Infrastructure plan to include Ring of Fire

Saying the north is different, Ontario's infrastructure minister says our region will be taken into account in his 10 year plan. Bob Chiarelli tells municipal delegates in Thunder Bay that it must include the Ring of Fire mining development.   He says that will include building roads, the electricity grid and communication links.  His infrastructure plan for the province will be released next month.

City receives tbaytel dividends

The city is getting a big contribution from tbaytel.  Over 20 million dollars in dividends is being handed over to the city.  Tbaytel saw record revenues last year exceeding 131 million. 

Hat found near the Kam belonged to missing teen

The hat found near the Kam River earlier this year has been confirmed as Jordan Wabasse's.  Thunder Bay Police Spokesperson Chris Adams says the confirmation was done with DNA testing.  Police will be continuing the search next week in the area of the James Street bridge.

Thunder Bay Superior North Candidates duke it out

 Liberal candidate Yves Fricot may not be the incumbent in this election , but he sure has to defend himself like he is.   At Wednesday nights all candidates debate for the Thunder Bay-Superior North riding,  Fricot was taking heat from NDP MP Bruce Hyer.   It was over Fricot's involvement as a Buchanan Forest Products Company executive during the forestry crisis.  The audience also got into the act,  taunting Fricot over the issue several times.  Conservative hopeful Richard Harvey tried to make his mark by claiming Hyer has not represented the riding effectively.   Scot Kyle of the Green Party also participated.

Cancer Care award for local Dr.

A Dr. with the Northwest Regional Cancer Care in Thunder Bay is one of six winners of the Human Touch Awards.  Dr. Kenneth Gehmen is being recognized for the work he's done that made a difference in cancer patients lives.

No junk food in local schools this fall

Thunder Bay students are getting ready to say goodbye to sugary pop and poutine.  The Lakehead Public School Board is putting an end to junk food on their cafeteria menus.  Education Officer Charles Bishop says they're removing their fryers from high schools and installing steam machines instead.  The Provincial Government is imposing the new food and beverage guidelines that will take effect in the Fall.

No ban on two Findley books

Two books by Canadian author Timothy Findley are staying put at public school libraries in Thunder Bay. School board trustees agreed, that a parent's complaint over the book's graphic violent and sexual content didn't  warrant a ban.  The books in question  were "The Wars" and "Not Wanted on the Voyage"

Jimi gets a new leash on life

"Jimi the Dog" gets to live. His owners were facing charges after another owner's pet chihuahua died at a city owned dog park last year. Defence lawyer Mary Bird says the city dropped its demand Jimi be considered a pitbull.   In return her clients agreed to a control order, meaning that Jimi must be muzzled when out in public. Bird says the result is not considered a guilty plea, but rather,  is similar to a Peace Bond.

College close to naming new Prez

The search for a new president at Confederation College, to replace Pat Lang,  is inching closer to an announcement. Board of Governors chair Marilyn Gouthro says they will make the decision public sometime next month.  She says over the next week they'll be conducting interviews with a list of candidates.  She says they have narrowed the short list down to six hopefuls

Province providing funding for court security

Thunder Bay Police is getting some help to cover court security.  The provincial government is providing 25 million dollars to help municipal police cover costs.  Inspector Andy Hay says while the money is good, it still falls short.  Hay says costs already hover around a million dollars and with the construction of the new consolidated court house, costs will rise even higher.

New crane for the port

The Port of Thunder Bay is getting 1 million provincial tax dollars to buy a new crane to unload ships. CEO Tim Heney says it's a necessary piece of equipment to make our port more competitive.   He says there is no other piece of equipment like it at the head of Lake Superior, in fact not having a crane has been one of  the port's deficiencies.  Heney says they should have the new crane by the fall.

Cause of fatal fire released

The cause of a fatal fire has been deemed accidental.  Last week's fire on McPherson Street killed an elderly woman and fire officials have determined it an electrical fire.  Officials also say smoke inhalation was the cause of death.

