Much like what you can see in the real world, anyone who visits Thunder Bay Art Gallery can expect to come face to face with brightness, lightness, and darkness—sometimes all at the same time. The gallery’s current exhibits mirror what we perceive in our human, spiritual and natural worlds, at least that’s what many visitors to the gallery feel.

The gallery currently showcases three exhibits created by three talented local artists that are guaranteed to get visitors and viewers thinking about how the light and dark work in their lives.

First up is artist Kasia Piech’s gallery. The ceramics teacher boasts of the largest exhibit in the gallery, and her background in fine art, linguistics and religion clearly reach out to any casual observer. Upon seeing her section of the gallery, visitors are immersed in soft music, the kind that’s heard in the churches of old.

Next is Chris Stones’ Material Memory. His collection of sculptures is a hodgepodge of fierce and soft. His gallery also includes a painting, and some interesting photographs.

Last but not least is Patrick Doyle’s Living in Landscape, a gallery that’s best viewed a few steps back. His is an explosion of vibrant color and panels that remind the viewer of fantasy dream worlds.

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery currently has these exhibits up for display until the 24^th of October.

It took him some 4 years to do it, but after plenty of hard work, Ben Johnson finally shattered his own personal record for the heaviest pumpkin.

Johnson, a grower from Thunder Bay, Ontario, won top prize for the heaviest pumpkin at the 4^th annual Pumpkinfest, which was held on Saturday at the Murillo fair grounds. A total of 36 pumpkin entries were weighed by judges, with Johnson’s 1217-pound pumpkin winning first place, along with a check of $1,000 for the grower. Not only was the winning entry a new personal best for Johnson, it also broke the existing record in all of northwestern Ontario.

Johnson commented that he’s always strived to beat his previous record, and now that he has, he’s just basking in the glow of satisfaction for growing something that huge, and of course, winning a bit of money on the side.

The Thunder Bay grower is now on a two-year winning streak after winning last year’s Pumpkinfest with a 786-pound pumpkin. According to Johnson, the exceptional size of his pumpkin this year was due to the fact that the season was considerably warmer compared to the last. Warmer weather is a crucial factor in growing bigger and heavier pumpkins, he said.

Cooking has never been more fun when you participate in one of The Kitchen Nook‘s cooking classes! Coming up October 6th, learn sausage making with Dave Maltese from Maltese Grocery. While Dave teaches the art of sausage making, Marlene from The Kitchen Nook will show some quick and easy appetizers for you to sample.

The freshly made sausages will be sampled with a variety of mustard’s. And then to top off the evening you’ll go home with 5 lbs of home made sausages.

For more information on upcoming classes from The Kitchen Nook, be sure to visit their website at www.thekitchennook.com.

According to a Finish resident, the redder you are when wearing a traditional Rautjarven costume, the better you look.

The Finlandia Club, which celebrated its 100^th anniversary in late March, finally had its chance to hold celebrations this summer. The festivities were kicked off on Friday, and ran over the weekend.

Hundreds of people crammed themselves outside the Finlandia Club in Thunder Bay on Saturday, with club members wearing traditional garb to commemorate the anniversary. Raija Tilus was one of those who came dressed in the Rautjarven costume, which was adorned with accessories in red, matched with extra-large brooches.

She comments that the redder your costume is, the higher up you are. She didn’t really explain the significance of the color, except to say that she thinks red is a hard color to make.

Perhaps red is significant because of the Rautjarven costume’s origins. The costume traces its roots to a region in Finland which was taken over by the Russians after World War II, Tilus points out.

Tilus was proud of the opportunity to celebrate and share their heritage and culture. The Finnish community, which is traditionally a reserved one, certainly let their inhibition go as they partied hard at the Finlandia Club.

From formal to casual wear, Swartz Fine Fashions is Thunder Bay’s premier fashion destination featuring some of the world’s top men’s and women’s designer collections.

Located in the Westfort village, stop in, park for free, and browse Thunder Bay’s largest selection of exclusive labels such as Hugo Boss, J. Lindeberg, Brax, Diesel, Dom Rebel, Nautica and more.

Prided on excellent customer service, our fashion experts will put together an outfit from hats to ties to belts to footwear.

In our women’s collection, we are the exclusive destination for Mexx and Kenneth Cole in Northern Ontario. Select also from Belstaff, Ringspun, Nobis and other accessories.

