Jobs in the Northwest are on the rise

Our unemployment rate went up last month but a closer look shows that we actually gained jobs in Thunder Bay.  Lakehead University Economics Professor Livio Di Matteo says our rate went up because of a large increase in the workforce.   Matteo says construction jobs likely caused the increase in job numbers.  

Kidnapping trial to resume in new year

A Thunder Bay kidnapping trial is taking a break until the new year.  35 year old Kyle Truong is charged in connection with an incident last year at a Cumberland Street motel.  Evidence presented in Superior Court of Justice this week included horrific accounts of a victim's finger being cut off.  The case will be back in court January 23rd for a judge's decision

New Solar Parks coming Thunder Bay's way

Thunder Bay seems to becoming a green energy centre in the province. GE Solar Ink has targetted our area for 3 new solar parks.  CEO Ian Rogers says he hopes to build parks on Dawson Road, Mapleward Road and Amethyst Bay.  Rogers says the parks should power between 15 and 20 thousand homes.

Aboriginal workforce targeted

Jobs for Aboriginals is the bottom line of a conference taking place in the city Wednesday. It focuses on employment, education and training. Sharon Smith-Baxter of the Thunder Bay Urban Aboriginal Strategy says it's important to provide them with the tools they need to find work since they are becoming a larger part of the city's population. 

Mauro hearing adjourned again

It will now be next year before the case against City Police Sgt. Jim Mauro can be heard.   Once again the Police Act proceeding for Sgt. Mauro has been postponed.  As with last month, Wednesday's scheduled hearing couldn't take place because his lawyer says Mauro is too ill to attend.  As a result there are now three days set aside in February for the hearing. Mauro faces two counts of misconduct under the  Police Service Act relating to a letter he presented to an arbitration hearing in 2009.

Hyer says Harper's greenwashing his environment record

Thunder Bay Superior North MP Bruce Hyer says the Federal Government is green washing it's abysmal environmental record.  Hyer says Ottawa's decision to spend 150 million dollars over five years is too little too late.  Hyer says that amount of money won't even make up for their decision to cut 700 Environment Canada jobs.

PSAC warns of job cuts

The Public Service Alliance is watching the Federal Government closely after they announced they would make cuts to the public service.  Regional Spokesperson Judith Monteith Farrell says they're watching to see if positions are eliminated from FEDNOR.  Farrell is also concerned with positions in Indian Affairs.

Kama Creek restoration started

Work has begun on restoring Nipigon Bay's Kama Creek. The work will bring the creek and it's floodplain back to conditions that were last seen in the 1960's.  The Creek's condition was one of the main factors for the decline in Brook trout.  The restoration is a partnership between Environment Canada, the Ministries of Envrionment and Natural Resources and Lakehead University. 

18 year old assaulted near Cumming Street

Thunder Bay Police are investigating an assault on an 18 year old man on the City's south side.  Constable Julie Tilbury says not much is known about last night's incident.  The teen was walking in the area of North Marks Street and Cumming Street.  He was approached by a group of men and was assaulted by one member of the group.  He was taken to hospital by ambulance and has been released.  Police are looking for a man with a buzz cut hair style wearing a grey hoodie.

Overnight stays up 4 percent

Tourism Thunder Bay is celebrating a four percent increase in it's hotel stays.  Acting Manager Lisa Beckwick contributes the increase in hotel stays to the hog rally this past summer that brought in 800 people.

Couch fire on North Franklin

A North Franklin Street homeowner is left with a thousand dollars in damage after a fire Tuesday night.  Thunder Bay Fire's District Chief Gilles Tellier says a couch caught fire behind the home owner's garage. Tellier says the fire appears to be accidental and suggests someone accidentally flicked a cigarette when passing by.

PARO's Enterprising Women

The PARO Centre for Women's Enterprises is naming its 2011 enterprising women.  Executive Director Rosalind Lockyer says the winners of this year's awards embody the word "enterprising".  Bonobo Foods won the Green Entrepreneur award, Brenda Adams won for her work with Janzen's Pharmacy.

County Fair Mall up for sale

If you have 4 million dollars burning a hole in your pocket you could be the proud owner County Fair Mall.  Colliers International has put up a for sale sign on the building excluding the Zellers portion of the mall.  That portion's lease was taken over by Walmart. 

NOSTA's last year a challenge

The North of Superior Travel Association is coming out of some tough times as the board enters Wednesday's Annual General Meeting in Thunder Bay.  President Iain Angus says NOSTA is in the hole 17 thousand dollars compared to 48 thousand last year with a goal of being debt free by March 31st.

Program targets seniors

Seniors who gamble at the OLG Casino can be seen as easy  marks for thieves and thugs. That's why the City Police will be at the casino Wednesday morning handing them crime prevention tips. Detective Diane MacLaurin says it's a new partnership between police and the OLG.  MacLauren says the initiative follows the recent robbery and assault of a senior in the casino parking lot.

Police are still investigating a truck that ended up in a river

Its still unclear how a truck ended up in the McIntyre River last night.  Thunder Bay police say one man was found inside the vehicle and was arrested for being drunk while a second man was taken to hospital after he was found on the river bank.  Both men have since been released. 

Hyer and Rafferty are getting support from the OFAH

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has come to the rescue of Thunder Bay's NDP MP's.  OFAH Spokesman Greg Farrant says they have sent an open letter to NDP Leader Nycole Turmel in support of Bruce Hyer and John Rafferty who were punished for voting in favour of ending the long gun registry.  Farrant says how can you punish someone for voting for what their constituents wanted when you don't have an official stance on the issue. 

Syrian death toll reaches 3500 civilians

The UN says 35 hundred civilians have been killed in Syria and despite that number, an LU Political Science Expert says there will be no western intervention.  Laure Paquette says the western world is concerned with the financial crisis in Europe.  Syria's leader Bashar Assad says he has stopped attacking civilians and is only targeting Al Qaeda but Paquette says now it seems everyone who opposes him is a member of the terrorist group.

Veterans ride gratis

For the 10th year in a row Thunder Bay Transit is offering free bus rides in the city to veterans this Friday, Remembrance Day.  Transit's Jon Handel says vets simply have to show their uniform or medals.

PARO brings in Cupcake Girls

The PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise wants local women to be inspired and start their own businesses. That's why they brought in one of the Cupcake Girls.  Heather White is one half of the business that includes a reality television show on the W network.  White says she was involved in a similar organization that played a big role in getting her business off the ground.