Bow Hunting Session Well Attended

The stage is set for the city's controlled deer hunt. About 90 bow hunters and land owners turned out Thursday night for an information session. The city's Ron Bourret is happy with the turnout and says there were good questions on issues surrounding boundaries and liability.  He  admits there's still a lot of learning ahead and calls it the first step of many.  Bourret thinks it'll take two or three years, maybe longer, to measure any type of success

Public Wake Being Held For "Cancer Warrior"

Thunder Bay's outpouring of emotion for Michael Ancliffe seems to show no end.  His family, friends and supporters will be holding a public wake for him in the fall.   Antcliffe died on the weekend after his very public battle with cancer in which he started his own fundraising campaign on Facebook.   The wake for Ancliffe takes place October 5th at the CLE Coliseum

Terrace Bay Celebrates

A street festival in Terrace Bay Friday  takes on a new flavour as residents get to meet the executives of the Indian company that bought the town's idled pulp mill. Natural Resources Minister Michael Gravelle says the Birla Group has proven it's serious about reopening the facility to make rayon.  Gravelle says the event is important so residents can see for themselves the mill is reopening.

KI Paddlers To Hit The Water

A team of paddlers from the northern community of KI First Nation is hitting the water to protect their watershed. The group is scheduled to leave the fly-in community Friday and will follow the ancient trading route before arriving in Fort Severn. Richard Anderson is the Watershed Coordinator for KI and says the paddlers are united . He says they are calling on Ontario to respect their land before it gets poisoned by mining companies.

College Delves Into Bio Energy

Confederation College is taking green energy research to a new level.  With the help of almost half a million provincial dollars from the Centre for Research in the Bio Econony (CRIBE). College president Jim Madder says they'll be developing a learning and research centre for bio energy. He hopes one of the benefits will be energy for remote communities. Madder says the other goal of the new centre is to support the expansion of the wood pellet industry.

Green Research $ For Atikokan Firm

It's all about green energy for Atikokan Renewable Fuels. The province is providing over 70 thousand dollars to the company through the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio Economy (CRIBE) to begin testing of wood pellets in co-operation with Lakehead University. Company president Ed Fukushima says research is needed to create a competitive product.

Military Plane Seen Over Lake

You might notice that there's a military plane that's circling over Lake Superior. It's a Hercules from the search and rescue centre in Trenton. A spokesperson there says it's here as part of regular air exercises.

Forest Fires Dwindling

Gradually the number of active forest fires in Northwestern Ontario is dwindling. There are now just 30 actives fires in the region. So far this year the Thunder Bay District has had 57 forest fires. All of them are declared out. The Ministry of Natural Resources says the fire hazard is "High" in Southern portions of the Thunder Bay District and also in Kenora, Dryden and Fort Frances.

E.L.A. Rally Planned

Scientist and concerned citizens will gather at Husky the Muskie today to speak about the importatnce of the Experimental Lakes Area to Northwestern Ontario. Research on water quality and fisheries will be the main focus of today's gathering in hopes of saving the program which the federal government has decided to shut down as of 2013. The Save Our Fish - Save our ELA event starts at 12:30 p.m. (EST) at Main Street and McClellan Avenue.

Thunderwolves Struggle In Exhibition Opener

The Lakehead University Thunderwolves men's basketball try-out team lost the opener of a two-game exhibition series against the University of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils 91-76. Ryan Thompson led the Thunderwolves with a game high 22 points. Game two of that series goes tonight at 7:00 o'clock at the L.U. Thunderdome.

Boating Accident Sends 3 To Hospital

Provincial Police in Atikokan are looking further into an incident on Rainy Lake that sent three people to hospital, two of them by air ambulance. O.P.P. say a jet boat carrying 8 people struck an island on Sunday. 3 women were injured, one from Quebec, one from Dawson, Ontario and the third from Kenora. None of the injuries are said to be life-threatening. 

NAN Grand Chief Talks Of Change

The new Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation is promising change. Harvey Yesno says he is looking to take different approaches to treaty rights and land development with one key promise on behalf the area First Nations under his watch, that members will no longer be protesting over their lands anymore, but protecting them.  As for negotiations with government over resource development, Yesno says face to face talks at the community level is what's needed. He adds that memos, e-mails and phone calls won't cut it.

Rafferty Remembers Layton

The MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River is remembering his N.D.P. Party leader Jack Layton with great fondness.  John Rafferty is commemorating the one-year anniversary of Layton's death today.  Rafferty says there is a permanent reminder of Layton now in Thunder Bay. Rafferty says Layton was a big outdoor enthusiast and enjoyed his time spent here in the city.

Local Teachers Rep Condemns Bill

A bill forcing teacher's back to work is expected to be introduced by the McGuinty government on Monday.  That's not sitting well with the President of the local chapter of the Elementary Teachers of Ontario Ellen Chambers.  She says the government is setting a dangerous precedent and that the teachers and local boards across the province still had time to iron out a new contract before the start of the school year.

New Role For Heart Doctor

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is welcoming Dr. Mark Henderson to his new roles.   He is now the Executive Vice President of Chronic Disease Prevention and Vice President of Cancer Services for the Northwest Regional Cancer Program.   The heart specialist says this is his first foray into administration and will be taking at least one day a week to attend to some cardiac duties.

Hunting Info Session Tomorrow

Bow hunters who are planning to take part in the city's first controlled deer hunt can get the 4-1-1 on the rules at a public session Thursday evening at Confederation College starting at 7o'clock.  It will also be so officials can expel some of the myths surrounding the hunt.    Police Inspector Alan McKenzie expects rules will be followed with most hunters getting the written consent required from rural landowners. 

Hydro Leases E-Car

You'll be seeing a lot of Thunder Bay Hydro's new electric car scooting around town.   General Manager Rob Mace says they've leased the Nissan Leaf and plan to use it to promote the utility's conservation programs and attend events.

Young Historian Gets National Props

A huge honour for Vermilion Bay's Emma Lang. Lang has been named a finalist in this year's Canada's History Young Citizens program. Her history project on the Red Lake's Ken Leishman, otherwise known as the Flying Bandit, has been identified as one of the best and she will now compete for the top prize. A national panel of judges will now review the videos of 30 finalists and announce six winners. The winners receive a trip to Ottawa to participate in the Governor General's History Awards.

1 Month Old Baby Boy Dies

Dryden City Police are asking for help from their colleagues as they look further into the death of a 1 month old baby boy. Police responded on Monday to a report of Christian Desgagne dying. A post mortem examination is taking place today in Toronto. Dryden Police have asked for help from the O.P.P. North West Crime Unit and also the Criminal Investigation Branch as they search for answers surrounding the baby boy's death.

Thunderwolves Split Squad Tips Off Tonight

Lakehead University Men's Basketball players hit the hardwood tonight in the first of two exhibition games. They're participating in a split squad game featuring try-out players against members of the University of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils. Tip-off is at 7:00 O'clock at the L.U. Thunderdome.