Hospital Scam Circulating

The Hospital Foundation is warning the public of a scam currently going around. There are reports of people receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be with the foundation looking for donations. The Foundation is coming out and warning residents that the calls are not from them, and if you receive one to alert the police.

Painted Barrel Auction Being Held This Weekend

The fourth annual painted rain barrel auction is being hosted EcoSuperior this weekend. The fundraiser takes place during the CLE Home and Garden Show. Executive Director Ellen Mortfield says there is a wide range of artists taking part. You can also vote for your favorite barrel by visiting EcoSuperior on Facebook.

20th Annual Business Awards

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce's 20th annual business awards are being held tonight. Presentations will be made at the Victoria Inn Hotel. Categories include: Business Excellence (small, medium and large), Not for Profit, New Business, Customer Service, Looking Good, Quality of Life, Environmental Stewardship, Strategic Partnership, Strategic Leadership and Tourism Partner. The event begins at 5:30.

Cumberland Laundry Robbery

City Police are looking for a suspect in a laundromat robbery on North Cumberland yesterday afternoon.   They say a man entered the store with a syringe and proceeded to demand money and cigarettes. The suspect is described as a man in his 20's, he's 5'8" with a slim build and sunken cheeks.  He was wearing a baggy dark jacket and a two tone hat with a red brim.

Horizon Winds Calls For Review

Horizon Wind is taking the Provincial Government to court to force a final decision on its proposed Big Thunder Wind Park. The plan would see 16 wind turbines on the Nor' Wester Escarpment however it has been hung up, waiting on a technical study of the project. The study is to be completed by the Ministry of the Environment. Company Spokesperson Kathleen MacKenzie says Horizon wants a judicial review of the process.

Attempted Robbery On South Franklin Street

City police are looking for a 30 year old man who they believe attempted to rob a convenience store on South Franklin Street yesterday afternoon.  They say a man entered the store and demanded money from the store clerk and when they refused the suspect pulled out a syringe to threaten the clerk. The man then tried to pry open the till but was unsuccessful and left the store on foot.

Update On Thursday's Collision

Thunder Bay Police continue to investigate an accident at the intersection of Golf Links Road and the Harbour Expressway.  A 52-year old man remains in critical condition at the hospital and three other drivers suffered minor injuries.  Police are also reminding drivers to adjust to the weather and estimate that up to 10 accidents have taken place today.

Stomach Illness Outbreak

Officials at the Health Unit are declaring an stomach illness outbreak at the Hummingbird unit Pinewood Court.  Admissions, transfers, discharges and social activities within this unit have been cancelled until further notice.  Visitors are restricted to family members and caregivers only.  Meanwhile, a similar illness is reported at the Grandview Lodge's C-wing.

Terrace Bay Pulp Fined

Terrace Bay Pulp is pleading guilty to the death of 28-year T.J Berthelow in Ontario court today. Berthelot was working at their Northshore Mill in 2011 when a tank with hazardous materials exploded while welding work was being done on it.  Justice Joyce Pelletier announced that the company will be fined 275-thousand dollars plus a 25-percent victim surcharge.

Hospital Foundation Scam

The Hospital Foundation is warning the public about a scam going around. People are receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be with the foundation and looking for a donation.  The Foundation is warning residents that the calls are not from them and if you receive a call alert the police.

Fiddler Likes New Aboriginal Justice Position

The Provincial Government is creating a new leadership position at the Ministry of the Attorney General's office.  The new position will focus on aboriginal justice.  Nishnawbe Aski Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says it's good news. The position will be posted shortly and Fiddler hopes to see someone in the job by the summer.

New Candidate For PC's

There's a new person running for the nomination of the Ontario PC candidate in Thunder Bay-Superior North.  Derek Parks was born and raised in Thunder Bay and has a Master's of Biology and a Bachelor of Science.  Parks will seek the party nomination at a meeting on Tuesday at the Valhalla Inn.

Snowfall Warning For T.Bay

You can expect to shovel your driveway when getting home from work this evening. Meteorologist Peter Kimbell says flurries will mostly taper off but there will be some minor snowfall this afternoon.  Environment Canada has the Thunder Bay area under a heavy snowfall warning.  Kimbell says we can expect warm temperatures for the weekend.

