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.