Events centre seating reduced

There doesn't appear to be much that can change the minds of people on where they would like to see a new events centre located. The latest open house hosted by city consultants hasn't made a difference to many of the hundreds who attended at the Da Vinci Centre Wednesday. Meantime, the consultants have tweaked some of their design details including the proposed size from 65 hundred seats to 57 hundred and that only Innova Park and the north downtown will be seriously considered as arena locations

Fight to save Plasma Centre not over

Ontario's Public Services Employee Union is vowing to take the fight to save Thunder Bay's plasma centre to Ottawa.  President Smokey Thomas says the Feds run the Canadian Blood Services and they need to give proper cause for this closure.  Thomas says he doesn't see how it makes sense to close this facility when we are buying plasma from the States.  He will be looking for support from the opposition parties in the House of Commons to bring this matter before the Prime Minister.

L.U. reaches out to future students

Lakehead University and the Public School Board are now part of a program which is designed to give students, who face barriers, a shot at going to L-U. The Achievement Program was launched at Sherbrooke School. Qualified students will be able to earn money towards tuition fees.

Gas Bar Robbery in Fort Frances

Ontario Provincial Police are looking for a suspect in an armed robbery in Fort Frances.  Police say someone held up the Safeway Gas Bar around 10:30 Tuesday night.  OPP say a man entered the store pointing a handgun and he demanded money from the teller.  The suspect received an undisclosed amount of cash and he fled the store.  He was wearing a white hooded jacket, blue jeans and white running shoes.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers or Fort Frances OPP.

Change the World Youth Challenge

High schools around Thunder Bay are joining together and holding a 3 week long volunteer challenge for their students. Assistant Project coordinator Kristen Bohonis hopes students will be inspired to volunteer.  The challenge starts today and ends May 6th.

CRIBE makes announcement in Dryden

The Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy is calling it its biggest project yet. The organization announced yesterday 6-million dollars in funding to launch a 14-million dollar plan for the Dryden Domtar Pulp Mill to convert wood waste to fuel. Chief Executive Officer Lorne Morrow says Dryden is on the cutting edge of this new technology in the forestry sector. Minister of Natural Resources Michael Gravelle says the project aims to develop a unique, cost-effective system that if successful, will increase operational efficiencies and a create a fossil fuel alternative for transportation fuels.

Bike lanes to top meeting agenda

New bike lanes are being planned for a few Thunder Bay locations and residents can have their say at a Current River ward meeting tonight. Active transportation coordinator Adam Krupper says streets in that area will get a bulk of the new bike lanes this year. The meeting is at 7 tonight at the North End Rec Centre.