THUNDER BAY - Here are the top stories from April 2018, as selected by tbnewswatch.com editor Leith Dunick. We'll be rolling out our look back at the year gone throughout the rest of December, culminating with our most read stories of the year on Jan. 1.
- Thunder Bay Police Chief J.P. Levesque called it a career after 31 years on the city’s police force and not long after obstruction of justice and breach of trust charges related to an ongoing investigation of Mayor Keith Hobbs were dismissed in court. Deputy Chief Sylive Hauth was tapped to take over the role on an interim basis and the police services board said it would conduct a nationwide hunt for his replacement. Levesque’s rein was plagued by accusations of racism within the department, not to mention his own legal challenges.
- About 65 clinical staff workers at the Port Arthur Health Centre walked off the job, a labour dispute that would last into the summer months and get nasty at times as employees fought for better wages, the key issue in the labour disruption. Picketers slowed vehicles entering the clinic, but management said they would keep it open and continue to provide care.
- First Nations leaders called on Lakehead University to address systemic racism following the resignation of Bora Laskin School of Law dean Angelique Eaglewoman. They asked school administration to address institutional discrimination and move toward reconciliation.
- Embattled former lawyer Alexander (Sandy) Zaitzeff pleaded guilty to charges of invitation to sexual touching under 16, assault and firearms possession. He was charged in November 2016 and received 15 months probation.
- Then Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford made a pre-election visit to Thunder Bay, where he held a rally, warned Bombardier they must be on time delivering rail cars and promised a collaborative approach to the Ring of fire, despite earlier statements he’d take a bulldozer to build a road to the mineral development.
- The NDP banned Kenora candidate Matt Soprovich from the ballot after social media post from his past showing him ripping his shirt off and being so hung over he fell back asleep, came back to haunt the would-be politician.
- Lakehead athletes and members of the community paid tribute to the victims of the deadly bus crash that killed 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos organization, holding a vigil at the university.
- Taxpayers learned the repairs to the Main Street bridge would cost significantly more than first anticipated. City council approved a two-year contract, worth $5.3 million, at a late April meeting. The initial price tag for the project was listed at $4.2 million, but the lowest tender than came in was for $5.65 million.
- McKellar Coun. Paul Pugh announced he would not run in the municipal election in October, saying it was time for new blood around the council table. The former union leader gave his wholehearted endorsement to Ashleigh Nurmela, who ultimately wound up finishing second to entrepreneur Brian Hamilton.
- Once again city council decided to divert funds to restore the Boulevard Lake dam, redirecting the money to help pay for the Main Street Bridge project. Administration vowed the money would be in place by 2019 to complete the project, which has been pushed back multiple times in favour of other projects.
