Squire Street flooded

Someone caused quite a stir on Squire Street Tuesday. A fire hydrant was opened and a large amount of water spilled into the street. Police says they're treating the mischief as a serious matter because of cold conditions. A car later slid into a pool of water in that area.

Deep freeze no problem for waterfront project

The city is happy local companies are working on the waterfront.  Supervisor Gary Wood says the local companies know how to deal with the cold weather so its still business as usual.  Wood believes the weather won't put work behind schedule.

Streetcar threat creates Internet buzz

There appears to be little sympathy by some Toronto bloggers to concerns in Thunder Bay over Mayor Rob Ford's desire to tear up a streetcar contract.  Scrapping that billion dollar contract would affect jobs at our Bombardier plant and some Torontonians are posting strong opinions about it on Internet news sites ....one says, ...you people in Thunder Bay... have no vote, or say... in how Toronto conducts it's business, and, Thunder Bay can go play with itself, the days of sole sourcing are gone.   But not everyone is so seemingly callous...one says,  Thanks for letting us know how far the damage... is reaching.

Hampton thinks election is coming

The Provincial election isn't until next Fall, but expect to see campaign-style ad's start showing up in the new year.  That's the prediction of Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton.  Hampton says the McGuinty Government has been under seige in the Ontario Legislature and he expects the Liberals to start actively campaigning shortly.  Hampton says the government has been hurt by recent reports by the Ombudsman and the Auditor General.

Christmas Cheer falling behind campaign goal

Christmas Cheer is in trouble.  With just over a week to go in their campaign the charity is over 100 thousand dollars short of their goal.  The Charity is hoping to raise 165 thousand dollars to feed the homeless and less fortunate in Thunder Bay.

Garage destroyed by fire

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue dealt with a garage fire this morning.  Crews responded to the blaze on Talbot Street just after 2:30 and found a garage engulfed in flames.  The inferno was quickly brought under control and officials are investigating the cause.

Youth Curfew heavily discussed

City staff are creating a report on whether a youth curfew is feasible. Councillor Andrew Foulds describes the proposed youth curfew as "using an elephant gun to swat mosquitoes".  Foulds feels it's not an effective tool, and it's a waste of our police resource. Meanwhile, Councillor Mark Bentz says a feasibility report on a youth curfew doesn't mean that they're going through with it; they just want to gauge the community's support.  Finally, Councillor Ian Angus feels the Crime Prevention Council should be in charge of whether or not to put a curfew in place.  Mayor Keith Hobbs reiterated he never said the curfew wouldn't be discussed with youth.

Adoption fees in 2011 budget

The higher adoption fees for dogs and cats in the City will be included for consideration in the 2011 budget.  General Manager Mark Smith says if their adoption rate declines because of the increased cost to adopt they will consider lowering the fees. The increase needs to be approved in the budget process, and if passed will run for a trial period.  Many councillors felt the city needs to look at other ways of keeping animals from being put down.  Mayor Keith Hobbs feels the higher fees will prevent seniors and poor people from owning animals. 

Credit Union set for Golf Links and Oliver

A credit union is setting up shop on the corner of Golf Links and Oliver Road. Administration asked council to hold off on approving the rezoning of a piece of property to include banks. General Manager Mark Smith says they're not against the bank, they just want to hold off until a community improvement plan is put in place in that area. Council approved the rezoning and will allow the credit union to operate in that area.

Port improvement plan passed

The Port of Thunder Bay will soon be able to offer incentives to businesses looking to relocate to Thunder Bay. Council approved a community improvement plan for the Port of Thunder Bay at it's meeting Monday night.  General Manager Mark Smith says the move will enable the city to grant back planning and building application fees.

Murder Suicide names released

Thunder Bay police have released the names of the Oliver Paipoonge couple involved in a murder suicide.  69 year old's Joseph and Antoinette Lavoie were found in their Oliver Road home by emergency personnel just after one o'clock Sunday.  Antoinette died as a result of a single gun shot wound, and Joseph of a self inflected gun shot.  Police say there is a history of domestic abuse between the couple.

Kloosterhuis calls deaths tragedy for community

City police say an apparent murder suicide in Murillo remains under investigation.   Residents of the village are wondering if there was something they could have done to have prevented it.  Mayor Lucy Kloosterhuis says it's a big tragedy. Police discovered the bodies of a 69 year old man and woman in a home on Oliver Road.

