Dryden Airport scraps customs service

Airports in Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake will no longer be offering customs service.  Dryden Manager George Friesen says sudden changes by Canadian Border Services prompted the change.  Friesen says costs have gone up in excess of 100-percent and notes keeping customs would have been passed along to those who fly-in from the States.  Kenora and Fort Frances are now the only Regional Airports currently offering customs, although Kenora is on a seasonal basis.

Union Gas holds public information session

Union Gas is carrying out its plan to bring natural gas to the Thunder Bay Generating Station on Mission Island. A public hearing on proposed routes is being held Thursday night and Spokesperson Glen Burton says it's part of the provincial approval process. Gas would be transmitted from the Thunder Bay Meter Station, south to the Union Gas Onion Lake Station and continue to the generating station. If approved, construction starts in 2013.

Government offers condolence to Wabasse family

Ontario's Attorney General is passing on his condolonces to the family of Jordan Wabasse.  Chris Bentley says the government is working to address missing first nation teens in Northwestern Ontario. Bentley addressed Wabasse' death in the Ontario legislature.  Police confirmed Wednesday the body that was found in the Kam River was the missing teen.

Hampton calls for inquest into missing teens

New Democrat Howard Hampton says it's time the government moved ahead with an inquest into the deaths of aboriginal teens attending high school in Thunder Bay.  Hampton made the call today after Jordan Wabasse' body was identified after being found in the Kam River this week.  Hampton says while we wait for the inquest, teens keep dying. The inquiry has been delayed in part because of a lack of native representation on the jury, an issue Attorney General Chris Bentley says is being worked out.

Cow births triplets

A northern Ontario beef cattle farm has experienced a  rare birth in the industry.  A cow owned by Wayne Flatt gave birth to three identical calves Tuesday night on his farm near Emo.  Flatt says there was no indication of triplets after the first calf arrived.  But he says he checked about an hour later, and there were three.

Habitat is enjoying a huge turn around

Its been a turbulent year so far for Habitat for Humanity but right now things are looking up.  CEO Diane Mitchell says last minute success from the raffle along with a donation from RBC made a huge difference.  The raffle netting 120 thousand dollars and RBC donated 20 thousand dollars.  Mitchell says with the added funds Habitat is able to purchase several plots of land and can fund a build this year. 

Vote on LU Law School Friday

Thunder Bay may soon be home to the Province's first new law school in 40 years.  The Law Society of Upper Canada has approved the idea and Lakehead University's Senate will vote on the proposal on Friday. The University says the school would give preference to Northerners and First Nations applicants.  Tuition at the Thunder Bay school will start at about 12-thousand dollars, about twice that at the University of Toronto law school.

Body found in Kenora

A post-mortem exam is scheduled to be performed today on the body of a woman found in the bush near Miller's Rapids Road in Kenora.  The OPP says its Northwest Search and Rescue unit discovered the body of Rosella Digirolamo around 9:30 Wednesday morning.  At this point, the OPP say they do not know the cause of death, but they are continuing to investigate the fatality.

Buchanan Sawmill enters bankruptcy protection

Another Buchanan sawmill has entered bankruptcy proceedings. McKenzie Forest Products filed for bankruptcy protection on April 26th, after learning the Hudson sawmill had not secured a wood supply from the province. Meantime, work continues on the proposed purchase of the former Atikokan Forest Products mill. A scheduled hearing in Toronto will again look at the possible transfer of a forest license to Eacom Timber of Montreal.

NW LHIN touts doctor recruitment

The Northwest LHIN is confident most residents have a primary care provider.  CEO Laura Kokocinski says there have been a number of initiatives in recent years that helped match orphan patients with doctors. In 2009, 86 percent of residents had a primary care provider.