First Nations welcomes wood supply

Whitesand First Nation will soon be home to a new sawmill thanks to the provincial government.  The community recieved a Wood supply from the province that will allow the construction of the mill and will create 62 full time jobs. 

Clement talks smack and FedNor

Opposition parties keep saying FedNor will be gutted if the Harper Conservatives are back in government. Speaking in Thunder Bay, the minister responsible, Tony Clement repeated that the program is safe and says it's the local NDP members who seem to be sending mixed messages.  He says they take credit for federal announcements in the region, but vote against those projects in the House of Commons. Clement was in the city to lend his support to candidates Moe Comuzzi-Stehmann and Richard Harvey

False Alarm

Thunder Bay Police and fire officials have confirmed a false alarm. Someone called police around 1:30 this afternoon saying they thought they saw a body floating on the Kam River near the James Street Bridge, but searchers found nothing.

Wabasse search continues

Thunder Bay Police will be conducting another ground search for Jordan Wabasse. City police spokesperson Chris Adams says even though the area of shore was previously investigated by helicopter officers will now have a chance to walk the shore lines and search in better conditions. Police will scour the area of the Kam River near the James Street Bridge where the teen may have been last. Adams says the search will take place one day next week.

Gravelle remains high on CRIBE

It's now 3 years since the province approved 25 million dollars for Thunder Bay's biomass research centre. So far there's only one project it's publicly approved, but forestry Minister Michael Gravelle says he still supports the organization.  He hails the leadership of the CRIBE board and is confident we will see some real benefit from the support the government has provided.  The organization's website says approval for 5 other projects will be announced soon.

House lottery equips cath-lab

The Regional Health Sciences Centre is receiving a huge boost thanks to the Fort William Rotary Club. President Dave Knudsen  says they donated 150 thousand dollars to the hospital so the new cath-lab can be equiped. The money is the direct result of the proceeds from the club's house lottery.  The new lab will give patients 24/7 access to emergency angioplasty.

NOACC in Kenora this week

The Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce will be holding its annual spring meeting in Kenora this week.  Chamber representitives from across the region will begin arriving in town Wednesday night.  Andy Scribilo is the president-elect of NOACC and says they have decided to hold the conference Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week.  Scribilo says chamber members from across the region will be voting on a number of resolutions this week to pass to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce later this year.

National Day of Mourning Thursday

The Lakehead Labour Council is marking Canada's Day of Mourning on Thursday.  President Melanie Kelso says the day will continue to go recognized until workplace injuries and deaths stop.  A ceremony remembering workers who were killed on the job will be held at 5:30 at the centre.

Advance Polls closed

The countdown to the May 2nd Federal election has begun.  Advance polls closed on Monday and Thunder Bay Superior North Returning Officer Bill Everitt says it was a good turn out.  Candidates in the Thunder Bay Superior North riding will face off at an all-candidates debate Wednesday night at Lakehead University.

4 Provincial Ministers attending NOMA

4 Provincial Cabinet Ministers are attending the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Conference in Thunder Bay.  Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli will be the key note speaker at the conference.  The bear pit session on Friday will see the Ministers of Natural Resources, Northern Development and Mines, and Training, Colleges and Universities.

NOMA conference kicks off on Wednesday

Municipal leaders from across the region are in Thunder Bay this week to discuss issues impacting the Northwest.  NOMA's annual general meetings gets underway on Wednesday.  Issues to be discussed include repowering the Thunder Bay generating station and the property tax model.  The conference ends on Friday with the election of the NOMA executive.

Thumbs up to adoption changes

The changes to Ontario's adoption laws are welcomed by the local head of the Children's Aid Society. Rob Richardson says the changes will make it easier for Thunder Bay families to adopt.  Richardson says the changes could help up to 75 children under the care of the local C-A-S find permanent homes that weren't able to under the current law.

