Retired cop makes a take down

A retired city police officer and his wife are not hurt after he managed to thwart a break and enter to his Murray Street home this morning. Peter Toohey was awakened by a the sounds of breaking glass. He managed to run down one of the suspects.  Police caught another man nearby and charged both of them.

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Police get cash for guns and gangs

Thunder Bay's Police Department is getting over 600 thousand dollars in provincial funds.  The money goes towards the City's guns and gang rapid response team.  Chief Bob Herman welcomes the cash noting it's money the force wouldn't normally have.

Atikokan stays with OPP

The township of Atikokan will continue to have the Ontario Provincial Police patrol its streets.  Town council has agreed to renew a five-year policing contract with the O-P-P with costs to come in just under one-point-five million dollars. That's about one-hundred thousand dollars more than what the town expected to pay in 2010.

Lim disagress with Greenpeace

Greenpeace might think the Forest Industry is getting away scot-free from the Endangered Species Act; but the Ontario Forest Industry Association disagrees.  President Jamie Lim says they were promised the industry would be exempt from Caribou habitat legislation but it just hasn't happened.  Meawhile, P.C Finance Critic Norm Miller is throwing his support behind the OFIA.  The Province recently posted changes to the act on the Environmental Bill of Rights website.

Busy time at Fort Frances Border

A busy month of December for Canada Border Services Agency officers at the Fort Frances border. Statistics released show more than 42-thousand people passed through the border last month.  Among them a Canadian who attempted to avoid paying additional fees on more than a thousand dollars worth of items purchased in the U-S.  The agency says the individual was asked to report inside, but left the property first to drop off the undeclared goods at a nearby parking.  Both the goods and the person's vehicle were seized, and later returned, but not before the individual coffed over 15-hundred dollars in penalties.

Children died of smoke inhalation

Two children killed in a fire in a remote Northwestern Ontario First Nations community earlier this month died of smoke inhalation. Both children, boys aged two and three, died in a house fire in the community on January 13th.  Nishnawbe-Aski police say a third child, a six-month-old girl, is reported to be doing well in the pediatric unit in London. Police say the cause of the fire is determined to be accidental with no foul play suspected.  The children's parents suffered no major injuries in the fire.

Gilbert seeks Tory nod

The Progressive Conservatives in Thunder Bay-Atikokan may have a bit of star power to put up against MPP Bill Mauro. Former Lakehead University president Fred Gilbert is seeking the Tory nomination for the October provincial election. That nomination meeting in Tbunder Bay is scheduled for March 20th.

L-U Library renovations complete

Lakehead University is showing off it's library these days. It's because the facility, known as the Chancellor Paterson Library, has undergone some 1.2 million dollars worth of renovations thanks to Ontario taxpayers. The institution held a media event to help highlight the improvements which include finally having wi-fi access.

See Us, Hear Us launched

Ginoogaming and Long Lake First Nation teens are taking part in an unusual photo assignment.  Dilico Children's Foundation is launching the See Us, Hear Us Project in the two communities.  Spokesperson Celeste Pedri says the teens will train to be photographers and take pictures of their communities.  The teens will be taking pictures of healthy and unhealthy relationships in their communities.  The Ontario Trillium Foundation provided 65-thousand dollars towards the project.

2 arrested after morning break in

The next time you try to break into a house make sure it isn't a retired police officer's.  Thats the case of a man and a woman who are behind bars after an early morning break in.  Just before 4 this morning the pair broke into the house on Murray Avenue.  The 74 year old retired officer woke up and managed to apprehend the woman. The Man was picked up by police close to the house a short time later. 

Local racer takes on the world at Monte Carlo

A Thunder Bay woman is the only Canadian driver in the 100th Monte Carlo car rally that starts Thursday in Glasgow, Scotland. Joan Hoskinson says the 6 day race is her third and it never grows old.   She says it feels special to be accepted as part of the centennial celebration.   Hoskinson says she is the only driver representing Canada.

Jimi's owners back in court

Still no decision made in the Jimi the dog saga.  His owners will be back in court in March in connection with the dog park death of Gus the Chihuahua.  Defence lawyer Francis Thatcher says his clients are facing breach of the dog owner's liability act.  Fletcher says they'll be arguing that Jimi is not a pitbull and he did not kill Gus.

Smith to carry Canadian flag

A big honour for Lakehead University's Jordan Smith.  The Thunderwolves hockey star has been chosen to carry the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies at the World University Winter Games.  They are taking place in Turkey starting on Thursday.

Board "banks" new age learning

The Public School Board isn't ready to test out a "new age" educational idea. Board Director Cathy Semieniuk says they're not going to consider opening a school to be run by the Northern Lights Education Initiative just now.  She says they have banked the idea and doesn't rule out bringing up the initiative in the future

10 year sentence for Gregorchuk

A Thunder Bay man is going to jail for 10 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Christopher Gregorchuk was originally charged with second degree murder in connection with the death of Richard Quimet in 2009. Court was told after Quimet was beaten to death, his body was taken to a remote area up highway 527 and burned. His co-accused, Eric Lindstrom will be back in court next month.

Wilson talks Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire mining development remains a hot topic for the Chamber of Commerce.  President Harold Wilson tells a pre budget committee in Thunder Bay, the government must get back what it spends on the project.   Wilson posed the question what if the smelter isn't in Thunder Bay or the region.  The Chamber head wants the government to track the infrastructure expenses that are put into bringing the project to fruition.  Wilson says if the smelter is moved out of the Province the government should hand them a bill for the work that was done. 

Beardy at Pre-Budget Consultation

The Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation wants the province to improve police detachments in NAN communities. Stan Beardy made that plea to a pre-budget hearing in the city complaining that many detachments are in dilapidated states. Beardy also asked for an infrastructure program so reserve housing and water issues can be addressed.

Electricity concerns highlight hearing

Electricity concerns are high on the list of many community leaders in the northwest. That was made clear at a provincial pre-budget hearing in the city. Committee chair Pat Hoy says the worries were about the reliability of future supplies of electricity.   Hoy calls the energy issue a long term concern.  The committee will now take the local input and try to make it a part of their budget recommendations to the finance minister.

Lim speaks at Pre-Budget meeting

The Ontario Forest Industries Association is calling on the government to change the provincial building code.  President Jamie Lim spoke at the Pre-Budget Consultation session in Thunder Bay Wednesday.
Lim wants contractors to be able to use lumber in six storey buildings.  She feels the move would help the local Abitibi Bowater mill and other sawmills, and OSB facilities.  Lim says that's just one way the Province can help the region's forest industry.

Canfield speaks at Pre-Budget hearing

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is calling on the Provincial Government to upgrade the region's electricity transmission line.  Vice President Dave Canfield says the Northwest is going to need an increase in power to deal with the Ring of Fire and other emerging opportunities.  Canfield says Southern Ontario wouldn't stand for an outdated electricity system, yet the government expects the North to accept one.  Canfield spoke on behalf of NOMA at the Pre-Budget consultations in Thunder Bay.