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Around the Bay Road Race 2014 live blog

Written By Unknown on Senin, 31 Maret 2014 | 22.46

Recap

After a frigid winter for training, runners were treated to a sunny spring day

CBC News Posted: Mar 30, 2014 9:04 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 30, 2014 2:48 PM ET

It was run day in Hamilton on Sunday as the annual Around the Bay Road Race coursed back for another lap.

The oldest meet of its kind in North America, the event is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. 

Around 13,000 runners, including Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, were expected to take part in the race, which included 30-km, 5-km and two relay events.

CBC Hamilton's Cory Ruf was in downtown Hamilton covering the race. You can view his tweets and pictures from the event, plus social media contributions from Around the Bay spectators and other supporters, in the box below. 

 


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Hamilton adult tests positive for measles

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Should measles vaccinations be mandatory? 13:53

Should measles vaccinations be mandatory? 13:53

A Hamilton adult has tested positive for the measles and may have exposed others to the virus, public health officials warn.

"This case may have led to exposure in public and health-care settings in Hamilton, Burlington… and Mississauga," Hamilton Public Health Services said in a Sunday news release.

People who visited the following locations at certain times may be at risk:

Saturday March 22, 2014:

  • Skyzone Indoor Trampoline Park, 3636 Hawkestone Rd., Mississauga, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • The Queen's Head pub, 400 Brant St., Burlington, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Sunday March 23, 2014:

  • Mill Street & 5 American House, 324 Dundas St. E, Waterdown, 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.
  • Milestones Restaurant, 1200 Brant St., Burlington, 7 p.m. to midnight

Monday March 24, 2014:

  • Canada Post office, 17 Main St. N, Waterdown, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Boston Pizza, 4 Horseshoe Cr., Waterdown, 5:15 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday March 26, 2014:

  • Lakeside Variety store, 721 Beach Blvd., Hamilton, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Walmart, 90 Dundas St. E. Waterdown, 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

People who visited these locations at the specified times, and have never received two doses of a measles vaccine, are asked to call the public health office in their region: 

  • Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-546-2063 for Hamilton residents
  • Halton Public Health at 905-825-6000 for Region of Halton residents
  • Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 for Region of Peel residents

Individuals who have had the measles in the past are not at risk.

A bad cough, runny nose, fever, sensitivity to light and red-watery eyes are symptoms commonly associated with a case of the measles. Spots with a white centre can also appear inside the mouth.  A red rash may also appear and last for four to seven days.

About four days after infection, a rash starts at the face and moves down the body. White spots may appear inside the mouth.

The virus spreads easily to people who aren't immune. Infants under a year of age, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems can get particularly ill.

Complications can include ear infections, pneumonia, croup and brain inflammation.

"Measles is highly contagious to susceptible people from the beginning of the illness until four days after the rash first appears," Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Hamilton's associate medical doctor of health, said in the Sunday news release.

"To avoid spreading illness to others it's important that ill individuals stay home."


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Around The Bay 2014 in photos and video

Around The Bay 2014 from Wayne MacPhail on Vimeo.

The Around the Bay Road Race isn't just an athletic competition — it's a festival of fitness.

And like any festival worth its rehydration salt, this Sunday's edition of the annual run boasted bright colours, blasting music, cheering revellers and of course, lots to drink (in this case, mostly water).

Thousands of runners, from Olympic alumni to raw novices, descended on downtown Hamilton on Sunday morning for the race, the oldest of its kind in North America, which features 30-kilometre and five-kilometre courses as well as two relay races.

More than a few participants wore running gear showing flashes of neon — boisterous pinks, yellows, oranges, greens and blues — while others came dressed up in costumes.

Kathleen Wynne finishes Around the Bay Race

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne finishes a five kilometre run in Hamilton's Around the Bay race Sunday — the same day she threatened legal action over PC leader Tim Hudak's comments about the province's growing gas plants scandal. (Twitter)

The party also drew politicians looking to appeal to the public.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne took to the mic to wish contestants good luck before motoring through the five-kilometre event herself, posting a time of 27 minutes and one second.

But the excitement peaked when winners of the 30 kilometre course strode past the finish line, located inside FirstOntario Place.

Cheers and fireworks erupted as the first-place finisher arrived.

Toronto-based, Kenyan-born marathoner Paul Kimugul, 34, took the top spot with a time of 1:35:34. 

More bursts of light went off when Brantford's Krista DuChene took the top women's prize, clocking a time of 1:47:13.

Later, she said the result was a few minutes slower than her goal time.

"The wind was just a bit too much… so I just focused on finishing strong for the second half," she said. "And I'm happy with that."

However, after southern Ontario's unusually cold and stormy winter, the weather on Sunday — sunny and around 5 C in the late morning — was still cause for celebration.

"Boy, compared to the way the winter was, it was nothing," DuChene said. 

Check out Wayne MacPhail's wonderful video capturing his run Around The Bay at the top of the screen. You can check out more of MacPhail's work on Flipboard.

Here's a collection of some of the best photos from the big race.

Around the Bay Road Race 2014 in photos


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Hamilton Daystarter: Everything you need to know Monday

Morning, Hamilton! We don't want to jinx it — but it actually seems like spring might start springing this week.

We might even venture into double-digit temperatures today. How's that to make your Monday better?

GO Transit isn't reporting any issues on lines moving to and from Hamilton this morning.

Here are the issues police are reporting on the roads today:

  • A collision at Rousseaux Street and Wilson Street East in Ancaster. 7:53 a.m.
  • A collision at Main Street East and Melrose Avenue South, 6:57 a.m.
  • QEW Toronto bound at Red Hill Valley Parkway, Hamilton: two-vehicle collision on the right shoulder, no injuries. 6:42 a.m.
  • Lennon Road at Valens Road, RR 97, Flamborough. 6:14 a.m.

At 7 a.m. it was –2 C in Hamilton – but the forecast is calling for a high of 11 C (!) on Monday. We're expecting sunny skies too, with a UV index of five, or moderate.

Tonight's forecast is for clear skies and a low of 0 C. Tomorrow's high is another good one at 13 C, but with some rain on the way later in the day.

Expect daytime temperatures above freezing all week this week.

This great sunrise shot comes courtesy of Instagram user Paul Dayco.

A Hamilton adult has tested positive for the measles and may have exposed others to the virus, public health officials warn. "This case may have led to exposure in public and health-care settings in Hamilton, Burlington… and Mississauga," Hamilton Public Health Services said in a Sunday news release.

At tonight's school board meeting, the debate over closing Parkview School no doubt rages on. The public school board is apologizing for a "miscommunication" that left several special needs students at Parkview Secondary to write the provincial Grade 10 literacy test without the help of a scribe, an accommodation allowed to them under their individual education plans.

Reporter Samantha Craggs will be reporting live from the meeting. You can follow along with her on Twitter.

This is what $45 million sounds like.

David Aaron Carpenter is playing Bach's Suite No. 3 in C on a Stradivari viola that will have a starting price of $45 million at auction this spring at Sotheby's.


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Double carjacking sends five to Hamilton hospital

A man is in custody after a wild double carjacking in Hamilton Sunday night sent two children and three adults to hospital and wrecked two cars.

Around 9:30 p.m., a man approached a Silver Chevrolet Silverado that was left running just outside an address on Emperor Avenue on the Mountain with a man sitting in the passenger seat.

The suspect pulled open the side door and tried to drag the passenger out of the truck, police say. A struggle ensued because the passenger still had his seatbelt on.

When the suspect wasn't able to pull the other man out of the truck, he climbed over him to get to the driver's seat, police say. The suspect then started kicking the other man until he unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the truck.

The suspect then sped off in the truck at a high rate of speed, police say. Not long after, the stolen truck ran a red light in the area of Upper James and Stone Church Road, striking two vehicles and sending one flying into a traffic pole and the other one into a Tim Hortons.

A taxi driver saw the collision and got out of her cab to help the people in the two vehicles. The suspect then got out of the stolen truck and jumped into her cab, and took off going north on Upper James Street at a high rate of speed, police say.

The man then drove to Hamilton's east end, and parked the stolen cab outside of the Tim Horton's at Fiesta Mall on Highway 8. He went into the coffee shop and handed the taxi's keys to a staff member before running off, police say.

Two adults, a three-year-old child, and a six-year-old child were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after the crash on Upper James. The taxi driver was also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

A man is "currently in custody in relation to the investigation," police say – but they won't yet say if he's a suspect.

"He has to be interviewed," Const. Debbie McGreal-Dinning said.

All three vehicles sustained "major damage," she said.

"Building inspectors responded to the scene and confirmed that there was no structural damage to Tim Horton's and deemed the building to be safe."


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Downtown Hamilton collision sends pedestrian to hospital

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 30 Maret 2014 | 22.46

Driver charged under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act

CBC News Posted: Mar 30, 2014 8:04 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 30, 2014 8:04 AM ET

A 40-year-old driver faces a provincial Highway Traffic Act charge after a collision in downtown Hamilton that sent a pedestrian to hospital.

Around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, a 20-year-old Hamilton man was crossing Young Street at John Street South when he was struck by a 1998 Buick that was making a turn, said Hamilton police Staff Sgt. Gary Thompson.

Paramedics took the 20-year-old to Hamilton General Hospital with "unknown head injuries," Thompson said.

He said the victim's injuries were later found to be "non-life threatening."

Police charged the driver, a 40-year-old Hamilton man, under the Highway Traffic Act with failing to yield to a pedestrian.

Authorities had closed the intersection of Young Street and John Street South early Sunday for the investigation, but it has since reopened. 


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Stream Hockey Night in Canada games on Saturday

It's do-or-die time for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vancouver Canucks.

Chasing the final wild-card spots in their respective conferences, both Canadian NHL clubs are playing high-stakes games on Saturday night.

