Faced with a budget crunch, city council is scrutinizing a proposed $115,000 fee for an idling enforcement officer. Staff describes the cost as "unaffordable" in the agenda for next Tuesday's economic development and planning committee meeting.

Without a way to enforce the idling regulations, the bylaw could dissolve, said Councillor Brian McHattie.

"Council could ultimately decide to rescind the bylaw," McHattie said. "Council is legally required to enforce every bylaw that it passes. It can't just pass a bylaw and have it sit there."

Meanwhile, Auditions for season six of Canadian Idol start on Jan. 26 -- and the newest stop on the show's cross-country search for singers is the city of Hamilton.

This means -- for the first time -- aspiring Hamiltonian singers will no longer have to make the trek to Toronto to try out for the popular reality show. The announcement was made last night on CTV's eTalk. Source...