Police Confirm Death at Best Western

The Kenora O.P.P have confirmed the death of a male at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Police were called about a disturbance around 3:45 this morning, and upon arrival found a male lying on the sidewalk below a broken window on the 4th floor of the hotel.

The victim was transported to the Lake of the Woods District Hospital where he later died from his injuries.

The Police remain on the scene and are with holding the victims identity until next of kin can be notified.

Police on Scene at Best Western Lakeside Inn

Kenora OPP are on the scene of an accident at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Reports are that a death has occurred although police have not confirmed anything at this time

Police remain on the scene as the front sidewalk facing 1st Avenue South remains taped off.

We have calls in with the Kenora OPP detachment and will have updates as soon as more information is made available.

Mutual Respect Heading Into Renwick Cup

There is a lot of mutual respect between the Kenora Triple "A" Senior Thistles and the Brantford Blast heading into the Renwick Cup Finals.

Even though they have never played each other neither team is taking the other lightly.

Thistles team captain Sean Hughes says he expects some very talented competition.

Meanwhile, Kenora head coach John Tressor says that offense is Brantford's specialty.

The same level of respect towards the Thistles is being offered by Chad Spurr who is captain of the Blast, and played with a number of Kenora players while in Junior.

The Renwick Cup gets underway at the Thistles Arena tomorrow night at 7:00.

Games 2 and 3 are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday

The winner will advance to the national championship Allan Cup.

Council Selects Tedner for Bridge Project

The Company to repair the Winnipeg River West Branch Bridge has been selected.

At yesterday's special sitting of city council the tender by Innovative Civil Constructors was selected with a price tag of just over 4 million dollars.

Mayor Dave Canfield said it was good timing to select the company as they are working in the region on other projects and that has lowered the projected cost of 6 million.

Canfield says the city is taking a risk as they finalize funding by the province.

Canfield adds the funding they are applying for would cover up to 2 million dollars of the project and that they are working to receive more funding through other ministries.

KPDSB Happy With Extracurricular Announcement

It looks like kids in public elementary schools might be getting their extracurricular activities back.

Jack McMaster is the Director or Education at the Keewatin Patricia District School Board, and says their is no end to the benefit kids get from the activities.

However, McMaster does add that the choice to participate in the extracurricular activities, remains that of the individual teachers.

Record Prices on Canadian Fur's

Canada's fur industry is experiencing something it hasn't seen in a long time.

Furs are being sold off, in some cases, at record-breaking prices.

President of the Rainy River Fur Trappers Council Brian Love says that can only bode well for their future.

Love says increased interest in Canadian furs from the Pacific Rim countries is partly responsible for the high prices.

Minor Accident on Highway 71

Highway 71 near Nestor Falls is currently blocked following a minor single vehicle accident.

Constable Dave Cain with the Kenora O.P.P confirmed that a chip truck flipped over and is blocking traffic.

Cain says there are no injuries and that the scene should be cleared up to traffic by the end of the day.

O.P.P Charge Winnipeg Man for Tobacco

Kenora O.P.P have taken possession of over 4000 unmarked cigarettes and 6000 grams of tobacco.

Police say they pulled a vehicle over on Sunday evening on highway 17A where they found a man transporting the products.

As a result 48-year old Robert Parker from Winnipeg has been charged with possession of unmarked cigarettes and possession for the purpose of sale contrary to the Tobacco Taxes Act.

He will appear in Kenora Court on June 13th to answer to the charges.

ETFO Lifts Ban on Extracurriculars

The union representing Ontario's public elementary school teachers has joined the high school teachers' union in lifting a ban on voluntary or extracurricular activities.

Sam Hammond, the president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, announced late last night that he's lifting the ban in light of progress in ongoing labour talks with the government.

Premier Kathleen Wynne hopes teachers and support staff will return quickly to running after school activities and programs.

Dryden Receives Final DMTS Sale Price Tag

Not the numbers Dryden City Council wants to hear.

It was revealed last night that the city got just over 4-million dollars for the sale of Dryden Mobility.

Financial Advisor Paul Heayn says that's in comparison to the 12-million they LOST last year.

Heayn says the city received about 4.3 million dollars for DMTS, and that they made about 388-thousand dollars last year from it.

