Search is on for man that fell in thames river

Police and firefighters are combing the Thames River near downtown looking for a man who fell into the frigid, fast flowing water.
One witness who asked not to be identified said the was on the riverbank near the Labatt plant at about 4 p.m..
Police said the victim is about 30 and is a resident of London. He was drinking with friends at the time near the river's edge.
The search is focused between Richmond St. and Wharncliffe Rd.

Layton rally in London small but passionate

NDP Leader Jack Layton rallied a small but passionate group of about 300 long-time supporters in London Monday.
Layton’s visit to London marked the third party leader to visit the area in a matter of four days. His election campaign landed at the Four Points Sheraton just one night after Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited the same location.
“London needs a team in Ottawa that you can trust because you can’t trust Stephen Harper,” Layton told the crowd.

Fraud case re-opened

The owner of a London demolition company has stepped forward claiming he was approached by the owner of the historic Brunswick Hotel 'to knock down a wall' weeks before it was damaged beyond repair for historic designation.
Richard Carp, owner of Ace Wrecking told the investigating officer in the fraud case against Victor Ramos, 43, that he was asked by owner Dan Dencev in either August or September 2008.
 The Superior Court of Justice  allowed Ramos to re-open his fraud trial.

Harper Stalin like with ejections from Tory rally

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered an apology Monday to a local teen who claims she was turfed from Harper’s London rally over her Facebook picture with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.
Mounting criticisms of Conservative campaign restrictions flared up over incidents at the rally involving Awish Aslam and another Londoner, Ali Aref Hamadi.
Hamadi said he was asked to leave the rally at the Four Points Sheraton by an organizer because of an NDP bumper sticker on his vehicle.

London real estate stays consistent

The London area real estate market showed some signs of improvement last month after a chilly winter.
The London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) said 647 detached homes and 162 condos sold last month for a total of 809.
That's still down 5.8% from the same month last year but is an improvement over the last three months when sales were down 9-13% LSTAR president Jack Lane called the March numbers "solid."

Pedestrian struck by car, faces charges

A pedestrian faces charges after being stuck by a car, then spitting on the driver.
Huron OPP say the man was walking in the west alley in Exeter when he was struck by a vehicle. There was "significant damage" to the windshield of the car, police said.
The pedestrian suffered upper body injuries.
The pedestrian started yelling at the driver, then spit in her face. The two knew each other, police say.
The pedestrian has been charged with mischief, assault and breaching probation.

London ERs full

Patients in the London area are being told to think twice about whether their problem really merits an ER visit.
The LHSC emergency departments are "extraordinarily busy", with both University and Victoria hospitals experiencing high patient loads.
"Our first priority is the health and well-being of our patients and we will continue to maintain high quality patient care under these circumstances," the LHSC said in a release.
"It is also our priority that the most critically ill."

London being short-changed

 London is being short-changed by a regional federal grant program aimed at helping cities hit-hard by the recession, city political and business officials charge.
The $1-billion Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) has funneled more money to the Kitchener-Waterloo area, home to the minister in charge of the agency.
London has received the least amount of money of major cities in Southwestern Ontario, with KW getting $18.3 million, Windsor $16.7  million and London $13.4 million, so far.

Fontana pushes growth

Joe Fontana's ability to push forward his growth-focused agenda faced a key early test at city hall Monday night, and he passed.
With an eye to doubling London's annual growth -- which would grease the rails for his promised four-year tax freeze -- Fontana's contentious bid to spend $300,000 studying extending Veterans Memorial Parkway beyond Hwy. 401 passed 8-5.
The extension would take the parkway beyond the 401 and outside the city's growth boundary, a city-imposed limit Fontana appears willing to breach.