Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Chamber awards tomorrow

The Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce will honor some of its best and

brightest at its annual awards banquet this week.

A total of 45 businesses have been nominated in 12 categories, including best
home based business, customer excellence, young entrepreneur, business owner of the
year, new business and environmental business award.

The Chamber awards will be presented tomorrow night at the Best Western Lakeside Inn at their annual general meeting.

Hospital still in the black

Lake of the Woods District Hospital continues to show a surplus on its operations

this year.

After three quarters of this fiscal year, the hospital is about 331 thousand dollars
in the black.

Chief Executive Officer, Marc Belcaen says they still expect to remain in a surplus
situation by the end of the fiscal year at the end of March.

He adds that the hospital does tend to spend more during the winter months, due to
higher utility costs, and revenues are lower, which will cut into their surplus. 

Three arrested in local drug bust

A total of four people have been arrested following two separate drug

seizures in the Kenora area.

In one incident, a 34 year old Quebec man and two Kenora residents were taken
into custody after the OPP's Organized Crime and the Street Crimes Units
executed a search warrent on a residence in downtown Kenora.

Officers seized a quantity of drugs including 21 grams of hash, more than 100 grams
of marihuana, two grams of morphine and a small quantity of Methadone.

Police also discovered over 700 in cash as well as other drug paraphernalia.

34 year old Dany Chartrand, 28 year old Vernon Jack and Ashley Noname have
been charged with possession of a narcotic, trafficking, and possession of
property obtained by crime.

They are due to appear in Kenora Court next month.

Horwath continues to call for HST relief on Home Heating bills

The Leader of the Provincial NDP is taking another shot at the HST.

Andrea Horwath made a quick stop in northwestern Ontario yesterday and says scrapping the HST on home heating bills would benefit people across the region.

She says the McGuinty government is out of touch.


Horwath says the HST is costing people in the Northwest 50-60 dollars each month in extra heating costs.

A new Executive Council for KDMA

Red Lake mayor Phil Vinet has been returned as the president of the Kenora
District Municipal Association.

The 70th annual KDMA conference was held in Red Lake over the weekend.

Vinet had been the acting president of the municipal organization.

Roy Hoffman of Pickle Lake is first vice-president, while former Kenora
resident, Kevin Kahoot, the new mayor of Ear Falls is second vice.

Next year's KDMA convention will take place in Sioux Lookout to help
celebrate that's town's 100th birthday.

Dryden Woman Dies in House Fire

A 50-year-old woman is dead following a fire at a Dryden Apartment complex.

Dryden Fire and Police were dispatched to the blaze early Sunday morning.

Crews arrived and found smoke billowing from a second floor window.

Firefighters broke into the unit and fought the blaze, only to find an unconsious woman.

She was transported to Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Nine other people were treated for smoke inhalation.

Council decides to Finance new fire hall internally

After much debate, city council has decided to fund the long-term debenture for the Kenora Fire Hall.

Council held a special meeting this morning and agreed to borrow money from the Citizan's propertity fund to finance the five million dollar building.

Councillor Ron Lunny says its better to finance the debenture internally rather than externally.

Mayor Dave Canfield admits he has mixed feelings on the 20 year loan, which will pay the city three percent a year.

Council was almost unanimous in the decision.

Louis Roussin voted against, saying the Citizans Prosperity fund was never intended to pay for public projects.