Thursday, July 4, 2013

No Injuries In Pellet Plant Fire

No one is hurt after a fire this morning at a wood pellet plant on Mission Island.   Fire officials say the blaze started in some dust around 10 o'clock in part of a pellet making machine.   Firefighters stayed for about two hours because in order to make sure the fire was out, they dismantled part of the machinery.

Dilico Workers Poised To Strike

The picket signs are ready to go up at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care offices here and across the district.   Three hundred and fifty workers from Thunder Bay, Armstrong , Longlac, Marathon and Nipigon are set to walk off the job Monday at 8 am.   They are members of the Canadian Energy and Paperworkers Union,  and are pressing their case for a new contract. There are no scheduled talks to try to end the dispute.

AIMS Boss To Head NOPI

A Nova Scotia economics whizz is coming to Thunder Bay to head the Northern Ontario Policy Institute.   Reports indicate that Charles Cirtwill, president of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, will be the Institute's first head.   The Ontario government set up the think tank to put together a plan for the north which will then be presented to the province.

MNR Doing Invasive Species Study

The Ministry of Natural Resources is out on area lakes monitoring fish populations, taking water samples and checking for invasive species. Surveys are being done on 61-lakes in northwestern Ontario. Spokesperson Kim Armstrong says the process should take until about early September.
He notes it could take over a year to know the final results.

Acadia Applies To Buy N.B. Station

In business news - Acadia Broadcasting is moving to add another radio station to its stable - the parent company of  Magic 99.9 has filed an application with the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission to purchase CKNI-FM - News91.9 in Moncton from Rogers Broadcasting.    The Saint John based company currently owns ten stations in the Maritimes - and - here Ontario.   Acadia Vice President Jim MacMullin says he looks forward to bringing our brand of community focused - quality local radio to Moncton.

LU Prof Weighs In On Egypt

A top Egyptian judge is the country's new interim president.  Lakehead University Political Science Professor Laure Paquette is weighing in on the military ousting democratically elected Mohammed Morsi and hopes the military will give power back to the next person elected by the people.

Grain Elevators Group Likes Hotel Idea

The Friends of Grain Elevators group says a local business man's plan to turn a grain elevator on the City's waterfront into a hotel has peaked their interest.  Global Recycling and the group have been in talks about offering a grain elevator learning centre near the hotel.  Friends Spokesperson Nancy Perozzo says talks will continue.  Perrozzo says she likes that the hotel could be made up of old parts from the grain elevator.

Target Opening July 16th


Thunder Bay's Target Store is set to open at 8 am July 16th.  Spokesperson Lisa Gibson says it's one of 20 stores across Canada that will open that week.  The former Zeller's store has undergone extensive renovations and will employ 150 people.

One Fire In T.Bay District

The Ministry of Natural Resources is reporting a new fire in the Thunder Bay district.  In total, there were five new fires in the region last night.  Lightning continues to be the main cause of the fires which is a normal trend for Northwestern Ontario during the summer.

Silver Lining Docked In T.Bay Marina

Former Thunder Bay resident Chris Lenz is back in the City with his yacht the "Silver Lining".  Lenz left the City in 1984 and started a series of resteraunts in Asia.  Lenz says there's no better place to be in the summer then in the Shebandowan lake area.  The super yacht took several years to build is docked in our Marina.