Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Airport sets passenger traffic record

Business continues to boom at the Thunder Bay Airport with 2011 showing a record year for passenger traffic. Figures show there was a 4 per cent increase in passenger traffic last year compared to 2010. President and CEO Scott McFadden attributes it to strong economic activity in the region.   He says some airlines helped by adding new or larger airplanes to their fleet.

Plane crash claims 4 lives

The Plane Crash that killed 4 people is said to have happened in a blizzard.  Thats the word from at least one witness in the small community of North Spirit Lake.  A Keystone Air Service plane crashed near the community just after 10 this morning.  One person survived and is being treated at a local clinic.

Law students attend murder trial

Hammarskjold High School students are getting a first hand look at how the court system works. They attended the first two days of court proceedings in the Michael Kelly murder trial. Teacher Rory Bain wants his law class to see the legal system in action.  He says a majority of the students have never been exposed to the Canadian justice system, so this was a first for them.  Among other things,  students saw graphic evidence of the crime scene.

Police release video of "persons of interest"

Thunder Bay police say they are looking for two people who they would like to speak to about last month's false bomb scare at the Bombardier plant.   They have released a surveillance video of two people making a  call from a pay phone at Vickers and Arthur street where the threat is believed to have been called in from.

Mr Sub robbed this morning

Thunder Bay Police are looking for one person after a break and enter this morning.  Police say a surveillance video shows a man with a what looked like a crow bar going behind the counter and stealing a cash box.  Officers say the front glass door of the building was smashed open just before 2:30 this morning.

Apparent assault victim found in snow bank

A man is recovering after being the victim of an alleged assault. Thunder Bay Police found the man in a snow bank on the corner of Limbrick Street and University Drive just before 5 this morning.  The man was drunk and couldn't give a description of the people who assaulted him but witnesses say a van was spotted near the man and then left the area before police arrived. 

OPP find suspicious package

OPP in Marathon are dealing with a suspicious package.  Officials say they got a call from a resident Sunday about an unknown package inside a package.  Officers called in the Explosives Disposal Unit and they found the package to be safe. 

Thunder Bay murder trial underway

The Michael Kelly murder trial is underway in a Thunder Bay courtroom.  The 64 year old Alberta resident is charged in the death last decade of 57 year old JudieThibault of Thunder Bay.  In his opening statement to the jury Crown Attorney Dan Mitchell outlined the prosecution's case.  Mitchell  tells the jury the evidence is largely circumstantial, however he says it will tell the story of an undercover police operation and show that a bullet was removed from Thibault's head after her body was found wrapped in a carpet in the bush near Dorion in 2004.   The opening statement is not considered evidence. 

Lost time at Lakehead

The Lakehead Public School Board is seeing improvements in the number of at work accidents they see in a year.  Spokesperson Rick Molloy says they had 20 lost time incidents with staff in 2011.  Most of the accidents were due to falling or straining due to heavy lifting.

Driven to Quit

Quit smoking and you could win a car.  The Canadian Cancer Society has launched its annual “Driven to Quit Challenge.”  Quit Coach and former Phys-Ed teacher Dr. Jim Morris says he's been working with his former high school students.  To be eligible for the contest you need to stop smoking for the month of March.

Police looking for escapees

Police are on the lookout for a young man who escaped custody from the Jack McGuire facility yesterday afternoon.  The 16 year old was wearing a black sweater two pairs of pants and has short cropped hair.  A second 15 year old who also fled the facility was caught and will be held for video court today.