Forest Fires Forces School Closure

Ministry of Natural Resources officials say the forest fire rating in Northwestern Ontario is "Extremely High." Nine new fires were reported yesterday, including one very close to the water tower in Kenora. A nearby school had to be shut down because of its proximity. M.N.R. Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, the Municipal Fire Department and the O.P.P. were all used in fighting the fire which forced temporary road closures. Officials say fire fighting efforts will continue until this fire is brought under control and declared out.

Pickle Lake Mayor Concerned

A proposed corridor for the Ring of Fire has the Mayor of Pickle Lake concerned. The development of a North-South Road to Nakina is in the early assessment stage. Roy Hoffman says this would impact the transportation of goods to the north, and that an east-west road seems more appropriate. Hoffman brought the issue up to government, and doesn't think they were aware of it before.

Storey Trial Takes A Break

The trial of a Thunder Bay OPP officer is taking a break until Monday.  Sgt. Darryl Storey is charged with Criminal Negligence in connection with the 2008 traffic death of 18 year old Jasmine Veneruzzo.  On Wednesday the first two paramedics at the accident scene testified.  They both told court that Sgt. Storey told them shortly after the incident that his vehicle collided with a car that had pulled out in front of him as he was travelling what was termed "highway speed"  down Highway 11-17.   When court resumes next week one of the two paramedics will resume his testimony.

AGS Burns Last Piece Of Coal

It's the end of an era. Atikokan's Generating Station burned its last piece of coal on Tuesday. The plant is being converted from coal to biomass and the project is already underway.

Mauro Congratulates Robbi Weldon

More praise is coming in for Thunder Bay's Robbi Weldon after she won the gold medal for Canada at last week's Paralympic Games.  Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro shared Weldon's story in the Ontario Legislature today.  Mauro congratulated Weldon and shared some of her exploits with his fellow politicians.

Grade 3 & 6 EQAO Results In

The results are in for students with the Lakehead Public and Catholic School Boards.  Grade 3 and 6 test results in the province wide standardized reading, writing and math tests were released Wednesday.  The public board's grade 3 students saw improvement in reading, stayed the same in writing and saw a small decrease in math scores.  In Grade 6, reading, writing and math scores all slightly went down.  The Catholic Board saw their grade 3 students' reading and writing marks significantly increase, however math scores fell by one percentage point.  Grade 6 Catholic Students saw their reading and writing scores stay the same and their math jump from 62 percent to 65.

True Grit Golf Tournament Thursday

True Grit is hosting a golf tournament at Whitewater Thursday in support of the Disaster Relief Fund.President Eric Zakrewski says the field is full with 34-teams entered and they now expect to raise more than 100-thousand dollars to help with flood funding after the May 28th disaster.  Zakrewski says the general public can also participate in a live auction for a 2012 Fiat sports car which takes place at 8:00 o'clock Thursday night at Whitewater.

Hearing Judge Finds Detectives Guilty

Deputy Chief Andy Hay

A surprise verdict at a Police Services Act hearing.  Two Thunder Bay police detectives have been found guilty of Unlawful Use Of Authority in connection with the way they handled a drug arrest a year ago.  The adjudicator handed down his verdicts in the cases of Detectives William Wowchuck and Brad Bernst.  A third Detective, Ron Popowich was found not guilty.   Deputy Police Chief Andy Hay says the force accepts the decision.  The sentencing will take place October 10th. 

Tbay Tel Luncheon Of Hope 20th Year

The 20th annual TBay Tel Luncheon of Hope is scheduled for next month. Organizers say ticket sales are going well.  Barb Midgeley has been with the luncheon for the past 19 years and says she's surprised they've been able to carry on over the years.  This year's special guest speaker is cancer survivor and Canadian Journalist Libby Znaimer.

Delta Is The Waterfront Hotel



Design Illustration of Hotel

It's no longer a secret. Delta Hotels and Resorts is officially the hotelier for the waterfront development project.Mayor Keith Hobbs and Delta officials made the announcement at a news conference this morning. Delta President and CEO Ken Greene says the hotel will be a 4-star hotel with 150 rooms and 18 penthouse suites.Officials say the hotel will open in 2014 and the result for the city is a million dollars in property taxes.


