Hampton Forestry

Kenora Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton feels the McGuinty Government needs to immediately adress the growing number of layoffs in the forest industry.

This past summer has been full of companies laying off employees across Northwestern Ontario.

Hampton says the Liberal Government has been a sleep at the wheel.

The most recent layoffs were announced by Domtar's Ear Falls mill.

First Rider Program

The newly formed Northwestern Ontario Student Services Co-Operative is hosting the 'First
Rider Program in Dryden and Kenora on Saturday.

Transportation Manager Judi Green says the initiative helps teach kids about bus safety.

The program has been running in Dryden for 10-years and is being held in Kenora for the first time.

Rest Stop AMO

Three members of Kenora City Council are back in town after spending the past week hob-knobbing with provincial cabinet ministers in thenations capital.

Rory McMillan, Charito Drinkwalter and mayor Len Compton attended the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa.

McMillan says they had generally positive meetings with most ministers, but was disappointed with the response they got from the Minister of Transportation about the development of a rest stop on the Kenora By-Pass.

Earlier this year at the Ontario Good Roads Conference, the province indicated that it would begin a study on the feasitibity of building a rest stop on Highway 17-A.

Keewatin Beach Open

Clear skies, warmer weather and a newly re-opened beach.

The Northwestern Health Unit has rescinded its closure of Keewatin Beach.

The beach was closed last week due to high levels of e-coli found in the water.

Recent water quality tests have come back clean.

Weekly sampling will be carried out during the swimming season as a way to ensure the water quality does not pose a risk for swimmers.