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Good morning, Thunder Bay — and welcome to issue one hundred and fifty-six. Rain at times, with a high of 14°C, and a special weather statement is in effect. It's Tuesday, November 3. In today's issue: up to 75 mm of rain could fall by Thursday, hundreds of pumpkins light up Hillcrest Park, and a local dairy farm moves into a new robotic barn. Plus the NAPS "Name our Pup" contest, a new podcast episode and things to do this week.
In this Harbour Beat Issue…
Trivia: Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman city of Pompeii in which year — AD 79, AD 179, or AD 479? (Answer at the bottom!)
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Thunder Bay Events
Here's what's on from today through Saturday, from the City's community events calendar.
Tuesday, November 3
NOV 3 · Tuesday Group Run — 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. · 📍 Boulevard Lake, meet at the Rita Street parking lot · A friendly 5k run or run/walk around the lake, open to any speed or fitness level. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Wednesday, November 4
NOV 4 · Westfort Prosvita Catch the Ace — draw at 7 p.m. · 📍 Westfort Prosvita, 721 West Gore St. · Weekly fundraising draw, $5 a ticket, and you don't need to be there to win. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Thursday, November 5
NOV 5 · John Muirhead and Nick Sherman — 6:30 p.m., tickets $42.12 to $47.40 · 📍 Royal Canadian Legion Branch 5, 229 Van Norman St. · An evening of storytelling and song from folk-rocker John Muirhead, with a performance by Nick Sherman. · 📅 Add to Calendar
NOV 5 · Open Mic Comedy at Campfire Comedy — doors 7 p.m., show 8 to 10 p.m., no cover · 📍 117 Cumberland St. N. · Weekly Thursday open mic with touring comedians and rising stars, open to newcomers. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Friday, November 6
NOV 6 · Juke Box Dance Party — doors 6:30 p.m., music 7 to 11 p.m., $30 per person (register by Nov. 5) · 📍 Slovak Legion · A nostalgic night of the songs you grew up with, inspired by the old jukebox at Chippewa Park. · 📅 Add to Calendar
NOV 6 · Bar Polonia Friday Live Music — 8 to 11 p.m., $10 cover · 📍 Polish Combatants' Association Branch No. 1, 209 N. Cumberland St. · Live music every Friday night, and everyone is welcome. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Saturday, November 7
NOV 7 · Mum's Pantry General Store — 12 to 6 p.m., open Thursday to Saturday · 📍 100 Simpson St., at Victoria · A community-driven general store and mini artisan market for local food and handmade goods. · 📅 Add to Calendar
⚠️ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT IN EFFECT
Environment Canada has a special weather statement posted for Thunder Bay as two low-pressure systems bring heavy rain through Thursday. Fog patches dissipate Tuesday morning, and rain continues through the day.
🌧️ Tuesday, November 3 — Thunder Bay
14°C
Overnight low 12°C
Rain at times mixed with drizzle, about 5 mm, and the UV index is low at 1. Tonight brings periods of rain, 5 to 10 mm, with winds turning northeast near 20 km/h after midnight.
Wednesday is rain with a high of 11°C and a low of 7°C. Thursday brings periods of rain or snow with a high of 7°C, and Friday turns to a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 6°C and a low near −6°C. Forecast from Environment Canada.
Up to 75 mm of rain is possible by Thursday as Environment Canada issues a special weather statement
Two low-pressure systems are bringing heavy rain to Northwestern Ontario, and Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for a region stretching from Fort Frances to Sault Ste. Marie. Between 25 and 50 millimetres was forecast to fall overnight Monday, and multi-day totals could pass 75 millimetres before the end of the week. If water tends to pool near your home, clear the leaves off the nearest storm drain and your gutters today.
🗳️ Your call: Up to 75 mm of rain is possible by Thursday. What's your plan?
Up to 75 mm of rain is possible by Thursday. What's your plan?
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Hundreds of jack-o'-lanterns light up Hillcrest Park for the annual pumpkin parade
Carved pumpkins glowed along the city skyline at Hillcrest Park on Sunday evening, the night after Halloween, at the 10th annual pumpkin parade. Organized by Eco Superior, the event is mainly about keeping pumpkins out of the landfill, but rethinking waste coordinator Suphala Chandorkar says it is also about community, giving people a platform to see each other's work. It's a reminder that a pumpkin doesn't have to end up in the garbage once Halloween is over.
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'Big learning curve for the cows': a local dairy farm moves into a new robotic milking barn
Veumount Farms received nearly $225,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation toward a new barn that opened in March 2026. At about 25,000 square feet, it is roughly double the size of the old facility and has automated milking stalls where the cows choose when to be milked, 24 hours a day. Co-owner Joel Veurink says the first two months were tough as the cows learned the system, with help from family, employees and neighbouring farmers. The funding also created one new full-time job at the farm, according to MPP Kevin Holland's office.
Indigenous Community Feature 🪶
Help the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service name its newest K-9 recruit
NAPS is bringing a young Malinois puppy into its canine unit, which will get the service back to two police dogs after Becks left with his handler for another police service. The pup comes from the same lineage as Kona, NAPS's other K-9, and will complete 24 weeks of training with her handler, a sworn officer, in search and rescue and drug detection. She doesn't have a name yet, so NAPS is running a "Name our Pup" contest open to students and families in the 34 First Nations it serves. The winning school or individual receives a picture of the dog and a commemorative plaque, and names in an Indigenous language will get preference.
Submissions are open until Sunday, Nov. 15, the winner is chosen Nov. 16, and the name is unveiled in December.
Harbour Beat Connect 🎧
Build & Thrive Thunder Bay
Host: Robert Downing
The Accessibility Advantage: How Making Your Business Easier for Everyone Can Open New Markets
What if making your business easier to use could help you reach more customers? This week's episode looks at how small changes to your website, storefront, communications and customer service can make a business more welcoming to everyone. It runs about 17 minutes.
In this episode:
Why accessibility can open up new markets
Small changes to your website and storefront
Making communications and customer service welcoming to everyone
New episodes every Monday.
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Trivia answer: AD 79. Mount Vesuvius erupted that year and buried Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum under volcanic ash and pumice, preserving the streets and buildings until excavations began centuries later.
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