No talks yet in NOSM dispute

Efforts to start up contract talks in the Northern Ontario School of Medicine strike remain in limbo. Union spokesperson Tyler England says they're still waiting for word from school administration to get back to the table. Reports indicated the school is ready to return to bargaining and officials are simply trying to reach the mediator.

Art Gallery to ship out Beam painting

A little bit of Thunder Bay is heading to Ottawa next week. One of the Art Gallery's permanent works of art is being sent to the National Gallery on Monday. Alastair MacKay says its a painting by Carl Beam which will be part of a travelling exhibit. He says the National Gallery is collecting works by the Aboriginal artist and have requested that the local gallery send them one from their collection called Exorcism. MacKay says the national tour will be stopping in Thunder Bay in about two years or so.

Transit talks last all of 5 minutes

A transit strike in Thunder Bay is one step closer. It comes with the breakdown of contract talks between the Amalgamated Transit Union and the city. Union boss Charlie Brown says the meeting lasted all of 5 minutes today.  He says when the city came in and refused to change it's position both sides agreed there was no use in continuing the talks.  The union members will be in a legal strike position 17 days after the conciliator hands down her report.

One stop for job hunters

There's a new program in place to help job seekers. The Employment Services Program brings together three other job services into one according to Jim Adams, the Regional Director for Colleges Training and Universities. Lakehead Employment Services, Northwest Employment Works and YES Employment Services come under the new program.  The main office is located at Confederation College.

Charges laid in connection with fatal collision

Thunder Bay OPP have laid a charge in connection to a fatal collision on the expressway. A transport truck collided with a jogger March 1st killing a woman who was crossing the intersection. Police have charged a 45 year old Red Rock man who will appear in court in September.

Cabinett Shuffle has no effect on Michael Gravelle

Michael Gravelle is happy to keep his post inside the provincial government. Premier Dalton McGuinty made a few minor changes to his cabinet yesterday but Gravelle is keeping his portfolio. He says happy to continue with his work in forestry and mines in the Northwest. Gravelle says he's also happy to be chosen to sit on the the priorities and planning committee.

Transit strike looms

A transit strike could be a reality in Thunder Bay before the summer is over. A strike vote by bus drivers and maintenance workers will be held on August 29th. Meantime both the City and the Amalgamated Transit Union will be holding conciliated talks Thursday. The Union says the major issue in the talks is the City's request for concessions, which Union boss Charlie Brown calls detrimental.

Watermain break on south side

There's a watermain break on the south side of the city. City Works official Mike McLeod says it's affecting an area around South Edward and Begin. He says a contractor struck a water pipe with a drill. McLeod says the work to restore water service to the area near the Tim Hortons and Burger King may also cause traffic disruptions.

MS Society warns of scam

Officials with the MS Society of Thunder Bay are warning of a phone scam. Police say three residents have received phone calls from somone claiming to be soliciting on behalf of the organization.  The MS Society says it is not conducting a phone fundraising campaign.

Warnings posted at Boulevard Lake

If you're planning to swim at Boulevard Lake you do so at your own risk. The Health Unit has placed the three beaches under a swimming advisory. Officials say that water quality tests at the main beach, Sandycove and Sunnyside, show higher than acceptable bacteria levels.  Warning signs are now posted.

Westfort Community Centre could close

Thunder Bay City Council is considering shutting down the Westfort Community Centre.  A report from administration will be presented to council on Monday night.  A five year structural review of the centre was recently completed that states its reaached the end of its life cycle.  Administration is recommending the centre be demolished before the winter snow season.

Warmer water in Lake Superior

A warmer winter and spring means Lake Superior's water temperature is warmer as well. Environment Canada Climatologist David Phillips says anyone who went swimming this summer felt the temperature difference. Lake Superior's water temperature went up 8 degrees this summer and sits at 21 degrees.

Mountain bike bandit caught

A 48 year old parolee is now charged thanks to a sharp eyed plain clothes police officer. After receiving tips about a man with a mountain bike breaking into homes in Westfort, the officer spotted a suspect entering a home. He later confronted the man and chased him down and made the arrest. The suspect was apparently on parole at the time for previous break and enters.

