MOOOve Over

Police have rounded up a herd of cows that ran loose in Hamilton and blocked part of a southern Ontario highway this morning.
Ontario Provincial Police have reopened a stretch of Highway 403 between Hamilton and Brantford that was closed after motorists reported spotting the cows.
OPP Sgt. Dave Woodford says about 30 cows had escaped from a farmer's field and were running loose in Hamilton. Another six stumbled onto the highway.
Woodford says one cow charged at police officers and had to be put down.
Hamilton police say all of the cows have now been corralled.
No injuries have been reported.

US STEEL loses appeal

Federal Court of Appeal upholds earlier ruling that Ottawa can pursue company under Investment Canada Act, ruling that company violated promise to Ottawa when it bought Stelco in 2007.

The Old Power Restaurant temporarily closes its doors

The Old Powerhouse Restaurant has temporarily closed its doors.
“It’s closed in our eyes, but hopefully something in the future is happening with it,” said restaurant representative Kathy Campanaro, not wanting to comment further.
According to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the Old Powerhouse Restaurant’s liquor licence expired March 10, 2011. The commission has not received an application to renew the licence.
While Hamilton Police has no record of complaints regarding the restaurant, liquor was still being served at the Old Powerhouse Restaurant until March 25.

Shortly after that, the restaurant was closed and the Web site states “The Old Powerhouse is temporarily closed.
Thank you for your patience.” The building at 21 Jones St. has been a fixture in the community for more than 100 years.
It operated as a powerhouse from 1894 to 1899, providing electricity to the Hamilton, Grimsby and Beamsville Electric Railway.

Owned and used by Ontario Hydro as a storage facility, the building sat empty for decades.
In 1980, it was sold and reopened as a restaurant.
Stoney Creek BIA representatives say they are not sure what to make of the closure.
“All we can say is, it’s a beautiful building and we look forward to seeing it reopened,” said executive director Connie Behie. “It certainly is an integral part of Stoney Creek’s history, but other than that there’s really nothing much we can say not knowing any of the circumstances (surrounding its closure).

We don’t like to see any closures here… we don’t want to lose something as precious as the Old Powerhouse building.”


By LAURA LENNIE, NEWS STAFF, STONEY CREEK NEWS

Stoney Creek Community Food Bank moving to former Creek United Church

When the city purchased the land and church last year, Ward 10 Councillor Maria Pearson mentioned the potential expansion of Saltfleet Go-Ahead soccer fields and/or parking lots on the property, as well as an arena or pool.

The city purchased the church for $3.2 million, with $230,000 coming from the Stoney Creek Reserve and $1.1 million coming from the Taro Reserve.
City staff are in the process of discussions with various groups and the city plans to use the site for recreation and community programs.
Diane LaPointe-Kay, the city’s senior director of recreation said the land will be used for sports fields.
The Stoney Creek Community Food Bank will move by the end of June or early July, according to the city’s manager of Corporate Buildings and Technical Services.
But food bank chair Wilf Rogers is not happy about it.

Rom D’Angelo said there is no specific date for the move, but the food bank and Seniors Outreach Services will move into the former Creek Community Church on Highway 8 near Fruitland Road.
The city bought the church last spring and plans to use the 33,000-square-foot facility as a community centre and its 6.38 acres of land for future development.
Rogers says he is open to having discussions with anyone in the area who has an alternate location available.
The food bank has been in its current location, at the old firehall at 13 Lake Ave. S. for 19 years. Rogers fears the move out of the centre of town will make it more difficult for clients to access the service. He said many of his workers are seniors who live in the core and walk to work.

“We have exhausted every possible site. The firehall is in a dramatic state of disrepair and renovations are prohibitive in terms of cost. It is a safety risk and we are not willing to take that risk,” said Ward 9 councillor Brad Clark.
“The new location is on a bus route. The clientele will still be able to get there. I don’t have that concern. We have renovated it so that there is a private entry at the back of the church. This is all at no cost. I don’t know what else I can do.”

