The Harper government is stepping up its battle against organized crime.
New measures feature placing more offences---including those involving drugs, prostitution, and gambling---in the "serious" crimes category.
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says such a designation will permit prosecutors to use tougher measures---such as wiretaps, collecting the proceeds of crime, and longer parole provisions---against organized criminals.
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Cellphone Charges Drop
The O-P-P are being cautious about how to react to what have been---at least in the initial glance---encouraging statistics on the cellphone us front.
Fewer motorists were caught using hand-held cellphones in June when compared to May numbers.
But, Constable Dave Woodford says they want to first see if the June stats were a fluke, or part of a trend which indicates drivers are getting the message about not using the distractive devices while behind the wheel.
Woodford says 496 motorists were charged in June on O-P-P patrolled roadways under the province's Distracted Driving Law---whereas 778 charges were laid during the previous month.
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Something's Fishy In Niagara
The province has launched a probe into misuse of its Online Diver's Licence Address Change Service.
Government officials say a possible case of identity theft has been detected in the Niagara Region.
Until more is known about the situation, the service---which lets residents of this province alter addresses for driver's licences, health cards, and outdoors cards---has been shut down.
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Gas Plant Lobby Continues
Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer says she, and the mayors of Mississauga and Oakville continue to lobby any M-P-P they can find to support locating a 1.2-billion dollar natural gas-fired generating facility at Nanticoke.
Trainer says Haldimand is also getting support from Brantford, Brant County, and Norfolk, along with the aboriginal communities of the Six Nations and the New Credit.
Oakville and Mississauga don't want the province to let Trans-Canada Pipelines build the plant near the Ford Motors facility, as initially proposed.
Meantime, Trainer says the province must make a decision soon because the January-2015 closure date for Nanticoke's coal-fired generating station isn't far away.
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House Sales Up On One Hand---Down On The Other
There are mixed results in the latest monthly sales report from the Brantford Regional Real Estate Association.
While the 172 home resales last month were down 17-percent from the July total from last year, 1,317 transaction have taken place so far this year, which is up 15-percent from the same seven month period of last year.
Dan Marchuk---president of the local real estate association---isn't concerned when you consider July of last year was almost a record for that month, thanks to the local rebound from the recession.
And, while he feels it's still too early to say how the imposition of the Harmonized Sales Tax has impacted on sales, he's expecting to see the traditional pick-up in the fall.
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Internetting Provincial Parks
Provincial parks are moving to answer the call of campers who need to remain connected even while they're getting away from it all.
They're experimenting with wireless internet service at Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron, and if it proves successful, the cyber offering will be extended to other parks.
At Pinery, the wireless zone is restricted to a terrace outside the store located in the middle of the park, and does not service campsites.
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Brant Wants High-Speed
Brant County is playing catch-up on the cyber front---at least that's the plan.
County council has agreed to file a grant application with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs to help finance the expansion of high-speed internet across the municipality.
Council has been told by staff that through the province's Rural Connections Broadband Program, the county could qualify for over a half-million dollars in funding if the municipality kicks-in around 330-thousand dollars.
Should the province give the green-light, the high-speed infrastructure could be operational in less than two years from now.
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What's Up For Telephone Service?
This country's broadcast regulator wants to determine exactly what basic telephone service should mean in the digital age
As it now stands, it means a phone line, access to a directory and emergency services, long distance, voice mail, and a telephone book.
But, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission is condering the addition of high-speed internet access to the package, and also trying to determine if cell phones and wireless internet can replace traditional telephone and cable lines.
The C-R-T-C has launched an online consultation, and will begin public hearings in the fall.
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Downtown Brantford Demolition Leaving A "Beautiful View"
Slope stabilization is about to begin at the south side of Colborne Street demolition zone in downtown Brantford.
Tony D'Angelo---of Aim Waste Management in Stoney Creek---says that part of the project should begin this week at the extreme west end, where his crew started tearing down forty-one old buildings.
