Council Tackles Cell Phones & Golfing

City Council is expected to tackle some cell phone tower paper work at its meeting Monday night.  Summit Telecom Services on behalf of Tbay Tel is letting council know it completed its public consultation process. Meanwhile, a group of concerned citizens plan to rally in front of city hall Monday.  They'll be holding signs asking councillors to keep control of the Municipal Golf Course.  The rally starts at 5 just before the City Council meeting.

City Mining Strategy Meetings

The City's Mining Readiness Strategy will be on display for two days next week during public information sessions. The first is being held Monday night at Fort William First Nation's Community Hall.  John Mason is the City's Mining Services Manager and says they'll be taking tweets Tuesday night during their discussion panel. Monday's meeting will take place from 5:30 until 9. Tuesday's session will be held at the Italian Cultural Centre from 4 until 9.

Birla Signs Wood Deal With Pays Plat

It isn't taking The Birla Group long to settle into its role as the new owners of the Terrace Bay mill. The company has just signed a contract with the Pays Plat First Nation to cut wood on their territory. Pays Plat Councillor Raymond Goodchild says it gives the community's economy a boost. The company says the deal will supply it with about 10 per cent of the wood it needs to operate

School Program Finds Funding

A First Nation in school and after school program has found new investors which has enabled them to continue to offer their program in 7 local schools.  The Biwaase'aa group has been successful in its submissions for financial support from local organizations and provincial ministries.  However the organization is worried they'll face the same financial struggles again in 2014.

August Busy Month For Airport

Thunder Bay's Airport is celebrating the busiest month in it's history.  Passenger volumes were over 72 thousand last month which is an 8.7 percent jump from the year before.

YETI Cleaning Up Boulevard Lake

Thunder Bay's Health Unit is reminding the public that local beaches and parks are supposed to be smoke free.  The Youth Engaged in Tobacco Free Initiatives group will be cleaning up Boulevard Lake this weekend.  YETI Spokesperson Kellie Milani says they expect to find some butts despite the smoke free by law being in place.  The smoke free by-law has been in effect for just over 2 years.

Respect Campaign 7 Months Old

The City's Respect campaign is 7 months old and already making an impact according to the Crime Prevention Council.  Coordinator Amy Siciliano says they've heard anecdotal evidence.  Two people who didn't know each other on the bus saw each other's respect buttons and decided to strike up a conversation about what respect means to them.  Siciliano says they've handed out over 8 thousand RESPECT buttons.

Robbery Victim Dies & Charges Laid

A 29 year old Thunder Bay man is facing a second degree murder charge in connection with what police say was a robbery gone wrong on the city's south side Thursday.   Jeffery Tomagatick appeared in court today on the charge and will be back again on Thursday.  Police say 50 year old Murray Keesic of Thunder Bay was the victim of that assault and died of his injuries early this morning.

Terry Fox Run Celebrates 32 Years

The Terry Fox Run is celebrating 32 years Sunday.  Thunder Bay's 5 km run around Boulevard Lake starts at 2 Sunday afternoon at St. Igantius High School. Organizer Don Morrison says they try to do Terry proud since he was forced to end his journey in our city.  To take part just show up for registration and then bike, walk or rollerblade around Boulevard Lake.

Highway & Overpass Open

A major government highway project in Thunder Bay is now complete.   The new overpass and interchange at Hodder Avenue is officially open as is the six kilometre expansion of Highway 11-17 east of the city. 

LRCA Sad About Cabin

Official with the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority are expressing sadness at the loss of one of their facilities on Hazelwood Lake. A cabin was completely destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon and O.P.P. are calling it suspicious.  L.R.C.A. Spokesperson Donna Blunt says the cabin was insured and they will decide on how to proceed at their next board meeting at the end of the month.

Keynote Events Brings In Big Speakers

There's a new business in town that aims to bring fun events to the City.  Keynote Events is run by Charla Brown who says she got the idea to bring guest speakers to Thunder Bay through her many business trips.Eat Clean Guru Tosca Reno will be Brown's first speaker, followed by Top Chef Thunder Bay with David Adjey, and January's Thunder Bay’s Biggest Loser with Sione and Filipe Fa.

New Hope Dog Rescue Needs Foster Families

The New Hope Dog Rescue needs to find some foster homes for the 32 dogs they have in their shelter.  Spokesperson Valerie Mackett says you can meet their many pooches Saturday at Marostica Motors from 11 till 3.  Mackett says they'll have have foster families on hand to field questions and forms for fostering and adoption.