Those two Hockey Night in Canada contests, as well as a pair more, are available to stream online.  

Follow the links below to watch the games live. 

Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs — 6:30 p.m. ET

The Detroit Red Wings have already contributed to Toronto's longest losing streak in three seasons, jeopardizing the Maple Leafs' playoffs hopes.

The Red Wings will try to boost their postseason chances again by ending a three-game skid and sending the reeling Maple Leafs to an eighth consecutive defeat Saturday night.

Detroit (33-26-14) used a pair of third-period goals to secure a 3-2 victory over visiting Toronto on March 18 to initiate a three-game win streak. The Red Wings have gone 0-2-1 since and gave up two goals in the third period in Thursday's 5-4 loss to Montreal after rallying from a two-goal deficit.

The game starts at 7 p.m., but coverage kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Click here to watch the stream. 

Montreal Canadiens at Florida Panthers — 7 p.m. ET

The Montreal Canadiens know they're almost certain to begin the playoffs against a team based in Florida, but they'd prefer not having to travel south to kick off their playoff run.

Getting two points against the Sunshine State team that won't even sniff the postseason will get them closer to that goal.

The Habs look to take another step toward earning home-ice advantage in the first round as they seek a fifth straight victory Saturday night against the host Florida Panthers.

The on-ice action gets started just after 7 p.m. Click here to stream the game.

Winnipeg Jets at Los Angeles Kings — 10 p.m. ET

Late-season surges are becoming the norm for the Los Angeles Kings, and they're proving again that they should be considered dangerous come playoff time.

Los Angeles seeks a sixth straight victory as it kicks off a three-game homestand against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.

Click here to tune in to the 10 p.m. match.

Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks — 10 p.m. ET

The Anaheim Ducks can match a franchise record for victories Saturday night in their contest against the wild-card-chasing Vancouver Canucks. 

Anaheim (47-18-8) last won 48 games in 2006-07 when it finished with a team-record 110 points and won the franchise's lone Stanley Cup. The Ducks are one point behind San Jose in the Pacific Division, with the Sharks playing Saturday afternoon in Colorado.

The game starts at 10 p.m. ET. Click here to tune in.


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Around the Bay primer: Road closures, bus detours, weather

Thousands of runners will hit Hamilton streets on Sunday morning for the 120th annual Around the Bay Road Race.

The oldest meet of its kind in North America, the event is set to host around 13,000 participants — including embattled Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne — running 30-km or 5-km courses or in one of two relay races.  

As always, the Around the Bay will tie up a number of major Hamilton thoroughfares for much of the day.

The city has published a list of road closures that will be in effect on Sunday:

  • Bay Street North between York Boulevard and King Street West — 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • York Boulevard between Bay Street North and Queen Street North — 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • York Boulevard between Queen Street North and Plains Road West — 9 a.m. — 4 p.m.
  • York Boulevard exit ramp from the westbound 403 — 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Eastbound lanes of Burlington Street East between Parkdale Street North and Woodward Avenue — 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Buses on several HSR routes will be running detours on race day. They include:

  • 2 – Barton
  • 3 – Cannnon
  • 4 – Bayfront
  • 6 – Aberdeen
  • 7 – Locke
  • 8 – York
  • 11 – Parkdale

For more information on the temporary route changes, go to the HSR's Around the Bay detours page.

Cemeteries

The Around the Bay course passes beside two large cemeteries. As a result, the city says, there will be restricted access to Hamilton Cemetery (on York Boulevard northwest of Dundurn Street) and Woodland Cemetery (on Spring Garden Road in west Burlington, near the Royal Botanical Gardens) between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.

On-street parking

Do you plan to take a car to get to the Around the Bay Race? The city reminds drivers that meter parking in downtown Hamilton is always free — as in "no charge" — on Sundays.

Weather

The long, unusually cold winter sparked fears that runners in this year's Around the Bay would face punishing wind, snow or freezing rain. Thus, it should come as a relief to many that the forecast for the race doesn't look awful. After waking up to lows around –1 C , Hamiltonians can expect temperatures to climb to a high of 8 C on Sunday. Environment Canada's forecast calls a few early flurries that will wrap up later in the morning. Northeasterly winds of 20 km/h, with gusts up to 40 km/h, are also expected, so dress accordingly. 


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Around the Bay: 5 special moments along the 30-km course

Maybe you're about to run your first Around the Bay and are trying to envision how Sunday morning will play out. 

Perhaps you competed years ago, but want to revive the memories — the emotional highs and lows, the literal peaks and valleys — for old time's sake.

Or maybe you're someone who will never don sneakers for a long-distance jaunt, but you want to imagine how it would feel to amble to the starting line among a Lycra-clad crowd of thousands, your favourite pump song blasting in your ears, and thoughts of finish-line hot chocolate buoying your spirits.

Here's a list that will put you in a running state of mind. 

To offer a glimpse into what it's like to participate in Sunday's 120th annual Around the Bay Road Race, CBC Hamilton has compiled a roundup of the most compelling moments in a runner's journey through the 30-km course, with a map at the bottom of the page showing where on the route each milestone is situated. 

Some entries boast the course's standout quirks, while other moments made the grade simply because they tend to be the most emotional points in the race.

So sip some water, wipe your brow and take a look. 

But remember: savouring the journey can be as rewarding as reaching your destination.


You are surrounded by thousands of runners, excited by the crush of people, the energy. But it is also a very personal, retrospective moment: You are thinking about the challenge ahead, but also reflecting on the months of preparation, training and sacrifice, all the lonely miles on the road that got you here.


Along Beach Boulevard, residents bang pots and pans and cheer you on. At this stage of the race, you have as much of the race behind you as you do ahead of you and the cheering on the long straight-a-way helps you keep the pace. And it helps you cross the significant divide between more-than-half-to-go and more-than-half-done.  


You've just handled the rolling hills of North Shore Boulevard and you know the big hill is just around the corner. You have to muster your resources for the challenge to come.

Thump-thump-clap. Thump-thump-clap. Over and over, the anthemic Queen song plays on a continuous loop and that song is your encouragement as you prepare to head down into the valley before Valley Inn Road. Stan Wakeman is a regular Bay race fan and he is the one blasting the tune. Race lore says giving Wakeman, a dwarf, a high five is good luck.


You're suffering, suffering. You've just run (walked? shuffled? limped?) your way up the
gruelling 500-metre-long and steep grade of the Valley Inn Road hill and now you must decide: Do you have what it takes to carry on running, or will you walk and be defeated in your goals? At the top are two Grim Reapers with signs inviting you to give up and enter the cemetery across the road. It's where you have to dig very deep to find your answer.


Around the Bay offers up a fine finish. The end is in sight for almost four kilometres as you approach along York Road. But the truly special moment is your entry into the arena itself. It's celebrity, big-league treatment: You enter to fans in the stands cheering you on. In front of you as you approach the finish line, your picture is larger-than-life on the big scoreboard and your name being called out by the announcer. It's special.


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Around the Bay Road Race 2014 live blog

Tweet your #AroundtheBay thoughts, photos to @cbchamilton

CBC News Posted: Mar 30, 2014 9:04 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 30, 2014 9:04 AM ET

It's run day in Hamilton as the annual Around the Bay Road Race courses back for another lap.

The oldest meet of its kind in North America, the event is celebrating its 120th anniversary.

Around 13,000 runners, including Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, are set to take part in the race, which includes 30-km, 5-km and two relay events.

CBC Hamilton's Cory Ruf will be covering the event. To follow his Around the Bay tweets and pictures, keep an eye on the live blog below.

And if you're at the race, tweet your pictures, observations and best wishes for the runners to @cbchamilton, or use the #AroundtheBayCBC hashtag. We'll post many submissions to this page. 

 


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Two horses dead after crash at Flamboro Downs in Hamilton

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 29 Maret 2014 | 22.46

Warning: video contains graphic images

By Adam Carter, CBC News Posted: Mar 28, 2014 11:12 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 28, 2014 11:12 AM ET

Two horses died after a freak head on collision during a harness race at Flamboro Downs in rural Hamilton Thursday night.

According to Standardbred Canada, horses Buckbuckbuck March and A Sudden Twist slammed into each other at full speed and had to be put down because of their injuries.

"Please join Standardbred Canada (in) sharing condolences with the connections of Buckbuckbuck Mach and A Sudden Twist," a statement on the Standardbred Canada website reads.

The collision happened when horse Banana Joes Bar made a push for the lead on the first turn, which set off a chain reaction to trailing horses and drivers, it said.

Horse Buckbuckbuck Mach couldn't avoid the first horse and slammed into it from behind. Buckbuckbuck Mach managed to get back up to his feet but then veered the wrong way on the racetrack and eventually ran directly into the path of the rest of the racers.

Just after the second turn, Buckbuckbuck Mach collided head-on with A Sudden Twist.

Officials from Flamboro Downs told equestrian magazine Trot Insider the drivers involved in the race didn't need medical attention, but the horses had to be euthanized.


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Hamilton's top 10 public salary earners of 2013

Hamilton's senior healthcare executives once against topped the annual list of the highest-paid public employees in the city.

Released on Tuesday, the province's so-called "sunshine list," which details which Ontario public servants who were paid more than $100,000 in the previous year, revealed that outgoing Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) president and CEO Murray Martin took in a bigger haul than any other public earner in the city last year.

Martin, who stepped down from the job earlier this year, topped the list with $695,065.38 and $17,565.06 in taxable benefits. His 2013 salary increased about $48,000 from the year before — an uptick that is roughly equal to the amount the average Ontarian makes in a year. 

The top ten was rounded out almost exclusively by top brass in the city's health industry, including personnel in McMaster University's medical school.

The only exception was Mac president Patrick Deane, who came in at Number Eight with $387,287.20 in salary earnings and $22,999.76 in benefits. 