Tuchenhagen wants Shaw black out

City Councillor Robert Tuchenhagen wants Shaw to black out city council meetings in September and October.  The move is being proposed for the city council meetings leading up to the 2010 municipal election.Tuchenhagen feels incumbant councillors will have an unfair advantage being on tv on a regular basis while there competition won't have that opportunity.  Council will be discussing the matter at their Monday meeting.

SUV burned in Hillcrest park

Thunder Bay police are investigating after an SUV was set on fire this morning in Hillcrest park. Spokesperson Chris Adams says it appears to be arson and the people involved first used the SUV to drive though some park benches.  No arrests have been made and there appears to be no injuries.   

Early morning stabbing keeps city police busy

One man is in serious condition after being stabbed multiple times this morning. Police responded the call just after 3 o'clock on Jean Street and the Victim was taken to the Health Sciences Centre. A youth has been arrested in connection with the incident and will likely face charges.  Officers also dealt with a separate assault in the Brodie Victoria Avenue area where three people were sprayed with mace just after 3 o'clock as well. Meanwhile police took two young boys into custody in the Huron and Balsam area after they were caught breaking into vehicles in the area.

Waterfront work continues

Work continues on the Prince Arthur landing.  Waterfront Project Manager Katherine Dugmore says they awarded four tenders including electrical, sewage and landscaping contracts.  The foundation for the water garden pavilion, skating rink/splash pad and water feature has been installed .

Lac De Illes Mine has bright future

North American Palladium feels the Lac De Illes Mine has a bright future. A study on the Thunder Bay area mine was presented to its shareholders on Tuesday. President Bill Biggar says the mine could be producing 250-thousand ounces of Palladium by 2012. The company says it has 150 million dollars in cash for future projects and has no long term debt.

Thunder Bay election weeks away

Tick tock, the municipal election is just under three weeks away.  Thunder Bay Returning Officer John Hannam says the deadline to register is 2pm on Friday, September the 10th.  A list of registered candidates can be found on the Thunder Bay votes website.

Thunder Bay airport passengers increase

Thunder Bay's Airport has recorded record breaking July traffic volumes. Last month saw an 8.8 percent increase with over 63 thousand passengers flying in and out of the local airport. President Scott McFadden says the addition of Porter Airlines played a part in bringing more passengers into the airport.

OPP lay charges in 80's cold cases

An Ignace man is charged with 19 offences in connection with sexual assaults  in the Thunder Bay area dating back to the 1980's. 62 year old Donald Milani was originally charged back in 1987, but those were discharged. But according to Sgt. Shelley Garr the cases were resurrected because of new evidence.  Milani has been released from custody and will appear in court in Thunder Bay on August 30th.

City buses won't cross picket line

City buses will not cross the Northern Ontario School of Medicine strike picket lines. The City Transit Department has set up a temporary stop on Oliver Road across from the Agora entrance. Anyone wanting to enter Lakehead University will have to cross the picket line by walking or in their own vehicle.

Murder prelim underway

The preliminary court hearing is underway in connection to the murder of a 36 year old man last year. The hearing in Thunder Bay is expected to last two weeks. It will determine if there's enough evidence to send Christopher Gregorchuck and Eric Lindstrom to trial on second degree murder charges. The charges followed the death of 36 year old Richard Quimet in March of last year.

Ready, set...vote

Voting for the World Fishing Network's ultimate fishing town contest starts today.Thunder Bay closed the day yesterday with 118 submissions promoting itself.  The top 10 communities will be based on how many votes each community garners.

Fishing survey out in January

Anglers are being asked to keep track of their fishing experiences this year. The Ministry of Natural Resources will be sending out a survey in January asking a variety of questions relating to fishing. The survey is conducted every five years and is mailed out to 15 hundred anglers.

