City, Belluz Farms & LA Quality Foods Get Cash

The City, Belluz Farms, and LA Quality Foods are all getting money from the Provincial Government and the Greenbelt Fund.  Greenbelt Fund Vice President Kathy Macpherson says 210-thousand dollars will be shared between the three organizations for projects that will increase access to fresh local food. The City will use the money to provide more local food in their long term care homes and child care centres.

Goodbye Holidays...Hello Gridlock

With the holiday break over the bed shortage is back at the Regional Hospital and so is "code gridlock".  Patients are being treated in the halls and alcoves.   Spokesperson Mark Henderson, says the hospital has been preparing for this latest surge with the health authority and says it will likely continue for the rest of the winter.    Dr. Henderson believes the hospital may not see the end to the gridlock cycle for another 3 years.

NDP To Select Candidate Next Month

New Democrats in Thunder Bay-Atikokan will select their candidate for the next provincial election next month. The riding Association has set voting meetings February 8th at the Pioneer Centre in Atikokan and the next day in Thunder Bay. Former Schreiber mayor Madge Richardson  and Mary Kozorys  are vying for the position. Kozorys won the nomination over Richardson in 2011.

District Flu Death Toll At 5

Grim news to report on the H1N1 flu front .   The District Health Unit says the the death toll has increased to 5.   The Health Unit's Diana Gowanlock says four of the deaths were adults under the age of 65 and one was a senior citizen.   She says the number of confirmed cases in the district is now up to 81 and Gowanlock believes we have peaked.

Shoppers Robbed

City Police are looking for a woman who they say robbed the Red River Road Shoppers Drug Mart. A woman carrying a knife approached the pharmacy and demanded drugs from the employee. She got away with Fentanyl patches and was last seen on Junot Avenue heading toward the Blucher Street area on foot.

FN Walk To Ottawa

Three walkers have left Attawapiskat First Nation with the goal of trekking to Ottawa with a message for the government. Danny Metatawabin, Brian Okimaw and Paul Mettina are on foot to encourage the government to work together to address and reconcile several Aboriginal issues. According to a statement posted by Metatawabin on Facebook, they are walking from the "traditional territories of the people" to deliver a message to the leaders of both levels of Government and to Chiefs that the time to honour treaties is now!
The Attawapiskat walkers are supported by helpers carrying supplies on snowmobiles.

Drug Bust In Constance Lake FN

The war against drugs continues in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.   Police say the latest bust took place in Constance Lake First Nation where about 17 hundred dollars worth of high end prescription painkillers were seized in a home in that community.  A 27 year old Constance Lake resident is facing charges.

ATU Conference On Monday

The local Amalgamated Transit Union is getting some support from their fellow transit unions.  President Sheila Kivisto says they'll welcome other transit unions from across the Province on Monday where they'll rally and hold a news conference about their current contract negotiations.  The ATU will be meeting with the City and a Mediator on January 16th and 17th. If an agreement isn't reached by January 20th the local transit workers will be in a legal strike position.

Housing Starts Down In 2013

Government figures are showing housing starts in Thunder Bay  were down over 15 per cent 2013.   Warren Philp of Canada Mortgage and Housing says that's a drop of over 50 starts of both multiple and single detached units.    There were 324 starts last year compared to 380 in 2012.   On a positive note Philp says the number of single starts last year is in line with the 20 year average.

Fatal Accident Closes Hwy

A 57 year old Atikokan man is dead after a serious motor vehicle collision on Highway 17 west of Ignace Thursday. Danny Henderson has been identified as the victim in the two vehicle collision. OPP say two other people have been sent to Dryden Hospital for treatment of injuries. The Highway remains closed while police continue to investigate. 

Open House Draws 70

Around 70 residents gave the City's consultants a piece of their mind on what should be done with the Fort William Gardens.  An open house was held Wednesday night at the facility where members of the figure skating and minor hockey community shared their concerns about a possible loss of ice time.  Consultant Conrad Boychuk says if ice time is needed they'll address that in their report to Council. The City wants to find a future use for the building once it's closed and a new Multi-plex is built.

