Wabaseemoong Stabbing

A 25 year old man is dead following a stabbing incident on the Wabaseemung First Nation.

Treaty Three Police say they were called out around 8:30 yesterday morning about an alleged assault.

A post-mortem exam was carried out today at Lake of the WoodsDistrict Hospital, but so far the cause of death has not been released.

Treaty Three Police have called in the OPP's North West Region Crime Unit to help out with the investigation.

The name of the deceased has not been released.

Illegal Deer Kill near Kenora

A Pennsylvania hunter must pay 2-thousand dollars in fines after attempting to cover up his illegal deer kill.

Court heard that on November 8th 2009, conservation officers cam across Edward Krakowski on the Mabrun Road south of Kenora, and found blood on him and his hunting equipment.

Krakoswski told officers that he did not shoot a deer, but had helped another hunter to field dress one.

Upon investigation, officers found footprints from the area where the vehicle was parked to a freshly harvested buck, untagged and covered in brush.

Krakowski was fined a thousand dollars for making false statements to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer and another thousand for failing to attach a valid hunting game seal to his harvested deer.

He is banned from hunting in Ontario for one year.

NWO Forest Fire Update

It appears folks are paying little attention to the fire ban that is currently in place across Northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources responded to 3-new human caused fires in the Sioux Lookout District yesterday.

There are currently 14-fires burning in the Region, 11 of which were human caused.

A raging forest fire east of Terrace Bay has been controlled.

The MNR says there were some value losses reported but no details are available.

The cause is under investigation.

Spring Seatbelt Campaign Wraps Up

The Spring Seatbelt campaign is in the books.

OPP in Northwestern Ontario checked more then 39-thousand vehicles during the 10-day blitz.

A total of 232-charges were laid against drivers and passengers who were not buckled up.

Meanwhile, Kenora OPP checked over 4 thousand vehicles during their two week spring seatbelt campaign.

Police also issued 12-tickets for improperly installed child restraints.

Officers laid a total of 95 charges.

OPP laid 1 child car seat charge.

10 passengers and 84 drivers were charged with failing to not wear seatbelts.

Lake of the Woods Water Levels

The Lake of the Woods basin is experiencing a dry spring.

The control board recently reduced outflows from the lake, which will result in a decline in Winnipeg River levels.

Executive Engineer Rick Walden says conditions could improve if the area see rain in the forecast later this week.

As of today's weather forecast, portions of the basin could see 30 millimetres of rain fall starting on Thursday.

Illegally Killed Wolf

Two Maine hunters are fined over 2-thousand dollars for illegally killing a wolf.

William Pinet and Kurt Christenson were both convicted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and were fined five hundred dollars each for lying to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer.

Pinet was also fined a thousand five hundred dollars for shooting a wolf without a licence.

Court heard that on November 10th, 2009 while out deer hunting, Pinet shot a wolf in the area of Cygnet Lake Road, northwest of Kenora.

He and Christensen later skinned the wolf, placed its hide in a black, plastic bag and sunk it beneath the ice in a swamp.

Later that week, Pinet purchased a non-resident wolf hunting licence and game seal and went back to retrieve the submreged wolf hide.

He then notched a false date on his game seal of when the wolf had been harvested and attached it to the hide.

When questioned by conservation officers, Pinet and Christensen each made multiple false statements, but eventually told officers about shooting the wolf prior to being licensed.

Rail Safety Week

It's Rail Safety Week and motorists can expect to see an increased presence of railway police in Northwestnern Ontario.

Chief Stephen Covey says his officers are cracking down on violators - people who don't obey crossing signals or who trespass on rail property, which includes walking along the tracks.

Railway police and volunteers are conducting safety blitzes this week at railway crossings right across Canada.

Young Professional Network

Calling all young professionals.

A group of career driven individuals are starting up the first ever young professionals network in Kenora.

Spokesperson Mike Greaves says they want to create a social and professional network where young entrepreneurs can have a say in economic development initiatives.

Anyone interested in joining the group can log onto their facebook page or contact Greaves at 467-4643.

Rickford Road Funding Announcement

Its going to be another busy construction year in Kenora.

