News

How’s Your Dirt?

Lakehead University is about to build the world’s largest soil testing facility.

LU has received $559,910 from the provincial government to create a new soil-structure-interaction testing facility.

Now to many of us, dirt is dirt.

However, the heavy duty industries like mining, natural resource, and infrastructure sectors are very keen to know what’s going on in the dirt up here.

The facility will use a large shear box for full-scale soil-rock-structure interactions.

Make sense to you? No? Me neither.

However, projects like railways and mines are very interested in learning ways to strengthen soil, which is what this new facility will help uncover.

Way to go LU for making our dirt better!

Police

Tree of Hope Lit Up

The Thunder Bay Police Service lit up their Tree of Hope yesterday evening.

The tree is illuminated with red bulbs which represent the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Canada.

This tradition began in 2019 by Const. Sharlene Bourdeau (since retired) and has been picked up by other police services across the province.

Currently Sudbury, Timmins, Barrie and the Union of Chiefs and Council of Manitoulin Island all light their own trees.

The tree represents the TBPS ongoing commitment to working with the community to continue searching for all missing persons.

Community

Santa Came!

This probably should have been in Friday’s edition to let you know about it, but, better late than never!

Santa came on Saturday in the form of the Rotary Santa Claus Parade down Memorial!

This is the 32nd year of Santa annoying those trying to get around on a Saturday morning. But because we don’t care about those Grinches, this year was another rousing success.

Thousands of people lined Memorial Ave for this year’s event.

The chair of the parade, Dawn Sebesta, said they had 57 entries for the parade. The actual participants were a bit less due to illness, however, that’s still considered a very great turnout.

And it makes the organizers optimistic about continuing this annual tradition.

The bigger question is, will Santa be visiting your house this year in a good mood or is he hauling a polluting energy source down your chimney?

Health

Ticks Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

We’re full steam ahead towards December, so no one wants to hear about ticks. I get it.

But they’re still a problem.

A big one.

The Health Unit had 21 blacklegged ticks submitted between the end of September and October.

Eight of those ticks were submitted for testing and five of them came back positive for Lyme disease. The only silver lining here is that the majority of the ticks in the Thunder Bay Area are wood ticks, which don’t carry Lyme disease.

But the numbers are going up. If you deny climate change, ignore this next part, but due to shifting weather patterns and a reduction in consistent cold weather, the population is only going to get larger.

Generally ticks are active down to 4 degrees celsius. And a real strong cold snap with limited snow can help kill them off and make the next season a little less.

Until It’s cold consistently, it’s recommended you check your clothes regularly after being outside. Click more information below for a number to call if you do find a blacklegged tick.

First Nations News

Indigenous Homelessness

In the first weekend of October a point-in-time count was conducted by the Lakehead Social Planning Council to determine homeless rates.

557 people were determined to be homeless. Of those, 78% were Indigenous.

Nationally, Indigenous people make up about 5% of Canada’s population. However, they represent nearly a third of those experiencing homelessness.

The top three reasons people lost their housing were substance use, problems with a partner, and not having enough income. And for Thunder Bay, the opioid crisis has hit especially hard.

The goal of the point-in-time count is to collect data that can then be used by organizations that provide support to receive additional funding.

This isn’t a problem that will solve itself, so we all need to be supportive of working towards social changes that can help those that are vulnerable.

Local Sports

Highschool

BOYS SENIOR VOLLEYBALL TITLE
St. Ignatius Falcons - 3
Hammarskjold Vikings- 0

GIRLS SENIOR BASKETBALL TITLE
Hammarskjold Vikings - 29
St. Ignatius Falcons - 25

Lakehead Athletics

Women’s Basketball:

November 15:

Lakehead - 46
Guelph - 70

Men’s Basketball:

November 15:

Lakehead - 84
Guelph - 64

Women’s Volleyball:

November 15:

Lakehead - 2
Nipissing - 3

Men’s Hockey:

November 15:

Lakehead - 3
Guelph - 4

November 16:

Lakehead - 9
Guelph - 1

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

Tuesday Trivia at Lakehead Beer Co.
Free to play! First come, first served for seating. General trivia, no topics.
November 19 - 7:00pm - Lakehead Beer Co. Taproom
$ Free

Tuesday Trivia Night - The Social
Up to 6 people per team. Prizes for winning team. No tickets need, arrive early to get a table!
November 19 - 7:00pm-9:00pm - The Social (Dawson Rd)
$ Free

The 80s Club
Honeymoon Suite, A Flock of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, Spoons
November 19 - 7:00pm - Community Auditorium
$75-$335

Magic and Wine Night
Selected half-price bottles of wine along with jaw dropping table side entertainment from Mackinley’s Delusions
November 20 - 8:00pm - Grotto Trattora (Cumberland St N)
$ Free

Carrie: The Musical
Based upon Stephen King’s debut novel, Carrie. Content warning: contains strong language, violence, death, religious abuse, bullying, visible blood, and mentions of sexual assault
November 20, 21, 22, 23 - 7:00pm - Paramount Theatre
$20

Of Marriage Minded Misses
Cambrian Players
November 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 - 7:30pm - Cambrian Players
$25-$30

Thursday Night Magic with McKinley
Thursday nights are magic night at Seler Restaurant & Wine
November 21 - 6:00pm-8:00pm - Seler Restaurant & Wine
$ Free

Moana Jr.
Music from the blockbuster movie
November 22 - 7:00pm - Community Auditorium
$25

TBSO Pops - Country Roads Take Me Home
Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra
November 22, 23 - 7:30pm - Italian Cultural Centre
$25-$50

30+ Fridays
Relive your glory years
November 22 - 9:00pm - Armani’s Night Club
$ Free

Holiday Craft Revival 2024
Downtown Waterfront District
November 24 - 10:00am-4:00pm
$52 Free

LAKEHEAD ATHLETICS:

Women’s Volleyball vs York - 6:00pm (Nov 24, 25)
Tickets

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4 bathrooms
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