Police are conducting an internal review after murder suicide

The head of a local women's shelter is calling for better police protocols dealing with domestic abuse.  The call comes from Debbie Zweep at Faye Peterson's Transition house after a murder suicide last week in Oliver Paipoonge.  Zweep says police officers released Joseph Lavoie after the first domestic assault occurred.  Zweep adds the first case wasn't handled as it normally is.  Meanwhile Thunder Bay Police say they will be conducting an internal review of how the first assault case was handled.  Police Spokesperson Chris Adams says police won't be commenting until after the review is completed which should take until early January.

Confederation College launches fundraising campaign

Confederation College students will soon be getting a state of the art learning facility. The College launched a fundraising campaign for the REACH building with a 250 thousand dollar contribution for a new Dental Clinic. President Pat Lang says the building will give students an edge with top of the line hands on learning.

Police nab two for impaired driving

City police are investigating a two for one impaired accident this morning.  Police at around 2:30 a pick up lost control at the corner of Rowand and Simpson street and hit a lamp post, decorative bell and a house.  Officers say the driver couldn't get the vehicle free so the passenger started driving the truck.  Officers arrested a man and woman and charged them with impaired driving.

Police chief avoids Hobbs talk

Thunder Bay's police chief doesn't appear ready to discuss anything to do with our new mayor. It's no secret Chief Bob Herman and Mayor Keith Hobbs have had frosty relations dating back to when Hobbs headed the Police Association. Now that Hobbs is mayor and part of the Police Services Board, Chief Herman is relucant to discuss the mayor's role with the board with our newsroom.  Chief Herman even implied we were trying to create a controversy with our line of questioning

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Treaty Three has Deputy Chief

A long time member of the OPP is now the deputy chief of the Treaty Three Police Force.  Terry Armstrong was sworn in yesterday.  He says he's looking forward to his new duties.  Armstrong is a 30 year veteran of the OPP and fills a vacancy that has been open since the summer.

Proulx on trial in Kenora

"Kill me Cop, Kill me Cop". Those were reportedly the words 39 year old Helen Proulx spoke before being shot twice in downtown Kenora on June 7th of this year. The Grassy Narrows resident is on trial this week on four charges, including assaulting a police officer. Constable Kathrine Moyer told the court this morning that when she came across Proulx just after 8:00 in the evening, she was cutting at her wrists and forearm in a slicing motion. She then took the knife and jabbed it into her abdomen. Moyer says she told Proulx at least six time to drop the knife, and only fired her firearm when Proulx began to jab it in her direction. Testimony is continuing at the Kenora Court House.

Illegal trail costs 2 thousand

Two Nipigon men are in trouble after building an illegal trail.  The duo were fined two thousand dollars creating a path in a conservation reserve.  Conservation officers found the men creating the trail with skidders and chain saws.

Imrie receives award

The Executive Director of the region's sports hall of fame is the winner of a prestigious award. Diane Imrie recieved the 2010 Schroeder Award from the International Sports Heritage Association.

Labour pains at LU next year

The Human Resources department at Lakehead University will have it's hands full next year. Four contracts come up for re-negotiation. At the top of the list are LU's 300 professors. H-R Director Ray Raslak says don't expect any of those talks to wrap up until the fall.  Also up for negotiation next year are contracts for grad assistants, security personnel and maintenance workers.

Rogers blinked: Hyer

Thunder Bay MP Bruce Hyer is claiming a small victory.  He says that because of his actions in parliament, communications giant Rogers has ended its cell phone locking policy.  That policy kicks in at the end of a contract and prevents owners from keeping their old phone if they want to switch providers.  Hyer says it's nice to win one for a change.    He says he got discouraged after the Senate killed his climate change bill, but now feels like he's making a difference.

Fender bender causes traffic issues

No one is hurt as the result of this minor fender bender on Red River Road near Rockwood during the lunch hour Wednesday.   It did, however, cause traffic problems until the scene was cleared.

The end of the penny could hurt the United Way

The United Way's Pennies from Heaven campaign could be coming to an end. The Federal Government is considering axing the 1 cent coin which would effectively end the charity campaign. The United Way's Jared Zieroth says last year's campaign raised 20 thousand dollars and they'd have to come up with some sort of new project to replace that fundraiser.  Zieroth says Nickels from Heaven just doesn't have the same ring.

