Here are some of the stories that had our attention in February 2014:
10. Movie night vandals
Moviegoers left SilverCity, only to find their vehicles had been spray-painted by vandals on consecutive nights late in the month. Thunder Bay Police added it appeared the suspects were also rummaging through vehicles and stealing valuables.
9. $200,000 short
The United Way announced it had fallen about $200,000 short of its $2.7-million 2013 annual campaign goal.
8. Fire code problems at the hospital
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre faced fire-code violations after patients were placed in alcoves not meant to house them. Gridlock remains an issue at the 10-year-old facility, a problem attributed to a lack of alternative-level-of-care beds in the region, though hospital officials have worked to find acceptable solutions in the meantime.
7. Bank accounts hacked
Many residents discovered their bank accounts had been illegally hacked by what appeared to be an international skimming effort. Police said they weren’t sure how widespread the problem was, but many people’s accounts had been compromised. One couple admitted they’d been taken for about $800 through a number of fraudulent transactions.
6. Bear Hunt v. Price is Right
The fight against the re-implementation of the spring bear hunt got a celebrity boost from none other than spay-and-neuter-your-pet advocate, Bob Barker himself. The former Price is Right host implored the province to halt the pilot project, but Ontario did indeed bring back the hunt on a limited basis later in the year.
5. Future of Fort William Gardens
The future of Fort William Gardens was placed in the public’s hands for a night at an open house in the 63-year-old facility’s lobby. Discussions ranged from demolition to conversion into a multi-purpose complex. The evening also included a suggestion to build a twin ice pad near Delaney Arena.
4. Accusations of fraud
Linda Gambee’s woes continued on Feb. 10 when police announced they had charged the former Christmas Cheer campaign chairwoman with fraud over $5,000 after an audit showed $22,000 had gone missing during her tenure. Gambee’s case is still before the courts.
3. Crash video fallout
Police finally charge a 31-year-old southern Ontario man, weeks after a viral video of a near-miss on Highway 11 near Greenstone caught the eyes of more than a million YouTube users. Akmal Hayat of Milton, Ont. was ultimately fined $2,500. The video showed a pair of transports nearly colliding on a snow-covered highway.
2 PC's nix Johnson
Would-be-politician Tamara Johnson was given the boot by the provincial Conservatives in Thunder Bay-Superior North, after comments about First Nation business practices landed her in hot water with party officials. Johnson claimed Aboriginal businesses operate with an unfair advantage over non-Aboriginal businesses. She later ran for the Libertarians and then finished sixth in the municipal at-large race in October.
1. Bridge frustration almost boils over
Former Fort William First Nations chief Peter Collins led a blockade charge as frustrations boiled over waiting for CN to make a decision about repairs to the James Street Swing Bridge. Residents on both sides of the river were told on Feb. 10 that the closure was costing FWFN businesses up to $50,000 a day as traffic volumes to the reserve were cut in half following an Oct. 29 fire.
Our Look Back series looks at some of the top stories of 2014 one month at a time. Join us Friday when we take a look at the top stories of March.
