The federal government has fired the head of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, days after she publicly accused Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn of interfering with the independence of the arm's-length watchdog. The former head of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Linda Keen, says she will appear at a parliamentary committee about the reactor closure on Wednesday.(CBC)

Lunn and Keen have been at odds since the 50-year-old Chalk River nuclear reactor was shut down in November, prompting a worldwide shortage of medical isotopes.

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John called in from Iowa, where it's cold and wet, while David and Emily gathered in the warm and dry D.C. "studio." Emily hosted a discussion of the presidential campaign, the Mitchell report, and the CIA videotapes.

Spears, Ledger shouldn't be laughed at now

Celebrities spend their time on a pedestal for all to see, a spotlight shining on them so that all the public can study their every move beneath a microscope and criticize them. It's unfair for any human being to have to live with that level of attention on their shoulders, but that's the price paid in return for the fame and the fortune it pays them.With that attention can come a lot of jokes made at their expense. For the most part, I don't think that's a problem. If you can't take a joke or two, how did you even manage the process of working your way up the ladder to the position you're on?It's a tough world, and you have to have a tough skin.However, we should all know that there are limits to when jokes should be made and who they should target.A lot of jokes have been made about Britney Spears, and that's to be expected when someone attacks SUVs with umbrellas, shaves their head and loses a custody battle to Kevin Federline.However, with the news Thursday that Spears had been admitted into the hospital for a "mental evaluation hold," I would hope the jokes cease for a while.

LOCKPORT: Family opening a medical spa downtown

They're a doctor and a nurse, husband and wife and, now, business partners.Lockport physician Dr. Richard Junke and Suzanne Junke, a registered nurse with a lengthy career at Lockport Memorial Hospital, are opening Rejuvenere Medical Spa next month at Ulrich City Centre.The spa, in the works for over a year, is a family business anchored in reputation and roots."People trust Rich. I think we'll do well just because of that," Suzanne Junke said.Dr. Junke has practiced family medicine for 16 years. Suzanne is equally familiar in local health care, having worked at LMH for more than 25 years in the emergency room and the surgical recovery room.The Junkes both lived and worked in Lockport all their lives and say they're excited to be new-business pioneers in the "new" downtown, especially since two of their four daughters will be joining them.Suzanne will be the business administrator, daughter Maureen will be the receptionist and daughter Erin may take her first nursing job at Rejuvenere after she receives her degree."The family is coming together to work on this.

Product innovation continues to drive Croda’s business

MILL HALL — As Croda International grows, the head of their North American operations says product innovation will continue to be a key driver for their business. Kevin Gallagher, president of Croda, Inc., the division that oversees the company's Mill Hall manufacturing facility and other North American operations, spoke recently to members of the local plant's Community Advisory Council. Gallagher said the past year-and-a-half has been a time of change for the company with the acquisition of Uniqema, a firm based in the United Kingdom which manufactures products similar to Croda but which has strengths in different markets. “The acquisition of Uniqema has more than doubled the size of Croda International," said Gallagher. “And it has strengthened our position as a manufacturer of specialty chemicals for the cosmetics, toiletries, homecare, healthcare and pharmaceutical, plastics, food and industrial specialty markets.

August 2007 Archive

Expert stylists from the Lima area will be available to cut and style hair from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday during Square Fair 2007 during Continue » Jefferson slates schedule changeSports (127 words) Jefferson Athletic Director Dave Hoffman has announced that the football team's opener versus Columbus Harvest Prep has been moved to 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at Continue » Michael HaunhorstFor the Record (304 words) July 1, 1950-Aug. 1, 2007 Michael E. Haunhorst, 57, of Landeck died at 3:56 a.m. Wednesday at his residence. He was born July 1, 1950, in Lima, Continue » Lifeguard faces rigorous trainingLocal News (298 words, 1 response) DELPHOS — St. John's High School senior Katie Grothouse fills her summer at the swimming pool, but this 17-year-old's job is no picnic. Lifeguards at the Continue » Delphos Country Club ChampionshipSports (102 words) The Delphos Country Club held its Club Championship on July 28-29.

Guppy to Guillotin: The Namesakes of Words

Nora Frisbie (#3,799 in her own catalogue) was naturally biased in favor of her kinsfolk and proud of their energy, civic commitment and community spirit. "Frisbies have something unique," she wrote, not least among Americans their ability to trace a family line back to the early 17th century, and beyond that to England. She pointed out a high occurrence of twins in the family, noted that Frisbie characteristics include striking china-blue eyes, a streak of stubbornness, offbeat humor and a leaning toward civic duty, and reported that some 100 Frisbies had registered patents with the U.S. Patent Office.

Certainly Joseph P. (#3,793) fitted most of these elements of the family profile, and his inventions and determination helped boost output and sales of his pies. Under his leadership production rose from a couple of thousand pies to 200,000 a day in 1940, when he employed nearly 800 staff.