ISSUE #69

Good morning,

There’s nothing to say. The weather sucks. In fact, it sucks so bad, I led with it as our main story 🤣

In today’s issue, we cover:

• Record breaking storm landing 🌨️

• Daily Poll -Sick of the snow yet?

• Shelter site selected ⛺️

• Stay off the harbour ice 🧊

• OPP calls down last week👮

• Porter increases jet service 🛩️

• Clean drinking water top priority 

• Things to do this week 🗓️

• House of the day -North-end 2-story🏡

- Marcus Luft

Weather

Today’s Storm Could Break Records

In news that no one really wants at this stage, the storm that will be hitting any moment from now, could be a record breaker.

Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for Thunder Bay and surrounding areas, with as much as 30cm of snow coming.

Strong wind gusts are also expected, which will drastically reduce visibility.

While we all like to imagine it’s not the case, snow is actually quite common in Thunder Bay in April.

The average is about 12.4cm for the month.

The record snowfall for the month was April 2, 1994, when 17.4cm arrived.

Clearly we are ready to smash that today.

Daily Poll

Today’s question is:

Monday’s Results:

You can download the full results (including comments) here in an Excel file (email addresses have been removed for anonymity).

Homelessness

Site Selected for Shelter

City staff have identified a new potential site for a temporary shelter village.

The new location is on the east side of Fort William Road between the Neebing River and the Neebing-McIntyre Flood.

The land is currently owned by the Lakehead Region Consideration Authority (LRCA).

City staff plan on recommending to council that the city enter in a lease agreement to use a portion of the land.

The LCRA board has met and agrees in principle to potentially lease the land.

Back in October, council voted unanimously to approve a 10-part human rights-based community action plan for homeless encampments.

Safety

Stay Off the Harbour

In what should be common sense, but clearly always isn’t, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue are reminding citizens to please stay off the ice in the city’s harbour.

Despite looking solid, it’s not necessarily so.

The reminder was spurned on by city fire having to use their air boat to venture out onto the ice, and collect three individuals who had gone for a stroll from the marina toward the break wall.

Now for something I didn’t know:

It’s actually illegal to be out on the harbour when it is frozen. You could be charged with trespassing.

Please don’t go for a walk out onto the ice.

Crime

OPP Calls Down Last Week

The OPP provides call data, and the numbers show a decline last week compared to the week before.

Last week officers responded to 238 occurrences, which was down by 34 calls compared to the week before.

The majority of the calls were police responding to eTicket calls (97), 15 R.I.D.E program checks, and 15 traffic complaint calls.

eTicket calls are traffic calls where a ticket is produced electronically, instead of via paper.

A reminder that these are just the OPP calls in the area. The Thunder Bay Police Service tracks their calls for service separately.

Travel

Porter Increases Jet Service

Good news for people wanting another option to get to Pearson International Airport this summer.

Porter is increasing its new jet service from Thunder Bay to Pearson, to 7 days a week.

This comes as part of an overall increase in their network capacity of 25% for the summer season.

The additional flights will continue to use the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

Porter will continue to maintain its 33 round-trip flights per week between Thunder Bay and Billy Bishop Airport, using the generally maligned De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprop hearing-loss-inducing aircraft.

Indigenous News

Drinking Water a Key Issue

The Chiefs of Ontario want clean tap water in First Nations to be a high priority item in the April 28 federal election.

Currently, according to Indigenous Services Canada, 23 First Nations in Ontario are under long-term drinking water advisories.

The chiefs organization wants the next federal government to revive Bill C-61, which is clean water legislation for First Nations that died the moment Parliament was prorogued.

Some communities, such as Marten Falls, just marked 30 years of being under a boil water advisory.

