Festival Funding Announced

A couple of local festivals are getting a helping hand from the provincial government.

Celebrate Summer, a festival which will take taking place just after Canada Day has been promised 40 thousand dollars to help stage that event this year.

Harborfest will also be getting 75 thousand dollars from the Ministry of Tourism's Celebrate Ontario fund.

A total of 20 million dollars has been promised 230 different festivals across the province, to help attract more visitors and create jobs in the community.

Council begins budget process this morning

Kenora city council will get its first crack at the 2011 budget this morning.

A special council meeting is scheduled to take place in Council chambers to go over the capital budget and take a look at long term projects.

The budget time-line for this fiscal year will also be laid out.

The budget meeting is scheduled to take place at 9:00 this morning.

Mixed reviews for the Northern Growth Plan

The head of the Northwestern Ontario Muncipal Association is giving thumbs up to the province's Northern Growth Plan.

Ron Nelson says NOMA is especially happy that a Northern Policy Institute is part of the plan

Nelson says now the plan is out it's up to everyone concerned to make sure it moves forward.

NDP MPP Howard Hampton doesn't see much oppirtunity for growth after reading the new Growth Plan For Northern Ontario,

The Northern Growth Plan was released on Friday to much fanfare.

Northern Policy Institute being Planned

The McGuinty government's proposal for a Northern Policy Institute is only a idea so far.

Liberal MPP Bill Mauro says details will be worked out by the presidents of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities.

Mauro says the advice will be passed on the Minister of Northern Development.

Wasaya Air expanding again

Flying services to Northern Ontario will be getting a boost.

Wasaya Airways is meeting increased demand for air service in the North by adding its second Bombardier Dash 8 since October.

Vice President George Simon says the company also plans on adding a third Dash 8 as part of an expansion plan.

Simon says the new planes can carry 37 passengers which is a lot larger than the current planes in their fleet.

The Fight is on for Northern Ontario Curling Teams

The federal NDP wants to save Northern Ontario and its place on the national curling stage.

Sports Critic Glenn Thibeault of Sudbury says they're trying to stop the Canadian Curling Association from eliminating the region's place at the Brier and giving it to the defending champion.

Thibeault says the region's vastness and uniqueness support the need for a separate Northern Ontario entry.

Hospital still in the black

Lake of the Woods District Hospital still expects to break even this year

despite its recent bed shortage.

Finance manager Cindy Gasparini says as of the end of January they wereabout 220 thousand dollars in the black.

She adds that the bed shortage has meant more overtime costs, so that will eat into their surplus.

She adds that at this point they still don't know what their budget will be for this years, but says right now they are working with the expectation of a zero percent increase.

Bronco Girls win NorWOSSA hockey Gold

Beaver Brae's hockey teams have won one gold and one silver medal in the NorWOSSA finals.

The Bronco girls took the NorWOSSA double "a" title last night with a 4-2 win over Dryden.

Ainsley Linquist led the scoring attack with a goal and three assists, while Sam Smith, Hannah Rose and Haley Moncrief each scored singles for Beaver Brae.

The Broncos won the best-of-three final two games to none and will head to Stratford after the March Break for the All-Ontario championships.

Meanwhile, the Fort Frances Muskies took the NorWOSSA double "a" boys crown with a 4-3 win over Beaver Brae last night at the Rec. Center.

The Muskies scored the game winner 12:28 in overtime to take the series two games to none.

Senior Thistles Trounce Penticton

The Kenora Triple "a" senior Thistles were not good hosts over the weekend.

The Thistles whipped the Penticton Vees in two games played at the Kenora

Rec. Center.

Yesterday, Jeff Richards had a pair of goals en route to a 9-1 win over the Vees.

On Saturday, the Kenora Seniors got three goals from Jon Johnson in a 9-4

rout over Penticton.

Meanwhile, the Kenora Double "a" PeeWee Thistles came up short in their best-of-three final against Steinbach in the EastMan Manitoba League.

The Millers best the Thistles 2-1 yesterday at the Keewatin Arena to take the series two games to one.

Beaver Brae Cheerleaders win Double Gold at Northern Regionals

Beaver Braes cheerleading squad won a couple of gold medals at the Northern Region Championships yesterday in Thunder Bay.

The Broncos took the Team Dance gold and also won the small, all-girl intermediate cheerleading competition.

The both cheerleading squads had now qualified for the provincial championships.

The cheer squad will head to Missisaugua in April.