Former Mohawk College president and Burlington mayor Rob MacIsaac took over the HHS presidency from Martin at the beginning of February. 


Top 10 highest-paid public employees in Hamilton, 2013

  1. Murray Martin, president and CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences — $695,065.38 salary, $17,565.06 in taxable benefits
  2. Kevin Smith, CEO, St. Joseph's Health System — $647,069.80 salary, $65,730.84 in taxable benefits
  3. Salim Yusuf, director, Population Health Research Institute — $613,574.14 salary, $3,135.30 in taxable benefits
  4. David Higgins, president, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton — $492,282.80 salary, $9,688.56 in taxable benefits
  5. John Kelton, dean and vice-president, McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences — $448,504.40 salary, $10,066.18 in taxable benefits
  6. Louise Taylor Green, executive vice-president, corporate affairs and strategy, Hamilton Health Sciences — $437,221.28, salary, $13,384.20 in taxable benefits
  7. Patrick Deane, president and vice-chancellor, McMaster University — $387,287.20 salary, $22,999.76 in taxable benefits
  8. Rebecca Repa, president, St. Peter's Hospital — $380,854.58 salary, $13,193.19 in taxable benefits
  9. Panju Akbar, deputy chair, clinical programs, McMaster University's department of medicine, $366,602.15 salary, $174.72 in taxable benefits
  10. Gary Chaimovitz, head of service, forensics, Centre for Mountain Health Services, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton — $363,759.76 salary, $174.72 in taxable benefits

Thousands of public servants in the city earned over $100,000 in 2012. A total of 848 employees of the City of Hamilton made the list, up 30 from the year before.

Hundreds of Hamilton healthcare professionals were on the list, including 400 with Hamilton Health Sciences and 235 with St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.

And hundreds of educators from the city's big school boards also made six figures last year, including 237 with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and 156 with the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

But McMaster University was by far the Hamilton organization with the most employees on the "sunshine list." About 1,035 university staff earned $100,000 or more in 2013, up 2.6 per cent from the year before. 

In comparison, Mohawk College employed only 263 six-figure earners in 2013. 

Ontario Sunshine List was brought in under the Mike Harris-led Progressive Conservative government in 1996. At the time, Harris said it served as an important check on the public payroll.

The Public Salary Disclosure Act requires organizations that receive public funding from the Province of Ontario to disclose annually the names, positions, salaries and total taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in a calendar year.

hi-852-queens-park-cbc

The Ontario 'sunshine list' chronicles every public provincial servant whose paycheque exceeds six figures.

Each year the list gets longer — there were 88,412 names on last year's list — raising calls that the $100,000 benchmark should be raised. The list includes everyone from police, to school board administers, to hospital executives and municipal employees.

The act applies to organizations such as the Government of Ontario, Crown agencies, municipalities, hospitals, public health boards, school boards, universities, colleges, Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation, and other public sector employers who receive a significant level of funding from the provincial government.

Since then there have been calls to raise the $100,000 salary threshold.

The Sunshine List also lays bare the salaries of the province's top bureaucrats. The heads of large provincial bodies such as Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Hydro often top the list.


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848 city employees made over $100K in 2013

There were 848 municipal employees making over $100,000 in Hamilton last year — 30 more than in 2012.

The province's so-called "sunshine list," which details which Ontario public servants were paid more than $100,000 in the previous year, was released Friday afternoon. The 848 municipal employees listed include police, emergency and fire officials.

Tops on the list was City Manager Chris Murray, who made $249,788.83 last year, alongside $13,338.46 in taxable benefits. That's an over $16,000 increase from 2012.

Other top earners include:

  • Associate Medical Officer of Health Hamidah Meghani at $248,893.28 with $3,016.40 in taxable benefits
  • Medical Officer of Health Elizabeth Richardson at $240,253.14 with $3,308.87 in taxable benefits
  • Police Chief Glenn De Caire at $228,519.20 with $12,060.81 in taxable benefits
  • Fire Chief Rob Simmonds at 172,617.29 with $5593.18 in taxable benefits

Police officer Insp. David Doel made $134,530.24 alongside $1,191.49 in taxable benefits while suspended with pay for an internal investigation last year.

Doel abruptly announced his retirement in November, sixth months shy of receiving his full benefit package. He faced 14 counts of misconduct under the Police Services Act. That includes having sex while on the job, keeping pornography on his work computer and using video equipment and the national criminal database for his own personal use.

He had been suspended with pay for four years. Doel will officially retire on Monday. Chief Glenn De Caire from Hamilton Police Service said in a statement back in November that he has "no choice or option" but to accept Doel's retirement.

The municipal list now includes many police constables, firefighters and paramedics. Some water distribution supervisors now make over $100 thousand, as do city solicitors. A city electrician made $105,246.49 in 2013, with $447.12 in taxable benefits.

The Ontario Sunshine List was brought in under the Mike Harris-led Progressive Conservative government in 1996. At the time, Harris said it served as an important check on the public payroll.

The Public Salary Disclosure Act requires organizations that receive public funding from the Province of Ontario to disclose annually the names, positions, salaries and total taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in a calendar year.

Each year the list gets longer — there were 88,412 names on last year's list — raising calls that the $100,000 benchmark should be raised. The list includes everyone from police, to school board administers, to hospital executives and municipal employees.

The act applies to organizations such as the Government of Ontario, Crown agencies, municipalities, hospitals, public health boards, school boards, universities, colleges, Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation, and other public sector employers who receive a significant level of funding from the provincial government.

Since then there have been calls to raise the $100,000 salary threshold.

The Sunshine List also lays bare the salaries of the province's top bureaucrats. The heads of large provincial bodies such as Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Hydro often top the list.

Should the public salary disclosure amount be raised above $100,000?


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Things to do in Hamilton this weekend

Plaidiators Improv Comedy Group

Two unscripted hours of short and long improv games. The Plaidiators are considered to be a fresh and funny improv comedy group featuring the city's youngest up and coming performers. This show will take place Friday at the Staircase Theatre at 27 Dundurn Street North. Tickets are $8 and the show begins at 8:00 p.m.

The Acoustics

The Acoustics are a Hamilton folk/rock, world/roots band that have been playing their music to local fans for a decade. They will be playing another performance on Friday at the AGH Design Annex at 118 James Street North. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for AGH members are $12, or $15 for the general public. Cash bar available.

120th Around the Bay Road Race

The Around the Bay Road Race is the oldest road race in North America, first run in 1894. It pulls in athletes from around the world inlcuding many elite runners. While participation in this event is sold out, the runners always appreciate supporters along the road. The 30-kilometre run takes place Sunday, March 30 and starts in front of the FirstOntario Centre (formerly Copps Coliseum) and end in the same location.

RBG Outdoor Living and Garden Show

This year's pesky cold weather is sticking around a little longer than many had hoped. But if you're aching to begin planning your summer projects, there's no better place than the natural and vibrant Royal Botanical Gardens.

Get inspired and educated to make the very best for your home and garden this year. The whole event takes place from Friday to Sunday at the RBG Centre, 680 Plains Road West from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Admission for adults is $12.50, seniors (65+) is $10.50, students/youth is $10.50, children ages 5-7 $7.50, and kids under 5 are free.

Maple Syrup Festival

There are few things more Canadian than maple syrup. It's time to get to know this tasty tradition. See how it's been made over three different time periods, from tapping the tree to getting on the table. It's your last chance to experience this event at the Westfield Heritage Village at 1049 Regional Road 552 on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.


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Why U.S. college hockey paid off for NHL-bound Hamilton brothers

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College athletes can unionize, U.S. federal agency says 2:32

College athletes can unionize, U.S. federal agency says 2:32

Word that the Toronto Maple Leafs had signed defenceman Eric Knodel out of the University of New Hampshire didn't sit well with Don Cherry.

"Leafs love those college guys," the popular Canadian broadcaster wrote Wednesday as part of two Twitter posts. "Going to get a tryout with the Marlies. That means he takes a spot from some guy slugging it out on the buses. If you want to make the Leafs or get a tryout just go to a U.S. College."

Forget for a second that Knodel wasn't a free agent but a 2009 fifth-round draft pick out of the Philadelphia suburbs, and that playing in college was a way to help turn the raw prospect into a professional. It was still a derisive swipe at U.S. college hockey, which in Canada is often considered an inferior path to the NHL compared to major-junior leagues.

"I think that if more Canadian families were exposed to what college can do — as parents for your kid socially, athletically and academically ... I think more people would be doing it," said University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery, a Montreal native who went to Maine and ended up playing 122 NHL games.

One opportunity for exposure is the NCAA tournament, which begins Friday and includes 109 Canadian players. There are 35 players from Ontario, 35 from British Columbia, 18 from Alberta and seven each from Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Maine New Hampshire Hockey

Former University of New Hampshire defenseman Eric Knodel, left, shown during the third period of a college hockey game in Durham, N.H., on March 8, 2013, has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Charles Krupa/The Associated Press)

Many of those players are trying to follow in the footsteps of several successful Canadian NHLers who went to college, including four members of the gold-medal-winning Sochi Olympic team: Jonathan Toews (North Dakota), Martin St. Louis (Vermont), Patrick Sharp (Vermont) and Chris Kunitz (Ferris State).

Among the 945 players to see NHL action this season, 100 were Canadians who played at a U.S. college.

Hamilton brothers Greg and Matt Carey recently signed deals with the Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively, after playing at St. Lawrence University in upstate New York. Greg Carey came away satisfied with his direction, which was only possible because playing tier-2 junior hockey opened him up to the world of U.S. colleges.

"You have friends, older friends on your team who have the ability to go and to head down to the States and play and it looks like a lot of fun," Carey said in a phone interview. "And then you get to go on your visits and you get exposed to this world that you really don't see as a Canadian kid growing up. We see a lot of the major juniors with the 'Dub' and the 'O' and the 'Q' and the NHL is right there, front and centre, so we don't really get the NCAA."

