The news on Nail Yakupov is good.  The Sting star does NOT require surgery on his injured knee and could back in the line up in 3 or 4 weeks.  His agent Igor Larionov tweeted the news this afternoon (Mon) and it’s been confirmed by Sting Head Coach Jacques Beaulieu.

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Beaulieu calls it a “bruised ligament.”  Yakupov injured his knee in overtime in the gold medal game between Russia and Sweden at the World Jr Hockey Championship.

Thousands of dollars worth of stolen property has been recovered after a traffic stop.  Sarnia Police stopped a truck around 10am Sunday at London Line near Blackwell Sideroad.  Officers determined the truck had been stolen from Watford.  Police says other stolen items recovered from the vehicle and driver included a cell phone, gift cards,  jewellery, and a circular saw taken from Pinery Provincial Park, Middlesex County and the Lucan area.  Constable Heather Emmons says a 22 year old Sarnia man is facing a long list of charges.

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OPP are assisting with the investigation.

Significant changes are in the works at the Sarnia Bay Marina restaurant.  Tammy and Brian Vickery, the owners of Alternate Grounds Cafe on Front St, are leasing the facility for 5 years and are in the midst of major renovations.  Marina Manager Dave Brown says they’re taking over from Selina’s… work includes changing the colour scheme and decor and adding an outdoor deck.

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Brown says renovations will cost 50 thousand dollars with a target opening date of April 1st.

A motion to dismiss an appeal on a four-turbine wind farm in Brooke-Alvinston is now in the hands of the Vice Chair of a provincial Environmental Review Tribunal.  Lawyer Eric Gillespie is representing the appellants — the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group.

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Gillespie says all three parties are in the process of disclosing evidence to be used in the hearing.  If it goes ahead, the approximate two week hearing would begin February 21st, with most sessions taking place at the Brooke-Alvinston Municipal Office.

    “Pessimistically-optimistic”.  That’s how Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley views the yearend report on building activity in the community and looking ahead.

      With a lack of “major” projects Sarnia’s 2011 building statistics barely topped the 68 million dollar mark.  That’s down sharply from the previous year’s 90.5 million.

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There were just two single family starts in December..99 on the year.     The Mayor hopes some of the many projects they’ve been working on at The Economic Partnership and the Research Park will help spur a reversal in 2012.

Five of the eight NDP national leadership candidates will visit Sarnia this Saturday.        Sarnia-Lambton Riding spokesperson Brian White says Nathan Cullen,  Paul Dewar,  Peggy Nash,  Romeo Saganash and Brian Topp will take part in a two hour discussion.

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   The January 14th event, at the Lochiel Kiwanis Community Centre, starts at 1pm.    Tickets are $10 and are available in advance by contacting NDP Riding Association President Joe Hill. (519-542-2344)  The event will be followed by the NDP’s Sarnia-Lambton riding Annual General Meeting.

     It’ll be Huron Country Playhouse Grand Bend’s biggest and most ambitious season in the company’s 22 year history.  Drayton Entertainment ‘s  2012 Playbill sets a new standard.     Artistic Director Alex Mustakas says the season kicks of with the classic Wizard of Oz running June 4th to the 23rd.

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The season wraps up with “Annie”.

      At Playhouse-Two this season……”Murder at Oakwood Resort”, “Harvey”, “Perfect Wedding”, “The Melville Boys” ending the season with a musical tribute…”Johnny and June”.

Chatham-Kent Police have released the name of the man who fell off a ladder at a home on New Scotland Line on Friday.

Blenheim resident Wayne Fleury was repairing eaves troughs on a shed when he fell.

Fleury was rushed to hospital and later passed away.

The 50-year-old father of two was a volunteer fire fighter serving in both Merlin and Blenheim over the last decade.

Story By Trevor Thompson, Blackburn Radio Chatham

 There were eight impaired driving charges during Lambton OPP’s annual Festive Ride campaign.  The month-long initiative concluded on January 1st.

     Numbers are up from four charges last year, but lower than the ten impaired drivers nabbed in 2009.

    77 impaired drivers were charged in Lambton in all of last year continuing a trend down from 98 in 2010 and 143 in 09.

   The OPP thinks that reflects a collective effort with the Media, MADD, Lambton Safe Roads and other Community Organizations.

In Sarnia,  city police charged two drivers with impaired last month.

So far so good!

“Friends of the St Clair River” is leading in online votes in a Shell Canada contest called “Fueling Change” to help out environmental projects.

Spokesperson Darrell Randell says the top two projects in the category will be awarded 100 thousand dollar grants.

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Randell says its important to keep the momentum going… because the contest goes until April 30th.

Votes can be cast for their project called “Remediating the StClair River Area of Concern” at www.fuellingchange.com