Kenora Hydro proposes rate increase

Kenora Hydro is proposing a 10 percent increase in its rates next year.

Hydro has submitted a request to the Ontario Energy Board for an increase in rates effective May 1st, 2011.

The new rates would help Kenora Hydro off-set some of the costs of a couple of major capital projects, including the installation of smart meters.

Hydro says the rate hike will also help pay for the re-build of their  sub-station on Mellick Avenue.

For the average consumer, rates would increase about nine dollars and 45 cents a month.

Road Closure near Wabigoon

It looks as if we'll be getting at least another 24 hours of snow.

So far about 10 centimeters has fallen, and its expected to snow

all day today and tonight.

Bill Laidlaw from Signal Weather Services says things won't start to

improve until Friday.

Meanwhile, there is one road closure to report this morning.

The Trans-Canada in Wabigoon has been shut down because of a collision involving two semi tractor trailor units.

The OPP say small vehicles and trucks are able to detour through the town.

Saints go for OFSAA gold

The Thomas Aquinas Senior Boys Volleyball team is gunning for its third straight provincial title.

The Saints are in Missasauga for the All-Ontario Single "a" championships.

Their first game is this morning at 11:30 against the lowest ranked team in the tournament, Bloor Collegiate from Toronto.

The number one ranked Saints' next game is at 2:30 against Brampton Christian High School.

T.A. wraps up the day with a game at 5:15 against Lajeunesse from Southwestern Ontario.

Broncos win league gridiron awards

Some hardware for Beaver Brae's Football team.

The Winnipeg High School Football League held its award ceremonies last night and the the Broncos took home two major awards.

Dannon Saunders was named the lineman of the year in the Vidruk East Division.

The Beaver Brae Football Club also received kudos for having the top coaching

staff in the Vidruk East Division.

Abitibi ready to exit Bankruptcy Protection

Abitibi Bowater could be on the verge of exiting bankruptcy protection. 

The company has been given the green light by an American court to go ahead with a restructuring plan that will shed five and a half billion dollars in unsecured debt. 

Part of the deal ensures the company will meet all pension obligations in Canada.

Hampton Outlines Energy ideas

Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Howard Hampton says his party has a lot of ideas

to help produce and conserve electricity.

Hampton was responding to complaints by Premier Dalton McGuinty that the

opposition doesn't have any ideas on its own how to handle Ontario's energy

demands for the next 20 years.

Hampton says there are a lot of things the province could and should be doing to

help conserve energy.

Hampton calls the McGuinty Government's 87 billion dollar energy plan is hap-hazard

and too expensive.

Compton Reflects on Four years in office

Out-going Kenora Mayor Len Compton says the city is well poised to move forward.

Compton will leave office at the end of this month and says the city has benefited greatly from a number of big projects over the past couple of years.

He says while the federal and provincial governments have contributed with

their infrastructure projects, private companies have also been very active.

Compton says the city was able to capitalize on all the infrastructure funding

because they had projects that were shovel ready.

Another Snow Day in Kenora

Its another snow day for students who have to take the bus to school.

Excel Coachlines says none of its buses will be running today, including the city Transit vehicles.

None of the secondary roads surrounding Kenora have been plowed, and  Excel says its just too difficult for its school buses to get around right now.

Schools will remain open today for students who walk or who have other means of transportation to get to school.

The Rat Portage School Bus is also not running today.

More snow on the way

Expect it to snow for the rest of today and overnight.

Another 10 centimeters of snow is expected before the system finally blows through northwestern Ontario.

Mark Shuster is a meteorologist with Environment Canada and says things should start to improve tomorrow.

The Kenora area has received another 10 centimeters of snow since yesterday afternoon.

There is one road closure this morning.

Highway 17 through Wabigoon has been closed down due to an accident

involving two semi-tractor trailor units.

The Trans-Canada east of Dryden is expected to be closed for at least an

hour.