AM800 CKLW - Headlines

MIO'S OUT

Former NHL goaltender Eddie Mio is not running for Mayor. He called a news conference at city hall this morning to announce his decision. He's decided to support candidate Rick Limoges' run instead. Mio says he was afraid his campaign could take votes from Limoges.

SHORT STANDOFF IN ESSEX

Construction workers doing 'locates' along South Malden Road this morning fled from an irate property owner, who they say, was toting a rifle. Essex OPP promptly surrounded the place with a K9 unit and the Emergency response team. Within a half hour, police say, a man turned himself in without incident. A 65 year old Essex man was taken into custody and a pellet gun was seized.

ERCA FEES WAIVED

Members of the administration at the Essex Region Conservation Authority are getting some help to go to a conference this fall. There's no money in the budget so several ERCA Board members are waiving their mileage and per diem fees. That should raise about $3900 by the time the conference takes place in November.

STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW

The Windsor Essex County Economic Development Corporation wants to know what you think. Its asking for public input on its draft strategic plan. President and CEO, Ron Gaudet hopes to finalize the plan within the next few weeks. It's available for review on the Corporation's web site, www.choosewindsoressex.com. .

'FAST FOOD' HEALTHCARE

What do health care and the fast food industry have in common? When customers want service, they want it right away. Dr. Gary Ing, the Chief of Staff at Windsor Regional Hospital says even though family doctors are accepting new patients, many of us opt for walk-in clinics instead of waiting to see a family physician. Ing says one-third of family doctors are now age 60 or over and are seeing fewer patients while demand for healthcare from an aging society is on the rise.

DEADLINE LOOMS

Time is running out for candidates to file nomination papers for the October 25th election. The deadline is 2 p.m. today.

In LaSalle, the list of candidates is long and getting longer. There are now 14 people running for a councillor position in LaSalle. The latest is 30-year old real estate agent, Crystal Meloche.

In Windsor, a 7th candidate is running in Ward 4. Robert Papp is a former city employee and says it's time for change on City Council.

In Essex, a long-time administrator with the Windsor-Essex County health unit is looking to be elected. Deb Bennett is running in Ward 1.

THE PRICE OF WINDSOR POLICE

Windsor residents are getting a good bang for their buck when it comes to policing. A Statistics Canada report finds the per capita cost of policing in Windsor is 265 dollars, which is about the provincial average. And when it comes to its clearance rate, from when a crime is committed to when a suspect is identified, Windsor Police ranks the second best in the province.

TASER USED TO SUBDUE A MAN

A 32 year old Windsor man is facing several charges, including 2 counts of assault with intent to resist arrest, after he was 'tasered' outside the Roundhouse liquor store last night. Lonnie Lamotte was arrested by Windsor police who went to the aid of 2 security workers at the liquor store. Police say the security team was under attack by a man they were trying to arrest for allegedly stealing a bottle of alcohol. Police used a taser on the man to subdue him, then arrested him. Police say the suspect was not injured as a result of the taser, and neither of the security workers were injured during the struggle. Deputy Police Chief Jerome Brannagan says so far this year, Windsor Police have used tasers 7 times which he says is low considering the number of people police come across.

CONTRACTING OUT STUDY

A new study finds cities can save money through tendering out waste services. The report by the CD Howe Institute finds cities that contract waste services have much lower average costs per household than those cities with few of their services provided through contracts. It also finds contracting out can "limit the consequences of municipal strikes". Back in July, Windsor city council voted 8-3 in favour of contracting out garbage and recycling collection to Turtle Island Recycling Corporation of Toronto.

SLOW RECOVERY FOR DIRT BIKER (photo)

A young dirt-track motorcycle rider continues to struggle with recovery in an Indiana hospital following a horrific race crash Aug. 28. 21 year old Jesse Phibbs of Leamington lost control of his bike during the Indianapolis race. Phibbs turned pro this year and has been travelling around Canada and the U.S. to race. His crash left him on life support with little chance of survival at first, but since then he's showing signs of movement while remaining in a coma.

SAVING RUSCOM RIVER SPECIES (photo)

Ottawa is helping save some little-known species that populate Essex County's watersheds. The federal government is giving the Essex Region Conservation Authority 95 thousand dollars to fund the Essex-Erie fish species-at-risk program. Much of the money will be used to protect land along the Ruscom River, to help clean the river and protect small creatures, such as the recently discovered "Maple Leaf Mussel", an endangered species.

