Here are some of the headlines that had our attention in July:
10. Premier’s first visit
Premier Kathleen Wynne made her first visit to Thunder Bay since winning a majority government in June. She was in town to announce a $4 million provincial investment into the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute. She has made one brief trip to the city since then but didn't speak to media.
9. CN Battle
The battle over the James Street Swing Bridge heated up in July. The city and Fort William First Nation met with CN on a proposal to get the bridge reopened. What followed were accusations of trespassing from chief Georjanne Morriseau and neglect from mayor Keith Hobbs. It remains closed more than a year after it was burned.
8. Lakehead Marine
The local shipyard, operating under the name Lakehead Marine Industrial filed for bankruptcy protection in July. The facility has struggled for several years. The workforce at the shipyard, which once numbered in the hundreds, had dropped to just 80 employees.
7. Mayoral demands
Mayor Keith Hobbs demanded Nishnawbe Aski Nation join the city's crime prevention council to help deal with what he called an emergency situation of violent Aboriginal on Aboriginal crime. NAN called the statements incorrect and inflammatory.
6. CLE No-Smoking
The Canadian Lakehead Exhibition went mostly smoke-free for the first time in 124 years. It became the first agricultural fair in the province to designate most of its areas as smoke-free with a few posted areas on the grounds for people to light up.
5. Contract scrapped
The Ontario Power Authority ended its contract with Horizon Wind Inc., effectively killing the controversial project proposed for the Nor'Wester Mountains. The Nor'Wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee, which had been fighting the wind farm for several years, said the news was surprising but the organization was ecstatic.
4. City offers
Dougall media learns the city was buying up property in the north core for parking for its proposed event centre. Residents and business owners said they had received letters of interest from the city but most said any offer were too low to consider. Some were eventually purchased. The city is looking to spend around $2 million total for property in the area.
3. Field Street murder
The burned body of Llloyd Oskineegish, 44, was discovered in a wooded area near Field Street in July. A half a dozen people were eventually charged with second degree murder in the case, which is still before the courts. The city cleared brush in the area shortly after the incident.
2 Canada Day murder
Christopher Adams was killed near city hall after being allegedly robbed and assaulted early in the morning of July 1. Police eventually upgraded charges to three people from aggravated assault to second degree murder in the incident. The matter is still before the courts.
1 Bombardier strike
After six weeks of negotiations nearly 900 workers at Bombardier went on strike in July. The primary point of contention during the labour dispute, which lasted into September, were concessions the company is seeking to early retirement benefits for recent hires and a change to the pension structure of future workers.