14 Year Old Found

City Police report that a missing 14 year old boy has been found safe. Thomas Brown had been missing from his guardian's residence on East Christina Street since mid-March.

Beardy Calls On Environmental Clean Up

Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy is calling on the Government and Industry to help clean up environmental contamination found on or near area First Nations. Beardy feels it only makes sense for industry to help pay for the clean up since they made the mess in the first place. His comments come from a news release released Thursday.

NDP Call On Mauro In QP

The NDP are taking issue with newly appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro. They felt he didn't give a straight answer yesterday to NDP MPP Rosario Marchese about whether the ministry has any intention of delivering municipal board reforms. The NDP are calling for local land use planning policy to be put back into the hands of locally elected officials. 

Open Streets Program Looking For Approval

This summer could be the first year for an open streets program on Algoma Street.  Eco Superior Spokesperson Ashley Priem says they're going to Council on April 14th for approval of the project. If approved Algoma street would be closed off to vehicles and open to pedestrians and cyclists. A public meeting on the initiatives is being held on April 10th at the Oliver Community Centre.

Pothole Season Is Here

If you run across a pothole in Thunder Bay the city's road division wants to know about it.  City crews are out filling the nuisance holes in the street.  Roads Manager Brad Adams says they can't fill the holes if they don't know about them. Adams says they'll have crews out on a daily basis repairing roads unless there's recent snowfall.

No School Buses Today

The slick road conditions forcing the cancellation of all school buses today.  No buses will run for rural or city schools and rural schools are also closed today.  City schools are open but the following rural schools are closed.  Crestview, Five Mile, Gorham and Ware, Kakabeka Falls, McKenzie, Nor'wester View, Valley Central, Whitefish Valley as well as the Thunder Bay Christian School.

Bear Tips

The public is being reminded by the OPP that simple precautions can go a long way in reducing interactions with bears as they come out of hibernation. Cleaning barbecue grills after each use and picking fruits and berries off the ground before rotting are just a few of the recommendations.

Grad Day For Costarter Companies

Go Kim Packs

The Costarter Accelerator program is seeing its first five companies graduate today. Company founders have spent the last three months working inside the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre to create their products. The companies involved include Go Kim Packs with a device that can charge electronics through walking. Recroup offers companies and entry level professionals a new way of applying to positions and searching for applicants compared to the traditional resume. Shipearly.com allows customers to skip shipping fees by purchasing products online with the ability to pick up in store or have it delivered to them. Francois Guimont says his services need further funding but that his company will provide pharmaceutical companies with a blood test that will tell patients if they are at risk for heart disease. Also Ungalli Clothing is a line designed on 100-percent recyclable materials.

Multi-Vehicle Collision On Golf Links

City Police are on the scene of a three vehicle collision on Golf Links Road, just south of the Harbour expressway.  Southbound traffic on Golflinks Rd. will be closed for some time as there are believed to be live wires on the ground.  Thunder Bay Hydro crews are enroute. East and West traffic on the Harbour Expressway is still open.  Officers are asking the public to avoid the area.

T.Bay Connected To Strange Incident

Wednesday's RV trailer fire in Thunder Bay has lead to Sault Ste. Marie OPP capturing a man and a woman after a police standoff.  Police connected an alleged hit and run and eventual vehicle fire in Thunder Bay to the man and woman who fled OPP after hitting a spike belt near Sault Ste. Marie today.  City Traffic Sgt. Glenn Porter says they gave the OPP a heads up.  Charges are pending.

Proposed Event Centre Question Revealed

It looks like Monday nights council meeting is going to be a hot one.  Up for discussion will be Councillor Linda Rydholm's proposed plebiscite
question on the event centre.  It reads as follows:  Are you in favour of City Council continuing with the process to build the proposed Event and Convention Centre in Thunder Bay?  As well it's expected that a number of people will ask to speak about the proposed plebiscite.

My TBHydro Launched

Thunder Bay Hydro is launching a new web based system that will make it easier for customers to view their usage and monthly bills. Vice President of Customer Services Tim Wilson, says that My TBHydro is free for new and existing customers. He adds that with nearly thirty-thousand statements sent each month switching to online will save costs and benefit the environment. A link to the site can be found here: My TBHydro

Dessert Recall

An allergy concern is causing a food recall across Ontario. The French Oven brand is recalling its Scoop and Eat Dessert Cup Carrot from the marketplace. The product was found to contain milk which is not indicated on it's label. Anyone with a milk allergy is warned not to consume the product.

