OPP release names of Deceased in North Spirit Lake Crash

The OPP have officially released the names of four people killed in a plane crash earlierthis week in northwestern Ontario.

The pilot of the Keystone Navajo aircrash has been identified as 41 year old Fariboz Abasabady of Lockport, Manitoba.

Abasabady was hired by Keystone this past summer.

The three other people killed in the plane crash near the North Spirit Lake First Nation have been confirmed as 38 year old Martha Campbell from Winnipeg.

She was a former resident of North Spirit Lake.

62 year old Ben Van Hoek of Carmen was the president of a company called Aboriginal Strategies.

39 year old Colette Eisinger of Winnipeg was also an employee of the company.

36 year old Brian Shead was the lone survivor of the crash.

Two New Police Detachments Opened in the far north

Two Northwestern Ontario First Nations are celebrating the opening of new Nishnawbe-Aski Police Detachments.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford was on hand as the facilities opened their doors in Sandy Lake and Fort Severn.

The Feds spent over 2.3-million dollars on the Detachments, while the Province threw in more than 2.1-million dollars.

First Nation officials in both communities say the new facilities provide better working conditions for police officers and ensure the safety of residents.

The Chief of Fort Severn credited Rickford for his personal intervention to get the Detachment constructed.

Saints and Broncos in action tonight

One game in Girls High School Hockey today.

The Red Lake Rams host the Beaver Brae Broncos.

Game time is 4:30 at the Ear Falls Arena.

In boys hockey action, the Thomas Aquinas Saints are at home to the Dryden Eagles.

The Saints have 11 points while, the Eagles are struggling with just seven.

Game time is 7:30 at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Shoal Lake Water Review Ordered

The Ontario Government has launched a review to see if Winnipeg's plan to extend its water and sewer pipes to rural municipalities violates any historical agreements involving the source of the city's water.

Ontario gave Winnipeg permission to draw water from Shoal Lake in Northwestern Ontario for municipal purposes in 1913.

Natural Resources Spokesperson Jolanta Kowalski says the department's legal branch started to sift through 100 years of water agreements two weeks ago.

The review comes as one First Nation in Shoal Lake threatens to sue the city, saying Winnipeg has no right to sell water before it resolves decades' worth of claims over lake water.

Name of Truck Driver Killed in Crash released

Ontario Provincial Police say a 45 year old Winnipeg truck driver has died in a collision east of Kenora.

Police say Amir Mohammadi died Wednesday when his eastbound tractor-trailer collided with a westbound tractor-trailer.

The westbound transport had jackknifed across Highway 17 in the Dogtooth Lake area.

Another westbound tractor-trailer and an eastbound passenger vehicle were involved when they could not avoid the collision ahead of them.

Police say those vehicles were damaged but the drivers were not injured.

The highway was closed from early Wednesday until Wednesday afternoon.

EQAO Tests

Writing an exam may never be the same again.


Jack McMaster is the director of Education with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and says they will be trying something different this year with some of their EQAO tests.

McMaster says they have received permission from the Ministry of Education to use computers for the writing section of the grade 6 EQAO tests.

McMaster believes the use of computers will especially help boys, who traditionally
do not perform as well in the reading and writing portion of the standardized tests.

Meno Ya Win Health Centre

Nursing students in the region can now train using the latest in simulation equipment and techniques at the Sioux Lookout Hospital.



Officials with the Meno Ya Win Health Centre and Confederation College unveiled the new Simulation Training Lab at a ceremony Wednesday.

Vice President of Health Services Barb Linkewich says the state-of-the art lab will help in retention efforts.

Designed as a real-life hospital setting, health care workers learn in lab experiences that simulate common scenarios including giving birth.

Ontario Wood Logo

The Provincial Government has its first lisenced user of the Ontario Wood Logo.

Forestry Minister, Michael Gravelle says the logo represents products that are grown, produced and designed in Ontario.


Gravelle adds that he's very optimistic that the logo will help promote and strengthen the province's forestry sector.

North Spirit Lake First Nation

Donations are being sought to help out the North Spirit Lake First Nation.


A crash Tuesday morning near the remote northwestern Ontario community
killed one community member, three other employees of a company called
Aboriginal Strategies.

Brian Walmark from K-Net says they've set up a website to accept cash
donations.

Walmark says donations will be used to help defray the cost of funerals and grief councillors, who are being brought into the community.

HST Atikokan

While most want it decrease, Atikokan town council is advocating a on per cent hike in the HST.

The town says the revenue could be earmarked for municipalities for infrastructure improvements.

Mayor Dennis Brown says it may be the only really option to covering the high cost of that work.

Brown adds that under their proposal, his community would receive more than 850-thousand dollars

Betty's

A recent window display has earned Betty's of Fort Frances some international recognition.


The display showed off German-based Schleich toy figurines and was entered in a company sponsored contest.

Blair Anderson says their store was selected third best among hundreds of retailers worldwide


Anderson says they get a voucher for free product they'll distributed to customers while photos of the display will be used by the company in future promotions.