Tuesday, June 23, 2009

H1N1 Flu Cases

The Ministry of Health and Health Canada are being urged to mobilizetheir resources to deal with the outbreak of the H1N1 virus in firstnation communities in northern Ontario.

Kenora-Rainy River M.P. Howard Hampton says he wants the McGuinty government to treat the outbreak on first nation communities the same way they treated it in southern Ontario.

Hampton says six first nation communities in northern Ontario aredealing with multiple cases of H1N1 and says the situation will onlyget worse unless the province takes action.

LOW Control Board Open House

Water levels on the Winnipeg River are higher than normal according to the Lake of the Woods Control Board.

Spokesperson Rick Cousins says they'll be discussing water levels on the lake and the river at their open house today.

Area residents can visit the open house at the Best Western Lakeside Inn from 7:30 until 9.

OPSEU Economic Crisis Meeting

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is holding a round table discussion on Kenora's economic crisis.

Representatives from the City,Making Kenora Home, Tourism, business and Labour communities will be speaking at the event.'

Summit Organizer Cassie Moehler says everyone faces challenges in today's economy.

The Kenora Forum on the economic crisis will be held at the Bestwestern from 1 until 4.

Downtown Revitalization Project gets 2 million dollars

The City of Kenora will get getting two million dollars from the provincial government to proceed with phase two of the downtown revitalizationproject.

The funding was announced yesterday by the Northern Ontario HeritageFund.
Jeff Port is the city's planner and says they hope to begin phase twoby the end of the summer.

Port says most of the work will center around the Lake of the WoodsPlaza, which is being developed at the intersection of Main and 1stStreet South on the Harborfront side.

The money will also help fix up aging wharves, and convert theThistle Pavillion into a year-round visitor information center.

LCBO Strike Deadline

Employees with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario in Kenora have set up their strike headquarters.

Members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union will be in a legal strike position by midnight tonight.

Randy Robinson is an OPSEU spokesperson and says employees want to share in a very profitable crown corporation.

Robinson says the talks with the LCBO are under a media black outand he can't discuss the specific issues on the table.

However, he does say they are concerned with the large number ofpart time workers employed by the LCBO who don't enjoy workplace benefits.