Bishop agrees with government appeal

The Harper government says it will appeal a court ruling that struck down Canada's prostitution laws.   An Ontario judge ruled the laws unconstitutional.  Thunder Bay Bishop Fred Colli says he is in favour of the appeal saying prostitution is unacceptable.

Health official calls for bedbug standard

There's a call for a province wide standard to deal with bedbugs. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit isn't legally required to keep track of the problem. Spokesperson Chris Bevridge says he'd like all health units to work off the same page on the issue. He says as an example,  Toronto Public Health is actively involved in the problem there. While we're not seeing that kind of infestation here, Bevridge says it shows there is a need for uniform guidelines. He hopes that's one of the outcomes of a so called "bedbug summit" being held in Toronto.

McGuinty visits Thunder Bay

Premier Dalton McGuinty will be touching down in Northwestern Ontario Thursday. McGuinty will be making a speech at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Conference.  His talk is scheduled for noon on Thursday at the Airlane Travelodge Hotel.

City not immune to bedbugs

A local pest control expert says Thunder Bay isn't escaping the bedbug problem in North America. Robert Hamlin of Nor West Pest Control says the critters returned in just the last five years and the numbers have increase 100 per cent. Hamlin says hotels in the city are in good shape, but says bedbugs are part of the industry. Overall, he says the problem is not bad at all.

She's a hunter and a hero

A 448 pound black bear had no chance against a 17 year old girl armed with a bow. Jessica Olmstead of Battle Creek Michigan killed the massive Bruin recently while hunting with her dad near Hornepayne. Olmstead spoke with our newsroom and says it was a special moment for her to be able to come to such a beautiful place with her dad.  Olmstead says just before dark she spotted a bear club playing nearby her tree stand, when out of no where he big bear chased the cub.  The high school student says the cub was chased up the tree when her kill shot saved it from becoming the big bears dinner.   It was Olmstead's first big game kill.

Crime Prevention Council launched

Thunder Bay's Crime Prevention Council is starting to recruit members.  The City held a launch for the council today and Dr. Irvin Waller was the key speaker. Waller addressed the recent murders in the city and says the council needs to review the incidents and look for specific areas where the City could have done a better job.  Waller notes the audit will show areas where there could have been intervention by police, schools, family, or other service provider.  A program coordinator will be hired this fall, and the council's first meeting will be held in mid-December.  Mayor Lynn Peterson says they've set a goal of reducing the City's crime rate by fifty percent over the next ten years. Peterson adds they'll most likely need 100 thousand dollars in funding for crime prevention programs and the council.