Operation Ghost

Its being dubbed Operation Ghost and its resulted in the arrest of several individuals. Inspector Tom Dirling is the Program Management officer with the OPP Drug Enforcement Unit and says the charges are a result of a six month investigation in the Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ignace areas. Drugs purchased and seized include 185-grams of cocaine, 14-pounds of marihuana, over 2-thousand Oxcondone tablets. The street value of the drugs is 245-thousand dollars. Officers also seized 125-grand in cash and 70-thousand dollars in vehicles.

Thunder Bay man charged in Sioux Lookout

A 30 year old Thunder Bay man is charged with robbery in Sioux Lookout.  OPP responded to a robbery at a local hotel on Wednesday.  The front desk clerk was approached by a masked man demanding money.  The clerk was able to force the man out of the hotel, but was hurt in the process.  The Thunder Bay man is charged with robbery, obstructing police, and disguise with intent.

Christmas Cheer Campaign Underway

If you want to keep up to date on Thunder Bay's Christmas Cheer Campaign you can go online.   Chair Linda Gambee says the site will be a big help.  Last year the group fed over 5-thousand people.  Gambee says they've noticed more and more need at Christmas time with people still being out of work. This year's fundraising goal is 165-thousand dollars.  The charity group has a new site at http://www.thunderbaychristmascheer.com/

Special Olympics fundraising continues

The call is going out for financial help for the upcoming Special Olympics. They are about 200 thousand dollars short of their fundraising objective. Chair J-P Levesque says they are reaching out to the community by trying to get more corporate sponsors and to get more people to adopt an athlete.   He says they're hopeful.   The games take place in January.  Meantime the Athletes Village will be at two local hotels.  RBC provided the 40 thousand dollars towards the costs. 

Man marks major milestone with the Canadian Blood Services

A Thunder Bay man is celebrating 2 major milestones.  John Burns turned 80 years old today and marked it by making his 534th plasma donation at the Canadian Blood Services centre.  Burns says he's proud to still be able to give after all these years.  If you want to donate call 1-888-2-donate.

Two wanted in connection with early morning fire

Thunder Bay police are looking for two girls after an early morning fire.  No one was hurt in the blaze at a line of row housing on Georgina Bay that police are investigating as an arson.  6 firetrucks and 22 firefighters were called in to deal with the 2 alarm blaze just after midnight.  Two girls in their late teens were pulled from the building by a care taker, but when he called 911 they fled the scene.

Festive RIDE program set to begin

The police will be starting their Festive Ride program soon. Scott Smith of the city police says there will be scores of officers who will be out stopping vehicles starting December first.   It will be dedicated staff from  the city police, OPP, RCMP and the Anishinabek Police. New drunk driving laws mean the vehicle you are driving could be impounded.

Creative writing award for Thunder Bay youth

Several Northwestern Ontario first nation youth are being honoured for their writing.  Vanessa Trimble from Bearskin Lake, Erik Fiddler from Sandy Lake, and Thunder Bay's Nakita Guillet all received the James Barleman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing award.

Mauro wants snow tire rebate

Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro wants more Northerners to use snow tires.  He's calling on insurance companies to offer a rebate for those motorists who pay extra for the heavy duty tires.  Mauro says a snow tire rebate is win win for both drivers and insurance companies since people will be safer on the road and there will be less claims.  Mauro introduced a motion in the Ontario Legislature on Thursday.

Wildlands league likes new route

The Wildlands League is happy with a transmission line route in Northwestern Ontario. The route will be ran along side exsisting roads in the Dryden and Ignace area. Spokesperson Anna Baggio says the new route won't hurt the boreal forest habitat, caribou, or waterways.  The re-routing of the transmission line to Pickel Lake was part of the McGuinty Government's "long term energy plan." The transmission line will provide electricity connections north of Pickle Lake.

Bell Canada Under Attack

Bell Canada is being accused of failing its First Nation customers.  The Union of Ontario Indians says its members have had a hard time getting their PST refunds.  Spokesperson Maurice Switzer says some people have had to wait on the phone for over 4 hours.  Others have reported that the customer service agents knew nothing about the pst exemption situation.  All phone, cable and satelite bills were expected to be PST free as of two months ago.

Students help the needy for Christmas

The students at St. Bernard's elementary school are helping needy children and their families. They're donating items for Dilico Family Services. This is the second year of the program.

A flash freeze is coming our way

Its going to go from bad to worse for road conditions today.  Environment Canada's Geoff Coulson says a flash freeze warning is in effect.  He says temperatures will drop to minus 10 this afternoon which will freeze the wet slushy conditions we have right now. Coulson says the cloudy wet weather will move out of the area tomorrow but return again for the beginning of next week.

Student Transportation Services explains bus cancellations

Slippery conditions gave many students in the area another day off of school today.  Dave Carroll of Student Transportation Services says he and a collection of bus operators decided conditions were too dangerous this morning.  Carroll says wet weather and below zero temperatures often make driving difficult this time of year.

ONWA explores violence issues

Aboriginal women remain vulnerable to violence according to a local activist. Lorene Rego has organized a day of information to educate people on the issue. She wants to keep it top of mind adding that violence against Aboriginal is pervasive and in most cases it ends tragically.  They are also the most at risk group in Canada on issues relating to violence.  The day of information is being put on by the Ontario Native Women's Association

Another Snow day for Rural Students

For the second time this week rural students will have a snow day.  Kakabeka Falls, Gorham and Ware, Valley Central, Nor'Westerview, Whitefish Valley, McKenzie, Five Mile and Crestview schools along with Thunder Bay Christian School are all closed today.  As well all city and rural school buses have been canceled.

Contraband booze seized

Almost 6 thousand dollars worth of alcohol bound for a northern First Nations community, is out of circulation.  Police along with security at the Deer Lake Airport seized numerous bottles of vodka this week. Alcohol is not allowed in the community located about 700 km northwest of Thunder Bay. 

Evans to discuss curfew proposal with colleagues

The idea of a youth curfew in Thunder Bay is getting the attention of city Lawyer Rosalie Evans. Mayor-elect Keith Hobbs is floating the proposal. Evans says she plans to find out how other municipalities handle the issue when she meets with municipal lawyers in Toronto.  That gathering takes place a week from this Friday.

LU Prof awarded Research Chair

Lakehead University's research efforts continue to rewarded.  This time it's through a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Education for Dr. David Greenwood.  Greenwood is one of 8 LU Professors to be awarded a Canada Research Chair.

Johnson says curfew idea has merit

Mayor-elect Keith Hobbs may have at least one councillor on his side that's in favour of a youth curfew. Hobbs says he'd like to see a midnight curfew for those under 16. Councillor Rebecca Johnson says the idea has merit and is worth discussing.   Johnson says in the past police have said curfew would be too hard to enforce