Murder Tips Coming In

Police say the public is responding to a tip line set up following the last week;s murder in the city.  They say a number of tips have been followed up and it remains active.  Thirty year old Shannon Hogan died after being found with serious injuries in a laneway behind a Lake Street house.  The cause of her death is not being revealed.

Former Investment Dealer Hit With Big Fine

A former city investment dealer is feeling the sting of the law. Pirkko Ramsay must pay a 200 thousand dollar fine after the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada found she misappropriated client funds and failed to cooperate with investigators. The financial violations took place when she worked at the Thunder Bay branch of CIBC Investor Services

Lots Of Rain On The Way

The Thunder Bay area will be wet over the next day or so.  Environment Canada says a broad area of low pressure over Lake Superior is giving much of Northern Ontario persistent showers..which have been heavy at times due to thunderstorms.  A few locations have received over 20 millimetres since yesterday evening.  Rain is expected to begin to taper off tomorrow, but some areas could receive up to an additional 40 millimetres by Saturday morning. 

Things Looking Up For Treaty 3 Police

A major obstacle has been cleared in keeping the Treaty 3 Police Service Open. A new board was elected this week at the service's annual general meeting.  Local Public Service Alliance of Canada rep Judith Monteith-Farrell says the new board is much more open to working with the union. The changes mean the closing of the force has been postponed a year.

Severe Crime Drops In City

Deputy police chief Andy Hay says the latest stats showing a drop in severe crime in 2012 is helping to make us a safer city.  He credits the hard work of  police and community members especially the Crime Prevention Council.   Hay notes however there is a long way go since we still have high murder and domestic assault rates.

New Sports Honour Roll Announced

Two local hockey players and a medal winning paralympic swimmer head this years list of inductees into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.   Andrea Cole was the first female from the region to have won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Sydney.  Katie Weatherston was the first female from northwestern Ontario and the first athlete from Thunder Bay to win a gold medal for Canada at the Olympic Games in Turin. Tony Hrkac is the only regional hockey player ever to have won the coveted Hobey Baker Award as the outstanding US College hockey player.

Red Lake Wildfire Eases

The Ministry of Natural Resources says a fire in the Red Lake area is now being held. The blaze, 50 km northwest of the community, started on July 3rd and was caused by a lightning strike. It  has burned more than 18-thousand hectares.

Safeway Deal Does't Affect NWO

Empire Company, which owns Sobeys stores in Canada, has struck a deal to sell some of its newly acquired Safeway properties in a sale-leaseback deal with property management company Crombie of Nova Scotia. None of the stores impacted are in northwestern Ontario.

New Gold Close To Goal

In the world of business,  the New Gold mining company says its planned take over of Rainy River Resources is one step closer to reality.  New Gold is giving shareholders of the mining exploration company until August 8th to accept the cash and stock offer .  New Gold says it's just a few percentage points away from its goal of acquiring 90 per cent of Rainy Rainy shares.

More Stanley Cup Info

The time and place are now set for presentation of the Stanley Cup in the city.  It will be at the Fort William Gardens on August 2nd from noon until 2:00.   Patrick Sharp of the NHL Champion Chicago Blackhawks will be on hand to show off the hardware

Dam Work Postponed

The swimming season can continue at Boulevard Lake. The city has decided to postpone work on the Current River Dam. Spokesperson Pat Mauro says they can't find any company to do the 3 million dollars worth of repairs adding the tenders came in higher than what City Hall had budgeted for. As a result of the decision water on Boulevard Lake will not be drained and the beaches will stay open.

Thirteen Year Old Charged In B & E

A 13 year old boy is facing charges after a Dawson Road lottery store was broke into  yesterday.  Cigarettes and bus passes were stolen.  A court appearance is scheduled for today.  

Dryden Losing Another Senior Staffer

The City of Dryden is losing another senior member. George Friesen has announced his resignation as Airport Manager effective September. Friesen says he's worked with some great staff for the past 23-No replacement has been named. Friesen is moving to Alberta to pursue other opportunities. The City is now without a full-time Economic Development Officer, City Manager, Library Manager and Recreation Manager, among other high level positions.

