Zwig promises no delays on study release

The environmental study on the Nor'Wester wind farm will be released next month. City council says it will not approve the location of the turbines until that study is made public. Horizon Wind president Anthony Zwig says he has no intention of delaying the release, adding the company is working to finish up the provincial process and will release the study as soon as they can. Zwig stopped short of saying he was surprised by councils decision

Local mill appears destined for scrap heap

A local union boss is disappointed with the latest developments involving the former Abitibi Mission Mill. The company has found a scrap dealer in the States to buy the mill. Marvin Pupeza of the Canadian Paperworkers Union says its a sad day. He says it wasn't long ago they were working with a potential buyer, but it fell apart. Pupeza adds that a new collective agreement was even worked out with the members, but now it appears the mill will be bulldozed. When it closed there were 430 employees.

OLG announces latest slots cash

The latest payment to the city of Thunder Bay from the provincial government gambling casino is 572 thousand dollars. The money represents 5 per cent of the slot machine revenue from the facility. It was the cash collected during January, February and March.

Backhoe accident sends man to hospital

One man is injured following an accident involving a backhoe. City police spokesperson Chris Adams says it took place at a private residence on Koivu Road Tuesday around noon and sent a 30 year old man to hospital after the machine rolled on him. Police, fire and paramedics responded. While the mans injury is reported as serious it isn't considered life threatening.

Five local nominees in film awards

Thunder Bay is fairing well for the 2010 Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards. Organizer Dennis Landry says 5 of the 24 nominees are from Thunder Bay. He says its no surprise to him because we have an interesting diverse film community.  The local nominees are:  Dave Clement is up for two awards for his work on the film “The Healing Lens” in the Best Film Editor and Best Cinematography categories. Heather K. Dahlstrom is nominee in the Best Film category for “The Healing Lens”.  Two local finalists are nominated in the Best Screenwriter category. Kris Ketonen who collaborated with Lee Chambers on the script “The Sum of Random Chance” and Ryan La Via for his script titled “Psyche”.
Thunder Bay also has a local finalist in a music category. Chris Dorota is nominated in the Best Engineer category for his work on Jean-Paul De Roover’s album “Windows and Doors”.   The awards will be handed out May first in Sudbury.

Westgate students form living green ribbon

High school students in the city are promoting organ and tissue donations. At Westgate Collegiate students formed a human green ribbon. Lisa Cashin of the local Kidney Foundation says the campaign in Thunder Bay appears to be working. She says 38 per cent of the population here has consented to donate their organs at the time of death. Cashin says while that rate is high for the province, she believes it could be better.

Woman hurt in ATV accident

One woman is in hospital with undetermined injuries after flipping her ATV. The accident happened yesterday night when the 37 year old was towing a log up a hill. The ATV rolled on top of her and the woman was taken to the Health Sciences Centre by Air Ambulance with non life threatening injuries.

Wind farm location decision now in limbo

Horizon Wind is now in the drivers seat. City councillors have voted to postpone a final decision on a location for the proposed Nor'Western wind farm. It will not come until Horizon releases an environmental assessment report. City Planning Manager Mark Smith doesn't expect the process to drag on.   He believes the company will release the report "sooner rather than later".   Horizons' Anthony Zwig has said he will make it public in his own time.

Subdivision expansion given preliminary approval

The River Terrace subdivision extension is one step away from being a done deal.  After over 4 and a half hours of  discussion councillors approved the plans by Art Lannon to add the 71 lots.    It came in spite of the pleas of environmentalists like Christy Radbourne who were concerned about the trees that were to be cut down to make way for the new lots.    Radbourne believes councillors had their minds made up prior to the vote.