Highway 17 East of Upsula Closed

Highway 17 east of Upsula is closed in both directions due to a multi vehicle collision. O.P.P. advise drivers to take Highway 11 as a detour if necessary. The estimated time of the closure is not yet known.

Vegan Iron Chef Competition at Confederation College

4 people are vying for the chance to be crowned the Vegan Iron Chef of Thunder Bay. The first meat and animal product free cooking competition in the City is taking place at Confederation College this afternoon. Organizer Frances Talarico says competitors will be coming up with some unusual recipes. The winner will be crowned at the awards party later tonight.

NOMA VP Nominated to President

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield could pick up some new duties later this year. Kenora council is nominating Canfield for the position as president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association. Canfield is currently vice-president of NOMA.

16th Annual Influential Women Nominations

Nominations are being accepted for the 16th Annual Influential Women Of Northern Ontario Awards. Operations Manager with Northern Ontario Business Kimberly Wahamaa says six women will be honored at two separate events in June. She adds more information can be found online at www.influentialwomen.ca. Nominations are due by February 22.

Structural Fire In Shuniah

An Alder Road home in Shuniah is completely destroyed after the chimney caught fire Friday morning. 2 people were in the house at the time and managed to escape.  The fire was thought to be put out but it later spread to the floor, roof and garage.  3 fire departments including Thunder Bay were called to the blaze.

Storey Sentenced To 2 Years

OPP Sgt. Darryl Storey is sentenced to 2 years in prison and can't drive for 5 years.  He was convicted of dangerous driving causing death in connection with a 2008 traffic accident that killed 18 year old Jasmine Veneruzzo.  The judge brought down his sentencing this afternoon.

Dilico Hires 9 New Mental Health Workers

Dilico Anishinabek Family Care is using its share of provincial government funds to hire 9 new mental health and addiction workers.  The trained professionals will help First Nation kids get better access to culturally appropriate care such as counseling, group therapy and crisis intervention.  Executive Director Micheal Hardy says it's great news for area communities. One of the workers will be placed at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, two will deal with a backlog of cases within Dilico's service area, and the others will be placed in First Nation communities.

OLG Slots Pay City

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is issuing its third quarter cheque to the city for hosting it's casino. The payment is for more than 6-hundred-and-three thousand dollars.  That's five percent of the casino's slot revenue and is up dramatically from the 5-hundred-and-eighty-four thousand dollars collected in casino slots during the same time last year.

T.Bay Hydro Solar Projects Online

Two Thunder Bay Hydro solar panel projects are now online producing energy.  The 280 kilowatt system on the Victoriaville Parkade and the 60 kilowatt system on the Superior North EMS Headquarters produce enough electricity to power 36 homes.  Spokesperson Jim Kibiuk says they plan to install more solar panels on another four buildings in the City.  Kibiuk says Thunder Bay Hydro is dedicated to building a portfolio of renewable energy assets.

Dog Attack Case Back In Court

The man charged in connection with a dog attack in Tarbutt Park in November of last year will be back in court next month.  57 year old Frank Vantroba appeared in court this morning and will be back on February the 25th to set a trial date.  Vantroba is charged with criminal negligence in addition to charges laid by the city's Licencing and Enforcement division.  The attack seriously hurt an 11 year old boy.

Confederation College Gas Leak

A gas pump leaked 140 gallons of fuel into Confederation College's storm sewage system earlier today.  President Jim Madder says they've taken the necessary actions including calling the Ministry of Environment and having the gas pumped out of the catch basin.  Madder says they don't know why the gasoline pump broke but they are looking for the answer.

Witnesses Sought In Hit & Run

City police are looking for help from residents in the area of University Drive and Inglewood Crescent who may have heard a crash just after midnight on Thursday morning. They are hoping someone has information about a vehicle that fled the scene. A driver of white mini-van lost control and slammed into a parked car on the 100 block of University Drive. Extensive damage was done to the rear of the parked car, and it is expected that the front of the white mini-van will also have damage. Any witnesses are asked to call city police or CrimeStoppers.

O.P.P. Sargeant To Be Sentenced Today

O.P.P. Sargeant Darryl Storey is scheduled to appear in court today to be sentenced on a charge of dangerous driving causing death. Storey plead guilty to the charge in connection with a 2008 incident which claimed the life of 18 year old Jasmine Veneruzzo. Storey is appear in Superior court today.

Thunderwolves Weekend Preview

The Lakehead University Thunderwolves hockey team is back at home tonight for the first of two against Ontario Tech. The Thunderwolves lead the Ridgebacks by 9 points in the West division standings. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort William Gardens. The L.U. basketball teams are on the road in London this weekend for a pair of games against the Mustangs. Western is two points up on the Thunderwolves in the women's standings while the Western men's team has just one win on the season.

Gravelle Says Its A Tight Race

Thunder Bay MPP Michael Gravelle thinks its going to be a tight race between his choice for Liberal Leader Sandra Pupatello and former Education Minister Kathleen Wynne.  The final vote for the leader of the Provincial Liberals comes down the weekend of January 25th.  Gravelle is pleased the majority of Thunder Bay Superior North delegates selected Sandra Pupatello in the first round of voting last weekend.

Bell Changes Tower Plans

A planned cell phone tower for 1360 John Street Road is now being proposed for 1376 Louis Street instead.  City planner Thora Cartlidge says Bell Mobility has changed its plans and city council will get a full update Monday.  She says that instead of holding a second meeting with John Street residents Bell opted to locate the tower in another nearby location. That too is expected to involve a public meeting.

Bus Shelters To See Improvements

Bus shelters in Thunder Bay are about to get some fixing up.   The federal government is granting the city 250 thousand dollars to make those improvements.   The shelters which will be targeted  are those that are the most frequently used and those that have been identified for infrastructure improvements. Transit Manager Brad Loroff says it's part of Transit's Master Plan.

Charges Laid In Villa Street Incident

Police are charging a 21 year old man with aggravated assault in the Villa Street incident last month.  An incident at the Villa Street home lead to the death of one man and sent a second to the hospital with life threatening injuries.  The young man was arrested at the Provincial Courthouse after being released on Breach of Probation charges from a previous incident.   The 23 year old victim of the assault remains in critical condition in a Toronto area hospital.

Meeting Held, No Immediate Solution

Hobbs, Bentley, Angus

The City's Energy Task Force is vowing to continue to work with the Provincial Government and the Ontario Power Authority when it comes to the conversion of the Mission Island Power plant. No decision has been made on the possible closure of the local facility.  Mayor Keith Hobbs says he's hopeful after today's meeting with Energy Minister Chris Bentley.  Both the Energy Minister and the Mayor have said they'll continue to talk about the future of the facility and what role it will play in the region's energy needs.

Bus Shelters In Line For Improvements

Bus shelters in Thunder Bay are about to get some fixing up.   The federal government is granting the city 250 thousand dollars to make those improvements.   The shelters which will be targeted  are those that are the most frequently used and those that have been identified for infrastructure improvements.