Two Arrested in Downtown Drug Bust

A couple of people have been arrested as a result of a drug bust in downtown Kenora.

The OPP say the Emergency Response Team and Aboriginal Intelligence Unit helped execute a search warrant on an apartment on 1st Street South.

Police say they seized a number of prescription pills, including hydromorphone capsules and morphine, as well as 54 marijuana cigarettes and three codeine pills.

About 15 hundred dollars in cash was also seized.

42 year old Dax Davies and 32 year old Shanalee Paulson face charges of trafficking and
proceeds of crime.

They are due to appear in Kenora Court on August 1st.

Trustees Say Goodbye to Lakewood Tonight

The end is drawing near for Lakewood School.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board will be closing the elementary school at the end of this academic year.

Lynn McAughey is principal at Lakewood and says they are inviting parents, students and past students to the School for a special celebration next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, trustees from the public school board will get to say their goodbyes tonight.

The monthly open meeting of the board will take place at Lakewood starting at 7:00 this evening.

Plane Crashes Near Lac du Bonnet

Two men have been taken to hospital after their small plane crash landed in eastern Manitoba.
 
 A rescue official says the Cessna took off from a private airstrip near Lac du Bonnet around 9:00 this morning, then had mechanical problems.
 
The plane tried to go back but was forced to make a hard landing.
 
The pilot and passenger were pulled from the aircraft with
unspecified injuries.

Roof Repairs at City Hall Begin

Kenora City Hall is about to get a makeover.

Scaffolding is starting to go up at the heritage building on
Main Street South.

Earlier this spring, council agreed to spend over half a million
dollars to replace the roof of the century old structure.

Empire Restoration from Ottawa will be doing the work over the
next couple of months.

Hospital Joining MediTech Network

Lake of the Woods District Hospital will soon be less isolated from other hospitals in the region.

The hospital has just joined up with the MediTech Network.

Hospital vice-president, Cindy Gasperini says there's a number of benefits of being able to share patient information with other hospitals.

Gasperini says initially the MediTech system will just include patient
records and billing information.

It will later be expanded to include lab test results and pharmacy

Hospital Pleased With Results of Patient Surveys

No-one likes going to hospital, but patients who have to be admitted to
Lake of the Woods District Hospital have good things to say about their
experience.

A recent patient satisfaction survey show that 94 percent of patients
rated their experience as good.

97 percent also said they would feel comfortable returning.

And 97 percent also said they would recommend the hospital to a family
member or friend.

Chief executive officer Marc Belcaen says this was the highest number of
returned surveys they had and are pretty pleased with the results.

Rain Helps Put a Damper on Forest Fires

Despite recent rains, the forest fire situation remains a big concern in the Northwest.

Debbie McLean with the Ministry of Natural Resources says it has been a busy start to the season with 139 forest fires so far this season.

To date over 38-hundred hectares of forest has been burnt this season.

McLean says the recent rain fall has helped lower the fire hazard but has created a number of lightning caused fires.

Another Boating Fatality in Northwestern Ontario

For the third time in less than a week, someone has been killed in a boating accident in northwestern Ontario.

The OPP say they responded to a call on Manion Lake, northwest of Atikokan, after learning that three men from Minnesota were thrown out of their boat.

A group of fishermen found the men in the water and they were taken to shore.

However Provincial Police confirm that 64-year-old Douglas Davis from North Mankato was pronounced dead at the scene.

Inquest Almost Ready to Get Underway

Anyone who wants to take part in the inquest into the tragic deaths of seven
First Nations teens in Thunder Bay will get a chance to state their case today.  

Regional Coroner Dr. Michael  Wilson says only those with an direct interest in the outcome will be given standing at the upcoming inquest.

Today's hearing takes place at the provincial government building in Thunder Bay.

Air Show Essay Contest for Students

Soaring to new heights.

A couple of local students will get a chance to win a ride on a
stunt plane at the upcoming Kenora Airshow.

Barb Manson is one of the organizers and says Super Dave, one of their
featured pilots has volunteered to take two kids for a ride.

Local students have until June 15th to write a 500 word essay outlining
why they want to go flying with Super Dave.

Elementary Track and Field Today at T.A.

It looks like Mother Nature is co-operating for today's elementary school track and field meet.

This year, the racing, jumping and throwing competitions is taking place up at Thomas Aquinas School.

About 300 grade four, five and six students are competing in a number of different events today, including
high jump, long jump, 60, 200, 400 and 800 meter races.

Today, the junior aged students will take center stage, while tomorrow it will be the intermediate aged students turn.