Swimmers Beware...Again

Once again you swim at your own risk at three local beaches.   The Health Unit says high E-coli bacteria levels have forced officials to issue swimming advisories for Sandy and Sunny Side Beaches at Boulevard Lake along with the Main Beach at Chippewa Park.

Shoppers Drug Mart Calls A Scam

A northwestern Ontario Shoppers Drug Mart manager says another scam is targeting their customers in the market. Cory Pyykka  says someone is calling peopel saying they have won a trip on behalf of Shoppers, and then asks for financial information.  Pyykka says this is completely fake and that the company is not calling anyone and would never ask for financial info. Pyykka says they have been receiving a number of calls from customers.

Fire Season Remains Quiet

An unusually quiet summer for forest firefighters with the Ministry of Natural Resources. August has been especially quiet as cool and wet weather has overcome the area. There are now only 17-active fires in the region. Sioux Lookout has 8-fires currently burning, while Red Lake and Kenora each have one each.

Horizon Refutes Opposition Claims

The war of words continues in the Big Thunder wind farm dispute.   The group opposed to Horizon Wind's plans to build wind turbines on the Nor'Wester Escarpment says the company is cutting down trees and building a road on that property.  Horizon's Kathleen MacKenzie says they are conducting soil testing on the site and it requires equipment to be brought in and some tree trimming or clearing has taken place. MacKenzie  refutes an opposition claim the company is building a road saying there are known trails on the property.

Suspect Surrenders

The Thunder Bay man who was wanted on a Canada wide warrant in a sexual assault investigation is now back in police custody.   Police spokesperson Chris Adams  says that 62 year old Arthur Lyons gave himself up peacefully to police yesterday.  He is facing sex related charges after an investigation police say involved a child victim.  

Ron Bottos Dead At 71

A long time local radio and TV personality has passed away.  Ron Bottos, who hosted the "Reach for the Top" show, was 71.  He died Saturday at St. Joseph's Hospice.  Bottos was also a musician who played in the band StoneRidge and also hosted the annual Cystic Fibrosis Telethon.   Funeral arrangements are pending.  

City To Save Lyceum Theatre Building

The city is going to save the Lyceum Theatre building.  The structure,on Cumberland Street, has been deemed to be sound by engineers and will be saved from the wrecking ball.  The city could end up paying for the repairs if the current owner doesn't comply with the work orders.  The property has outstanding taxes, which could lead to the city taking it over and then selling the 103-year old building.

Pet Limit Proposal Nixed

City councillor Aldo Ruberto is not getting his wish.   His plan to get the ball rolling on limiting the number of pets a person can own was torpedoed by his fellow councillors,  even after his plea for support.  Ruberto says he has spoken with health and city officials who liked the plan.  Mayor Keith Hobbs mocked the idea asking if the city would start limiting the number of children a family could have.   He called it waste of time.

Homeless Housing Initiative Supported

City lawmakers are backing a so called "housing first" program to help get more homeless people off the street.   The plan makes  giving the homeless a place to stay the first priority before getting a job.   Council's support gives the coordinators of city's Drug Strategy the extra leverage when it comes to get money from other levels of government.

Councillors Give Support To Smoking Ban

City council is on its way to giving some legal muscle to the regional hospital's plan to ban smoking on its property. Councillors have asked City Hall staff to make the necessary by-law changes to make it happen.  Development Services Manager Mark Smith told councillors  it could happen by next month. The hospital will have the total smoking ban in place at the end of September.

Truck Stop Gets New Life

The old Pass Lake Truck stop on the Trans Canada Highway in Shuniah Township is getting some new life.  Reeve Maria Harding confirms it will be converted to a Shell-Flying J Truck Stop, hopefully by the end of the year. Harding calls it a good thing.  The business  has sat vacant for about a year and a half.

Payne Sentenced To 90 Days

A Thunder Bay man is going to jail after being sentenced for possessing child pornography.  Forty six year old Michael Payne has been sentenced to 90 days in jail and one year probation   In court Monday it was revealed there were almost 18 hundred images on a computer that police seized at the time of his arrest.

More Building Permits For July

 City Hall is reporting a number of new building permits issued in July.  They include a new office and retail space on  Waterloo Street between Cumming Street and the Tim Horton's.   Officials say there will be three buildings on the site but it's not known what businesses they will be including. Work is already underway.  The Fort William Clinic has also received a permit for its new clinic on Golf Links Road.

The Mystery Remains...Who Killed Shannon Hogan?

If police have any leads in their latest murder investigation they remain tight lipped about it.   For now the death of 30 year old Shannon Hogan remains unsolved almost one month after she was found early in the morning, seriously injured behind a Lake Street house.   Police have not released the cause of her death.   It's the second murder of 2013.

Library Out With Strat Plan

The public library is out with its strategic plan for the next three years.   Chief Librarian John Pateman says it's now available online and they are hoping for your input.  He says they are setting up a community action panel which will get the public's views on the plan's objectives.   While not mentioning a new central library by name, Pateman did say that the plan's directions for innovation and change  could provide for some "interesting developments in the future."   You can view the document at this LINK

NAN Chiefs Meeting This Week

The 49 chiefs of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation are meeting this week in Kasabonika Lake.   They're holding their annual conference.   Topics to be discussed this year include treaties, justice, education and policing.

Wright To Oversee FedNor

Mark Wright

The transition from MP to Minister of State continues for Kenora's Greg Rickford.
Rickford has been busy being briefed on his new duties as Minister of Science and Technology and Minister responsible for FedNor. Rickford says that includes the hiring of new staff including Thunder Bay's Mark Wright who will oversee Fednor

More ELA Alarm Bells

The transfer of the Experimental Lakes Area east of Vermillion Bay continues to hit road blocks. The government had plans to keep research uninterrupted this year while it handed the area to private hands. Peter Kirby is with the group Save ELA and says that the delay has halted research at the facility. Kirby also says the science team that ran the ELA is moving onto other jobs and might not be able to come back.

Girls Get Dirty To Fight Cancer

An overwhelming response to a weekend charity event has organizers already planning next year's Dirty Girl Mud Run.   It was held in Oliver-Paipoonge to raise money for the local Canadian Cancer Society.   The first time event collected 200 thousand dollars with the help of 750 participants.

Tournament Raises Big $

Officials at the George Jeffery Children's Centre are still basking in the glow of a successful golf tournament. The second Patrick Sharp Tourney raked in an impressive 115 thousand dollars for the organization.