Monday, March 18, 2013

Investigation Clears Local Police

An allegation against the local police force has turned out to be a lie.  An OPP investigation into a 19 year old's claim that Police dropped him off outside the city limits on December 2nd was untrue.  When questioned by investigators, he admitted that he fabricated the story about being given a ride out of town.  The young man has provided the Thunder Bay Police Service with a written apology.

Dryden Loses CAO

Dryden is losing its City Manager.  Joe Van Koeverden has said that he's leaving the community.  Van Koeverden has been named CAO of a township in central Ontario.  Van Koeverden was named City Manager in June 2011.

Respect Campaign Turns One Year Old Thursday

Thursday marks the one year anniversary of the City's Respect campaign.  Ann Magiskan is the Chair of the Anti-Racism Committee and says the initiative has sparked conversation in the community.  City officials raised the Respect flag Monday to demonstrate their commitment to bringing an end to racial discrimination.

Demolition At Superior House

Confederation College Students and Eco Superior are gutting a 1940's bungalow.  Spokesperson Raphael Shay says they plan to use Ontario Trillium Foundation money to renovate the home located next to Eco Superior's office.  Renovation work is expected to go on well into the summer.

Bus Fares Going Up April 1

The city is reminding bus riders that fares are going up a the beginning of next month.   Among the highlights, the exact cash fare goes up five cents, a 20 ride pass increases by five dollars and a row of 10 tickets will cost 4 dollars more. As well all the prices will be available to Handicapped Transit customers.

Local Biathletes Compete Nationally

Joseph Pascuzzo
A Thunder Bay biathlete has finished in the top ten at a national event in Whistler B.C.   Joseph Pascuzzo finished sixth out of thirty one.   Pascuzzo is competing with another local biathlete, Toby Quinn who was 24th.

More Snow On The Way

Thunder Bay is in for another snowstorm.  This one is expected to hit starting this afternoon according to Environment Canada weather expert Peter Kimbell. He expects the snow to begin in the Thunder Bay area around 2 o'clock in the afternoon with 2 to 4 centimetres expected initially then another 5 to 10 centimetres tonight and overnight. Kimbell says some areas could get up to 15 cm when all is said and done.

Assault Victim Leaves Hospital

A 31 year old man is now out of the hospital after police say he suffered serious head injuries in an assault.  They say the incident happened on May Street near Dease last night.  An 18 year old man is in police custody charged with aggravated assault and Assault with a Weapon.

Council Not Meeting Tonight

City Council is taking a night off.  Councillor Rebecca Johnson says tonight's meeting was cancelled because there wasn't any city reports.  Johnson says there's always something council can talk about but most discussions revolve around issues coming from reports.

North Shore RAP Open House

An open house is being held tonight to talk about cleaning up Thunder Bay Harbour.  The North Shore Remedial Action Plan is hosting the event and Coordinator Jim Bailey says they'll be talking about what needs to be done in the future.  The open house is taking place from four until 8 at the Baggage Building on the waterfront.

Fraser Institute Releases High School Board

St. Ignatius, St. Pats and Hammarskjold High Schools are all ranked above the provincial average in the latest Fraser Institute Report Card.  Spokesperson Peter Cowley says there's always room for improvement.  Westgate was ranked 4.7 out of 10 on the right wing think tanks report card system.

Mac's Robbery Remains Unsolved

Thunder Bay District Crime Stoppers asking for your help in identifying a suspect involved in a Mac's store robbery on March the 4th.  It was at the 185 South Cumberland Street location.   Police say he entered at around 1:20 in the morning with his face covered by a scarf.   He said he had a knife and demanded money from the clerk.   He left without taking anything and there were no injuries.  The suspect is about 25 to 30 years old,  medium build with black pants and a black and white snowboarding jacket and hood.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

North Stars Edge Iron Rangers

The Thunder Bay North Stars are starting their playoffs with a win. The North Stars edged the Minnesota Iron Rangers 1-0 last night at the Fort William Gardens with Mathias Gardiman scoring the lone goal for the North Stars, while Jayme Brattengeier stopped all 34 Iron Ranger shots for the shutout. The North Stars will hit the road for the next meeting between the two teams on Monday night.

Gas Station Robbery

Thunder Bay Police are investigating an early morning robbery at the Shell gas station on Red River Road. Police say the convenience store clerk was robbed around 1:30 this morning at knife point by a man wearing a camouflage mask. He was last seen on Clarkson Street heading toward Walkover Street.

Rick Lang Off To World Curling Championships


A man from Thunder Bay will be working closely with the Northern Ontario Team that will represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships in Victoria. In two weeks, famed curler Rick Lang, will act as the Team Leader on behalf of the Canadian Curling Association. Lang has become very close with the country's top curling teams over the past three years. Lang is back in Thunder Bay after watching the Brier final and visiting the curling venue for the upcoming Russian Winter Olympics.

Federal Budget March 21st

The Federal Budget will be presented in Ottawa on March 21st.  Kenora MP Greg Rickford says the budget will be focused on balancing the budget.  But, Rickford says you will see an emphasis on moving forward on skills training.  Rickford says the government has an obligation to our future generations to pay down the deficit.

Rae Has Forestry On His Mind

Forestry is on the mind of Federal Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae.  Rae used the forest sector as the focus of talks with party faithful and others during stops in Dryden and Kenora on Tuesday.  He talked about the need of getting more aboriginals involved.   Rae stressed the federal government must get more involved in helping the forest sector move forward.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Icebreaker Expected In Harbour Tonight

Watch for the icebreaker Samuel Risley in the harbour starting today. Port Manager Tim Heney says they expect the Canadian Coast Guard vessel sometime tonight. It will be plowing through the ice to get the port ready for the new shipping season.

Horizon Wind Still Bogged Down In Red Tape

The proposed Big Thunder Wind Park is still bogged down in government red tape waiting to be approved by the Ministry of Environment.  Horizon Wind spokesperson Kathleen MacKenzie says the next step is for the government to allow for online public comments.  MacKenzie doesn't believe a spring election call will affect the approval process.

Red Lake Looking For New Logo

You could be the artist behind Red Lake's new logo and tag line.  The public is invited to submit their design, which will help with branding the municipality.  Economic Development Officer Bill Greenway says it could mean more opportunities for the community.  Submissions are being accepted till April 2nd.