Kenora Mayor Reacts to Rob Ford Crack Controversy

 Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield says the Mayor of Toronto should step down.

Those comments were made after Rob Ford Admitted to smoking crack cocaine.

Canfield says the controversy has overshadowed Ford's work to promote economic development and cut wasteful spending which he promised to do..

He adds that the controversy is embarrassing to all of Canada and has given politicians a bad reputation.

Making Kenora Home Goes to Bat for Fellowship Center

Making Kenora Home is focusing on the Kenora Fellowship Center.

Speaking at the annual general meeting co-chair Ralph Page said the Fellowship Center is in need of a new funding model in order to survive.

Page says they are hoping to keep operations at full capacity this winter.

Also highlighted is the pressing need for more affordable housing as over 250 applicants could be waiting up to 5 years for a social housing unit.

Three Senators Suspended from Upper Chamber

A sigh of relief.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford is pleased that the government has taken action and suspended Patrick Brazeau,  Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin without pay for up to 2-years.

Rickford says now they can talk about Senate reform, and hopes the opposition parties to get on side with what they have been talking about and working through legislation that would hold the senate more accountable.

While Duffy, Brazeau and Wallin have been ousted from the Senate, they will be able to keep their
health benefits.

Dryden Rinks in the Dark

An unusual situation in Dryden last night.

Minor hockey and games in the Dryden Oldtimers Hockey League had to be cancelled due to a lack of staff to operate the zamboni.

Dryden Mayor Craig Nuttall says the closure of the ice rink was not the result of staff cuts.

The arena had to close at 5:00 last night due to staff shortage.

Community Foundation Holds Fall Granting Ceremony

Another big day for the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation.

The foundation is holding their second granting ceremony of the year and Executive Director Darlene MacGillvray says it's going to be quite the night with more than 85 thousand dollars being handed out.

MacGillvary says a new 50 thousand dollar fund will also be announced.

The ceremony gets underway at 7:00 tonight at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Cost To Fight Forest Fires Goes Down

Encouraging figures for the cash-strapped provincial Government.

The cost to fight forest fires in northern Ontario was just over 110-million dollars this season.

That's down 60 million dollars less than last year.

There were fewer than 600-fires across the north this year, barely one-third last season's total.

Inquest into Northern Shooting death Wraps Up

Closing arguments brought an end to the Coroner's inquest into the death of 27 year old Bruce Moonias.

The jury heard that 53 shots were fired the night Moonias died after an encounter with police
on the Landsdowne House First Nation.

Presiding Coroner Dr. David Evans charged the jury with making a decision in the death of Moonias and they are expected to make an announcement by one o'clock this afternoon.

The inquest has been going on for the past week in Thunder Bay.

NorWOSSA "A" Play-offs Today in Rainy River

An unusual position for Thomas Aquinas.

The Saints are in Rainy River today for the NorWOSSA championships,
but just two of their teams have qualified for the play-offs.

The T.A. junior girls will play a semi-final game this afternoon against
Red Lake.

The winner of that game will play Rainy River in tomorrow's gold medal game.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas senior boys team will have to play its way into
the final this year.

The Saints take on Sioux Lookout in semi-final action.

The winner will play Atikokan tomorrow in the final.

The NorWOSSA double "A" championships will take place Friday in Dryden.