Still No Charges In Fatal Crash

There's still no word on any charges being laid in connection with this week's cycling tragedy near Red Rock.   Two cyclists from Cornwall were killed after being struck by a passing pick up truck on Tuesday afternoon.  They were part of a group of 25 cyclists travelling across the country.

Coke Bust On Hodder Ave.

A 31 year old Thunder Bay man is in custody after police arrested him on drug charges .  The arrest was made on Hodder avenue Tuesday night  when he walked off a Greyhound bus.   Pollice say the man resisted arrest and needed to be taken to the ground to be handcuffed.   Police say they seized 24 thousand dollars worth of what's believed to be cocaine.

Police Identify Accident Victims

Provincial Police continue to investigate the circumstances behind a tragic three vehicle collision in northwestern Ontario. A group of 25-cyclists on a cross country tour were travelling on the Trans-Canada Highway and were passing through the area of Red Rock on Tuesday when 2-of the cyclists were struck by an eastbound truck. The truck then hit two westbound vehicles. The cyclists, 65-year-old Robert Booth and 69-year-old Irene Booth of North Glengarry, near Ottawa, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two residents of Austin, Texas in the eastbound truck were transported to hospital with injuries. Two others in the involved vehicles were also sent to hospital.

Petition Aims To Save Police Service

Over 25-hundred people have signed a petition to save Treaty 3 Police Service. Tania Cameron presented the petition the police board's annual general meeting and says it shows how dedicated people are to save the service. A number of people took the opportunity to voice their concerns at the AGM in Kenora.  The board has put off the closure of the force for at least a year.

Dryden Loses Airport Manager

The City of Dryden has another key vacancy to fill. Airport Manager George Friesen has announced his resignation after 23-years on the job. Friesen will be moving to Alberta. The City is now without a full-time Economic Development Officer, City Manager, Library Manager and Recreation Manager, among other high level positions.

Rickford Praises Gun Ruling

Kenora MP Greg Rickford is calling it a victory for long-gun owners. A judge has rejected Quebec's attempt to stop Ottawa from destroying long-gun registry data. Rickford says the registry isn't needed. Rickford says it costs about 100-thousand-dollars each month to maintain the registry in Quebec.

Marketing Initiative Touted

A marketing initiative involving the National Geographic Society is being touted to communities along the Ontario-Minnesota border. The idea is to raise 250-thousand dollars to create maps and a website for the area between  Thunder Bay, Duluth Fort and Frances/International Falls, . Committee Chair Frank Jewell says the Society wants to help promote the area.   Thunder Bay  has already committed to contributing money.

Tentative Deal Reached In Dilico Dispute

There's a tentative agreement in the Dilico Anishnabek  Family Care dispute.   It follows a day long negotiating session at the Victoria Inn yesterday.   Union boss Marvin Pupeza says workers will be voting on the new deal over the next week or so.   Until then he says there will be no details released.   350 social workers have been on strike for just over two weeks.

ATV Crash Kills Driver

Police in Marathon say a 55 year old man is dead as the result of an All Terrain Vehicle accident.   They say he was the driver of the ATV when he lost control of it trying to avoid a fallen tree.    The fatal mishap took place on a lake road near Marathon.

Crash Kills Two Cyclists

Highway 11-17 is now open following a fatal multi-vehicle crash that killed two cyclists on Tuesday afternoon near Red Rock.  The two were with a group of 25 riders travelling across Canada when they were struck by a pickup truck that was travelling eastbound on Highway 11-17.  A total of three vehicles were involved in the accident, sending four people to hospital.  A man and a woman from the township of North Glengarry near Ottawa were pronounced dead at the scene.  

City Gets 620K In OLG Cash

The latest dividend to the city from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation works out to 620 thousand dollars.   It's 5 per cent of the slot machine revenues from the OLG Casino and about 50 thousand dollars more than what  the city received in the last payment.

