Final Casino Meeting Tonight

The public will finally get a chance to voice its opinion on whether the City of Kenora should express an interest in having a casino.

Tonight the final public meeting on the Casino issue will be held.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says so far people who favour a casino seem to be in the majority.

A request to make a deputation can be made through city hall.

The meeting will take place at 7:00 in the Rotary Room at the Kenora Rec. Center.

More Blood Donors Needed

Canadian Blood Services says it fell a little bit short of its goal on day one of the blood donor clinic in Kenora.

Yesterday, 154 people showed up at Thomas Aquinas to give the gift of life, with a total of 130 units of blood collected.

That was 14 shy of their target.

Today, there are still 48 appointment times available, and Canadian Blood Services is hoping to collect another 86 units of blood.

The blood donor clinic will run from 9:30 to 12:30 at the T.A. Gym.

OPP Identify Body of Youth Found in Sioux Lookout

The body of a woman found dead behind a church in Sioux Lookout has been identified as 15 year old Regina Kakekaspan.

The young girl was found in a wooded area yesterday morning.

A post mortem examination is scheduled today at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.
Provincial Police are asking anyone with information on her death to contact the Detachment or Crime Stoppers.

Council to Review Non-Profit Housing Options

Its going to be another year or more before Kenora City council makes a decision about whether the local non-profit housing corporations should be merged.

Council decided last night to set up a review committee to look at the issue.

Jack Pearson is the chair of the Keewatin Non-Profit Housing Corporation and says there is no real reason to force a merger of the two boards.

Pearson says the city has suggested it can save about 20 thousand dollars a year by amalgamating the two boards, but he doesn't see where those savings can be made.

Water Delivery Rates Going Up

Its going to cost more to have water delivered to your door.

Kenora City Council has approved a rate increase for water delivery.

Operations manager Rick Perchuck says there hasn't been any increase in the rates for at least 10 years, and the current system isn't financially sustaining itself.

The new rates will go into effect starting in the new year.

City Wants Province to Pay for Crossing Guards

School crossing guards are on Kenora City Council's mind.

Council says it would like the Ministry of Education to take responsibility for funding the position.

Currently the city spends about 50 thousand dollars a year to hire crossing guards for crosswalks near area schools.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield admits this is a battling for years, since he was mayor back in the former town of Jaffray Melick.

Five new forest Fires in the Kenora District

Still plenty of forest fire activity in northwestern Ontario these days.

There have been nine new wild fires reported over the last three days, five of those in the Kenora area.

Ministry of Natural Resources Information Officer Debbie McLean says people need to be careful of their outdoor fires.

McLean says many of the new fires are human caused.

Robbery Suspect Faces Drug Charges

A 44 year old Winnipeg man faces a number of charges following a hold up in the Lakeside area.

The OPP say they were called to the 5th Avenue South Area on Saturday to deal with a robbery.

After arresting the suspect officers managed to seize 2.2 grams of cocaine, 1.5 grams of crack cocaine, 49 grams of marihuana and 14 hundred dollars in cash.

He has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime and robbery.