Here are some of the stories that had our attention in April 2014:
10. Frightening Flight
Passengers aboard a morning Wasaya Airways flight received quite a scare after the cabin door came open mid-flight. The crew diverted the flight back to Sachigo Lake. No injuries were reported. The plane received minor damage and was sent to an inspection facility to determine the cause.
9. Return to Boston
Around a dozen local runners returned to the Boston Marathon one year after a pair of bombs killed three people and injured hundreds more. Susan McDonald was minutes away from finishing the oldest annual marathon when the attack hit. A veteran of the event, she returned this year to cross the finish line.
8. Horizon Review
A company looking to bring a controversial wind project to the city took the province to court, asking for a judicial review to get a final decision on the 32-megawatt project. Horizon Wind Inc. Later in the year the Ontario Power Authority would cancel the company's contract to sell power to the provincial grid.
7. Province commits its $1 billion
The province committed $1 billion for infrastructure in the Ring of Fire. The provincial budget initially said the money was contingent on matching funds from the federal government before officials said the province would commit the money regardless. Critics called it pre-election grandstanding.
6. Courthouse opens
The Thunder Bay Consolidated Courthouse opened in April after some delays. The $247 million building on Brodie Street meant the end of the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court.
5. Courthouse closed
After 90 years, the Camelot Street courthouse heard its final submissions in April. Perched on a hill overlooking Lake Superior, the courthouse had served the community well officials said in an emotional farewell. It was the same for the Ontario Court of Justice on Arthur Street. The buildings are currently vacant.
4. Trial stayed
Inadequate representation of First Nations on jury rolls led to a lengthy stay in the second-degree murder trial for Shaldon Wabason. His lawyer said the problem, which has been festering for more than a decade, hinders Wabason's ability to get a fair trial.
3. Plebiscite denied
Council decided not to ask people on the municipal ballot whether it should continue trying to build an event centre saying the question was premature. The controversial project had heated groups organize on both sides of the issue, holding rallies and information sessions. The city is currently looking for federal and provincial funding for the $114 million project.
2. City hammered by extended winter
Colder than average temperatures and several storms kept winter in Thunder Bay throughout April. It also didn't help the city's winter control budget by keeping plows on the road, already strapped from the beginning of the season.
1. Shipping season delayed
With Lake Superior almost completely frozen over, the shipping season saw one of its latest starts in history. Usually a three-day journey, it took the first ship arriving in Thunder Bay nearly two weeks from Port Colborne. The port ended up having a record year due mostly to increased grain shipments.
Our Look Back series looks at some of the top stories of 2014 one month at a time. Join us Monday when we take a look at the top stories of May.
