Youth Services Board proposed

Councillor Iain Angus wants to create a Youth Services Board for organizations that provide activities for area youngsters. Angus says he came up with the idea for a board after the Underground Gym asked for municipal funds. He says it's a way for Council to show leadership. Councillor Rebecca Johnson says there are already a number of youth committees; so why would they reinvent something they already have. Councillor Joe Virdiramo and Mayor Keith Hobbs said they like the idea of the board but they don't think it's the right time to embark on the project.  The proposal is being put on hold and will be discussed again during the Strategic Planning Process.

Council approves 1.9 million in grants

Thunder Bay City Council has doled out almost 2 million dollars to 16 community groups.  The cash flows from the Community and Cultural Funding Program.  The Community Auditorium, Museum, Art Gallery, and Symphony Orchestra are just some of the organizations who received grants.

Black Path to be examined

Thunder Bay's Mayor Keith Hobbs is vowing to turn the McIntyre area's "black path" into a safe path.  Councillors asked a variety of questions to the 17 year old who started the petition to get the walkway lit and monitored by video cameras.  Hobbs feels community policing would help make the pathway safer.  Councillor Andrew Foulds says lighting makes residents feel more confident and safe.  Administration will be providing a costing report to council on February 9th.

90.5 FM wants municipal cash

Thunder Bay's Information Radio Station is looking for cash from the City of Thunder Bay.  90.5 FM is a broadcasting service that repeats a steady loop of local weather, road and emergency information.  The group wants 18-thousand dollars from the city as a lease payment.  The money would be used to pay the employees who update the radio feed.  The station began broadcasting in the fall of 2010.  If the city doesn't provide the cash the company will either apply for a commerical licence or pull the radio station out of the City.

T-Wolves defenceman retires

Pierre-Marc Guilbault has left the Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team after deciding to retire .The defenceman is an engineering major from St. Julie, Quebec.  He only played 14 games this season after suffering a November concussion. While he's been cleared by doctors to play, he's decided to focus on his studies so his can graduate from Lakehead this spring.

Police Inspector faces misconduct charge

A member of the Thunder Bay Police is suspended after being charged with misconduct relating to an alleged neglect of duty.  Police say that Inspector Dan Taddeo is facing Police Services Act charges in connection to how he supervised a worker.  He will be in court February 16th when police say details of the case will be made public at that time.

Daycare case back in court

It's back to court in March for a former daycare worker charged with fraud.   Sherrel Pucci is also charged with theft and passing off forged papers after Footsteps Daycare reported to police that the organization had been missing 15 thousand dollars.  Police say Pucci was the daycare's Executive Director at the time of the alleged fraud.  Pucci will make a court appearance March first when some of the evidence is presented in a hearing prior to the actual trial.

ARF gets millions to renovate

Thunder Bay's Ed Fukushima is on his way to developing a wood pellet plant in Atikokan. It comes with today's announcements of a wood allocation from the government. MPP Bill Mauro says Atikokan Renewable Fuels is also getting a grant from the provincial taxpayer through the Northern Ontario Heritage Funding totalling 1 and a quarter million dollars.  The wood allocation is worth 180 thousand cubic metres annually.

Beardy welcomes Rickford's appointment

It's a thumbs up from Nishnawbe-Aski Grand Chief Stan Beardy. Beardy says Greg Rickford's appointment as parliamentary secretary in the Indian Affairs department is a welcome move. The Grand Chief says the Kenora MP is very familiar with NAN issues and has all the information he needs to lobby for them in Ottawa.

Cairo museum worth protecting: Tronrud

Egypt's National Museum is being protected from looters during this time of political unrest and Thunder Bay's Tory Tronrud  says that's a good thing. The curator of the Thunder Bay museum says the exhibits in Cairo are some of the most valuable in the world.  He says that includes the artifacts of King Tutankhamun. Tronrud says he's happy to see ordinary citizens are helping to guard the museum

Rickford gets INAC slot

The workload for Greg Rickford is now a bit heavier.   The Northwestern Ontario Conservative MP is now the parliamentary secretary to the Indian  and Northern Affairs Minister

Masters says royal invite is in order

A former Thunder Bay mayor says our new mayor should invite Prince William and Kate Middleton to the city. A report in London says the couple plan to visit Canada in July. Former mayor Jack Masters says all it would take from Keith Hobbs would be a letter to Buckingham Palace.   For his part, Mayor Hobbs says he will look into the idea.

Anglers fined for breaking rules

The Ministry of Natural Resources is fining three Michigan men $1,350 for catching too many Northern Pike. Back in August when a M.N.R. officer came across the men they had 27 pike; that's nine over the legal limit. The men were fishing near Geraldton (where the case was heard in court last week).

Robbery

Police say a man was robbed early this morning on Simpson Street near Rowand. Around four a.m., a man walking northbound was approached by two men and a woman. According to police, one of the men pulled out a knife and stole the man's wallet and cell phone. Police were unable to find the suspects after searching the area and are still investigating the incident.

Road Rage

A 26-year-old man is charged with assault after a road rage incident. According to police, the man was cut off by a 36-year-old man on Edward Street Friday evening. Both men pulled on to Riverview Drive where an altercation began. Eventually the 26-year-old got a two-foot piece of leaf spring from his vehicle and swung it at the other man, causing minor injuries.

Carl Ave. bust nets ecstasy and oxy

There's been a big drug bust in the city. Police say they raided a home on the 200 block of Carl Avenue Friday morning. Sgt. Murray Brown says over 100 thousand dollars worth of drugs were seized including over 2 thousand ecstasy tablets and 878 Oxycontin pills.  A 38 year old man is charged

Tunisian link to Egypt unrest unexpected

The political upheaval in Egypt may be taking some people by surprise, but not Thunder Bay's Laure Paquette. The Lakehead University political science professor says she's seen it coming for some time, but admits the cause was unexpected.  She says many believe the political protests in Tunisia were the reason Egyptians took to the streets.   Paquette advises to watch for how the government there reacts to the protests and if there is a heavy handed clampdown.

Pedestrian hurt in traffic accident

A pedestrian is hurt following a traffic accident on the city's north side.   The elderly pedestrian was in the wrong place at the wrong time.   According to police he was hit by an automobile  in a 2 vehicle mishap around 3:20 Friday afternoon at Memorial and Lisgar. Everyone involved--inluding the pedestrian--was taken to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre where they were later released with minor injuries. One of the drivers involved is being charged with careless driving.

Hyer on election speculation

Parliment resumes on Monday and area MPs are bracing for a possible election.  Thunder Bay Superior North MP Bruce Hyer says election speculation has been spreading quickly.  Thunder Bay Superior North MP Bruce Hyer says he doesn't think of himself as a candidate, just an MP.  Hyer hopes his VIA Rail Service bill will make it to the floor sometime in the Spring.

Rafferty stands up for pension bill

Thunder Bay Rainy River MP John Rafferty is anxious over the fate of his pension bill.  He'll be making a last minute plea to his federal counterparts on Tuesday.  Rafferty says there still are some Liberals and Conservatives who are not supporting his bill.