Many Thunder Bay winners at NADF

Several Thunder Bay based businesses won at last night's Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund business awards. Janet Furoy took home the Youth Entrepreneur award and is proud of her Spa Euphoria and Wellness Retreat. Clayton Clace won the Busniness Man of the year award. Clace is originally from Sioux Lookout and maintain's heating systems in the far north. Clace hopes he will inspire other first nations residents to start businesses. Gabriel Cross won best new business for her Gabby's Spudz and more.

Tough talk from City Manager

The city says it will not be intimidated by a 126 million dollar lawsuit fromy Horizon Wind. The company launched the suit this week over changes made to it's lease agreement with the city over wind turbines. City Manager TimCommisso says the city will file a defense and will seek arbitration to resolve the dispute.

Levesque blames drugs and poverty for ranking

The second in command at the City Police Service says  vices and social conditions are contributing to a new dubious distinction for our city.  MacLean's Magazine has pegged Thunder Bay as the 23rd most dangerous city in the country and number 2 in the murder rankings.  Deputy Police Chief J-P Levesque blames drug addiction and poverty for many of our crime problems.

Katimavik looking for billet families

Katimavik is looking for host families for October and November.  Spokesperson Sarah Tamosetis says they have enough billet families, but they're still looking for back ups. Katimavik teens will be living in the City from October 28th until November 7th.

Hannam says no to hand count

The City of Thunder Bay is saying no-way to a petition demanding a hand count of election ballots.  Returning Officer John Hannam says even if they wanted to do a hand count, it's too late.  Andy Wolff launched the petition this week.

Report targets NW LHIN

An Auditor General report shows the Northwest Local Health Integration Network paid for consultants. The three LHINs studied spent anywhere from 224 thousand dollars to 1.4 million per year on consultants.  NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says she isn't surprised.  The report also states the LHINs didn't have an adequate process in place that would ensure consulting services were planned for.

No delays for waterfront development

Preparations are in place for the city's waterfront development project as winter approaches.  Manager Katherine Dugmore says they've already set the stage for how they'll handle the colder temperatures.  For instance,  building construction has been timed so that all the indoor work can take place during the harsher winter months.  Dugmore says the development remains on schedule.

Casino cut inches to 600 K.

The city's latest cut of the casino revenue works out to almost 600 thousand dollars.    That's close to 6 thousand dollars more than what was given to the city in July and almost 30 thousand more than the spring dividend.   Every three months the city gets 5 per cent of the revenue from the slot machines at the government run gambling casino.

Special Olympics are coming together

Thunder Bay is just 90 days away from hosting North Western Ontario's first ever Special Olympics Winter games. Games Manager Julie Tilbury says things are really shaping up but they are still short of their fundraising goal. She says one way people can donate is by sponsoring an athlete.  Chair JP Levesque says they have raised about 3 quarters of their 800 thousand dollar fundraising goal.

Habitat for Humanity is going to school

Habitat for humanity is getting a huge helping hand from Confederation. Students are volunteering to build the latest Habitat house and will get some hands on experience. Habitat's Dianne Mitchell says its a great partnership for the organization because it will help ensure the house is completed in time for the family to move in by Christmas. Student Michael Kehler says there is no better way to learn than to actually get your hands dirty and build.

Thunder Bay 2nd in the country in murders

McLean's Magazine has pegged Thunder Bay as the 23rd most dangerous city in the country. The real bad news for the city came in the murder rankings where we ranked 2nd in the country behind only Abbotsford BC. Thunder Bay also ranked 12th in robberies.

Community Safety debated

Thunder Bay ranks as the 23rd most dangerous city in Canada and second highest for murder according to McLean's magazine.  That was one of the topics buzzing around the mayor's debate last night.  Keith Hobbs feels one way of making our community safer would be to restructure the police.  Lynn Peterson says the restructuring process is not in the police service board's hands.  Peterson also feels a detox centre and the crime prevention council will improve community safety.  Hobbs disagrees and feels they can play a role.  Hobbs would like to change the police officers shifts from 10 hour to 12.   Around 300 people attendend the last mayors debate before the municipal election.

Horizon Lawsuit tops debate chatter

No surprise what the hot topic at council was at the final mayor's debate.  Horizon Wind's 126 million dollar lawsuit was fresh on everyone's mind.  Incumbant Lynn Peterson says the claim is unfounded.  Meanwhile, Frank Pullia says the city did its due dilligiance.  Collin Burridge called the lawsuit foolish.  Keith Hobbs says he was against the turbine sites from the beginning. Jeff Irwin feels if the city was run like a business we wouldn't be facing a lawsuit.  Horizon's claim has not been proven in court. 

Thunder Bay responds to Horizon

The City is dissapointed Horizon has decided to file a lawsuit against them.  In a press release, City Manager Tim Commisso says they've read the news relased issued by Horizon, but have yet to see any statement of claim.  Commisso feels the lawsuit is unfounded and once they have received a statement of claim, they will respond.

Horizon Wind Sues City over Wind Park

Horizon Wind is suing the City of Thunder Bay for 126 million dollars.  They've filed a statement of claim against the City, in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto.  Horizon feels the City has breached it's option agreement for the wind farm.  The claim has not been proven in court.

Court cases move on

On the court beat...A Manslaughter trial is underway at Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Camelot Street. 24 year old Mervin Spence is charged in connection with the death of 44 year old Scott James in December of 2007.   In a separate case, a Thunder Bay woman is now committed to stand trial in connection with a fraud case involving money that went missing from the Polish Hall on Court Street. Officials say they found about 100 thousand dollars missing from their accounts over a two year period

Border Cats aren't going anywhere....yet.

The Thunder Bay Border Cats are sticking around for another season. However owner Brad Jorgenson says they need to have more fans show up next season.   They are hoping to increase average game attendance to 1 thousand from last season's average of just over 600.   Jorgenson stopped short of saying the baseball team will leave the city if the objective isn't met.

No one hurt in early morning fire

There were no injuries after an early morning blaze tore through a 3 story house this morning.  Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue officials say the fire started around 6 o'clock this morning on the fire escape of the Villa street residence.  Officers say the fire spread to the roof but luckily all the tenants of the building escaped free of harm.  Officials say the fire is being investigated but no cause has been released.

Don't hit the panic button yet

The L-U Thunderwolves hope to turn their hockey season around with a couple of games against Guelph. Coach Joel Scherban says he knows the season hasn't started out on a high note, but says the team needs to get back to the fundamentals when they take on Guelph this weekend.  Scherban says there's no need to panic over the early slump.

Wind Farm lease approved, but 4 turbines need to be moved

City Councillors have voted in favour of signing the Horizon Wind Lease agreement, but only if four of the wind turbines are moved back.  Council passed a resolution last night just after 2:30 in the morning dealing with turbines 8, 9, 10 and 11.  Brian McKinnon feels the city is in its rights.  McKinnon says the City decided to move the four turbines because of the view.  The final vote was 8 to 4.