NOACC meets in Sioux Lookout

The Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce are meeting in Sioux Lookout. Chief Operating Officer Harold Wilson says a major issue at the gathering will be a request to the McGuinty government to scrap the Far North Act. Wilson says the act would prevent First Nations from developing half the land in the far north. The featured speaker this year is federal Treasury Board President Stockwell Day. Wilson says its a great opportunity to hear first hand how the federal government can work with the north to address issues here.

Lac des Iles back in operation

It's back to business at the Lac des Iles Mine north of Thunder Bay. North American Palladium says it has restarted production at the mine after it was closed down in 2008 because of low prices for the commodity. However now that prices are a lot higher,  the company says opening the underground mine makes sense. It will operate 7 days a week with 2-12 hour shifts employing 180 people.

LeBlanc still wants Thunder Bay team

Anthony LeBlanc is confident he will have good news for Thunder Bay in a matter of months. LeBlanc is continuing his efforts to have a junior hockey team located in the city. It comes in spite of his company,  Ice Edge Holdings,  losing out in it's bid to snag the Phoenix Coyotes franchise. LeBlanc says getting a hockey team here did not hinge on the Phoenix bid

Cats sign Canadian

More signings for Thunder Bays' boys of summer. The Border Cats have inked three more players for the upcoming Northwoods League season. Joining the Cats are third baseman P-T Kitamura, catcher Brooklyn Foster and pitcher Josh Deeg. Foster is the first Canadian born player to sign with the team this season. He is originally from Langley B-C but has played his baseball at Orange Coast College in San Diego.

Local Poles remain in mourning

Thursday is a national day of mourning in Canada  for the people of Poland. They lost their president in a weekend plane crash. Here in Thunder Bay Bishop Fred Coli will be saying mass for the local Polish community.  He says he'll be there to share in their grief and also to share the hope that the Polish nation and its' people will get through this tragedy to work into the future together.   The mass takes place Thursday at 7 pm at St. Cashmir's Church on McKenzie Street.

Body of missing man found in Nipigon river

A Thunder Bay man is dead after going missing near the Nipigon River Bridge. OPP were notified that the man went fishing Monday and never returned. Members of the Emergency Response Team recovered the man's body yesterday evening. The victim is identified as 63 year old Lawrence Larsen

Hammarskjold students are getting breakfast at school

Students are serving students breakfast at Hammarskjold high school. The school is celebrating the success of its Breakfast club program that provides nutritious breakfasts for students. Guidance Councillor John Storm says the program has been in place for 3 years and has been proven to improve students work in the class room. Storm says he was amazed to learn how many students aren't eating breakfast each morning.

Kenora OPP arrest two after stabbing

Kenora OPP had to deal with a stabbing last night. Two girls were arrested, one for assault with a weapon and other for assault. The Victim was taken to hospital and police are still investigating.

Lawyer tell councillors, rethink wind farm deal

Opponents of the proposed Nor'Wester wind farm can't say they haven't been heard. Over 20 individuals made their case against the location of the 18 wind turbines to City Councillors at a special meeting Tuesday night. Included in that group was lawyer Sam Bachinski who lives near the affected area. He urged councillors to consider finding a way out of the legal agreement with the wind farm developer. City councillors did not make any decisions Tuesday. They will be revisiting the issue at their May 17th meeting

Opponents of wind farm come out in force

Opponents of the proposed Nor'Wester wind farm believe there is power in numbers. They showed up in force for Tuesday nights' special meeting at City Hall on the wind power development. There were so many, the overflow crowd were seated in the foyer of the building and allowed to watch proceedings from the third floor chambers on a wide screen TV set up especially for them.

Horizon presents its' case for wind farm location

Officials with Horizon Wind say they have done their best to meet concerns of residents about the location of the proposed wind farm on the Nor'Wester Mountains. In a presentation to city councillors, project coordinator Nhung Nguyen outlined some of the myths and rumours that have been associated with the project. She also repeated the major concession, to move back the turbines over 1 kilometre from the original location. She added that in the future they "may or may not" see more than the original 18 turbines but that has yet to be determined. President Anthony Zwig also stressed the jobs and economic benefits that the wind farm would bring to the community.

Hyer tours Chalk River nuke plant

Thunder Bay MP Bruce Hyer is back from a first hand look at the disabled Chalk River Nuclear plant. He was there as part of a parliamentary committee tour. Hyer says after his visit he is more determined than ever for hospitals to move away from using nuclear isotopes for medical proceedures. Instead he would prefer to see cyclotrons and linear accelerators used to produce safer isotopes noting our own Cancer Centre in Thunder Bay has applied for funding for that purpose.   Hyer says he'd like to see the Chalk River facility sold to the private sector

Wareham murder trial in October

A 31 year old Thunder Bay man will be facing a jury trial in the fall on a charge of second degree murder. Andre Wareham was charged in January of last year in connection with the death of 29 year old William Atkins. They say he died following a fight in the common area of the Finlayson Street apartment building they both lived in. Assistant crown attorney Elaine Burton says the trial is expected to begin on October 18th and last two weeks.

Fatal Collision claims one life near Manitouwadge

One man is dead after a head on collision near Manitouwadge. Two pick up trucks hit each other yesterday afternoon. 56 year old Eusebio Esarte of Manitouwadge was killed in the collision, while another occupant was taken to the Thunder Bay Regional for further treatment. The third victim was treated and released.

Small morning garage fire keeps Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue busy

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue are investigating after a garage fire this morning. Crews responded to a call just after 4 o'clock when a fire started inside a garage at 135 Finlayson Street. Officers say no damage to the garage itself was done but some contents were destroyed. The cause of the fire isn't known at this point.

OPP make big drug bust in Pickle Lake

Pickle Lake OPP have arrested two people after recovering a large amount of prescription pills. Officers arrested 42 year old Ida Crane and 25 year old Cheryl Bottle after seizing 24 thousand dollars worth of drugs. Both will appear in court in June.

Councillors nix recycling program for the poor

There will be no special recycling program for low income residents of the city. Councillors have voted down the idea, but not before Councillor Rebecca Johnston aggressively made her point that people on fixed incomes can't afford blue bags. Administration says there would just be too many hurdles to overcome to put such a program in place

Two lanes to remain open during bridge repairs

The repairs to the May Street Bridge will now take longer to complete. City councillors voted to have two lanes open during repairs instead of closing the bridge entirely. It came after a plea from Dairy Queen owner Richard Schutte who said closing the bridge would have had a devistating effect on his business.  He estimated the loss could be as high as 30 per cent.    The change means repairs will take almost all summer to complete instead of only half that time.

TBay Tel dividend to fund Tennis Centre repairs

The TBay Tel dividend is coming through to help the Thunder Bay Tennis Centre at Chapples Park.    City Councillors have voted to dip into the fund and come up with almost 240 thousand dollars to help with the repairs to the centre this year.  Centre president Lori Ruberto came before council to plead for the extra money saying that the tenders for the project came in over a quarter million dollars above the 500 thousand dollars that was budgeted

Wind farm protesters descend on City Hall

The city began hearing concerns of residents in the Nor'Wester Mountain area who are against the proposed wind turbine development.  Prior to the meeting a group of them protested in front of City Hall.