Good year for enrollment @ College

Confederation College continues to ride a 1st year enrolment wave.  Vice President of Student and Corporate Services Bob Backstrom says this year's levels have remained even with last year but they've been leading the province since the downturn in the Northern economy.  Backstrom says Confederation college is also better than the provincial average for both graduates getting hired and employers being satisfied with former students.

FedNor funding for T.Bay Metal Fabricators Association

The Federal Government is giving 195 thousand dollars to Thunder Bay's Metal Fabricators Association.  The money will be used to hire experts in oil and gas, mining and nuclear sectors and safety consultants.  It's believed the two year program will help increase export and job opportunities.

Infrastructure Open House

City administration wants to know how you would address Thunder Bay's 15 million dollar infrastructure defecit.  Manager Tim Commisso says they'll be holding an open house on the hot topic next Tuesday.  Council will deal with the infrastructure defecit at it's November 28th meeting.

Industrial Accident at Abitibi Bowater Sawmill

Thunder Bay Police say two people were involved in an industrial accident at the Abitibi Bowater Saw mill today. The Ministry of Labour has taken over the investigation and at this time police won't say what happened or the extent of the victims injuries.

Jury Rolls is back in the spotlight

Jury Rolls are once again causing trial delays in Thunder Bay.  Local Lawyer Chris Watkins says two of his trials are on hold because they will first need a trial on the make up of the Jury.  Watkins says having a jury properly represent the community is a cornerstone of the our society.

Low Flu Shot Numbers

Thunder Bay's Health Unit is reporting low flu shot numbers at 2010's influenza clinics.  Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams doesn't want a repeat of that this year and notes they've made it easier to get immunized.  Williams says they've started their clinics earlier in the year.  You can get your flu shot up until December 20th.

Teen girl escapes attempted abduction

City police are reporting a scary incident on the 200 block of Cumming Street Monday afternoon.   They say that a man came out of a vehicle and grabbed a 14 year old girl by the arm.  Police say she managed to break free and ran home.   She wasn't hurt.  Police are looking for a man in his mid 40's who may be driving a gold coloured SUV.

Thunder Bay Police are in the red

It looks like Thunder Bay Police are heading towards a budget deficit.  Chief JP Levesque says so far they are just over 1.2 million dollars over budget mainly due to overtime pay and an increase in legal fees.  Levesque says they didn't budget for overtime and because City Council asked them to cut back last year's projected budget.  He says when they make cuts overtime is the first thing they look at and it turns into a pay me now or pay me later situation once they run deficits.  Levesque says they are still waiting for some provincial and federal grant money that will bring the deficit down to around 3 percent.

Morning accident on River

There are no injuries to report, just a bit of a traffic headache for some motorists after a traffic accident around 8 this morning at River Street and Algoma.  

Bell towers get letter of concurrence

Council is sending a letter to the Federal Government so it can deal with two proposed cell towers in city limits. The towers are set for Algoma Street North and Highway 61. One concerned resident spoke out against the towers at Monday night's meeting. He's concerned the Federal Government might not be able to catch all of the health impacts the towers might have on residents.

Justice Lane not Chapples for road near Court house

The new laneway around the consolidated court house is going to be named Justice Lane.  Development Services Manager Mark Smith says they ruled out Chapples because there are other areas of town with similar names.  Three councillors wanted the roadway to be named Chapples but were voted down.

Council gives Shelter House money

City Council is giving money to Shelter House for it's George Street Alcoholic Treatment Centre. Councillor Mark Bentz feels the organization needs to ensure they receive funding from the Provincial Government as well. Bentz says the funding shouldn't fall solely onto the Municipality. The City is providing 270-thousand dollars towards renovating the George Street building.

Deer population meeting Thursday

Thunder Bay's deer population is warranting a public meeting on the topic this Thursday.  City Council wants to know what the public thinks they should do to manage the deer population.  Council is considering by laws prohibiting feeding deer and allowing hunting of deer in certain areas within the City.  The meeting will be held from six until nine at the Waverley Resource Library. 

8 pupil school on Peter Street not going forward

A teacher that planned to open an eight pupil school on Peter Street has withdrawn his application with the City. Tim Bernardi says he's backing out because his neighbours are not happy. Some neighbours were against the move saying the school would mean an increase in traffic and noise.

Fire Plan Open House Tuesday and Thursday

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue wants to know your thoughts on their service plans for the future.  Chief John Hay says everyone is welcome but they really want to hear from people living in North Neebing and West Fort because they will be impacted the most.  Tuesday night's open house is being held at the North Neebing Community Centre.  Another public hearing will be held on Thursday at the West Thunder Community Centre.

SIU releases the name of Kakabeka Falls victim

The Provinces Special Investigations Unit has released the name of the man who died last week at Kakabeka falls.  Spokesperson Frank Phillips says they still haven't determined how the man fell to the bottom of the falls but say 22 year old Kurtis McVittie of Huntsville died.  Phillips says the investigation is still ongoing and anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the SIU.

Police to contact Mac's about robberies

City Police are saying enough. There have been a string of Mac's store robberies in the city lately and now Police spokesperson Chris Adams says they believe it's time for a different approach to help prevent more such incidents. They will be contacting the Mac's head office to express their concerns about security issues.

Police release robbery photos

Thunder Bay Police have released photos of the suspects in this weekend's Mac's Mart robbery.  Official say a pair of men around 5'10'' with similar builds are wanted in connection to the robbery that happened early Saturday morning.

HMCS Griffon has new Commander

A new Commanding Officer for HMCS Griffon is in place.  Commander Peter Fleming has taken over for Lieutenant Commander John Bell.  Fleming says his main priority will be to hire an additional 21 sailors.  Fleming served in Thunder Bay as a training officer from 1997 to 2001 and is happy to be back in the city.

World wide movement hits Thunder Bay

Over the weekend a handful of protesters used Waverly Park as a staging ground for an Occupy Thunder Bay protest.  Organizers were piggy-backing on the Occupy Wall Street movement which is now a world wide phenomenon to protest what they believe is corporate greed and corruption.   

Still no hearing for stabbing suspect

There's another bail hearing set for tomorrow for a city man charged in connection with a recent stabbing spree.   19 year old Eli John is still in hospital following the incident at Andras Court nine days ago.  Prosecutors expect he will be back at the District Jail for his Tuesday court appearance.

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.