Police charge teen after accident

Thunder Bay Police have charged an 18 year old man from Oliver Paipoonge after Police received a tip that a pick up had been involved in a collision and rolled in a field in Neebing Township and had not been reported.  Police then discovered there were several passengers in the truck, and an 18 year old had been thrown out.  The passenger in the back sustained serious injuries.

Charge follows weekend fatality

A 69 year old Indiana man is facing a careless driving charge in connection with a weekend fatality. Police say he was the driver of a pick up truck that went off the highway near Nipigon and resulted in the death of a 70 year old passenger. He too was from Indiana.

Kitchener woman victim of fatal accident

A 35 year woman from Kitchener is dead following a traffic accident near Dryden. She was the driver of a car that collided with a pick up truck on Highway 17 in Eton Township yesterday morning.

NOSM staff on strike

Administration staff at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine are on strike.
 Pickets are set up at all entrances at Lakehead University. Dean Dr. Roger Strasser says they want to reach a solution with the OPSEU union.
 Meanwhile, Union Chair Tyler England says they just couldn't reach an agreement after 90 hours of bargaining.
 Outstanding issues include workloads, benefits and sick leaves.

Students display works of art

The old CIBC building on Victoria Avenue is home to some student artwork. Summer students from Lakehead University are displaying their work. Assistant professor Kristy Holmes says it's different and unique. The display runs until September 18th.

Metis Flag raised at City Hall

It's the year of the Metis.  Thunder Bay is going to play host to the Annual General Assembly for the Metis Nation of Ontario this weekend.  Thunder Bay Metis Council President Wendy Landry says they're honored to be holding the event.  Northwestern Ontario is home to 2 thousand 843 metis residents.  The Metis Nation of Ontario flag was raised at City Hall Monday.

CLE a hit again

Organizers of the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition are pleased today. They say this years fair was another success. They estimate that 60 thousand people came through the turnstiles, about the same as last year.

Rough year for Border Cats

The Thunder Bay Border Cats close out the baseball season at Port Arthur Stadium tonight. For owner Brad Jorgenson, 2010 could have been better, on the field and at the box office. He says while the weather was much better this season that last year, it didn't reflect in the attendance. He also says the World Junior Baseball Championship had a negative effect on attendance saying it went down after the games concluded. He says it also proved hard on the team's schedule. Jorgenson says the team will access how things went this year and make some decisions from there, but he is not ruling out the team returning next year.

Motorcycle collides with bear

A Thunder Bay man is not hurt badly after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a bear on the weekend. OPP say it happened on Saturday on Highway 11/17 in Conmee Township. Police say the driver was taken to the hospital, treated and released. As for the bear, it ran off into the bush.

American man victim of fatal accident

A 70 year old Indiana man is dead following a weekend traffic accident. OPP say that it was a single vehicle mishap that took place on the Trans Canada Highway near Nipigon. They say the pick-up truck the man was a passenger in, drove off the highway and struck a rock cut.

Memorial sinkhole fixed

A water main break and subsequent sinkhole closed off a section of Memorial avenue yesterday. The break happened in the morning at Memorial and First causing a several meter wide hole in the street.
A crew began repairs after the water main break was brought under control.

MMA Comming to Ontario

Ontario will be allowing Mixed Martial Arts to take place for the first time. The province could be hosting the popular sporting events as soon as next year.

Premier Dalton McGuinty previously declined the idea of allowing mixed martial arts inside the province, saying it wasn't a priority for Ontario families.

It seems the money was the motivation in the debate. It's estimated M.M.A events could generate nearly six million dollars a year into Ontario's economy.

CLE draws crowd

The Canadian Lakehead Exhibition continues today at the fairgrounds by Silver City.

CLE president Lawrence Timko says attendence is looking good so far and the couple cloudy days didn't seem to hurt much, although exact numbers won't be known until the close of the fair.

The CLE will be happening until midnight, tomorrow is the last day for the exhibition.

Comuzzi-Stehmann nominated

It's now official, Maureen Comuzzi-Stehmann is the Conservative candidate for Thunder Bay-Rainy River.
The announcement was made yesterday by Patrick Doherty, president of the Thunder Bay-Rainy River Conservative Electoral District Association.  Comuzzi-Stehmann will most likely face Ken Boshcoff for the Liberals as well as sitting NDP MP John Rafferty in the next election.