PSAC Day Of Action

With word the Federal Government is slashing another 48 jobs between Kenora and Thunder Bay, the Public Service Alliance of Canada is holding a National Day of Action.  PSAC is protesting the Harper Government's austerity agenda that saw them eliminate jobs in the Employment Insurance and Human Resources fields in the two northern communities.  Thunder Bay's rally will take place at the Lakehead Labour Centre at noon Saturday. 

Fundraiser For Limbrick Fire Victims

There's going to be a fundraiser for the family members affected by the Limbrick Street town house fires. It's happening tomorrow in Sioux Lookout with the community being asked to bring in donations of cash and household items.  Two individuals who work with the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council in Sioux Lookout are organizing the fundraiser.  For more information call Barb Carpenter at 807-737-1488.

Drug Bust In Neebing

OPP are reporting the seizure of a large amount of marijuana in Neebing Township.  Police executed a search warrant on a home on Monday and seized 383 pot plants as well as a large quantity of marijuana. A 46-year old Neebing man is now facing numerous drug related charges.

SIJHL Season Starts Soon

The Superior International Junior Hockey League's new season gets underway in a weeks time.  There's some small changes this season with the Wisconsin Wilderness moving from Spooner, Wisconsin to Cloquet, Minnesota.  President Ron Whitehead says travel time will be cut down.  The season gets underway September 21st.

Kenora Fire Comes Close To School

There were four new fires in the region on September 13 including two in the Nipigon District and one each in the Districts of Sioux Lookout and Kenora.A fire of note was Kenora Fire Number 109 which started Wednesday within the city limits of Kenora. The fire was fought in a successful joint rapid response effort with the City of Kenora , the Ontario Provincial Police and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources FireRanger crews and CL-415 heavy waterbombers from the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services program. The fire spread rapidly in a forested area with multiple spot fires adjacent to schools and residential subdivisions. The Kenora Fire Department was supported by four Ministry of Natural Resources FireRanger crews, a helicopter bucketing, and CL-415/Air Attack birddog units.

Gravelle To Open Hodder Avenue Exchange

Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle will officially open the new clover-leaf exhange at Hodder Avenue during a ceremony this morning. The Highway 11-17 expansion will open ahead of schedule. The opening ceremony will take place at 10:00 O'clock this morning.

Suspicious Cabin Fire

OPP are calling a remote cabin fire suspicious.  Lappe and East Gorham Fire Departments responded to the blaze on Hazelwood Drive.  The large log cabin owned by the Lakehead Conservation Authority, was totally destroyed by the fire.  If anyone has any information regarding this incident contact Crime Stoppers at 623-8477.

Auto Pedestrian Accident

A woman was sent to the hospital after an auto pedestrian accident at the corner of Algoma and Pearl.  There were minor injuries reported.

Crime Prevention Nominations Open

The City's Crime Prevention Awards are back for another year.  Nominations have opened and Mayor Keith Hobbs says they're looking for unique crime prevention initiatives.  7 awards will be handed out on November 5th.  Nominations will be accepted at City Hall up until October 4th.

Dolasinski To Be Sentenced Next Month

A Thunder Bay woman convicted of theft will be sentenced on October 31st.   Krystyna Dolasinski was found guilty in May of theft and falsifying records in connection with money that disappeared from the Port Arthur Polish Alliance Hall.  Her lawyer Chris Watkins is asking that she receive a 10 to 12 month conditional sentence.   The prosecution is looking for jail time.   Dolasinski addressed the court and says she was very sorry for everything that has happened and that she takes full responsibility for the jurys verdict.

Health Unit Reports Whooping Cough Cases

Thunder Bay's Health Unit says they've seen four cases of Whooping Cough in the District since August.  Infectious Disease Manager Darlene Binette says the infection is easily spread through coughing or sneezing.  Binette says adults who may have been immunized for the disease as children should get another shot to protect against the disease.

Federal Jobs Cut In Thunder Bay & Kenora

Thunder Bay and Kenora are losing 48 federal jobs in the latest round of cuts.  Local Public Service Alliance Union Spokesperson Judith Monteith-Farrell are in human resources and employment insurance processing.  Monteith-Farrell says Northwestern Ontario residents should question what the Federal Government is doing to our communities.  Monteith-Farrell says some of the jobs were moved to Southern Ontario and some were just eliminated.

Robbery Gone Wrong

Police have a crime scene set up on the city's south side after one person was taken to hospital after what police say was a robbery gone wrong.   They say it happened in a laneway behind Syndicate Avenue and Leith Street this afternoon over the noon hour.   Police say there was an assault involved but they won't go beyond that.  Police say the male is in critical condition.

