Walberg To Chair LU Board

A local banker is the new chair of the Lakehead University Board of Governors.   Murray Walberg will take over from Cameron Clark starting in October.  He's been on the board for 3 years and says he enjoys working with fellow board members and LU administration and calls chairing the board an honour.  Walberg is currently board vice chair.

Due Diligence Insisted For Events Centre

Thunder Bay's Young Professionals Network is urging the city to do its homework before approving a new event centre.  Spokesperson Nathan Lawrence says the group believes a comprehensive evaluation has to be completed before construction can begin.  Lawrence says the group supports the event centre, but it must have a sound business plan with an economic benefit to the city.

Tbaytel Buys Star Security

Tbaytel is expanding its security services as the result of its acquisition of Star Security Company.  The city run phone company says this now results in an extra 2 thousand customers to its residential and business security services.  The purchase price was not disclosed.

Fire Destroys Rural Northside House

There are no injuries to report following a morning house fire at 595 Onion Lake Road.   Crews were called to the scene just after 9 this morning.    Platoon Chief Larry Warners says its been a difficult to fight because there are no hydrants in the area and they are essentially letting the fire burn itself out as they shuttle water from about several kilometres away.    The fire started in the bedroom area and the exact cause is under investigation.

Pinewood Outbreak Over

All is back to normal at the Pinewood Court seniors home on Walsh Street.   The District Health Unit says the illness outbreak at the long term care facility, has been declared over. All restrictions have been lifted.

ELA Gets Second Life

The Experimental Lakes Area in Northwestern Ontario is getting a second life after the province came to to an agreement with the a research organization based out of Winnipeg . The two sides have agreed to continue vital freshwater research at the world reknown site.  The project plans to explore the risks of so called nanomaterials in the environment and monitor lake recovery from mercury emissions.

Students Protest Fracking

A student environmental group is standing up against fracking, a drilling process that uses chemicals to release natural gas underground.    Fossil Free Lakehead set up a mock drilling rig at the Agora as  part of a national day of  action against climate change.  Organizer Jody Mitchell says they're against some of the investments made by the university support some top oil and gas companies.

Rural Schools Closed

The overnight freezing rain and snow forcing the closure of rural schools in the Thunder Bay area.  All rural school bus routes are also cancelled today.  As well, the following schools are closed.  Crestview, Five Mile, Gorham and Ware, Kakabeka Falls, McKenzie, Nor'Wester View, Valley Central, Whitefish Valley and Thunder Bay Christian School.

Highway Closures

The snow and freezing rain overnight forcing several highway closures in the area.  The OPP has closed Highway 11/17 from Highway 102 here in Thunder Bay all the way to Ignace.  Highway 11 is also shutdown from Highway 71 to 600.  Highway 502 also closed due to icy road conditions from Highway 594 to Highway 11.