Ontario Scotties Gets Underway this Evening

Teams are warming up for the start of the 2012 Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Curling gets underway this evening at the Kenora Curling Club with the first draw.

 

Rachel Homan of Ottawa is the defending Ontario Ladies Curling Champion, but doesn't feel

she's the favorite this week. 

A total of 10 teams are seeking a berth to the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Red Deer, Alberta in February.

The opening ceremonies will start at 6:30 this evening, with the first draw at 7:00.

OPP Release Name of Thunder Bay teen killed in Crash

A 17-year-old is dead following a two vehicle collision on Highway 11-17 east of Ignace.

Thunder Bay OPP say a Chevy Uplander collided with a transport just before 5 o'clock Sunday morning.

Police say the driver of the car, Matthew Gibbons of Thunder Bay, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two occupants of the tractor trailer were not hurt.

No charges are expected to be laid.

HNO Receives Funding for Head Injuries

The Federal government is providing money to help reduces the severity of head injuries in kid's sports in Canada and across this region.

Director of Hockey Northwestern Ontario Trevor Hosanna says the Feds are providing 1.5 million dollars for a new project.

Hosanna says the APP will give information on preventing and identifying concussions.

Police Lay more Drug Charges

A 31 year old Kenora man faces drug charges following a bust by the Kenora Drug Unit and the OPP's Criminal Enforcement Bureau.

Police say they executed a search warrant on an Ottawa Street home in Keewatin on Friday.

Fifty codeine pills, some Methadone and small amount of Morphine was seized.

Joey Icton faces counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession  for the purpose of trafficking.

Dennis in Wales for Commonwealth Championships

A local member of the Jaffray Melick Judo Club is getting some international fighting experience this week.

Kaitie Dennis is in Cardiff, Wales this week for the 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships.

She's competing in the 20 and under division and will see her first action tomorrow.

She received a first round bye in today's opening round.

Following the Commonwealth Championships, Dennis will heading to the 2012 Belgium Ladies Open Judo Tournament in Arlon.

Manitoba Hunting Ban

Conservation officials have widened a temporary ban on moose hunting in eastern Manitoba to allow the animal's population to rebound.

The ban stretches from Lake Winnipeg to the Manitoba-Ontario boundary.

Officials say the region's moose population has declined by almost half since 2006 due to disease and predation by wolves and bears.

The ban also applies to aboriginal hunters.

Last March, the province announced $800,000 for a population recovery plan to restore moose numbers to sustainable levels.

Stan Beardy heads to Ottawa

First Nations Leaders are heading to Ottawa for Tuesday's meeting with Stephen Harper.


Nishnawbe Aski Grand Chief Stan Beardy will be there to discuss treaty rights.
 
Beardy says they hope to establish what he calls a renewed and meaningful relationship with the Government of Canada.

Beardy adds that when they signed treaties, they expected to be treated as equals. 

Trans Canada Highway Collision

A 17 year old Thunder Bay resident is dead following an accident on the Trans Canada Highway near Pineview Rd.


OPP say the teen was the driver of a Chevy Uplander van which collided with a tractor trailer unit just before 5 o'clock early Sunday morning.

The youth was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two occupants of the tractor trailer were not hurt.

Police say it's speculated that no charges will be laid.

Bus Crash in Sioux Lookout

Everyone on board a school bus in Sioux Lookout escaped injury following a collision on Friday afternoon.


The Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium says a bus was travelling on 7th Avenue and a car didn't stop at the intersection.

The vehicle clipped the back end of the bus.

The students were checked by paramedics and transfered to another bus.

Centennial Centre in Sioux Lookout

The old Sioux Hotel is now the new Centennial Centre.


Brian MacKinnon is Sioux Lookout's Community Development Coordinator and says thousands of dollars was spent on revamping the downtown building.
 
MacKinnon adds that Council's vision for the facility involves the fusion of youth, arts and cultural development.