Annual Report celebrates students

The Annual Report from Lakehead University is showing off the accomplishments of it's students.  President Brian Stevenson says it's  putting the spotlight where he says it belongs by telling the community the kind of students LU has.  The report shows there were 82 hundred students enrolled at the institution's two campuses last year.   

Stevenson wants to recruit students early

Lakehead University will be focusing on attracting more Aboriginal students. President Brian Stevenson says he's looking at starting the recruitment process early. He says the goal would be to cut the drop out rate by promoting the institution to students in elementary school.

It was a busy weekend for City Police

Thunder Bay police are looking for a second suspect after an armed robbery.  Officers responded after the Shell on Arthur Street was robbed last night just after 8 o'clock.  A 22 year was arrested but a second man is still missing and could be armed with a knife.  Police had to deal with another armed robbery of a Mac's Mart, this time the thief was armed with a stick.  The man entered the Mac's Mart on North May street around 2:30 yesterday morning and made off with some cash and cigarettes.  Police also had to deal with a stabbing over the weekend.  A woman stabbed a man during a domestic altercation and is facing assault charges.  The man received minor injuries.

Double death in Oliver-Paipoonge

A tragedy in the community of Murillo where police are investigating an apparent  murder suicide.  They say that the bodies of a 69 year old man and woman were found in a home on the 4 thousand block of Oliver Road.  The discovery was made when police entered the home at around 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon.   The names of the victims are not being released until relatives are told.   Police say they'll have more details in the coming days.

Curfew vote tomorrow

Mayor Keith Hobbs idea for a youth curfew to help combat crime will be facing its first test at Monday night’s Council meeting as a motion for a feasibility report is put to a vote.

Hobbs says a curfew could help address social issues by helping to identify kids who would benefit from intervention and that it would need to be enforced with a lot of discretion by police.

The new Mayor feels a curfew would protect young people from being the victims of crime in addition to preventing them from being perpetrators.

Current River Ward Councilor Andrew Foulds isn’t in favour of the curfew and says the statistics he's seen don't point to youth as being a huge source of crime in the city.

Foulds says he believes that there are better ways to address the issues of young people.

If the motion is passed, a report on the curfew would be presented to Council by April.

Annual Salvation Army Christmas dinner

The Salvation Army's Annual Christmas Dinner is happening at noon today at the Salvation Army Booth Centre on Cumberland Street North. Major Mervyn Halvorsen says the dinner is for anyone who is feeling lonely or isn't able to put on a dinner of their own. In addition to Christmas dinner, there will be some gifts for kids. Around 300 are expected to attend; dinner is being cooked and served by the staff of the Valhalla Inn.

Hyer consults students

Bruce Hyer is enlisting the help of some unlikely new policy advisors. The Thunder Bay-Superior North MP is asking high school students in his riding to submit ideas for legislation. A panel of judges will pick the best entries in the Create Your Canada contest which will then be introduced in the House of Commons. Hyer says it's important to find creative ways to involve young people in the political process. The contest ends June 25th.

Wharton Road fire

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue are putting out the remains of a home fire on 160 Wharton Road. District Chief Joe Grzelewski says while there's no danger of the fire spreading, they'll be there for a while. Grzelewski says as far as he knows there were no injuries.

Another Mac's robbery

Police say a man armed with a stick robbed the Mac's Mart on May Street around 2:30 this morning and left with a small amount of money and some cigarettes. The suspect is described as Native Canadian, about six feet tall and wearing a black leather jacket with a picture of a bulldog on the back and red and white stripes on the sleeves. No one was injured in the incident.

Fredrica Fire

City firefighters responded to a fire in an apartment on West Fredrica last night. Oil from a deep fryer caught on fire. Firefighters put the out the flames when they arrived . The building had to be aired out because of the smoke. There were no injuries. Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue says it's never a good idea to leave a stove unattended when cooking.

Man stabbed during domestic dispute

Police have a woman in custody after a domestic dispute at a north side apartment block. A man was stabbed with a knife during the incident. His injury is non life threatening. The woman will appear in bail court this morning facing a charge of assault with a weapon.