It's a tropical heat wave LOL

We're going to get a reprieve from the deep freeze.  Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw says the arctic air is moving north and in its place some seasonal temperatures are coming our way. Laidlaw says we'll likely see some snow Thursday with some more small amounts over the weekend.

22 accidents today so far

Busy day for Thunder Bay Police. Officers were called to 22 accidents Tuesday. Traffic Officer Glen Porter says one car rolled down an embankment at Boulevard Lake, and a man is charged with careless driving as a result. Porter adds thankfully no one was badly hurt.

Inaugral police services board meeting

Thunder Bay's Police Chief Bob Herman is calling the inaugral meeting of the police services board productive.  Herman welcomed new board members to the meeting on Tuesday.  The 2011 budget has been put on hold until January so members can take time to review it.

DNA lab accredited

A milestone for the Warnex DNA lab. Warnex is now accredited internationally for forensic science testing. President Mark Busgang says the news will open doors for them.  Busgang says business has been ok and the local facility is now operating in the black.

McFadden predicts no solar farm controversy

Thunder Bay's airport manager doesn't expect any objectors to a new solar farm. A company called SkyPower is going to construct the panels on airport property starting early next year. It's expected to create about 100 new jobs. Scott McFadden says it'll be far from any homes and located on land which is not useful for airport operations and of limited commercial use.  The park will be bordered by railway tracks and 2 runways

Teens turn thumbs down to curfew

The prospect of a curfew for teenagers in Thunder Bay isn't sitting too well with some of them. The city is conducting a study to see if a curfew in the city is do-able.Those teens we spoke to say it takes away their freedom.

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Squire Street flooded with water

Someone caused quite a stir on Squire Street Tuesday.  A fire hydrant was opened and a large amount of water spilled into the street.  Police says they're treating the mischief as a serious matter because of cold conditions.  A car later slid into a pool of water in that area.

Deep freeze no problem for waterfront project

The city feels local construction companies know how to deal best with Thunder Bay's wicked winter weather.  Waterfront Supervisor Gary Wood says they know how to deal with the cold weather so its still business as usual. Wood believes the weather won't put work behind schedule.

Streetcar threat creates Internet buzz

There appears to be little sympathy by some Toronto bloggers to concerns in Thunder Bay over Mayor Rob Ford's desire to tear up a streetcar contract.  Scrapping that billion dollar contract would affect jobs at our Bombardier plant and some Torontonians are posting strong opinions about it on Internet news sites ....one says, ...you people in Thunder Bay... have no vote, or say... in how Toronto conducts it's business, and, Thunder Bay can go play with itself, the days of sole sourcing are gone.   But not everyone is so seemingly callous...one says,  Thanks for letting us know how far the damage... is reaching.

Hampton thinks election is coming

The Provincial election isn't until next Fall, but expect to see campaign-style ad's start showing up in the new year. That's the prediction of Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton. Hampton says the McGuinty Government has been under seige in the Ontario Legislature and he expects the Liberals to start actively campaigning shortly. Hampton says the government has been hurt by recent reports by the Ombudsman and the Auditor General.

Christmas Cheer falling behind campaign goal

Christmas Cheer is in trouble.  With just over a week to go in their campaign the charity is over 100 thousand dollars short of their goal.  The Charity is hoping to raise 165 thousand dollars to feed the homeless and less fortunate in Thunder Bay.

Garage destroyed by fire

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue dealt with a garage fire this morning.  Crews responded to the blaze on Talbot Street just after 2:30 and found a garage engulfed in flames.  The inferno was quickly brought under control and officials are investigating the cause.

Youth Curfew heavily discussed

City staff are creating a report on whether a youth curfew is feasible.
Councillor Andrew Foulds describes the proposed youth curfew as "using an elephant gun to swat mosquitoes".  Foulds feels it's not an effective tool, and it's a waste of our police resource. Meanwhile, Councillor Mark Bentz says a feasibility report on a youth curfew doesn't mean that they're going through with it; they just want to gauge the community's support.  Finally, Councillor Ian Angus feels the Crime Prevention Council should be in charge of whether or not to put a curfew in place.  Mayor Keith Hobbs reiterated he never said the curfew wouldn't be discussed with youth.

