Thursday, September 29, 2011

North Spirit School Opens

The Federal Government has opened a new school in North Spirit Lake.

The community of 400 is now home to a four classroom facility that accomodates 96 students from kindergarten to Grade 9.

It took over 14 million dollars to build the school.

Big Trout Lake Sends out Eviction Notice

The Big Trout Lake First Nation has given an eviction notice to God's Lake Resources.

The company has being doing some exploration work on the band's traditional land use area, against the community's wishes.

Band spokesperson John Cutfeet says God's Lake is basically tresspassing.

The company has been asked end its work in the Sherman Lake area  and all personnel are being told to leave today.

One more All-Candidates Forum this evening

Candidates in Kenora-Rainy River will get another chance to debate the issues tonight in the third all-candidates forum of the election campaign.

The Rainy River Federation of Agriculture hosts the event tonight in Stratton.

Last night, candidates attempted to sell themselves to Fort Frances voters at a mix and mingle hosted by the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce.

OPP Commish to Visit Kenora Today

The Commissioner of the OPP will be paying a special visit to Kenora today.

Chris Lewis will be in town to help name a couple of bridges on the Kenora by-pass.

The bridges will be named after officers who have died in the line of duty in the Kenora area.

The ceremony will take place at the Discovery Center starting at 5:00 this afternoon.

Another drug bust in Kenora

Another day, another drug bust.

A 36 year old Kenora man has been arrested after police executed a search warrant on a home on 2nd Avenue South.

The OPP's Organized Crime and Enforcement Unit as well as its

drug squad seized seized 40 grams of cocaine, 20 grams of marihuana, 436 Ecstacy pills, 45 hundred dollars in cash and other drug related paraphernalia.

Dino Papaioannou has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

He's due to appear in Kenora court in December.

2-1-1 Network Launched in the Kenora District

Information on thousands of services is now available across the Kenora District by simply dialing 2-1-1.

The 2-1-1 Northern Region launched the program at a Press Conference in Dryden Wednesday.

Executive Director Marie Klassen says the initiative was first launched in the Thunder Bay District in 2008.

Information on volunteer groups, food banks, homeless shelters, health care agencies and homework programs for teens is just an example of what is available by calling the free, confidential hotline.

NDP hoping for Gains in Northern Ontario

The NDP is hoping to not only hold the seats it has in northern Ontario, but win a couple of more next week.

Party Leader Andrea Horwath is doing her final push for votes and says they expect a good showing on October 6th.

Horwath is hoping to not only hold onto the Kenora-Rainy River Riding, but make gains in Thunder Bay as well.

Province to appeal Ruling in favour of Grassy Narrows

An Ontario Superior Court ruling on treaty rights for Grassy Narrows First Nation is being challenged.

The Federal and Provincial Governments and Abitibi-Consolidated are appealing that Grassy Narrows called a victory for their way of life.

The Kenora-area band had challenged the province's right to permit industrial logging on its traditional lands, saying it would interfere with its rights under a treaty signed with Ottawa.

It celebrated the court ruling, saying it set the stage for recognition and protection of Treaty 3 rights and, more importantly, would help protect the Anishinaabe way of life in Northwestern

Ontario.

Mediation Continues today in CCAC dispute

The Ontario Nursing Association continues to negotiate leading up to it's October 3rd strike deadline.

President Linda Haslam Stroud says her union represents employees of the Northwest Community Care Access Centre.

Today is the last day scheduled for mediated talks.