Injured workers confront Gravelle

Injured workers advocates in Thunder Bay are getting a promise from Michael Gravelle. The group protested in front of the MPP's office demanding better treatment from the Workers Safety and Insurance Board. Gravelle says he hears their plea. The injured workers want the WSIB to index their benefits to inflation.

New fire truck on the way

Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Service is buying a new Pumper Rescue Fire Truck.  The five hundred thirty thousand dollar truck is coming from Carl Thibault Fire Trucks.  Administration is recommending council approve the purchase at it's Monday night meeting.

OFSC trails still not open

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs is urging snowmobilers to stay off their trails.  The group is reminding the public that most of Northwestern Ontario's trails are not open. Regionals Spokesperson Gail Sayers says travel is not advised.  Sayers recommends snowmobilers get in contact with their local clubs for trail conditions.

Triple Nickel site to be cleaned

The site of the former Triple Nickel bar on Simpson Street is going to be cleaned up.  Licensing and Enforcement Manager Rob Bourret says they've been asking the owner to clean up the property for almost a year. Administration is recommending council approve the almost 40-thousand dollar contract to Nadin Contracting. The owner of the property will have the cost added to his taxes.

Adoption fees could rise for pets

Thunder Bay's Animal Shelter wants to double its adoption fees for cats and dogs.  The shelter is asking council to approve the rate increase.  A spokesperson with the shelter says they need to recover the cost of the vet exam and fixing the animal.  The fee increase is expected to bring in 19-thousand dollars in revenue each year.

Safe Community Report Card

Thunder Bay's Safe Communities Committee is being graded by the National Organization.  The group scored around fifty percent on its report card. The city's final score was 27.3 out of 50 which is below the National and Provincial levels.  The local committee had a perfect score under priority settings, and seventy percent under leadership. The group was designated a safe community in 1999.

Fraud strikes not for profit daycare

A fraud scandal at a local daycare.  City police say the former executive director of Footsteps Daycare is facing theft and fraud charges.  An investigation found over 15 thousand dollars was stolen between May 2008 and March of last year.  Police say Sherrel Pucci will be in court December 20th.

Crash closes Trans Canada Highway

A head on collision closed a portion of Highway 11\17 for a few hours overnight.  Two transport trucks collided head on near Raith and then a third transport smashed into the trucks.  There is no word yet on possible injuries.

Dramatic video of Clelia 2 in rough seas

The Clelia ll cruise ship is safe right now, but it had some scary moments when it hit very high waves in the Arctic Ocean north of Great Britian earlier this week. It's all captured on video

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Ready, set....skate

Break out the hockey sticks and figure skates, the city's outdoor rinks are about to open.  Parks Division Manager Paul Fayrick says most will be ready for Sunday. He says this would be one of the earlier starts to the skating season.

Forbes to testify in Ottawa

A Lakehead University sports injury researcher is testifying before the House of Commons.  Susan Forbes will be speaking to the standing committee on Health next Tuesday.  Forbes says she'll be sharing her experience with sports injuries.  Forbes says she's eager to testify on the subject.

Vacancy Rate declines

More people are renting in Thunder Bay.  The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is reporting the City's vacancy rate decreasing. Spokesperson Warren Philp says the rate went from 2.3 to 2.2 percent.  Philp describes the renting situation as good for both renters and landlords.

Habitat's future hangs on success of raffle

There's worry on the faces of the local Habitat for Humanity officials.   They are lacking money and land.  CEO Diane Mitchell says they need to sell out the upcoming Cash Raffle so they can buy land to build homes.  She calls it the key and the cornerstone to everything they do.    Officials say it's a make or break year for the organization.

Cold weather draws more homeless to shelter

Thunder Bay's Shelter House is so far keeping on top of the cold weather. Director Cal Rankin says the cold weather is hard on the city's homeless.  Rankin says they have seen an increase in the number of people seeking shelter but they do have a few beds open.  He says if they run out of space they will make arrangements to make sure everyone has a warm place to sleep.

Westjet does good deeds

Westjet is doing a good deed today.  The airline is delivering toys to kids at the Thunder Bay Health Science Centre.  Each child in the pediatric ward will receive a toy and a stocking stuffer.

