Thursday, February 3, 2011

Schools Building Schools Holds Virtual Ground Breaking Ceremony

A virtual ground breaking ceremony has taken place for the Schools Building Schools
project.

Five high schools in Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ignace have raised 17 thousand
dollars to help build a new school in a tiny community in Guatamaula.

Gord LeMaistre is a member of the Kenora Rotary Club and says he was impressed with
the students fundraising efforts.

Amanda Wiebe is the chair of the Schools Building Schools committee at Thomas Aquinas
and says they managed to raise six thousand dollars for the project.

The money helped build a new two room school in the central american country along with
new washroom facilities.

Questions Raised about new Internet Rates

A northwestern Ontario politician is raising alarm bells about a CRTC decision about
internet rates.

The broadcast regulator says it's okay for internet service providers to put a cap on data downloads.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says there is a move to get the government
to reverse the policy

Rafferty says such a policy will be disastrous for people in northern Ontario who rely on the Internet

Sioux Lookout Hunters Fined

Tag sharing and providing false information has proved costly for 2-Sioux Lookout men.


The hunters have been fined 45-hundred dollars for various offences.

Court heard that Conservation officers responded to a complaint last November of shots heard in Sioux Lookout.

Officers investigated and found Gregory Marino loading an antlered deer into the back of his pick-up truck.

The animal was tagged with a seal belonging to Carl Bober, who was at work at the time.

Despite having a valid deer seal himself, Marino called Bober and asked for his seal.

Both men made numerous false statements to officers.

Fort Frances Man Survives Trip to Egypt

A northwestern Ontario man is back from Cairo where he says he saw humanity at its worst.


Tristin Hutton says it was chaos on the streets.

The 44-year-old from Fort Frances says he watched rolling battles between police and protesters from his hotel window.

Police used water cannons and tear gas on the protesters who set fire to police vehicles, and fought back with rocks and bats.

He says he didn't see anyone killed but talked to people who did and saw pictures of people being crushed by police vehicles.

The bush pilot was in Egypt on holiday and was visiting his sister who works at the Canadian Embassy.

Rat Portage Charges Non Residents for Ice Road Access

The Rat Portage First Nation says its now charging non-band members for use of the

ice road through their community.

As of February 1st, the band has set up manned check points at the Gap Road and the Matheson Bay
entrances to the First Nation.

A toll of 25 dollars a day is being charged to drive on the ice road.

A monthly permit of 50 dollars, or a seasonal pass for 75 dollars are also available.

The access passes can be purchased at the Rat Portage Band office.

NOTO Defends new Land Use Permit costs

There are a lot of unhappy campers in Northwestern Ontario.

Several area outfitters have written to the Premier upset about an increase to their land use permit fees.

NOTO Executive Director Doug Reynolds says his organization has been listening to the concerns of tourist outfitters from this region.

Reynolds says the industry knew the fees were coming for over three years and he negotiated the best deal he could.

Stand Off Ends Peacefully near Pickle Lake

An 18-year-old man is in custody following an armed stand-off at the Band Office in New Osnaburgh First Nation.


Nishnawbe-Aski Police received a call of an armed suspect at the Security office around 3:30 yesterday morning.

The OPP Crisis Negotiation Team and OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit were called in to assist officers.

The incident was resolved peacefully 8-hours later, with no shots fired.

No formal charges have yet to be laid.

Broncos lose four on the road

It wasn't a good day on the court for Beaver Brae's boys basketball

and girls volleyball teams.

The Broncos were in Dryden yesterday and came away without a win.

In senior boys basketball, The Eagles edged Beaver Brae 32-26.

The Bronco junior boys were upeneded 60-38.

In volleyball action, the Dryden senior girls won in three straight set,
while the Beaver Brae junior girls lost three sets to one.

The Broncos don't have a lot of time to lick their wounds.

All four teams are back in action today with Fort Frances in town.

Thistles lose in Winnipeg

The Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles will be happy to play at home

again.

The Thistles wrapped up a seven game road swing last night with a
4-1 lost to the Winnipeg Thrashers.

Bowen Alcock scored the lone goal for the Kenora Midgets.

The Thistles are back home this weekend with a pair of games
against the Interlake Lightning.