Fort Frances Flag flying over Kenora

The Fort Frances' town flag will soon be flying high over the city of Kenora.  Mayor Roy Avis says its the outcome of a bet he made with Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield during the recent Allan Cup tournament.  Kenora lost against Fort Frances in the hockey tournament so the Fort flag will be seen in Kenora.  The Thunderhawks eliminated Kenora from the tournament in a playoff game.

Police looking for cab robbery suspect

Thunder Bay Police are on the lookout for a suspect in a taxi cab robbery.  Sunday night, a man brandishing a sharp object demanded 200 dollars in cash from a cab driver on Jasper Drive.  Police called out their K9 unit, but couldn't track down the suspect.  The suspect is described as a Native Canadian wearing all dark clothing.

Wasaya expands service

Starting next week, Wasaya Airways is expanding to include flights from Thunder Bay to Geraldton and Marten Falls.   President and CEO Tom Morris says the company sees potential growth for the area as the result of the Ring of Fire mining project.

Stabbing suspect arrested

A man is in custody in connection with a weekend stabbing on North Marks Street. Police say the 26 year old man was arrested last night at a north side home. The stabbing left the victim in hospital with a wound to his chest. He is reported to be in stable condition.

Roach's driver robbed

No one is hurt after a Roach's Taxi was robbed overnight. Police say that at around midnight the cab driver had money stolen from him by a customer. The incident took place in the Jasper Drive area. No weapon was seen and police are still searching for a suspect.

Ignatieff visits Health Sciences Centre

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is vowing to work towards equality between First Nations and the rest of the Nation.  Speaking in Thunder Bay, Ignatieff says his party will improve first nation drinking water.  Atiwapiskat First Nation recently called a state of emergency because of a lack of clean drinking water.

East Side Mario's fire

The canopy of the former East Side Mario's Restaurant on Memorial Avenue caught fire over the weekend. Thunder Bay fire crews brought the blaze under control and prevented it from spreading to the rest of the building.

Hydro outage impacts 7 thousand

The power is back on for 7 thousand Thunder Bay Hydro customers.  The lights went out last night after a pole on Golf Links Road was hit by a car.  The pole has been replaced and the driver of the vehicle was sent to the hospital.

Stabbing on North Marks Street update

Thunder Bay Police are still investigating a stabbing that occurred on the 100 block of North Marks Street late Saturday night. The victim is in the hospital under stable condition with a stab wound to the lung. Police say they will attempt to speak with the victim today to collect more information. So far no suspect of the stabbing has been taken into custody and no names have been released.

Easter eggs could carry illness

Thunder Bay children enjoy decorating Easter eggs this time of year. However make sure you handle them with care, or they could cause illness. Health and Safety watch is reminding Canadians to be careful of their children around Easter eggs because some could carry food-borne illness and growth of bacteria. Parents are told to remind their children to handle their painted Easter eggs carefully.

Fire on Memorial Ave.

No one is hurt following a fire at the old East Side Mario's restaurant on Memorial Avenue. Fire official Dave Grant says the cause of the fire is electrical, and it started from the overhang of the building's front entrance. Damage to the building is minimal and the fire did not spread inside.

Stabbing on North Marks Street

Thunder Bay Police are investigating a stabbing that occurred last night in the city's South side. Police say the stabbing occurred on the 100 block of North Marks Street. A male victim was taken to hospital with stab wounds to the chest. No names have yet been released. Police are still investigating the situation. The Magic news room will bring you the latest on this story as it develops.

Updade on fire at McPherson St.

A post mortem is scheduled for today on the body of an elderly woman who died in yesterday's fatal house fire on McPherson Street. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The Ontario Fire Marshal's Office is investigating. The name of the victim has not been released.