Fire Truck In Mishap

No one is hurt after a city fire truck was rear ended at an accident scene this morning.  It happened on highway 61 between Arthur Street and the airport road just before 10:30.  Deputy Fire Chief Dave Paxton says that Pumper Six was stopped at the time attending to another traffic mishap.  Damage to the fire truck was cosmetic, but there was substantially more damage to the car that struck it.

MTO Denies Service Level Slip

The Ministry of Transportation denies service levels of Highway 502 have been downgraded this winter. It makes that claim in a letter to the Rainy River District School Board in response to Iron Range Bus Lines decision not to travel Highway 502 this winter due to the state of the road.  The Ministry does state it's spoken with Transfield Services who've deployed a grader to reduce snowpack on the highway.

Jaws Of Life Used On High St.

Two people are hurt after two vans collided on High Street at Hillcrest Park around 9 o'clock this morning.   Jerry Hogan of the Thunder Bay Fire Service says both had to be removed from one of the vehicles with the jaws of life.  Hogan says the two complained of chest pains and were taken to the hospital while the driver of the other van wasn't hurt seriously.  

Slippery Roads

There were no injuries following a pair of accidents this morning on Oliver Road near both Twin City Crossroads and Townline Road. Police are again reminding motorists to be on alert for black ice and slippery road conditions during this current deep freeze.

Imagine The Gardens

Tonight is your chance to have your say about the future use of the Fort William Gardens.  An open house is being held tonight at the Gardens which will include a presentation on possible uses of the facility.  The public meeting is part of the City's future use assessment of the building which is expected to be complete by March 4th.

Airport Headaches

Officials at Toronto's Pearson International Airport are warning it won't be a normal travel day today due to fallout from Tuesday's extensive delays and cancellations caused by freezing temperatures.  For the second straight day Air Canada cancelled its two early morning flights from Thunder Bay to Toronto today.  WestJet and Porter are not showing any delays or cancellations this morning.  

School Bus Accidents

The School Board's Transportation Manager says three of their school buses were involved in minor fender benders this morning.  Dave Carroll says it's cold outside and cars are sliding into buses.  The three incidents this morning happened in the Westfort and Current River areas, while another occurred in the parking lot of Hammarskjold High School.  Carroll says no one was injured.

Arrest Made

City Police are charging a 26 year old man with a robbery at Mac's Convenience Store on Simpson Street. On Sunday the Mac's store was held up by a man with a syringe. The accused appeared in court today.

McKinnon Seeking Re-Election

Red River Ward constituents will see Brian McKinnon's name on the ballot in this fall's municipal election.  In announcing he's running for re-election, McKinnon said he has unfinished business to deal with in the next term.

City Film Project Needs Cash

A City film project that aims to build a greater understanding between the aboriginal population and the broader community is in need of more money. City Clerk John Hannam says they set a goal of 45 thousand dollars and they're still six thousand short. Hannam says if they don't get the 6 thousand raised before the film premier in February they will still go ahead with it.

Taxi Committee Continues To Meet

The Police Service Board's Taxi Committee wants the service to fall under City by-law officer's authority. Councillor and Police Services Board Member Brian McKinnon says they'll spend their next meeting bringing the idea to local taxi companies.  McKinnon says the recommendation also needs to be approved by the Police Board before it can go to City Council for final approval.

Ride Check Stats Out

City Police are releasing their latest RIDE stats from December.   21 drivers were charged with drinking and driving and 12 of those were as a result of the RIDE program.  Traffic Sgt. Glenn Porter says police also noticed several of the people they pulled over were in their pj's which is a sign more people are acting as designated drivers at the end of the night.  Porter adds one man was found passed out behind the wheel at a local fast food drive-thru window and tried to pay the police officer for his order.

City Preparing Appeal Strategy

The Resolute Forest Products tax appeal hearing will be continuing in the city January 27th.   City Manager Tim Commisso says he plans to lay out the reasons for appealing the province's decision to reduce the amount of money the company pays in property taxes to the city.  The hearing takes place at City Hall and could run until the middle of next month.  

LU Undergoes Sustainability Tracking

Lakehead University is undergoing a tracking and rating system to see how sustainable their two campuses are.  It will look at the facilities achievements in economic, environmental and social sustainability.  The review should be done in a year from now.