More Murals For The South Side

The Fort William Business District hopes to brighten up the area with a new mural program.  Spokesperson J-P Fraser says it's designed to brighten up the neighbourhood and get back to the area's historic roots.
The program sees volunteer artists painting windows of vacant buildings in the Simpson and Victoria Street area.

No Serious Injuries In Morning Collisions

The operator of a bicycle is recovering in hospital with a leg injury following an accident this morning on the Thunder Bay Expressway and Oliver Road. City police say the bike and a car collided just before 7 o'clock. There was also a second accident involving two vehicles at the same intersection while emergency crews arrived at the scene. It was just minor rear end collision.

The Fort Wins

The town of Fort Frances is celebrating a victory over Dryden as they captured the TSN's Kraft Celebration Tour contest. Fort Frances will receive 25-thousand dollars in improvements to its curling club and will also host a live broadcast of TSN's Sportscentre next month.

Treaty Three Board Holds AGM Today

The Treaty Three Police Services Board is holding their annual general meeting today in Kenora , and the closure of the service will be a hot topic.  It will include the financial report of the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Supporters of the police service have planned a day long rally outside the meeting.

Fire Destroys Home In O-P

A house in Oliver Paipoonge is destroyed after a fire last night.  Police say it happened just after 10 o'clock at 3392 Rosslyn Road.  One person who was inside the home at the time escaped without injury.   The cause is not known.

Firefighters Contract Finalized.

City firefighters will now be paid the same as city police officers are.   Councillors voted last night to accept an arbitrators decision on the new  three year contract which is retroactive to January of 2011.

Dilico Talks On

Contract talks resume this morning to try to resolve the 2 week strike at Dilico Anishnabek Family Care.   Union boss Marvin Pupeza  represents the 350 striking social workers and is hopeful something can come from today's discussions. One of the major issue is in the dispute is the workload carried by the employees.

Youth Centre Proposed

Officials of the Thunder Bay Indian Friendship Centre want the city's help to build a new youth centre.   Executive director Bernice Dubec made the pitch to city lawmakers last night saying the centre is needed so they can help a wider variety of young people.  They are requesting 2 and a half million dollars to purchase and renovate the Prosvita Hall on High Street and 300 thousand dollars a year for operating costs. City Hall staff will be working with the Centre to come up with a game plan for the new facility.

Union Boss Pitches Bus Museum

The head of the city transit union is spearheading a move to open a transit museum.  Charlie Brown announced his campaign at City Hall  this evening as part of his efforts to find a home for some refurbished local Brill trolley buses. He is asking the community for support and ideas.  Brown says his organization is also asking for donations to make the dream a reality.

Youth Centre Proposed

Officials of the Thunder Bay Indian Friendship Centre want the city's help to build a new youth centre.   Executive director Bernice Dubec made the pitch to city lawmakers last night saying the centre is needed so they can help a wider variety of young people.  They are requesting 2 and a half million dollars to purchase and renovate the Prosvita Hall on High Street and 300 thousand dollars a year for operating costs.  City Hall staff will now work with the Centre to come up with a game plan for the new facility.

Union Boss Pitches Bus Museum

The head of the city transit union is spearheading a move to open a transit museum.  Charlie Brown announced his campaign at City Hall  this evening as part of his efforts to find a home for some refurbished local Brill trolley buses. He is asking the community for support and ideas.  Brown says his organization is also asking for donations to make the dream a reality.

It's A Boy For William And Kate

It's a boy.  Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a 8 pound 6 ounce boy who automatically becomes the Prince of Cambridge.   The royal birth was announced this afternoon after the birth at St. Mary's Hospital in London.  No name as been announced.

Fire Victims Identified

The cause of a fatal fire on the weekend west of Nipigon remains unknown.   Police say that 66 year old  Fern Marquardt died in her Lyon Township home  Friday night .  Her cause of death is still being determined as is the cause of the blaze itself.

