Gravelle Says Mining Benefiting Ontario

The provincial government is highlighting the benefits mining is having on Ontario's economy.   Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle says the province is seeing record spending by the industry. Gravelle spoke in Queens Park yesterday, and says that Ontario is the leading jurisdiction in Canada when it comes to exploration.

Hobbs Happy With Proposed Legislation

Mayor Keith Hobbs is excited to hear the Provincial Government is introducing legislation that will make it easier for Cities to charge out of province drivers who run red lights and fail to stop for school buses.  Hobbs says the proposed legislation will help them collect quite a bit of money in fines.  Hobbs says it was one of their main requests when they met with Provincial Ministers last month in Toronto.

Not As Many P.E. Teachers In N.Ontario

Northern Ontario has the greatest shortage of physical education teachers in the province.  The report from People for Education found that only 22 percent of schools across the north have phys-ed staff compared to 75 percent in the Toronto area.  Majority of schools in the area don't have teachers that specialize in phys-ed, instead it is up to the normal classroom teacher.  The report also says that the shortage is preventing most students from meeting the 20-minutes of mandatory daily physical activity required by the province.

Investigation Clears Local Police

An allegation against the local police force has turned out to be a lie.  An OPP investigation into a 19 year old's claim that Police dropped him off outside the city limits on December 2nd was untrue.  When questioned by investigators, he admitted that he fabricated the story about being given a ride out of town.  The young man has provided the Thunder Bay Police Service with a written apology.

Dryden Losing CAO

Dryden is losing its City Manager.  Joe Van Koeverden has said that he's leaving the community.  Van Koeverden has been named CAO of a township in central Ontario.  Van Koeverden was named City Manager in June 2011.

Respect Campaign Is One Year Old Thursday

Thursday marks the one year anniversary of the City's Respect campaign.  Ann Magiskan is the Chair of the Anti-Racism Committee and says the initiative has sparked conversation in the community.  City officials raised the Respect flag Monday to demonstrate their commitment to bringing an end to racial discrimination.

Demolition at Superior House

Confederation College Students and Eco Superior are gutting a 1940's bungalow.  Spokesperson Raphael Shay says they plan to use Ontario Trillium Foundation money to renovate the home located next to Eco Superior's office.  Renovation work is expected to go on well into the summer.

Bus Fares Going Up April 1

The city is reminding bus riders that fares are going up a the beginning of next month.   Among the highlights, the exact cash fare goes up five cents, a 20 ride pass increases by five dollars and a row of 10 tickets will cost 4 dollars more. As well all the prices will be available to Handicapped Transit customers.

Local Biathletes Compete Nationally

A Thunder Bay biathlete has finished in the top ten at a national event in Whistler B.C.   Joseph Pascuzzo finished sixth out of thirty one.   Pascuzzo is competing with another local biathlete, Toby Quinn who was 24th.

More Snow On The Way

Thunder Bay is in for another snowstorm.  This one is expected to hit starting this afternoon according to Environment Canada weather expert Peter Kimbell. He expects the snow to begin in the Thunder Bay area around 2 o'clock in the afternoon with 2 to 4 centimetres expected initially then another 5 to 10 centimetres tonight and overnight. Kimbell says some areas could get up to 15 cm when all is said and done.

Assault Victim Out Of Hospital

A 31 year old man is now out of the hospital after police say he suffered serious head injuries in an assault.  They say the incident happened on May Street near Dease last night.  An 18 year old man is in police custody charged with aggravated assault and Assault with a Weapon.

Council Not Meeting Tonight

City Council is taking a night off.  Councillor Rebecca Johnson says tonight's meeting was cancelled because there wasn't any city reports.  Johnson says there's always something council can talk about but most discussions revolve around issues coming from reports.

North Shore RAP

An open house is being held tonight to talk about cleaning up Thunder Bay Harbour.  The North Shore Remedial Action Plan is hosting the event and Coordinator Jim Bailey says they'll be talking about what needs to be done in the future.  The open house is taking place from four until 8 at the Baggage Building on the waterfront.

