Outbreak at Grandview Lodge

The health unit is reporting a flu outbreak at the Grandview Lodge.  All admissions, transfers and discharges have been cancelled.  The Health Unit is urging people to stay at home and refrain from visiting hospitals and long-term care facilities when feeling unwell.

Second Career Program is a success

It's been three years since the Province launched the second career program.  Over 3 thousand laid off workers in the north have taken advantage and have gone back to school to retrain for a new career.  A recent survey shows 74% of the programs graduates have found employment in less than a year.

Work continues at Waterfront

Remediation work on the harbour front is expected to be complete by the first week of March.  Project Manager Katherine Dugmore says it's perfectly normal for the hole to be full of ground water and notes contaminated soil can still be dug up.  The remediation work has cost 2 million dollars to date.

Search for Wabasse resumes this morning

The OPP's dive team will continue its search for Jordan Wabasse this morning.  They were forced to suspend the search near the James Street Swing bridge yesterday evening due to a lack of light.  Wabasse has been missing since February 7th.

Tornado ready to hire

Tornado Medical Systems is ready to hire staff.  The medical imaging company is looking for software developers, electrical, mechanical and optical engineers.  Regional Research Institute CEO Michael Power says the company sees the community's potential.  A recruitment drive is being held on Friday.

Car break in's increase

Thunder Bay Police are reporting an increase in theft in the City's south core. Police say a number of vehicles in downtown Fort William have been broken into in recent weeks.  Car windows have been smashed and valuable items have been stolen.

T-Wolves begin playoff run

The LU Thunderwolves begin the OUA hockey playoffs Wednesday night on the road.   The T-Wolves take on the Waterloo Warriors in the best of three West Division quarter finals.  The series shifts to Thunder Bay for game two on Friday night and game three if necessary on Saturday.

L-U closer to getting a law school

Lakehead University is taking the next step towards getting a law school.   The proposed school's curriculum has received approval from the Federation of Law Societies in Canada. University President Brian Stevenson says it's considered one of the final steps in the approval process.   The final decision rests with the Ontario government.

Divers begin search for Wabasse

The James Street swing bridge is closed today as police search the Kam River.  It's part of their investigation into the disappearance of 15 year old Jordan Wabasse.  OPP divers are taking part in the search. 

Wood supplies awarded

The provincial government continues to dole out wood allocations piece-meal.   A total of 11 companies are the latest recipients of wood supply for their businesses.  That includes the AbiBow sawmill on the Fort William First Nation which receives 221 cubic metres and Garden Lake Timber gets 10 thousand cubic metres.

Council green lights waterfront

Thunder Bay City Council is not happy with administration over the waterfront project's unexpected costs. That's according to Councillor Rebecca Johnson; she was just one of many who voiced their concerns at last night's meeting. City Manager Tim Commisso says they were too optomistic when they told council they were on budget in the fall. Council voted to take the dollars needed to complete this part of the project from Phase 2.

No name for the hotel yet

There's still no name attached to the 4 star hotel that's supposed to set up on the newly developed waterfront.  City Manager Tim Commisso says talks are continuing and work is expected to get started in June.  Commisso adds that the hotel's ownership group wants to hold off on announcing the name until all contracts are finalized.

Council supports Pride Week

Thunder Bay City Council has thrown it's support behind "Thunder Pride" week. Councillor Andrew Foulds says we should be embracing these type of initiatives because it helps the lives of teens and adults living alternative lifestyles.  The week long event will celebrate gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people.  Mayor Keith Hobbs says he's proud to support the initiative and notes the community needs to embrace the LGBT community.  Hobbs says one city councillor has received nasty comments over the Pride week.  The celebrations are scheduled for June.

1 man protest at City Hall

The waterfront project cost overruns lead to a one man protest at Monday's City Council meeting.  Ray Smith says he feels council is wasting tax payer money and calls the project a get rich scheme benefitting a select few.  Smith adds the City should have let residents vote on whether or not they wanted the waterfront development.

Local investment expert not surprised by review

Industry Minister Tony Clement says his department will review the proposed merger of the operators of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. Thunder Bay investment expert Blake Cameron says he's not surprised by the move.  He says it has the potential to be a political issue in the same way that the sale of the Saskatchewan Potash Corporation became.  This review too, will determine if the deal would be a net benefit to Canada.

Verdict hits raw nerve with victim's family

It's not guilty for a young Lakehead University student. Judge Helen Pierce dismissed a dangerous driving charge against 21 year old Thomas Charlton. It's in connection with the 2008 traffic death of 14 year old Spencer Bjorklund. Charlton's Lawyer Peter Mrowiec says it was a fair judgement.  When the verdict was read, family and friends of Spencer stormed from the courtroom cursing and yelling out that the process was a fraud.  Spencer's mother Mary-Ann Anderson called the judgement appalling

Walk remembers murder victims

A walk to remember missing and murdered aboriginal woman took place over the noon hour.  It started at Simpson and Victoria and wound it's way to the Lakehead Labour Centre. It was put on by the Full Moon Memory Walk.  

Regional has a valentine for heart patients

The Regional Health Sciences Centre has a new short term care area for Cardiac Patients. The unit was officially opened Monday and will serve patients who need to spend the night after surgery. Doctor Marc Henderson says this will enhance patient recovery. The next step in the hospital's renovations will be the completion of the second Cath Lab next month.

Outfitters jack up the pressure

Angry Northwestern Ontario tourist outfitters are hoping for action from the Natural Resources Minister. They've fired off a letter to Linda Jeffery demanding that a 700 per cent increase in land fee permits be reversed. Their point man is Paul Boucher of the Ogoki lodge who says the message to Jeffery is..."talk to us." Boucher says these are desperate times for outfitters and they don't need such a hefty increase

Underwater search to begin Tuesday

It'll be Tuesday before divers can begin their search of the Kam River.    City police inspector Andy Hay says it's part of the investigation into the disappearance of 15 year Jordan Wabasse.  Hay says the dive team is driving in from Orillia.   He says they have some specific equipment required for such investigations.  The search is being conducted near the James Street swing bridge where some footprints were found near some open water.