Thunder Bay teen sits on provincial panel

A Thunder Bay teen will sit on a special youth advisory panel dealing with provincial government policies. 19 year old Martin Zhang will be travelling to Toronto to take part on July 24th and July 25th. Martin will join 23 other young people from across the province discussing how governments make policy decisions. The final report will be presented to the government in the fall.

Charles Lage rides bike across Canada

Another cross country bike tour has made a stop in Thunder Bay. This time around it's Charles Lage who will raise funds to build a Canadian Centre for Music and Classroom Therapy. The centre if built would use music for the treatment of a wide range of medical issues, particularily autism.
The proposed site for the centre is in the Winnipeg area.

Its going to be a wet day

We won't get any relief from the rain until sometime tonight. Environment Canada's Peter Kimbell says we can expect as much as 25 millimetres today with even more rain further west. Kimbell says there will also be some Thunderstorm activity tonight. The forecast does look much better for the start of the weekend however as Environment Canada is calling for sunshine and highs near 28 for Friday and Saturday.

B.C. man rides bike across Canada

A British Columbia man has embarked on a cross canada tour to raise money and awareness for Parkinsons disease. Matthew Okell says he decided to ride his bike from Tofino, B.C. to St. John's, Newfoundland because his father is living with the disease. Okell says he's proud of what he's achieved. Okell was expected in Thunder Bay on Tuesday. To donate or follow his journey log onto www.livelifeoutdoors.ca

Pedigree rewards Humane Society

The Thunder Bay and District Humane Society is being rewarded for their good work by Pedigree.  The dog food company has provided five thousand dollars to the Thunder Bay Humane Society for vet costs.  The money will also go towards training classes for dogs who need to work on their social skills before they can be adopted.  Currently there are 18 dogs up for adoption.

George Fieber is CNO President

Thunder Bay's George Fieber is the new president of the council of nurses.  Fieber is also the Professional Practice Leader at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.  Fieber says he plans to bring up Northwestern Ontario issues to the Minister of Health.  Fieber is the first man to be elected president of the CNO.

CLE Summer Fair a month away

It's been 120 years of fun at the fair. The Canadian Lakehead Exhibition's summer fair starts once again August 11th. Advance wrist bands for midway rides are available for 15 dollars at Metro Stores. The price of the bands will be 30 dollars during the summer fair.

Genesis Genomics is now Mitomics

Thunder Bay's medical research company Genesis Genomics is changing its name. The company will now be known as Mitomics after its Prostate Core Mitomic test. CEO Bob Poulter says they want to reflect their clinical technology.  Poulter notes they also added a new position within the company. Jason Dulude was hired on as the company's chief financial officer.

New members needed for TBMFA

The Thunder Bay Metal Fabricators Association is looking for new members. Chairman John Jurcik says they want companies that want to service industrial companies working in the west. Jurcik says the purpose of their organization is to be a one stop shop for firms looking for anything from nuts to engineers. An information meeting on the fabricators association is being held Thursday at 3 at the Oliver Road Community Centre.

India and Ontario ink deal

India and Ontario have formed a partnership when it comes to mining. A memorandum of understanding was signed by the two party's mining ministries.  Minister Michael Gravelle says the agreement will benefit companies in the Northwest. Gravelle notes Ontario has leading mining related technology to offer India.  The agreement was signed recently with India's Mining Minister touring Ontario.

Science workshops on the road

Lakehead University has received 36 thousand dollars in grant money for its Biotrek Science workshops. University students who major in science travel across the Northwest encouraging grade 7 to 12 students to pursue science. The money will be rolled out over the next three years. The program will start up again in the Fall. In the past the workshops have been held in Fort Frances, Dryden and Atikokan.

Teddy Bear's have their picnic at Vickers Park

Thunder Bay's 27th annual Teddy Bear Picnic was enjoyed by over a thousand people.  Festival and Events Coordinator Melissa Wnuk says they combine fun in the sun with education. The Thunder Bay Health Unit was on hand to teach both parents and kids about sun safety. Wnuk adds its a great free event that brings families to the under used Vickers Park.

