Tbaytel's Luncheon of Hope in support of local breast cancer initiatives is back for its 21st year this afternoon. Health Sciences Foundation Spokesperson Heather Vita says this year's special guest is Maureen Holloway who is a breast cancer survivor and a national broadcaster. Since it's inception the luncheon of hope has raised over 260-thousand dollars for the Northern Cancer fund.
Lakehead University is dealing with another four to five cases of bed bugs in their Pretie residence. Residence Services Spokesperson David Hare says they haven't stopped spraying dorms since bed bugs were reported earlier this fall. Hare says they've had a total of 12 cases of bed bugs since the start of the school year.
Provincial Police and Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Police Are investigating a death in Fort Severn First Nation. A NAPS officer was called regarding a serious assault that happened at a home in the community on Wednesday. A woman was taken to the nursing station and died from her injuries. She has been identified as 24-year-old Georgina Stoney. Police say 19-year-old Tommy Miles Junior has been charged with second-degree murder.
City Police are investigating an early morning single vehicle accident on the North Side. Police say a car struck three hydro poles in the area of 350 North Cumberland Street after two o'clock. The driver of the vehicle then fled on foot and its unknown whether any injuries were sustained in the crash. Power was knocked out in the area as well as some traffic lights on Cumberland and Water Streets.
Provincial Police and Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Police are investigating a death in Fort Severn First Nation. A NAPS officer was called regarding a serious assault that happened at a home in the community on Wednesday. A woman was taken to the nursing station and died from her injuries. She has been identified as 24-year-old Georgina Stoney. Police say 19-year-old Tommy Miles Junior has been charged with second-degree murder.
The President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is giving thumbs up to the Speech from the Throne. Canfield was invited to take in the speech on Parliament Hill yesterday. He says the real highlight for him was getting to meet with members of the federal cabinet afterwards. Canfield admits the Throne Speech was short in specifics, but says some of the issues raised, like skills training will help both the mining and forestry sectors in this region.
The Dryden Police Service is shutting down its Communications Centre in 2014. The Centre will close on March 31st subject to Ontario Civilian Police Commission approval and will be run by the Owen Sound Police Service. Chief Rob Davis outlines one of the reasons behind the move. The decision will result in the loss of 9 full time and 4 part time positions.
City Police are looking for the driver of a silver Honda Prelude after it rear ended a stopped school bus Thursday morning. The man who was driving the vehicle fled the scene, Police found it parked in a laneway a short distance away from the collision site on Peter Street. Police are having a hard time finding the driver of the vehicle as he doesn't live at the address he provided to the Ministry of Transportation. None of the children were hurt by the collision.
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| Chelsea Rivalin |
Thunder Bay MP John Rafferty is not pleased with the Throne Speech. Rafferty is concerned with the lack of attention Northern Ontario received. He added that the promise of action once there's a balanced budget is likely not to happen.
Dr. Roger Strasser is going to be the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's Dean until 2019. He was reappointed at a meeting recently with his new term ending June 30th, 2019. Strasser was the first Dean of the school and started in 2002.
Thunder Bay MP Bruce Hyer describes the Throne Speech as fluffy, but is happy with the protection of consumers it offers. That includes similar legislation to that of his proposed private members bills. Hyer proposed a passenger's rights bill aimed at airline companies and a cell phone bill requiring companies to unlock phones by request, free of charge.
Mayor Keith Hobbs is reacting to the Throne Speech made yesterday. Hobbs had a chance to meet briefly with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The Mayor said that in their meeting Harper acknowledged that Northern Ontario was not specifically mentioned. He went on to add that it does not mean issues like The Ring of Fire and forestry will not be addressed.
A group of medical professionals from Northern Sweden are visiting the Northern Ontario Medical School. The group is interested in learning what NOSM is doing to retain family doctors in the north.
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| GG David Johnston |
The 64 year old Alberta man involved in a single vehicle accident this afternoon has died in Thunder Bay hospital. He lost control of his vehicle just before 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon hitting a rock cut on the opposite side of the road. Highway 11/17 near Sistonen's Corners was closed for over 2 hours on Wednesday.