New Crosswalk On Miles

The City's installed a new signalized crosswalk across from the new Provincial Courthouse on Miles Street between Brodie and Archibald Streets.  The signals will be activated today and pedestrians are encouraged to use the new crosswalk.

NAPS Investigating Fatal Fire

Nishnawbe Aski Police are investigating a deadly house fire in Fort Severn First Nation. Police say one person is dead but several people managed to escape blaze. A post mortem exam is scheduled for today in Kenora.

Overnight Fire On South Side

One man taken to hospital after he escaped from a house fire on East Mary Street overnight.  The occupant of the home was taken to Thunder Bay Regional suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.  City fire crews were called to the scene around 1 o'clock this morning and found the single family dwelling fully involved. Twenty-three fire-fighters and seven fire units battled the blaze but the house suffered extensive damage.  The cause is under investigation.

Rickford Heralds ELA Agreement

The Minister of Natural Resources says its a great day for northwestern Ontario and the world now that the International Institute for Sustainable Development is in charge of the Experimental Lakes Area.  Agreements between all parties have been finalized and Greg Rickford says they've been there from the start.  Rickford says he's always believed that the ELA was an important place for freshwater research.

Waste Plan Back At Council

The City is expected to approve their 20 year solid waste management plan Monday night.   Coordinator Jason Sherband says once the plan is approved they'll have to figure out how the City can pay for it. Phase one of the plan calls for allowing co-mingled materials in the bins at the recycling depot and moving to a clear garbage bag program.

Hay Says Fire Service Well Staffed

The city's fire chief says this weeks blaze on Onion Lake Road put fire operations to the test.   During the height of the two alarm  fire John Hay says that the stations at Hodder and Mapleward were left without trucks, but says another call anywhere in the city could have been handled effectively.  Hay says service across the city was not jeopardized.

Machinery On Fire

Fire crews are on the scene of the old Cascades paper mill on Ship Yard road.  Fire officials say some machinery caught fire at the location this afternoon.  The facility is in the process of being dismantled.  There are no indications that anyone has been injured.

Mysterious RV Fire

There are unanswered questions surrounding an RV fire in the Cascades Conservation area.   Fire Platoon Chief Larry Warner says that a 24 foot travel trailer somehow caught on fire Wednesday afternoon and he's uncertain about why it was there in the first place.  He says  it appears that the vehicle was abandoned at the site after being damaged in an accident and that the case is now in the hands of the city police.   No one was inside the RV and there are no injuries to report as a result of the blaze.

1 Person Unaccounted For In Fire

Nishnawbe Aski Police are investigating a fire in Fort Severn First Nation.  At this time police can confirm that several people escaped from the residential fire and one person in not accounted for. They cannot confirm any deaths in relation to the fire at this time.

Osisko Finds Partner

Osisko Mining appears to have found a partner to help fight off a hostile take-over bid by Goldcorp.  Osisko says its entered into a partnership with Yamana Gold that will see the Toronto-based company acquire 50-percent interest in Osisko and become an equal partner in its mining and exploration projects.
The deal is valued at nearly 930-million dollars.  Goldcorp is offering 2-point-9 billion for Osisko.

Boulevard Lake Dam Cost Overruns

It's back to the drawing board for city officials as they try to figure out why tenders came in over budget for repairs to the Boulevard Lake dam.  Spokesperson Pat Mauro says that the city's estimate was about 1.7 million dollars short of what some of the tenders came in as.    Mauro says the city will have to budget for extra funding to get the job done and will need to reschedule the project for next year instead of this year.

Metzler Community Centre President

The West Thunder Community Centre is welcoming a new President. Beatrice Metzler was elected recently at the Centre's 21st annual general meeting. She served in an executive capacity on the board for 3 years prior to being elected as president.

Caliper Lake Opening Up After Being Closed

Ontario is working with Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls to once again offer camping and other services at Caliper Lake Provincial Park.  Under the three-year partnership, Ontario Parks will work with Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls to operate the park for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons with the goal of increasing revenue and visitation rates.  The township will be responsible for staffing and operational and capital costs while covering any net financial losses incurred during the period.