Adoption fees going into 2011 budget

The higher adoption fees for dogs and cats in the City will be included for consideration in the 2011 budget.  General Manager Mark Smith says if their adoption rate declines because of the increased cost to adopt they will consider lowering the fees. The increase needs to be approved in the budget process, and if passed will run for a trial period.  Many councillors felt the city needs to look at other ways of keeping animals from being put down.  Mayor Keith Hobbs feels the higher fees will prevent seniors and poor people from owning animals.

Credit Union set for Golf Links and Oliver

A credit union is setting up shop on the corner of Golf Links and Oliver Road. Administration asked council to hold off on approving the rezoning of a piece of property to include banks. General Manager Mark Smith says they're not against the bank, they just want to hold off until a community improvement plan is put in place in that area. Council approved the rezoning and will allow the credit union to operate in that area.

Port Improvement plan passed

The Port of Thunder Bay will soon be able to offer incentives to businesses looking to relocate to Thunder Bay. Council approved a community improvement plan for the Port of Thunder Bay at it's meeting Monday night.  General Manager Mark Smith says the move will enable the city to grant back planning and building application fees. 

Names released in Murder Suicide

Thunder Bay police have released the names of the Oliver Paipoonge couple involved in a murder suicide.  69 year old's Joseph and Antoinette Lavoie were found in their Oliver Road home by emergency personnel just after one o'clock Sunday.  Antoinette died as a result of a single gun shot wound, and Joseph of a self inflected gun shot.  Police say there is a history of domestic abuse between the couple.

Klooterhuis calls deaths tragedy for community

City police say an apparent murder suicide in Murillo remains under investigation.   Residents of the village are wondering if there was something they could have done to have prevented it.  Mayor Lucy Kloosterhuis says it's a big tragedy. Police discovered the bodies of a 69 year old man and woman in a home on Oliver Road.

Annual Report celebrates students

The Annual Report from Lakehead University is showing off the accomplishments of it's students.  President Brian Stevenson says it's  putting the spotlight where he says it belongs by telling the community the kind of students LU has.  The report shows there were 82 hundred students enrolled at the institution's two campuses last year.   

Stevenson wants to recruit students early

Lakehead University will be focusing on attracting more Aboriginal students. President Brian Stevenson says he's looking at starting the recruitment process early. He says the goal would be to cut the drop out rate by promoting the institution to students in elementary school.

It was a busy weekend for City police

Thunder Bay police are looking for a second suspect after an armed robbery.  Officers responded after the Shell on Arthur Street was robbed last night just after 8 o'clock.  A 22 year was arrested but a second man is still missing and could be armed with a knife.  Police had to deal with another armed robbery of a Mac's Mart, this time the thief was armed with a stick.  The man entered the Mac's Mart on North May street around 2:30 yesterday morning and made off with some cash and cigarettes.  Police also had to deal with a stabbing over the weekend.  A woman stabbed a man during a domestic altercation and is facing assault charges.  The man received minor injuries.

Fire burns through home outside of the city.

No one was hurt in a house fire on the city's outskirts.  Thunder Bay Fire and rescue responded to the blaze just after 7 o'clock yesterday morning and put out the fire that caused extensive damage to the home.  Officials believe the fire was related to the home's fire place.

Double death in Oliver-Paipoonge

A tragedy in the community of Murillo where police are investigating an apparent  murder suicide.  They say that the bodies of a 69 year old man and woman were found in a home on the 4 thousand block of Oliver Road.  The discovery was made when police entered the home at around 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon.   The names of the victims are not being released until relatives are told.   Police say they'll have more details in the coming days.

Curfew vote Monday

Mayor Keith Hobbs idea for a youth curfew to help combat crime will be facing its first test at Monday night’s Council meeting as a motion for a feasibility report is put to a vote.

Hobbs says a curfew could help address social issues by helping to identify kids who would benefit from intervention and that it would need to be enforced with a lot of discretion by police.

The new Mayor feels a curfew would protect young people from being the victims of crime in addition to preventing them from being perpetrators.

Current River Ward Councilor Andrew Foulds isn’t in favour of the curfew and says the statistics he's seen don't point to youth as being a huge source of crime in the city.

Foulds says he believes that there are better ways to address the issues of young people.

If the motion is passed, a report on the curfew would be presented to Council by April 21.

