Fire cause listed as electrical

The investigation is complete into yesterday's fire at the provincial government building on James Street. Investigator Marty Patterson says the blaze, which began in the mechanical room, was caused by an electrical problem which originated with a malfunction in a high voltage switch.  No one was hurt in the fire.

City admin backs Shelter House request

City Councillors are being told there's enough money in reserve to help Shelter House conduct a managed alcohol program.  It would provide measured doses of alcohol everyday to the most destitute alcoholics in the city, those that resort to drinking hairspray or even hand sanitizer.  Tonight's request is for 270 thousand dollars.

Fire at mini-Queens Park

Damage is still being assessed after a fire at the provincial government building on James Street just before 8 Sunday morning.   Platoon Chief John Mill says it was centred in the building's mechanical tower.   No one was hurt as the result of the blaze and the cause is not known.

Official change of command

It's official. Commander Peter Fleming is now in command of her Majesty's Canadian ship the HMCS Griffon. Lieutenant Commander John Bell handed over the command of the ship at a ceremony held in Thunder Bay on Saturday. Commander Peter Flemming says he's delighted to come back to Thunder Bay and the HMCS Griffon; where he served from 1997 to 2001 in training and as an executive officer. Commander Fleming says he wants to continue the great legacy with initiatives like the Naval Reserve Co-operative Education Program that originated here in Thunder Bay.

Hydro problems on Dog Lake road

65 Thunder Bay Hydro customers on Dog Lake road are without power due to a burnt hydro pole. Thunder Bay Hydro is working on fixing the problem and expect to have things back to normal by noon. High winds have kept hydro crews busy all night, and Thunder Bay Hydro has extended staff working out the problems.

Another Macs robbery

It hasn't been an easy week for Macs convenience stores. Another Macs store was robbed early Saturday morning. This time it was the Simpson street location. The store clerk was assaulted but has no serious injuries. Thunder Bay police are looking for two people who were involved. This is the third macs store to be robbed in the last week.

Missing teen found

Missing Rainy River teen Belinda Paishk has been located. The 16 year old girl who had been missing since October 7th was found safe and sound. No further details are available at this time.

HMCS Griffon ceremony

A change of command ceremony will be happening Saturday at Thunder Bay's Naval Reserve Division. Lieutenant Commander J.A Bell will relinquish command of the HMCS Griffon to Commander P. Fleming. The ceremony will commence at 10 am on the HMCS Griffon drill deck.

Missing Rainy River teen

Rainy River OPP are looking for a missing 16 year old girl.  Belinda Paishk was reported missing last week and was last seen leaving her home to go to school.  She did not return home and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and black pants.  Belinda is described as 5'2" tall, 120 lbs, with short brownish blonde hair. She has brown eyes and two lip rings.

Bell Towers up for discussion Monday

Bell cell phone towers will be discussed again at Monday night's City Council meeting.  This time around it's for proposed towers on Highway 61 and North Algoma Street.  Councillor Rebecca Johnson says they'll decide whether or not to send a letter of concurrence to the Federal Government.  Johnson notes council has no jurisdiction over whether or not Bell can build the towers.  The final say on the towers lies with the Feds. 

Courthouse laneway to be named Monday

A new laneway around the Provincial Consolidated Courthouse is set to be named Monday night. Justice Lane is just one of the several names that were pitched for the roadway; the others include Barrister Lane and Chapples Lane.  The lane on the South side of the court house will allow traffic to travel between Brodie and Archibald Streets.

Occupy Thunder Bay Saturday

The Occupy Wall Street campaign is coming to Thunder Bay on Saturday. An open forum on issues that affect the local government, economy, and environment will take place throughout the day at Waverly Park.

Waterfront update set for Monday

The first phase of the Waterfront project isn't breaking the bank.  That's part of a project update that will be given to Council Monday night by Acting Project Manager Paul Pepe. Pepe says they're on track to meet their funding deadlines and the project will be finished by October 31st.  City Manager Tim Commisso has also formally requested the developers set a date for a public announcement about the hotel chain that will occupy the Prince Arthur's Landing.

