Power out again in the City

Kenora Hydro says this morning's outage was likely a holdover from the storm that lashed the city earlier this week.

President and CEO of the utility, Dave Sinclair says they had an equipment malfunction that caused the 50 minute interruption in service.

Sinclair says residents in parts of the north end, as well as Lakeside, Tunnel Island and Coney Island were affected by the outage.

Hydro One working to power up one thousand customers

Hydro One says it hopes to restore electricity to all its customers in the Kenora area by this evening.

About a thousand homes in areas southwest of town are still without power following Monday night's wicked storm.

Hydro One spokesperson Danielle Gauvin says damage is fairly wide spread.

Most of the homes still without power are in the McKenzie Portage/Washagamis Bay area.

Lightning Starts new wild fires in northwest

The storm system that caused all the power outages is also responsible for a number of new forest fires in northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says yesterday was one of their busiest ever, with 27 new wild fires reported in the region, and more are expected to crop up today.

The MNR says it recorded more than 71 hundred lightning strikes in a 24 hour period.

Currently, there are 51 active forest fires in northwestern Ontario, 24 of which are classified as out of control.

OPSEU Developmental Workers Picket

Developmental Service Workers held information pickets at several locations across the Province yesterday to protest a stalemate in contract talks with the Government.

Local OPSEU President Erin Rice says they want the Finance Minister to open up negotiations.

OPSEU represents Community Living workers across northwestern Ontario.

Lakehead gets its law school

Northwestern Ontario is getting its law school.

The Provincial Government is helping set up the first law degree program at Lakehead University.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Terry Waboose says the new program will start in September 2013 with a strong focus in Aboriginal Law.

There are currently five law schools in the province, all located in central, eastern or southwestern Ontario.

Bootlegging charges laid

A 54 year old Kenora man faces bootlegging charges following a bust by the OPP's Street Crimes Unit.

Officers executed a search warrant on a home in the 3rd Street South area last Thursday.

Police say they seized a large amount of illegal alcohol and a quantity of illegal drugs with a street value of about 600 dollars.

Wayne Whitefish has been charged with Unlawfully Selling Liquor and Possession of an Illegal Substance.

He is to appear in Kenora Court on August 11th.

Blood Donor Clinic seeking more donors today

Canadian Blood Services wraps up its two-day blood donor clinic at Thomas Aquinas this  morning.

Yesterday, 141 people showed up to give the gift of life, which was about 17 fewer than hoped for.

Harvey Heather is a spokesperson for CBS and says this is a time of year they really need to build up their inventory of blood products.

He says they are hoping for 100 or more donors today to make up for yesterday's shortfall.

The blood donor clinic will run from 9:30 to 12:30 today.