Tuesday, December 8, 2009

KPS Severance

Kenora city council has given tentative approval of severance packages for former member of the Kenora Police Service.

A report was prepared for council outlining the total cost to the city.

Councillor Rory McMillan says the total payout is close to 1.5 million dollars.

The City estimates that it will be able to pay off the cost of the severances in one and a half years because savings from the OPP contract.

Fire Chief Chats To Council

It could be a while before the Kenricia Hotel is opened to the public again.

The City's Fire and Emergency Services Department is seeking a Section 15order to close the historic building.

Fire Chief Warren Brinkman says they conducted an inspection of the vacant hotel on Friday afternoon after pipes feeding the sprinkler system burst and flooded out one of the businesses located in the building.

Brinkman says the heat had been turned off inside the hotel, and water managed to seep into a number of electrical panels.

He says a number of fire code violations were identified during their inspection, and now he's seeking an order to close the building because itis a fire hazard.

November Weather Review

It was warmer and dryer than normal last month.

Environment Canada released its monthly weather statistics for the Kenora and data shows the average temperature coming in at plus 1.4 degrees.

Climatologist Sandy Radecki says we saw less snow and rain as well.

Radecki notes the normal temperature for November is in the minus range, and Kenora saw pleasant above zero temperatures.

Drug Bust

Drug traffickers continue to feel the pinch from Nishnawbe-Aski Police.This time, officers seized 19-thousand dollars worth of percocet and Oxycontin prescription pills.

The drugs were seized at the Thunder Bay Airport and were destined for the remote community of Webequie First Nation.

Police say 30-year-old Florence Spence and 24-year-old Darcy Shewaybick both face trafficking charges.

CN Pellets

An increase in the use of wood pellets to generate energy is good business for CN Rail.

CN says it expects to ship more than 800-thousand tonnes of pellets this year alone.

Spokesperson Mark Hallman says its a commodity that could rival its shipments of other forest-related products in the future.

Hallman says much of the material could find itself rolling through the Rainy River district as Ontario Power Generation converts its coal-fired generating station in Atikokan to burn biomass.

Bridge Arson

Provincial police have charged a man with arson after the Moose River rail crossing in northern Ontario was damaged by a fire.

Cochrane O-P-P say several railway ties on the as well as a nearby building damaged by fire.

A man was arrested at the scene yesterday.

Charged is 56-year-old Roy McCauley of Moosenee.

He's due in court tomorrow for a bail hearing.