ROAD WIDENING CONSIDERED

A wider County Road 50 is being considered by town councillors in Essex. Ward 3's Paul Innes says a study is about to begin into the need and cost of the project. He says, with a growing number of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and farm equipment using the roadway, it's a matter of public safety.

BEACH EXPANSION PLANS

Plans are underway to turn Belle River Beach into the next Grand Bend complete with shops, boutiques and lots of tourists. Councillor, Ray LaLonde, says improvements already made to Lakeview Park including tennis courts and a splash pad are a good first step. The plan could take up to 5 years to implement. Public open houses are being arranged.

FAZIO RUNS

He's been a town councillor for the past 13 years. Now, Lakeshore's Al Fazio wants to be Deputy Mayor. He says Lakeshore needs a stronger voice at Essex County Council. Other priorities include a new arena. Fazio joins 3 others in the Deputy Mayor's race. Also running are Francis Kennette, Robert Sylvester and Romeo Beaulieu.

SUSPECT TASERED

A 22 year old Windsor man now knows what it's like to be on the business end of a stun gun. Police were called last night when security guards at the Roundhouse Centre liquor store had trouble restraining a violent shoplifting suspect. The man was tasered and taken into custody. Charges include shoplifting and resisting arrest .

TASER USED IN ARREST

A 22-year-old man is in custody after Windsor Police used a taser to arrest a shoplifting suspect. Around 8pm, police were called to the L-C-B-O at the Roundhouse Center on Howard Avenue. Two security guards were having trouble restraining a very violent suspect. When police arrived on the scene, the suspect refused to comply with the officer and a taser was used. A Windsor man is facing a number of charges including resisting arrest.

OPP DEFENDS RESPONSE TIMES

The OPP in Essex County is defending its response time after it came under fire at Lakeshore Council last night. OPP Inspector Rick Derus says this is the first time he has ever heard of any concerns. Concerns were raised about the response time on weekends and on evenings after it took the OPP 9 minutes to get to a domestic call in Lakeshore when there was an OPP station half a mile away. The dispatching is done through London but Derus says in an emergency, people should be calling 9-1-1...not the detachment number. Derus says a 9 minute response time is appropriate considering there were two other serious calls at the same time and one of the officers had to be called back from one of those calls. He says unlike firefighters, it's better to have officers patrolling the streets and visible instead of waiting at the detachment for an emergency call.

TALKS ON PALLIATIVE CARE

Round-table discussions on death and dying are underway today in Windsor. MP's Joe Comartin and Brian Masse are hosting the discussions at the east-end Hospice facility. Several community leaders are discussing what needs to be done in Canada - including beefing up aid for mental health, compassionate care and palliative care. Windsor-Tecumseh MP Joe Comartin says he's getting feedback for an all-party committee in Ottawa that's looking at ways to make end-of-life more comfortable. He says if that can be done then there won't be a big push for a political decision on euthanasia.

SIGN BLITZ NEARS AN END

A Windsor blitz on roadside signs will end later this week. So far, 39 illegal signs have been collected. The public awareness campaign is promoting the need for a permit to install a sign. The owners will be charged 200 dollars plus 20 dollars a day to retrieve the sign from storage.

WHITE SEEKS RE-ELECTION

A member of Amherstburg town council has decided to seek re-election this fall. Rosa White, who has been on council the past three terms, says she loves the job despite the challenges. White lives in LaSalle, but has has been operating a restaurant in Amherstburg for 17 years.

MAYORAL DEBATE

Labour relations and the mayor's salary were among the issues at a debate involving two of Windsor's mayoral candidates. Rick Limoges and Enzo Di Gioia fielded questions at a meeting of the Canadian Italian Business Associaiton last night. Di Gioia says there needs to be a better collaborative mood between labour and industry: Both candidates vowed to cut the mayor's salary if elected.

Incumbent Eddie Francis was invited but declined.

SYLVESTER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

There's only going to be one Sylvester running for the Deputy Mayor's post in Lakeshore. Incumbent, Bob Sylvester, is retiring after decades in municipal politics. He plans to spend more time on hobbies and travelling. His retirement avoids potential confusion with Robert Sylvester of Stoney Point who is running for the Deputy Mayor's job. So are Francis Kennette and Romeo Beaulieu.

RESPONSE TIME CRITICIZED

There are concerns about how Provincial Police are dispatched after hours and on weekends. Local calls are handled through London, adding several minutes to potential response times. The practice became an issue on the weekend during a domestic dispute in Lakeshore. Councillor, Ray Lalonde, says it took officers 9 minutes to respond even though the detachment is just a few hundred meters away. He says something has to change before a serious situation turns deadly.