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| Major Rob Kerr |
Longlac resident Andre Boulanger is 125-thousand dollars richer after playing in Ontario's Daily Keno draw. The retiree plans to save some of his winnings, but also spoil his daughter and grandson.
The Provincial Government is touting its new Youth Jobs Strategy. Education Minister Liz Sandals toured Sir Winston Churchill High School today and unveiled the strategy. Sandals says they're spending over 200 million dollars will go towards creating four new funds that will help young people find work, build job skills and start their own business. Sandals is also holding a discussion today in the City with school board officials, students and other education representatives about the needs of students in Ontario.
After being shut down over the long weekend, the Centennial Botanical Conservatory is set to reopen today. Last Friday, City officials closed the 47-year old building after a couple of roof vents had broken over a walkway. The Conservatory was closed last winter after glass panels came crashing down, which led the City to install protective safety netting from the ceiling. The facility opens its doors this afternoon at one o'clock.
Poverty Free Thunder Bay wants to hear your stories about living on Ontario's minimum wage. Chair Terri Carter says they want to hear about the hardships people making minimum wage face. To share your story stop by the Village Green in the Victoriaville Mall from 11 until 1. Stories shared with Poverty Free Thunder Bay will then be passed on to members of the Provincial Government.
OPP say the death of a hunter in the Rainy River area isn't suspicious. Police say the American man was found on Monday, 30 km north of the junction of Highway 11 and Highway 611. A post mortem is being conducted at the Kenora Hospital.
Expect to see a lot of purple Wednesday for the first "Go Purple for Prevention Day". The Thunder Bay Childrens Aid Society is using the day to raise awareness surrounding child abuse. People are encouraged to take photos of themselves dressed in purple and post it to the Step Up Campaign's Facebook page.
Some members of the City Police Service are going to a 12 hour shift schedule starting in January. Chief JP Levesque says uniform, communications and records employees will be adding an extra two hours to their work day. Levesque says the move should save them some money through fewer overtime shifts. Two staff sergeants and four sergeants will be moved into a variety of positions including the gang unit, criminal investigations branch and the school resource section. The new twelve hour shift will be tried out for a year.
The Harper government unveils its parliamentary agenda on Wednesday with the Speech From the Throne. Thunder Bay MP Bruce Hyer is hoping that the special needs of northwestern Ontario are addressed like job creation, the economy and providing stimulus for our major industries. However Hyer says he doesn't expect to be impressed by the speech. Meantime, MP John Rafferty hopes the speech will include a promise to restore the 23 million dollars taken from FedNor so more industry can be developed here.
Senior VP of Forestry for EACOM Timber says it's the right time to reopen the Ear Falls Sawmill. Brian Nicks says the U.S housing recovery and positive financial forecasts make the decision a little easier. The opening is expected to come next spring.
The Thunder Bay region will be featured in an upcoming edition of Gripped, a rock climbing magazine. Editor Brandon Pullan is the editor and says the region is great for climbers because of uncommon rock types, ease of access and low risk winter climbing. The feature will focus on locations around the region including some spots right here in the city. It will run in February and April.
A Northern Ontario Chief says the Federal Government is using first nations as lab rats. Anishinabek Nation Grand Chief Patrick Madahbee says they have played no role in the First Nations Education Act, which is expected to be presented in the new fall session. Madahbee is asking for the government's patience as they develop their own strategy which will include more parental guidance.
The Attawapiskat community is the major beneficiary of federal funding. Forty-five thousand dollars will go to the community for participating in the environmental assessment of the proposed Victor Diamond Mine extension project. A total nearing ninety-thousand dollars is being distributed amongst four northern First Nations including MiningWatch Canada and the Wildlands League.
Dilico Anishinabek Family Care Executive Director Darcia Borg is now head of the agency. Borg plans on setting new goals for the organization while helping families and communities. She brings with her over twenty years of experience.
There will be a free Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow afternoon at 545 Cumberland street, courtesy of the Salvation Army and Thunder Bay firefighters. Rob Kerr is the event spokesperson and says he is impressed with how tightly knit the community is. Over three-hundred people are expected to show up tomorrow. Dinner will be served between noon and three.