NOSM Adds Suicide Awareness To Course

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is incorporating suicide awareness training into its MD curriculum.  Professor Brian Ross says students will spend the first two years of training in class. Ross adds that NOSM is one of the first school's in North America to have such a program in place.

Trillium Gives Cash Out

Several Thunder Bay area organizations are receiving money from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Fort Severn First Nation is using 15-thousand dollars to build a swim, kayak, and canoe area for the community.
Habitat for Humanity will utilize 138-thousand dollars to purchase vehicles, tools and equipment for the newly expanded Habitat for Humanity Re-store.  United Way Thunder Bay will use 149-thousand dollars over two years to hire a coordinator.  25-thousand dollars is going to the Ontario Trails Council to hire a project facilitator who will help get the recreational trail in the Thunder Bay area off the ground.  Meanwhile, the local Francophone community will use 67-thousand dollars to recruit and train volunteers.

Event Centre Question Being Considered

City Clerk John Hannam is confirming that a member of Council has asked his office to draft an event centre question on the upcoming municipal election ballot.  Councillor Larry Hebert has also said he's interested in having a plebiscite question on the controversial topic.

Students Win Grand Prizes

February's Research Matter's Virtual Scavenger Hunt is rewarding two Lakehead University students grand prizes for their participation in February's contest. The hunt took student's across Ontario on a journey into the research of the province's universities. Lakehead students Stacy Tkachyk and Keifer Sutch, 2 of 5 of the contest's winners, will receive 500 dollar grand prizes each.

World Autism Day

Westgate High School's Special Needs students are drawing attention to World Autism Day. At noon today, the students will sell popcorn and give out ribbons at their school in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the cause. All proceeds will go to the local portion of Autism Ontario.

OEB Reviewing Public Meetings

The importance of pipeline safety is emerging as a top concern from people who recently attended the Energy East Pipeline hearings in Thunder Bay.   Ontario Energy Board spokesperson Karen Cormier says that a draft report on the hearings shows that area municipalities have specific safety concerns.  Concerns also centred around the environment and the economies.

Walberg To Chair LU Board

A local banker is the new chair of the Lakehead University Board of Governors.   Murray Walberg will take over from Cameron Clark starting in October.  He's been on the board for 3 years and says he enjoys working with fellow board members and LU administration and calls chairing the board an honour.  Walberg is currently board vice chair.

Due Diligence Insisted For Events Centre

Thunder Bay's Young Professionals Network is urging the city to do its homework before approving a new event centre.  Spokesperson Nathan Lawrence says the group believes a comprehensive evaluation has to be completed before construction can begin.  Lawrence says the group supports the event centre, but it must have a sound business plan with an economic benefit to the city.

Tbaytel Buys Star Security

Tbaytel is expanding its security services as the result of its acquisition of Star Security Company.  The city run phone company says this now results in an extra 2 thousand customers to its residential and business security services.  The purchase price was not disclosed.

Fire Destroys Rural Northside House

There are no injuries to report following a morning house fire at 595 Onion Lake Road.   Crews were called to the scene just after 9 this morning.    Platoon Chief Larry Warners says its been a difficult to fight because there are no hydrants in the area and they are essentially letting the fire burn itself out as they shuttle water from about several kilometres away.    The fire started in the bedroom area and the exact cause is under investigation.

Pinewood Outbreak Over

All is back to normal at the Pinewood Court seniors home on Walsh Street.   The District Health Unit says the illness outbreak at the long term care facility, has been declared over. All restrictions have been lifted.

ELA Gets Second Life

The Experimental Lakes Area in Northwestern Ontario is getting a second life after the province came to to an agreement with the a research organization based out of Winnipeg . The two sides have agreed to continue vital freshwater research at the world reknown site.  The project plans to explore the risks of so called nanomaterials in the environment and monitor lake recovery from mercury emissions.

Students Protest Fracking

A student environmental group is standing up against fracking, a drilling process that uses chemicals to release natural gas underground.    Fossil Free Lakehead set up a mock drilling rig at the Agora as  part of a national day of  action against climate change.  Organizer Jody Mitchell says they're against some of the investments made by the university support some top oil and gas companies.