Fraser Institute Releases High School Report

St. Ignatius, St. Pats and Hammarsjkold High Schools are all ranked above the provincial average in the latest Fraser Institute Report Card.  Spokesperson Peter Cowley says there's always room for improvement.  Westgate was ranked 4.7 out of 10 on the right wing think tanks report card system.

Federal Budget March 21st

The Federal Budget will be presented in Ottawa on March 21st.  Kenora MP Greg Rickford says the budget will be focused on balancing the budget.  But, Rickford says you will see an emphasis on moving forward on skills training.  Rickford says the government has an obligation to our future generations to pay down the deficit.

North Stars Edge Iron Rangers

The Thunder Bay North Stars are starting their playoffs with a win. The North Stars edged the Minnesota Iron Rangers 1-0 last night at the Fort William Gardens with Mathias Gardiman scoring the lone goal for the North Stars, while Jayme Brattengeier stopped all 34 Iron Ranger shots for the shutout. The North Stars will hit the road for the next meeting between the two teams on Monday night.

Gas Station Robbery

Thunder Bay Police are investigating an early morning robbery at the Shell gas station on Red River Road. Police say the convenience store clerk was robbed around 1:30 this morning at knife point by a man wearing a camouflage mask. He was last seen on Clarkson Street heading toward Walkover Street.

Lang Off To World Curling Championships

A man from Thunder Bay will be working closely with the Northern Ontario Team that will represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships in Victoria. In two weeks, famed curler Rick Lang, will act as the Team Leader on behalf of the Canadian Curling Association. Lang has become very close with the country's top curling teams over the past three years. Lang is back in Thunder Bay after watching the Brier final and visiting the curling venue for the upcoming Russian Winter Olympics.

Rae Has Forestry On His Mind

Forestry is on the mind of Federal Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae.  Rae used the forest sector as the focus of talks with party faithful and others during stops in Dryden and Kenora on Tuesday.  He talked about the need of getting more aboriginals involved.   Rae stressed the federal government must get more involved in helping the forest sector move forward.

Horizon Wind Still Bogged Down In Red Tape

The proposed Big Thunder Wind Park is still bogged down in government red tape waiting to be approved by the Ministry of Environment.  Horizon Wind spokesperson Kathleen MacKenzie says the next step is for the government to allow for online public comments.  MacKenzie doesn't believe a spring election call will affect the approval process.

Icebreaker Expected In Harbour Tonight

Watch for the icebreaker Samuel Risley in the harbour starting today. Port Manager Tim Heney says they expect the Canadian Coast Guard vessel sometime tonight. It will be plowing through the ice to get the port ready for the new shipping season.

Red Lake Looking For New Logo

You could be the artist behind Red Lake's new logo and tag line.  The public is invited to submit their design, which will help with branding the municipality.  Economic Development Officer Bill Greenway says it could mean more opportunities for the community.  Submissions are being accepted till April 2nd.

Contact North Registration Increases

Ontario's distance education and training network is pleased to announce an increase in their number of registrations.  Contact North has seen at 14-percent increase in this fall, compared with last year.  Vice President of Recruitment Services Debby Sefton says as a whole, the numbers have skyrocketed.  Sefton says that Dryden saw a 49-percent increase.

S.L. Hospital Sues Over Leaky Roof

Issues of a leaky roof has forced the Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre to move ahead with legal action.  The hospital is seeking compensation through the courts against designer Stanteck Consulting and contractor Ellis Dawn.  Engineering Consultant Doug Lawrence says the problem started in 2010 and has forced disruptions at the hospital.  None of the accusations have been proven in court.

NWO Bridges Scheduled To Be Fixed

Eleven bridges in Northwestern Ontario are getting a fix up thanks to 61 million federal and provincial tax dollars.  The projects include one in the Rainy River District to one at Rossport.  The closest project to Thunder Bay is a 3.4 million dollar renovation of the Pine River bridge on Highway 61.

3 Men Charged With Trafficking

Three Quebec men are charged with trafficking cocaine and crack out of an apartment in the 100 block of South Algoma.  A search of the residence resulted in a seizure of 100 grams of crack cocaine, 220 grams of powder cocaine, 6 grams of marijuana and over 76-thousand dollars in cash.   The total street value of the drug seized is 53-thousand.Police say there three have ties to Montreal Street gangs.

