Crime reporting goes online

Reporting a crime is now just a click away. Thunder Bay Police Service now offer online crime reporting. Inspector Alan McKenzie says it will give people another option. The service also provides a printable copy of the reports to file insurance claims. To visit their website click here.

Dog battle brewing in Neebing

There's a controversy brewing in Neebing Township.  It's over a proposed by-law amendement and the interpretation of how many dogs someone can own before they need a kennel operators licence.  The issue comes before the public this evening at 5:30 at the Neebing municipal office on Highway 61.

Work order lifted

Work is now able to resume at the condominium construction site on Oliver and Golf Links Roads. Matt Blajer is with the Ministry of Labour and says all safety orders are now being complied with.  Work at the Thunder Bay Country Club site ground to a halt after a fatal industrial accident last week.

Early morning collision

Thunder Bay Police are investigating an early morning car collision that sent two men to the hospital with serious injuries.  Police say it occurred around 2 this morning when the two were driving in the area of Twin City Cross Roads and their vehicle rolled over.  Officers believe alcohol may have played a factor in the incident.

Summit partners united

A united front is emerging from a weekend summit on the Ring of Fire by First Nations and regional politicians.  Wilfred King of the Lake Nipigon First Nation says it shows that the group wants to make sure any development that takes place in the north must stay in the north.  Among  other things, the group agreed to support Exton as the site for the proposed chromite smelter.

Another big local lottery winner

They say it happens in threes. There's another big lottery winner in the city, the third in the last month. This time Len Carr won one and a half million dollars in the SickKids Lottery. He plans to use the money for retirement planning and will share it with the family. Len and his wife Joanne will be presented with a cheque on Friday in Toronto.

Cyclists urged to stay off sidewalk

The Health Unit is warning cyclists who plan to ride their bikes on area sidewalks. Spokesperson Marita Campbell says the three most recent cyclist related collisions occured because the bike rider was on the sidewalk. Campbell says sidewalks are dangerous because motorists leaving driveways might not see cyclists on the sidewalk.

Police board gives cash to conference

Thunder Bay Police are moving ahead with their two year business plan. Mayor Keith Hobbs says he's pleased with the initiatives in the living document. The plan also calls for increased communication with the Aboriginal community.

Proposed development agency causing concerns

Plans for a new regional economic development agency may get a rough ride at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Conference in Kenora next week. Mayor Dave Canfield predicts it will be a hot topic for NOMA delegates.   While he says he shares some of the concerns of area politicians about the cost of the agency to municipalities, he supports the idea.

Construction site remains shut down

Condominium construction remains at a stand-still at the Thunder Bay Country Club site at Oliver and Golf Links Roads. The Ministry of Labour says it will stay that way until it's satisfied that a plan is in place to prevent a fatal accident like the one last week that took the life of a 31 year old worker. Officials say he died after being run over by a dump truck that was backing up.

Police Force launches 2 year business plan

Thunder Bay Police are moving ahead with their two year business plan. Mayor Keith Hobbs says he's pleased with the initiatives in the living document. It details how the force will address First Nation issues and public consultation. The plan also calls for increased communication with the Aboriginal community. To check it out click here.

Cyclist crosses Ontario on one wheel

The Man in Motion is now the Wheel in Motion. Stratford's Derrick Ferguson will be cycling across Ontario with a unicycle to raise money for the Rick Hansen Foundation. Ferguson will cover 26 hundred kilometres on his cross-province journey starting in Kenora May 6th.  To donate visit their website at http://www.wheelinmotion.ca/

Council hears concerns over cell towers

City Council can't dodge members of the public who remain opposed to a new Bell tower set to be built on Highway 61 near Chippewa Road.  Michelle Addison brought forward a petition that had more than 100 signatures from residents in the area who oppose the tower because of potential cancer causing agents being emitted from the frequency waves.

