Fighter fighers busy over New Years

The New Year's long weekend proved to be pretty eventful for Kenora's

Fire and Emergency Services Department.

Fire crews had five calls over three days, including a fire to a trailor home

on New Year's Eve.

Fire Chief Warren Brinkman says the blaze broke out in the crawl space of

the trailor, but crews were responded quickly.

At least one person had to be treated for smoke inhallation, but no other

injuries were reported.

Crews also responded to a multiple vehicle accident on Matheson Street,

and a carbon monoxide alarm at a local home.

Treaty Three Police Set to Open new Detachment

The Treaty Three Police Service is hoping to have a new detachment up and running in the Fort Frances area sometime in the next month or so.

Chief of the aboriginal police service, Conrad Delaronde says they are just putting the finishing touches on a new detachment office on the Couchiching First Nation.

Delaronde says they also want to expand their drug unit and enhance their administrative services in the new year.

More Family Doctors Expected in 2011

Kenora should see some new family doctors in the new year.

The Paterson Medical Clinic is hoping to attract some new recruits in 2011.

Dr. Buzz Pedersen says they are hoping to land one or two family doctors from the first graduating class of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Pedersen says having the students work in Kenora during the course of their schooling is probably one of the best ways of recruiting new doctors to the community.

Five Kenora Skiiers Heading to Canada Winter Games

Five Kenora cross country skiiers will be heading to Halifax next month for the Canada Winter Games.

Eric Lockhart was selected to be part of Manitoba's Bi-Athlon team.

Meanwhile, Amy Matthews, Sammy Burkhart, Jenny Hissa and Maya Boivin will be part of
Manitoba's Cross-country Ski squad.

The Canada Winter Games will take place from February 11 to 27th.

Midget Thistles Win First game of 2011

A good start to the new year for the Kenora Triple A midget Thistles.

The Thistles were in Steinbach on Sunday and edged the Eastman Selects

2-1 in their first game of 2011.

Bowen Alcock and Dustin Taylor scored in the third period to lead the Kenora midgets to victory.

Their next game is this Saturday on the road in Brandon.

Post-Christmas Break-In foiled

The OPP say some observant neighbors managed to spoil a post-Christmas break-in attempt.

Last Tuesday, a 3rd Street South resident contacted police about a

male suspect who had entered a nearby home.

Police were able to locate the would-be thief and after a brief chase,

they managed to arrest him.

26 year old Ryan Parker has been charged with break and enter and

failing to abide the terms of an undertaking.

Suit against Nault dismissed

A lawsuit against former Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault has been dismissed by
an Ontario Court Judge.

The Pikangikum First Nation brought the suit forward after a third party manager
was imposed on the community back on 2001.

Justice John Wright says Nault didn't actually ask for a third party manager,
instead he had lobbied his own department to discuss a co-management sitution.

The band argued that the imposition of a third party manager held up millions of
dollars worth of projects on Pikangikum, but Justice Wright says dismissed the bands
claims.

He says despite Nault's opposition to a third party manager, the decision to impose
one was appropriate.

Snowfall Warning Issued for Kenora

It looks like Kenora is going to ring in the new year with a big dump of snow.
A snowfall warning has been issued for the area, with as much as 20 centimeters
expected to fall in the next day or so.

Alicia Young is a meteorologist with Environment Canada and says Colorado Low is
heading our way.

Snowfall is expected to start this evening and continue until at least tomorrow morning.

Gravelle supports replacing NWO Emergency Field Officer

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle is backing calls in support of the emergency field officer in northwestern Ontario.


Gravelle says he's against his government's plan not to replace the current officer who retires soon.

Gravelle says he's lobbying Community Safety Minister Jim Bradley to have the decision reversed.

A number of communities across the region, including Kenora has passed resolutions demanding
the government fill the vacancy.

Canfield wants to kick-stat Common Ground Talks

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says he's eager to the see the Common Ground

Initiative on Tunnel Island get back on track in 2011.

The City of Kenora, Treaty Three and three area first nations are the main partners
in Common Ground, but development of a management plan has been on hold
for the past year and a half.

Canfield says its time for all the parties to sit down and get the process moving
again.

Negotiations over a management plan broke down over whether to include a
dispute resolution mechanism or not.

Kakegamic murder Conviction upheld

A man who was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting and strangling a teenage girl in Kenora has had an appeal quashed.