Ignatieff to visit Thunder Bay on Monday

It's official, another Federal party leader will be making his way to the city. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff will be visiting Thunder Bay on Monday. Liberal candidate Ken Boshcoff said Ignatieff will be touring some of the facilities in the research and innovation labs at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Ignatieff is due to arrive in Thunder Bay late Sunday night.

NW LHIN has new blood

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network is getting new blood. Thunder Bay's Reg Jones will sit on the LHINs board of directors. Retired Greenstone OPP officer Dan Levesque has also joined the board.

Easter Weekend forecast

It has the makings of a pretty decent Easter Long Weekend.  Sunny skies, and near normal temperatures are predicted for most of the four day long weekend.  However, Bill Laidlaw says things aren't looking good for Good Friday.  Laidlaw says Easter Monday could be the nicest day of the long weekend, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-teens.

Advance Polls open Good Friday

Advance Polls for the Federal Election open Good Friday across the Thunder Bay Rainy River Riding.  There are eleven polling stations in the City, with another three in the Rainy River area.  You can cast your vote in both the Rainy River and Superior North riding's each day from noon until 8 o'clock.

Active transportation discussed

Thunder Bay can become more active all it has to do is invest in infrastructure and promote cycling and walking.  That's the message from Urban Planning Expert Gil Penalosa who was in the City on Thursday.  Penalosa says bike lanes need to be separated by physical boundaries not just painted white lanes on the road.  The City is taking part in an initiative to make itself more walkable.

Hampton on border towns

The NDP's Economic Development Critic is calling on the Province to make border towns more competitive.  Howard Hampton wants the government to reduce the liquor control board's mark up on liquor sold by duty-free stores.  Hampton is calling on the mark up to be dropped from 50 percent to 30.

Developmental Service programs needed

Community Living Fort Frances is calling on the province for more funding to help families access their services.  Executive director Alanna Barr says about 55 people with developmental disabilities are now on a wait list.  Barr says associations across the region are in similar situations.

Poachers convicted

A group of 7 hunters from Southern Ontario have been ordered to pay nearly 46-thousand dollars for 30-offences relating to illegal hunting in the Schreiber area.  6-men and 1-woman pleaded guilty to numerous offences for the poaching of 3-adult moose and a deer. Charges include hunting during the closed season, possessing and abandoning illegally killed animals, unlawfully using another person's licence and obstructing a conservation officer.  One of the men has been banned from hunting for 10-years.

Legal services protocol signed

First Nations youth who get in trouble with the law will take a different route through the legal system.  Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services  and along with Nishawbe-Aski Police Services  have signed an agreement to refer appropriate cases to more native centred programs.

City police raid high schools

Three school students are facing drug related charges after police raided all the city high schools this week.  Police say a 16 year old boy and 17 year old girl face a charge of possessing marijuana while a 15 year old girl is charged with trafficking marijuana.

Hampton wants more consultation

The McGuinty Government doesn't care about the concerns of Northwestern Ontario.  That's the feeling of NDP Critic Howard Hampton. Hampton says the Liberals showed their true colours by voting down a motion that calls for more consultation in Northern Ontario.  Hampton says the lack of consultation will be an election issue this fall. 

Hudak pushes Tory agenda

Tim Hudak is counting on a promise to eliminate smart metres and the Local Health Integration Networks to get elected the next premier of Ontario.  The Progressive Conservative leader is making a pre-holiday stop in the city to push his agenda for the north.   He calls Hydro Smart Metres nothing more than tax machines and again promises to eliminate the LHIN's which he calls,  regional health bureaucracies and a waste of tax dollars.

Fatal fire on McPherson Street

An elderly woman is dead after a house fire on McPherson Street Thursday morning.  Platoon Chief Val Lafontaine says crews were called to the blaze just before 4 o'clock at 640 McPherson Street.  Lafontaine says firefighters didn't find the body until a secondary search of the house, once the blaze was under control.  A neighbour told our news room, the woman lived alone and kept to herself.  City Police along with Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue and the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office are investigating the cause.