Annual Salvation Army Christmas dinner

The Salvation Army's Annual Christmas Dinner is happening at noon today at the Salvation Army Booth Centre on Cumberland Street North. Major Mervyn Halvorsen says the dinner is for anyone who is feeling lonely or isn't able to put on a dinner of their own. In addition to Christmas dinner, there will be some gifts for kids. Around 300 are expected to attend; dinner is being cooked and served by the staff of the Valhalla Inn.

Hyer consults students

Bruce Hyer is enlisting the help of some unlikely new policy advisors. The Thunder Bay-Superior North MP is asking high school students in his riding to submit ideas for legislation. A panel of judges will pick the best entries in the Create Your Canada contest which will then be introduced in the House of Commons. Hyer says it's important to find creative ways to involve young people in the political process. The contest ends June 25th.

Wharton Road fire

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue are putting out the remains of a home fire on 160 Wharton Road. District Chief Joe Grzelewski says while there's no danger of the fire spreading, they'll be there for a while. Grzelewski says as far as he knows there were no injuries.

Another Mac's robbery

Police say a man armed with a stick robbed the Mac's Mart on May Street around 2:30 this morning and left with a small amount of money and some cigarettes. The suspect is described as Native Canadian, about six feet tall and wearing a black leather jacket with a picture of a bulldog on the back and red and white stripes on the sleeves. No one was injured in the incident.

Fredrica fire

City firefighters responded to a fire in an apartment on West Fredrica last night. Oil from a deep fryer caught on fire. Firefighters put the out the flames when they arrived . The building had to be aired out because of the smoke. There were no injuries. Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue says it's never a good idea to leave a stove unattended when cooking.

Man stabbed during domestic dispute

Police have a woman in custody after a domestic dispute at a north side apartment block. A man was stabbed with a knife during the incident. His injury is non life threatening. The woman appeared in bail court this morning facing a charge of assault with a weapon.

Injured workers confront Gravelle

Injured workers advocates in Thunder Bay are getting a promise from Michael Gravelle. The group protested in front of the MPP's office demanding better treatment from the Workers Safety and Insurance Board. Gravelle says he hears their plea.  The injured workers want the WSIB to index their benefits to inflation.

New Fire Truck on the way

Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Service is buying a new Pumper Rescue Fire Truck. The five hundred thirty thousand dollar truck is coming from Carl Thibault Fire Trucks. Administration is recommending council approve the purchase at it's Monday night meeting.

OFSC says trails still not open

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs is urging snowmobilers to stay off their trails.  The group is reminding the public that most of Northwestern Ontario's trails are not open. Regionals Spokesperson Gail Sayers says travel is not advised.  Sayers recommends snowmobilers get in contact with their local clubs for trail conditions.

Triple Nickel site to be cleaned up

The  site of the former Triple Nickel bar on Simpson Street is going to be cleaned up. Licensing and Enforcement Manager Rob Bourret says they've been asking the owner to clean up the property for almost a year. Administration is recommending council approve the almost 40 thousand dollar contract to Nadin Contracting. The owner of the property will have the cost added to his taxes.

Adoption fees could rise for pets

Thunder Bay's Animal Shelter wants to double it's adoption fees for cats and dogs.  The shelter is asking council to approve the rate increase.  A spokesperson with the shelter says they need to recover the cost of the vet exam and fixing the animal.  The fee increase is expected to bring in 19-thousand dollars in revenue each year.

Safe Community Report Card

Thunder Bay's Safe Communities Committee is being graded by the National Organization.  The group scored around fifty percent on its report card. The city's final score was 27.3 out of 50 which is below the National and Provincial levels.  The local committee had a perfect score under priority settings, and seventy percent under leadership. The group was designated a safe community in 1999.

Fraud strikes not for profit daycare

A fraud scandal at a local daycare.  City police say the former executive director of Footsteps Daycare is facing theft and fraud charges.  An investigation found over 15 thousand dollars was stolen between May 2008 and March of last year.  Police say Sherrel Pucci will be in court December 20th.

Collision closes Trans Canada Highway

A head on collision closed a portion of Highway 11\17 for a few hours overnight.  Two transport trucks collided head on near Raith and then a third transport smashed into the trucks.  There is no word yet on possible injuries.