Collision Sends One To Hospital

One person is recovering from injuries sustained in a south side traffic mishap.   Police say it happened Tuesday afternoon at Syndicate Avenue and Ridgeway when a motorcycle and car collided.  The motorcycle driver was sent to hospital with injuries that are not considered a threat to his life.

City Can Host 300 More Evacuees

The city says it will be able to handle an additional 300 northern flood evacuees if necessary.  Deputy Fire Chief Greg Hankkio says  the decision follows a meeting of emergency officials this afternoon.   He says it means if Emergency Measures Ontario needs to evacuate more residents, then Thunder Bay has the room for 300 of them.  The city is already hosting 150 evacuees from the Kashechewan First Nation.

Street Sweeping Starts

City street sweeping is underway.   Officials say it takes approximately six weeks to complete the work along main roads and other major streets. Once these roads are done, crews will move into residential areas.

Sgt. Defends Police Checks

 A concern is being raised about how police inspect vehicles heading to the city's Solid Waste and Recycling facility on Mapleward Road.  A listener believes police are being too intrusive and overstepping their boundaries, but City Traffic Sgt. Glen Porter says not so.    Porter says officers are going by the book as they check drivers who are taking advantage of free dumping this week.

Victim's Condition Improves

City police say the 36 year old victim of a weekend assault is now in fair condition.   He was originally listed in critical  after being found injured outside an East End house on Sunday night.  Five teenagers are charged in connection with the violent incident.

Rickford In Kapuskasing

Kenora MP Greg Rickford is in Kapuskasing today on behalf of the Prime Minister overseeing the evacuation of flood victims from Kashechewan First Nation.  600-people have been forced from their home and have been relocated to Thunder Bay, Kapuskasing and Cornwall.  Rickford says it's been a fairly smooth transition.  Rickford says it's not yet known how long the evacuation order will remain in place.

Habitat For Humanity Women Only Build

Local women are trading in their heels for work boots.  It's part of Habitat for Humanity's first ever women build in the City.  CEO Diane Mitchell says often women are intimidated by men at the build sites and that's why they are holding a women's only build.  The Mary Street East home is going to a single mother with four sons.  The single mother came from Burma seven years ago with her husband and the boys but shortly after arriving in Canada her husband passed away.

Cliffs Mining Training Graduates More Youth

A step closer to working in Northwestern Ontario's mining industry for 14 students.  The youth from Webeuie First Nation are the latest graduates of the Mining Essentials Program, offered by Cliffs Resources and Oshki Training and Education Institute. Oshki Executive Director Rosie Mosquito says the students were able to learn a lot.  Once the mines are up and running, Cliffs has stated they will likely hire the students.

Strike's Impact Not Known

A spokesperson from Infrastructure Ontario says it's too early to speculate on how an elevator constructors strike will impact the work on the Consolidated Courthouse.  Jennifer Asals says they're hopeful the matter will be resolved soon and that there will not be any major impact on the schedule for the project.  levator union members and sheet metal workers went on strike last week.

Chamber Pleased With Idea Pick Up

Thunder Bay's Chamber of Commerce is pleased their Provincial counterpart adopted two of their ideas at their recent meeting.  The province wide Chamber will be asking the Wynne Government to repeal the Far North Act.  They'll also ask the Province to reform Ontario's Apprenticeship system.

Health Unit To Conduct Inspection Blitz

Body art and beauty shops in the city better have their act together.   The Health Unit says it will be conducting an inspection blitz of them all this month.  It's to ensure they comply with infection prevention control laws laid out by the government.

MP Questions Reliability Of Census Data

 Next weeks data from the latest Canadian census will be the first since the questionnaire became voluntary to fill out.  MP John Rafferty is wondering if the information gathered from northwestern Ontario will be accurate enough. He says there will not be results to help northern communities get reliable data for future planning.  Rafferty it will also be difficult to compare the latest data to previous years.