Dog park death results in legal action

The owners of Jimi the dog and the city of Thunder Bay are being sued for 50 thousand dollars.  It's in connection with the death of  Gus the chihuahua last year at a city off leash dog park.   Lawyer Chris Watkins says the Perrier family wants the city to pay for improper supervision of the dog park and the owners of Jimi for general damages and other items.    The claims have not been proven in court

Shuniah Chimney Fire

Shuniah Fire Officials responded to a fire this afternoon on Cedar Bay road.  A chimney caught fire, and the owner of the house escaped with no injuries.  Chief Blair Arthur says the damage is estimated at around five thousand dollars.  The cause of the fire is improper installation of the chimney.  Two children and one other adult were not home at the time of the incident.

Inquest postponed

An inquest into the death of Christopher Coaster has been postponed.  The inquest was to take place February 7th.  The 29 year old died in August of 2008 while in custody at the Thunder Bay District Jail.   An inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act and will be rescheduled.

NOWW E-Writer in Residence

If you have writers block, the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop can help.  They're offering an E-Writer in Residence.  Vice President Jenny Morrow says it's a program that's been needed for some time.  Writers across the region are isolated when it comes to meeting up and discussing their craft. Winnipeg author Michael Van Rooy will critique manuscripts, and host online workshops.

Budget Time

Budget season is upon us.  Thunder Bay City Council will get their hands on the budget package Monday.  City Clerk John Hannam says they've been busy preparing the financial document.  The public will get to see the document online starting Tuesday.  A series of budget related meetings will start in February.

No City Council on Monday

There won't be an open session of City Council Monday night. A planning application meeting was scheduled but there was a lack of material so it was cancelled.  Council will now hold a closed door session, and City Clerk John Hannam says they have two items to discuss.  Thunder Bay Telephone will present and City Manager Tim Commisso will provide an update to council on the 126 million dollar Horizon Wind lawsuit.

Historic vote on the FWFN

The over 18 hundred members  of the Fort William First Nation are making history.   They are voting Saturday on whether to accept or reject a tentative land claim settlement with the Canadian and Ontario governments.   The deal involved 154 million dollars in cash and some land. Chief Peter Collins doubts it will be turned down

Leafs GM visits Thunder Bay's Special Olympics

Athletes of the Special Olympics had a special guest Friday. Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke was in town to hand out medals and talk with athletes.  Burke says he feels if you go to a Special Olympics event and it doesn't warm your heart then you don't have a heart.  He went on to say anyone who doesn't get touched by the respect and admiration the athletes have for each other than you have some serious mental deficiencies.  Burke says he is thrilled to come and help out such a great organization and event.

Tomack out of custody

A 21 year old Oliver Paipoonge man is now free on bail after his arrest for robbery this week. Bradley Tomack is charged in connection with the incident at the Provincial Alliance Credit Union on Wednesday. As long as he meets some strict conditions, Tomack will be free on bail throughout his legal process. He will back in court on February 14th.

Arthur Street Burger King Reopens

The newly remodeled Burger King on Arthur Street is open for business again. Cameron Loopstra is the senior marketing manager for Burger King Canada and says they're going for a modern look with lots of brick, wood and steel. The building is more environmentally friendly with high efficiency broilers and lighting.

Weather causes delay at the games

Not surprisingly there are going to be delays at all the outdoor events at the Special Olympics. Games Chair JP Levesque says they are hoping the alpine, Nordic skiing and snow shoeing will get underway at noon.  He says volunteers should tune in and find out when they are needed before showing up at their venues.  Levesque says the temperature has to be above minus 25 for the events to happen.

Bundle up its cold

Northwestern Ontario is in the deep freeze. Our Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw says a cold air mass is stretching across the entire region and won't be going anywhere for the time being.  He says cloudy conditions will bring slightly less harsh temperatures tomorrow, but real relief won't come until next week.  Laidlaw says with the warmth Monday it looks like a large amount of snow could be coming our way as well.

Special Olympics have officially begun

Special Olympic organizers pulled out all the stops for last night's opening ceremonies. Sportsnet's Evanka Osmak emceed the night filled with musical performances and special guests with encouraging words for the athletes. Even Eric Staal showed up by way of video with a little advice for the athletes--from one Olympian to another. Special Olympics Chairman J.P. Levesque says spectators who brave the cold and come out to watch the games over the next couple days can expect a good show. There's no charge for admission to the events. The games start today and continue tomorrow.



Here's a link to the schedule: http://www.specialolympics2011games.com/calendar.php

Justice minister gets an hearful

Canada's Justice Minister is up to date on city concerns about crime and justice. Rob Nicholson met with community leaders including the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce. Nicholson says it's been very helpful. Nicholson says he told the city leaders that the government will be moving ahead with his anti-drug trafficking bill.  Meantime Mayor Keith Hobbs says the minister heard the message from the group loud and clear.

NOMA calls for more cash for policing

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is supporting a resolution calling on the provincial government to provide more funding for police services.  Vice President Dave Canfield says the cost of policing locally has skyrocketed and says they want the government to increase their grants under the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.  The NOMA Board met last week in Thunder Bay.

Long form census pushed

Use your voice and take part in the 2011 long-form census.  That message is being pushed by the Union of Ontario Indians.  Grand Chief Patrick Madahbee says they've struck a deal with Statistics Canada to hire aboriginals to collect the data from area reserves.  The data collected by Stats Canada is then later used by the Provincial and Federal Governments for funding allocations.

Daytime robbery

Thunder Bay Police are looking into a daytime break and enter in the South Harold Street area. A man came home at four o'clock on Wednesday and spotted an intruder. Inspector Scott Smith says police are still looking for the suspect. Police found property on an adjacent laneway which they hope will provide forensic evidence that can lead to the suspect.

CPC meets in February

Thunder Bay's Crime Prevention Council will be meeting for the second time in February. Councillor Rebecca Johnson will provide an update on the municipal drug strategy. Coordinator Amy Siciliano says she'll be speaking about her ongoing interviews with committee members. City Manager Tim Commisso will propose a housing strategy for people living with substance abuse.

OLG gives cash to City

The latest payment to the city of Thunder Bay from the provincial government casino is almost 584 thousand dollars.  The cash is the city's third quarter share of cash collected from the slot machines.

Kitchen fire sends kids into the cold

Students at Woodcrest Public School have something to tell their parents.   The school was evacuated around 9:30 this morning because of small kitchen blaze.   Fire officials say it was put out by the time they got there.  While students were taken outside at first, they were later moved into the gym before resuming classes.    No one was hurt