Baird says Federal Budget Benefits the North

Regional Minister John Baird is defending his government's budget and says its good news for the North.

The Foreign Affairs Minister says they'll be providing skilled trades training that will benefit the region's economy.

Baird is downplaying FedNor's budget being cut by 10 percent.

O.P.P ID Body Found at Norman Dam

Kenora O.P.P have identified the body that was found at the intake to the Norman Dam earlier this month.

Constable Dave Cain says they identified the victim with DNA evidence and a missing person report from Vancouver.

Cain says it was a collaborative effort by O.P.P and the Vancouver City Police in order to identify the body.

Foul play was not suspected in the death after the post-mortem was conducted at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Brantford Ready to Face Senior Thistles

With the Renwick Cup finals this weekend the Brantford Blast a looking to keep on a roll against the hometown Kenora Triple "A" Senior Thistles.

Blast team captain Chad Spurr says his team has hit there stride during the playoffs and are getting scoring from all 3 lines.

Spurr says he played a few players from the Thistles while in junior and is expecting a very hard fought series.

Game one goes Friday night at 7:00 inside the Thistle Arena

City to Award Tender on Bridge Revitalization

Kenora City Council has called a special council meeting for tomorrow afternoon.

The purpose of the meeting is to select a tender for repair work on the Winnipeg River West Branch Bridge.

The city has been lobbying the provincial government for a number of months to help fund the project, and says they had positive talks with Infrastructure Minister Glen Murray at the Good Roads Conference last month.

The cost estimates for the work are in the range of 6 million dollars.

Pre-Budget Meetings Coming to Thunder Bay

There will be pre-budget consultations held in northwestern Ontario, with a session recently announced for Thunder Bay April 3rd.

Thunder Bay Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle says it was crucial for the north to have a chance to voice their thoughts on the upcoming budget.

The Liberals say they are considering holding video or tele-conferences so that area communities can also take part.

Kenora O.P.P offer Facebook Advice to Parents

Protecting your children by learning the uses of Facebook.

That is a goal of Constable Dave Cain and tonight's information session of the social media site being held by the Kenora O.P.P.

Constable Cain is asking anyone interested come down to the free information session with any questions they have.

The session is tonight between 7:00 and 8:30 at the public library.

New Program at Confederation College

A new program is being offered at regional Confederation College campuses.

The Tourism, Travel and Eco-Adventure program will begin this fall.

Program Coordinator Giannina Veltri says they will accept roughly 35-students for the 2-year program.

An information session is being at St. Thomas Aquinas High School today at 3:30.

Renwick Cup Finals Set

The Kenora Triple "A" Senior Thistles now know who is coming to town for the Renwick Cup Finals.

On Friday the Brantford Blast defeated the Dundas Real McCoys to win the Robertson Cup and earn their berth to the Renwick Cup Finals.

The Blast needed 6 games to take out the Real McCoys, who missed a 5th straight berth into the Renwick Cup.

The Thistles who are hosting the 3 game Renwick Cup Finals welcome Brantford to the Thistle Arena for game one on Friday night at 7:00.

Minnesota Man Charged for Impaired Driving

A man from Minnesota is facing an impaired driving charge in the city.

Kenora O.P.P say on Saturday evening they pulled a vehicle over on highway 17 inside city limits.

Police say the driver, 28-year old Matthew Lehto, failed a roadside test administered by the officer.

Lehto will appear in Kenora court on April 25th to answer to the charge of exceeding the legal limit.

Also, the Kenora O.P.P are reminding the public about illegal parking in handicapped spaces.

Any vehicle caught parking in a designated spot without a permit will receive a $300 ticket.

Mayor Supports Federal Budget

Mayor Dave Canfield sees the federal budget as a good thing for the city and the region.

Canfield says that with the forestry and mining sectors taking off they are ready to train new workers.

Canfield adds he is also excited about the increased funding for infrastructure as the city prepares to begin phase 3 of the downtown revitalization project.

He adds is also very excited about the gas tax changes, and having more money available for affordable housing.

Save ELA Changes Tactics

With funding for the Experimental Lakes Area, East of Kenora, set to expire at the end of the month, the group Save ELA continues to fight.

Peter Kirby says they are now looking to gain more support by the Ontario government as they have more negotiating power.