ETFO Wants McGuinty Monday in Thunder Bay

Teachers in Thunder Bay are being urged by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario to take part in "McGuinty Monday's".  The union is leaning on their members to not take part in any meetings or extracurricular activities as a means of protesting the bill that freezes wages and cuts benefits.  President of the local E.T.F.O. Chapter, Ellen Chambers says rally is planned outside the offices of MPP's Bill Mauro and Michael Gravelle tomorrow after school to voice their displeasure with the two who voted in favour of the bill.  The Ontario English Catholic Teaching Association is not withholding services.

Extracurricular Activities Up In The Air

Activities Director for both the Catholic and Public school boards, Dave Pineau is now facing a juggling act.  Teachers listening to their unions and refusing to participate in extracurricular activities will force Pineau to constantly adjust the schedules throughout the year, which he says will have a definite impact on students.

Still No Cause In Fatal Fire

There's still no indication as to what may have started a Monday night townhouse fire on Limbrick Street which killed a 30 year old man. Marty Patterson of the city Fire Service says the blaze originated in the living room of the townhouse unit, but he wouldn't say if it originated in the couch. Meantime Patterson credits recent renovations by Thunder Bay Housing to helping to keep the fire from spreading.

Forest Fire Forces School Closure

Ministry of Natural Resources officials say the forest fire rating in Northwestern Ontario is "Extremely High." Nine new fires were reported yesterday, including one very close to the water tower in Kenora. A nearby school had to be shut down because of its proximity. M.N.R. Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, the Municipal Fire Department and the O.P.P. were all used in fighting the fire which forced temporary road closures. Officials say fire fighting efforts will continue until this fire is brought under control and declared out.

Pickle Lake Mayor Concerned

A proposed corridor for the Ring of Fire has the Mayor of Pickle Lake concerned.  The development of a North-South Road to Nakina is in the early assessment stage.  Roy Hoffman says this would impact the transportation of goods to the north, and that an east-west road seems more appropriate. Hoffman brought the issue up to government, and doesn't think they were aware of it before.

Storey Trial Takes A Break

The trial of a Thunder Bay OPP officer is taking a break until Monday. Sgt. Darryl Storey is charged with Criminal Negligence in connection with the 2008 traffic death of 18 year old Jasmine Veneruzzo. On Wednesday the first two paramedics at the accident scene testified. They both told court that Sgt. Storey told them shortly after the incident that his vehicle collided with a car that had pulled out in front of him as he was travelling what was termed "highway speed" down Highway 11-17. When court resumes next week one of the two paramedics will resume his testimony.

AGS Burns Last Piece Of Coal

It's the end of an era.  Atikokan's Generating Station burned its last piece of coal on Tuesday.  The plant is being converted from coal to biomass and the project is already underway.

Mauro Congratulates Robbi Weldon

More praise is coming in for Thunder Bay's Robbi Weldon after she won the gold medal for Canada at last week's Paralympic Games.  Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro shared Weldon's story in the Ontario Legislature today.  Mauro congratulated Weldon and shared some of her exploits with his fellow politicians.

EQAO Grade 3 & 6 Test Results

The results are in for students with the Lakehead Public and Catholic School Boards.  Grade 3 and 6 test results in the province wide standardized reading, writing and math tests were released Wednesday.  The public board's grade 3 students saw improvement in reading, stayed the same in writing and saw a small decrease in math scores.  In Grade 6, reading, writing and math scores all slightly went down.  The Catholic Board saw their grade 3 students' reading and writing marks significantly increase, however math scores fell by one percentage point.  Grade 6 Catholic Students saw their reading and writing scores stay the same and their math jump from 62 percent to 65.

True Grit Golf Tournament Thursday

True Grit is hosting a golf tournament at Whitewater Thursday in support of the Disaster Relief Fund.President Eric Zakrewski says the field is full with 34-teams entered and they now expect to raise more than 100-thousand dollars to help with flood funding after the May 28th disaster.  Zakrewski says the general public can also participate in a live auction for a 2012 Fiat sports car which takes place at 8:00 o'clock Thursday night at Whitewater.

Hearing Judge Finds Detectives Guilty

Deputy Chief Andy Hay

A surprise verdict at a Police Services Act hearing. Two Thunder Bay police detectives have been found guilty of Unlawful Use Of Authority in connection with the way they handled a drug arrest a year ago. The adjudicator handed down his verdicts in the cases of Detectives William Wowchuck and Brad Bernst. A third Detective, Ron Popowich was found not guilty. Deputy Police Chief Andy Hay says the force accepts the decision. The sentencing will take place October 10th. 

