robbie burke

 

Some City Council members want their secretary back. The council secretary, Susan Riddle, and four other city employees were let go as a cost-saving measure, Mayor Jeffrey Lamarand said. Other positions that were terminated were those of Laurie Trueblood, director of administration; Jacques Desrosiers, director of operations and development services; Joseph Nardone, executive director of building and economic development; and Phil Ulin, maintenance foreman for community development/housing.  

X Factor judge Cheryl Cole will be trying her hand at presenting, after she landed her own primetime ITV show. The Sun reports that Cheryl will be paid £100,000 for the one off show, which will feature her performing with Black Eyed Peas star Will.i.am. Rihanna and last year's X Factor winner Alexandra Burke are also set to appear on Cheryl Cole's Night In, which will air on Saturday December 19.  

Barnsley grabbed a last-gasp victory over Cardiff City as Carl Dickinson struck in injury time. The on-loan defender stepped up to drive a free-kick into the net from 25-yards to win it for Mark Robins' men. The Tykes had fashioned several decent opportunities throughout the game but looked to have been left frustrated until Dickinson's late intervention.  

USF will go without top receiver Carlton MItchell for today's home game against Louisville, as the junior isn't dressed out in pregame warmups and will miss a second game due to a high ankle sprain he suffered in USF's win against West Virginia three weeks ago. Not too many other notables among those not dressed -- defensive tackle Leslie Stirrups, who has played sparingly, is not, and that's telling because just about anybody can dress for a home game -- lots of walk-ons dressed today. So either Stirru  

It transforms itself into the Goodfellows and then asks the community for help. "Based upon the requests for assistance coming in from the schools and the township, we need to supply 230 baskets at Christmas this year to families and to seniors," said Linda Burke, co-chairwoman of the Goodfellows. "The need has risen steadily over the past three years, and this year we estimate that requests for baskets will be 10 percent higher than last year."

Based upon the requests for assistance coming in from the schools and the township, we need to supply 230 baskets at Christmas this year to families and to seniors   -Linda Burke

 

Nazem Kadri had a visitor at the John Labatt Centre last night. Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke dropped by for a look. He's keeping a close eye on the London Knights forward and his first rounder.

I was told he was outstanding   -Brian Burke

 

Alexandra Burke thinks X Factor twins Jedward are funny, but she's hoping someone else will win. The 'Bad Boys' singer won the contest herself last year, and recently performed her hit single live on the show. During her time in rehearsals, Alex chatted with the wannabe pop stars, and revealed who she liked the most.

They are very sweet guys. I met all the finalists but they were the nicest ones.   -Alexandra Burke

 

I f most fans had their way, Brian Burke would be busy this weekend firing Ron Wilson, trading Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, Luke Schenn and just about any other prospect the Toronto Maple Leafs have, and presto, they would no longer be the worst team in the NHL. Your agent was cooped up at home for the last couple of days and discovered that an extended period of listening to talk radio during one of the periodic crises that afflict the Leafs, can make a person almost as crazy as your average Leaf fan. The  

A year ago, Taylor Hall was the odds-on favourite to be the drst pick overall in the 2010 NHL entry draft. Long before John Tavares became the drst pick of the 2009 draft, those in the business had tabbed him as the No. 1 choice, and though Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene made it interesting, the New York Islanders were never going to stray from taking Tavares. Hall could get bumped by Tyler Seguin next June, but both are considered to be franchise players, the kind that teams can build around.

It was good for me because I needed to break out of that slump   -Jason Arnott