Dawson Road Truck Issue Postponed Again

McIntyre Ward Councillor Trevor Giertuga was frustrated on behalf of residents in his ward as the Dawson Road and heavy truck issue came up before city council Monday night. Giertuga was upset for a variety of reasons but wanted to be involved in the process during council's intergovernmental liaison committee meeting on the subject. After venting his frustration about not being invited, despite asking to be, he put forth a motion that council have another intergovernmental committee meeting on the subject. It was passed and now council won't be expected to hear back on the subject until July.

ReGen Med requests cash

City Council is hearing a request from ReGen Med.  The not for profit bone and tissue bank is requesting 500-thousand dollars in transitional funding.  The organization feels the money would ensure their future growth.  They want to increase their staffing levels from 8 to 40.  Council is getting a report on the funding request and will make their decision at a future meeting.

McDonald tops locals at marathon

12 Thunder Bay runners are celebrating their Boston Marathon finishes today. The City was well represented this year with Ryan McDonald posting the best time of all Thunder Bay runners. He finished in 3 hours 13 minutes and 40 seconds, while Marcia Migay was tops for the local women with a time of 3 hours and 35 minutes. Local results as follows.

McDonald, Ryan (CAN) 03:13:40

Migay, Marcia (CAN) 03:35:58
Pazianos, Tom (CAN) 03:46:55
Sneve, Darren (CAN) 03:53:42
Harris, Allan (CAN) 04:00:59
Baraskewich, Lindsay (CAN) 04:01:04
Bociurko, Christine (CAN) 04:12:02
Smith, Leigh (CAN) 04:30:04
Frederickson, Deborah (CAN) 04:34:23
McDonald, Susan (CAN) 04:35:40
Barton, Judy (CAN) 04:45:49
Smith, Mark (CAN) 04:48:27

Area highways start to re-open

OPP say Highways are starting to open up. Police say Highway 11 from Nipigon to North Bay Highway 17 from Sistonen Corners heading west to Ignace is open as is Highway 11 between Shabaqua and Atikokan.

Gun incident on FWFN

A woman is out of police custody after an incident with a gun on Chippewa Road Sunday afternoon.  Anishinabek police say the woman was on the road waving what appeared to be a rifle or a shotgun.  Police took her into custody but later let her go. Police say charges have been laid.

Cartoon display at City Hall.

The city is hosting a display that involves award winning editorial cartoons from all around the world.  The Freedom of Expression Broadstrokes exhibit is being shown in the lobby of City Hall until May 15th.

Grocery shopping goes high tech

Quality Market is introducing the first online grocery store in the city. In addition to city residents the new internet shopping system will benefit many First Nation communities. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy says remote communities will have access to fresh produce at an affordable price. The link for the grocery store website is here.

Stolen vehicle in Marathon

Marathon OPP are charging two Southern Ontario residents with possession of stolen property and fleeing police.  It stems from a report of a stolen vehicle over the weekend.  Police spotted the vehicle and started a high speed chase.  Two men and woman evaded a speed belt and abandoned the vehicle.  The K9 unit helped track the duo a short distance from the stolen car.

Hobbs talks truck traffic

City lawmakers will be considering a proposal many hope will discourage truck traffic on Dawson Road. Councillors will be voting on whether to reduce the speed limit and make it into a community safety zone.

Hydro One reports outages

Hydro One is reporting a power outage in the outlying communities around Thunder Bay.  128 customers near Pass Lake are without power this morning, as are several residents in Neebing and Oliver Paipoonge.

Rural Schools Closed-All Buses Cancelled

The bad weather is impacting all school bus transportation today. All buses are cancelled.  School closures today include, CRESTVIEW, MCKENZIE, FIVE MILE, NOR’WESTER VIEW, GORHAM & WARE, VALLEY CENTRAL, KAKABKA FALLS, WHITEFISH VALLEY, Thunder Bay Christian School is also closed.  All rural schools are closed. Urban schools will be open. All Thunder Bay Catholic and French Catholic schools are open.