Naturally, many went the more traditional road, through the QMJHL, OHL or WHL. But the NCAA is slowly becoming another acceptable way to get there.

"There's no wrong path," Phoenix Coyotes assistant general manager Brad Treliving said. "I think as a Canadian guy you grew up and you're around major junior hockey more, so ... you're closer to it than you are U.S. colleges, but, jeez, there's no wrong answer. It's an individual choice and there's benefits to both."

Treliving said major junior hockey is the "quicker" path to the NHL because it has more of a pro-style schedule and grind. But others point to college's 40-game season as a better chance for some players to develop. There's more opportunity to lift weights and practice.

'It teaches you how to be a man quick.'—University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery

"There's the Sidney Crosbys and the Ovechkins and the Malkins of the world that could grow under a rock and are going to play in the NHL," Montgomery said. "There's other perfect examples — elite players like the Paul Kariyas of the world. Those are the ones everyone knows but it's like, did he really need to go to college? Well, Paul Kariya needed to go to college because he was 155 pounds and in 18 months of college he was 175 pounds ready to play against 30-year-old men that are 225 pounds.

"It teaches you how to be a man quick."

Craig Simpson knows the perception of college hockey has changed a lot in the 30 years since he went to Michigan State. His son Dillon enters the NCAA tournament as North Dakota's senior captain.

Simpson, now an analyst for Hockey Night In Canada, said college hockey wasn't even on the radar when he played for the Spartans. He went on to become the second overall pick in the 1985 draft and played over 600 NHL games.

"For me it's the greatest balance of being able to continue with your academics and still try to play at a really high level and become an NHL player," he said.

Still, Simpson knows there are stumbling blocks to getting more Canadians to play NCAA hockey.

"I think the most part, unfortunately, a lot of parents out here (in Western Canada) anyways don't know what the options are with U.S. college hockey," Simpson said in a phone interview. "They all look and they see the Western Hockey League scouts and talk to them every single day and everybody knows what the Edmonton Oil Kings or the Calgary Hitmen or Prince Albert Raiders, who they are."

Simpson said it's difficult for parents to get that information without having some connection. He's proud that Dillon, a 2011 fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers following his freshman season, chose to take the college route.

Not every Canadian player who might want to play college hockey is so lucky. Simpson pointed to NCAA eligibility rules that prevent teenage hockey players from going to college if they've been in the CHL or participated in an exhibition game, as they're considered professionals.

"I think it would change a lot if you see some players who are good students and maybe it didn't work out in junior that are 18 or 19 now and had an opportunity to go to college, you'd have a lot more notoriety in Canada," Simpson said.

Perhaps some notoriety can come from watching this NCAA tournament. Boston College defenceman Michael Matheson (Pointe-Claire, Que.) is a first-round pick and top prospect for the Florida Panthers, while Quinnipiac has Connor and Kellen Jones (Montrose, B.C.) and Matthew Peca(Petawawa, Ont.).

Wisconsin goaltender Joel Rumpel (Swift Current, Sask.) has been one of the best in the country this season and could soon follow in the footsteps of other recent Canadian college players like Matt Read, Ben Scrivens and Cory Conacher who have signed NHL contracts. 


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Hamilton breeder sent to jail after 17 dogs die in his care

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 28 Maret 2014 | 22.46

A Hamilton man has been sentenced to 140 days in jail after 17 dogs died in his care and 13 others were found living in what the SPCA calls deplorable conditions.  

The sentence is one of the longest anyone in Hamilton has ever received for animal cruelty charges, says Vivian Laflamme, the program manager for animal protection and advocacy at the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA.

The charges stem from the summer of 2011, when SPCA officers were called to a home in central Hamilton.

They found 13 rottweiler/boxer-type dogs living in filth, debris and feces in a dark house with no airflow. "It was horrific," Laflamme told CBC Hamilton. "The smell that was emitting from that home was just horrific."

'We depend on citizens to speak for animals who can't speak for themselves.'- Vivian Laflamme, program manager for animal protection and advocacy at the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA

"You could smell it from the street."

The dogs were taken to a local vet to be examined. Several of them had healthy body weights, but were "infested with fleas, and covered in urine and feces," according to an SPCA news release.

Those dogs were rescued from what Laflamme says was a breeding facility — but 17 others died in the man's care, she says. Many of the animals had a viral disease called parvo, which attacks the intestines.

"It was literally eating away at their intestines," Laflamme said. But instead of seeking proper medical help, he tried to treat them on his own using tips on the internet.

There is no way a person could adequately treat a dog with parvo using advice gleaned online, Laflamme told CBC Hamilton. "This is a very deadly disease for these dogs."

The dogs stayed in the SPCA's care for almost three weeks before being put up for adoption.

Donald Dillon was found guilty of several animal cruelty charges on March 12, and was sentenced to 140 days in jail.

He is also banned from owning any animal except for fish for 25 years.

This is the first time anyone in Hamilton has received such a weighty sentence for animal cruelty. Laflamme says it was handed down because the courts and investigators were "simply shocked" by how these animals are treated.

The SPCA is also reminding people that they are here to help any animals found in distress throughout the city.

"We depend on citizens to speak for animals who can't speak for themselves."


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Suspect in Mountain sex assaults is a 14-year-old boy

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a series of sexual assaults on the Central Mountain that spanned five months.

On Thursday at around 1 p.m., detectives with the Hamilton Police's sexual assault unit arrested the person they believe who was responsible for at least eight incidents in which a young male approached women and touched their buttocks or thigh and then ran away, Det. Sgt. Dave Hennick said in a statement.

The spate of assaults is believed to have begun in October and lasted until earlier this month.

The most recent incident is believed to have happened on March 17 at around 8:50 p.m. A woman was walking her dog on Terrace Drive near South Bend Road East when a male ran up behind her and grabbed her buttocks, police say. He then ran off and was last seen in the area of Norrie Avenue and Dodson Street.

A similar incident occurred on the evening of Feb. 19, police say, when a woman was walking north on Warren Avenue just south of South Bend Road East. A male ran up behind her and grabbed her buttocks. He was last seen in the same area around Norrie Avenue at Dodson Street.

The 14-year-old accused, who can't be identified because of his age, faces eight charges, including seven counts of sexual assault and one count of assault.

He was held in custody for a Friday bail hearing. 

For confidential support for sexual assault victims, call the Sexual Assault Centre's 24-hour support line at 905-525-4162 or visit Sacha.ca.


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Eisenberger announces mayoral bid

Former Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger will become Hamilton's newest mayoral candidate Friday.

Eisenberger tweeted Friday morning that he will be at the City Hall clerks counter to file his nomination papers at 11:30 a.m. His candidacy is not a surprise since Eisenberger, who was Hamilton's mayor from 2006 to 2010, made it clear earlier this year he would run again.

Current mayor Bob Bratina ousted the 61-year-old Eisenberger in 2010. He came in third behind former mayor Larry Di Ianni.

Eisenberger went on to spend two years as CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute. But he says he's kept abreast of municipal politics.

In a Q&A with CBC's Samantha Craggs, Eisenberger says he's running because he has experience he can call on to "help serve the city of Hamilton."

"I've served it before and I've kind of assessed whether or not I have the fire and enthusiasm and energy to come back and do it again, and I believe I do," he said.

'This is about moving forward in the city, and Fred is part of the past.'- Coun. Brian McHattie

He also dispelled the notion that he has been "out of the game" for too long.

"You're never really out of the game. You have political capital. And by virtue of being the mayor and on city council for many years, and chair of the Hamilton Port Authority, I've got experience and understanding of our city," he said. "You don't spend four years as mayor and not know and get to know the city more than most people in our community. I have that knowledge."

Some in the community have voiced concerns that Eisenberger and candidate Coun. Brian McHattie will be splitting the vote and vying for the same people. McHattie told CBC Hamilton Friday that he doesn't think that will be the case.

"This is about moving forward in the city, and Fred is part of the past," McHattie said. "At some point you have to let go of the past and embrace youth and new ideas."

McHattie says he met with Eisenberger back in October, when the former mayor told him he would be running. There was no dissuading him by then, he says.

"Those who know Fred know that when he gets an idea in his head, there's no stopping him," McHattie said.

Former mayor Larry Di Ianni has also been dealing with rumours that he would run for mayor again. He would only say he is "giving it some thought."

McHattie told CBC Hamilton he "wouldn't be surprised" to see Di Ianni join the pack "in the next week or so."

Current mayor Bob Bratina won't be running this year.

Other candidates include councillors Brian McHattie and Brad Clark, former alderman Don Ross, Michael Baldasaro and Crystal Lavigne.

Which of the currently announced mayoral candidates do you think would be the best Mayor?


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Man accused in Hess stabbing released on bail

18-year old David Periera was killed in the September incident

By Victoria Stunt, CBC News Posted: Mar 28, 2014 10:59 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 28, 2014 10:59 AM ET

The man accused of first degree murder in a Hess Village stabbing in mid-September was released on bail Thursday afternoon after a hearing in a Hamilton courtroom.

Raleigh Stubbs, 49, is accused in the death of 18-year-old David Periera.

Periera was stabbed in a Tim Hortons parking lot on King St. W near Hess Village on a September Sunday at 2:30 a.m. The man was transported to hospital where he later died. Stubbs was arrested at the scene.

Thursday, as Stubbs was escorted into the courtroom, he winked and smiled at three people--his sister and two friends-- sitting directly behind. "He looks good, eh?" said Stubb's sister Gina March. 

March declined to comment outside the courtroom.

Stubbs was wearing a blue collared dress shirt, had a neatly trimmed beard and short hair.

During the hearing, he looked at the clock once, and then down at his feet for about 20 seconds. It was one of  the only times he moved his head.


