"Thunder Bay's Katrina"

Talk about baptism by fire, Mayor Keith Hobbs has experienced his first city emergency since being elected as he oversaw the city process forest fire evacuees. Hobbs says it was a quick learn for everyone adding this was Thunder Bay's Katrina and they learned a lot going through the exercise. Hobbs says the city is not out of the woods yet since the forest fires can flare up at anytime

Hay complains of operational problems

Fire Chief John Hay is confident Premier McGuinty has the message that there were flaws in processing forest fire evacuees in Thunder Bay. Hay says there weren't enough planes to fly evacuees out once they got here. At the moment the operations in Thunder Bay are at a standstill until more evacuees arrive.

McGuinty says lessons learned in Thunder Bay

Premier Dalton McGuinty calls them lessons learned. Thunder Bay officials have complained to the Premier about problems handling forest fire evacuees this week saying there weren't enough planes to fly them out.  McGuinty says he received some great advice from local officials which the government will incorporate and take into account.  McGuinty reaffirmed that his government will not call a State of Emergency as the result of forest fires in the northwest.

City buildings up for heritage designation

Nine city buildings are on the list for heritage designation. Deputy City Clerk Sheelagh Hendrick says if approved by council it'll be harder to have the buildings demolished.
Buildings on the list are:
· 8 Cumberland Street South known locally as the former Atkinson’s Jewelers;
· 27 Cumberland Street South known locally as the former Bank of Montreal/ Prospector Steak House;
· 2-18 Court Street South known locally as the Ruttan Block;
· 808 Ridgeway Street East known locally as St. Paul’s Anglican Church;
· 1918 Yonge Street known locally as the Paterson Building/TBT Engineering Ltd.;
· Iron Ore Dock located at 490 Maureen Street;
· 96 High Street North known locally as the former Hillcrest High School;
· 621 Selkirk Street South known locally as St. Patrick High School; and
· 146 Court Street North known locally as the McVicar Manor

Still no word on airport damage costs

The price tag on the damage done at the Airport during Wednesday's storm is still unknown.  President Scott McFadden says a complete assessment has to be completed before estimates are known.  McFadden says right now workers are making the terminal building weather tight.

Rydholm has deer concerns

City Councillor Linda Rydholm believes there are too many deer in the city and that's causing problems, especially in her Neebing Ward. She wants to ask city administration to look into solutions on how to possibly reduce the population. Rydholm says the deer contribute to property damage and have become a road hazard

McGuinty to meet with evacuees in T.Bay

The Premier will be in Thunder Bay this afternoon to meet with fire officials.  Dalton McGuinty is first flying into Dryden at 9 central time and will spend some time talking with evacuees.

Inflation rate drops in June

Thunder Bay's Inflation rate saw a big drop last month.  Our rate went from 4.3 percent in May to 3.7 percent last month.  That follows the national and provincial trends which dropped to 3.1 and 3.6 percent respectively.

Gas prices shooting up again

Be prepared to pay for more when you fill up your vehicle next.  According to the website www.gasbuddy.com stations in Thunder Bay are now selling regular at just under a buck 37 a litre.

Airport winds gusts were 115 kph

A meteorologist says it's unlikely that a tornado may have touched down on the Thunder Bay Airport Wednesday night. However Environment Canada's Marie-Ev Giguere says they can't rule it out either.  She says so far they have not seen any pictures or damage to prove that it was a twister. However,  Giguere says wind gusts at the airport that evening were 115 kilometres per hour

Victim of accident identified

Police now know the name of the pedestrian who was killed after being hit by an SUV on Central Avenue Wednesday. He is 66 year old Peter Paul Perkovich of Thunder Bay. Police spokesperson Chris Adams says police were able to identify him through some old fashion police work when they matched some keys found on the man to a vehicle in the area.

Jeffrey tours fire zone

The Provinces's Minister of Natural Resources is getting a first hand look at how the forest fires in Northwestern Ontario are being handled.  Linda Jeffrey says she has flown over Red Lake 85 and has spoken with the organizers on the ground.  Jefferey says she will not declare a State of Emergency saying it wouldn't accomplishment anything more than what is taking place now

City continues to receive evacuees

About 800 more forest fire evacuees are expected to pass through Thunder Bay today on their way to other host communities in the North.   That's in addition to the thousand that passed through on Wednesday.  The Confederation College hangar at the airport is being used to house the evacuees while they wait in the city.