Swartz Fine Fashions, bringing style, quality and excellent customer service to Thunder Bay.

www.fadedsoul.com

From formal to casual wear, Swartz Fine Fashions is Thunder Bay’s premier fashion destination featuring many of the world’s top men’s and women’s designer collections.

Located in the Westfort village, you’re invited to stop in, park for free, and browse Thunder Bay’s largest selection of exclusive labels such as Hugo Boss, J. Lindeberg, Brax, Diesel, Dom Rebel, Nautica and more.

Prided on customer service, our fashion experts will assist you to ensure that you leave completely confident that you are dressed appropriately for whatever the occasion may be.

In our women’s division we are the exclusive destination for such sought after labels as Kenneth Cole, Mexx, Belstaff, Citizens of Humanity and many more.

Swartz Fine Fashions, bringing world class style, quality and unequalled customer service to Thunder Bay. Visit our website at www.fadedsoul.com.

Thunder Bay’s Police Service has their hands full this year, with more and more reports of substance abuse coming in from concerned residents. Police Chief Bob Herman spoke before council on Monday night detailing police issues in the City of Thunder Bay. He reported that 2608 intoxicated people were arrested in the city – a very high number consider Sudbury only apprehended 279 people. The chief pointed that indeed, the city has a substance abuse problem. And because the city only has 7 detox beds, many of those arrested are being locked up in jail, when in fact, they shouldn’t.

According to Chief Herman, this is a health issue. Police shouldn’t be locking up these individuals; they should treated by medical personnel. He notes that the city needs to address this problem with a new program and proper funding.

Another issue that’s causing problems for Thunder Bay’s Police Service is the number of non-police calls complaints they’re receiving. He said that over 25 percent of the calls the service gets having something to do with matters like a neighbor with a barking dog, or something of that sort.

Chief Herman also reasoned out why he’s against the reduction of the police service, saying that every officer is crucial, especially with the workload they have.

A new year and a new decade is upon us at last! We hope that everyone in Thunder Bay had a blast welcoming 2010 and that we can now start to forget about the challenges that have marked the previous year to give way to a guaranteed more eventful year especially with the upcoming Winter Olympics drawing right at our doorsteps.

After all the New Year’s party hang-over is done, after we have continued our annual traditions and superstitions to welcome the New Year, it is once again time to contemplate on all the great things that is in store for Thunder Bay for the coming year.

To start with, the Olympic torch will be passing by on Thunder Bay tomorrow and it would be best to show the world what our city is all about by showing our support the best way we can.

Again, Happy New Year Thunder Bay and let’s all show some Canadian love in the passing of the Olympic Torch tomorrow!

Regardless of the challenges brought about by the year 2009, the Tots for Toys campaign that the Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue department has been spearheading has had a shockingly generous year. How bountiful were the donations exactly for this year? $12,000 more than the previous year to be specific.

Everybody who witnessed the closing event for this year’s campaign at the Intercity Shopping Centre was ecstatic to know the figures. Even 4 year old Lucas Foekens knew the significance of the check he held on to in the event.

According to Bob Vander Ploeg, the chair from the firefighters committee on Toys for Tots, the outcome of this year’s campaign just goes to show that even more people have no intentions of letting down our underprivileged children on Christmas day itself. No sir.

Ploeg also added that he admits to being not surprised at how generous people can be regardless of the challenging year that 2009 has been especially for charities. With this in mind, he is asking others who still wanted to donate to Toys for Tots to donate to other charities instead because this year’s campaign has officially come to a close.

Thunder Bay’s Haley Irwin is all smiles after being named as one of the chosen few to join Canada’s formidable Olympic women’s hockey team.

Even more astounding is the fact that she joins the distinguished team at the age of 21 making here one of only two women on the team to have been unborn during the last time the winter Olympics happened in Canada.

Irwin’s background includes being the first female to be able to join a AAA rated boys hockey team in her hometown Thunder Bay. She then started to make a name for herself at the University of Minnesota’s women’s hockey team – Duluth Bulldogs. She then did more than enough to earn the rookie of the year title after leading WCHA in scores with 23 goals in total as a freshman.

From then on, Irwin was on her way to becoming an overall player as she worked on her defense to compete with her unquestionable offensive prowess.

Up to this moment, Irwin is still at awe at such a dream come true. She said she is honoured for being given the opportunity to be able to represent the country in such a huge event and that she will bring forth her best during the games.