Renovations were also done to add a loading dock for the food bank, which serves about 600 people a month.
D’Angelo said the firehall will either be demolished or declared surplus.

Story By:   
By ABIGAIL CUKIER, NEWS STAFF, STONEY CREEK NEWS 

Hamilton Bulldogs come up short in comeback attempt

The Hamilton Bulldogs have come short in their historic attempt to come back from a 3-0 deficit in the AHL Western Final. The Houston Aeros defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-3 in the 7th and deciding game tonight in Houston. The Aeros go on to face Eastern Conference Champions the Binghamton Senators in the Calder Cup.

Hamilton city wokers want "fair contract for all city staff"

City of Hamilton workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), delivered an 84 per cent strike mandate this evening, to support efforts to achieve a fair contract for nearly 3,000 front-line municipal employees.
"Our members have spoken and we are sending a strong message to management that we want a fair contract," said Derron Vernon, president of CUPE 5167. "It is time for management to negotiate equitably, with a goal to achieve a contract that respects all municipal workers."
Vernon was referring to an inferior contract proposal, offered to CUPE 5167 members, that is vastly different from a recent settlement achieved by the city with other municipal employees, as recently as January of this year.
"We are proud of our work, and like other municipal staff, we work hard for the residents of our community," continued Vernon. "We work for the same employer, serving the same residents, and we should not be treated any differently."

In addition to the unfair proposal, management sent details of the offer directly to members of Local 5167, breaking the conventional rules of engagement with union members. "Our members are not happy that management went behind the backs of their union representatives," stressed Vernon. "High voter turnout and a strong strike mandate send a clear message to management to stop playing games and negotiate a fair deal, so we can go back to focusing on providing vital services to Hamiltonians."

To help reach a fair and equitable settlement, CUPE 5167 proposed ways to contract in services to reduce costs, improve service and increase productivity. "We have been open and upfront with management, making suggestions that would save money, while boosting morale and increasing productivity," said Vernon. "It is now up to management to come back and negotiate a deal that is fair to all." Conciliation talks resume on Tuesday, May 24. The workers' last contract expired on December 31, 2010.

Midwives in Hamilton to deliver change

Midwives are urging all political parties to support the development of birth centres in Ontario. Birth centres, and other changes needed to better support maternal-newborn health, are the focus of this year's 27^th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Association of Ontario Midwives (AOM).
"Birth centres provide a safe, supportive environment where women can access prenatal, labour, birth and post-partum care," said Katrina Kilroy, RM, president of the AOM. "We believe they can improve maternal-newborn care while cutting health care costs."
Birth centres are well established in the US, UK, Australia and Quebec. Ontario midwives currently attend births in both home and hospital, but there is increasing demand from women and families for another out-of-hospital birth option. Birth centres help divert healthy women and newborns from hospital, which in turn lowers costly intervention rates such as c-sections. They provide for community-based care in a family-oriented environment.

More than 100 midwives will gather May 17 - 19 in Hamilton to discuss both the campaign and the latest research in maternity care. They will be joined by midwives from Manitoba and Quebec who will discuss how birth centres function in those provinces. Penny Simkin, a widely renowned American childbirth educator, will provide a full day of clinical workshops. Madeleine Boscoe, RN, will present a keynote address on advocacy in maternal and newborn care. Bridget Lynch, RM, president of the International Confederation of Midwives and a Toronto midwife, will provide the closing keynote address.

There are over 500 Registered Midwives in Ontario, serving communities in 85 clinics across the province. Midwives have privileges at most Ontario hospitals. They have been provincially funded and regulated since 1994.
A midwife is a registered health care professional who provides primary care to women with low-risk pregnancies. Midwives provide care throughout pregnancy, labour and birth and provide care to both mother and baby during the first six weeks following the birth. The Association of Ontario Midwives is the professional organization representing midwives and the profession of midwifery in Ontario.