Drug Charges In Longlac

OPP are charging two Longlac men with trafficking drugs.  The charges stem from an investigation after a parent called OPP about her suspicions her child might be doing drugs.  A 33 and 23 year old are charged in connection to the incident.

Ornge Helicopter's Back In Service

Thunder Bay and Kenora's Ornge Air helicopters are back in service.  On Friday, the organization temporarily took its five helicopters offline.  The move follows a fatal accident involving an Ornge air ambulance helicopter in Moosonee.

Shaw Employee Honoured

A Dryden Shaw employee is being honoured by the Fire Safety Council.  Dryden has had difficulty educating people on fire safety in the past, but Tommy Johnson has used his position to help get the message across to residents.  The ceremony will take place on the 12th.

Pride Week Back For Third Year

Thunder Bay will be showing it's pride this summer.  Officials are raising the Rainbow flag today at City Hall.  The third annual Pride Week will be held June 9th to 16th and celebrates gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

Dryden Finally Passes Budget

Six months of debate and cuts across the board have come to an end with the passing of the 2013 Dryden budget.  The average ratepayer will see a 6.9-percent increase, however those with a higher property assessment will by looking at a roughly 9.3-percent hike.  The final vote last night was 4-3 in favour of the budget and Brian Collins was one of those who supported it.  Interim City Manager Art Wellington says the hike is needed to cover the costs of the mill assessment, the Dryden Mobility debenture debt and Dryden Telephone debt.

UNESCO Deal

Manitoba and Ontario are defending the decision to commit more than 15-million dollars to get UNESCO recognition for a large stretch of boreal forest along the inter provincial boundary.  Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger says having the forest designated a world heritage site will attract tourists to the remote area.  He says it will also make it easy to protect from development.  Michelle Nowak of Ontario's Natural Resources Department says the site could fill a gap in boreal forest representation in the world heritage system.

Sandy Lake First Nation Murder

A murder charge has been laid against a Sandy Lake man after police say after an autopsy of a 29-year-old man determined he was killed in a homicide.  Investigators say the man was declared dead at the community's nursing station after police were called May 12th.  A 34-year-old Sandy First Nation resident is charged with one count of second-degree murder and due in court today.

2 Charged In Mac's Robbery

Thunder Bay Police are charging two people in connection to a robbery overnight at the Mac's Convenience Store on Simpson Street.  A man and a woman were found shortly after the incident in the area and are facing breach of probation and robbery charges.  Police say the duo stole cigarettes and lottery tickets.

Hobbs Defends Councillor

Mayor Keith Hobbs is defending Councillor Joe Virdiramo.   Hobbs says the Westfort councillor was beaten up in the media for his ghetto comments about the city's south core.   Hobbs agrees with Virdiramo's assessment.  Hobbs says he too doesn't like what he is seeing in the area of the homeless shelter.

City Staff To Study Royal Edward Arms

The Royal Edward Arms is going under the microscope.  City staff will be assessing its condition as a  continued venue for social housing after the Social Services Board lets it go.  Councillor Andrew Foulds believes it's critical to keep it available for low income housing. The report back to council is expected by the end of the year.

Eye On The Street Not A Crime Fighter

The city's Eye on the Street program is not a game changer in crime prevention.   In presenting the program's annual report to city councillors city spokesperson Charles Campbell says the program appears to be driven by social and economic factors liking helping to reduce property crime in the cores. Campbell says the program also helps paramedics to find people in distress and police get crime related footage.  

Age Friendly Is $ Friendly

The city gets good bang for its buck in having us considered age friendly.   In a presentation at City Hall spokesperson Randy Moore says it helps to have the designation from the World Health Organization.   He says it is a key element in boosting the economy.  Moore says the city can be marketed as a good place to retire.

City Man Escapes Fire

A car and garage in the city's East End are totally destroyed after an fire yesterday afternoon.    Camille Landry was doing work in the vehicle when the blaze broke  out and he made it out just in time.   He says faulty wiring in the vehicle is to blame.  The fire took place behind 535 McPherson Street.

Zone Watch Training Starts Today

Training begins tonight for 84 residents enrolled in  the new police Zone Watch program called The Academy.  Constable Julie Tilbury says so far the program has exceeded volunteer expectations, and admits they're going into uncharted territory.  She says they will be looking to the citizens to tell police what is needed to keep the program running.   More training will take place later this year in the fall.