Tbay Tel Luncheon Of Hope 20th Year

The 20th annual TBay Tel Luncheon of Hope is scheduled for next month. Organizers say ticket sales are going well.  Barb Midgeley has been with the luncheon for the past 19 years and says she's surprised they've been able to carry on over the years.  This year's special guest speaker is cancer survivor and Canadian Journalist Libby Znaimer.

Delta Is The Waterfront Hotel

It's no longer a secret. Delta Hotels and Resorts is officially the hotelier for the waterfront development project. Mayor Keith Hobbs and Delta officials made the announcement at a news conference this morning.  Delta President and CEO Ken Greene says the hotel will be a 4-star hotel with 150 rooms and 18 penthouse suites. Officials say the hotel will open in 2014 and the result for the city is a million dollars in property taxes.

Design Illustration of Hotel

Man & Woman Charged In Assault

Thunder Bay Police are continuing to hold a crime scene in a bush area behind Wentworth Crescent.  Police were called just before 11:30 last night to investigate the assault of a 15 year old girl.  A 23 year old woman and 36 year old man are charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault, and the woman is also charged with Breach of Probation.  Police are still investigating the incident that sent three people to the hospital.

Meeting To Tackle Beds Issue

The Thunder Bay Health Coalition isn't letting a long term care home on James Street close without a fight.  Coalition spokesperson Suzanne Pulice says the closure would mean a longer waiting list for such care in the city  The Coalition along with the Service Employees Union, is holding a public meeting tonight at the Lakehead Labour Centre to discuss the issue. It starts at 7 pm.

Lakehead Schools Alternative Policy

The Lakehead Public School Board is in the process of developing an alternative school policy.  Superintendent of Education Colleen Kappel says it's going to come in handy when they receive requests to develop an alternative school.  Thunder Bay had an alternative school but it was forced to close down due to a lack of funds.

The Great Cat Giveaway

The Humane Society is trying to avoid a catastrophe.  Spokesperson Maryann Kleynendorst says they've got too many cats at their shelter so they have decided to give them away. She says they are taking care of 110 felines where they normally handle 60 to 70 cats. In an effort to ease that pressure they've decided to waive the 75 dollar adoption fee.   Kleynendorst says even though they are giving away the cats it's hoped some people will provide the society with a donation.

FCM Infrastructure Report

Thunder Bay is joining the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' call for more Federal funding for infrastructure.  Councillor Larry Hebert says the City has an infrastructure defecit and there's a need for more funding since every day our infrastructure ages.  The FCM report card on infrastructure was launched today in Ottawa and here in Thunder Bay. 

One Man Dead In Apartment Fire

One man is dead after last night's apartment complex fire on Limbrick Street. Fire Deputy Chief Greg Hankkio says two others are injured. Hankkio says they're waiting for an investigator from the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office and the investigation will start this afternoon. The cause of the fire is still not known.

Police Make Arrest In Grandview Incident

Thunder Bay Police are charging a 52 year old man with invitation to sexual touching and assault.  It comes after a 14 year old boy told police he was approached by an older man in a washroom at the Grandview Mall.  The man was released and will appear in court on October 9th.

Manpower Releases Quarterly Survey Results

There will be a respectable hiring climate over the next three months in Thunder Bay.  Manpower's quarterly survey shows that 20 per cent of employers surveyed planned to hire for the upcoming three months.  The employment services company says another 70 per cent plan to at least maintain their staff levels.

Conservatory Future Back Up For Discussion

City Council is putting the breaks on buying 76-thousand dollars in netting for the Conservatory.  Council made the decision at it's Monday night meeting calling for the original report to come forward at their September 24th meeting.  Councillor Brian McKinnon says he wants all the options to be discussed.  McKinnon as well as five other councillors voted against spending the money on the netting.

Bear Breaks-In For Sloppy Joe's

By now we know that bears are wandering into the city for food but who knew they had such high standards. Police say a bear sighting was called in to them on King Road as a family was preparing dinner. By the time police arrived, the bear had entered and left through an open window and the sloppy joe's on the stove was gone.

Three Victims In South Side Fire

3 people are in hospital after an apartment complex fire on Limbrick Street. The blaze broke out just after 8 o'clock Monday night. Fire Chief John Hay says 2 men and a woman were sent to the hospital with injuries that vary in severity. Hay says so far there's extensive damage to one apartment building and some smoke and water damage in near by units. Hay adds they evacuated the building and hope to have the residents back in sometime Monday night.