Kirby says right now the Ontario government is not willing to take on the risk of cleaning up the lakes if it takes over the facility but feels they can work out a partnership with the federal government.

Mardi Gras Weekend a Success for Mt.Evergreen

Another Successful Mardi Gras Celebration for Mount Evergreen.

Blair McCallum says it was a great weekend for everyone.

He says the slush pit again was the main attraction.

This years pit was 50 feet long and 20 feet wide.

McCallum adds the volunteers that made the weekend happen have stepped up to open the hill for one more day this coming Saturday.

visit www.skikenora.com for more information.

LWGMH results from St. Boniface Stars Cup

A successful weekend for Lake of the Woods Girls Minor Hockey at the St. Boniface Stars Cup in Winnipeg.

Novice A2 Division:

L.O.W Blue Jays Silver ( lost to Dryden Flames 2-1 in final) L.O.W. Red Devils Bronze 5-1 win over L.O.W Snow Leopards

Atom A2 Division:

L.O.W. Purple Pirates Silver (lost 7-0 in Final to Springfield Icehawks) L.O.W. Stingers and Dynamite 4th and 5th respectively.

PeeWee A2 Division:

L.O.W. Avengers Silver (lost 4-1 to  Woodhaven Bruins)

PeeWee AA

L.O.W. Canucks 4th ( lost in Bronze game 5-2 to Regina Rebels)

Bantam A2:

L.O.W. Dyn-o-mite 3.0 Gold (2-1 win) L.O.W. Dark Knights Silver

Idle No More and Save ELA Join Forces

It seems like the Idle No More movement and the group Save ELA have joined forces in Kenora.

Save ELA joined the Idle No More demonstrators in a round dance earlier today and a water walk yesterday.

Peter Kirby with Save ELA says they share a similar message with Idle No More.

The message from the demonstrations this week were all about saving our water as funding to the Experimental Lakes Area is set to expire at the end of the month.

Old Tourist Office Set for Demolition

The old tourist bureau on highway 17 east will be meeting the wrecking
ball later this year.

The City of Kenora has decided to tear down the building rather than trying
to repair it.

Municipal engineer Marco Vodrig says it would cost too much to fix up
the aging structure, which has been vacant since the new Discovery
Center was opened last year.

Vodrig says city crews will do the demolition work.

About 10 thousand dollars has been budgeted for the job.

No word as to what will happen to the property.

City Commits to Reducing Greenhouse Gases

The City of Kenora is promising to cut down on its greenhouse gas
emissions.

Council approved a resolution this week to join the Partners for Climate
Protection Program.

Mayor Dave Canfield says even though the program will require some extra
paperwork, it will be worth it in the long run.

Canfield says by signing onto the program, the city is eligble for Green Fund
grants from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Dryden Police Arrest Suspect in Assault

Dryden Police have arrested the man accused of assaulting a Pikangikum First Nations man at a local fast food restaurant.

22-year-old Christopher Donylyk of Geraldton made arrangements to turn himself in to Dryden Police after learning of the investigation.

The incident captured widespread attention on social media.

The incident was reported Tuesday night by a long time Dryden resident but the date of it isn't known.

Several witnesses came forward to assist in the investigation.

Donylyk will appear in Sioux Lookout court today for a bail hearing.

Police to Take Part in Tweet-A-Thon

Police in Northwestern Ontario will be participating in a global Tweet-A-Thon today.

The Nishnawbe-Aski Police are one of the many forces that will be posting on the social media website.

Sergeant Jackie George encourages everyone to tune in.

George says people who don't use Twitter can also view similar posts on the NAPS Facebook page.

Ski Season Nears an End at Mount Evergreen

Mardi Gras may be over in New Orleans but it's just getting underway at Mount Evergreen.

Blair McCallum says this weekend will be the last of the season at the ski hill
and that they have some popular events planned.

McCallum says they also have downhill races and the dummy downhill planned, along with discounted rental rates.

He adds the hill is in need of volunteers to make sure the festivities run smoothly.

City Hall Roof to Cost More than a Half Million

Its going to cost more than a half a million dollars to replace the roof at
Kenora City Hall.

City council this week agreed to a tender from Empire Restoration to
do the work.

