NADF Business Awards nets Thunder Bay entrepreneurs

Several Thunder Bay based businesses won at last night's Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund business awards.  Janet Furoy took home the Youth Entrepreneur award and is proud of her Spa Euphoria and Wellness Retreat.  Clayton Clace won the Busniness Man of the year award.  Clace is originally from Sioux Lookout and maintain's heating systems in the far north.  Clace hopes he will inspire other first nations residents to start businesses.  Gabriel Cross won best new business for her Gabby's Spudz and more.

Tough talk from City Manager

The city says it will not be intimidated by a 126 million dollar lawsuit fromy Horizon Wind.  The company launched the suit this week over changes made to it's lease agreement with the city over wind turbines.    City Manager TimCommisso says the city will file a defense and will seek arbitration to resolve the dispute.

Levesque blames drugs and poverty for ranking

The second in command at the City Police Service says  vices and social conditions are contributing to a new dubious distinction for our city.  MacLean's Magazine has pegged Thunder Bay as the 23rd most dangerous city in the country and number 2 in the murder rankings.  Deputy Police Chief J-P Levesque blames drug addiction and poverty for many of our crime problems.

Katimavik looking for billet families

Katimavik is looking for host families for October and November.  Spokesperson Sarah Tamosetis says they have enough billet families, but they're still looking for back ups. Katimavik teens will be living in the City from October 28th until November 7th.

Hannam says no to hand count

The City of Thunder Bay is saying no-way to a petition demanding a hand count of election ballots.  Returning Officer John Hannam says even if they wanted to do a hand count, it's too late.  Andy Wolff launched the petition this week.

Report targets NW LHIN

An Auditor General report shows the Northwest Local Health Integration Network paid for consultants. The three LHINs studied spent anywhere from 224 thousand dollars to 1.4 million per year on consultants. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says she isn't surprised. The report also states the LHINs didn't have an adequate process in place that would ensure consulting services were planned for.

No delays for waterfront development

Preparations are in place for the city's waterfront development project as winter approaches.  Manager Katherine Dugmore says they've already set the stage for how they'll handle the colder temperatures.  For instance,  building construction has been timed so that all the indoor work can take place during the harsher winter months.  Dugmore says the development remains on schedule.

Casino cut inches to 600 K

The city's latest cut of the casino revenue works out to almost 600 thousand dollars. That's close to 6 thousand dollars more than what was given to the city in July and almost 30 thousand more than the spring dividend. Every three months the city gets 5 per cent of the revenue from the slot machines at the government run gambling casino.

Special Olympics are coming together

Thunder Bay is just 90 days away from hosting North Western Ontario's first ever Special Olympics Winter games. Games Manager Julie Tilbury says things are really shaping up but they are still short of their fundraising goal. She says one way people can donate is by sponsoring an athlete.  Chair JP Levesque says they have raised about 3 quarters of their 800 thousand dollar fundraising goal.

Habitat for Humanity is going to school

Habitat for humanity is getting a huge helping hand from Confederation. Students are volunteering to build the latest Habitat house and will get some hands on experience. Habitat's Dianne Mitchell says its a great partnership for the organization because it will help ensure the house is completed in time for the family to move in by Christmas.  Student Michael Kehler says there is no better way to learn than to actually get your hands dirty and build.  

Thunder Bay 2nd in country in murder rate

McLean's Magazine has pegged Thunder Bay as the 23rd most dangerous city in the country.  The real bad news for the city came in the murder rankings where we ranked 2nd in the country behind only Abbotsford BC.  Thunder Bay also ranked 12th in robberies.