Lac Seul Receives Federal Cash

Some federal dollars for the Lac Seul Training Center of Excellence. Kenora MP Greg Rickford was in Hudson yesterday, where he announced 132-thousand-dollars in funding that will help with upgrades to the facility and the Culinary School that will soon be offered. Rickford adds the government remains committed to helping First Nation communities.Lac Seul has partnered with Goldcorp and the Seven Generations Education Institute to create the facility.

TB Chamber Of Commerce Hands Out Awards

The results are in for this year's Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce Awards. Ten awards were handed out at last night's celebration at the Victoria Inn. Among the winners was the Fort William Historical park, which won the Tourism Partner Award.

Man Charged With Having Dangerous Weapons

Thunder Bay Police have charged a man with having dangerous weapons after an incident in the MacDougall Street Area. Police say the man was pointing a replica handgun at people walking by yesterday afternoon. Officials say the man will appear in court.

Weather Notification Program In The Works

Improving the way the weather is reported. Speaking in Dryden, Meteorologist Geoff Coulson says they are in the process of developing EC-Alert Me, which will send out text and emails to agencies about local weather conditions, such as storms.Coulson says it's great for the media and emergency response organizations, giving them the freedom to put more detailed information in the warnings.

TB Chamber Of Commerce Awards Tonight

Thunder Bay's Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards are back for another year. 54 nominees are in the running for ten awards this year. Celebrations are being held at the Victoria Inn tonight.

OPP Target Distracted Drivers

A distracted driving campagin put on by the OPP starts on Monday. Officers will be targeting drivers who are distracted behind the wheel. The campagin will wrap up on April 22nd.

Kenora To Open Brewery

Northwestern Ontario will soon have another local brewery. Tara Manzies from the Lake of the Woods Brewing Company in Kenora says work is coming along at the brewery. Manzies adds they are still on track to be operational by the end of May.

Charity Auction Raises 100 K

The coffers at the Northern Cancer Fund are overflowing after another successful fundraiser.  Organizers says Thursday night's Bachelors of Hope Charity Auction raised 100 thousand dollars.

Feds Dole Out $ For EA Involvement

The Harper government is giving 160 thousand dollars to ten Northwestern Ontario groups. It's to support their participation in the  environmental assessment of the proposed Rainy River Gold Project.  Most of the groups are Aboriginal and the funding will allow them to be involved more effectively in each stage of the process


Applicant Allocation

Big Grassy River First Nation $15,192.50
Métis Nation of Ontario, on behalf of the Métis Nation of Ontario Region #1 Consultation Committee $30,600.00
Naicatchewenin First Nation $30,600.00
Naotkamegwanning First Nation (Whitefish Bay) $26,890.00
Rainy River First Nations $12,677.87
Couchiching First Nation $10,200.00
Mitaanjigamiing First Nation $10,200.00
Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation $10,200.00
Seine River First Nation $9,980.00
Stefan Szeder, on behalf of the Rainy River Soil and Crop Improvement Association $9,840.00

Total$166,380.37

ELA Supporters Protest

Protesters are in front of MPP Michael Gravelle's office demanding the province take over the running of the Experimental Lakes Area, west of Vermilion Bay.   It comes as Kenora MP Greg Rickford confirms secret talks are taking place to have a third party take over the facility from the feds.

CU Merger Complete

It's a done deal now.  Members of the Copperfin Credit Union in Kenora and Superior Credit Union in Thunder Bay have voted in favour of merging.   The newly formed financial institution will officially begin operating under the Copperfin name on May first.

Eco Superior Gets Cash For Food Plan

The Ontario Trilluim Foundation is giving Eco Superior over 200 Thousand Dollars to create a food strategy for the area. The money will let Eco Superior hire a coordinator and develop education materials and a communications plan. The grant will be given over a three year period.

Fletcher Preps For Monday Update

The head of the city's disaster relief committee is preparing to update city councillors Monday night.   Wayne Fletcher hopes to outline when payouts to victims of the May 28th flood can begin flowing,  something he says is still an unknown.   Fletcher says the most frustrating part of the process has been the amount of government red tape he's had to encounter.  As well Fletcher says they will have the total amount of money raised to date, about 1 and a half million dollars, and the total cash eligible for payouts.

Cross Canada Food Ride

Two Lakehead University students will bike ten thousand kilometres across Canada this summer to collect food and money for Canadian food banks. FoodRide will set up 22 food drives across the country, looking to raise $100,000 in food and money. Their journey starts on April 25th in Victoria, British Columbia, and will end September 8th in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Million Dollar Bust

The Combined Forces Crime Unit have taken a significant amount of drugs off the street thanks to a recent bust. Officials say officers searched homes on Miles street and Frances street and found cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana valued at over one million dollars. Police also found nearly 22,000 dollars cash in the homes. 28-year-old Ryan Wilson Christianson is in police custody, and will appear in court later today.

Leadership Thunder Bay Celebrates Anniversary

Leadership Thunder Bay is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Leadership T.Bay is a training program that molds professionals into community leaders. President Kristen Oliver says it's quite the achievement. The official celebration will be held at Gargoyles May 1st.

Hospital Exec. Not Worried About C Rank

A Spokesperson for the Health Sciences Centre says they're not bothered by a recent health report card grading them a C. Dr. Stewart Kennedy says the C is an indication that they have to look at areas where they can improve. Kennedy notes because they are a teaching hospital they are open to more severely sick patients. Wednesday's report showed poor grades for the number of patients who die after undergoing major surgery. The report is based on information found in the Canadian Institute For Health.

Injured Workers Rally At Gravelle's Office

Members of Thunder Bay's Injured Workers group are asking the Provincial Government to stop cutting benefits for the injured and disabled. President Janet Peterson says massive cuts in the system are resulting in many people ending up in poverty and collecting social assistance. Peterson and others are rallying at MPP Michael Gravelle's office today.

MS Society New Location

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Thunder Bay is getting an upgrade. They will be opening their new office today. Regional President Linda Adamson says part of the reason for a new office was because of growing staff. Adamson says the Thunder Bay chapter is now the regional office for Northern and Northwestern Ontario.

Bachelor Auction

The Hope Charity Auction will be auctioning off ten of Thunder Bay's most eligible bachelors tonight in support of breast cancer research. Auction spokesperson Laurie Clark says it's really a ladies night out. All money raised in the auction will be donated to the Northern Cancer Fund.