 


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Two horses dead after crash at Flamboro Downs in Hamilton

Warning: video contains graphic images

By Adam Carter, CBC News Posted: Mar 28, 2014 11:12 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 28, 2014 11:12 AM ET

Two horses died after a freak head on collision during a harness race at Flamboro Downs in rural Hamilton Thursday night.

According to Standardbred Canada, horses Buckbuckbuck March and A Sudden Twist slammed into each other at full speed and had to be put down because of their injuries.

"Please join Standardbred Canada (in) sharing condolences with the connections of Buckbuckbuck Mach and A Sudden Twist," a statement on the Standardbred Canada website reads.

The collision happened when horse Banana Joes Bar made a push for the lead on the first turn, which set off a chain reaction to trailing horses and drivers, it said.

Horse Buckbuckbuck Mach couldn't avoid the first horse and slammed into it from behind. Buckbuckbuck Mach managed to get back up to his feet but then veered the wrong way on the racetrack and eventually ran directly into the path of the rest of the racers.

Just after the second turn, Buckbuckbuck Mach collided head-on with A Sudden Twist.

Officials from Flamboro Downs told equestrian magazine Trot Insider the drivers involved in the race didn't need medical attention, but the horses had to be euthanized.


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Hamilton mom arrested after toddler saved from burning home

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 27 Maret 2014 | 22.47

Police arrested and charged a Hamilton mother on Wednesday after firefighters found her 15-month-old son alone inside a burning home last week.

The toddler is doing well and is being cared for by the Children's Aid Society, police say. The 25-year-old mother has been charged with abandoning a child.

The charges stem from an incident just after noon on Thursday, when emergency crews received a call about smoke coming from a house on Bay Street North near Stuart Street, in north Hamilton.

Firefighters rescued a 15-month-old toddler named Ryder who was found inside the house. He was later sent to hospital with smoke inhalation.

The fire department deemed the incident itself not suspicious.

They boy's mother would not comment on the incident when a reporter spoke with her outside the home on Thursday. Her boyfriend later told CBC Hamilton that she is a "good mom" who had stepped out to buy milk just minutes before the fire started.

"This is just like a freak accident," said the 24-year-old man, who asked not to be named. "She doesn't deserve to be looked at like that."

Claudio Mostacci, a spokesperson with the Hamilton Fire Department, said the house sustained $100,000 in damage.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.


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Public garbage collectors working fewer hours than private counterparts

Some public sector garbage collectors in Hamilton are working fewer hours than their private sector counterparts — but city officials say that's just fine, because their routes are still getting finished and citizen complaint levels are low.

The performance of public workers in Hamilton's garbage collection system was explained in an internal memo obtained by CBC Hamilton that was issued to city councillors and staff this week. The memo, authored by public works head Gerry Davis, was sent to councillors at their request to help manage the optics of a planned Hamilton Spectator story on garbage collection. It explains the practice and provides arguments to help them deal with any public fallout.

Questions about the practice are expected to be raised by councillors at council Wednesday afternoon.

The memo says that according to two key metrics, tonnes per household and cost per tonne, the city crews perform better than their private counterparts.

According to the memo, city trash collection shifts start at 6:30 a.m., when employees check in with their supervisors to get their assignments and check their equipment. They're expected to start their route by 7 a.m. and get back to the yard to clean and secure their trucks by 1 p.m.

'It takes the public guys five hours to do what it takes the private guys eight.'- Coun. Sam Merulla

It notes that by working through breaks, the workers' finish times can vary significantly.

Some public employees are leaving hours before their shift ends at 2:30 p.m., Coun. Sam Merulla told CBC Hamilton, when asked about the memo. But he is not concerned about the practice. "That's because in some cases they're not taking their lunches or breaks so they're working straight through," he said, which is an option that's set out in the city's collective bargaining agreement.

Other factors like route distance from the yard, transfer station wait times and weather conditions can influence when employees finish up, the memo reads. Volumes of waste can also vary during the time of year, with higher volumes of garbage recorded on curb pickups from April to November of the year.

"Variations in staff departure times is the norm in municipal curbside waste collection and reflects the many variables affecting the time required to complete work assignments," reads the memo. 

Putting in a full 8 hours

By contrast, private sector garbage collectors usually work a full eight hours. Merulla says he understands that having public employees leaving work earlier than private ones looks bad. "But we measure success in garbage collection through tonnage per household, not time," Merulla said. "It takes the public guys five hours to do what it takes the private guys eight."

"Why would this be a negative story? I think it's a positive."

According to the city, public employees are picking up more garbage per household in less time. Public garbage collectors picked up 0.72 tonnes per household in 2012 while private workers picked up 0.70 tonnes per household. The city reports that in house garbage collection in 2012 was cheaper at $111 per household versus contracted services at $115 per household.

So if public sector employees are finishing work early, why not add to their workload? Merulla says that he would agree with lengthening some routes, but adds that the incentive to finish early is part of the "competitive environment" the city has created in splitting up garbage collection.

Gerry Davis, general manager of public works, told CBC Hamilton that the routes are structured in such a way that workers can meet daily commitments while still addressing the many variables that can come into play while on the road on any given day.

Complaints 'through the roof'

Garbage collection's $14.4 million budget is split about 50/50 between public and private in the city. The public sector mostly deals with the lower city, while private contractors work on the Mountain and outlying areas. The split was created to make the two compete against each other, "and when I look at the data, clearly the public sector is outperforming the private," Merulla said.

Merulla also attests that there are fewer complaints on the public side of things. "If you look at complaints for the [privately collected] blue box, they're through the roof," he said.

Hamilton has already weathered one scandal involving public works staff in the last year. The city fired 29 public works employees in 2013 after an investigation revealed some workers were getting paid for only a few hours of work and rumours swirled about the sale of asphalt out of the back of city trucks.

The memo also points out initiatives underway to improve the system and notes awards and recognition the city's waste system has received.

According to the memo, a study that reviews garbage route optimization improvements and efficencies should be complete and brought to council for review by the end of 2014.

Should Hamilton's public sector garbage collectors be able to leave work early if their routes are finished?


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Hamilton cop 'more or less' admits to sex with prostitute allegation

By Adam Carter, CBC News Posted: Mar 27, 2014 10:14 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 27, 2014 10:14 AM ET

A Hamilton police officer is "more or less" admitting he is guilty of the allegation of sexual activity with a prostitute, according to his lawyer.

Thomas McKay's lawyer Gary Clewley and prosecutor Marco Visentini were part of a telephone police services act hearing Thursday morning. Clewley said during the hearing that his client has "more or less admitted his guilt."

According to police act documents, McKay is alleged to have engaged in sexual activity with a sex worker in July of last year while off duty.

He is also accused of lying to an on-duty officer about "the informant status of an individual."

McKay's hearing is set to resume on April 24, when an agreed statement of facts about the case is expected to be presented.


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East Mountain stabbing sends man to hospital

CBC News Posted: Mar 27, 2014 10:17 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 27, 2014 10:17 AM ET

A stabbing on the east Mountain sent a man to hospital Wednesday night, police say.

Media officer Const. Debbie McGreal-Dinning tweeted Thursday morning that officers were still on scene at a stabbing that emergency crews had been called to around 9 p.m.

A 40-year-old man was taken to hospital and is expected to recover.

Officers are still trying to piece together how the man was injured.


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Maple Leaf shaking up execs after sale of Canada Bread

Maple Leaf Foods (MFI:TSX) is shaking up its executive suite following the sale of its 90 per cent stake in Canada Bread Co. Inc. to Grupo Bimbo.

The company named a new chief operating officer and a new chief financial officer on Wednesday that will lead Maple Leaf after the sale of the bread business closes later this year.

Gary Maksymetz will take over from Richard Lan as chief operating officer, while Debbie Simpson will become chief financial officer, replacing Michael Vels.

Lan will serve as chief customer officer until the end of the year, when he will retire.

Vels will remain with the company until the end of the year to lead the separation of the bakery business and help with the transition.

The company also said that Scott McCain, chief operating officer of Maple Leaf's agribusiness group, will retire at the end of June.

Maple Leaf Foods has been restructuring its business, which is primarily focused on meat products.

In February, Canada Bread struck an agreement to be acquired by Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, one of the world's largest bread companies, in a deal valued at $1.83 billion.

The bakery deal followed the sale of Maple Leaf's Rothsay rendering business, which handles edible and inedible animal by-products, to Darling International, which is based in Texas.

The company also reached agreements to sell its commercial turkey farms, hatchery operation and breeding farms to two Ontario-based companies.


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Burlington-born cop Robert German gunned down in Florida

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 26 Maret 2014 | 22.46

Robert German, 31, killed after stopping two teenagers along a road in Windermere, Fla.

The Associated Press Posted: Mar 26, 2014 8:57 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 26, 2014 8:57 AM ET

Funeral plans have been announced for a Burlington, Ont.-born U.S. police officer who was fatally shot on the weekend in central Florida.

Officer Robert German, 31, was killed Saturday after stopping two teenagers along a road in Windermere, a town of 3,000 about 24 kilometres west of Orlando.

The bodies of the teens, 18-year-old Brandon Goode and 17-year-old Alexandria Hollinghurst, were later found a short distance away.

Authorities say the teens apparently committed suicide.

Windermere police said German was born in Burlington and moved to Florida with his family when he was five.

Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Northland Church in Longwood, Fla.

German's graveside services and burial will take place Thursday at 10 a.m. at Oaklawn Cemetery in Sanford, Fla. Services are open to the public.

Authorities say German worked for the department for five years.


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Too many lanes? City stands to save thousands cutting excess lanes from major roads

Hamilton stands to save thousands of dollars a year if it scales back on traffic lanes that aren't needed on roads that no longer get the traffic they were designed for, city hall officials say. And it's already in the process of identifying some of them.

