People want a Multi-Plex

Most of the people who attended an open house on the proposed Multi-Plex seem to be in favour of building a new facility.  Over 50 people were in attendance at the beginning of the evening.  Debbie Schmanka says the City needs to keep parking in mind when selecting a location.  People seem to be divided on where the facility should be located.  Greg Dubois favours the Innova Business Park.  Another gentleman has his heart set on the Pool six site.   A second open house is being held Thursday at the Italian Cultural Centre.

RegenMed takes the next step

The city's Centre for Regenerative Medicine is in the big leagues now that it has a deal with the Regional Hospital to collect donated human tissue.   RegenMed CEO Bob Thayer says the process is now in place.   He says their recovery teams come into the hospital and recover what they can from a dead donor. Thayer says since the agreement has been signed there has already been one donor.

Port Stats for May

Thunder Bay's Port Authority is seeing a decline in cargo shipments.  The port saw 766-thousand tonnes pass through in May of 2011,with slightly more coming through the year before.  Coal continued to be an area of decline, with grain shipments being the one area that saw an increase.

LU grads get work

Lakehead University's employment rate for the graduating class of 2007 is higher than the provincial average.  The results are from the Ontario University Graduate Survey.  Two years after graduating, 96 percent of LU grads found jobs.  Six months after graduating, 94.8 percent of the grads found work.

Grassy Narrows blockade

For the second year in a row, Grassy Narrows residents have defied a cease and desist order from the Ministry of Natural Resources. Work is currently being done to repair the Segisse Bridge out of the community, but the MNR threatened to shut down the work because the band did not have a proper work order. Instead the women of Grassy, who have been involved in a blockade in the community for the past eight years, blocked the passage of MNR enforcement officers. Grassy says the road is used as an alternate route out of the community during forest fires and floods. The MNR had threatened a 10 thousand dollar fine if the work was not stopped, but community spokesperson Judy De Silva says repairs continued behind the blockade.

Full Day Kindergarten 2013

Full day kindergarten is coming to 6 more local public schools by the 2013-14 school year. Spokesperson Bruce Nugent says the schools are: Crestview, Ecole Gron Morgan, Edgewater, Kakabeka Falls, Nor'Wester View and Valley Central Schools. For the Thunder Bay and District Catholic Board the schools that were in the latest government announcement are: Our Lady of Charity,  St. Anne, St. Bernard, St. Jude, St. Paul, Holy Cross and St. Margaret

Con College recruiting students

Confederation College is looking to entice more students from northwestern Ontario to consider enrolling in its Trades and Aviation programs.  Recruitment intern Pam Lamba says jobs in those fields are now high in demand.The College is visiting regional high schools over the next two weeks.

Mantis wants to run in Provincial election

An advocate for injured workers is throwing his hat into the provincial election ring.  Steve Mantis has decided to run for the NDP in Thunder Bay Superior North.  Mantis feels employment will be a big provincial election issue.  A date for a nomination meeting has yet to be scheduled.

MNR waterbombers fight bark pile fire

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue crews continue to work on the Bark Pile blaze at AbitibiBowater.  Officials say the fire which started yesterday evening is now under control.  Two pumper trucks are on scene and are spreading out the remaining bark and spraying with water to prevent flare ups.   The Fire department was called to the blaze around 6 o'clock Tuesday night. The wind blew the thick smoke over much of Westfort. Waterbombers from the Ministry of Natural Resources were used to help douse the blaze

Community steps up for the kids

Thunder Bay's giant heart is coming through with help following the weekend break in at the Boy's and Girl's club. Executive Director Albert Aiello says even some businesses have come through to replace some of the items stolen.   That included TBayTel and the Power Centre who donated a 52 inch flat screen TV.  As well,  Aiello says on Wednesday morning, someone dropped off two brand new 32 inch flat screen TVs

New Shopper's Drug Mart on the way

The building at the corner of Junot Avenue and Red River Road is being demolished to make way for a 19 thousand square foot Shoppers Drug Mart. Also included will be a medical clinic and other retail space.  Expect the store to open in early January.

True North's Chipman makes Thunder Bay inquiries

Don't rule out Thunder Bay as being a possible future home of an AHL Franchise.   City Manager Tim Commisso says he spoke to  Manitoba Moose owner and True North's Mark Chipman about three weeks ago and  Chipman appeared very interested in Thunder Bay.  He says that Chipman's group sees "synergies" with Thunder Bay, especially it's proximity to Winnipeg.  However, Commisso couldn't guarantee Chipman when, or even if, a new Multi-Plex arena would be built here.

Influential Women honoured

Thunder Bay's Marija Harp is one of three local women who are award winners for being influential women in the north.  Other award winners were Levina Collins of Nipigon and Lakehead University's Nancy Luckai.

MNR sends more people to Alberta

The Ministry of Natural Resources is sending more personnel to the forest fire fight in Alberta. Another 102-fire staff are expected to leave Wednesday; replacing some of those who have been in the western province for the past two weeks. 85 of the 190 Ontario personnel now in Alberta are expected to return later this week.

One year of smoke free play areas

It's been one year of smoke free parks and beaches in Thunder Bay.  Northwest Tobacco Control Spokesperson Dan DePeuter says so far no charges have been laid.  The by-law prohibits smoking within 10 metres of any playground equipment or beach areas.

Thunder Pride flag flies over City Hall

The rainbow flag is flying high over Thunder Bay's City Hall.  The flag raising ceremony kicked off a week of gay and alternative lifestyle events in the city.  Spokesperson Tom Boland says the week long event will help raise awareness with the region's youth. Boland says it's a celebration of diversity.

Gadhafi's running out of time

Moammar Gadhafi's rope continues to fray, that's the opinion of Lakehead University Political Science expert Laure Paquette.  She says Gadhafi has asked for a truce to stop NATO Bombing but rebels have already rejected it because it would take away their biggest advantage.  Paquette says it's taking longer than anyone expected but it does appear that the end is near for Gadhafi.

Black liquor to go green

Black liquor could soon become green thanks to a 180 thousand dollar grant from the provincial government. The money is coming through Thunder Bay's Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio Economy.  CRIBE is giving the money to Thesis Chemistry of Cambridge.  It's so the company can produce environmentally friendly versions of the gooey solution which is the by-product of the paper producing process.

Council signs onto economic development project

The City will be using 200-thousand dollars in provincial funds to carry out a regional economic development project.  The pilot project was part of the Province's 2010 budget and two brain storming sessions will be held in Thunder Bay on June 13th and 14th.  Council signed onto the project at Monday night's meeting.

Multi-Plex process rolls along

City Councillors are weighing their options for funding a proposed Multi-Plex.  Council was given its funding options at Monday night's meeting which include public funding, private and public funding and strictly private funding.  Administration is recommending the City apply for Federal Government funding under the P3 Canada federal grant program.  The public will have their say at a series of public meetings later this week.