SIU absolves OPP in Kakabeka Falls incident

The Province's Special Investigations Unit has finished its investigation into an incident at Kakabeka Falls where a 22 year man died last month. SIU Officials say they have found no wrong doings by OPP officers involved in the incident that saw Kurtis McVittie fall over the falls and die.

Police release the name of man charged in yesterday's robbery

Thunder Bay Police have released the name of the 22 year old charged in connection to yesterday's Mac's Mart.  Constable Julie Tilbury says Ryan Deluney appeared in court this morning and is facing several charges.  Tilbury says officers received a tip about his whereabouts yesterday and arrested him without incident at Victoriaville Mall early in the afternoon.

Shelter House about to fundraise

Shelter House is about to launch its holiday fundraising campaign. This year the goal is set at 150 thousand dollars. The money goes towards the shelter's everyday expenses in helping to house its homeless clients. The shelter says it requires about 400 thousand dollars in donations every year

United Way says it's on track

The United Way's campaign goal remains in reach. Co-chair Jules Tupker says there are 40 days left, but there are no concerns the objective won't be achieved.  As of today 1.2 million dollars has been raised....the goal is 2 and a half million.

Gastrointestinal outbreak

The Health Unit is reporting a gastrointestinal outbreak at Roseview Manor. All admissions, transfers and discharges are cancelled until further notice. Visitors are also restricted to family members and caregivers only.

Dog fight leads to fines

Papillon

Two dog owners are facing four thousand dollars in fines after letting their German Shepherd and Boxer run free. City Licensing and Enforcement Manager Ron Bourret says the fines were brought down in Provincial Offenses Court. The two large dogs entered private property and attacked a Papillon. The injured dog's owner is paying four thousand dollars in vet bills.

22 year old charged

Police have charged the 22 year old man who was arrested as a person of interest in connection with a Mac's Mart robbery yesterday.  He's appearing in court this morning.  Spokesperson Chris Adams says more information will be made available later today.

A record breaking Thursday in NWO

It's another nice day in Thunder Bay today, just like yesterday was.  However at 7 degrees we stopped short of breaking the record for November 23rd set in 1942.  There were temperature records set elsewhere in Northwestern Ontario. Dryden, Ear Falls and Kenora all set new marks.

Immigration Portal update on Monday

Northwestern Ontario's Immigration Portal has been operating out of Thunder Bay for over a year.  The organization will be providing an update to City Council on Monday.  The web portal has drawn interest from across the world. 

Attawapiskat cries for help

More people are calling for help for the Attawapiskat First Nation.  The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario are calling on Premier McGuinty and Prime Minister Harper to intervene in the housing crisis on the Northern reserve.  They say some of the living conditions in Attawapiskat are deplorable and dangerous.  Chief Theresa Spence asked last month that her community be evacuated before winter because lives were at risk.  Area MP Charlie Angus says five families are living in tents, while another 19 families are living in sheds without running water.

Resolute Fort Frances Mill down

Resolute Forest Products is curtailing its paper-making operations in Fort Frances for the rest of the year.  The company cites poor market conditions for the five-week shutdown of its paper machines that starts next week.  About 100 employees will be impacted.  Operations at the kraft mill are not effected.  It's the third work stoppage at the paper mill this year.

Mauro talks economic update

MPP Bill Mauro says despite the global financial problems the provincial government should still meet their budget goals.  Mauro says Wednesday's Economic Update from the Finance Minster warns of tough times ahead but the books should still be balanced by the 2017-18 budget.

Happy to have 87 back

There's lots of positive comments coming from Thunder Bay hockey fans to the return of Sidney Crosby to the NHL.  Those we spoke to were happy about it.

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Beardy: NAN is already transparent

The Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation is stopping short of saying he supports new First Nations legislation.  The Harper government plans to introduce a law to force First Nations to release officials salaries. Stan Beardy says NAN has always been accountable adding NAN publishes an annual audit anyone can see.

Matawa says Webequie can do what it wants

The CEO of the Matawa First Nations says the Webequie First Nation is fully within its right to act independently on the Ring of Fire. David Achneepineskum says the organization fully backs the stand taken by Webequie to speak on the chromite project on its own.  Achneepineskum says each community has the authority within Matawa to develop their own community position.

Standoff ends in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay police have taken a person into custody in connection to today's standoff on Northern Avenue.  Police Spokesperson Chris Adams says investigators made contact with the person early this afternoon and he was taken into custody at Victoriaville Mall.  Adams says at this time no charges have been laid in connection to this morning's Mac's Mart Robbery.  He says officers searched the man's house and found a number of items including a replica handgun.

Webequie goes rogue

There appears to be a crack in the solidarity within the Matawa First Nations. Chief Cornelius Wabasse of the Webequie First Nation says Matawa doesn't speak for his community on the Ring of Fire.  He says his people have concerns about Matawa's approach and he's standing by them. The comments by Chief Wabasse come a couple weeks after Matawa said all nine of its chiefs pulled their support for the chromite project

LUSU fails tuition cut plan

Lakehead University's Student Union is giving the McGuinty Government's promised tuition cuts a failing grade. The governmnet promised to cut college and university tuition fees by 30 per cent starting Jan. 1st. President Michael Snoddon also takes issue with the fact that all students aren't eligable for the tuition fee reduction.

