Here are our top 10 stories for the month of April 2016. We'll be presenting our annual Year in Review feature between now and Jan. 1.
- The city announced it would have to delay planned work on Balmoral Street because of a $2.7-million cost overrun, 67 per cent more than had been budgeted for by council and administration. A block less work than originally planned in 2016 was tackled under the revised plan.
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid his first post-election visit to Thunder Bay, touring the local transit facility where he held a news conference and promised to help with Ontario’s resource development needs. But the PM stopped short of committing to match the province’s $1-billion commitment for the long-delayed Ring of Fire project.
- A couple was arrested and faced nine charges after a starved dog was discovered in the Picton Avenue area in March. The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals released pictures of the malnourished animal, which led to a 28-year-old man and 27-year-old woman being sent to court.
- A union official blamed delays in the arrivals of parts for delays in delivering Bombardier’s street-car order to the Toronto Transit Commission. Only 16 completed cars were expected to be delivered by year’s end, but the company planned to significantly accelerate production in order to have the 204-car order completed by 2019.
- Two men were sentenced to five years behind bars for their role burning a body in a fatal July 2014 assault in the Field Street area. Felton Sakanee and Keith Mishenene were originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of 44-year-old Lloyd Oskineegish.
- Neebing municipal council, to the dismay of many area residents, gave the go-ahead to block off a boat launch on Oliver Lake’s eastern shores. The reason cited by Neebing Mayor Ziggy Pokowski was liability as the boat launch was located adjacent to a road.
- A Thunder Bay teenager was hospitalized after a serious assault at the waterfront skateboard park. The boy’s mother, Shelly Lynn St. Arnaud, alleged he son was struck with a Razor scooter after an altercation that escalated. It led to a severe concussion, brain bleeding and a lacerated ear.
- A five-hour standoff on Balmoral Street resulted in the arrest of a 51-year-old man. The initial call came just after noon with a report of man barricaded inside a home. Police say they were concerned for his well-being after a gunshot was heard following a short discussion with officers on scene.
- Thunder Bay’s Coleman Hell grabbed the attention of the nation, performing his hit Two Heads on the Juno Awards. The musician was nominated for the breakthrough artist award, but fell short in his bid when Alessia Cara took home the trophy. Past winners include The Weeknd, Serena Ryder and Michael Buble.
- A local 28-year-old man was arrested in a sweeping provincial investigation into child pornography which saw 80 people charged. The suspect faces a single charge of possession of child pornography and police said two other area homes were searched during the investigation, which saw 174 search warrants executed across Ontario.