James Kakegamic was convicted in 2005 of the first-degree murder
of 16-year-old Jocelyn McDonald in 2000.

Kakegamic, who was 22 at the time of the killing and is now serving a sentence of life with no chance of parole for 25 years, appealed his conviction.

He argued that the trial judge's private conversations during jury selection with potential jurors to discuss their personal reasons for not being able to serve meant he was improperly excluded from his own trial.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario agrees he was improperly excluded, but in dismissing the appeal, the court says Kakegamic suffered no prejudice because of that.

McDonald was last seen at a party in Kakegamic's apartment in
Kenora in October 2000 and her remains were discovered March 2001 near the apartment complex.

Still no Visitors are allowed in the Hospital

Hospital officials are still not letting Visitors into the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

That announcement wqas made before Christmas, and there still has been no changes made to that statement.

The only way any visitors are being let in is if you are going to visit someone who is in Palative Care or if someone is giving birth.

Northwest Local Health Intergration Network is taking a step towards electronic health records.

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network is taking the first step towards creating electronic health records.

A pilot project called "Doorways" will mean information will follow mental health and addiction patients.

Spokesperson Dan Muraw says it's a vast improvement from the old system.

The project will include agencies in Thunder Bay before being expanded elsewhere.

MPP Howard Hampton says don't be Fooled by Deficit Plan

Kenora-Rainy River M-P-P Howard Hampton says the public shouldn't be fooled by the province's plan reduce the deficit.

The plan, announced last week, included eliminating some government agencies.

Hampton says it's nothing more than window dressing.

Hampton says none of the agencies targeted for closures will have any impact on the public.

Year End in Politics not so Productive

Thunder Bay-Rainy River M-P John Rafferty says he was hoping the past session of Parliament would have been a little more productive than it was.

Rafferty says too many pieces of legislation are being slowed from becoming law.


Rafferty says an affordable housing bill and his own private members bill on workers pensions are among two pieces of legislation he would have like dealt with quicker.

AGING AT HOME-FUNDING

Three long term care facilities in the Kenora and Rainy River Districts will be getting funding

to expand home-care services.


The Northwest Local Health Integration Network has promised 420 thousan dollars to extend

their Aging At Home initiative.


Laura Kokochinsi is CEO of the LHIN's and says the service is badly needed in the region.

The Pinecrest Home for the Aged will be getting 240 thousand dollars to provide home support

services for 20 people.


Kevin Queen is CAO of Pinecrest and says the money should ease the demand for beds in the

long term care facility.


Patricia Region Senior Services will be getting 60 thousand dollars under the program, while

Northwest Independant Services will receive 120 thousand dollars for a program in Rainy River.

Keeping Track of Santa Clause

NORAD will once again be tracking Santa's Progress for his Christmas Journey.

Both the Canadian and U.S. military defence oraganization will be teaming up with Google to keep an eye on Jolly Old Saint Nick.

To keep Santa safe NORAD will be using 4 CF-18 fighters to escort Santa into North American Airspace.

You can currently track Santa's progress at www.noradsanta.org as well as google earth.

Lighting of the Candles

A Christmas eve tradition will take place once again this afternoon.
Thousands of ice candles at Lake of the Woods Cemetary will be lit up.

Barb Manson is the city's parks supervisor and says before they begin lighting

the candles, local residents can drop by the cemetary for a special ceremony.
Manson says in addition to the hundreds of ice candles local residents purchased

at the cemetary,just as many will be placed by local residents who made their own.

OPP Hwy Tips

The OPP are reminding the motoring public to take it easy on area highways this winter.
Constable Carol Michtics says has these safety tips.
Michtics recommends calling for road conditions before heading out on the road.
The MTO's road conditions hotline is 1-800-268-4686.

Thistles End Their First Half of Season with Another Loss

The AAA Midget Thistles have lost their 15th game of the season.
They took to the ice last night after two alumni games last night at the Thistle arena.
The Thistles were down 3-0 going to the third period scoring two in an effort to make a late comeback, against the Eastman Selects.
Bowen Alcock scored a Power Play goal then potted another with 38 seconds left in the third.
The Eastman Selects scored another with one second to go to win 4-2.
The Thistles go into the Christmas break with a record of  11-15-0-2 for a total of 24 points.