This means the Knights will be playing in the Memorial Cup three years in a row. 2012, 2013 and now 2014 (the host team always plays in the tournament).

Get out the golf clubs, boys: The Toronto Maple Leafs lose to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 in OT, 5-4.

Both playoff games were nail-biters.

SAT. MAY 11: In Burlington, Paul Saville drove in the winning run with a double to cap a three-run ninth inning rally, leading the Burlington Bandits to a thrilling 12-11 win over the London Majors, who are now 0-2 on the season.

The Bandits scored three runs with one out in the ninth to steal the win from the Majors (0-2) in their first game of the season. Burlington trailed 10-4 after four innings but stormed back much to the delight of their hometown crowd.

Saville drove in three runs and scored a run for the Bandits, while Jeff McLeod drove in three runs. Darryl Pui added a pair of RBI, while Kyle Morton added a solo homer for Burlington, which made five errors and won despite being out-hit 12-7.

Dr. Chris Mackie, Middlesex-London's new medical officer of health who's never studied the effects of water fluoridation, says leave it in because Health Canada bureaucrats say it's safe.

Who would an intelligent person believe?

One thing EVERYONE agrees on is that fluoride only works to help prevent dental caries via TOPICAL APPLICATION. Once people wrap their collective heads around this relatively elementary concept, the debate is pretty much over. Drinking fluoridated water is nuts. Instead, brush and spit. Problem solved. Use fluoridated toothpaste as directed: Brush and spit. Never drink it, even in low concentrations since it accumulates in bones, tissue and organs. Putting fluoride in our public drinking water is unnecessary, unsafe and unethical (no informed consent by those forced to drink it). Remove it.

Western Mustangs legend Jack Fairs (pictured left) was honoured by Ontario University Athletics on Thursday evening (May 9), receiving the John McManus Award at the OUA Honour Awards banquet in Gravenhurst, Ontario.

The McManus award honours an OUA coach with a minimum of seven years of experience that exemplifies the highest ideals and qualities of sportsmanship and service while engaged in coaching in university sport.

Fairs has served as a coach for a number of sports including football and basketball since joining the staff at Western in 1947 but he’s best known as the coach of the Mustangs men’s squash team.

Taking over as head coach for the 1962-63 season, Fairs has become one of the longest-serving coaches in Canadian university sport history and the 2012-13 season marked his 51st season with the team.

The Canada Revenue Agency revoked Trinity Global Support Foundation's (TGSF) charitable status, effective May 4, 2013, due to serious non-compliance and multiple irregularities in breach of the Income Tax Act. See that notice HERE.

Along with the first-prize ribbon, Betty wins 10 ice-cold cases of Labatt's 50 Ale; five steaming-hot buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken and a 2013 regular-season pass for five people to watch the Intercounty League's London Majors Baseball Club play at Labatt Park.

"I've never entered this particular contest before," says Betty. "I've always just entered my homemade pumpkin pies in the pie-baking contest. But Butch encouraged me to go for the gold in the beauty contest and after a few brews, I said 'what the hey' and decided to give it a whirl."

"I concentrate on Ward 4, not the media’s perception of [Fontana]. It’s been generally rumoured there’s a competition between the London and Toronto media as to who can topple their mayor first."

Who in their right mind would even attempt to make such an empty-headed argument? Oh, I forgot: Liberals Joe Fontana, Bud Polhill and Steve Orser.

Joe Fontana was elected mayor on October 25, 2010 and has been either chair of the charity's board of directors or a director ever since. Canada Revenue Agency revoked Trinity Global Support Foundation's charitable status effective May 4, 2013.

What Fontana does in his spare time has no effect on his ability to do his job, Polhill said.

"He works hard and is doing a great job on the things the taxpayers asked him to do. His personal life has nothing to do with me."

Game time is 2 pm and can be followed live on pointstreak.com HERE

FINAL: Toronto Maple Leafs 9, London Majors 4.

The public is invited to attend; No admission fee. Enter through Gate 4 (northwest corner of "The Bud").

The Tempo VI1 was constructed for Guy Lombardo's racing team in 1955 by Les Staudacher, a renowned speedboat builder from Michigan. It is 29 feet in length and was capable of a top speed of 185 mph. Built to compete in the Unlimited Class, it was powered by a 2400-HP-Allison-VI710 aircraft engine which weighs nearly 6000 Ibs.

Guy Lombardo was a bandleader by profession but his real passion in life was hydroplane racing. In recognition of Lombardo's outstanding hydroplane racing career, he was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2002.

These duties were formerly overseen by an Umpires Supervisory Committee (USC) ~ which is no more.

CHUMP CHANGE: Home-plate umpires only receive $90 per game plus mileage; base umpires receive $70 per game plus mileage. More information can be found HERE.

PRE-SEASON EXHIBITION GAME: London Majors Baseball Club host Michigan Jet Box @ Labatt Park; Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1pm. $5; $2 seniors/ kids 12 and under/ students.