The price tag is 565 thousand dollars.

The city has already received 200 thousand dollars from the federal government to carry out the work.

The rest will have to come from municipal reserves.

Facilities manager John Nabb says because city hall is a heritage building,
there were very few companies eligible to do the work.

Saints Still Winless at OFSAA

The competition doesn't get any easier for Thomas Aquinas
today at the All-Ontario A/AA championships.

The Saints will take on top-ranked Appleby Collegiate from
Oakville this morning in their final round robin game at OFSAA.

Game time is 10:00.

T.A. is still looking for its first win after losing both games yesterday.

The Saints finished the day with a 3-1 loss to Robert F. Hall from the
Peel Region.

Conor Keith scored the lone goal for T.A. in that game.

Idle No More Back in Kenora

They may have been quiet but the work has continued.

Idle No More organizer Tania Cameron says they have been doing a lot of work behind the scenes.

After more then a month without a demonstration in the city, Idle No More held a water walk today from McLeod Park to the harbor front as part of their days of action for water.

Cameron says tomorrow they will be holding a round dance on the harbor front at 12:15.

Winter Games Taking Place At Keewatin Arena

A busy day at the Keewatin Memorial Arena.

The first ever winter games for students at six local first nation schools is
taking place.

Lynne Thompson says its kind of a team building exercise for the students from
different communities.

Activities include skating, broomball, hockey, curling, and snow sculpting.

About 150 students from Grassy Narrows, Shoal Lake, Whitedog, Whitefish Bay
and Eagle River are taking part in the day-long events.

Saints Lose First Game At OFSAA

The Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team is off to a slow start at the All-Ontario A/AA championships taking place in Orillia.

The 13th ranked Saints were beat 5-1 by the 7th seeded Holy Cross High School in their first game this morning.

Jack Bernie scored the lone goal for T.A

The Saints are back on the ice at 2:00 this afternoon against Robert Hall from the Peel Region.

The final round robin game for T.A will be tomorrow morning at 10:00 against the number 1 ranked Applebey College from Oakville.

Kenora Drops in MoneySense Rankings

Moneysense Magazine still isn't a big fan of Kenora.

In it's annual ratings of the best cities to live, Kenora has fallen to
152nd place, down from 121 last year.

Kenora is sandwiched between Welland and Courtney, B.C.

The survey shows Kenora's unemployment rate at 7.2 percent, the
average house price at 206 thousand dollars, and the average household
income at 77 thousand.

Kenora continues to be last in terms of the percentage of residents employed
in Arts and Recreation, at just 0.56 percent.

Idle No More Returns to Kenora

The Idle No More movement in Kenora will be out on the harborfront supporting our water.

Tania Cameron says the plans coincide with a the United Nations world water day.

Cameron says they will hold a water walk from McLeod park to the Harbor front this afternoon and will be having a round dance on the habor front tomorrow.

Both demonstrations will take place at 12:15.

OPP Investigate Theft On Lake of the Woods

A number of items have been stolen from a cottage in Lake of the Woods Township.

The O.P.P. say the items missing are a green and tan coloured 17 foot Lund, a green Johnson motor, a yellow and black Minkota electric motor, a grey 9.9 horsepower Honda and a grey EZ Loader trailer.

Anyone with information is asked to call Provincial Police or Crime Stoppers.

Dryden Police Continue Investigation of Assault

Dryden Police continue their investigation of an assault at a fast-food restaurant.

Chief Rob Davis says the victim is from Pikangikum First Nation.

Police say the accused has also been identified.

Davis says their names are being withheld at this time.

Davis says they are still asking for the public's help identifying the person who shot the video, adding they are not a suspect or in trouble with police for capturing the footage.

Police are also requesting the public's help in identifying two key witnesses, including a man seen in the background of the video.

Police have already received tips from across northwestern Ontario and even Duluth, Minnesota.

Campbell Disappointed Budget Consultations By-Pass the North

Northwestern Ontario is being shut out of any pre-budget consultations by a legislative committee.

And that's not sitting well with Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell.

So she's sending out her own pre-budget report in an effort to solicit input.

Campbell says it's still disappointing the committee isn't holding any hearings in the region.

Gravelle Promotes Ontario Mining Success

The benefits of mining to the province's economy are being promoted at Queen's Park.