NHLers set to hit the ice for the annual Kings Alumni game

The Annual Thunder Bay Kings Alumni game is set to drop the puck tonight. Eric, Marc and Jared Staal will joining Tom and Taylor Pyatt, Patrick Sharp and Ryan Johnson on the ice. Opening ceremonies kick off at 6 o'clock at the tournament centre.

Waterfront construction continues to roll on

Prince Arthur's landing is starting to take shape but it will still be a while before the public can enjoy the new upgrades. Project Manager Katherine Dugmore says crews are working on landscaping, the splash pad and the skating rink but they won't be ready until later next year. Dugmore says so far the project is on schedule and will make next year's deadline to receive federal funding.

Police seize stolen hand guns

Some illegal handguns have been taken off the streets by the Regional Integrated Gang Unit. Officers arrested two men after they allegedly tried to sell hand guns stolen from a North Syndicate Avenue Residence last week. Three handguns were seized in the arrests that took place over the weekend.

OPP investigating a death in Deer Lake

Police are investigating after a man was killed in Deer Lake over the weekend. 27 year old Joey Crowe was killed Saturday and police say they suspect foul play. Officers also say a 27 year old was taken to hospital and a 26 year old man has been arrested in connection to the incident.

Greenstone gets funding from FedNor

The Greenstone is getting a helping hand from the Federal Government. FedNor is investing over 400 thousand dollars to support small business development and growth in the region. 335 thousand will go to the Greenstone Economic Development Corporation with the remainder being used to support local projects.

OPP release deceased's name

OPP have released the name of the 56 year old Auburn, Michigan man killed in a motorcycle accident on Sunday. Richard Harbin lost control on wet pavement east of Thunder Bay and was pronounced dead at the scene. The 56 year old woman who was a passenger on the bike was transported to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre for her injuries.

Mary J L Black will be open in 8 months

In 8 months time, the new Mary J L Black library will be open to the public. A ground breaking ceremony was held on Monday morning, and Chief Librarian Gina La Force says the project went over budget by a million dollars but notes it will be well worth it.  New play structures are being made for the kids in the neighbourhood, and a new parking lot will have to be configured for the site.  Thunder Bay Rainy River MP John Rafferty was in attendance and vowed to look for extra federal funding for the project.

The Great Canadian Rendezvous is on

There will be plenty of action at Fort William Historical park as it hosts it's annual Great Canadian Rendezvous. The Fort's Chris Ficek says it takes place for ten days with a few key attractions including a classic rock night Wednesday and music by Trooper during the great Canadian Barbeque Thursday. Ficek says there will also be re-enactors from across North America, camping outside the walls of the fort who will be taking part in a number of different events including Sunday's Fort Under Siege.

So far not so good, for the Thunder Bay Port Authority

It could be a tough year for the Thunder Bay Port Authority. Overall the Port has seen a drop of 12 percent so far this year mainly due to a decrease in grain shipments. CEO Tim Heney says wet weather on the prairies have led to a huge decrease in grain shipments. Heney says increases in coal and potash have helped lessen the blow.

Positive Lyme disease Deer Tick found

Another lyme disease positive tick has been turned in to the local health unit. The tick was plucked off of a human who picked up the tick within the city limits.  This is the second positive test for Lyme disease in a tick since the health unit started monitoring and testing in 2005.  It's the first positive tick found on a human in Thunder Bay.

One man is dead after a motorcycle accident

A motorcycle accident has claimed the life one man and left a woman in hospital. Nipigon and Schreiber OPP responded to the accident yesterday just after 3:30 and say it appears the driver lost control on wet pavement. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and the passenger was taken to the Health Sciences Centre with undetermined injuries.

Three arrested after seperate assaults

Three people are in police custody after separate assaults yesterday. Thunder Bay Police say at 4:30 in the morning a man was assaulted with a knife on the North side and suffered minor injuries. Then at 11 a man was threatened with a knife on the south side and near noon another man was assaulted with a hockey stick. Two men and one woman are facing charges.

