Campbell Urges Government to Reconsider Closing Tourist Centers

The campaign to keep three tourist information centers in northwestern Ontario open is being brought to Queen's Park.

Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Sarah Campbell appealed to the premier Dalton McGuinty reverse the government's decision to close them.

She calls the decision irresponsible and misguided. 

Tourism minister Michael Chan defending the decision saying visitor traffic to the tourism centers had decreased by 50 percent, and the government was simply making a wise business decision.

OPP Cruisin' for a Cure

OPP are Cruisin' for a Cure.

Sixty officers and their families from the northwest region will be taking part in the Winnipeg Police's Cops for Cancer run in May.

Constable Anne McCoy says she's running to help bring more public awareness to the disease. 

Runners will participate in the half marathon and the 2 person relay half marathon.

Blood Donor Clinic has good first day

Canadian Blood Services says it was happy with the turn-out on day one of its blood donor clinic in Kenora.

Yesterday, 151 people showed up to give the gift of life.

A total of 127 units of blood was collected.

The goal after the first day was 134 units with a two day total of 220 pints of blood.

The blood donor clinic will wrap up at 12:30 this afternoon at the Thomas Aquinas gym.

Local Tourism Officials Looking to Save Tourist Info Centers

Area tourism officials hope to meet with the Ministry of Tourism this week to discuss the pending closure of the Tourist Information Centres in the Kenora-Rainy River districts.

Tom Pearson, president of the Ontario Sunset Country Travel Association, says the closures are bad for business.

The tourism center at the Manitoba border and Rainy River won't open at all this summer, while the Tourist Bureau in Fort Frances will close permanently on April 30th.

Campbell Seeking Input on the Provincial Budget

Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Sarah Campbell says she's still not sure if she'll support last week's provincial budget.

She says there's a lot in the budget that she doesn't like, and will find it hard to vote in favour of.

Campbell says she wants her constituents to weigh in on the budget.

She says that input will help her decide whether to support it or not.

Expensive Wolf Hunt

A hunting trip north of of Dryden has cost three Southern Ontario men over 47 hundred dollars.

Court heard that Douglas McDonald shot two wolves while hunting near Thaddeus Lake.

Craig England attached his tag to one wolf and Paul England's tag was attached to the other animal.

Violations include possessing illegally killed wildlife, tagging a wolf killed by another person and attaching a tag to a wolf killed by another person.

OPP Investigate mischief and theft complaints

The OPP are investigating a rash of mishief complaints over the weekend.

There were a number of incidents of rocks being thrown through windows.

The Beer Store on Park Street, the Subway in Market Square, a car parked on Tunnel Island, and a home on Minto Avenue, all had windows broken.

Police are also investigating the theft of an all-terrain vehicle from a Bayridge Road residence.

The OPP say the 1989 Honda quad was taken from the garage.

The keys were in the vehicle at the time.

NAPS gets a new Deputy Chief

The Nishinabe Aski Police Service has a new deputy chief.

Former Thunder Bay Police Chief, Bob Herman is taking up the duties on an interim basis.

NAPS Sgt. Jackie George says he will be helping the force for the next year to navigate through expected funding cuts.

Herman begins his new duties on April 16th.

Hoppe Rink places fourth at the Dominion

Kenora's Lori Hoppe rink finished with a 2-3 record at the Dominion provincial championships over the weekend in New Liskeard.

Her record was good enough for fourth place overall.

Geralton won the playdowns with a 6-1 record.