Herman accepts apology, drops legal action

Bob Herman says his legal issues with the Mayor are over now that Keith Hobbs has made a public apology over remarks Hobbs made in March. Herman says he served his libel notice on the Mayor to protect the integrity of the Chief's office. He says it's unfortunate it took 3 months to get done but says it's in the best interests of the community to put the issue behind. Herman says all he wanted was to get an apology.

Jury roll issue still haunts inquest

Three days are set aside in the City for a hearing prior to the Reggie Bushie Inquest.   An inquiry lawyer is planning to call a total of 5 witnesses to discuss the issue of First Nations representation on jury rolls in the Thunder Bay District.   The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding the death of the 15 year old with a hope that recommendations will be made on preventing similar deaths of First Nations students who attend school in the City far from their homes.  The jury roll issue has so far prevented inquest from going ahead.

Storm damages airport

No one was injured after last night's storm ripped a portion of the roof off the Thunder Bay Airport Terminal building.  Metal sheeting flew off the building and damaged over a dozen cars in the parking lot.  It is business as usual today and so far there are no delays due to the damage.  The storm also knocked out power for over 6 thousand customers in the South of the city but crews have managed to restore power to all but around 400 customers.  Thunder Bay Hydro officials say it could be until later this afternoon before some areas are back online.

Portion of airport roof blows off

Officials are trying to assess the damage from a freak  accident at the Thunder Bay Airport on Tuesday evening which saw a portion of the corrugated metal roof of main airport terminal blow off.  Police say it crushed two cars in the parking lot and knocked over a light standard, but no one was injured.   The estimate of damage isn't known and the exact cause of the accident has yet to be determined. The incident happened around 8:30

Keith Hobbs apologizes to Bob Herman

Mayor Keith Hobbs looks to be out of legal hot water after he publicly apologized to former Police Chief Bob Herman. In a prepared statement Hobbs said sorry for implying in March that as chief, Bob Herman intercepted his private communications.  Hobbs also apologized for implying Herman unlawfully disclosed private communications.

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Police probe fatal pedestrian accident

Thunder Bay police say they are investigating a fatal accident in which an SUV collided with a pedestrian.  It happened on Central Avenue between Fort William Road and Memorial just before 1 o'clock. Police say they are having trouble trying to identify the victim.  They say it's a man in his 40's or 50's with a light complexion and he was missing part of a left finger.

Airport activity picks up during evacuations

The Thunder Bay Airport is a hive of activity as evacuees from the forest fires in the far north are flown here.  One witness says the Hercules transports are coming and going with evacuees from First Nations communities and mines that are threatened by the fires.

Clement visits with MNR fire personnel

FedNor Minister Tony Clement says the forest fire situation is very serious and he is asking the Province to take the initiative and ask for help. Speaking in Dryden Wednesday, Clement says the Federal Government is doing everything it can from providing Hercules transports to Aboriginal Affairs assisting in the evacuations.   In terms of emergency assistance relief Clement says its up to the Province to ask for Federal support.

PETA protests at local butcher shop

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals staged a demonstration outside Bay Quality Meats complete with lots of saran wrap and other props. PETA spokesperson Emily Lavender says they're trying to show people the realities of slaughterhouses. A number people who didn't agree with PETA's demonstration were there to voice their opinion.

19 new fires in the Northwest

Northwestern Ontario forests remain a tinderbox as wildfires continue to rage. New fires are flaring up everyday with 19 reported yesterday. At least 18 First Nations have declared emergencies 4 of them are preparing for full evacuations while 6 are partially evacuated. There are 3 stubborn blazes , one is in the Red Lake District and two in the Sioux Lookout District

N-W-O was H-O-T

4-weather records were set in Northwestern Ontario Tuesday .Red Lake was the hot spot in the Region hitting 35 degrees smashing a 70 year old record.  Ear Falls reached 34, Dryden and Kenora were at 33 degrees. It was 30 in Thunder Bay but no record was broken.