Sharp shares Lord Stanley's Mug

Thunder Bay hockey fans now have their Stanley Cup "fix".   They lined up around the Fort William Gardens to get a chance to get their picture taken with the cup and Patrick Sharp of the champion Chicago Blackhawks.   Sharp brought the cup to his hometown to share with everyone.  He then took hockey's Holy Grail with him for some private time with family and friends.  A city official estimates the crowd at between 2500 to 3000.

Accident sends child to hospital

A young child is not hurt seriously after a traffic accident on Copenhagen Road. Police say the vehicle appeared to have lost control on the road at around 2:30 Friday afternoon. The child was taken to the Health Sciences Centre for treatment.

Looking Sharp, Patrick set to display the cup

It's Stanley Cup madness at the Fort William Gardens Saturday. Patrick Sharp of the champion Chicago Blackhawks is displaying the Cup at the Gardens from 11 to 1 so you can get your picture taken with it.  There will however be no autographs allowed.  That's being down so as many people can get a chance to see the cup.

City takes sky pics of waterfront project

The city now has a birds eye view of the waterfront development. On Thursday city waterfront officials took too the sky on a fire truck's aerial platform to take these photos of the work that's taken place so far at Prince Arthur's Landing.

Bells for peace

The bond with Thunder Bay's Japanese sister city of Gifu is a bit stronger now. Both communities rang their bells at the same time Friday to symbolize peace. The bell ringing took place at 11 a.m. Pictured: Local students Eiji Moller and Emma-Lee Taniwa join Councillor Joe Virdiramo in ringing the bell in front of City Hall.

Remote areas to get high speed internet

More homes in the remote northwest will be getting high speed internet. Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews made the announcement in Thunder Bay. He says the project will be completed by the end of next year by three companies. TBay Tel, Spectrum Telecom Group, and Galaxy Broadband Communications. There are about 45 hundred households that will benefit. The over 8 million dollar cost is being split between the federal and provincial governments, the feds spending 5 and a half million and the province the other 2.8 million.

More HST bashing by Horwath

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath was in Thunder Bay again today to talk about the negative effects of the HST. Horwath delivered a speech at the Roach's Taxi Stand to discuss the impact of the harmonized sales tax on the community's small businesses and families.

Blues Festival set to go

One of the city's biggest crowd draws takes place this weekend. The annual Thunder Bay Blues Festival is on at Marina Park. Organizer Bob Halverson says there will be no issues with the waterfront construction thats taking place. He's encouraging people to take the free shuttle bus from the Community Auditorium. It will be leaving every 15 minutes while the festival gates are open. Gates open on Friday at 4:30 and Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m.

Tick program working

The District Health Unit says it's pleased with the response to it's tick and lyme disease program. Spokesperson Anita LaPointe says only one tick has been found to have the disease out of the hundreds the public have left for testing. She says in all of last year 218 ticks were submitted and so far this year 465 have been dropped off. LaPointe expects those numbers to increase in the fall.

Stamp this loan: PAID IN FULL

You the city taxpayer have finally paid off the loan the city took out in 2000 to support the Regional Health Science's Centre.  That 35 million dollar debenture will be officially paid off on Saturday. City Manager Tim Commisso says what this will do for next years tax increase is not known.  He says the 3 and a half million dollars amounts to 1 per cent of the current operating budget.  He says it's too early to talk about any tax reduction.
The interest over the life of the loan was 10 million dollars

FedNor comes through for the Worlds

Organizers of the World Junior Baseball Championships can breath a bit easier now. The Harper government has come through with some support for the event. The FedNor grant amounts to 75 thousand dollars and will be used towards marketing efforts. The championships are being held from July 23rd until August 3.