 

Man & Woman Charged In Assault

Thunder Bay Police are continuing to hold a crime scene in a bush area behind Wentworth Crescent.  Police were called just before 11:30 last night to investigate the assault of a 15 year old girl.  A 23 year old woman and 36 year old man are charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault, and the woman is also charged with Breach of Probation.  Police are still investigating the incident that sent three people to the hospital.

Meeting To Tackle Beds Issue

The Thunder Bay Health Coalition isn't letting a long term care home on James Street close without a fight. Coalition spokesperson Suzanne Pulice says the closure would mean a longer waiting list for such care in the city The Coalition along with the Service Employees Union, is holding a public meeting tonight at the Lakehead Labour Centre to discuss the issue. It starts at 7 pm.

Lakehead Schools Alternative Policy

The Lakehead Public School Board is in the process of developing an alternative school policy.  Superintendent of Education Colleen Kappel says it's going to come in handy when they receive requests to develop an alternative school.  Thunder Bay had an alternative school but it was forced to close down due to a lack of funds.

The Great Cat Giveaway

The Humane Society is trying to avoid a catastrophe.  Spokesperson Maryann Kleynendorst says they've got too many cats at their shelter so they have decided to give them away. She says they are taking care of 110 felines where they normally handle 60 to 70 cats. In and effort to ease that pressure they've decided to waive the 75 dollar adoption fee.   Kleynendorst says even though they are giving away the cats it's hoped some people will provide the society with a donation.

FCM Infrastructure Report Card

Thunder Bay is joining the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' call for more Federal funding for infrastructure.  Councillor Larry Hebert says the City has an infrastructure defecit and there's a need for more funding since every day our infrastructure ages.  The FCM report card on infrastructure was launched today in Ottawa and here in Thunder Bay. 

Police Charge Man In Grandview Incident

Thunder Bay Police are charging a 52 year old man with invitation to sexual touching and assault.  It comes after a 14 year old boy told police he was approached by an older man in a washroom at the Grandview Mall.  The man was released and will appear in court on October 9th.

One Man Dead In Apartment Fire

One man is dead after last night's apartment complex fire on Limbrick Street.  Fire Deputy Chief Greg Hankkio says two others are injured.  Hankkio says they're waiting for an investigator from the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office and the investigation will start this afternoon.  The cause of the fire is still not known.

Manpower Releases Quarterly Report

There will be a respectable hiring climate over the next three months in Thunder Bay.  Manpower's quarterly survey shows that 20 per cent of employers surveyed planned to hire for the upcoming three months.  The employment services company says another 70 per cent plan to at least maintain their staff levels.

Conservatory Future Back Up In The Air

City Council is putting the breaks on buying 76-thousand dollars in netting for the Conservatory.  Council made the decision at it's Monday night meeting calling for the original report to come forward at their September 24th meeting.  Councillor Brian McKinnon says he wants all the options to be discussed.  McKinnon as well as five other councillors voted against spending the money on the netting.

Bear Breaks-In For Sloppy Joe's

By now we know that bears are wandering into the city for food but who knew they had such high standards. Police say a bear sighting was called in to them on King Road as a family was preparing dinner. By the time police arrived, the bear had entered and left through an open window and the sloppy joe's on the stove was gone. 

Three Victims In South Side Fire

3 people are in hospital after an apartment complex fire on Limbrick Street. The blaze broke out just after 8 o'clock Monday night. Fire Chief John Hay says 2 men and a woman were sent to the hospital with injuries that vary in severity. Hay says so far there's extensive damage to one apartment building and some smoke and water damage in near by units. Hay adds they evacuated the building and hope to have the residents back in sometime Monday night.

Fire At Limbrick St. Town House Complex

3 people are in hospital after an apartment complex fire on Limbrick Street.  The blaze broke out just after 8 o'clock Monday night.  Fire Chief John Hay says 2 men and a woman were sent to the hospital with injuries that vary in severity. Hay says so far there's extensive damage to one apartment building and some smoke and water damage in near by units.  Hay adds they evacuated the building and hope to have the residents back in sometime Monday night.

City Looking For New HR Head

The City is looking for a new Director of Human Resources and Safety.  Allan Hjorth is set to retire this February.  City Manager Tim Commisso suggested a member of City Council sit on the recruitment committee.  Most of council said politicians should stay out of the hiring process.   Councillor Rebecca Johnson however says council should be involved since it's for a high level job.  