Gravelle Announces Forestry Corporation

The province's Ministry of Natural Resources is creating a Local Forest Management Corporation.   Thunder-Bay Superior North M.P.P. Michael Gravelle made the announcement today on behalf of M.N.R. Minister David Orazietti.  Gravelle named six members to the board, which will oversee all areas of the forestry sector in Northwestern Ontario starting in the Spring of 2014.  Gravelle says they've been working on developing this project since 2008.

Dryden Turned Down For Casino

Looks like there will be no casino for the Dryden area.  The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation set today as the deadline to apply for casino bids in Northwestern Ontario.  OLG Spokesperson Tony Bitonti says Kenora made the list, and now a number of factors must be determined.  Wabigoon had been pressuring Dryden for a gaming facility in the city.

Poverty Free T.Bay Wants Change

Poverty Free Thunder Bay wants the Ontario Government to increase funding for poverty programs in the next Ontario budget.  Chair Terri Carter says increase in Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Program would greatly help local residents.  The group is urging Bill Mauro and Michael Gravelle to raise the issue at Queen's Park.

Kings Fall In Overtime At O.H.L. Cup

The Thunder Bay Minor Midget Kings are finished at the O.H.L. Cup in Missassauga. The Kings fell 5-4 in overtime to the Central Ontario Wolves this morning, dropping their record to 1-2-0-1. Only two teams in each division will advance to the quarter-finals of the 20 team tournament.

Police Rule Out Foul Play

Police are clearing the scene on Leith Street where a 34 year old man was found dead last night.  Foul play is not suspected in the incident and a post-mortem is being conducted on Monday to determine the exact cause of death.

5 Youth Injured Near Dryden

Highway 17 West of Thunder Lake Road near Dryden is re-open this morning. O.P.P. had to shut the highway down for about an hour after a mini-van spun out and rolled several times. 5 young people were taken to hospital with what police are calling minor injuries.

Body Found On Leith Street

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of death and the identity of a man whose body was found in the backyard of a Leith Street residence. City Police were called to the scene around 5:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon when a passerby noticed the body. Further information is expected to be released later today.

Kings Get Crowned At O.H.L. Cup

The Thunder Bay Minor Midget Kings are all but finished at the O.H.L. Cup in Missassauga. They were trounced 8-0 in their lone game of the day yesterday against Oakville and now play the Central Ontario Wolves this morning. The Kings are now 1-2 in the 20 team tournament are are unlikely to advance to the quarter-finals.

Bond Scoffs At Survey Results

The head of a group protesting the Big Thunder Wind Park is skeptical of a new survey which says 2 out of 3 residents is in favour of the project.   Irene Bond says from her experience many people aren't familiar with the details of the plan to put wind turbines on the Nor'wester Escarpment and don't have all the facts.  Bond also claims the support for the project is down since the first survey Horizon took almost 3 years ago.

Hunters Fined

A hefty fine for 5-hunters from southern Ontario.  The Ministry of Natural Resources says the charges stem from an incident near Lily Lake, West of Thunder Bay, where a bull moose was illegally killed.  Conservations officers were tipped off about the incident and found the hunters less than a kilometer from the moose.  Ballistic evidence was needed to prove the hunters involvement as they denied responsibility.  The MNR fined the men for possession of an illegally killed bull moose, abandoning the flesh and allowing it to spoil, and obstructing an MNR officer.

Foulds NDP T.Bay Superior North Candidate

City Councillor Andrew Foulds is going to represent the NDP in Thunder Bay Superior North.  If an election is called they will face Liberal Incumbent Michael Gravelle.  Foulds says they're proud to represent the party and looks forward to raising the riding's issues when an election is called.  NDP Leader Andrea Horwath spoke at the nomination meeting last night and says she thinks her party can win this riding.

NAN Holding Women's Conference

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Women's Council is meeting for three days at the Nor'Wester Best Western. They're holding a conference they hope will empower the region's women.  Topics up for discussion include coping with stress, self defense and gender equality.