The city is filled with five- and six-lane roads that were once packed with traffic, particularly in the north end where many were designed for an industrial economy that no longer exists. They've fallen into disuse over the years, and taking them out of commission would save taxpayers money, said Gerry Davis, general manager of public works.

'Any time we can take a lane of traffic out, it saves us significant maintenance money.'- Gerry Davis, general manager of public works

Maintaining one traffic lane for one kilometre costs as much as $12,000, Davis said. If the city identifies lanes that don't get used much anymore and either puts in bicycle lanes or narrows the streets, it will save thousands in long-term maintenance costs. 

The city is looking at extra traffic lanes as part of a city-wide transportation master plan staff will present this year, Davis said. While eliminating spare traffic lanes isn't the mandate, it will be included.

"Any time we can take a lane of traffic out, it saves us significant maintenance money."

Here are some examples of streets that could be narrower:

Burlington Street

This street was built for a time when workers in the thousands clogged the roads to get to work in the industrial area, said Coun. Chad Collins of Ward 5. Now, it has more capacity than traffic.

This is especially true closer to the QEW, where there are multiple bridges and roads on top of roads in "a Gardiner Expressway scenario," Collins said.

"When those bridges and decks reach the end of their lifespan, is the decision to tear them down and rebuild them, or do we tear them down and live without them?"

Wellington and Wentworth

Both of these streets are four or five lanes wide in some areas, Collins said. He envisions getting rid of some of the lanes and expanding the lawns of homes lining it, or putting in bike lanes.

"It's not pedestrian friendly. It's not kid friendly," he said. "It's just not a friendly environment for most people. It's hard to encourage people to move into those areas when they see those obstacles in front of them."

Claremont Access

The Claremont Access has been down a lane for a while because of problems with a retaining wall. Now people hardly miss it, Davis said. "It's not critical because there's so much capacity."

Sherman Cut

One lane on the Sherman Cut is historically reserved for traffic going down the mountain in the morning, and coming back up in the evenings, Davis said. But the traffic signal is broken. He wonders if it's worth repairing it.

"That was designed for shifts for Stelco and Dofasco where upwards of 200,000 people were going there."

The city is already planning to redo parts of Industrial Drive, which is four or five lanes in some spots, Davis said. It's already looking at installing bicycle lanes.

In the north end in particular, roads can be narrowed, Davis said.

"(That area) is a quick win for us," he said. "We can do a traffic study, but we know the capacity is not required."

On Wednesday, city council will ratify a decision to take away one traffic lane on Cannon Street from Sherman to Hess to install a two-way bicycle lane.


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Racist apartment graffiti stuns residents but goes unreported

Danielle Wong is no stranger to seeing racial slurs and symbols in her apartment building.

They've been scrawled across the walls at her John Street North building before. A swastika. "F--k Somalia." The N-word.

Then on Friday, she came home to find a list of "violent, racist slurs against Asians" like c---k and g--k crudely written in marker outside her apartment. As someone who is working on a PhD that involves representations of Asian people in social media at McMaster University, it hit her hard.

"This is my home and my space. It's right across from my door," Wong told CBC Hamilton. "It was awful and frustrating."

danielle-wong

"You can't talk about racism if you refuse to talk about race," Danielle Wong says. (Adam Carter/CBC)

The walls are covered over now — sprayed over the same night. But that doesn't mask the fact that there is a larger problem with racism both in her building which has an ethnically diverse population — and the city that needs to be addressed to put a stop to this kind of abhorrent behaviour, Wong says. There have been several high profile hate crime investigations in the city in recent years, including the Hindu Samaj temple arson and a gas assault on a Hamilton cab driver.

"Race is in your face in this neighbourhood. You can't ignore it," she said. "But after so many years of work being done, language like this is still happening."

'This is my home and my space. It's right across from my door.'- Danielle Wong

No complaints in relation to the graffiti have been filed with Hamilton police. That's a trend that officers are hoping to diminish, Det. Carmen Pietroniro told CBC Hamilton. "Are there hate crimes out there that aren't being reported? Yes," he said. "But we hope that number isn't as high as it used to be."

Only one hate crime at Wong's building — a dispute between neighbours — has been reported to police since 2008. 

"This can be looked at two ways," Pietroniro said. "Is it not taking place or just not being reported? It's hard to answer, but it can be a little of both."

Last year, hate crime extremism unit investigator Sgt. Nancy Lantz said it's "statistically proven that hate crimes are one of the most underreported crimes" when speaking at a police services board meeting.

Not taken seriously

Wong says she believes the graffiti was targeted towards a specific person in the building who has chosen not to file a complaint or speak out on the charges. She stresses that she is not acting as his voice, but rather drawing attention to a larger issue.

Wong says she has brought incidents of racist graffiti to the attention of building management in the past. Though it was cleaned up, she doesn't feel like the issue itself was taken seriously.

Representatives from Greenwin Properties did not respond to interview requests from the CBC. When reached by phone at the building location, a woman who did not identify herself would only say, "That's been dealt with," when referring to the most recent graffiti outside Wong's door.

The Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion is extremely concerned about incidents like these popping up in Hamilton, says Evelyn Myrie, executive director. She's also urging victims in any circumstances like this to come forward to police. "It's not [classified] a hate crime if there's no police," she said.

But it can be difficult to be your own "agent of change," Myrie says, so even if a person isn't comfortable coming forward, groups like the HCCI will always stand behind them to ensure racism and its ramifications can't be ignored.

"We all have our roles to play to remove racism — all Hamiltonians in all walks of life," she said. Myrie says the HCCI is hoping to host a community conversation about race and racism in the north end of the city soon.

Hate crimes down, police report says

Visible minorities make up 14.3 per cent of Hamilton's population, according to the Ontario Ministry of Finance's 2011 National Household Survey. A report from the city's policing service shows Hamilton saw the number of reported hate crimes drop last year, but the document also raises concern about prejudice the city's black community continues to endure. Nearly half of all hate-related incidents investigated by police in 2013 were directed at or included overtones that denigrated people of African descent.

Hamilton law enforcement officials investigated 11 "hate/bias-motivated crimes" last year, down from 16 in 2012.

Myrie says the people of Hamilton can't be passive bystanders in the fight against racism if they truly want to be part of a solution.

"The people who would do this … they're cowards," she said.

"They just want to hurt people."


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Hamilton drug raid yields 'array of drugs,' ammunition

A police raid on a central Hamilton home last week yielded an "an array of drugs," including crystal meth, ketamine and marijuana, and saw a man climb out a second floor window to evade arrest, police say.

Armed with a search warrant stemming from an "ongoing investigation," officers with the Hamilton police's Guns and Weapons Enforcement Unit entered a house on Arthur Avenue South around 7:55 p.m. on Friday, said police spokeswoman Debbie McGreal-Dinning.

She said the team arrested three males "without incident" and found another after he climbed out a second-floor window and jumped onto a neighbouring porch.

Inside the residence, police found "an array of drugs" including crystal meth, ketamine, the powerful painkiller hydromorphone and marijuana. They also seized 30 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition and five digital scales that were allegedly used for weighing drugs.

Three of the four men were released without charges. The other man, a 25-year-old Hamiltonian, faces numerous charges relating to the possession of illegal drugs, two breaches of a firearms ban and violating bail conditions.

He was held for a bail hearing. 


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Dr. Salim Yusuf, Canadian cardiovascular expert, wins Gairdner Award

A Canadian researcher who has spent more than three decades investigating how to prevent and treat cardiovascular
disease among populations around the world is among the winners of the 2014 Canada Gairdner Awards for significant medical research.

Dr. Salim Yusuf, director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University, will receive the Canada Gairdner Wightman Award for leadership in global clinical trials and population studies that have shaped prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Salim Yusuf

Dr. Salim Yusuf says it's unusual for clinical and population research to be recognized with major awards, despite the direct impact such work has on human health. (Canadian Press)

Yusuf's epidemiological work in about 85 countries has shown that most heart attacks result from similar risk factors, no matter where a person lives. One of the many studies he has led, the HOPE trial, showed that the ACE-inhibitor drug ramipril saved lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes among patients with stable heart disease.

"I was obviously very pleased," he said of the honour, noting that it's unusual for clinical and population research to be
recognized with major awards, despite the direct impact such work has on human health.

Selection committees "usually give them to people who make discoveries of a molecule or an enzyme or genetics," Yusuf said in an interview from Hamilton.

"So in a sense it's a recognition that improving human health is just as important as the elegance of a discovery … I'm pleased because it may be part of a cultural shift in recognizing what is valued in research."

Yusuf, who came to McMaster in 1992 after working at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Oxford University in England, said the Gairdner may be in his name, but it really pays tribute to the entire international team that has conducted the research.

Recipients of the awards, which were created in 1959, each receive $100,000. Gairdners have been dubbed the "baby Nobels" because more than 80 recipients have gone on to win the world's most coveted scientific prize.

"The Canada Gairdner Awards distinguish Canada as a leader in biomedical research, raising the profile of science both nationally and on the world stage," said Dr. John Dirks, president and scientific director of the Gairdner Foundation. "This year's winners are an exceptional example of highly effective outcomes from translational research."

The winners of five other Gairdners also were announced Wednesday.

The Canada Gairdner International Awards, which recognize individuals from various fields for seminal discoveries or
contributions to medical science, go to:

  • James P. Allison of the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston for his development of an antibody that frees "blocked" immune cells so they can attack cancer cells. His discovery resulted in a drug to treat metastatic melanoma, which has also shown promise against prostate, kidney, lung and ovarian cancers.
  •  Titia de Lange, Rockefeller University in New York, for her discovery of the mechanisms by which telomeres — the ends of chromosomes — are protected from deleterious DNA repair, which can lead to diseases such as cancer.
  • Marc Feldmann and Ravinder Nath Maini, University of Oxford, for their discovery of a drug that protects against a molecule that drives inflammation and joint damage. The genetically engineered agent can reduce pain and improve mobility, without increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
  • Dr. Harold Fisher Dvorak, Harvard Medical School in Boston, and Dr. Napoleone Ferrara of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center in La Jolla, Calif., for the discovery of a key mediator of blood vessel formation, leading to the development of a therapy for cancer and wet macular degeneration.