The Provincial and Federal Levels of Government have announced six million dollars to complete the re-paving of Highway 17 from the City boundaries out to the Kenora By-Pass.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says the funding is part of a new infrastructure project announced by the two levels of government earlier this month.

The Ministry of Transportation says it plans to tender out the paving work in the next couple of weeks and expects the work will be complete by early fall.

City of Kenora Graffitti

Kenora City Council has received support for its Graffitti By-Law from an unlikely source.

Grade school student Charity Busch made a deputation to councilthis week to enact a by-law to crack down on the unwanted wall art.

Busch suggests graffitti in town is inappropriate and should at least be covered over.

Council says its working on measures to eliminate graffitti frommunicipal buildings and its also working on a by-law that would apply to privately owned buildings in downtown Kenora.

KDSB New Name and Slogan

The Kenora District Services Board will be changing their name and adapting a new slogan based on ideas from the public.

Chair Joyce Timpson says the name dosen't reflect what they do.

Interested individuals can email or write a letter to the Services Board.

Responses are due by the end of May.

Rowing Club Lease

A split decision for the Kenora Rowing Club from city council.

The city has agreed to a 49 year lease arrangement for its club house on Rabbit Lake.

On the downside, council has rejected a request by the Rowing Club for a reduction in its property taxes.

Council feels that if they gave the rowing club a break on its taxes, other groups in the city would want the same kind of deal.

Doctor Shortage

A rosy picture when it comes to Kenora's medical shortage.

Dr. Buzz Pedersen told city council this week that Kenora has experienced a doctor shortage for about eight years now.

But he suggests the newly expanded medical clinic on Tunnel Island will be a lure for graduating health care professionals.

Pedersen says the new medical center is now a fully affiliated teaching center for the Northern Ontario Medical School.

Fire Season NWO

Northwestern Ontario has seen more than 100 fires since the season officially began at the start of this month.

In comparison, there were just 194 wild fires reported in the region all of last year.

Fire Information Officer Debbie McLean says its certainly a turnaround from the last couple of years.

A Restricted Fire Zone was put in place on Friday, meaning that all open air burning is prohibited.

NOMA Conference Day 2

Photo Courtesy of City of Dryden website

Municipal leaders will sit down with a handful of Provincial Ministers today in Marathon at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Conference.

President Anne Krassilowsky introduces two of the delegates.

Other speakers include NDP Leader Andrea Horwath as well as Parliamentry Secretary to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Donna Cansfield.

MNR RFZ

Photo Courtesy of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources

No more roasting marshmellows by the campfire.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has issued a restricted fire zone in Northwestern Ontario.

Fire information officer Debbie MacLean outlines why the restriction was put in place.

Marathon, Terrace Bay, Nipigon and North are not within the restricted fire zone.

Harbourfront Tent

The City of Kenora is going to chop up the work needed to construct a new tent on the harbourfront.

Underground work will be part of the first phase with the wall coverings to be dealt with at a later date.

Operations Manager Rick Perchuck says they want to put the project out for tender as soon as possible.

The underground work costs less than a million dollars, the entire project with coverings is estimated at 1.4 million dollars.

Warm Weather Kenora

Don't expect an immediate end to the dry weather conditions.

Geoff Coulson of Environment Canada says we've have about half our normal precipitation for April.

He says that'll continue for at least the next week in northwestern Ontario.

Coulson says the dry conditions can be blamed on the El Nino weather pattern.

Home and Trade Show

Photo Courtesy of Kenora District Chamber of Commerce website

This weekend marks the 24th annual Kenora Chamber of Commerce Home and Trade Show.

Chamber Manager Darcie Buchanan says they've got sixty exhibitors signed up.

The event kicks off tonight and runs until Sunday.

OPP 2009 Stats

The OPP says it has developed five priority areas for reducing
crime in the City of Kenora.

Inspector Dave Lucas presented his 2009 report to council this
week and it shows a 10 percent decrease in the number of calls
for service last year.

Lucas says one area they have been concentrating on is youth
crime.

Lucas says their overall budget came in about 300 thousand dollars
less last year than projected.