Swimming advisories posted at beaches

Don't bother going to Chippewa Park or Boulevard Lake to go swimming, because the Health Unit says you risk getting sick.  Advisory signs are up warning that there are high bacteria levels at both locations.

Charity ride set to continue

The saga of Britain's Paul Everitt continues in Thunder Bay today. Everitt is the man who is cycling to support the troops in Afghanistan was forced to stop in Wawa after his bike broke down...but he says thanks to Dingwell's Machinery his bike is being fixed. Everitt hopes to be back on the road in the next 24 hours.

PETA Protests Packaged Meat

Thunder Bay is getting a visit from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  Vegan's will be lying nearly naked on large meat trays covered in plastic wrap.  The protest is taking place at Bay Quality Meats at noon.

Health Unit says protect yourself from the smoke

With smoke from forest fires now reaching Thunder Bay, the District Health Unit has some warnings. Spokesperson Abby Mackie says it shouldn't be taken lightly and that people most at risk should protect themselves. He says those include children, seniors and those with breathing difficulties. Mackie suggests staying indoors as much as possible and avoiding any necessary outdoor physical activity.

Boshcoff has traffic light concerns

There's nothing that can spark a debate in Thunder Bay like the number of traffic lights. Councillor Ken Boshcoff thinks we have too many and wonders if we've been removing any that aren't needed and if there are any plans to reduce the number of traffic signals. City engineer Pat Mauro says it comes under review every few years.

PWT General Manager defends service

The general manager of Pacific Western Transportation is disputing claims his company is receiving funding at this time from the Ontario government to drive people to out of town medical appointments.    Dean Wright adds, the company's new travel option is not designed to replace any existing services.   Last week the president of Caribou Coach in Thunder Bay said a subsidized service has the potential to take away one third of his business in Northwestern Ontario.

City hosting evacuees and more

Thunder Bay is playing host to almost 300 forest fire evacuees from Sandy Lake this week and there could be more. Fire Chief John Hay says we have been designated as a transportation hub with the potential of moving up to 1 thousand people to other centres.  Hay hopes other communities step up to the plate and offer to host some of the evacuees.

Burning permits suspended

The hot and dry conditions are causing concern for the Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Service.   It's forced officials to suspend all burning permits within the city citing unusually dry conditions.  They say the suspension won't be lifted until that improves

MNR dealing with 90 wildfires

Heavy smoke laying over the entire Northwest is hindering firefighting efforts for the Ministry of Natural Resources.  Information Officer Debbie MacLean says crews are battling over 90-wildfires.  117-aircraft, 14-waterbombers, 80-helicopters and 16-transport aircraft are trying to fight through the smoke to battle the fires.  Two fires of note are Sioux Lookout Fire number 70 which has grown to over 87-thousand hectares in size and is now burning 1-kilometre away from the Mussewhite Mine.  Sioux Lookout Fire number 60 is also 14-thousand hectares in size and is burning southwest of the Mine.  Firefighters continue to try and protect the mine site.

South Side Laundromat Robbed

Thunder Bay Police are investigating a south side robbery of a Laundromat.  Police say a man walked into Barb's Laundromat on May street and threatened to shoot the employee.  He then took all the cash from the register and a quantity of cigarettes before fleeing on foot.  Police found a 39 year old man and a 32 year old woman in the area with cigarettes and money taken during the robbery.  Both have been charged with robbery.

Robbery at Riley's Sports Tavern

Someone robbed a south side bar last night.  Police are investigating after a male entered Riley's Sports Tavern and demanded cash from the bartender.  Police searched for the man but couldn't find him.  He's described as a young person about 6 feet tall with a bad complexion.

Police investigate arson

Thunder Bay Police are investigating a case of arson in Fort William.  A North Franklin Street home owner awoke last night to popping noises outside and found their van and truck were on fire.  Both vehicles are totally destroyed. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.

Foulds disses Eye on the Street

City councillor Andrew Foulds isn't convinced the city's Eye on the Street camera surveillance program is worth the money. Foulds believes the latest stats prove it's not working well, specifically, that out of 240 incidents caught on camera only 15 resulted in convictions.  However, Police Chief J-P Levesque  says Eye on the Street is a very effective tool against crime.

