Canada's Ivanie Blondin claimed silver in the women's mass start for her third medal at the 2025 world single distances championships in Hamar, Norway.

Just Ask Bob, available on Cable 14, is all about teaching and advocacy. Host Bob Assadourian brings his extensive experience to every episode of this half hour series. Bob believes in homeowner rights and teaches how to find the right contractor for residents to keep them from getting ripped off.

Bob Assadourian answers homeowners and provides valuable household tips in his show, on his website and now, in the Bay Observer. Following is an example.

Q We are hearing a very annoying knocking sound within our bathroom walls. The sound is noticeable right after a toilet is flushed or when the tub or sink faucets are turned on. We have been told this is called “water hammer” and is caused by our pipes banging against the wall. I guess this cannot be fixed unless the wall is opened up?  Is this serious Bob or just an annoying sound to deal with?

A Before we dive into this, let’s strip back the drywall, vapour barrier, insulation and x-ray this wall to bring you right inside of it.

The copper pipes in this picture will never cause any banging noises (water hammer) because the installer was careful and conscientious enough to attach them with four clamps to solid wood blocking/bracing. We can guarantee you that this was done by an independent professional contractor and not by a home builder.

All copper pipes (or any pipes) should be securely fastened to the wood framing inside your home’s walls. If not, they will bang or rattle against the wood framing. Why you ask? When you open a faucet, the water pressure rises quickly and this change in force causes the pipe to move. With copper piping and possibly plastic piping, over time this movement can potentially cause a water leak at the joints or connections. Unfortunately, the drywall must be removed in order to correctly fasten the piping… and yes, we recommend that you do that.

Thursday was a productive day for Hamilton Police Major Drugs and Gangs Unit, B.E.A.R. (Break & Enter, Auto Theft, Robbery) Unit and OPP R.O.P.E. (Repeat, Offender, Parole, Enforcement) Unit who teamed up on two investigations. Armed with search warrants they came away with a large stash of drugs, guns and eight suspects as they  went into a residence on Shelby Ave and another on James Street N.

As investigators searched the residences, the following items were located:

A loaded CZ Shadow 9mm handgun

A loaded Mark IV Ruger .22 calibre handgun

A loaded Tauras G2C firearm with prohibited magazine

5 magazines loaded with .22 calibre bullets

648 grams of methamphetamine

120 grams of cocaine

516 grams of blue, red and yellow fentanyl

50 grams of fentanyl

40 hydromorphone pills

30 oxycocet pills

Two stolen automobiles

$1,600.00 in counterfeit currency

Following the entry to the residences by warrant, eight people were located and arrested for a slew of criminal charges.

Michael Casey, 40 years-old from Hamilton

Bradley Mark, 43 years-old from Hamilton

Shannon Batchelor, 39 years-old from Hamilton

Julian Jesso, 28 years-old from Hamilton

Jacob Boyd, 23 years-old from Stoney Creek

Brandon Froese, 28 years-old from Hamilton

Gemma Rogers, 21 years-old from Hamilton

Maiya Pardy, 24 years-old from Hamilton

Anyone with  any information that could assist police with the investigation into these crimes, are asked to  contact Detective Sergeant Michelle Wiley of the Major Drugs and Gangs Unit at 905-546-3887 or [email protected]

To provide information anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit anonymous tips online at www.crimestoppershamilton.com

The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is seeking the public’s assistance to identify a male suspect involved in a sexual assault in Oakville.

On March 14, 2025, at approximately 12:10 a.m., a woman was walking on Sovereign Street, just west of Jones Street, when she was approached by a man who initiated a conversation with her. The male subsequently sexually assaulted her. The female defended herself, causing the suspect to flee on foot eastbound on Sovereign Street.

The female did not sustain any physical injuries.

The suspect is described as:

Male, white, approximately 50 to 60 years old, 5’3” to 5’4” tall, small thin build, sunken face and a wiry beard. Eyes described as small and set close together. Wearing a dark coloured toque and a long sleeve shirt.