Responding to questions about the industry in the legislature, Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle says investments the province are making are paying off.

Gravelle says exploration spending surpassed the one billion dollar mark in 2011, making Ontario the leading jurisdiction in Canada.

Greenpeace Retracts Accusations against Resolute

Greenpeace Canada has acknowledged it was wrong when it accused Resolute Forest Products of secretly logging in protected boreal forests.

The environmental group says it has learned that the allegations it made the company in December were inaccurate.

Greenpeace says it sincerely regrets its error, and all references to the allegations have been removed from its website.

Saints Boys Hockey Team at OFSAA

A second Thomas Aquinas hockey team begins play this week at the All-Ontario A/AA championships in Oakville.

The Saints Boys begin the OFSAA championships two days after the T.A. girls wrapped up their trip to the provincials.

Thomas Aquinas has a pair of games today.

The first is at 9:00 against Holy Cross from St. Catharines.

T.A. will also play Robert Hall from the Peel Region at 2:00.

Kenora Soccer Star Wins Provincial Award

A former Kenora soccer star has won a provincial honor in Manitoba.

Ashley Adams has been named the Outstanding Youth Female Player of the Year.

Adams currently attends the National Development Center at Glenlawn Collegiate.

She also captained her club team in Winnipeg to a fifth place finish at the National Club Championships last October.

Adams will be going to South Dakota State in the fall on a soccer scholarship.

Youth Charged in Assault

A 17 year old youth is facing assault charges following an altercation at a downtown business.

The OPP say officers responded to a panic alarm at the Chipman Street Laundry around 7:00 last night.

A 44 year old woman had been attacked, but the assailant fled before police arrived at the scene.

The suspect was located a short time later and arrested.

The youth has been charged with assault and will appear in Kenora Court today on the charge.

IISD Negotiating for Transfer of ELA

The incoming president and CEO of the International Institute for
Social Development says he'd take over the Experimental Lakes Area
in a heartbeat.

There's word the IISD is in negotiations with the federal government for
the transfer of the property east of Kenora.

Peter Kirby from the group Save ELA says the facility is too valuable to
close.

Kirby says talks between the IISD and the federal government are an open secret, but are moving slowly.

Rickford Looking Forward to Federal Budget

It's budget time!

The Feds will unveil the fiscal document tomorrow.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says it will strike a balance.

Rickford stresses the goal is balancing the budget for 2015 as orginally planned.

Campbell Speaks Out Against Cuts in the North

Talks are continuing in the Ontario Legislature leading up to the provincial budget.

And Kenora Rainy River M.P.P. Sarah Campbell, speaking on the Interim Supply Motion, says the government has no accountability for the North.

She says the government is more concerned about moving gas plants in southern Ontario, rather than maintaining important services in this region, such as Tourist Information Centers and provincial
parks.

Campbell says the Supply Bill does stay the course and she will support it as the N.D.P continue to push the Liberals to meet their demands on the budget.

Phy-Ed Teacher Shortage in the North

Northern Ontario is mentioned in a report about physical education teachers in elementary schools.

The study from People for Education found that only 22-percent of schools in the north have phys-ed teachers, compared with 75-percent in the Toronto area.

Majority of schools in the area don't have teachers that teach only phys-ed classes, instead the classes are taught my each teacher.

The report also says that due to the shortage, it's preventing students from getting the 20 minutes of daily physical activity, which is recommended by the province.

Spring Has Sprung?

Today is the first day of spring but looking outside it is hard to believe.

The Kenora area received roughly 15-centimeters of snow in the early week storm.

If you think back we were enjoying temperatures of plus 14 at this time last year.

It’s going to be colder than normal to start spring off in the Northwest, but we should see more seasonal temperatures later this week.

The storm resulted in several minor vehicle collisions but no serious injuries were reported.

Saints Girls Eliminated from OFSAA Finals

The Thomas Aquinas girls hockey team is out at the All-Ontario Single A/AA championships.

The Saints dropped a 4-0 decision to Holy Cross High School from St. Catharines in the consolation semi-finals.

T.A. finished the tournament with a record of one win and three losses.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team is in Oakville for the OFSAA
A/AA championships.

Play begins tomorrow morning.