Mission Nutrition is set for year 2

The second annual Mission Nutrition Food Drive is coming up and this year the organizers are setting the bar high.  Doctor James DiGiuseppe of the Port Arthur Chiropractic Centre says he's hoping with 3 more offices taking part, they'll be able to collect 4 thousand pounds of food for Shelter House and the Dew Drop Inn.  Everyone taking part will leave a bag of healthy food on their doorstep on October 25th and one of the offices will pick it up.  You can register for the event by contacting the Port Arthur Chiropractic Centre, Santin Chiropractic, Doctor Lila Coulter of the Healthy Families Wellness Centre or Doctor Christina Peterson at Jessiman Family Chiropractic.  The deadline to register is October 24th.

City votes on funding for Shelter House Monday

Administration is recommending to Council they provide Shelter House with one time funding towards renos on their George Street building.  If council approves the 270-thousand dollar grant it will go towards sprucing up the building to accommodate a housing project for alcoholics.   The matter will come up for a vote Monday night.

City set to hear from Peter Street resident

City lawmakers will hear on Monday from a Peter Street resident who wants to turn his home into a school.  Administration is recommending the City allow a school that would accommodate 8 pupils.  Some residents are concerned that if the school is allowed it would increase traffic and noise levels.

Waste Reduction Week starts Monday

Waste Reduction Week is being celebrated across Thunder Bay starting Monday.  Eco Superior Spokesperson Jessica Backen says they want residents to cut back on their trash.  A tour of the Solid Waste and Recycling Facility is being offered to interested residents.  Mayor Keith Hobbs will also award the Catholic School Board with the Municipal Green Award.

Small explosion rocks Mission Island

There are no injuries after a small explosion and fire on Mission Island.  Thunder Bay Fire Platoon Chief Kim Hutch says it happened at Lakehead Scrap Metals just after 1 o'clock when an old gas tank exploded inside the shredder plant.  

Hospital Foundation

The Hospital Foundation is kicking off it's annual 50/50 draw this week.  The first ticket will be sold at the Intercity Shopping Mall on Wednesday at 11 am.  Last year's 10-thousand dollar winner Kathleen Eaton will buy the first ticket.

Memorial Avenue closed Sunday

Memorial Avenue will be closed Sunday from 8 am until 5 pm. The closure will be in effect from Dunlop Street to the Harbour Expressway for northbound traffic only. The closure is necessary to allow for the installation of a new sewer connection.

Pineville Heist out in bookstores

Confederation College Professor Lee Chambers is getting ready to release his book "The Pineville Heist".  Chambers says he's working on getting the book made into a film.  A book signing is taking place at Chapters on Saturday, October 22nd. 

Pot, Pills and Parties

Thunder Bay teens are learning how to be safe while they're taking part in pot, pills and parties.  That was the theme of a conference held in Thunder Bay Friday; Organizer Patty Hajdu says they want to educate the youth about the dangers of drug use.  Hajdu adds they told them about the new substance use laws that could land them in jail.

Canada Post talks future in T.Bay

Canada Post wants to improve its delivery and shipping service.  That was one of the goals outlined in an annual meeting held in Thunder Bay recently, President Deepak Chopra says affordability is key. Chopra notes they're also considering digital methods of delivering mail.

CIS is helping Liberia by using new pucks

The Lakehead Thunderwolves Hockey team is helping out the war torn country of Liberia.  The team along with the other 64 CIS hockey teams will be using pucks made in Canada by the company "Rubr" that use rubber from Liberia.  Spokesperson Adrian Bradbury says this is a great way for Canadians to help the third world by helping develop a sustainable industry that pays well.

Northern Travel Grant Backlog

The work continues between Thunder Bay and Sudbury to clear a backlog of 20 thousand applications for the Northern Health Travel Grant. Spokesperson Andrew Morrison says they're on a mission to reduce the wait times. He says the goal is to get most of the applications processed in six weeks.