Skypower to set up shop in Thunder Bay

A solar energy company is going to build a solar park in Thunder Bay.  The Toronto based company recently secured funds to start an 8.5 megawatt park in the city.  Construction of the park is expected to wrap up in 2011.

Clelia II hit by rogue wave

The cruise ship which has visited Thunder Bay a number of times over the last few years was hit with a near tragedy this week. Reports say that it ran into a rogue wave near the Shetland Islands in the Arctic north of Great Britain. The ship was slammed repeatedly by massive waves, when finally a 30-foot wave knocked out one of the ship's engines, disabled the ship's communication system and shattered her windows. There were 88 tourists on board, plus 77 crew. The ship made it's final stop in Thunder Bay over the summer.

Tuchenhagen banned from running for council

Robert Tuchenhagen has been banned from running for city council for 4 years.  Yesterday a court ruled against the former councillor in a conflict of interest case stemming from the purchase of a building in 2008.   Tuchenhagen chose not to run in the last election and his McKellar ward seat now belongs to Paul Pugh. 

No injuries in a suspicious fire

No one was hurt after a small fire in an abandoned building. Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue responded to the call of smoke from the building on Grenville Avenue just after 7:30 last night. Crews quickly put out the small fire and officials say since the building was abandoned, the cause is suspicious.

Kettle drive on track

On the Christmas charity beat...the Salvation Army is 8 thousand dollars ahead of where they were last year in their annual kettle drive. So far they have collected over 52 thousand dollars towards the 130 thousand dollar objective.

Community Foundation doles out dollars

The Thunder Bay Foundation is making it's generosity known again.   The institution's latest grant recipients are getting a total of 87 thousand dollars.   The organization has been a part of the city for almost 40 years.   It operates from the endowments of various citizens past and present.  

United Way campaign chugs along

The clock is counting down on the United Way Campaign. With just a few more weeks to go there's about another million dollars to raise to reach the 2.4 million dollar goal. Chair Wayne Fletcher says the larger donations are starting to come in as employee campaigns come to a close. Fletcher says he's confident the goal can be reached.

Neebing gets help with economic development

Neebing wants to develop new marketing strategies to attract investment and economic development. The provincial government is providing just over 5-thousand dollars to the community so they can design a marketing strategy. Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro announced the funds today.

Housing Starts slowed in November

Thunder Bay is having a solid year for housing starts.  There was a slight slowdown in November, but so far this year there have been 191 single family starts.  Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Market Analyst Warren Philp says only ten single detached units broke ground last month.  Philp says tighter resale market conditions have meant higher levels of new home construction.

Pugh, Boshcoff sit on committees

Thunder Bay's two new councillors are keeping busy by sitting on a number of community committees. Paul Pugh will take part in the District Social Services Board, Economic Development Commission,anti-racism and Waterfront and Simpson street business improvement boards. Meanwhile, Ken Boshcoff is taking part in many committees, such as the Audit committee, Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, Parking Authority, and the Hydro Recruitment Committee.

Massaro once again

Long time trustee Deborah Massaro was acclaimed as the Chair for her 4th consecutive term.  Trustee Karen Wilson was appointed as Vice Chair for the second straight term.  Massaro says she honoured to once again lead the board.

Hobbs not meeting with Premier or Ford Wednesday

Members of Thunder Bay City Council won't be travelling to Toronto today to speak with Dalton McGuinty about the Bombardier TTC contract.  Toronto Mayor Rob Ford came out of a meeting with the Premier yesterday saying he still plans to nix the streetcar contract.  Mayor Keith Hobbs says if that's the case they'll have to take more serious action.  Hobbs says they've yet to nail down a meeting with Ford, and notes he would like to invite the Toronto Mayor to tour the Bombardier plant.  Councillor Paul Pugh feels Ford is trying to influence council into thinking it's not a matter that requires their votes.

Meeting delay explained

Citizen and Councillor appointments to community boards delayed Tuesday night's council meeting by almost two hours.  Mayor Keith Hobbs campaigned on the idea of transparent council meetings and says Tuesday night's closed door meeting was warranted.  Hobbs says they needed to approve the citizens and councillors last night because the committees are starting immediately.  Hobbs says he doesn't like to make people wait and wants to see if there's something they can do to improve the flow of the meeting.  3 or more in camera sessions were held during a five hour meeting.