Terrace Bay Wants Full Time Ambulance Service

Terrace Bay Mayor Mike King is speaking out against the Superior North EMS new response times.  The new response targets were approved by Thunder Bay City Council Monday night. The new response target times are based on 2011 statistics.  King says the current level of service from Superior North EMS isn't good enough for the surrounding small communities. King wants the City to consider staffing a full time ambulance in his community for two years. Council is considering bringing back staffing levels to the North Shore communities back to the 2008 levels.  A report will be brought back to Council on the matter in the near future.

Lybster Township Man Faces Charges

A 35 year old Thunder Bay area man is facing several serious charges including forcible confinement after an incident on Monday morning.  Police say a woman in Lybster Township was held against her will by a man and threatened at gunpoint.  The incident ended after the man gave himself up peacefully to police.  No one is hurt.

Rainy River Hotel Destroyed

Fire has destroyed a Rainy River landmark.   The fire at the Canadian Northern Hotel started early this morning and was spotted by passers-by. Firefighters from Rainy River and Baudette, as well as support from Williams, Minnesota, were called to the blaze.The town office, located across the road, had to be shutdown because of smoke.

Waterfront Hotelier To Be Announced

The City and the developer of the waterfront Hotel are expected to make an announcement on Wednesday. They'll be making an announcement on Wednesday at 11. Representatives from the Re Solve Group and senior representatives from the hotelier will be on hand.

LU Launches ESL Course

A new English Language Program is helping students attend Lakehead University. LU International Director Leigh-Ellen Keating says the program will being hundreds of international students to both Thunder Bay and the Orillia campus. Keating adds they'll also offer English conversation classes in the evening for members of the community who would like to improve their English speaking.

Firefighter Looks Back At 9-11 With Pride

The memories are still vivid of the day that changed the world.   Brant Kiessig of the Thunder Bay Fire Service says on  the 11th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on the United States, he is remembering the firefighters who lost their lives at the twin towers that day..  He says he looks back on the day with pride knowing the men are still looked on as heroes. Kiessig says there will not be an official commemoration.

Pickle Lake Standoff Ends Peacefully

More Details are are now being released by Pickle Lake O.P.P. concerning a standoff over the weekend. Provincial police Constable Kenneth Stableford says they were called to a residence within the community on Saturday after a report of an assault.  It was then the man inside refused to give himself up to police and kept them at bay Saturday and Sunday.    Eventually a 35 year old man was arrested and taken into custody peacefully where he has been charged.

Officer's Trial Underway

The trial of veteran OPP officer Darryl Storey is underway in a Thunder Bay courtroom.  Storey is charged with criminal negligence in the 2008 traffic death of 18 year old Jasmine Veneruzzo.   About 20 witnesses are expected to be called by the prosecution in a trial that could take 3 weeks.   Storey is being tried by a judge alone.  Both, Jame Palangio, the crown lawyerand the judge, Cas Herold, are from out-of-town.  On the stand this morning was a courier driver who was one of the first people at the accident scene.

Pair Of Men Found Safe & Sound

Two men are said to be safe and sound following an O.P.P. search in the Shebandowan area. They were reported overdue and a search team was sent to their location on Greenwater Conservation area. The pair were found just before 9:00 O'clock this morning, safe and sound and without incident.

Brookside Residents Evacuated

Residents at Brookside Manor are still talking about a scare they had on Saturday night. 50 to 60 people had to be evacuated for about an hour after a report of a mysterious odour was called in to Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Services. Tests for explosive material and carbon monoxide were conducted but nothing was found. Residents were then allowed back in.

Police Search For 2 Men Overdue

O.P.P. in Thunder Bay are currently on the lookout for a pair of men who they say are overdue. Police say the two men were last spotted in the Shebandowan area near the Greenwood Lake Conservation area. Police are concentrating their search in that area to bring them back in.

O.P.P. Probe Pickle Lake Incident

Pickle Lake O.P.P. say they have the suspect in custody and is behind bars for now. Few details are being released but what Provincial Police are calling an "incident", had them occupied at a residence in Pickle Lake from Saturday into Sunday. Police are now saying the situation is over and was resolved without incident.

Caribou Charity Ride

Cyclists will be riding today to help beat Cancer. 400 cyclists will be taking part in the Caribou Charity ride starting at the Nor'Wester Best Western Hotel. The Ride has raised more than $38 000 dollars, surpassing their goal once again. Money raised from this event goes toward the Health Sciences Foundation's Northern Cancer Fund.