A 102 year old man donates art to the city

The city has added a 130 year old painting to its art collection.  The Piece depicts the sailboat Shamrock in front of the Sleeping Giant and was painted by Lucious Richard O'Brien.  The painting was donated by 102 year old Burton Brown who lives in the North side of town. 

Local athletes off to Alberta

Thomas Boyes-Snowshoeing

The Canadian Winter Special Olympics will have a Northwestern Ontario flavour.   There are 11 athletes from the region heading to St. Albert, Alberta for the games in late February and early March.  Local coordinator Ashleigh Quarrell says they are hoping to raise 11 thousand dollars to send them to the games

Black Bay rescue

A Thunder Bay woman is recovering in hospital after being rescued on Lake Superior .   Scott Miller of the Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, says they helped to find the missing kayaker.   Miller says after her vessel capsized,  the 53 year old woman managed to swim to an island where she was found suffering from hypothermia. The Centre, along with a local Coast Guard vessel the Capshaw and a Hercules aircraft from Winnipeg all helped in the rescue effort.

OPP make big drug bust in Kenora

The OPP say they have seized about 90 thousand dollars worth of marijuana during a routine traffic stop in Kenora.  Early this morning around 2:00, officers pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation.  The officer noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and decided conduct a search.  About 10 pounds of marijuana was seized.  Three Winnipeg men and a Kenora resident have been charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.  They are due to appear in Kenora Court on December 1st.

Mauro awaits Cabinet announcement

Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro is looking forward to seeing his party's new cabinet unveiled.  Mauro says he trusts the direction the Premier is taking the province, but notes some cabinet positions could be bigger including the health portfolio.  The Premier will make the announcement on Thursday of next week.

Mining Watch sounds alarm

The Canadian Environmental Assessment agency known as Mining Watch is sounding the alarms over Cliff's Natural Resources Ring of Fire project. Spokesperson Ramsey Hart feels the Federal Government's decision to ignore First Nation input will hinder development.Mining Watch's comments come after First Nations called for a public panel review rather than the Government's comprehensive study.

EMS headquarters on track

Construction of the new Superior North EMS headquarters is entering it's sixth month.  Chief Norm Gale says they hope to move into the building in February or March.  So far work is on schedule and on budget.  Gale says the nice fall weather has helped keep construction on track.

NOVA deadline approaching

The deadline is fast approaching for the first ever NOVA Awards. The awards will recognize 40 community leaders across Northwestern Ontario under the age of 40. The deadline for nominations is this Saturday.

EMS Chief applauds CAEP report

Superior North EMS Chief Norm Gale is applauding a report by the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians.  Canada's emergency room doctors would like to see every high school student in Canada get CPR training.  The report also calls for tax exemptions for companies that provide employees with C-P-R training.

Family Foods is closing

County Fair Family Foods is closing its doors for good.  A company official has confirmed that they will be closing for a number of reasons but will keep their Northwoods Location open.  The company plans on making an official announcement next week. 

OFL talks Air Canada and Occupation Toronto

The President of the Ontario Federation of Labour is accusing the Labour Minister of misusing back to work legislation.  The comments come after Lisa Raitt referred a contract dispute between Air Canada and it's flight attendants to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.  Sid Ryan is protesting along side the flight attendants today.  Meanwile, Ryan is encouraged by youth taking to the streets to protest the economy.  The Occupy Wall Street movement will spread to Toronto's Bay Street this weekend.  An occupy Thunder Bay movement is taking place at Waverly Park on Saturday starting at nine in the morning.  A facebook page has been set up to spread the word.

Gravelle is tipping his hat to the city

Mines Minister Michael Gravelle is giving his support to a delegation of Thunder Bay Politicians who are heading south to talk to a mining company.  The group, including Mayor Keith Hobbs, will try to convince Cliffs Natural Resources to locate a processing plant here.  Gravelle says its a good move by council.  Gravelle says providing a Northern Industrial Energy rate will go a long way towards bringing the plant to the area.

