Twenty-Third Annual Christmas Parade

The annual Christmas parade took place earlier today. A slight change was made from years past with the reversal of the usual route. The parade began at the Real Canadian Superstore and finished at the Community Auditorium.

Bomb Scare

Thunder Bay Police and O.P.P continue to investigate a bomb scare on East Frederica Street. The incident happened around 9:30pm Friday when a smouldering object was thrown thru a house window. When police responded they closed off the area and had the O.P.P Explosive Disposal Unit called out. Anyone with information is being urged to contact police.

Child Pornography Charges

City Police are laying two child pornography related charges on a Thunder Bay man. Thirty-eight year old Dan Nawrocki was arrested at his home yesterday morning where investigators seized fifteen computers, six hard drives and an estimated ten-thousand DVD's. These charges are not related to the current international child pornography investigation.

Man Charged In Hit and Run

Thunder Bay Police are charging a 22 year old man with a series of drinking and driving related charges.  Sgt. Glenn Porter says early this morning they were called to investigate a vehicle that skidded off the road and drove over a fence at the County Fair Plaza Mall.  Police followed tire tracks in the fresh snow and found the vehicle parked at a home nearby.   A young man was still behind the wheel of the running car when officers asked him for a breath sample.  A breath test revealed his blood alcohol level was 2 and a half times over the legal limit. 

Plant To Burn Biomass Instead Of Coal

Thunder Bay's two MPPs are announcing the Provincial Government will convert the local coal plant to advanced biomass.  Over the next year, the plant will stop burning coal and will be converted to use forest or agricultural sources as fuel for electricity generation.  Work to convert the plant will begin in 2014 with work expected to be complete by 2015.

Flu Is In T.Bay

The flu is now officially in Thunder Bay.  The Health Unit is reporting two lab-confirmed cases of influenza A in the region.  The first two cases were confirmed in younger kids.  The health unit is reminding residents that there is still time to get your flu shot at any one of their clinics or at your local pharmacy. 

Christmas Kettles Campaign Is Back

The Salvation Army is gearing up for another Christmas Kettle campaign.   Executive Director Major Rob Kerr says this year they're looking to raise 170 thousand dollars.   Volunteers are needed for several locations across the City including Intercity Mall, the Superstore, Walmart and the LCBO.

CUPE Town Talk On Dec. 3rd

13 Township of Schreiber workers are moving closer to a strike.  The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents the staff and hopes upcoming mediation talks will move them closer to getting a collective agreement.  Mediation talks are set for December 3, 2013.  The workers previously voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike if a deal can't be reached.

Fire On Coady Thursday Night

There were no injuries following a fire at a home in the 100 block of Coady Avenue.   Fire crews were called to the scene at 11 o'clock last night and discovered a mattress on fire in a basement bedroom.  An adult and three children were able to make it safely out of the home before firefighters arrived.  Damage to the basement was minor and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.  

New No Frills Open

The city's new No Frills store on Edward Street opened its doors to customers this morning. Darcy Leduc is the Owner and says he looks forward to talking with his customers about what they would like to see in the grocery store.  The store is 24-thousand square feet in size and has been remodeled to include wooden slates on walls, wood crates for display cases and softer lighting.  The County Fair No Frills store is expected to open up soon as well.

LU Shares Accomplishments

Lakehead University is celebrating its accomplishments this year and sharing them with the community through its annual report.  Chair of the Board of Governors Cam Clark says they've accomplished many goals this year including opening the new law school, an increase in enrollment and launching a new strategic plan.  Clark and President Dr. Brian Stevenson addressed a group of community partners at a special breakfast this morning at the school.

Tourism Award

Officials with Tourism Thunder Bay are coming home with an award from Toronto.  Thunder Bay captured an Ontario Tourism Award for its part in the "Ride Lake Superior" program, which partnered with tourism groups in the Sault Ste. Marie region as well as Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The organizations promoted a motorcycle ride touring program around Lake Superior as a bucket list tourism experience.  

PARO Holds Awards

Eleven women business owners are being honoured by the PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise. They are being recognized as the top enterprising women of 2013.  PARO Executive Director Rosalind Lockyer says best new business goes to Sharla Brown and her company Keynote events.  A formal ceremony took place last night at the Valhalla Inn.

Crash Survivor Issues Statement

A woman who survived the fatal crash in Red Lake is offering her condolences to the families who lost loved ones. In a statement released by the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre, Julie Dayholos says:

" Words cannot describe the overwhelming feeling of love and support that I have received over the past few days. I want everyone to know that I am doing well and on the road to recovery following the accident on November 10th. During this time, my thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost their loved ones.
I would like to thank everyone who has sent prayers my way and especially my family who has been at my side every day. I would also like to thank the staff at Red Lake Hospital and Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg for taking such good care of me, and for helping me through this journey.
I hope everyone understands my need for privacy at this time as I focus my energy on my recovery and healing.
Sincerely,

Julie Dayholos”

Global News is also reporting that the other survivor has been identified as 29-year-old Keith Hoffman.

Horwath Chats With Mayor About Local Power Plant

NDP leader Andrea Horwath says it's time for the province to act on the conversion of the Thunder Bay generating station to natural gas.   Fresh off a meeting with Mayor Keith Hobbs, Horwath again called on the Wynne government to take action.  Horwath says the north needs to have a reliable source of power generated in the north.

Poverty Free Rallies For Better Minimum Wage

Poverty Free Thunder Bay and the Labour Council are joining forces to ask the Provincial Government to raise the minimum wage.  Poverty Free Chair Terri Carter says they want it raised to 14 dollars.  Members of both the Labour Council and Poverty Free Thunder Bay rallied in front of Thunder Bay MPP Michael Gravelle's office on Thursday afternoon.  Poverty groups from across the Province are rallying today outside their MPP's office in a hope the Province will increase the minimum wage.

Thunder Bay Expressway In For A Face Lift

The provincial government is making plans to improve the Thunder Bay Expressway.  A contract for preliminary design work for the 13 kilometre stretch between Arthur and Balsam Street has been awarded to URS Canada. In making the announcement MPP Bill Mauro says improvements will include widening to a four-lane divided roadway and building new interchanges.  The study is expected to be completed by 2015.

Victim's Names Released

The three passengers who died in Sunday's Bearskin Airlines crash in Red Lake have now been identified.  64-year old Sharron Taylor, 53-year old Anna Johannesson and 53-year old Peter Struk all perished when Bearskin Flight 311 crashed on its landing approach.  All three victims are from Red Lake.  

CN Rail Will Repair Bridge

CN Rail says the James Street Bridge will need to be fixed but that's all they know for now. Spokesperson Lindsay Fedchyshyn says experts are still reviewing the engineers report on the structure.  The bridge is still off limits to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

More Smoking Sanctions

There could be fewer places to smoke in the near future. Ontario's Health Minister Deb Mathews says she intends to introduce legislation that will prohibit smoking on playgrounds, sports fields, and restaurant and bar patios.  Smoking is already banned inside eating establishments. The proposed legislation will also ban the sale of flavoured tobacco products and increase fines for those caught selling tobacco to youth.