Dryden hospital decides against smoking ban

The board of directors of the Dryden Regional Health Centre have decided not to pursue a smoking ban. The hospital's CEO Wade Petranik says the board decided against the ban to respect patient rights and because of concerns about the enforcement of the ban. The decision runs contrary to the hospital's advisory board recommendation in favour of a ban. Petranik says the hospital will continue to encourage individuals to stop smoking through various programs. Currently, smoking is allowed in a outdoor courtyard at the hospital.

Two area residents recognized for life saving efforts

A Minnesota woman was is in town Friday to present an award to a couple of area residents who saved her life by administering CPR.

Judith Taylor was attending the Red Rock Folk Festival's closing ceremonies in 2009 when she went into cardiac arrest. Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey and visiting nurse Wendy Houston acted quickly by administering CPR and saved Taylor's life

Taylor, who had a heart condition at the time, says she feels lucky to have been at the festival when she collapsed because individuals trained in first aid were on hand to help.

Harvey says it was fortunate he and Houston could help and adds that learning CPR and first aid is much easier than many people think.

The award was presented at a Superior North Emergency Medical Services dinner on Friday.

West Victoria Avenue crash

There was a head on collison yesterday on West Victoria Avenue. A pick up truck and a car collided around nine in the morning. Police say the driver of the car was taken to the Regional Health Science Centre by ambulance. The driver of the truck had minor injuries. The traffic unit is investigating the crash.

Highway 11 traffic slowed near Nipigon

The OPP are controlling traffic this morning on Highway 11 near Nipigon in order to create some breathing room for workers pulling a tractor trailer out of a ditch. The truck went off the road early this morning. No injuries were reported.

Wage increase on the way

City Council is supporting an interim wage increase for firefighters.  The City and the Thunder Bay Professional Fire Fighters Association agreed on an increase retro active to 2007.  Fire Fighters have been without a wage increase since then.  The settlement will be presented to council for ratification on December 7th.

Commission completes hearings

Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission is moving on. It spent last week in the city gathering statements from native residential school survivors. Commission chair Murray Sinclair says the stories he heard have many similarities.  Sinclair says the affects of the abuse they faced, will be felt for many generations.

AIDS spreading in Thunder Bay

Aids Thunder Bay is seeing an increase of people testing positive for the AIDS. Spokesperson Bob Manson says the statistics are alarming and notes over the last 24 years there's been at least 1 infection each year in the City. Manson says the disease is being spread in the aboriginal community and notes awareness is key.

Fort Frances woman wins at McDonald's

A Fort Frances woman is 25-thousand dollars richer after playing McDonald's Monopoly. Harriett Wagner uncovered the instant win prize during a recent visit to the McDonald's restaurant at the Fort Frances' Walmart.  It's believed to be the first time a person from northwestern Ontario has won a major prize playing the the McDonald's contest.

Bell working on PST rebate

Bell Canada is working with the Union of Ontario Indians to provide PST rebates to its First Nation customers. Spokesperson Jacqueline Michelis says they were overwhelmed with the amount of calls they received about the refund.  The rebates will be retroactive to September 1st when the PST was to be exempt from phone, satelite and cable bills for First Nation residents.

Kiwanis honour police

The Westfort Kiwanis Club is holding it's annual Officer Appreciation Awards tonight.  This year's recipient is Constable Jim Wright. Kiwanis Spokesperson Jim Kalyta says they started the awards in the 90s as a way of giving back to the police.  Wright is a member of the Emergency Task Unit and volunteers with the Canadian Cancer Society and Arthritis Society of Canada.

Credit union robbed again

For the 3rd time in 8 months the Apple Credit union on Cumberland Street has been robbed.  It took place Friday  afternoon and involved a man armed with a handgun. He got away with an undisclosed amount of cash and took off in a silver mini van.   Police spokesperson Chris Adams says investigators are looking at possible links between this robbery and the ones that took place in August and April.

Richard Jagielowicz wins Rule the Tube

Lakehead University Student Richard Jagielowicz has won a provincial competition.  Jagielowicz created a music video about accounting and won the "Rule the Tube 2010 CA Rockstar" contest.  He says he's happy and hopes employers in the Thunder Bay area take notice.  The LU student won 1 thousand 500 dollars and gets to attend a chartered accountants conference in Southern Ontario.

Operation Ghost

Its being dubbed Operation Ghost and its resulted in the arrest of several individuals. Inspector Tom Dirling is the Program Management officer with the OPP Drug Enforcement Unit and says the charges are a result of a six month investigation in the Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ignace areas. Drugs purchased and seized include 185-grams of cocaine, 14-pounds of marihuana, over 2-thousand Oxcondone tablets.  The street value of the drugs is 245-thousand dollars.  Officers also seized 125-grand in cash and 70-thousand dollars in vehicles.

T Bay Man charged in Sioux Lookout

A 30 year old Thunder Bay man is charged with robbery in Sioux Lookout.  OPP responded to a robbery at a local hotel on Wednesday.  The front desk clerk was approached by a masked man demanding money.  The clerk was able to force the man out of the hotel, but was hurt in the process.  The Thunder Bay man is charged with robbery, obstructing police, and disguise with intent.

Christmas Cheer Campaign Underway

 If you want to keep up to date on Thunder Bay's Christmas Cheer Campaign you can go online. Chair Linda Gambee says the site will be a big help. Last year the group fed over 5-thousand people. Gambee says they've noticed more and more need at Christmas time with people still being out of work. This year's fundraising goal is 165-thousand dollars. The charity group has a new site at  http://www.thunderbaychristmascheer.com/

Special Olympics fundraising continues

The call is going out for financial help for the upcoming Special Olympics. They are about 200 thousand dollars short of their fundraising objective. Chair J-P Levesque says they are reaching out to the community by trying to get more corporate sponsors and to get more people to adopt an athlete.   He says they're hopeful.   The games take place in January.  Meantime the Athletes Village will be at two local hotels.  RBC provided the 40 thousand dollars towards the costs.

Man marks major milestone with the Canadian Blood Services

A Thunder Bay man is celebrating 2 major milestones.  John Burns turned 80 years old today and marked it by making his 534th plasma donation at the Canadian Blood Services centre.  Burns says he's proud to still be able to give after all these years.  If you want to donate call 1-888-2-donate.

Two wanted in connection with early morning fire

Thunder Bay police are looking for two girls after an early morning fire.  No one was hurt in the blaze at a line of row housing on Georgina Bay that police are investigating as an arson.  6 firetrucks and 22 firefighters were called in to deal with the 2 alarm blaze just after midnight.  Two girls in their late teens were pulled from the building by a care taker, but when he called 911 they fled the scene.

Festive RIDE program set to begin

The police will be starting their Festive RIDE program soon. Scott Smith of the city police says there will be scores of officers who will be out stopping vehicles starting December first. It will be dedicated staff from the city police, OPP, RCMP and the Anishinabek Police. New drunk driving laws mean the vehicle you are driving could be impounded.

Creative writing awards for Thunder Bay youth

Several Northwestern Ontario first nation youth are being honoured for their writing.  Vanessa Trimble from Bearskin Lake, Erik Fiddler from Sandy Lake, and Thunder Bay's Nakita Guillet all received the James Barleman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing award.