Investigators Conduct Interviews In Ottawa

Investigators with the Thunder Bay Police Service and Thunder Bay R.C.M.P are in Ottawa today. They are conducting interviews with people connected to the Ottawa University hockey program. It is part of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault that took place when the team was in Thunder Bay for a pair of games early February. Chris Adams is Executive Officer with the Thunder Bay Police and says they could be in the capital for several days.

More Water Problems

There's lots of ice on Memorial Avenue near Squire Street today and it has nothing to do with a water main break.   City spokesperson Gerald Luty says that because of the warm weather the melting snow flooded the catch basin and it overflowed and froze.  Crews will be working this afternoon to fix the problem.  Meantime Luty says his department continues to be busier than ever, yesterday there were three water main breaks on the north side they had to fix.

No medal For Weldon...Yet

There's no medal for Thunder Bay's Robbi Weldon at the Paralymics in Sochi Russia. Weldon was one of a handful of Canadians who competed in the Nordic sprint cross country ski races today.    She along with her guide Phil Wood, of Canmore, Alberta., had their day come to an end in the semifinals of the women's visually impaired category.  Weldon competes again on Saturday.

T.O. Storm Cancels Flights

A winter storm that's hitting Toronto is causing problems for air travellers in Thunder Bay today.  Several arrivals and departures had to be cancelled or delayed because of the weather there.

More Grain Coming Soon

Grain elevators in Thunder Bay are soon going to burst at the seems now that the Harper government has ordered the railways to ship prairie grain ASAP.  Tim Heney of the Port Authority says  shipments should be coming through here in about a week or so.  Heney says there's room for about a million tons of grain so when it starts arriving it will be a big bonus.   He says it's always good to have plenty of grain in storage so that when the shipping season starts, there will be enough to fill the boats when they arrive.

Citizens Speak Out Against Events Centre

The seeds of discontent are being sown over the proposed events centre.   About a hundred disgruntled citizens turned out last night at the Mary J-L Black library to tell the city that the proposed arena is too expensive.  Some like Maryann Baarts-Matson don't like the proposed south side down town location. Kim Coreau called for a plebiscite on the issue while John Salamon spoke against the 106 million dollar cost.   Also making an appearance was Mayor Keith Hobbs and Councillor Joe Virdiramo.

Matthews Coming To Thunder Bay

Health Minister Deb Matthews is coming to the city again.   This time it's to help commemorate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.  While there is no indication Matthews will be coming with a cheque book,  some are hoping behind the scenes that she will be able to announce provincial assistance to ease the overcrowding problem at the hospital.

LU Prof Talks More Ukraine

Lakehead University political science professor Laure Paquette says the Russian government continues to control the message on Crimea during the crisis in Ukraine   With people  in the peninsula set to vote in an independence referendum on the weekend comes word that the Kremlin will consider whether or not Crimea should join Russia or remain with Ukraine in legislation to be discussed March 21st.  Paquette says this is a move most likely being made for appearances and they will continue to say and do things the Western world believes are wrong all along claiming a democratic process is taking place in Crimea.

Dementia Strategy Needed Says Director

Thunder Bay is now one of over the one-hundred Ontario communities making a push for the Federal Government to put a national dementia strategy in place. City councillors voted on Monday to support the push.   Allison Denton is Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay and says having a strategy in place would mean a more focused approach when treating those with dementia.   She notes that in a recent survey 83-percent of Canadian said they want a national strategy put in place.

Free Tax Clinic Today

Volunteer Chartered Professional Accountants are holding a free tax clinic for those with low incomes today.  Those with total household incomes of less than 30-thousand dollars, or less then 20-thousand if they have no dependants can file their taxes between 6-9pm at the Multicultural Association. The program helped file nearly 14-thousand tax returns across the province last year.

Infrastructure $ For NWO

The province is committing 14-million dollars to infrastructure in Northwestern Ontario including 2-million dollars to be spent on replacing the Court Street bridge.   Also included the Northern Infrastructure fund are upgrades to the water treatment plant in Nipigon and repairs to water towers in Greenstone.