Sharp On Team Canada

Chalk up another milestone for Thunder Bay's Patrick Sharp.   He has been chosen to play on Team Canada at the Olympics in Sochi,  Russia. The Chicago Blackhawks forward was named along with 24 others at a news conference in Toronto this morning.  Regionally,  Duncan Keith, who played his minor hockey in Fort Frances, also made the team.   Canada's first game is on Feb. 13 against Norway.

Camp Fire Near Vermillion Bay

Fire crews continue to investigate the cause of a major fire at Willard Lake Resort, west of Vermilion Bay.Officials were called around 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon.  The flames spread from cabin to cabin as firefighters had to deal with limited water in battling the blaze.  Damage to the gas station and restaurant is unknown at this time. No one was injured.

Cell Sorter Goal 3K

Northern Hearts and several other charity groups are teaming up to help raise 300-thousand dollars to purchase a cell sorter for the  Regional Research Institute.  Northern Hearts Chair Jack Playford says the cell sorter will help improve heart health research. Anyone who wants to donate can do so by dropping off a cheque at the Northern Hearts office, or at the Curans Heart Centre.

New & Old Faces In Municipal Race

There's some added names to the 2014 Municipal election race. David Polhill is running in Northwood. Meanwhile, Councillor Joe Virdiramo is seeking re-election in Westfort,  Brian McKinnon in Red River and Aldo Roberto at large. Andrew Brigham is also joining the at large race.

Highway Closure

The blustery conditions has forced the closure of Highway 17 east of Thunder Bay.  OPP report Highway 17 is closed between Highway 556 and Wawa due to reduced visibility.  Provincial Police closed that section around 3 o'clock this morning.

Wood Stove Warning

Wood stoves and heaters are working overtime as northwestern Ontario continues to sit through a deep freeze. Richard Wetelainen is a fire official in the region and he is urging local residents to ensure their heating instruments are properly inspected.  He says sometimes people may put off inspections for various reasons.He points out that dirty chimneys are a major cause of fires in our area during this time of year.

Hospital Gets More Props

The regional hospital is tooting its horn again about another recognition.  Spokesperson Nella Lawrence says the facility recently made sixth place on a list of the world’s 30 most architecturally impressive hospitals.  She thinks it's an award the community can share, since many people participated in making the hospital a reality.  Lawrence calls a recognition an reward in itself

TBSO Fundraiser Hired

Thunder Bay's Stephanie Bateman is the new Development Manager with the Symphony Orchestra.  Her job is to fundraise about 2 million dollars a year for the TBSO something she admits will be a challenge. Bateman admits with money being tight it may be harder to raise funds from the community and governments.

Body Shop Open After Fire

Frankie and Johnny's Auto Body shop on Vickers Street is back in operation after the devastating October 31st fire.   Owner John Wiekowski estimates the blaze caused about half a million dollars in damages.  He says he has lost 50 thousand dollars a month in income and at least 50 thousand dollars worth of his own vehicles that were not insured.  Wiekowski adds 3 of his customers lost up to 70 thousand dollars worth of insured vehicles.  So far officials have not given out the cause of the fire only to say that it was suspicious.    

H1N1 Cases May Be Close To Peaking

The H1N1 virus may be reaching its peak in Thunder Bay.  Dr. David Williams of the District Health Unit says they're crossing their fingers that the worst may be coming to an end.  He says while there have been 78 confirmed cases of the flu so far, with more expected, he's hoping to know by the end of this week if we have reached the crest.    Dr. Williams says there says the H1N1 death toll in the district remains at two.

Students Kept Inside During Deep Freeze

With the dangerous cold upon us both school board's in the city are keeping students inside.   The catholic school board's Pino Tassone  says that's the way it will stay until the the deep freeze is over.   Tessone says it will apply to recess, lunch, nutrition breaks and the period just before school starts.  Tassone says closing schools is not an option that's considered unless there's a major heating malfunction in any school building.

Bad Weather In T-O Delays Flights

If you plan to leave by plane to Toronto today or you are expecting someone from the big city, there may be delays.  Thunder Bay  Airport arrival and departure information shows many flights to and from T-dot are delayed due to the weather there.   You can view the arrival and departure information at this LINK

First Nations Chief Dies

A long-serving northwestern Ontario First Nations chief has died. Family  members report Couchiching First Nation Chief Chuck McPherson died yesterday in his home. McPherson was first elected chief between 1986 and 1988, returning to office in 1998.  No word yet on funeral arrangements.