Doors Open in Thunder Bay

Doors Open is on in Thunder Bay today. The annual event allows people to tour historical buildings that are normally closed off to the general public. City Heritage Researcher Lee-Ann Chevrette says there will be plenty of activities for the whole family, including a photo contest. Sites this year include Hillcrest High School, the Finnish Labour Temple (shown in picture), and the Brodie Resource Library.

Martin Falls And Province Sign MOU

The Provincial Government and the Marten Falls First Nation are agreeing to continue talks on the Ring of Fire project.  Both sides have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.  Under its terms the community and the province will work together to address employment, economic development and environmental impacts of the massive chromite mine.  

Rickford Doles Out FedNor $

There's federal government cash coming to the area.   MP Greg Rickford says half a million dollars from FedNor is going to fund two projects.  The first is 360 thousand dollars for the expansion of the Rubin Business Park in Murillo.   Rickford also announced 150 thousand dollars for the Northwestern Immigration Portal run through the city of Thunder Bay. 

Great Lakes Deal

Thunder Bay's Mayor is among the supporters of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  Canada and the US signed the deal today.  Keith Hobbs says the new agreement addresses the issue of climate change preparedness which is important to communities in the basin.

Books With No Bounds

Two teenaged Oakville, Ontario sisters are collecting books for kids living in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. Emma and Julia Morgus bought books with their own money and accepted donations leading to over 3-thousand books being collected. Emma says they are now looking to raise money for shipping the books north. To follow the Books with no Bounds cause you can look them up on Facebook or Twitter.

Medal Recipients Announced

Add nine more Thunder Bay residents to the list of locals being honoured during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year. The latest list of  Jubilee medal recipients shows a cross section of city residents. From a former city councillor to a church minister. Here's the rundown of the recipients...Kay Geravelis who established the Vale Community Centre, Sandra Guthrie, businessman Larry Joy Senior, Anglican Minister Deborah Kraft, Jolene Kemp, Pauline Krupa, Jack Remus, Fay Steadwell and Lawrence Timko who, at 30 years,  holds the record for the longest serving city councillor in Thunder Bay. 

City Jobless Rate Up

A slight change in our jobless rate.   There were more people looking for work in Thunder Bay last month than the month before.  Government figures from Statistics Canada show the rate went up slightly in August to 6.3 per cent from 6.1 per cent in July.  Across Canada the rate in August was 7.3 per cent.

Campbell On MNR Offices

The Provincial government is being challenged to hold consultations before deciding to close any Ministry of Natural Resources office in this region.  In the Ontario legislature, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell stated the government needs to learn from its mistakes.  Campbell is in Thunder Bay today. Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci is promising the government will be consulting local communities before any cuts are made. 

Road Construction Slowing

The construction season in Thunder bay is slowly coming to an end. The major inconvenience for traffic is still happening on Montreal Street and Neebing Avenue affecting mostly residence in the area and workers ar Bowater. City Engineer Rick Harms says projects are still on the horizon until the end of October but so far they are on budget. One more major project is set to start next week on Algoma Street between John and Bay street.

Main Arteries Closed Saturday

The City of Thunder Bay is warning motorists about road closures Saturday for the Fort William Fall Street Fair. Victoria Avenue is shut down between Brodie and Simpson Street. May Street is also closed to vehicles from Mile Street to Donald Street. Those main arteries are closed until 6:00 'clock tonight.

United Way Sets Fundraising Goal

The United Way has set its new fundraising goal of just over 2.6 million dollars. Chair Carol Busch says they had a hard time reaching their goal last year but they're not going to let that discourage them this year. The United Way financially helps support 28 local agencies.

Sharing The Healing

The healing continues for residential school survivors in Northwestern Ontario.  This week in Thunder Bay many are gathering like Albert James from McDowell Lake First Nation,  who says it's good to hear a lot of victims are coming to terms with their trauma.  He says healing has taken place in their lives now.  Walking Together, Sharing our Journey continues at the Airlane Hotel until Sunday.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Training

Thunder Bay Police are taking part in a training program that looks at why crimes occur at convenience stores, public parks, and housing complexes. Barry Horrobin of the Windsor Police Service will be teaching Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to local officers. Horrobin says convenience stores are tricky. Horrobin suggests convenience stores change their layout inside the store so cashiers have better visibility. Horrobin says housing complexes need to have shrubs cleared away to make it more visible, as well as good lighting to make people feel safe.