The issue will be raised at the next Police Services Board meeting.

CHAMBER RELEASES ELECTION SURVEY

The Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce has released details of a survey of its members over the upcoming municipal election. Chamber Board Chair, Jennifer Jones, says the overwhelming message is a desire for a plan to secure economic development and jobs and a more favourable business environment which includes lowering business taxes.

The full results can be found on the Chamber's web site www.windsorchamber.org.

ESSEX COUNTY CRASH

A Harrow man is in the hospital following a crash in Essex County. It happened on Walker Road north of County Road 8 and involved a motorcycle and a pick-up truck. O-P-P say the 32-year-old rider of the motorcycle was thrown into a nearby ditch suffering a fractured femur, pelvis and arm. A 35-year-old Tecumseh man is facing charges.

ARRESTS IN ROBBERY

Two Windsor men are facing charges in a robbery last night. Around 8:30, the Shopper Drug Mart at 2670 Tecumseh Road West was hit. Two men handed over a note demanding drugs and saying they had a weapon. Several bottles of oxycontin was handed over. No weapon was ever seen. 26 year old Brandon McCann and 26 year old Matthew Vincent are facing charges of robbery.

HIGH RISK TAKEDOWN

A Windsor woman has been charged following a high-risk takedown in Lakeshore. OPP were called to the 401 early Monday morning after a west-bound pick-up truck was spotted travelling 200 km/h in the east-bound lanes. Officers set up a road block with a spike belt, and the truck stopped, but the driver refused to get out of the vehicle. 37-year old Christine Johnston is charged with dangerous driving and impaired driving.

NEW TAX CREDIT

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has introduced a new tax credit for children. It will help parents pay for children's sports and arts programs. 500-dollars can be claimed per child to get a refund of 50-dollars. Duncan hopes to introduce the legislation this fall.

FULL DAY LEARNING BEGINS

It's the start of full-day learning for many kids in Ontario. SK and JK at Our Lady of Perpetual Help began the new initiative this morning. Local Catholic School Board officials say the benefit is a constant structure, and not moving children to and from school to daycare and back home. 600 schools in the province are offering full-day learning.

LOCAL ENDORSES LIMOGES

Windsor mayoral candidate, Rick Limoges, is getting some unexpected support. He has been officially endorsed by CAW Local 444 President, Rick LaPorte, who says he's tired of labour-bashing in the city. Limoges calls it the dawning of a new day and he welcomes the support. He and incumbent, Eddie Francis, are among 7 candidates running for mayor.

RECORD ENROLLMENT

St. Clair College has broken a 42-year old enrollment record. More than 84 hundred students are registered in a year when most colleges are experiencing a decrease. President, Dr. John Strasser, says the school's new Media Plex is part of the reason. He expects the number of students to keep growing when a new, $32 million Health Plex opens next fall.

BACK TO SCHOOL

It's back to school today and drivers are reminded to be extra careful. Windsor Police Staff Sergeant, Steve Bodri, says excited students may not have their minds on safety so it's up to drivers to be vigilant, especially around school busses. The penalty for failing to stop when a bus has its flashing red lights activated is a $500 fine and 6 demerit points.

LABOUR ISSUES WARNING

Union leaders are turning their focus to the public sector as deficit-cutting governments put the squeeze on their workers. Canadian Union of Public Employees president, Paul Moist, warns public-sector cutbacks could slam the brakes on the economic recovery. Governments at all levels have warned that their workers won't be immune as they shift their focus from stimulus spending to deficit cutting.

MOVING DAY

More than a thousand University of Windsor students will spend this Labour Day settling in. 13 hundred moved into residence yesterday. Many say they already feel very comfortable in Windsor. Classes get underway later this week.

HARROW FAIR ENDS

Four days and an estimated 75,000 people later, the Harrow Fair has wrapped up for another year. Among the highlights says spokesman, Bob Affleck, was the annual pie auction. $12,000 has been raised for the John McGiveny Children's Centre in Windsor

LABOUR DAY

It's Labour Day. It's the last long weekend of the summer and it's parade and picnic day sponsored by the Windsor and District Labour Council. The parade leaves the CAW Local 200 and 444 Hall at 10 this morning, then heads along Walker Road to the E-C Row Service Road and on to the Fogolar Furlan Club. If you're going, the Unemployed Help Centre is asking that you take along a donation for the food bank.

