- The extortion trial of former mayor Keith Hobbs, his wife Marisa and Mary Voss began at the Thunder Bay Courthouse. The trio were accused of trying to force the alleged victim, who cannot be named because of a publication ban, to buy a house for Voss after a failed relationship came to an end.
- After more than six years and countless legal battles that led all the way to the Supreme Court, the James Street Swing Bridge finally reopened to vehicular traffic. The bridge was closed to traffic in October 2013 after a fire damaged the span, and the railway fought the City of Thunder Bay in court, saying they should not have to live up to the terms of a 1906 deal in which its predecessor promised to keep the bridge operational in perpetuity.
- Layoffs at the local Bombardier plant began, with 200 put out of work in the first wave. Up to 550 people are expected to be laid off when all is said and done, as contracts for rail cars destined for southern Ontario run out. Later in the month an action centre was set up for displaced workers and their families.
- Former city councillor Larry Hebert was arrested and charged with attempted murder after an incident at a Vickers Street. Hebert, 72, is alleged to have attacked and threatened an individual inside the home, who then fled to a neighbour’s to call police. Hebert remains in custody.
- A fire lit up the night sky on Simpson Street, destroying a cabinet-making business as well as the Hells Angels clubhouse. It also led Peter Panetta to make the tough decision to close the adjacent Underground Gym, after a burst water pipe flooded the building’s basement.
- Johnathon Mark McKay, 40, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in a homicide at an Arundel Street address. The victim was 41-year-old Nazareth Andrew Kwandibens.
- Traffic was disrupted and rerouted for several weeks after an over-height vehicle struck a railway overpass on Highway 61 south of the airport. Several days later OPP said they had identified the vehicle in question and charges were pending.
- Garnet Loon pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in the 2017 death of Robert Lloyd Gray in a double homicide at a Carl Avenue home. Kory Lee Campbell, 22, was the other victim. Earlier in the year Kailee Loon pleaded guilty to assault in the case. A second count of manslaughter against Garnet Loon was withdrawn.
- Nearly 200 evacuees from Bearskin Lake First Nation were transported to Thunder Bay after flood waters inundated their remote, fly-in community. Another 200 were sent to Sioux Lookout after an ice jam led to high water levels.
- The discovery of a white, powdery substance led to the evacuation of the Canada Post mail sorting facility on Alloy Drive. After several hours, firefighters determined the substance was non-toxic and employees were allowed to return to work.
Between now and Jan. 1, tbnewswatch.com will be presenting our annual Year in Review feature, with a look back at the top news stories each month throughout 2019. We'll culminate with our top 10 news stories of the decade on New Year's Day.
