Police Give Out Tickets

Watch For Pedestrians

City police are embarking on their spring pedestrian safety initiative. They recently gave 40 motorists reminders about some of their bad driving habits. They gave out tickets for speeding, stop sign violations, and talking on a cell phone while driving.

ROF Framework Signed

A major hurdle is now cleared in the Ring of Fire process.    A framework agreement has been signed between the provincial government and the nine Matawa First Nations.    Speaking in Thunder Bay Premier Kathleen Wynne said she doesn't believe this step will add any red tape to getting the giant mining project off the ground. She says the framework is needed to allow the conversation to move forward.   The First Nations say the agreement now allows them to have a say about mining development on their lands. 

Commisso Hopeful For MPAC

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation says its working to do better.  Officials with MPAC outlined to area councils at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association conference in Fort Frances areas they are addressing.  Thunder Bay's City Manager  Tim Commisso says is hopeful.  Commisso is among delegates calling on MPAC to better consult with municipalities on their assessment work.

Feds Provide 200K For NAN

The Federal Government is providing 200-thousand dollars over the next two years to the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.  The money will be used to promote economic development and skills training for First Nation women.   Minister of Labour and Status of Women Kellie Leitch was in Thunder Bay today to announce the cash.  NAN Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler is hoping they can continue the training program after the funding runs out.

Police Warn Drivers

Our anticipated winter storm is causing Thunder Bay Police to advise drivers to take notice of potentially hazardous road conditions. Another blast of snow is expected to hit Thunder Bay sometime this evening. It is expected to continue in the night and into tomorrow. Police are asking that drivers reduce speed and adjust following distance as wind and reduced visibility could pose problems for motorists.

NOMA Meeting Underway

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association conference is underway in Fort Frances.   NOMA's board  held its meeting yesterday with the rest of the 180 plus regional municipal reps gathering today and tomorrow. President and Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield says they also get a visit from the Premier today More than 180 municipal reps from across the northwest are expected.

Robbery Pics Released

Click on picture to enlarge

City police are releasing surveillance photos of Tuesday's robbery at the Shell gas station on West Arthur Street.   It's a sequence of pictures showing the suspects entering the store and then behind the counter rifling through what appears to be the safe looking for money. You can also see what appears to be a store clerk curled up in a corner

Vehicle Fire

City fire crews battled a vehicle fire this morning at Balsam Pit on the north side.  Firefighters were called to the baseball diamond just after 6 o'clock this morning.  A pumper unit was dispatched a second time after the vehicle caught fire again just before 8 o'clock.  Police are looking into the incident.

Nipigon Investigation Concludes

Provincial Police are reporting that a house furnace was the cause of Monday's carbon monoxide poisoning that claimed two lives in Nipigon. The investigation was conducted by the OPP, Union Gas and safety inspectors.  60-year old Yvan Gaujean and his wife 45-year old Claire Gaujean were found dead in their First Street home.  The couple's 8-year old son survived and was treated at hospital and released.  The province is currently proposing that carbon monoxide detectors be mandatory for all homes in Ontario.

LRCA Flood Outlook

The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority is issuing a flood outlook statement for Thunder Bay and surrounding area.  Warm temperatures and more rain in the forecast could cause a rapid rise in area water levels.  Neebing, Oliver Paipoonge, Shuniah, O'Connor, Conmee, Gillies and Dorion are also included in this flood statement.

Consolidated Courthouse Is Open

Thunder Bay's consolidated court house is officially open.  The Attorney General christened the building Wednesday. Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur says she's proud her government made the new building happen.  Members of the City, police and First Nations took part in an official ceremony yesterday.

Constable Not Guilty Of Assault

Thunder Bay Police Constable Andrew Johnstone is not guilty of assault.  A judge has ruled Johnstone didn't use excessive force in helping control a suspect at the Balmoral police station one year ago.   Police Association spokesperson Jim Glena blasted the province's civilian police watchdog for bringing up the charge in the first place.  He says the Special Investigations Unit has once again overstepped its grounds.   Meantime city police say an internal review of the incident will be conducted to go over procedures

No Cause To Fire Yet

There isn't a cause yet for an early morning fire Monday on Merril Street. Fire Spokesperson Marty Patterson says the Ontario Fire Marshall's office concluded their examination of the fire scene.  Samples were sent away for further study and should be back in six to eight weeks.  Patterson can't say if the fire is suspicious in nature.

LU Student Gives Gym Cash

Lakehead University student Jordan Cash is giving a thousand dollars in cash to the Underground Gym. Cash is a Master of Business Administration student and wanted to volunteer at the gym but couldn't due to his busy school schedule. Instead he decided to raise the money from his classmates and teachers.

Missing Man

Police are asking for assistance as they search for a missing man from Windsor.  It's believed that 30-year-old Brandon Wheeler may be in the Dryden-Kenora area as reports say he may be travelling west to Alberta.  Windsor Police say Wheeler may be under distress and they are concerned about his safety. Wheeler is driving a green 2010 Jeep Wrangler, with Ontario plates ALPD512. Anyone with information is asked to contact local police or Crime Stoppers.

NOMA President Pans Road Plan

The President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is urging caution about any plan to hand winter road maintenance over to municipalities in the region.  Dave Canfield says it's an idea he's heard before, but thinks most councils would be hesitant to enter into such an agreement with the province. Ontario's Transportation Minister Glen Murray says it's one idea he wants to discuss further when he attends NOMA's meeting this week in Fort Frances.

Tbaytel Net Is Back

Tbaytel's high speed internet service is back to normal after 15 hours of downtime.  Officials say a significant increase in network traffic resulted in a capacity issue and caused malfunctions in various components.  They say everyone should be back to normal but any business customers who are still experiencing issues should contact their technical support.

Child Porn Charges Laid

Police are charging a 52 year old man with possessing child pornography.  It comes after a tip advised police that a local man was uploading improper images to Twitter.  A search warrant was conducted on Jeffrey Miro's home on Chilton Avenue and a number of electronic devices were seized.  Miro will appear in court on May 16th.

Airport Shows Record Figures

Thunder Bay International Airport is showing record numbers of passenger volumes for 2013, according to an annual report. Airport President and CEO Scott McFadden believes there is a correlation between these figures and our region's mining activity.  McFadden adds that a slow year for mining has lead to a decrease in passenger volumes for the early part of 2014.

Three Collisions In Minutes

Police are charging a 47 year old man with drinking and driving after a witness saw him get into three collisions minutes apart.  The Gorham Township man driving a grey ford pick-up was involved in a collision at the intersection of Picton Avenue and Red River Road. Shortly after the first crash the man proceeded onto Red River Road and rear ended a GMC pick-up truck twice.  Police are charging the man with failing to remain at the scene of a collision twice, failing to stop for a stop sign and driving while suspended.