More candidates weigh in on election issues

Colin Burridge is jumping into the discussion on whether council relies on administration too much. Burridge doesn't know if administration influences council's decisions. Meanwhile, Jeff Irwin feels council would have more power behind it's decision making process if the councillors were all full time.

Free Thanksgiving dinner Sunday

The Thunder Bay Professional Fire Fighters Association is going to serve a Thanksgiving meal to those in need.  The free dinner is being held at the Salvation Army Booth Centre. Firefighter Scott Chisholm says they look forward to helping out.  The dinner will be held from noon to 3 today.

Climate Change Day of Action

Thunder Bay is taking part in the 350 International Climate Change Day of Action. The Lakehead University Student Union is helping organize the event. Cutting our carbon emissions will be the main topic of discussion with a variety of key speakers. The event is taking place at Waverly Park in Thunder Bay Sunday from 2 to 3:50. Organizer Curniss McGoldrick says MP Bruce Hyer will be one of the guest speakers. Free tea and pumpkins will be provided at the event.

Commisso says process has been fair

All the debate comes to an end next week.  On Tuesday, city councillors are to make a final decision on the Horizon wind farm project. They'll be voting on a staff recommendation to lease land on the Nor' Wester Mountain range to the company for the purpose of building wind turbines. City Manager Tim Commisso believes it's been a fair process for both supporters and opponents.  He says this will be the 14th meeting on the project in  11 months.    Commisso adds the report to council says the city has an obligation to move forward on the issue.

Grow op busted near Nipigon

The combined forces drug unit has taken over 125 thousand dollars worth of drugs off the streets.  Officers found a grow op near Nipigon and seized 126 mature marijuana plants.  Two people were arrested and are facing drug charges.

Child porn charges laid in Thunder Bay

A 17 year old boy is facing Child porn charges in Thunder Bay. Spokesperson Chris Adams says the boy was arrested Wednesday after the Computer Crime Unit conducted a search of a south side residence.  Adams says officers seized computers and other storage devices and found a number of articles of child porn.  He says the sexual exploitation of children is always a huge concern for police.  The boy will appear in court November 25.

Thunder Bay's unemployment is up

Unemployment is on the rise in Thunder Bay.  Our rate edged up to 6.9 percent, up from last months 6.6 percent, but it's still well below the national rate which fell to 8 percent from 8.1.

OPP find body in Bindo Lake

The body of a missing person has been found in Bindo Lake.  OPP divers found the body yesterday afternoon.  The person drowned after their SUV plunged into the lake off a single lane bridge north of Sioux Lookout.  The gender and identity has not yet been released but police believe it was a woman inside the vehicle.

Administration wants the wind farm

The fate of the Horizon Wind farm is now in council's hands.  City staff released a report on the proposed farm yesterday, recommending that council approve the locations for all the proposed turbines.  Council will vote on the report at a special meeting Tuesday.  

Thunder Bay dominates NOBA

Thunder Bay dominated the 24th annual Northern Ontario Business Awards.  Cook Engineering won the company of the year award for a business with over fifty employees.  Architect Ahsanul Habib won the Entrepreneur of the Year award and was honored for his work saving heritage buildings in Thunder Bay. Other Lakehead winners include Salt and Pepper Catering, and Casey Howard.

RCMP arrest fugitive in Thunder Bay

A fugitive with Hell's Angels connections is now in custody at the Thunder Bay District Jail.  46 year old Paul Douglas Gallagher was wanted on a Canada wide warrant for parole violation.  RCMP Staff Sgt. Normand Roy says they knew Gallagher was in the city days prior to his arrest. Roy says that Gallagher was arrested on the north side of the city without incident Wednesday.

New ED for NOHFC

There's a new Executive Director at the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.  Bruce Strapp is taking on the job.   Strapp was the CEO of the Sault Ste. Marie economic development commission.  He also worked with Red Lake's economic development corporation.

Wasaya expands fleet

Wasaya Airlines is expanding. The Thunder Bay based First Nations owned company has added a Bombardier Dash 8 to it's fleet. President Tom Morris says that's not where it ends. He says future plans include an additional Dash 8.   The new aircraft will be used to fly Goldcorp workers to it's Musselwhite mine site.

Thunder Bay police not involved in yesterday's drug busts

There were no arrests in Thunder Bay in connection to yesterday's massive drug bust in Quebec.  Police Spokesperson Chris Adams says there was information about a possible person interest here but no-one was arrested.  About 370 officers were involved in the raids yesterday.  One man was killed after being shot by police in Val d'Or.

OPP officer charged with theft

An OPP officer in Geraldton is facing charges.  Police say Constable Brian Bellefeuille has been charged with theft under 5 thousand dollars following an incident while he was off duty.  Bellefeuille has been with the OPP for just over a year and a half and will be in court November 4th.

New ships could soon be sailing the great lakes

The Thunder Bay Port Authority is happy about the removal of an import duty on ships built overseas. CEO Tim Heney says the Federal Government decision will greatly benefit shipping on the Great Lakes because it will make the purchase of new ships feasible.  Heney says the current average age of the fleet is 38 years old and the expected life span of these ships is 40 years old, which means an upgrade is overdue.  The duty was 25 percent and the cost of the new ships is around 45 million dollars.

Pullia calls Hobbs inexperienced

Mayoralty candidate Frank Pullia says Keith Hobbs inexperience in politics is showing. Pullia is critical of his opponent for saying that it's administration that runs city council. Pullia thinks Hobbs is being presumptuous and that he sees what he wants to see. Pullia says he often challenges administration and calls the relationship a balancing act.

McDonald's employees wins scholarship

A local McDonald's restaurant employee is still beaming after receiving a 10 thousand scholarship towards his university education. Tim Schonberger is one of only three employees in the province to get the company scholarship.  Schonberger is taking computer sciences at Lakehead University.

Shoes and Champagne a success

Over 15 thousand dollars was raised at the Habitat for Humanity's first ever Shoes and Champagne fundraiser.  Over 300 people took in the event that auctioned off a number of shoes from celebrities like Jessica Simpson and Mike Weir.

OPP looking for missing woman

OPP in Sioux Lookout are looking for help after a woman apparently drove her car into Bindo Lake.  The underwater search and rescue team has been called in but police are asking anyone who may have seen something in the area to call police.