Groups Ask Council To Save LTC Beds

Thunder Bay's Health Coalition is among several other organizations asking City Council to save 93 long term care beds.  They are concerned about the closure of 65 spots at the Revera Thunder Bay Interim Long Term Care Home and the cutting of another 28 spots at the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital.  They claim there's a shortage of beds in the City and want council to ask the Government to step in and stop the closure of the facilities. Council is going to ask the Provincial Government and the Northwest Local Health Integration Network to step in and avoid the closures.

Regen Med Asking For Cash

Regen Med is going to ask City Council to continue to support their operation.  The formal request will come at council's October 15th meeting.  President Judy Sander told council Monday night, that a business sustainability report will be completed at the end of the month which will help them decide how they move forward.  The report was commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Health.  Regen Med is a bone and tissue bank.

Council Considering Suzan Labine Park

Thunder Bay City Council is considering naming the new children's playground at Junot Park after the late Suzan Labine.  Her family spoke to council Monday night and also provided a number of letters in support of the name change.  Mayor Keith Hobbs asked administration to look into renaming the entire park after the well known citizen who was a member of the Lakehead School Board and St. Joseph's Care Group.

MNR Forest Fire Update

The Ministry of Natural Resources is lending a helping hand to the State of Minnesota.  They've asked for help fighting a fire that crossed the Canada-United States border into Manitoba on Sunday.  Two CL-415 water bombers and a bird dog aircraft were dispatched from Ontario to a 600-acre fire.  Meanwhile, Thunder Bay's MNR crews responded to a human caused fire on Saturday.

OPP Looking For Wanted Man

OPP are still looking for 31-year-old Wayne Cunningham who they say could be headed to Calgary. The warning comes after police captured a fugitive in Longlac in connection with a forcible confinement and sexual assault case in Nova Scotia. Sgt. Kelly Daniels-Griffis says 47-year-old David Leblanc is still in Greenstone OPP custody. Daniels-Griffis says police are asking you to watch out for the man but not to make contact with him.  Cunningham is believed to be driving a 2003 Hyundai Elantra with a Nova Scotia licence plate.

Campbell On MNR Cuts

The decision to cut jobs and downgrade the designation of Caliper Lake Provincial Park in Nestor Falls isn't sitting well with the area's MPP.  The Liberals cite low visitation as a reason for the decision.  Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says if the area tourism centre were open, more people might have visited.  Campbell says the changes will have a significant impact on Nestor Falls's economy.

Sioux Lookout Corridor Petition

The Mayor of Sioux Lookout is supporting Pickle Lake in an ongoing petition. The provincial government is considering a North-South transportation corridor from the Ring of Fire to First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario. Dennis Leney says an east-west road would promote growth and development to the North. Leney says the north-south corridor would pose a lot of environmental hazards.

Head Of VON Goes Under Cover In T.Bay

The head of the Victorian Order of Nurses is going to be featured on an upcoming episode of Undercover Boss Canada. Judith Shamian went in disguise and worked in Thunder Bay as well as another site in Ontario and Nova Scotia.  Shamian followed two Thunder Bay nurses on their daily rounds.  The show will air on Thursday night. 

Campaign Draws Attention To Child Abuse

It's child abuse prevention month in Thunder Bay.   According to Rob Richardson, the head of the local Children's Aid Society, it's a chance to shine a spotlight on the issue and get more people to report abuses.  He says his organization is taking care of about 900 clients while Dilico Family Services Agency has about 600. 

Habitat Hands Over Keys

Habitat for Humanity in Thunder Bay is celebrating it's 23d house build today.  Rheanna Scott and her 1 year old asthmatic son Aiden are the new residents.  The home provides Aiden with better living conditions because his previous living quarters were not smoke free.  Construction on the house started in May of last year. 

Historic Border Bust

The Canada Border Services Agency is just  reporting about a huge drug bust from last month at the Pigeon River Border.  Officials say that 2.2 million dollars worth of cocaine and heroin was seized on September 22nd.    They say it came after they stopped a truck suspected of being used to smuggle drugs into Canada. They say the drugs were stored in a hidden compartment in the truck.  A Windsor man is charged.   One official calls it the largest drug bust in the history of the Pigeon River border.

Wanted Man Captured In Greenstone

One of two men wanted in connection with a disturbing sexual assault in Nova Scotia is now in custody in Geraldton. Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Carl Pettigrew says David Leblanc was nabbed on a remote logging road last night near Longlac after a person called police to say they saw a man in distress. When OPP arrived they recognized Lablanc from his wanted picture and took him into custody. Pettigrew says that Leblanc will make a video court appearance today and then is expected to be sent back to the east coast. Meantime it's believed that Leblanc's partner, Wayne Cunningham, is still on the loose and is thought to be heading west.

Tony Villeneuve Auto Rally Rasies $25,000

The money total is in from the Tony Villeneuve memorial auto rally. Organizers say 17 teams participated in yesterday's event starting and ending at the Fort William Country Club and raised $25,000. The money goes to an endowment fund for lung cancer research, patient care and education with all of the proceeds staying here in northwestern Ontario. To date the Tony Villeneuve Memorial Auto Rally has raised more than $380,000.

CIBC Run For The Cure Called A Success

Organizers are still adding up the money from yesterday's CIBC Run For The Cure. Canada's largest single day breast cancer fundraiser brought more than a thousand people to the Legion Track for a 5 kilometre run or walk. The 21st annual event raises money for breast cancer research.