By: Christina Hajjar

Mama Mia! The Porcupine Dante Club is turning 60!

Hector Ciccone with the Dante Club says the club is proud to be a part of the community.

“The Italian community has played a vital role in the history of Timmins and the heart of the Italian community has been the Dante Club…We simply want to be a part of Timmins in any way we can, be it financially or socially.”

To celebrate 60 years, the Dante club is holding a full weekend of events. Here is a full list of the festivities.

Friday May 4th

60 Years of Memories with Tenor Michael Ciufo followed by a reception at O’Gorman High School at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday May 5th

Family day games with free food and beverages from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anniversary Gala Banquet and Dance at 5 p.m.

Sunday May 6th

Commemorative Mass at 11a.m.

Wrap up luncheon at the Dante Club 12p.m.

Release – April 28th is the National Day of Mourning, the day we remember those who have been killed or injured on the job, the day we re-commit ourselves to improving workplace health and safety standards and awareness.

Employment related injury statistics include occupational disease and the numbers are truly shocking. In Ontario alone there were more than 240,000 claims made to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) for injuries and occupational disease in 2011. Worse still, there were 436 fatalities in the province.

Statistics such as these are totally unacceptable in a modern economy.

This year we mark the 20th anniversary of the Westray disaster where 26 coal miners lost their lives, where 26 families were torn apart when their loved ones didn’t return home from work. It was an event that galvanized Canadians and brought long awaited changes to the Criminal Code making corporations and senior officers legally responsible for harm caused to workers or the public due to negligence.

“A flag will be flown at half-mast this weekend at City Hall in Timmins in memory of those who have lost their lives and for those who are suffering the effects of workplace injuries. It is a reminder that we have a long way to go in order to make sure workers are able to return home to enjoy the quality time we all deserve with our families” says Ben Lefebvre, President of the Timmins and District Labour Council.

Please join us on Saturday, April 28 starting at 10:30 AM, at the Lions Den in the McIntyre Community Centre in Schumacher. A short ceremony will be held at 11:00 AM at the Porcupine Miner’s Memorial followed by refreshments and light snacks in the Lions Den.

By Tom Parisi

65 grams of cocaine, 45 pounds of marijuana leaves and just over two thousand dollars in cash are a few of the items seized from a drug lab bust Wednesday.

Timmins Police say, 28 year-old Martin Duval has been charged after police searched his premises, and found a drug lab in his shed on Aura Lake Road in Schumacher.

Duval is being charged with possesion of a controled substance for the purpose of trafficking, production of a controled substance and possesion of property obainted by crime.

By Tom Parisi

The Timmins Police have seized a number of firearms, drugs, and over 28 thousand dollars in cash.

Police arrested 38 year-old Timmins man after executing a search warrant of a local residence on Monday.

Police say Paul Woodward is charged with, among other things, possesion of drugs, possesion of prohibited weapons and careless storage of firearms.

Woodward was released on $10,000 bail Wednesday.

A drug lab in the centre of Timmins is no more.

The Timmins Police drug enforcement unit has discovered a clandestine lab inside a shed on an Aura Lake Road property in Schumacher early Wednesday.

Because of the dangerous mix of chemicals, a HAZMAT team has been contacted and will be cleaning up the scene.

So far one person has been arrested by the Timmins Police in relation to the lab.

By Tom Parisi

Mayors in Northern Ontario are preparing to move forward after the divestiture of the ONTC.

Northern Ontario mayors met Wednesday to discuss their blue print going forward after the budget passed on Tuesday.

Timmins mayor Tom Laughren says they want to figure out how the government is going about the divestiture, how it will affect the budget, and attracting indivuals interested in purchasing ontario northland

He added, they want to set up meetings with local MPPs Gilles Bisson and John Vanthof as well as opposition leader Tim Hudak and NDP leader Andrea Horwath.

PRESS RELEASE

The Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE) Squad is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a Federal Offender wanted on a Canada Wide Warrant as a result of his breach of Parole.

This offender is serving a 1 year and 7 month sentence for Criminal Harassment and 2 counts of Breach of his Long Term Supervision.

The offender was originally serving a 2 year 6 months for Break Enter and Commit Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault with a Weapon for offences committed in the City of London Ontario in June of 2004.

Kenneth Froude is described as a 44 year old male, 5’11 (180 cm’s), 152 lbs, (69 kgs), with brown eyes and greying hair.

The offender is known to frequent the London and Greater Toronto area, as well as the northern Ontario communities of Iroquois Falls and Timmins.

Anyone having contact with this offender should use caution. Anyone with information in regards to the whereabouts of Kenneth FROUDE is asked to contact the Provincial ROPE Squad at 1-416-808-5900 or toll free at 1-866-870-ROPE (7673) or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or call 9-1-1.

By: Christina Hajjar

It’s heavy on the minds of many northern Ontarians. The impending divestiture of the ONTC.

A group on Facebook called “Ontario Northland…Not for Sale” has almost 18,000 members who oppose the divestiture.

The General Chairperson’s Association, representing all unions of the ONTC, says they won’t go down without a fight and neither should you.

Representing the GCA, Brian Kelly, told EZ Rock people need to speak up to be heard by the government.

“So people need to tell Mr. McGuinty the north is mad as hell and we’re not taking it. This is too valuable an asset to be sold. So the message needs to be brought to the Premier, you know, ‘get your hands off of Ontario Northland.’” Kelly said.

To read more or sign the petition, visit www.developingthenorth.com

By Tom Parisi

With news of the provincial budget passing, political groups in north are not impressed with MPP Gilles Bisson.

Although the NDP managed to tag on a surtax for the rich, little was done to avoid the divesture of the ONTC, which could leave many businesses in the north in dark and cost many people their jobs.

President of the Timmins-James Bay Riding Association Marcel Pelchat said, he’s disappointed with the way the day went down.

“The people of Timmins-James Bay and the businesses that depend on the ONTC to stay open and keep Northerners working needed action today from their MPP, we are sorely disappointed.”

Bisson was quick to defend his parties actions during question period saying, the NDP will do everything in their power to keep the ONTC in the hands of the people of Northern Ontario.

Meanwhile, northern mayors are bracing for hard times.

Mayors from Timmins to North Bay will be in a conference call Wednesday to hammer out a contingency plan incase the ONTC disappears for good.

Timmins mayor Tom Laughren says, no matter the outcome they won’t give up the fight.”

“We still want to be part of the process going forward and present a sustainable and affordable idea if we can agree on one.”

The divesture of the ONTC was presented on March 27th and has being stiring concerns from municipalities to First Nations groups across Northern Ontario

By: Thomas Parisi and Jessica Castonguay

Northern Ontario mayors aren’t giving up on the ONTC yet. They’re holding a conference call Wednesday to come up with a strategy for the ONTC.

The mayors explain, they understand the government needs to make budget cuts, but don’t see the need to punish the north in the process.

Minister Rick Bartolluci says the divestment will modernize transportation in the north.

With up to 10cm of snow expected before nightfall, the mid April snowfall is wreaking havoc on area roadways.

Highway 11 is open to north of Kirkland Lake lane after a collision between a vehicle and a tractor trailer carrying a load of plywood.

Ontario Provincial Police are reporting two collisions along Hwy 101 E so far this morning, as well as at least five vehicles in the ditch along highways.

It also looks like some flights out of the Victor M Power Airport are delayed. Make sure you check with your airline to see if your travel plans have been affected.