FINAL: London Majors 8, Michigan Jet Box 0.

PRE-SEASON EXHIBITION GAME 2: London Majors Baseball Cub host Michigan Jet Box @ Labatt Park; Sun. Apr. 28 @ 1 pm. $5; $2 seniors/ kids 12 and under/ students.

FINAL: London Majors 5, Michigan Jet Box 1 (six innings only due to rain).

Once again, Ward 4 Coun. Steve Orser proudly demonstrates his ignorance and ongoing disdain for the electorate with his goofy reported comment (above), noting frivolous or vexatious complaints would not be investigated by an integrity commissioner.

The only grandstanding "frequent flyer" is ~ you guessed it ~ Steve Orser, who says (ad nauseam) he can have "din-din" with whomever he wants to discuss City business prior to meetings at city hall.

PRE-SEASON EXHIBITION GAME 2: London Majors Baseball Cub host Michigan Jet Box @ Labatt Park; Sun. Apr. 28 @ 1 pm. $5; $2 seniors/ kids 12 and under/ students.

As a native of London, Ontario, I am very dismayed to learn of the redevelopment of certain parts of the Blackfriars neighbourhood – specifically, the plans of one developer to build multi-bedroom duplexes on Albion Street, Wilson Avenue and Leslie Street [96 Albion Street, 108 Wilson Avenue and 12 Leslie Street].

I spent a great deal of time, growing up, in this area. My grandparents' home was there, my father was raised on Blackfriars Street; that home is still standing. They survived the flood that decimated the area, and came back. I still have both family and friends in the neighbourhood and always look forward to my visits there. I was there just three weeks ago with my dad and my son, James.

In fact, the positive effect of the surroundings inspired me to name my production company after it: Blackfriars Bridge Films. The historical nature of this community should not be undervalued. The area surrounding the forks of the Thames River was a critical part of the development of our country and it is concerning to hear that this legacy is not being protected against development that could potentially remove all aspects of heritage.

Trinity issued $25 million in receipts but only funded $2.2 million in charitable work. In that time the receipts deprived the federal government of $2.9 million.

Ward 9 Coun. Dale Henderson was the sole dissenting vote due to his complete lack of understanding of the issues ~ he didn't like the contract mistakenly thinking it would preclude other special events/ baseball at the park, even after City parks director Scott Stafford explained the situation to him.

Coun. Henderson would be well-advised to talk to City staff prior to committee and council meetings to gain an understanding of the issues of the day rather than waste everyone's time.

Labatt Park is used on a regular basis all summer long by scores of baseball teams from several leagues ~ including special baseball events such as last year's Canada Cup tournament ~ in addition to the London Majors of the Intercounty Baseball League.

IN OTHER NEWS: Dale Henderson raised eyebrows once again with his peculiar statement at council that Londoners should expect to learn of five (5) projects within three months that will inject $100 million of private money into London's sagging economy.

“I’m getting excited,” said Henderson, who wouldn’t offer details. “Stay tuned.” Henderson also thought his Dale-TV YouTube channel was going to change democracy as we now know it and take the Internet by storm.

Ms. MacNeil recorded 24 albums and sold millions over the course of her career.

MacNeil won the first of three Junos in 1987 at the age of 42 as most promising female vocalist.

She also won numerous East Coast Music Awards, Country Music Awards and a Gemini for her CBC variety show Rita & Friends that ran from 1994 to 1997. MacNeil was a Member of the Order of Canada and was also awarded the Order of Nova Scotia.

The annual Boston Marathon is the consummate media event with thousands of cameras in the area of the finish line.

CONFIRMED: Strangely, Boston police and other law-enforcement officials were conducting drills in the area with bomb-sniffing dogs immediately prior to the two bombings. See story HERE.

1. Pre-Crotchety (0-40); 2. Crotchety (40-55); 3. Ultra-Crotchety (55-65); 4. Super-Crotchety (65-75); 5. Who gives a Shit? (75 to Death).

Corollary to the above 11th Commandment: "Thou shall awaken in the bottom of the 7th inning to find out the score."

Fundraising is continuing for the project with $20K raised to date. Online tax-deductible donations are accepted HERE.

The Fugitive Slave Chapel Restoration Project group wants an archeological assessment of the 275 Thames Street site and possibly at adjoining Aboutown-owned properties at 281 and 277 Thames Street.

The London Advisory Committee on Heritage (LACH) is very supportive of the project, including seeking some City funds for an archeological assessment of the Thames Street site. Questions remain, however, whether designation should be pursued under the Ontario Heritage Act before the chapel relocation or after.

These matters go to the Planning and Environment Committee on April 23 and City Council thereafter. Everyone agrees this is a very unique and significant project never undertaken before in London's history and may take longer than first anticipated.

Councillor Henderson will host an inaugural meeting at the Dancing Greek Tavern/ Huron House, 1345 Huron Street, Thursday, April 11th at 4:30 pm to provide more information about the London Film Association and would like to invite the media, public and those interested in the film industry to attend.