No Leads In Murder Case

If city police are making any progress on the city's second murder of the year, they aren't saying.  Spokesperson Chris Adams says that so far there is no new information to report and that there have been no leads called in from the public in the case.  Thirty year old Shannon Hogan died last week after being found seriously injured behind a Lake Street house.

Fire Hazard Expected To Drop

The forest fire hazard is expected to drop because rain is forecast for much of the Northwest Region.  There are no fires reported in the Thunder Bay District but there were 3 new fires reported yesterday in the Kenora and Sioux Lookout areas.  Meantime crews from the Northwest  are helping fight blazes in the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Quebec.

Tall Ship Attracts Hundreds

The Norwegian tall ship  Sorlandet is still in port at the Pool 6 dock next to the marina.   It will be open for public tours again today from 10 until 4.  Yesterday hundreds turned out to get a tour of the ship which arrived here on the weekend to help celebrate Lake Superior Day.

Dryden Clean Up Continues

Clean up efforts continue in Dryden following last weeks major storm. A city official says  trees in the cemetery and around city hall were ripped right out of the ground Thursday night. Crews hope to have everything looking back to normal sometime this week.

Survey Shows Happy Citizens

It appears Thunder Bay citizens are more than satisfied with how city services are provided.   The latest citizen survey shows that almost 90 per cent of us are happy with the way we are served by the city.  That's up slightly from the survey in 2011.   The number one issue facing citizens is roads followed by the economy and crime.   Ninety two per cent say quality of life is good or very good.   Some of the top reasons are the size of the city, safety and cost of living.

Councillors To Hear Request For Youth Centre

 The Thunder Bay Indian Friendship Centre is looking for a new home.    Officials are coming to City Hall tonight to plead their case for a new building to house a proposed youth centre.  Also tonight, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery's bid to move to a new waterfront location is expected to take another step forward tonight. The next phase of a process will likely be given approval by city lawmakers.  As well, councillors are being asked how they would like to see the Katherine Dugmore remembered.   She managed the waterfront development until she died from cancer.

Con College Enrollments

Confederation College is forecasting strong enrollment figures this fall at its Lake of the Woods Campus. Jim Madder is president of the college and says they still have space in a number of the programs they offer.

Victoria Avenue Macs Held Up

Police have a 20  year old man in custody following another Mac's store robbery. They say that at around 1 am this morning a man entered the store on East Victoria Avenue and put a knife to the throat of the clerk. The man took cigarettes and ran off.  Police say he was located in a yard a short distance away.

Sorlandet Docks At The Marina

The Norwegian tall ship the Sorlandet is in port. It is at the Pool six dock  next to the marina and will be there today and tomorrow for public tours. The tours begin at 10 am both days.  The ship is here to help celebrate Lake Superior Day today.  Activities take place all day on the waterfront.

Fire Hits City Duplex

No one is injured following a fire on the city's north side early Saturday afternoon.   It happened in a duplex at 178 Shipley.  Chen Chekki lives in the unit adjacent to it and called the fire service after he heard the smoke alarm go off.  No one was home at the time of the fire.    The cause isn't known and fire damage is heaviest in a back bedroom.

Woman Dead After House Fire

A 66 year old woman is dead in Lyon Township, west of Nipigon. The death was the result of a house fire which  was reported to the OPP at 9:04 p.m. The victim is not being identified until her family is notified.  The coroners office is investigating the cause.

Dryden Finances Update

An update on City of Dryden finances has been provided. The City is posting a 99-thousand dollar deficit in Municipal operations for the 6 months ending June 30th. Waterworks operations are reporting a 361-thousand dollar surplus.

New Dryden Sewage Plant

Construction of the new Dryden Sewage Treatment Plant is nearing completion. Manager of Public Works Blake Poole says they expect to start testing in late August. Poole stresses that the project is on budget this year. He adds that some minor work continues and the next step is getting power to the plant.