Monday, November 16, 2009

Local Sports Round Up

In local hockey over the weekend...

The Beaver Brae Bronco's girls team beat visiting Fort Frances 6 to 3.

The Bronco's then went on to defeat Red Lake 5-3.

The Kenora Tripple A Thistles couldn't finish their game with the Central Plains Capitals on Saturday.

The game was suspended after 40 minutes at 2 and 2.

On Sunday, the Thistles beat the Capitals 3 to 1.


The J and M Judo Club has returned from competing in the St. Bonniface Judo Open in Winnipeg.

The club picked up 5 gold, two silver & two bronze medals on the day.

Multi medal winners included Daniel Gordon, Luke Heatherington & Ben Dennis.

Boe & Rhianna Rogers rounded out the medals for the group.

New Osnaburgh Homocide

Charges against an 18-year-old New Osnaburgh First Nation woman have been upgraded from second degree murder to first degree murder.

Kecia Leanne Spade was arrested in the stabbing death of 18-year-old Mariah Wesley in the First Nation community near Pickle Lake a week ago.

OPP and Nishnawbe-Aski Police are still investigating the incident.

Spade remains in Police custody.

MNR Lying

A Dryden resident has been fined 750-dollars for failing to report the acquisition of wildlife parts and making a false statement to a conservation officer.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Natural Resources executed a search warrant at Lee-Anne Corbin's home and officer seized roughly 100-animal parts including moose and deer antlers.

Corbin claimed she found, purchased and received the wildlife parts, but did not have the necessary paper work.

The MNR is now determining which items Corbin can keep.

Water Line

The three million dollar submarine water line between Water Street and Norman has finally been completed.

Kenora City council officially celebrated the end of the project Friday morning.

Operations Manager Rick Perchuck says the project costs also include a new section of the water line to Coney Island.

The new 16 inch water line is 2.2 kilometers long and services 45 hundred residents and businesses on Tunnel Island, Norman and Keewatin.

Changes in Latitude

The City of Kenora has found some problems with a local business owner's proposed marina along Highway 17 west.

Bruce Krawicki's Changes of Latitude Marina was originally approved for 38 parking spots and 38 boat slips.

Planning Assistant Tara Rickaby says Krawicki has 3 weeks to come into compliance.

Councillor Dave McCann says Krawicki can either remove some boat slips or create more adequate parking so that the two are equal.

Flu Shot Clinics

Attendance to the Northwestern Health Unit's flu shot clinics continue to be brisk.

Nearly 9-thousand doses of the H-1-N-1 vaccine have been administered to residents in the Kenora and Rainy River district since flu shot clinics began two weeks ago.

And while other parts of the province experience shortages, Director of Health Protection Arlene Lesenke says they have been able to meet the local demand.

Lesenke says even though clinics are being promoted for the H-1-N-1 vaccine, residents can get their seasonal flu shot with it as well.

For more information on clinic times and to make an appointment call 468-3147.

Blood Donor Clinic

It's time once again to give the gift of life.

The 2-day Blood Donor Clinic starts today at 4:30 at St. Thomas Aquinas High School.

Canadian Blood Services Spokesperson Michael Hyduk says they are hoping to attract more then 300-donors.

Hyduk says he doesn't believe the on-going H1N1 vaccination program will hurt attendance.

To make an appointment to donate blood call 1-888-2-DONATE.

MNR Bait Fish

A Kenora resident has been fined two thousand dollars for illegally importing baitfish into Ontario.

Jerry Wiebe admitted in Kenora court this week to importing live baitfish from Manitoba and providing false information to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The court heard that Wiebe used minnows that were trapped on a commercial baitfishing licence in Manitoba and used them to supply his commercial baitfish business in Ontario.

The MNR says importing baitfish from other jurisdictions poses a significant risk to local ecosystems and fisheries.

Dream Draw

The Kenora Rotary Club is hoping for another sell-out of its Dream Draw.

Monday is the deadline for the purchase of the 100 dollar tickets.

Gord McTaggert is a member of the Rotary Club and says this is their most profitable fundraiser of the year.

A total of ten vacation packages are up for grabs in the draw.

The winning tickets will be selected Monday evening.

DSSAB Budget

Municipalities in the Kenora District should soon have a better idea on how much they will have to pay for social services next year.

The Kenora District Services Board is planning to approve its 2010 budget this week.

Rory McMillan is chair of the board and says one area they may have to look at increasing spending is for Ontario Works programs.

Earlier this week, the District Services Board wrote a letter to local municipalities to cough up and extra 10 percent to cover higher than expected Ontario Works costs.

CAO Job Posting

The City of Kenora has drafted a new job description for its Chief Administrative Officer.

Bill Presentanz will be retiring next year, and says he wanted an updated job description before they hired someone new for the position.

Presentanz says they plan to start advertising the job prior to Christmasand have someone in place by August 1st of next year.

Homework Help

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is one of 15 across the province involved in an on-line math tutoring service.

Scott Sparkman is a special assignment teachers with the public board and says math students from grade 7 to grade 10 can take advantage of program.

The on-line tutoring program is available Sunday to Thursday from 4:30 to 8:30.

Students can log onto WWW.HOMEWORKHELP.ILC.ORG

Kenora Budget

The City of Kenora is starting its 2010 budget process a lot earlier than normal.

The first public budget meeting will take place tomorrow night in council chambers.

Councillor Rory McMillan says they want feedback from local residents about how they want their property tax dollars spent.

The budget meeting will take place after the regular open meeting of council tomorrow night.

Anyone wanting to make a deputation is asked to contact city hall prior tothe meeting.

Health Awards

Northern Diabetes Health Network is up for a provincial award.

The network's Northern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative is among finalists for an
Innovation in Health Care Award to be presented later this month in Toronto.

The Initiative helped identify priority needs of Aboriginal communities and organizations in dealing with diabetes among First Nations people.

Royal Winter Fair

There is a strong northwestern Ontario flavour to this year's Royal Winter Agricultural Fair in Toronto.

17-different products from companies between Thunder Bay and Kenora are on display at this year's agricultural showcase.

Rural Agricultural Coordinator for the Rainy River Futures Development Corporation Jeannette Cawston says attendance at last year's event convince them to join forced with other communities this year.

The fair includes a separate section for northern Ontario which Cawston says help local producers promote their products to fair goers.

PARO Cash

The Federal Government is investing nearly 500-thousand dollars in the PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise.

The FedNor funding will support a 3-year initiative allowing the Agency to expand training, networking and support services for women entrepreneurs in remote and rural communities in Northwestern Ontario.

Minister of Industry Tony Clement made the announcement Tuesday in Thunder Bay.