Almada Fire Cause Still Unknown

Still no official word on the cause of a fire that ravaged Almada Upholstery on May Street back in October. Owner  April Roukema says fire inspectors have been reluctant to use the "A" word.  She says they have already determined the blaze didn't start in the building itself, which she says is making it look more and more like it may be arson.  Roukema says they won't be able to move back in until the summer, until then,  they are operating on Squire Street.

Another R.I.D.E. Program Ends

Another successful Festive R.I.D.E campaign has come to an end. Sergeant Shelley Garr with the Northwest OPP says 43 impaired driving charges were issued, including 21 warn range suspensions. Garr says the numbers are almost identical to last years.   The numbers in the region were on the same provincial average which saw a downward trend.

City Bids Closing Soon

A couple of City bid opportunities are coming to a close in January. The City is looking for a consultant to design and develop a Northwestern Ontario food purchasing model. The deadline for that project is January 16th.  Meanwhile, the expression of interest to purchase Municipal Golf Course is up on January 15th.

Sunday Night Robbery

Thunder Bay Police investigating another robbery in the City.  Around 10:30 last night, a male, armed with a syringe, robbed the Mac's Mart on Simpson Street.  The robber got away with an undisclosed
amount of cash and goods.  The accused is described as a Caucasian male in his 30's, who was last seen wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt, black toque and backpack.  No one was injured.

Highway 11 Reduced To One Lane

Highway 11 roughly one-hundred kilometers west of Hearst is down to one lane while crews retrieve tractor trailers that have slid off the road into a ditch. OPP are warning motorists of long delays, the closure is expected to last roughly twelve hours.

Sleeping Giant Visitors Centre Now Open

The Sleeping Giant Visitors Centre is now open for the winter season which lasts until March. With the recent snow fall cross country trails have yet to be groomed. The centre is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am until 4 pm.

Date Set For Potential Transit Job Action

Thunder Bay Transit operators now have a date to bargain with when it comes to a potential strike. Union President Sheila Kivisto says workers are in a position to walk off the job on January 20th but does maintain that a strike is being seen as a last resort.

Election Registrations Up To 3

Candidates continue to trickle in for the upcoming municipal election. Three people have filed to run for spots on City Council including Logan Ollivier in the McIntyre ward, Shelby Ch'ng in Northwood and David George Noonan in Red River. The first day to register for the 2014 election was Thursday.

Hunting Fines

Two southern Ontario hunters are facing a combined total of two-thousand dollars in fines for illegaly hunting deer just south of Red Lake. Terenzio Angelini has been fined fifteen-hundred dollars for hunting deer without a license and is not allowed to hunt in Ontario for one-year.  Michele Pecoraro was fined five-hundred dollars for possessing illegally killed wildlife.

 

Eacom Timber To Reopen Mill

EACOM Timber is planning on re-opening the Ear Falls Sawmill sooner rather than later.  Company Spokesperson Gwen Webster says the company's goal is to take advantage with what they believe will be a strong market for lumber in 2014.  Currently the company is testing existing equipment that has sat idle at the mill for nearly five years.

Money For Hwy 599 Improvements

The Provincial Government is putting 2.1 million dollars towards improving Highway 599 south of Pickle Lake. The Medcalf Lake Narrows Bridge will be repaired. The announcement will create 21 new jobs.

Accident At Fort William Road & John Street

City police are laying a careless driving charge in relation to a two vehicle collision at the intersection of Water Street and John Street. Three people were sent to hospital as a precaution. Road conditions are being blamed for the accident.

Pair Of Stabbings

Thunder Bay Police currently investigating a pair of stabbings.  Shortly after 8:30 last night a female was stabbed in front of a building in the 100 Block of South May Street. The female was taken to the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital with a non-life threatening wound to her back. It is believed the attacker is known to the victim, but no arrest has been made.  Meanwhile, just after 9 o'clock, a male was stabbed in the stomach in the Picton Street area.  The victim was taken to hospital and required surgery.  A man was arrested a few hours later and also taken to hospital with injuries sustained in the incident.