If you'd rather peddle than parade this Labour Day, then McGregor's Co-An Park is the place to be. The Greenway Bike-a-Thon gets underway at 10 o'clock and there are two routes to choose from. One leaves the park and heads to Harrow. The second goes to Kingsville. Registration is $50 per person or $100 per family and that includes lunch. Proceeds go to the continued development of the Chrysler Greenway.

REALLY DRUNK

A rollover in Chatham has led to drunk driving charges. Chatham-Kent Police officers laid the charges on Saturday after a man blew nearly 3 times the legal limit of alcohol around 5:30-pm. The vehicle was severely damaged but the 29-year-old suspect only suffered minor injuries. He'll be in court in November.

LABOUR DAY

The Windsor-Essex labour movement will join its brothers ansd sisters across the country in celebrating Labour Day on Monday. The day gets started with a 10-am parade from the CAW hall on Turner Road. Labour Day Committee Chair Frank Mosey says its a day to celebrate. The festivities at the Fogolar Furlan Club wrap-up at 4 but not before CAW local 1973 members are honoured for their contribution to the community over the years. Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis will be attending celebrations this year.

MAYOR CANDIDATE

Add another name to the race for Mayor of Windsor. Lawyer Enzo Di Gioia wants to be the next mayor when the votes are tallied in the October 25th municipal election. He's practiced law for 12 years and says he'll release details of his platform in the next few days. Di Gioia is one of several candidates trying to knock-off incumbent Mayor Eddie Francis.

VIA ITALIA RACES

Windsor's Little Italy will be filled with cyclists and food on Sunday for the 52nd annual Tour Di Via Italia Cycling Races. Restaurant owners including the owner of Il Gabbiano have been chomping at the bit waiting for the event.

WINDSOR FIRE

The cause of a house fire in Windsor is still under investigation. Damage is estimated at 220-thousand dollars. The blaze erupted at 2848 Robillard around 3:30-am Saturday. Nobody was hurt but a mother had to rescue her 3 children.

RIDE CHECKS

Several tickets were handed out Friday night during RIDE programs across Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent. Windsor officers issued 49 tickets while stopping 564 vehicles. A woman was charged with drunk driving and 4 suspensions were issued for blowing a warning. Lasalle Police officers stopped more than 400 vehicles and issued one suspension. In Chatham-Kent, 3 suspensions were given out.

RACEWAY CONTROVERSY

The Ontario Racing Commission has suspended several people for alledgedly fixing races at Windsor Raceway. Raceway officials say they fully co-operated with the extensive ORC and OPP investigation and the suspensions are necessary to protect the sport of harness racing and the betting public from a select few participants. They also hope the public feels reassured that Windsor Raceway and the ORC are committed to horse racing.

NEW DOCS

38 medical students have been welcomed to the University of Windsor Medical School with the traditional white coat ceremony. The symbolic ceremony took place in London on Wednesday where medical students were presented with a laboratory coat and agreed to the professional, social and ethical responsibilities of becoming a physician. The Hippocratic Oath was also recited. A total of 92 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students now attend the Windsor program.

MAYOR SAYS YES TO LABOUR

Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis has accepted the invite. Francis will be in the labour day parade in Windsor on Monday but will not be on stage for the speeches during the festivities at the fogolar furlan club. Last year, the Mayor and council were banned from the event because of the 15 week long Cupe strike. This year, the union extended the invite to try and move forward.

OUT ON BAIL

An 18 year old Harrow man accused in a fatal hit and run is out on bail. Peter Martens Schmitt was released on 10-thousand dollars bail following a court appearance in Windsor today. Schmitt is charged with failing to remain at the scene of a crash, criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death. Tuesday night, 15 year old Kyle Peters of Leamington was struck and killed by a vehicle while he rode his bike on County Road 34. The driver fled but later turned himself in. A publication ban has been issued in the case.

DEADLINE LOOMING

The deadline is looming to file nominations papers for the upcoming municipal election. Friday September 10th at 2pm is the last day to do so. So far, 75 people have filed to run in Windsor. That's up from 61 in the last election.

MISSING WOMAN

Chatham-Kent police are searching for a woman who went missing this morning. 66-year old Elaine Travis left her home around 8:30. She suffers from Alzheimers disease and is known to try and hitch-hike to Windsor. Travis is white, five foot five, weighing 120 pounds with long brownish-grey hair. She also has no teeth and was wearing blue jogging pants and a red plaid jacket.

A DROP IN HOMES SOLD

Real estate numbers are down in Windsor-Essex. The number of homes sold last month dropped 11.7 per cent compared to August of 2009. 385 homes switched hands. The number of houses put on the market is up eight per cent at 819. The average price is 167-thousand dollars.