Terrace Bay Pulp downtime

Terrace Bay's Pulp Mill will be closed for three months starting November 30th.  Mayor Mike King hopes market conditions will improve during the down time.  The mill will be conducting some maintenance work inside the mill during the downtime.

Global Sticks Reaction

The Provincial Government has given Oliver Paipoonge's Global Sticks millions of dollars in start up funds and now can no longer keep it's doors open. We asked residents if they think the Provincial Government should continue to subsidize business.

Police playing wait and see game

Thunder Bay Police have surrounded a house on Northern Avenue as they attempt to speak with the suspect in this morning's armed robbery of a Mac's Convenience Store.  The home in the 800 block of Northern Avenue is now the focus of the investigation.  Police are asking the public to avoid the area around Northern Avenue west of May Street until the situation is resolved.

Ring of Fire announcement expected

The Chief and Council of the Webequie First Nation are planning to make an announcement Wednesday related to the Ring of Fire chromite project. They say two independent documents related to the development will be released as part of the news conference that has been scheduled for 10:30.

Stabbing suspect appears in court

It's back to court next month for the city man who is charged in connection with a stabbing rampage at Andras Court last month.   29 year old Eli John remains in custody at the District Jail following this weeks court appearance.  Several people were stabbed in the incident,  one of them very seriously. 

OPP take us for a R.I.D.E.

The OPP's Festive R.I.D.E. program is going to begin on Friday. Sgt. Shelley Garr says it's during the holiday period that drinking and driving seems to spike with police statistics showing it's worse this time of year. She says last year 22 impaired driving charges were laid by the Thunder Bay OPP.

ER stays busy

The Emergency Room at the Health Sciences Centre is still hopping. Director Dr. Andrew Affleck says visits this year are up about 3 per cent. Affleck says contrary to what some may think, most patients aren't candidates for walk in clinics.  He says many of them need the services of the ER when they come in with chest pains along with heart and breathing problems.   Affleck says the increase at the Health Science Centre mirrors what is happening across the province.

Deer kill creates talk

There's no shortage of opinion about the city's decision to allow bow hunting for deer to reduce the population. We asked people if they agreed with the move. Those we spoke to were split on the issue.

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Humane Society hopeful

Thunder Bay's Humane Society is hopeful after receiving almost 7 thousand dollars in just 17 days.  The organization is short 180 thousand dollars and is threatening to close its doors if more money isn't raised by December 31st.  The board will meet again in December to evaluate their options.

City Solicitor takes 1 year break

Thunder Bay's top lawyer is taking a one year break to focus on labour relations law.  Rosalie Evans' one year sabbatical starts January 9th and will practice with the Thunder Bay firm of Weiler Maloney Nelson. The City says the solicitor who will act during the sabbatical will be announced in the near future.

Council Approves Deer Management Plan

City Council has approved the Deer Management Strategy.  Council voted to move forward with a pair of by-laws that will pave the way for bow hunting in the city next fall.  Council also voted in favour of banning the feeding of deer in the city.  The debate over the by-laws went till just after 11:30 before the vote was called.  Councillors asked a number of questions to a couple of deputations and wanted to learn more about how bow hunting would be done in the city.

Aboriginal involvment in Municipal Elections presented to council

Aboriginal involvement in municipal elections is very low.  That was the findings of a report that was presented to council by the Ontario Native Women's Association.  The report was handed out to council as well as Elections Ontario and Elections Canada.  ONWA Spokesperson Judi Nelson Childs says she hopes to see a committee developed to help increase Aboriginal involvement ahead of the next municipal Election. 

Evergreen group gets approval

City Council has voted in favour of rezoning a house on Heron Street to allow a community group to move in. Evergreen A United Neighbourhood is hoping to open a community health and resource centre. The building was formerly the club house for the Hell's Angels. One man spoke out against the plan saying he didn't want to live next to a youth centre that would lower property values. Council voted unanimously in favour of the rezoning.

Gravelle wants to hear from Global Sticks

With news that Global Sticks has closed its doors, the Forestry Minister is hoping to get an explanation from the company.  Michael Gravelle says he isn't going to speculate on why the company closed down until he gets the facts.  Gravelle says he hopes the company reopens in the near future.

LU athletes to instruct FN youth

Lakehead University is taking its sporting skills to Northern First Nations. Coaches and players will be going to the remote communities to instruct the youth this season. LU's Tom Warden says it's an important step for the university.  Wasaya Airways will be flying the students as part of the agreement.

NAN Conference this week

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Chiefs are in Thunder Bay this week to talk about the Ring of Fire and prescription drug abuse.  Grand Chief Stan Beardy says they've got a lot on their plate.  The Chiefs are meeting at the Victoria Inn for the next three days starting Tuesday.