The Canada Gairdner Global Health Award, which recognizes a scientific advancement that has had a significant impact on health in the developing world, goes to Satoshi Omura, professor emeritus at Kitasato University in Tokyo.

Omura led a team in the 1970s that discovered the micro-organism Streptomyces avermitilis, which was developed by Merck into the drug ivermectin to treat many parasitic diseases, including river blindness and elephantiasis. Ivermectin is also the drug of choice for treating scabies and head lice, and research is looking at its effectiveness against other tropical diseases.

The awards will be presented at a dinner in Toronto on Oct. 30 as part of the Gairdner National Program, a two-week lecture series given by Gairdner winners at 24 universities from St. John's to Vancouver. The  program makes "the superstars of science" accessible to students across the country, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of researchers.


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New school named after female pioneer, a controversial pick

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 25 Maret 2014 | 22.46

Hamilton's newest public high school will be named after a woman, which trustees say is a fitting nod to gender equality. But some union fans aren't big on the name.

The new high school southeast of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway will be called Nora Frances Henderson Secondary School, after a female pioneer in municipal politics.

Henderson's name won out over Nelson Mandela, astronaut Chris Hadfield and former Hamilton educator E. A. Hutton during a Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board standing committee meeting Monday. Trustees voted 6-4 in favour of Henderson's name.

A special naming committee recommended Mandela, Hadfield and Henderson's names. Trustee Wes Hicks suggested Hutton.

But Henderson is a logical pick because she's not only local, but she was a role model for women, said Ancaster trustee Alex Johnstone. And it would help "diversify the names of some of our schools." 

"We have so few women, even today, who make it to such high positions," she said. "We need to give all of our students equal role models to look up to, both male and female."

Lower-city trustee Tim Simmons was one of three who voted against using Henderson's name. As an elected official, she crossed picket lines, namely during the Stelco strike of 1946. 

That's not a viewpoint he wants to encourage, he said.

In 1946 more than 2,000 employees went on strike over work week hours and wages. The company brought in replacement workers. The strike went on for several weeks and  ended with Stelco's recognition of the United Steelworkers union.

Peter Graefe, a McMaster University political science professor, agrees with Simmons's take. Henderson is a less than ideal pick because of her actions during the Stelco strike. She led the charge to call in police to crush the effort, he said.

"The names we choose for public institutions transmit memory and values," he said. "I would have thought free association would count for more in Hamilton. But perhaps it is a value that gets forgotten in 2014, even if a fundamental freedom in the 1982 Charter."

Henderson, a former reporter, was the first woman to be elected to city council. She was the first woman in Canada to be elected to a Board of Control and former executive secretary of Ontario's Association of Children's Aid Societies.

Henderson is also the original namesake of the Juravinski Hospital.

The new high school replaces Hill Park, Barton and Mountain, which are scheduled to close. It will occupy 10.5 hectares (26 acres) in the Shermal Estates subdivision.

The board will also spend the next 60 days considering whether to close 10 elementary schools from Flamborough to central Mountain, and whether to close two more and build new schools in the same locations.


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Marineland school trip cancelled after complaint from Hamilton mom

Close

Marineland accusations 8:51

Marineland accusations 8:51

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Marineland answers critics 2:19

Marineland answers critics 2:19

Jennifer Jamieson's kids won't be making school trips to Marineland in Niagara Falls anytime soon — and neither will any other students from their class.

The Stoney Creek mother has successfully petitioned Mountain View Elementary School not to go ahead with a field trip to the beleaguered amusement park — and she's hoping to convince the public school board to follow suit and ban trips there altogether.

"This is not some hippie bandwagon stunt. I am a mother [who is] truly concerned for and dedicated towards the welfare of animals," Jamieson told CBC Hamilton. "I want my children to live a compassionate lifestyle and for society to stop viewing captivity as just another social norm.

"There's nothing educational about using animals for our entertainment."

Jamieson first heard about her nine-year-old son's field trip just before March break, and immediately sent an email to his teacher, hoping to change her mind about the destination. Jamieson and her children are no strangers to protesting for animal rights: her family has picketed at Marineland, African Lion Safari and at Copps Coliseum, when the circus comes to town.

The self-proclaimed "animal liberation activist" said she was "delighted" when her son's teacher responded saying she had decided to scrap the outing and find an alternative. Planning was in its early stages and hadn't been announced to students in the class, Mountain View principal Jenny Seto-Vanderlip told CBC Hamilton.

Instead of Marineland, students will be going to the Royal Botanical Gardens.

"We certainly listen to our parents," Seto-Vanderlip said. "It's important to hear the community out."

The school itself won't be making any decisions about banning future trips to Marineland, Seto-Vanderlip said. "That is totally up to the board."

The board said in an email that it didn't approve any trips to Marineland last year due to "concerns," but didn't elaborate on what those concerns were.

"Field trips must meet criteria, including connections to the curriculum, venue safety, learning opportunities, etc.," spokesperson Rob Faulkner said. "If concerns are raised, the board considers them in the context of its policy and makes decisions appropriately."

Protests abound

Marineland has been under siege in recent years by animal rights activists who have accused the park of mistreating its animals. Former employees of Marineland — one of Ontario's top tourist attractions — have spoken out publicly alleging animals are not well cared for.

Park officials have denied those claims, and say Mountain View students will be missing out on "an unforgettable educational experience."

"Marineland is proud to have hosted, educated and entertained literally millions of students since we first opened," officials said in a statement. "We have heard from many marine biologists, veterinarians and oceanographers that it was their childhood experience at Marineland that first inspired them to learn more about the wonders of the ocean and its amazing creatures.

"It's a shame those students will lose that opportunity."

'No major issues'

Marineland said experts from the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have conducted joint inspections of their animals and facilities, and found "no major issues."

The park — which is home to beluga whales, dolphins and orcas — has launched a $7-million libel suit against the Toronto Star over a series of stories published about the conditions at Marineland.

Jamieson said she now plans to issue an information package to school board officials in the hopes that they'll place trips to Marineland on a "not approved" for field trips list.

She said she is grateful to the school for hearing her out and making a choice that reflects "school-wide values" like compassion and respect.

"I couldn't be more proud of this school right now," she said.

Should the Hamilton-Wentworth Public School Board ban field trips to Marineland?


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Follow the debate as Hamilton board discusses city-wide school closures

CBC News Posted: Mar 24, 2014 5:17 PM ET Last Updated: Mar 25, 2014 7:22 AM ET

Public school board officials will begin debate Monday on a sweeping set of potential school closures that could impact more than a dozen Hamilton neighbourhoods.

Trustees will discuss the potential closure of 11 elementary schools across the city and the replacement or expansion of several others. Monday's meeting will begin the two-month countdown to a major May 26 vote on the plan.

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board staff will present their recommendations regarding schools in west Flamborough, east Hamilton and central Mountain. Over the next two months, the board will hear delegations from residents in those areas. 

Last week, city councillors voted to ask the province to impose a moratorium on school closures. MPP Monique Taylor also called for a stop to the process.

The board has a standing committee meeting at 6 p.m. at Hamilton city hall council chambers, followed by a special board meeting at 7:30 p.m. 

Reporter Samantha Craggs will tweet live from the meeting. Follow her at @SamCraggsCBC or in the box below.


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Hamilton board can still be swayed on school closures: chair

The public still has a chance to reverse the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's plans to close 11 elementary schools in the area, says its chair.

There are four delegation nights coming in April and May, and trustees promise to hear people out, said Jessica Brennan, chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. Schools currently slated for closure could be saved and schools currently safe could be closed. Both have happened in the last two years based on public feedback.

"If you look at the staff report and say 'my school is safe,' please, there is still a process," she said. "There are still discussions to be done and there's still stuff to be moved around."

"We really want to hear the very best thinking out there."

Brennan's comments came after a special board meeting Monday where staff recommended closing 10 elementary schools.

The schools are in west Flamborough, central Mountain and east Hamilton. An eleventh, Bell Stone in west Glanbrook, is also slated for closure. The plans come amid calls from Hamilton city councillors and local MPP Monique Taylor for a moratorium on school closures.

Some parents are skeptical of the consultation process

The board struck accommodation review committees (ARCs) for each of the areas last year. The ARCs presented their recommendations in February. When staff presented their reports Monday, it triggered a 60-day window of public consultation.

The board will make a final decision on Flamborough, east Hamilton and Mountain on June 16.

Sarah Poljanski will likely be among the presenters. She was among the roughly 20 parents in the audience Monday night. She has a son at Linden Park and a daughter at Cardinal Heights. Staff recommended both of those schools close.

Poljanski attended all the ARC meetings too. She's skeptical her thoughts will sway anything.

"During all the meetings, I have spoken and it really hasn't done much," she said.

"A lot of people think that the decisions were already made prior to these (meetings) taking place."

Brennan insists that's not true and that delegations can sway the board. A recent example is the Mountain high school closure vote of May 2012. Staff recommended trustees vote to close Hill Park, Sherwood and Mountain. At the eleventh hour, Sherwood was saved based on a suggestion from the head of its science department.

"I will be reading (the reports) and pointing out questions that I will need to be asking," she said. "I have no idea what I'm going to support."