Light sculpture to adorn waterfront piers

Two stylized light sculptures will be build at the Marina as part of the waterfront project after city councillors voted in favour of them.  The 900 thousand dollar art project has its detractors, but Councillor Ken Boshcoff is not one of them.  He says the purpose of the art is to help attract people to the waterfront and it doesn't make sense to vote against it after it's already been approved in the overall waterfront budget. The projects designer hopes the beacons become a symbol for Thunder Bay

Aboriginal Strategy looking for federal funds

City Councillors are a step away from supporting a call to press for federal funding for the Urban Aboriginal Strategy. Peter Jones is the Regional Director for the federal government's national program and feels the funding will help the local and national strategies work as one.  City administration will prepare a report on the issue before councillors give their formal endorsement.

Zenyatta and Constance Lake ink deal

The mining exploration company Zenyatta Ventures and the Constance Lake First Nation now have an exploration agreement. Zenyatta President and CEO Aubrey Evelegh is upset his company was forced to deal with the issue in the first place.  He believes the provincial government should have been the one carrying out the negotiations.   Evelegh says " it's been a long frustrating few months."  The negotiations reached a low point when Constance Lake filed a court injunction to stop the exploration on their traditional land

Water levels hearing takes place next month

The public has a chance to comment on the results of a Canadian and American study on Great Lakes water levels next month. Canadian study manager Syed Moin says the 17 million dollar probe sets the stage for the future.  A public meeting locally will take place at Lakehead University August 10th. Anyone who can't attend the meeting, can submit comments on the study's website.

26 year old Brit needs tow

A young Brit who is on a cross-Canada fundraising tour needs your help.  Paul Everitt is raising money for soldiers who were wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq, but his four wheeled bike has broken down.  Everitt needs a tow from Wawa to Thunder Bay.  If you can help him, call him at 807-822-2687 or visit his website http://www.going-solo.co.uk/

18 year old gets lost in woods

An 18 year old girl is safe and sound after becoming lost in the Cascades conservation area.  The teen had become separated from her friends and lost her way while trying to walk out of the trail system.  She took shelter under a tree, where police found her.  She was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Pikangiukum suicides

The Ontario Chief Coroner's Office is releasing some startling research on a rash of suicides in Pikangiukum First Nation.  Between 2006 and 2008, 16 young people, aged 10 to 19, killed themselves in the community north of Red Lake.  Deputy Chief Coroner for Ontario Doctor Bert Lauwers says education is key to tackling the problem.  The community's only school burned down in 2007 and the government has not yet rebuilt it.

Nexus travellers smuggle illegal goods

Newly released documents show Nexus travellers who are supposed to be low-risk have been caught trying to smuggle goods into the country illegally.  The federal government says the program makes border patrol more efficient by allowing border guards to move Nexus members who have already undergone security clearances to pass through customs more quickly.  But documents obtained under the Access to Information Act show more than a hundred Nexus travellers were caught smuggling goods valued in the thousands of dollars in the second half of 2010.

Hot weather brings more fires

Fire crews in Northwestern Ontario are being kept busy battling over 90 wildfires.  Officials say more forest fires are expected to start within days.  More than two-thousand staff fighting the fires will soon be getting help from 500 reinforcements from B-C. 

Missing teen found

The search for a missing teen in the city is over after police say Miranda Ritchie was located and returned to her guardian.   

Stolen bike leads to arrests

Two men are in police custody after a break and enter. The two are responsible for breaking into Fresh Air Experience around 11 o'clock last night and stealing a bike. A 32 year old male and a 25 year old male have been charged.

Police investigate sexual assault

Police couldn't get into details about an early morning sexual assault. The assault took place in the area of Ravenwood Street and Bethune Street. Police are looking for two male suspects who may have been involved.

Power back on

Residents north of Ear Falls now have power after a forest fire damaged several power lines. Hydro One crews repaired 80 hydro poles, allowing nearly 630 people to turn their lights back on. The area was without power for nearly one week.