Risley set to break the harbour ice

Watch for the icebreaker Samuel Risley in the harbour starting on Friday.  It will be plowing through the ice to get the port ready for the new shipping season. Andy Maillet of the Canadian Coast Guard says the Risley replaces the two American cutters that were supposed to come here.  He says after they reviewed the ice conditions in the port they felt that it would be better handled by the more powerful Samuel Risley.   The two American icebreakers will instead be smashing ice in Whitefish Bay.

Border Cats sign three

The Thunder Bay Border Cats have signed three players from the 2009 roster. Infielder A.J. Schugel and pitchers Garrett Yount and Drew Erwin will be returning to Thunder Bay for the upcoming Northwoods League season. The Border Cats open the season at Port Arthur Stadium June 2nd against the Duluth Huskies.

Skateboard/BMX Plaza wins provincial award

The city's Skateboard/BMX Plaza at Marina Park is now an award winner. The facility has been given the Excellence in Design award from the Ontario government. Beverly Ball of the citys' Recreation and Cultural Division calls it a huge honour.  She says she's thrilled for the skateboarding community who have worked so hard to develop the park for young people.  The award will be presented next month at a conference in Niagara Falls.

Warm weather trend ending

All good things must come to an end. The great weather we've experienced over the last couple weeks ends Friday when the high temperature will only reach 3 degrees. Environment Canada's Jim Prime says that cooling trend will extend into next week. The cold spell ends a warming trend that saw a string of record temperatures that began on March 12th.

Grass fires on the rise

With the warm dry weather, Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue has had to deal with some grass fires in the city. Deputy Chief Greg Hankkio says since the beginning of March a number of fires have been started.   He says in some cases it's  kids setting the fires and in others it's private property owners burning grass, which is against the law.   Hankkio says any burning done in the city must be in compliance with a burning permit.

Proposals now being taken for the Atikokan GS

The Atikokan Generating Station is one step closer to getting itself a new lease on life. MPP Bill Mauro says a call has gone out for proposals to convert the coal fired plant to green fuel. Mauro calls it a positive economic step for the community, adding it will be the development of another industry creating employment in northwestern Ontario.  The call for proposals will close in mid-May

Leon's Furniture coming back to the city

The city is getting a new furniture store. City building supervisor Des Stolz says construction is now underway for a Leon's Furniture building and warehouse.   He says the 70 thousand square foot facility will be located at 799 Fort William Road. Total worth of the project is estimated at 8 million dollars. Stolz says an application was made to the city to construct the store about a month ago. No word on when it will be completed.

May Street Bridge in line for repairs

The May Street Bridge may be closed this spring and summer for repairs. That could create a major headache for city drivers. City engineering manager Pat Mauro says total closure of the bridge is being seriously considered for a couple of reasons. First, to speed up repairs and secondly,to avoid a traffic bottleneck if the construction were to take place in stages. The proposal goes to city council April 12th.

Keith Hobbs likely running for Mayor

After 33 years of service to Thunder Bay, Staff Sergeant Keith Hobbs has officially called it a career. Hobbs is officially retired from the Thunder Bay police and says his next step is running in this year's municipal election, most likely for mayor. Hobbs, who also headed the local police association, says he's confident he can make a quick transition from policing to public service.

One one hurt in Current River fire

No one is hurt following a fire in Current River Wednesday evening. The blaze was in a building that houses a day care centre at 313 Grenville. Fire Platoon Chief Manfred Rohr says the fire started in between the floors of the two story building and appears to have been accidental.   He says it appears it started when a lit cigarette started a joist on fire.  The owner of the day care says the business was closed at the time the fire was discovered just after 5:30.  Fire damage is confined to one small corner of the building.

Warmer weather helps waterfront work

The warmer weather is making work easier on the city's waterfront development at Prince Arthur's Landing. Construction Supervisor Gary Wood says the unseasonable temperatures have helped workers catch up a bit on the 40 million dollar project.  He says some lost time was made up, adding they're doing work now that was not scheduled to begin for a few more weeks.  Wood says to watch for the contract to be awarded shortly for Pier Two landscaping.

MNR has an early bear warning

A warning from the Ministry of Natural Resources. Linda Wall of the Bear Wise program says because of the unseasonably warm weather, bears are likely to come out earlier than usual. She says they'll be scavenging for food and that could mean encountering a bruin in the city.  She says it would be a wise decision to take down any bird feeders to avoid a bear coming onto your property.  Wall anticipates most of the bears will be younger ones,  about two years old.

Joint forces seize more drugs

Two people are in custody following a drug bust Tuesday on Rowand Street. OPP Detective Staff Sergeant Chris Lawrence says they seized about 30 thousand dollars worth of Oxycodone pills. They then went to a bank and found 50 thousand dollars in a safety deposit box. Lawrence says the amount of drugs seized is just a small portion of the prescription pills available illegally in the city.

NAPS makes post office drug seizure

No one is under arrest following a drug seizure at a remote northwestern Ontario post office. The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service says with the help of Canada Post they seized over 38 thousand dollars worth of drugs being sent through the mail in the James Bay community of Moose Cree First Nation. The drugs included marijuana, cocaine and prescription pills.

Icebreaking starts on the harbour this week

It's a sure sign of spring in Thunder Bay. This week two American icebreakers will be working to break up the harbour ice. Canadian Coast spokesperson Andy Maillet says the Penobscot Bay and Mobile Bay will be here by Friday.  He says they are smaller ships than Canada's Samuel Risley or the America cutter Makinaw, but are well suited for the work they will be doing.  Maillet warns the work will create unstable ice conditions.. (Pictured:  Penobscot Bay)

Record breaking weather continues to blanket the Northwest

The record warmth continues in the Northwest. Environment Canada confirmed record highs in Thunder Bay as well as a number of other locations in the region. Meterologist Jim Prime says we could see more records today. Prime says it will be a different story by the weekend with temperatures dropping back to seasonal levels.

Gang activity on the rise in Thunder Bay

Police in the Northwest are facing a rise in gang activity. Three major native gangs based in Manitoba are expanding into the city. Police Chief Bob Herman says these gangs are getting very sophisticated in drug distribution. Herman says these gangs are recruiting new members from troubled back grounds. Herman says while we aren't seeing much violence yet, there is the possibility of turf wars breaking out and that is something police are closely watching.

Cavendish Cup rankings are in and the Thunderwolves are fourth

The Thunderwolves are ranked 4th for next weekend's Cavendish Cup. The Wolves are in Pool A with topped ranked Alberta and 6th ranked UQTR. McGill, St. Marys and Manitoba are round out pool B. The first action for the Wolves will be next Friday against the loser of Thursday night's game between Alberta and UQTR. The McGill and Manitoba kick off the tournament Thursday afternoon at 2pm.

Fire Chief issues thin ice caution

An ice warning from the Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Service. Chief John Hay says the alert is coming earlier than normal. He says you should stay off the ice on all the rivers, streams and lakes adding, water on top of the ice and waterflow underneath has caused considerable erosion.   Hay says there have been no close calls so far

BISNO hosts virtual dirt car races

A local charity is back raising money for Brain Injury Support Services of Northern Ontario. The group hosts a computer dirt racing event at the SportsDome every year. Spokesperson Jessie Bielski is inviting you to take part.  They're looking for you to put together a team of 5 people.    The entry fee is 500 dollars in pledges per team.   Over the last 3 years 20 thousand dollars has been raised.  The event takes place April 17th.