Foulds Thunder Bay Superior North Candidate

City Councillor Andrew Foulds is going to represent the NDP in Thunder Bay Superior North.  If an election is called they will face Liberal Incumbent Michael Gravelle.  Foulds says they're proud to represent the party and looks forward to raising the riding's issues when an election is called.  NDP Leader Andrea Horwath spoke at the nomination meeting last night and says she thinks her party can win this riding.

Police Looking Into Body Found On Leith Street

Thunder Bay Police are investigating the death of a man who was found in the 200 block of Leith Street. A passerby spotted the body in a backyard.  The cause of death is unknown as well as the identity of the deceased.  Thunder Bay Police Criminal Investigations and Identification detectives are on the scene.

Stomach Illness Outbreak At St. Joe's

Thunder Bay's Health Unit is declaring a stomach illness outbreak at St. Joseph's Care Group's Reactivation Program.   All admissions, transfers, discharges and social activities have been cancelled for that area of the hospital.  Visitors are restricted to family members and caregivers only.

Con College Considering Offering New Program

Confederation College is looking into bringing an advanced paramedic program to Thunder Bay.  President Jim Madder says they are still in the early planning stages.  Madder says they're considering programs that are already offered at other schools.

Ottawa's Budget Day Is March 21st

The Harper government will be presenting it's budget next Thursday.   It's expected to be a stay the course document. Thunder Bay-Superior North  MP Bruce Hyer is hoping that there's a commitment of funds to the Ring of Fire mining development. And while it may be wishful thinking, Hyer is hoping the budget will see the government reverse its decision on closing the Experimental Lakes Area near Kenora.  Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says he hopes small town northwestern Ontario gets a break on infrastructure spending and adds the NDP is also hoping that cutbacks to front line services are restored to departments like Veterans Affairs and Service Canada.

Big Trout Lake Sexual Assault

Ontario Provincial Police have charged a 19-year-old man from Big Trout Lake First Nation regarding an incident last month.  Constable Allison Moore with the Sioux Lookout Detachment says police were first notified on February 11th.  O.P.P say the accused has been charged with sexual assault, forcible confinement and overcoming resistance.  He is expected to appear in court on Monday.

Airport ATM Dispenses Foreign $

Money makes the world go round and now you can get some of your world money at the airport through a new ATM machine that dispenses foreign currency.  With a bank card you can now obtain Euros, pounds, pesos and U.S. dollars.

Horizon Wind Trumpets New Poll Results

The latest survey of Thunder Bay and area residents paid for by Horizon Wind, shows 2 out of 3 of those polled support the Big Thunder Wind Park. Horizon spokesperson Kathleen MacKenzie says this confirms that there are fewer opponents to the project. The latest poll, done in December, surveyed 600 residents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 per cent.

Centennial Golf Course Sold

The Owner of Northern Lights Golf Complex is now the new owner of Centennial Golf Course on John Street Road and plans to call it Centennial Pines Golf Course. Gerald Breukelman signed on the dotted line in February and says it's a new challenge. Breukelman is now offering a dual membership for both Northern Lights and Centennial Pines and is hoping city golfers take advantage.

Ministry Of Labour Investigating Hudson Mill Incident

The Ministry of Labour is looking into an incident at the Hudson Mill near Sioux Lookout. Spokesperson Matt Blajer says a worker suffered a crushing injury to his left arm and is in hospital in Winnipeg. There is no word on the extent of the injury. Blajer says inspectors are looking into the training and the events surrounding the incident.

Kings Split Games To Open O.H.L. Cup

The Thunder Bay Minor Midget Kings opened the O.H.L. Cup in Missassauga by splitting a pair of games. They blanked the Huron Perth Lakers 2-0 in their second game of the day to even their record at 1-1 after losing 6-1 to the Toronto Junior Canadians. The Kings will play the Oakville Raiders in their lone game of the day today.

S.I.J.H.L. Playoff Picture

The Superior International Junior Hockey League playoffs are set. The Thunder Bay North Stars finished in fourth place and will take on the fifth place Minnesota Iron Rangers in a best of three series starting Saturday at the Fort William Gardens. The winner will advance to take on the regular season champion Minnesota Wilderness in the semi-finals. The other semi-final match-up features the second seeded Fort Frances Lakers taking on the Dryden Ice Dogs.