THUNDER BAY -- Here are 10 of the top stories we covered in October 2024, as compiled by Dougall Media Director of News, Leith Dunick.
- City of Thunder Bay officials hit the spotlight when they announced they were considering asking council to support spending $4 million for a temporary shelter village to house some of the city’s rapidly growing homeless population. The move was met with scorn from business owners and residents in the area of the proposed two locations on the city’s south side. Big City mayors later in the month approached the province for more power to deal with the homelessness situation. Council also approved a 10-point homelessness action plan in October.
- Nishnawbe Aski Nation chiefs ratified a historic $47.8-billion settlement agreement on First Nations child and family services, the money earmarked to reform the system and help cover costs for implementation, research initiatives, program assessments and alternative dispute resolution.
- A Thunder Bay Police officer was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm after he punched a 60-year-old man who had been detained under the Mental Health Act. The incident resulted in the victim, who left hospital without police permission, having a fractured nose and a concussion.
- Lakehead Public Schools won damages in court for copyright infringement against a local entrepreneur who had been selling branded clothing with the logos of six now closed high schools, including PACI, FWCI and Hillcrest.
- The skies of Northwestern Ontario turned a brilliant red as the Northern Lights produced an epic display for sky gazers, Aurora Borealis reaching the peak of their 11-year cycle. The Northern Lights are normally green, but shades of red occur connected to an increase in solar activity.
- Nicholas Necan lost the appeal of his murder conviction in the 2016 beating death of 60-year-old George Gerard, who suffered 90 blunt-force trauma injuries to his face, head and neck. Necan was serving life in prison after his 2018 conviction, with no possibility of parole for 13 years.
- Former long-time city councillor Larry Hebert passed away at 77. Hebert served as an at-large member from 2006 to 2018. He was also the longtime general manager at Thunder Bay Hydro.
- A former Thunder Bay resident, Ryan Wedding, was the subject of a manhunt, with law-enforcement agencies south of the border linking him to a large drug trafficking operation and killings in Mexico and Canada. Wedding represented Canada at the 2002 Olympic Games.
- A Thunder Bay Police officer, Const. Peter Ritchie, was charged with theft under $5,000 and breach of trust following an investigation that arose as the result of a complaint.
- City manager John Collin said he was targeting a three per cent annual growth rate, which he said was needed to help keep tax increases to a minimum.