16 and Pregnant in Kenora

After sifting through 4 years of data- its official - Teen pregnancy is on the rise in Kenora.  Code Red says there were 53 pregnancies for every thousand girls between the ages of 15 and 19 in 2009 – that’s 24 more teen pregnancies in the district and the Ontario average.

Sioux Lookout new interim CAO

Sioux Lookout has a new interim CAO.  Council has agreed to appoint Arie Hoogenboom to the position, effective tomorrow.  Hoogenboom is the former Dryden City Manager and will serve as CAO for a 6-month term.  Mayor Dennis Leney says Hoogenboom knows the opportunities and challenges facing local communities.

Grann trial to resume in the new year

The first week of testimony is now complete in the trial of police Constable Toni Grann. She is facing 11 counts of Breach of Trust. The prosecution says it involves local records of the Ontario Sex Offender Registry which Grann was in charge of. Testimony took place all of last week and the trial will be continuing in Thunder Bay on January the 30th

Coroner concludes Antoinette Lavoie investigation

The Regional Coroner's Office has wrapped up it's investigation into the murder of Antoinette Lavoie.  Dr. Michael Wilson says they've decided to send the case to the Chief Coroner for review.  Joseph Lavoie killed his estranged wife and then himself in December of last year.

Deer plan up at council tonight

City Administration is recommending council approve two new bylaws to help curb the deer population in the city.  Councillor Lynda Rydholm says the first bylaw would prohibit feeding deer and the second would allow bow hunters to hunt in parts of the city.

Council set to hear presentation from ONWA

One of the big topics before council tonight will be a presentation on Aboriginal Participation in Municipal Elections.  Mayor Keith Hobbs says election participation needs to improve on all fronts especially with First Nations.

Global Sticks Closed

A local company that has received Provincial funding for it's operations has closed its doors.  Global Sticks in Oliver Paipoonge is not up and running and hasn't made any indication that they'll reopen.  In October the company was forced to make layoffs.  The company makes sticks for ice creme bars, corn dogs, and paint paddles.

21st annual Christmas Parade

Today is the 21st annual Christmas Parade. The parade is being hosted by Thunder Bay Rotary Club, with help from Shelter House volunteers and Lakehead University students. The parade starts at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium the moves down Memorial Avenue to the CLE grounds, where kids can meet Santa Claus.

Heavy fine levied on ski area

A local ski operator is facing a big fine in connection with a fatal workplace accident. Matt Blajer of the Ministry of Labour says it came after Loch Lomand Ski Area pleaded guilty to one charge under the province's Occupational Health and Safety Act. The fine is 70 thousand dollars plus a 17 per cent victim surcharge. The incident took place in September of 2009 and saw an 18 year old worker electrocuted after a steel ladder he was holding touched an electrical wire.

Snow causes collisions in Thunder Bay

Its been a busy day for police due to the slippery conditions.  There has been 27 collisions on the roads since just before 9 this morning.  Police are reminding people to drive to the conditions and slow down.

DSSAB dilemma

The District Social Service's Administration Board is having a dilemma with its new building and it's not even finished yet. Chair Iain Angus says added provincial responsibilities may mean there won't be room in the new building for added staff so they're looking at options like where to rent extra space from.  He says other options could be to build a new facility or add a third floor to the new quarters.

Benefits of tax break not clear for St. Joe's

The head of St. Joseph's Care Group is welcoming a seniors tax credit from the province. The credit is a promise from the McGuinty Liberals to encourage senior care at home. However St. Joe's Tracy Buckler will not speculate on any possible spin offs for her organization.  Buckler says that having more seniors stay at home has the potential to relieve pressure on the health care system.

Hyer ponders third reading vote

Bruce Hyer isn't saying if he'll be voting to scrap the long-gun registry when it comes up again for third reading in Parliament.  The Thunder Bay NDP MP says even though he has voted against the party line on the issue, he's taking this time to consider his options and won't commit to anything until he sees the final legislation.  However,  he says he wants to keep the promise he made to his constituents.  Hyer, and fellow NDP MP John Rafferty have been punished by the party for the way they voted.  Rafferty says he'll vote the same way as he did before.

A snap-shot of local hockey history

Thirty years after his death, Thunder Bay author David Nicholson is now telling the story about his cousin Bruce Gamble. "Gamble in Goal" is a book about Gamble's career in the NHL compiled from interviews Nicholson did with family and friends.   Nicholson says the book took about 14 years to write.

Maltese wins Environment Award

Grade seven student Sophia Maltese is happy to win the TD Friends of the Environment Art Contest.  Her school Bishop E.Q. Jennings gets over seven thousand dollars because of Maltese' artwork.  Maltese wants the school to use the money to create an outdoor classroom. On top of the cash prize, Maltese gets a digital camera.

Inflation rate falls in Thunder Bay

Our inflation rate is on the decline.  Thunder Bay's rate went from 3.4 percent in September to 3 percent last month.  That followed the National and provincial trends that both fell last month to sit at 2.9 and 2.7 percent respectively.