Gilbert gives GG choice a thumbs up

Lakehead University President Fred Gilbert calls it an interesting choice. Gilbert is reacting to the appointment of David Johnston as the next Governor General. Gilbert says he knows Johnston,  which makes the choice personal for him.  Gilbert says Johnson has a background in law along with a great inquiring mind and will serve us well as Governor General.  Johnston begins his new job in the fall

Robichaud defends herself

The new president of the Regional Health Sciences Centre insists the controversy surrounding her will not cause a distraction for her new job. Andree Robichaud is leaving her health executive position in New Brunswick under a political storm. She's even been accused of poor management.  She calls that interesting since it was only brought up when she announced her resignation.  Robichaud hopes people will judge her on her own merits when she get here in October.

Another fire update

The forest fire hazard is still low to moderate in the region. One new fire was reported yesterday. It is in th Sioux lookout district about 120 kilometers north of Pickle Lake. Sixty Ontario staff as well as two waterbombers, and one birddog are assisting with escalated fire activity in Manitoba. Crew training and audits continue in the region.

Sioux Lookout Drug Bust

Sioux Lookout OPP are charging two people after a major drug bust in the community. Police executed a search warrant at the residence earlier this week. Two people were arrested and police seized a large quantity of marijuana worth over five thousand dollars. Arrested were 31 year old Quirino Agustin and twenty-four year old Aaron Saville, both from Sioux Lookout. The two were released from custody and have September court dates.

Thunder Bay Crimestoppers 2010 Stats

Thunder Bay's Crimestoppers program is on the right track for 2010. To date 406 calls have been made to Crimestoppers around the district. Co-ordinator Constable Wendell Brown says they're pretty much on par with the 2009's stats.  Brown adds they've paid out over 9 thousand dollars.

It's a Thunderfest weekend

There's a taste of Italian culture on the south side this weekend. Thunderfest is taking place at the Da Vinci Centre. Organizers say there will be entertainment. For the first time only local musicians will be taking to the outdoor stage. There will also be Italian food.

Nelson stands by new hospital prez

Ron Nelson calls it pure politics. Nelson headed the committee that chose New Brunswick's Andree Robichaud as the new president of the Health Sciences Centre. Robichaud's departure has caused a stir in that province, with some politicians saying she was forced out of her job as CEO of a health network. Nelson says Robichaud has what it takes for the job adding she knows what it takes to make tough but necessary decisions. He says that Robichaud is being accused of things that simply aren't true and doesn't believe it will bring a distraction to her job here.

The water rescue that wasn't

A false alarm on the waterfront. Thunder Bay rescue crews weren't needed for a water rescue at the Marina on Wednesday afternoon. The call came in as a sailboat overturned on Lake Superior. However it turns out it was a sailing school practicing capsizing

Robichaud's departure causes stir

Controversy is surrounding the incoming president of the Regional Health Sciences Centre. A news report indicates Andree Robichaud is in the middle of a political storm in New Brunswick where she is leaving her post as a health corporation CEO to come to Thunder Bay. The story says that the province's opposition Conservatives believe Robichaud was forced out of her job there. They claim she is taking the heat over allegations of poor management. However, Robichaud is quoted as saying that the New Brunswick Health Authority wanted her to stay as CEO.

Police nab suspect

City police are investigating a reported south side assault. They say they were called to an incident on May Street near Miles at around 11 a.m. One person was handcuffed and arrested while pedestrians and passing motorists looked on. The alleged victim had apparently left the scene.

Humidity keeping fire hazard under control

Our hot muggy weather may actually be helping to keep the forest fire hazard in check. Jeff Antoszek of the Ministry of Natural Resources says it's because the humidity is helping out.  He says  moist heat waves don't affect the hazard as much because the humidity helps to keep wood and other fuels from drying out.  The fire hazard for most of the Northwest Region is low to moderate.

FTC Canada to feed our hungry

 A Canadian charity organization is going to be active in Thunder Bay Thursday. Feed the Children is partnering with An Eagles Cry Life Centre on Simpson Street to help the poor according to FTC's Darrell Mills. The Centre will be helping to distribute food and health boxes to the needy. FTCs Darrell Mills says that in total 350 families will benefit.The distribution takes place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.