Council Approves Cell Letter

City Council feels Tbay Tel has met its obligations to consult the public in relation to installing a cell phone tower on Wardrope Avenue. The City is sending the Federal Government a letter saying the company did its job in talking to the public about their proposed antenna.  Councillor Trevor Giertuga was the only one to vote against sending the letter to the Feds.

Boys & Girl Club Tax Report Coming

City Staff will be coming back to Council with funding options for the Boys & Girls Club and it's property tax problem.  Council voted in favour Monday of studying funding options for the group including using money from the City's Charitable Rebate Program.  Councillor Iain Angus says they need more information before they can make a decision on whether to help the club out.  The charity is facing taxes for the first time since the Municipal Property Tax Corporation didn't exempt their new Windsor Street property.

Eat Local

City Council is chewing the fat after receiving a report on local food production.  The report claims the City, school boards, University and College spend 6.4 million dollars on food annually and if they increase buying local food by 2 percent it would put 83-thousand dollars in local farmers bank accounts.  The report investigates how the public sector could use more local food in their cafeterias instead of buying produce from other parts of Ontario.

UAS Wants City Funding For 2013

City Council is considering funding the Urban Aboriginal Strategy for another year.  The group spoke to Councillors Monday night and asked for 90-thousand dollars in financial support.  UAS Spokesperson Frances Wesley says they would be devastated if they didn't get the cash.  City staff will be bringing back a report on funding the organization at a future meeting.

LU Students Involved In Sit In

A group of Lakehead University students are protesting changes to the curriculum at the new Northern Ontario Law School.  Spokesperson Sebastian Murdock Gibson says they're upset the school has decided to drop an aboriginal learning program.  The four students are camping out outside of the President's Office at LU.

Arson Cause Of Weekend Fire

City fire inspectors are now certain that the weekend fire on Finlayson was deliberatly set.   Eric Nordlund says they went through the burned out shell and determined it was vandalism arson.  Nordlund says that a flammable liquid was poured on the main floor of the vacant house.   Meantime Nordlund says there is nothing to connect this fire to the one the week before on Cumming Street.

Local Teachers Ponder Return To Extra Activities

Local public high school teachers appear ready to get back to reviving extra curricular activities.  Paul Caccamo of the teachers union says it's the result of what he calls positive developments with the new Liberal government, but  he warns not to expect a full  return to activities as some may still harbour some resentments. Caccamo says it's still up to individual teachers whether to participate or not.

City First For Violence Against Women

Thunder Bay is directly named in a new Statistics Canada report that is out today concerning violence against women. Executive Director Debbie Zweep of the Faye Peterson Transition House says it shows the number of violent crimes against women in this city is the worst in the country.   She says it matches what her women's shelter is seeing.  Zweep is trying to work with her colleagues and make a formal presentation in front of city council in the very near future

Cataract Surgeries On Hold

Cataract surgeries at the Regional Hospital are postponed until April the first.    Officials say it's because the facility performed more surgeries that they were funded for so they must wait until the new government year to begin the cycle again.   So far this fiscal year there have been almost 18 hundred and 20 cataract surgeries ,  almost 40 more than they were allowed by government funding.

OSISKO Nears Feasibility Study Completion

Osisko Mining is preparing to complete a key document on its gold project near Atikokan. President Sean Roosen says they're about 85 per cent complete on a feasibility study. Roosen says the document could be complete within the next six months.

Fort Mayor Seeks Financial Help For Community

The town of Fort Frances is seeking some financial help from the province to offset the tax rebate to Resolute Forest Products. Mayor Roy Avis intends to broach the idea with Municipal Affairs Minister Linda Jeffrey while they're at the joint meeting of Ontario Good Road Association and the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association meetings in Toronto this week.

Food for Thought

The City of Thunder Bay, in partnership with the District Health unit and the local Federation of Agriculture will be hosting a talk about everyone's favourite subject; food. World famous "food activist" Wayne Roberts tonight from 7 pm to 9 pm in the Baggage Arts Building at Prince Arthur's Landing.

Man Charged With Stunt Driving

O.P.P. In Dryden are charging a 22 year old Manitoba man with stunt driving. He was caught doing 50 kilometres an hour over the posted speed limit on Highway 17 in Machin Township. The vehicle has been impounded for a mandatory seven days and the man is facing a court appearance in Dryden to answer to the charges.

Hackner Falls In Senior Final

The "Iceman" fell just short. Al Hackner's Thunder Bay rink lost 6-4 to Bruce Munro of Idylwilde in the final of the Northern Ontario Senior Men's Curling Championship yesterday in Geraldton. Munro now moves on to represent Northern Ontario at nationals next month in P.E.I.

Ski Teams Win Provincial Titles

The Lakehead University Nordic ski teams continue to dominate their provincial rivals. The Thunderwolves men's and women's teams captured the O.U.A. title at the Lappe Nordic Ski Centre over the weekend and got individual wins from Scott Hill and Alannah MacLean in the mass start events. For the women, it's the 9th straight team title and second consecutive for the men. Both teams now have 12 provincial team titles.

Crime Of The Week

Crime Stoppers needs your help in identifying a man wanted for a serious assault near Grandview Arena on June 9th, 2012. A woman was walking home from a party when she approached a group consisting of two men and a woman, asking for a cigarette. The woman was denied and shoved towards a tree. She was then punched in the face and shoulder and suffered a puncture wound to her back. The suspect is described as a 5'7" Caucasian male with blond hair who was wearing a white muscle shirt and jeans. If you have any information about this incident that can help police, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 623-TIPS, that's 623-8477.