Police release more info on robbery suspect

Thunder Bay Police are still trying to find the person responsible for a Mac's store robbery from August the 8th. That's when the Simpson Street store was robbed by a man wearing a disguise. Police say he confronted the clerks and demanded money. They say the man had a weapon but no one was hurt. Police describe the suspect as Native Canadian, 17-22 years old, just over 200 pounds and over 6 feet tall with an open scab below his left eye. A surveillance picutre of the incident has also been released.

Social Services Board CAO retires

Thunder Bay's Social Services Board's CAO has announced her retirement.  Mary Lucas spent 35 years working in Thunder Bay, and joined the DSSAB in April of 1999.  An executive search firm has been hired to look for Lucas' replacement.

Mayor set for AMO Conference

The City of Thunder Bay has a number of meetings set up with ministers at the coming Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference. Mayor Lynn Peterson says they're asking the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs to set up a regional office in Thunder Bay. Other sit down meetings with ministers include: Energy and Infrastructure, Northern Development and Mines, Natural Resources, and Transportation. Peterson is joined by councillor Joe Virdiramo and City Manager Tim Commisso.

Four new officers join city force

There's a new breed of constable that is working with the Thunder Bay Police Service. The four newest constables are a little older than what the service used to hire even 10 years ago according to Deputy Chief J-P Levesque,  having what he calls "life experience".  He says they are seeing more and more of this as people are choosing second careers.  The newest officers were sworn in at the Ontario Court of Justice.  Pictured:   Andrea Megan MacInnis is one of four new city constables.

Ignatieff NWO tour a no go

Tragedy in the Liberal family has resulted in the cancellation of a scheduled trip of Michael Ignatieff to Dryden and Kenora.  Mario Lague, Ignatieff's top aid, died Thursday when his motorcycle struck an SUV.  Kenora Liberal Candidate Roger Valley says despite the cancelled trip, Ignatieff remains committed to this area.  The Grit leader was scheduled to arrive in Dryden Saturday night.

Terrace Bay Pulp slight delay

Terrace Bay Pulp is going to start up before the end of the month. It's a slight delay since 400 employees were expected to start back on the job on Monday. United Steelworkers Union Spokesperson Herb Daniher says their plan is not off track. Equipment needed for the start up is arriving at the mill this week.

NAPS graduates cops

The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service is welcoming 6-new Graduates.  The constables were sworn in at a ceremony in Thunder Bay Friday.  The new recruits will be stationed in Moose Cree First Nation, Fort Severn, Sachigo Lake First Nation, Attawapiskat and Fort Albany.

Tim Hudak wants to get rid of LHINS

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak is making a number of election style promises. Hudak says if elected premier he will scrap the local health integration networks. The Ontario PC Leader was in Thunder Bay on Thursday. Hudak says the decision making progress is taking place at Queen's Park and McGuinty is using the LHINS as a shield.

NAN wants far north act scrapped

Nishinawbe Aski Nation communities could put up blockades and protest in the far north.  Grand Chief Stan Beardy says that's what will happen if the McGuinty Government pushes the Far North Act through.  Beardy says they do not like the proposed legislation and want the Liberal government to scrap it altogether.  NAN communities are concerned about how the act lays out jurisdiction of land.

Worst Roads campaign back

CAA is looking for nominations for its annual worst roads campaign. Spokesperson Kory Kennedy says its a very successful and popular program, with over 90 percent of the roads nominated since 2003 being repaired or are slated to be repaired. You can cast your vote by visiting the CAA website.

Local forest firefighters return home

The first of 41 Ministry of Natural Resources personnel working in Saskatchewan are expected back home later today.  Forest Fire fighting crews and support staff from Northwestern Ontario have ended their deployment.  A second group from Northeastern Ontario will be sent home Friday.  The MNR still has 288 personnel helping with the fire fight in British Columbia.