What happens next:

West Glanbrook

  • April 7: delegation night
  • May 12: standing committee makes a decision
  • May 26: board ratifies decision

West Flamborough

  • April 29: delegation night
  • May 26: standing committee makes a decision

East Hamilton

  • May 5: delegation night
  • June 2: standing committee makes a decision
  • June 16: board ratifies decision

Central Mountain

  • May 6: delegation night
  • June 9: standing committee makes a decision
  • June 16: board ratifies decision

List of recommendations

West Glanbrook

  • Close Bell Stone school and move its students to Mount Hope elementary school.

West Flamborough

  • Close Dr. John Seaton, Millgrove and Greensville schools in June 2016.
  • Build a new 350-student school at the Beverly Community Centre or on the existing Beverly Central school site (pending funding from the province), or expand the existing Beverly Central facility.
  • Build a new 525-student facility on the site of the current Spencer Valley school (pending funding from the province), or expand the existing building.

View Staff recommendations on West Flamborough schools in a larger map

East Hamilton

  • Close Parkdale, Roxborough Park and Woodward schools in June 2015.
  • Close Rosedale school in June 2016.
  • Build a new 550-student school on the site of the existing Viscount Montgomery school (pending funding from the province).
  • In absence of new provincial money, build an addition onto Viscount Montgomery school and renovate Hillcrest and W.H. Ballard schools to accommodate more students.

View Staff recommendations on East Hamilton schools in a larger map

Central Mountain

  • Close Eastmount Park, Linden Park and Cardinal Heights schools in June 2015
  • Build additions at Queensdale, Franklin Road, Pauline Johnson and Ridgemount schools to accommodate more students
  • Renovate George L. Armstrong school to create new full-day kindergarten class

View Staff recommendations on Central Mountain schools in a larger map
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Hamilton Daystarter: Everything you need to know Tuesday

It's another balmy spring day in Hamilton – at 7 a.m. it was –10 C, but felt more like –15 C with the wind chill. These frigid mornings aren't getting any easier, are they?

Oh, and how could we have forgotten — Happy New Year! March 25 is actually Old New Year's Day, which is still celebrated by people in Russia, Switzerland, Macedonia, Georgia, Belarus, and Serbia. Many of those places ignored the Gregorian calendar for hundreds of years after it was created in 1582 – choosing instead to recognize the Feast of the Annunciation as New Year's Day.

GO Transit isn't reporting any service delays on lines going to and from Hamilton this morning.

Lane restrictions are in effect on Charlton Avenue East, which the city says are needed for preventative maintenance on the underside of the Claremont Access.

The lane restrictions will be in effect between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. "Traffic flow will be maintained but there will be delays," the city says.

Here are the problems police are reporting this morning:

  • A vehicle collision on Barton Street East. 8:32 a.m.
  • A vehicle collision on Highway 52 in Ancaster. 8:27 a.m.
  • Traffic at Burlington Street East and Victoria Avenue North. 8:19 a.m.
  • A vehicle collision at Highway 5 and Hamilton Street North in Flamborough. 7:26 a.m.

Expect increasing cloudiness and a few flurries beginning late this morning.

The wind will become southwest at 30 km/h gusting to 50 this afternoon.

Thankfully, the temperature is set to crawl past freezing at 1 C.

That won't last long though – the forecast is calling for lows of –12 C overnight, with a few flurries, too.

Today's photo comes courtesy of Sound Cave Audio, from last night's Wild Night show at The Casbah.

The public still has a chance to reverse the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's plans to close 11 elementary schools in the area, says its chair.

There are four delegation nights coming in April and May, and trustees promise to hear people out, said Jessica Brennan, chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. Schools currently slated for closure could be saved and schools currently safe could be closed. Both have happened in the last two years based on public feedback.

And today at city hall, councillors will no doubt discuss the "cautionary letter" they received last week that the Pan Am soccer stadium's construction might not be finished by its June 30 deadline. Reporter Samantha Craggs will be reporting from the meeting. You can follow along with her on Twitter.

If clowns scare you, look away now.

No, seriously.

We warned you.

For those of you who are still with us: someone in New York City's Staten Island borough is roaming the streets at night in this terrifying clown costume and scaring the bejesus out of people. How terrifying? Well:

This guy is popping up all over Instagram. He's been spotted hanging out in front of that detour and lurking behind trees in New York.

Seriously though, imagine walking home alone and coming across Pennywise the clown's second cousin over here:


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HWDSB trustees debate closing 10 elemetary schools

Written By Unknown on Senin, 24 Maret 2014 | 22.46

Tens of millions of dollars along with the fate of more than a dozen Hamilton neighbourhoods are at stake as public school trustees begin debate Monday on a sweeping set of proposals to close schools in hopes of funding new replacements.

Monday's board meeting begins a two-month countdown to a major May 26 vote on a plan that  recommends the closure of a total of 10 elementary schools across the city and the replacement or expansion of several others.

Prepared by Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board staff, the documents lay next steps for the public board as it decides the fate of more than a dozen schools in Flamborough, east Hamilton and on the Mountain. Over the next two months, the board is schedule to conduct consultations with residents of these areas — as well as West Glanbrook, where another school is slated to close — about the proposals.

And despite Hamilton councillors' unanimous vote on Wednesday to ask the province to impose a temporary moratorium on school closures, public board trustees are set to vote at the end of May on which facilities will stay and which ones will go.

Facing dwindling enrolment and aging infrastructure at many of its schools, the board can save tens of millions of dollars if it consolidates its resources, the report suggests. 

The pressure to close schools, says HWDSB chair Jessica Brennan, stems from provincial policies that dictate how boards are allotted funding for capital projects.

"We are in a position that, where older buildings are crumbling, we are not about to receive money for renovations unless we fill up schools that are empty," she told CBC Hamilton on Sunday.

Brennan said the budget crunch has a negative impact on the learning experiences of children in smaller schools.

"In some cases, if the schools are too empty, they won't get a resource librarian or a second vice principal that other schools get."

'The school board is creating absolute chaos across the whole city of Hamilton with these school closures.'—Ward 15 Coun. Judi Partridge

On the other side, several city councillors, no doubt feeling the heat from Hamiltonians who are upset about schools that are already slated to shut their doors, have demanded that the board halt, or at least slow down, the so-called accommodation review process.

"The school board is creating absolute chaos across the whole city of Hamilton with these school closures," said Ward 15 Coun. Judi Partridge.

"It is shaking communities and specific neighbourhoods to their core."

The Flamborough councillor has been vocal about the possible the fate of Millgrove Public, one of the sites board staff say should close. The school is located in a rural village on Concession Road 5 near Highway Six that is already slated to lose its public library in the fall. 

If the decision to shutter the Millgrove school goes through, Partridge said, "it's just tearing the community apart."

Jessica Brennan

Public school board chair Jessica Brennan, centre, says the process has been tough on Hamilton residents as well as the trustees who will be making the decisions. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)

Brennan stressed that she has "no idea" what the board will decide to do. She said trustees will weigh the recommendations of accommodation review committees, which included trustees, parents and schools staff members from all of the affected communities, the staff reports and feedback from the community consultation sessions.

She also invited the public to suggest alternative ways to save money.

Brennan acknowledged that the process has been hard on Hamilton residents.

"Certainly it is an emotional circumstance for a lot of people, especially if students are currently in that school system or in the school community," she said.

"But it can difficult [for board members] sometimes because, as a trustee… you're looking at the entire system, not just the elementary schools or high schools in your own ward." 

Breakdown of staff recommendations

Board staff made its report in response to proposals authored by three accommodation review committees (ARC), which were tasked to make recommendations on future of schools in West Flamborough, on the Central Mountain and in East Hamilton. Each ARC was made up of community stakeholders — including a trustee, parents and school staff — from the area it was assigned to study.

Here's summary of board staff's recommendations on which schools should close and which ones should be replaced or expanded. It includes maps that show the schools that have been flagged for closure. Click on each one for more information.

West Flamborough:

  • Close Dr. John Seaton, Millgrove and Greensville schools in June 2016
  • Build a new 350-student school at the Beverly Community Centre or on the existing Beverly Central school site (pending funding from the province), or expand the existing Beverly Central facility
  • Build a new 525-student facility on the site of the current Spencer Valley school (pending funding from the province), or expand the existing building

View Staff recommendations on West Flamborough schools in a larger map

Financial impact: Closing the three schools and replacing two others, the staff report suggests, would save the board $22.6 million in capital and renewal costs over the next 10 years — provided the old properties are sold off and Ontario's Ministry of Education picks up the $16.8-million tab to erect the new schools. Even if the provincial money isn't forthcoming, the board can expect to save millions, especially when reduced operational costs are factored in.

East Hamilton:

  • Close Parkdale, Roxborough Park and Woodward schools in June 2015
  • Close Rosedale school in June 2016
  • Build a new 550-student school on the site of the existing Viscount Montgomery school (pending funding from the province)
  • In absence of new provincial money, build an addition onto Viscount Montgomery school and renovate Hillcrest and W.H. Ballard schools to accommodate more students

View Staff recommendations on East Hamilton schools in a larger map

Financial impact: If the old properties are sold off and the province kicks in funding for a new $10-million building at the Viscount Montgomery site, the board can expect savings in the ballpark of $27.7 million on capital and renewal costs, the report suggests. 

Central Mountain:

  • Close Eastmount Park, Linden Park and Cardinal Heights schools in June 2015
  • Build additions at Queensdale, Franklin Road, Pauline Johnson and Ridgemount schools to accommodate more students
  • Renovate George L. Armstrong school to create new full-day kindergarten class

View Staff recommendations on Central Mountain schools in a larger map

Financial impact: Closing three Mountain schools and selling off the properties would save the school board $17.9 million, staff estimate. The bulk of the savings would come from not having to renovate the schools that have been flagged for closure. Because this plan doesn't involve the building of any new schools, it doesn't rely upon a large infusion of Ministry of Education money for capital projects.


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