D'Angelo says so far, they've demolished about twenty-five structures, which is well past the half-way mark, and they were also ahead of schedule in opening the walkway to the parking garage.
Meantime, D'Angelo is very impressed with the results of the project to date, saying the folks living on the north side of Colborne "now have a beautiful view".
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Hospital Warnings
The Opposition at Queen's Park is warning the McGuinty government that more hospitals will sink into red ink if the Liberals don't move to save health care services.
While Brantford General continues in the black, statistics indicate that thirty-eight percent of this province's hospitals were in deficit last spring.
Health Minister Deb Matthews expects the picture to improve next year, but New Democrat leader Andrea Horwath thinks shortfalls will get worse, and Tory leader Tim Hudak says the government should be moving increased numbers of patients out of hospital settings by investing more in nursing homes, and community services.
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Jobless Down
A big turnaround for the unemployment rate in the Brantford area.
Last month, it dropped an entire point to 10.8-percent from May's 11.8-percent.
Nationally, the jobless rate dipped to 7.9-percent from 8.1-percent in May as more than 93-thousand jobs were created.
The monthly Statistics Canada report is so surprisingly positive, analysts are wondering if it's accurate---it has also led to speculation that it will prompt the Bank of Canada to boost its key lending rate this month.
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June Building
The overall value of approved development in the city of Brantford has caught and surpassed totals from a year ago.
At the half year mark, the total of all approved projects neared $66-million, up from 59-million recorded through June of last year.
The city's building department director, Doug Clark, says a couple of major institutional developments approved last month---another Laurier-Brantford project downtown, and the city's water treatment plant upgrade---helped boost this year's numbers.
But, Clark says he remains most impressed with this year's single family home permits issued for 104 units and almost 14-million dollars development, compared to only 42-units and just over five-million dollars' worth of development, a year ago.
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FM 92.1 Sports
C-F-L.....Hamilton's Arland Bruce caught eleven passes for 197 yards and one touchdown to spur the Tiger Cats to a 29-22 come-from-behind win over the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.....and......the British Columbia Lions were 27-22 losers to the visiting Calgary Stampeders.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.....Toronto cracked eight home runs---including two by both Aaron Hill and J-P Arencibia, in addition to Jose Bautista's major league leading 34th of the season---as the Blue Jays won a 17-11 slugfest over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays......the New York Yankees downed the Boston Red Sox, 5-2.....the Baltimore Orioles were doubled 4-2 by the Chicago White Sox....and.....the Detroit Tigers were clobbered 10-1 by the Los Angeles Angels.
MAJOR INTERCOUNTY PLAYOFFS......The London Majors were outscored 10-9 by the Barrie Baycats, who now have a strangle-hold three-games-to-none lead in their semi-final.......Meantime, the Brantford Red Sox hope to take a three-games-to-none lead in their semi as they host the Guelph Royals at 8:00 tonight. Weather permitting.
SENIOR "A" LACROSSE PLAYOFFS.....The Six Nations Arrows shaded the visiting Brampton Excelsiors 3-2 to take a two-games-to-none lead in their best-of-seven semi-final.
JUNIOR "A" LACROSSE PLAYOFFS.....The Six Nations Arrows will be looking to avoid elimination as they host Orangeville at 7:00 tonight. The Northmen lead the championship final, three-games-to-none.
JUNIOR "B" LACROSSE PLAYOFFS.....The Elora Mohawks are home to Halton Hills at 7:00 tonight. The Bulldogs won the opening game of the best-of-five championship final.
MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE.....Defending champions, the Toronto Nationals ended their disappointing season with a 13-7 loss to the Long Island Lizards who move on to championship weekend.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER......Toronto F-C Reds nipped Chivas U-S-A 2-1 at B-MO Field.
CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE.....Weather permitting, the Brantford Galaxy visit the Brampton Lions at 3:00 this afternoon......London City plays the Astros in North York at 3:45.....and......Milltown F-C will be on the road to take on the York Region Shooters at 6:00.
