Look back: Feb. 2010

1. Campaign (unofficially) begins
Keith Hobbs’ successful mayoral race began with an unofficial announcement that he was giving a run at the city’s top job some serious consideration.

In early February he told tbnewswatch.com that he would retire as a police officer from the Thunder Bay Police Service, which could be followed by a mayoral campaign. The outspoken police union president had made headlines late in 2009 after speaking out against what he called a major upswing in violent crime in Thunder Bay.

Hobbs said he didn’t want to run in his Red River ward out of respect for Coun. Brian McKinnon and between running at-large or for mayor he wanted the top job.

2. Shocking murder trial
The defendant of one of the most shocking murder trials of 2010 pleaded guilty in February in a Thunder Bay courtroom to murdering his common-law girlfriend.

That second-degree murder guilty plea was followed by details of how 31-year-old Michael Shingabis not only murdered his live-in girlfriend but kept her body with him for more than a week. That led to charges and a conviction of indignity to a dead body following the death of Sybil Stoney in January 2009.

The court heard Shingabis began punching Stoney in the face during an argument before smothering her with a pillow. For the next eight days Shingabis continued sleeping with Stoney’s body.

Shingabis was sentenced to life in prison on March 22 with no possibility of parole for 14 years.

3. Million dollar rejection
Calling it an insult and morally repugnant, Gull Bay First Nations Chief Wilfred King rejected a $10 million offer from OPG for flooding and damages caused by dam construction during the 1940s.

Construction on the Nipigon and Ogoki River flooded traditional Gull Bay First Nation lands. An OPG spokesman said while the company won’t negotiate in public, he hoped the matter would be resolved soon.

Four other affected communities agreed to settlements ranging from $12 million to $45 million.

4. Access denied
MP Bruce Hyer (NPD., Thunder Bay – Superior North) drew international attention when he was denied entry into Mexico because he was carrying the wrong passport.

Hyer tried to enter the country with a green diplomatic passport, but Mexican officials sent him back to Canada after telling him they would not accept that passport for a non-diplomatic trip.

Hyer later blamed the Conservative government’s changed entry rules for Mexican nationals into Canada for his denied entry to Mexico. Hyer said the new rules, which required Mexicans to have a visa, led officials in that country to declare it would no longer honour Canada’s diplomatic passport.

5. Phase One overruns
The city spent $2.2 million more than it originally budgeted to complete the first phase of development at Prince Arthur’s Landing.

On Feb. 8, city council approved the 15 per cent increase over the original $14.6 million. It was told the bump was necessary as design plans were finalized. Although the money came from phase two of the project, an extra $1.8 million was also needed, bringing the total cost of waterfront development to $49.3 million.

6. New president revealed
One of the best kept secrets in Thunder Bay was revealed in February.

Lakehead University named Brian Stevenson as its sixth president on Feb.10. Stevenson, 52, took over for Fred Gilbert who held the post since 1998. An extensive background in politics and academia, Stevenson’s previous post was provost and vice-president academic at the University of Winnipeg.

Stevenson has vowed to keep Gilbert’s fight for a law school at LU alive. He has already reversed the Wi-Fi ban at the school.

7. Economic announcement
Bending Lake Iron Group Limited secured a $335 million loan guarantee to build an iron-ore refining plant in Atikokan.

The group would make merhcant pig iron with materials purchased from the U.S. until a mine at Bending Lake could be developed. The site is a booming iron deposit and could sustain a workforce of 320 people for 35 to 70 years.

8. Mould discovered
Unacceptable levels of mould were discovered and led to the temporary closure of the Neebing Fire Station.

The problem was discovered during a routine inspection and it was immediately decided the mould levels posed a health risk to firefighters. After operating out of the James Street location, firefighters returned to Neebing on May 14, but were still housed in an onsite trailer while work continued.

9. Musical honours
Local musician Roy Coran was given the American Federation of Musicians local 591 lifetime achievement award.

Coran, 80, has played with Duke Ellington and backed up Bob Hope and Red Skelton during a career that spans more than 60 years. The big band leader started his career in 1950 after studying at the University of Chicago.

He also opened Coran’s Music that same year.

10. Video goes viral
A local hip-hop video went viral after Jordan Burnell, 22, wrote a song singing the praises of his hometown.

The video for "My Hometown" had over 200,000 views in a matter of days after being posted to Youtube and became the most viewed video in Canada on the site last February.

The video was shot by local film maker Matt Popowich, 21 and featured local sites from Terry Fox to AbitibiBowater. It currently has 467,577 views.