Guest speaker and organizer Geoff Hart from Tapped Pictures will be presenting a short speech with respect to high-quality jobs in the film industry.

The most controversial item on London's civic works committee agenda for Mon. Apr. 8 at 4 pm is the proposed decommissioning of the inoperable Springbank Dam (pictured above) ~ the subject of a complex lawsuit that's been winding its way through the courts for the past five years with no end in sight.

"If the proposal to eliminate the dam is approved by council, we'd be removing the inoperable dam from the river using heavy equipment and likely dynamite," says London's managing director, environmental & engineering services & city engineer John Braaman.

"But it's far too early to say which way council wants to go on this one," says Braaman.

The costs of decommissioning the dam could be as high as $950,000, including an environmental assessment.

City solicitor Geoffrey Belch couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.

Council members and the public have been waiting for answers for years on this project, which was supposed to be completed in June of 2008.

The dam, rebuilt at a cost of $6.8-million, was scheduled to begin operating that spring (2008) but during tests, bolts on one gate broke and jammed the gate halfway open.

Further tests showed the bolts were free of defects, meaning the design or construction, or both, led to the gate breakdown. That's when the finger-pointing started and lawyers began circling on all sides like turkey buzzards.

The accused has retained the services of London defence lawyer Gord Cudmore who represented him seven years ago when he was convicted of manslaughter.

London, Ontario: the city of firsts.

2. Ward 4 Coun. Steve Orser surprised no-one tonight at council by making an outstanding motion requiring council members to get a "doctor's note" if they failed to attend a meeting. Unfortunately, Orser was politely told to sit down, grab a coffee and give his head a shake to clear his head.

3. Ward 14 Coun. Sensational Sandy White was absent from tonight's council meeting where she was scheduled to make another grovelling apology to council for using the "N-Word" a few weeks ago. Nobody appeared to miss Sensational Sandy except Ward 12 Coun. Harold Usher who was wearing a "Deeq Abdi for Council, Ward 14" pin.

Pat Maloney @PatatLFPress @sqedmonton yes. They say he resigned from the group Friday. But I interviewed him Sat'day. Anyway, whatever. That's the latest.

Pat Maloney @PatatLFPress
#ldnont multicultural group withdraws $25K funding request from city hall, distances itself from Deeq Abdi. (I'm not making this up either.)

"Dear Collegues [sic]
I want to apologize to everyone I offended this evening. I am sincerely sorry. I should not have said what I said under any circumstances and I especially want to apologize to my fellow council members and those who were in attendance at this evening's Council Meeting. There is no justification or excuse for my behaviour."

Also on am980 this morning, LFP reporter Pat Maloney, says he stands by the story and the quote.

POV: Not a smart comment to make at anytime, let alone when Mr. Abdi's seeking cash from city hall ($25K, an application repeatedly supported by Coun. Sandy White). He can likely kiss that funding application's success goodbye. Another embarrassing dust-up tied to a Fontana 8 member.

Notwithstanding the relatively low number of views on Dale TV, the question needs to be asked when it goes to London city council this Tuesday, Mar. 26 ~ before final approval is given for the Dale TV expenses.

Even though the number of views on his page is unlikely to generate much if any revenue, the question needs to be asked and clarified at council and a policy developed for the future.

Not to be missed.

Anyone interested in having an interpretive heritage tour of the park prior to the game (20 minutes in duration) should contact me at butchmclartyATyahoo.ca.

CIA Director John Brennan says he's "watched all the videos once and I fully expect they will break 75 per cent of our terrorists in captivity. Given a choice between spilling the beans and watching those videos, they'll talk. I know I would."

UNBRIDLED BUFFOONERY: By the looks of things, he and Ward 9 Coun. Dale Henderson are fighting it out for the prestigious distinction of the "Worst Council Member in London's History" on the "Worst Council Majority in London's History." Quite the legacy to celebrate.

Namely, AltLondon.org, Gina Barber's London Civic Watch and Phil McLeod"s Report.

All three are playing a key role in London's media coverage of issues of the day at London city hall.

Heritage activist Joe O'Neil says a plan is in the works to move the former fugitive slave chapel at 275 Thames Street in London ~ under threat of demolition by Aboutown Transportation Limited ~ to a vacant lot to the immediate east of Beth Emanuel Church (pictured left) at 430 Grey Street ~ a lot currently owned by the church.

O'Neil says he's had several conversations today (Mar. 18) with Jim Donnelly, president of Aboutown and that Donnelly seems agreeable to the plan ~ including donating a small parcel of land for a public cairn or historical marker at 275 Thames Street.

O'Neil also says the tentative plan also has the support of Pastor Delta McNeish (pictured right) at Beth Emanuel Church, who envisions the old slave chapel, once restored at the new site, as a much-needed combination community centre and Black history centre.