The 68-year-old also says he has no plans to retire or slow down anytime soon.

(Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci at a funding announcement in August 2011)