Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Can/Am Challenge KBI

Team Canada is looking forward to their friendly rivalry with their angling counterparts from the South.

The Canadian team is being led this year by Kenora Resident Jeff Gustafson.

Gustafson says they're relying on old techniques.

For results after the weigh ins log onto www.kbifishing.com

KBI Starts Thursday

You still have a chance to fish in the 2009 Kenora Bass International.

The KBI officially gets underway tomorrow with weigh-ins taking place under the big tent on the harbourfront.

Chair Tracey Laffin says they have room for more boats in this year's fleet and will accept last minute registration's today.

The KBI Rules and Orientation will be taking place at 6pm this evening under the big tent.

Red Lake Federal Funding

A major project in Red Lake is getting considerable aid from the Federal Government.

Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty announced today 2.3-million dollars in funding to develop the Nungesser Road Industrial Park.

The money will be used to extend water, sewer, hydro and telephone service to half of the 80-proposed lots.

Officials hope the Park located near the Goldcorp Mine and the Red Lake Airport will help create new economic opportunities.

The Conservatives are also giving the Chukuni Communities Development Corporation 300-thousand dollars to assist small and medium sized businesses.

Quetico Race

Quetico Provincial Park continues to celebrate its Centennial Anniversary with the return of the legendary Cross Quetico Canoe Race.

The 200-kilometre endurance challenge takes competitive paddlers over lakes, portages, rivers and creeks.

The original race started in 1962.

This year's race starts Saturday morning at 6 o'clock and is expected to end Sunday night at 6.

The starting and end point is the Main Beach of French Lake at the Dawson Trail Campground.

20-teams from Minnesota and Ontario are scheduled to compete.

Money for Education

The Provincial Government is boosting education in Northwestern Ontario with more then 1.5-million dollars in funding.

Confederation College is getting 1-million to launch a new Trades and Technology program.

Demand for the course is high as workers who have been hit by layoffs have flocked to Confed. to upgrade their skills.

The money will allow for 260-more students to enter the program.

Lakehead is receiving 285-thousand to fund research that will look at the utilization of wood as a value-added project and another 150-grand to study new harvest planning strategies.

MNR Fish Study Rainy Lake

The Ministry of Natural Resources is keeping a close watch on the Fish population in Rainy River.

Area Biologist Darryl McLeod says their studies show the bass fishery remains strong.

McLeod says the fishery may change now that walleye stocks are beginning to improve.

Household Hazardous Waste Day

Get ready to toss out your old cans of paint, dead batteries and old propane cannisters.

The City of Kenora will be holding its annual household hazardouswaste disposal day this weekend.

The annual event will take place at the Waste Transfer Station on August 9th.

There will be a 10 dollar charge per vehicle, and the city says due tothe large number of vehicles expected, they will be accepting cash only.

Household hazardous waste disposal day will take place from 9:00to 4:00 Sunday.

Cold July

If you say the month of July was cold, you are right, it was!

MIX FM Meterologist Bill Laidlaw says most of Northwestern Ontario experienced their coldest July since 1992.

Laidlaw notes we had lot's of rain days but precipitation was below or at normal across the Region, with the exception of Red Lake.

Marine Rescue

Two American anglers survived a 48-hour ordeal stranded on Rainy Lake.

A Minnesota houseboat company overheard a May-Day call Saturday night and contacted Canada Border Services.

The OPP and U.S. Coast Guard were dispatched and the men were located in Bleak Bay.

OPP say their 18-foot vessel ran into engine troubles and the boat was drifted across the Bay to a site where they couldn't be seen.

No one was injured.

Council Vacancy

Wanted: someone to sit on Kenora City Council for one year.

The city has decided to seek applications from the public to fill thevacant council seat created by the resignation of Andrew Poirier last month.

Chief Administrative Officer, Bill Presentanz says it will be up to council to select someone qualified from the applications they receive.

Presentanz says a by-election was ruled out due to the cost of staging the vote.

He says a mail-in ballot would cost the city about 40 thousand dollars to prepare.

Layton on Seniors in NWO

The federal New Democrats say the Harper government has to do abetter job helping seniors.

Jack Layton was in Kenora earlier this week and met with local seniors to talk about issues important to them.

Layton says there are several things the government can do to makelife easier for Canada's seniors population.

Layton says he's also pushing the federal government for an overhaulof the Employment Insurance system to make it easier for workers tocollect benefits.