By Stew Kernan

It was a big day for the Janis Foligno Foundation.

A total of 30-thousand dollars was handed out by the family to seven community charities including Meals on Wheels, the Northern Cancer Foundation, Maison Vale Hospice, House of Kin, ICAN Sudbury and CHEO in Ottawa.

Lisa Foligno Carey says she knows her Mom would have been very proud and Mike Foligno says it’s their way to give back to the community.

The foundation was created after Janis Foligno lost her battle with breast cancer in July 2009.

Also today, Pat and Mario’s Restaurant made a donation to the Janis Foligno Foundation in the amount of $5,970 from the Boobies, Burgers and Beer fundraiser.

By Stew Kernan

Greater Sudbury Police have laid a 1st degree murder charge in connection with the stabbing death at a pit party in Garson.

Charged is 18-year old Blake Lapierre of Sudbury.

Police say Lapierre is also charged with aggravated assault, weapons dangerous and assault with a weapon on a second victim.

That victim was treated and released from Health Sciences North.

Detectives with with the Criminal Investigations Division would like to speak with anyone who may have been at the party and has information.

At the request of the family, the name of the 22-year old who was killed is not being released.

By Angela Gemmill

Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin did not hold back in his reprimanding of Sudbury City Council, but in the end he did find councillors within their rights to hold four in-camera sessions last fall centred around a personnel matter.

The government watchdog was called in to investigate the closed door meetings held last October, November and December and involved discussions about City Auditor General Brian Bigger.

In the 12-page report released this week, the Ombudsman scolded council for its lack of cooperation during the investigation.

At least ten councillors requesting lawyers from the city be present during questioning by the three investigators from the Ombudsman office.

In response, the city stated it fully supports the transparent process and welcomes effective ways to improve the practices and policies.

The full report can be found on the Ontario Ombudsman’s website: www.ombudsman.on.ca

By Angela Gemmill

Yet another local driver was charged with Impaired Driving recently, this time by Sudbury OPP.

The 28-year old male driver was arrested and charged early Tuesday morning after a vehicle was stopped during a RIDE checkpoint set up at Highway 144 and Regional Road 24, in Lively.

Charged with Impaired Driving is Derek Head of Walden.

By Angela Gemmill

There’s a new list published by the Greater Sudbury Police which includes six names -all drivers charged with Impaired-related offences from last weekend.

Breath tests on five of the six drivers showed they were at least twice over the amount of legal alcohol in their system, if not more.

In four of the cases it was concerned citizens who called police about the alleged drunk drivers and three of the incidents involved collisions.

The suspects, five men and one woman, range in age from 19 to 51.

Thirty-one-year-old Gerald Watts Jr is charged after a driver was found asleep behind the wheel while at the Brady/Paris Street intersections early Friday (Aug 24).

Fifty-one-year-old Gary Edward Withers is charged after staff at a gas station called in to report a drunk driver attempting to fill his gas tank.

Early Saturday morning a man was seen staggering to his vehicle on Larch Street  and then he tried to run from police when they arrived on scene.

Thirty-five-year-old Tiza Soloman Mutswairo is charged.

Also early Saturday morning, Sudbury Police were called to a disturbance on Arnold Street after several people were assaulted and the suspect struck a nearby retaining wall with his vehicle.

Police arrested 21-year old Joshua Richard Belcourt who is charged with assault, assault with a weapon, resisting arrest, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, and impaired operation of a motor vehicle and refusing to provide a breath sample.

A concerned citizen called police after a driver struck a curb on the Kingsway Saturday evening, blew both passenger side tires and then tried to leave the scene of the accident.

Charged is 45-year old Micheline Rainville.

Finally, early Monday morning a westbound vehicle struck a traffic light on Lasalle Boulevard at Lansing Avenue leaving three people with minor injuries.

Nineteen-year-old Zane Anthony McLeod faces charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle and blowing over 80.

All drivers had their vehicles impounded for seven days and their driver’s license seized for 90-days.

By Matt Harris

The suspect has been identified in the case of a suspicious driver Monday night in Hanmer.

The male driver had an orange rotary light on a pick-up truck, telling two separate groups of girls to put their hands up and walk towards the truck.

Police called the incident a poorly chosen prank, and remind the public impersonating an officer can be a criminal offense.

The suspect was let go with a warning.

By Angela Gemmill

The city is encouraging residents to carpool as a way to help save money, reduce gas emissions, and reduce wear and tear on vehicles.

EarthCare Sudbury designated a dozen parking lots around the city which can be used for carpooling.

Users leave their vehicles at locations before meeting carpooling partners, with no extra cost for parking.

Vehicles using the service must display a dashboard parking pass and EarthCare Sudbury will also help match riding partners together.

By Angela Gemmill

The Minister of National Revenue was in Sudbury today listening to comments and suggestions from a dozen local business owners.

This was Gail Shea’s first stop in Northern Ontario after visiting several communities in Saskatchewan & Manitoba to conduct similar roundtable discussions.

She wants to help improve connections between the government and businesses.

Shea says anything the government can do to make it easier for businesses to interact with the CRA, will help provide more time for businesses to create jobs and strengthen the economy.

Shea says the Canada Revenue Agency has already started to implement some suggestions from the business community, including keeping answers consistent for online questions.

Most of the issues she’s heard about during the roundtable sessions have been similar despite community uniqueness, like technical suggestions for CRA online changes.

By Angela Gemmill

There was a fire at Vale’s Creighton Mine in Lively yesterday afternoon which forced the evacuated of 150 workers.

According to Greater Sudbury Fire Services, work on surface created a spark which was pulled down the ventilation shaft and began smouldering in timbers underground.

Since firefighters aren’t trained for underground work, a Mine Rescue team was called to extinguish the fire at the 3800-foot level.

The fire was out by 10pm Wednesday night.

Damage was minimal and no one was injured.

By Angela Gemmill

Greater Sudbury Police are investigating a homicide from overnight at a pit party in Garson.

Just before 1 this morning, a 22-year-old man was stabbed during the outdoor party at a sand pit.

He died of his injuries later in hospital.

Another man also suffered non-life threatening injuries after he was stabbed.

An 18-year-old man is in police custody.

Investigators are looking to speak to anyone who may have information since there were a large amount of young people present at the party.

Further information is expected to be released later.