Foulds introduces hockey rink resolution

City Councillor Andrew Foulds is introducing a resolution tonight that will look at increasing supervision at local hockey rinks.  Foulds says it's the first step towards getting kids more physically active in the winter.  Foulds says if the resolution passes tonight, staff will come back with a list of options for council on how they can make the rinks more accessible.

Thunder Bay Queens provincial champions

Thunder Bay's Sportop midget double A Queens are the Ontario Women's Hockey Association provincial champions.  It's their second time winning the title in three seasons.  The Queens now move on to represent the province at the Esso Cup Canadian national female hockey championship in P.E.I.

Suspicious death Pikangikum

Police are investigating the suspicious death of a 32 year old Pikangikum First Nation man.  Officers were called to a house on the First Nation to deal with an altercation on April 14th.  A short time later a man was located unresponsive on the side of a road.  A post-mortem exam still needs to be conducted.

Kenora MP Takes Issue with Federal N.D.P. Leader

The MP for the Kenora riding is not impressed with comments made by the Federal N.D.P. Leader. Greg Rickford says the comments came moments after the long gun registry received royal assent. Thomas Mulcair stated that if he were in power he would lean on his fellow party members to vote in favour of the gun registry. Rickford says Thomas Mulcair has lost touch with the values of Northern Ontarians.

Deer Feeding By-law Examined in Kenora

A warmer than normal winter is expected to result in an increase in the deer population in the City of Kenora. City Council is taking steps to try and deal with the problem. Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says they've tightened up their Feeding of Wild Animals by-law to make it more enforceable. Councillor Louis Roussin has suggested that a deer cull is in order to deal with the rampant deer population in the city.

Hunter Fined For Illegal Moose Hunt

A Fort Frances area man has been fined 25-hundred dollars for illegal moose hunting. Court heard that Myron Huber was hunting at the Turtle Tank cut, east of Mine Centre last October. He shot a bull moose but he didn't have a seal.

Spring Seatbelt Campaign Begins

The Thunder Bay OPP are running their annual spring seatbelt campaign which starts Saturday. Provincial Constable Diana Cole says they want to help save lives. The campaign is to raise awareness on seatbelt use and runs until April 22nd.

Conservatory Remains Closed

Thunder Bay's Botanical Conservatory is not going to reopen as expected today. City Spokesperson Michael Smith says they're putting off reopening the facility until City Council receives a report on the status of the building. Smith says the report will come before council in May and will look at the cost of repairing the facility.

Newest lottery winners emerge

Another Thunder Bay couple are lucky lottery winners. Tony and Karen Biscardi won over 1 million dollars in Wednesday's Lotto 6-49. Tony Biscardi says he's still pinching himself.  The couple plan to pay some bills and sock the rest away for retirement.

Accident results in minor injuries

3 people are injured following an accident this morning at Arthur and 20th Side Road. Police say at least two vehicles were involved in the accident. The injuries are said to be minor.

Conservatory reopening put off

Thunder Bay's Botanical Conservatory is not going to reopen as expected tomorrow.  City Spokesperson Michael Smith says they're putting off reopening the facility until City Council receives a report on the status of the building.  Smith says the report will come before council in May and will look at the cost of repairing the facility.

RBC fundraising for Dilico Children's Foundation

RBC branches around the city today are raising money in support of the new Dilico Children's youth group home. RBC spokesperson Shannon Gothard-Ramirez encourages people to donate. The group home will be located on Fort William First Nation.

No local flight cancellations yet

Air Canada is issuing a travel alert warning labour disruptions could affect flights all day and even into the weekend. The airline says it's all because of apparent problems with some of it's pilots right across the country. So far there have been no disruptions at the Thunder Bay Airport, according to manager Scott McFadden, who says the other airlines can handle any local cancellations if they happen.

Premier Gold Mines gets green-light

Premier Gold Mines is getting the green light from the Provincial Government. They received approval from Ontario to conduct advance exploration activities at their Trans-Canada project in the Geraldton ward. Greenstone Mayor Renald Beaulieu says it's good news for his community.

