Events centre seating reduced

There doesn't appear to be much that can change the minds of people on where they would like to see a new events centre located. The latest open house hosted by city consultants hasn't made a difference to many of the hundreds who attended at the Da Vinci Centre Wednesday. Meantime, the consultants have tweaked some of their design details including the proposed size from 65 hundred seats to 57 hundred and that only Innova Park and the north downtown will be seriously considered as arena locations

Fight to save Plasma Centre not over

Ontario's Public Services Employee Union is vowing to take the fight to save Thunder Bay's plasma centre to Ottawa.  President Smokey Thomas says the Feds run the Canadian Blood Services and they need to give proper cause for this closure.  Thomas says he doesn't see how it makes sense to close this facility when we are buying plasma from the States.  He will be looking for support from the opposition parties in the House of Commons to bring this matter before the Prime Minister.

L.U. reaches out to future students

Lakehead University and the Public School Board are now part of a program which is designed to give students, who face barriers, a shot at going to L-U. The Achievement Program was launched at Sherbrooke School. Qualified students will be able to earn money towards tuition fees.

Gas Bar Robbery in Fort Frances

Ontario Provincial Police are looking for a suspect in an armed robbery in Fort Frances.  Police say someone held up the Safeway Gas Bar around 10:30 Tuesday night.  OPP say a man entered the store pointing a handgun and he demanded money from the teller.  The suspect received an undisclosed amount of cash and he fled the store.  He was wearing a white hooded jacket, blue jeans and white running shoes.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers or Fort Frances OPP.

Change the World Youth Challenge

High schools around Thunder Bay are joining together and holding a 3 week long volunteer challenge for their students. Assistant Project coordinator Kristen Bohonis hopes students will be inspired to volunteer.  The challenge starts today and ends May 6th.

CRIBE makes announcement in Dryden

The Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy is calling it its biggest project yet. The organization announced yesterday 6-million dollars in funding to launch a 14-million dollar plan for the Dryden Domtar Pulp Mill to convert wood waste to fuel. Chief Executive Officer Lorne Morrow says Dryden is on the cutting edge of this new technology in the forestry sector. Minister of Natural Resources Michael Gravelle says the project aims to develop a unique, cost-effective system that if successful, will increase operational efficiencies and a create a fossil fuel alternative for transportation fuels.

Bike lanes to top meeting agenda

New bike lanes are being planned for a few Thunder Bay locations and residents can have their say at a Current River ward meeting tonight. Active transportation coordinator Adam Krupper says streets in that area will get a bulk of the new bike lanes this year. The meeting is at 7 tonight at the North End Rec Centre.

Avis decries centre closures

The Mayor of Fort Frances is trying to arrange a meeting with Ontario's Tourism Minister to talk about the pending closure of the region's tourist information centres. Roy Avis understands the government's need to save money, but wants to know if there's other options to keep the centres open. A resolution calling for the centres in Fort Frances, Kenora and Rainy River to remain open will also be discussed at the upcoming meeting of area Mayors in Kenora.

Event Centre open house round 2

Residents have another chance to learn more about the proposed Events Centre.  The consulting team behind the facility is hosting its second Open House Wednesday afternoon and will present a more in depth business plan for each of the 3 locations.  Lead Consultant Conrad Boychuk says the economic impact study is starting to come together but still needs to look at a lot of different components.  The meeting gets underway at 3 o'clock at the DaVinci Centre and will have 2 presentations from the consultants at 4 and again at 7.

Police arrest 2 during bust

Two people are behind bars after a drug bust last week.  Police seized about 28 hundred dollars worth of cocaine and also took in about 40 thousand dollars worth of assests from the pair last Thursday.  A 32 year old woman and a 48 year old man are facing several charges each.

RBC rewards innovation

The RBC Innovation Awards are honouring Northwestern Ontario businesses. The 4th annual RBC Innovation Awards were handed out this afternoon and Spokesperson Judy Sanders says there was stiff competition this year. Barb Courte is the award recipient in the Innovation Hero of the Year category. The Meaglow Semiconductor Research Reactor is the award recipient in the Innovative Project of the Year category and Global Hydration is the award recipient in the Innovative Company of the Year category.

Car dealer embarks on fundraiser

When you buy a vehicle at Badanai Motors over the next year you'll be helping build the new Ronald McDonald House in Toronto. George Badanai says the fundraiser is the result of a request from officials at the facility which houses out of town families whose children need extended care at Sick Children's Hospital. He says they committed to raising 50 thousand dollars.   Badanai says 100 dollars from every vehicle sold will go toward the cause.

Hair Cuts for Cancer

Cops for Cancer is encouraging more people to participate in this year's fundraising event. Volunteer Jesse Pyatt was more than happy to cut his hair for Cancer Research. The event will be held at Intercity Mall on May 12th.

Inspectors at fatality scene

The investigation into a fatal industrial accident yesterday afternoon remains in the early stages. Matt Blajer of the Ministry of Labour says a worker was killed after he was run over by a dump truck that was backing up at a construction site.  He says the worker was employed by L-T-L Contracting. Blajer says there are at least two inspectors at the scene of the accident at Oliver Road and Golf Links Road.

Michael Chan wanted in NWO

Ontario's Tourism Minister is a much wanted man. The mayor of Fort Frances is the latest to seek a meeting with Michael Chan to discuss ways of keeping the region's tourist information centre open. Roy Avis says that meeting should happen with other municipal leaders. Avis also says there might be an opportunity to strike a business venture with the province that keeps the doors open at centres in Fort Frances, Kenora and Rainy River.

Attawapiskat update

The remote Northern First Nation of Attawapiskat is going back to co-management status.  The Federal Government says its pulling the third-party manager who had been handling the finances of the troubled reserve.  The Aboriginal Affairs office says Jacques Marion is being withdrawn because of progress in reserve management.  A transition of power will take place over the next two weeks.

3 young men in police custody

Police have three young men in custody this morning after an alarm sounded for a break and enter to a County Boulevard home last night. Officers used a K9 unit to track the suspects and located some of the stolen property. The three young men are being charged with break, enter and commit theft, and breach of probation.

Chamber supports Mauro bill

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce is throwing its support behind a local politician's efforts to help the wood industry in the north.   MPP Bill Mauro's private members bill would promote wood as a main construction material in provincially funded buildings.  The Chamber says its members have taken a similar stand and will to take it to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting next month.

Industrial accident results in fatality

A worker is dead after being involved in an industrial accident this afternoon in the city. Police Staff Sgt. Frank Early says it took place around 1:30 at the Thunder Bay Country Club construction site on Oliver Road. Sgt. Early believes the man may have been struck by a dump truck. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police say they have secured the site until the Ministry of Labour investigates

Local operator applying for ONTC routes

A Thunder Bay company wants to fill the void when Ontario Northland Transportation stops providing service in northern Ontario. Sandy Smith of Caribou Coach says they are applying to the province to begin operate busing services to residents east of Hearst on Highway 11. Smith says when ONTC lowers the boom his company wants to be there to keep services seamless.   The province is winding down Ontario Northland train  and bus service to help balance the government's budget.