The HRPS is requesting area residents to remain vigilant as this incident is investigated and to immediately report any suspicious activities or persons to police.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation, including any security or dash cam video from the area between the hours of 12:00 am and 12:30 am, is asked to contact investigators with the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit at 905-825-4777, Ext 8970.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

The Ottawa Police Service homicide unit has arrested a man in connection to the death of a person Friday evening in Barrhaven.

One person died after a train collided with a car in Oxford County, provincial police said Friday evening.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Toronto and surrounding areas on Sunday, warning of strong winds and rain. It said wind gusts between 60 to 80 km/h are possible, with total rainfall amounts of 10 to 20 millimetres.

Vehicles powered by electricity may soon no longer be limited to the ground, with research in Canada progressing into the testing of e-planes. A University of Waterloo researcher and associate professor, for instance, is working to bring e-planes to the local skies in what could be the future of regional flight.

St. Patrick's Day lands on Monday, March 17th, but celebrations for all things Irish are happening all weekend long. Here's everything you need to know, from events you and the whole family can attend to route closures you should factor into any travel you have planned.

The decision by Fanshawe's student union to close the college's longtime student newspaper and move its funding to other priorities is being condemned by the head of a national journalism advocacy group.

Kassim "Kay" Abdulraheem cut his first head of hair at 14. He's one of more than 60 stylists and barbers coming together Saturday to offer free styling and cuts to racialized youth in Hamilton.

It’s been more than a decade since Nashom Berhane died after a stabbing in Toronto's east end, and since then his sister, Arsema, vowed his death wouldn't become another statistic.

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, its effects live on and continue to have an impact on the health of Canadians. Here's a look back at some of them, including the effectiveness of emergency measures, long-term care deaths, the increasing distrust in public health, mRNA vaccine development and how we're preparing for the next pandemic.

A woman who ran an unregistered cat shelter from her Barrhaven home says she's in shock after losing more than a dozen animals in a fire earlier this week.

Veterinary tranquilizers are being found in a large amount of downtown Toronto's fentanyl supply, according to a drug testing service.

Watch this U Sports men's basketball semifinal between the University of Victoria Vikes and the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees from the University of British Columbia's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver.

Radiohead has unearthed rare footage of a 1995 solo performance by its lead singer Thom Yorke in Toronto to mark three decades since the release of its beloved sophomore album The Bends — and yes, it's giving us all the feels. 

Toronto Comicon kicked off Friday for three days dedicated to sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming, with this year's event featuring celebrity guests from shows like Supernatural and The Boys. We headed to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to chat with fans about what draws them to the event.

Hamilton Police are looking for more suspects surrounding a home invasion that took place early this morning and are asking anyone with information to report it to investigators.

Police say that early this morning suspects showed up at a residence on Airport Road and forced their way into the home. The homeowner managed to call police police and sustained minor injuries during an interaction with the suspects. At that point the assailants fled the property. Officers flooded the area and located a 20-year-old male from Ajax nearby.

Andre White, 20 years-old from Ajax is charged with Break and enter and robbery.

Police continued to hold the scene and road closure through the morning as investigators sought to search the area during daylight time. Once daylight occurred, Hamilton Police K-9 and the Forensic Unit were deployed  combing the area with the result of discovery of a firearm.

Investigators are asking for the public’s assistance and are asking drivers in the area at the time of the incident to check their dash cameras as well as homeowners to review any camera footage that they may have during that time. Division 30 CID Detectives continue to investigate the home invasion and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Paul Corrigan at 905-546-3851 or [email protected]

For those who wish to provide information anonymously, they can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit anonymous tips online at Crime Stoppers Hamilton’s Website.

In response to an Ontario-wide measles outbreak, with many cases near Brantford, Grand Erie, Hamilton and other public health units have expanded vaccinations to include infants as young as six months. 

An Ontario senior who was denied the chance to vote received an apology from the province's chief electoral officer this week, and was told the situation will be looked into.