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

April 2

Magic and Wine Night with Mackinley’s Delusions
Wine and magic show
Grotto Trattoria - 28 Cumberland St N
6pm-8pm
$ FREE

Dirty Dancing in Concert
Live concert featuring the music of Dirty Dancing, the movie
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - 1 Paul Shaffer Dr
7:30pm
$67-$87

Danny Johnson’s Piano Bar
Live music - requests welcome
Shooter’s Tavern - 377 Memorial Ave
8pm
$ FREE

April 3

Mini Pops Kids Live! The Celebration Tour
A concert by kids, for kids… and parents too!
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - 1 Paul Shaffer Dr
6pm
$39-$52

Karaoke:

• Royal Canadian Legion - 229 Van Norman St
  7pm-11pm

• Howl at the Moon (sober karaoke) - 8 Cumberland St S
  9pm

• Norteños Cantina - 235 Red River Rd
  9pm

• Polish Combatants’ Association - Branch 1 - 209 Cumberland St N
  9pm

• The Waterhouse - 9 Cumberland St S
  10pm

• The Alley - 236 Cumming St
  10pm

April 4

Jazz and old Fashioned Fridays ft. Mood Indigo
Live jazz music
Anchor & Ore - 2240 Sleeping Giant Pkwy
6pm-9pm
$ FREE

The Lightning Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical
Live musical theatrical production of the popular kids book
Trinity United Church - 30 Algoma St S
7pm
$17.31 (youths 18 and under)-$22.63 (general admission)

TBSO voices - Melody and Magic
TBSO performs Duruflé’s celebrated Requiem
Hilldale Lutheran Church - 321 Hilldale Rd
7:30pm
$25-$50

Conflix Band Night
Live music with proceeds going towards funding their film night
Black Pirates Pub - 215 Red River Rd
9pm
$10 (at the door)

Karaoke:

• The Hodder - 481 Hodder Ave
  9pm

• The Social - 1047 Dawson Rd
  9:30pm

• The Bar - 863 Red River Rd
  10pm

• The Waterhouse - 9 Cumberland St S
  10pm

Voodoo Prophecy
An evening of heavy metal w/ classic Heavy and NU Metal
Wayland Bar & Grill - 1019 Gore St W
10pm
$5 (at the door)

April 5

The Lightning Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical
Live musical theatrical production of the popular kids book
Trinity United Church - 30 Algoma St S
2pm & 7pm
$17.31 (youths 18 and under)-$22.63 (general admission)

The CCPAC and Friends Variety Show
Members of the Performing Arts Club in a show full of laughs, songs, dance & more
Confederation College - 1450 Nakina Dr
2pm & 7:30pm
$0 (for ConCollege students) $10 General Admission

Storytime with Mz Molly and Friendz
Storytime is an interactive, joy-filled celebration of diversity and acceptance followed by a 30-minute guided crafting session
Waverley Public Library - 285 Red River Rd
2:30pm-4pm
$ FREE

Vinyl Saturdays
Dust off your records and be your own DJ
Red Lion Smokehouse - 16 Cumberland St S
3pm-9pm
$ FREE

Voodoo Prophecy
An evening of heavy metal w/ classic Heavy and NU Metal
Wayland Bar & Grill - 1019 Gore St W
10pm
$5 (at the door)

Karaoke:

• Westfort Prosvita - 721 Gore St W
  8pm-12am

• Howl at the Moon (sober karaoke) - 8 Cumberland St S
  9pm

• The Hodder - 481 Hooder Ave
  9pm

• Norteños Taqueria - 698 Arther St W
  9pm

• The Social - 1047 Dawson Rd
  9pm

• The Bar - 863 Red River Rd
  10pm

April 6

Sex Toy Bingo
Pretty much exactly what the title says
Wayland Bar & Grill - 1019 Gore St W
1pm-3pm
$ FREE

The Lightning Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical
Live musical theatrical production of the popular kids book
Trinity United Church - 30 Algoma St S
7pm
$17.31 (youths 18 and under)-$22.63 (general admission)

Home of the Day

199 Valley St

(Realtors if you want your home featured - send us an email: [email protected])

4+1 bedrooms
4 bathrooms
2,502 sqft

$749,900

Two-story north-end home with attached double garage