Cyclist struck by van

A cyclist was taken to hospital last night after he was hit by a van as he was crossing Memorial Avenue at Central. The 40 year old man has since been released from the hospital with minor injuries. Police are still investigating

MNR expects busy fire season

The Minister of Natural Resources says he has a better understanding of the pride and commitment of local firefighters.  Michael Gravelle toured the Northwest Region Forest Fire Management Centre in Dryden on Tuesday and he says the Government will continue to back MNR fire crews.  Gravelle admits its looking like a busy fire season and the Government is facing tough financial times.  However, he stresses public safety is priority number one.

OPP seatbelt blitz

"Buckle up or face a fine."  That's the theme of the Ontario Provincial Police Spring Seatbelt campaign.  The initiative starts Saturday and ends on April 22nd.  OPP across Northwestern Ontario will be targeting drivers and passengers who are not buckled up and will be focusing on child restraints.  Police say a properly used booster seat can reduce a child's risk of injury in a crash by as much as 75-percent.

Shed fire

Careless handling of a flammable liquid is the cause of a shed fire on Wolf Crescent in Fort William First Nation today.  Thunder Bay's Fire Service brought the blaze under control but not before the contents of the shed were destroyed.  The owner's home and a neighbours' sustained heat damage to the exterior siding.

United Way looking to raise money with a run

The Women's United Run, Stroll or Roll and Walk a Mile in her shoes fundraising events are back on May 12th. Spokesperson Beverly Lannon says it will be a busy day. The events are to protest violence against women and to get women physically active.

The wait is over.....almost.

The city's transfer of waterfront land to a private developer is now signed, sealed and delivered.   It paves the way for a condominium and hotel project.  Developer Giselle MacDonald says they have more work to do before the hotelier can be announced and says that should be announced in June.  Meantime the city's Waterfront Development Committee chair Councillor Mark Bentz says that it's an important day for all the people in the city the project has touched because it shows their work has meant something.

Landfill use on the rise

As the weather warms up, expect longer lines at the city's landfill. Roads Division Manager Brad Adams says going to the landfill in the morning could reduce traffic. Being prepared and organizing your loads at home could also help to avoid lineups.

Police make arrests in Project Dolphin

The alleged ring leader behind a major drug trafficking operation in Thunder Bay is behind bars.  As part of what police are calling Project Dolphin officials announced the arrest of 38 year old John Tsekouras and are charging him with several drug related offences.  Officers also took 4 others into custody yesterday.  Project Dolphin was started in 2010 and has so far netted over 2.1 million dollars worth of drugs and 500 thousand dollars worth of cash and property. Officers also say this organization had ties to organized crime in Western Canada and Montreal including the Hells Angels.

No serious injuries in school bus mishap

Thunder Bay Police are investigating a school bus accident at the intersection of Court and McDougall. The bus and a pick up truck collided at around 8 o'clock this morning. The students in the bus were from three different schools in the area. Police say that the 56 year old woman bus driver and a 13 year old girl received minor injuries. A 17 year old boy, who police say was driving the pick up, has been charged with disobeying a stop sign.

Demolition begins on Sister Margaret Smith building

The first bricks of the St. Joseph hospital construction project are being removed today. President Tracey Buckler says residents will see some demolition action.The demolition of the Sister Margaret Smith building will take several months.

Former Olympian keeping Fox dream alive

A Niagara Falls man wants to complete Terry Fox's dream. Former Olympic Boxer Mike Strange is running from Thunder Bay to the west coast to complete Fox's Marathon of Hope. Strange began his knock-out cancer tour after being welcomed to the city by Mayor Keith Hobbs this morning. 

Ambassador to visit Churchill High

Canadian Ambassador for Jordan and Iraq, Mark Gwozdecky will be speaking to students at Sir Winston Churchill high school today. Gwozdecky was born and raised in Thunder Bay and will be talking about Canada's free trade agreement with Jordan.