SIU examining Kakabeka Falls death

The Province's Special Investigations Unit is now looking into Wednesday's death at Kakabeka Falls. SIU spokesperson Frank Phillips says it began with a call to the OPP by Provincial Park staff. OPP interacted with a man at the park. Shortly after he went over the railing and fell into the ravine. Phillips says the victims name still isn't known. A post mortem exam is taking place today in Thunder Bay.

May Street Mac's Mart robbed

Thunder Bay Police are looking for a suspect in a Mac's Mart robbery that took place early this morning on May Street.  Constable Julie Tilbury says a man armed with a knife walked into the North May street store and robbed the clerk on duty. The employee was not injured.  If anyone has information about the incident call Police at 684-1200.

Man dies at Kakabeka Falls

OPP are reporting that a man is dead after he went over Kakabeka Falls and the province's Special Investigations Unit is now looking into it. Police are saying very little about the situation now except to say they, along with other emergency personnel were called to the Provincial Park around 4:15 Wednesday afternoon to deal with a "situation".

Warrant leads to oxy bust

An arrest warrant has lead to drug trafficking charges in Longlac.  Greenstone OPP were alerted that a 38 year old man was transporting Oxycontin and would be arriving in the community via train.  Kenneth Taylor was wanted by Thunder Bay police and was found to have 105 oxy pills on him.

More art for Waterfront

For the 2nd time this month a piece of art has been unveiled at Prince Arthur's Landing.  Public Art Coordinator Reana Mussato says Embedded History is the latest piece but there is still more to come.

Time of use rates start this week

Time of use electricity rates are being rolled out in Thunder Bay this week.  Spokesperson Eileen Dias says that means you can expect to pay more during the day and less after 7 o'clock in the evening.  Residential customers will not see the changes on their bills until January and Small businesses will see changes starting in December.

Aboriginal participation in municipal politics

There's a call for more aboriginal participation in municipal politics.  Frances Wesley spoke at a conference dealing with the issue and says participation has gotten better since she first moved to the City 30 years ago. A round table discussion on how to get the City's First Nation population more involved was held Wednesday.

Missing man search continues

Dryden OPP is asking residents to search any outdoor buildings they have on their property for a missing Winnipeg man. 25-year-old Lukas Whitmore was last seen October 2nd, after he was released following an alleged impaired driving charge. Police say Whitmore may be seeking refuge in an outdoor shelter. OPP stress that he has no history of violence and that the public shouldn't be hesitant to approach him. Whitmore is described as 5-foot-3, slim build, blue eyes, with short brown hair and a receding hair line. He was last seen wearing dark clothing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police or Crime Stoppers.

Mauro hearing adjourned

The police services hearing for Sgt. Jim Mauro is being delayed by a month.  Thunder Bay Police Spokesperson Chris Adams says the hearing was to start today but is being adjourned until November 9th.  Mauro is facing two misconduct charges under the police services act.

Fog is causing delays at the airport

Heavy Fog is causing some havoc at the Thunder Bay International Airport.  A number of flights have been delayed because they've been unable to land or take off.  A few flights have been able to take advantage of a few windows but if you are heading out of town today expect some extra waiting.

Mac's store robbed again

City police are looking for an 18 year old man in connection with the latest Mac's store robbery.  This one took place just after one o'clock at the East Arthur Street location.  Police say the culprit wore a hoodie and covered  his face when he demanded cigarettes and money from the staff.  No one was hurt

Family pet dies in fire

A family's dog is dead after a house fire on the city's south side yesterday afternoon.   Officials say the fire originated in the basement of a home at 1006 Sprague Street and caused heavy smoke damage throughout the house.  The cause is still under investigation

Woman's condition improves

A 77 year old woman who was injured in a weekend stabbing rampage is now reported in good condition.  Meantime the man charged in connection with the spree that injured several people, is due in bail court Thursday.  29 year old Eli John made a brief audio appearance yesterday from hospital.