Festival Funding Announced

A couple of local festivals are getting a helping hand from the provincial government.

Celebrate Summer, a festival which will take taking place just after Canada Day has been promised 40 thousand dollars to help stage that event this year.

Harborfest will also be getting 75 thousand dollars from the Ministry of Tourism's Celebrate Ontario fund.

A total of 20 million dollars has been promised 230 different festivals across the province, to help attract more visitors and create jobs in the community.

Council begins budget process this morning

Kenora city council will get its first crack at the 2011 budget this morning.

A special council meeting is scheduled to take place in Council chambers to go over the capital budget and take a look at long term projects.

The budget time-line for this fiscal year will also be laid out.

The budget meeting is scheduled to take place at 9:00 this morning.

Mixed reviews for the Northern Growth Plan

The head of the Northwestern Ontario Muncipal Association is giving thumbs up to the province's Northern Growth Plan.

Ron Nelson says NOMA is especially happy that a Northern Policy Institute is part of the plan

Nelson says now the plan is out it's up to everyone concerned to make sure it moves forward.

NDP MPP Howard Hampton doesn't see much oppirtunity for growth after reading the new Growth Plan For Northern Ontario,

The Northern Growth Plan was released on Friday to much fanfare.

Northern Policy Institute being Planned

The McGuinty government's proposal for a Northern Policy Institute is only a idea so far.

Liberal MPP Bill Mauro says details will be worked out by the presidents of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities.

Mauro says the advice will be passed on the Minister of Northern Development.

Wasaya Air expanding again

Flying services to Northern Ontario will be getting a boost.

Wasaya Airways is meeting increased demand for air service in the North by adding its second Bombardier Dash 8 since October.

Vice President George Simon says the company also plans on adding a third Dash 8 as part of an expansion plan.

Simon says the new planes can carry 37 passengers which is a lot larger than the current planes in their fleet.

The Fight is on for Northern Ontario Curling Teams

The federal NDP wants to save Northern Ontario and its place on the national curling stage.

Sports Critic Glenn Thibeault of Sudbury says they're trying to stop the Canadian Curling Association from eliminating the region's place at the Brier and giving it to the defending champion.

Thibeault says the region's vastness and uniqueness support the need for a separate Northern Ontario entry.

Hospital still in the black

Lake of the Woods District Hospital still expects to break even this year

despite its recent bed shortage.

Finance manager Cindy Gasparini says as of the end of January they wereabout 220 thousand dollars in the black.

She adds that the bed shortage has meant more overtime costs, so that will eat into their surplus.

She adds that at this point they still don't know what their budget will be for this years, but says right now they are working with the expectation of a zero percent increase.

Bronco Girls win NorWOSSA hockey Gold

Beaver Brae's hockey teams have won one gold and one silver medal in the NorWOSSA finals.

The Bronco girls took the NorWOSSA double "a" title last night with a 4-2 win over Dryden.

Ainsley Linquist led the scoring attack with a goal and three assists, while Sam Smith, Hannah Rose and Haley Moncrief each scored singles for Beaver Brae.

The Broncos won the best-of-three final two games to none and will head to Stratford after the March Break for the All-Ontario championships.

Meanwhile, the Fort Frances Muskies took the NorWOSSA double "a" boys crown with a 4-3 win over Beaver Brae last night at the Rec. Center.

The Muskies scored the game winner 12:28 in overtime to take the series two games to none.

Senior Thistles Trounce Penticton

The Kenora Triple "a" senior Thistles were not good hosts over the weekend.

The Thistles whipped the Penticton Vees in two games played at the Kenora

Rec. Center.

Yesterday, Jeff Richards had a pair of goals en route to a 9-1 win over the Vees.

On Saturday, the Kenora Seniors got three goals from Jon Johnson in a 9-4

rout over Penticton.

Meanwhile, the Kenora Double "a" PeeWee Thistles came up short in their best-of-three final against Steinbach in the EastMan Manitoba League.

The Millers best the Thistles 2-1 yesterday at the Keewatin Arena to take the series two games to one.

Beaver Brae Cheerleaders win Double Gold at Northern Regionals

Beaver Braes cheerleading squad won a couple of gold medals at the Northern Region Championships yesterday in Thunder Bay.

The Broncos took the Team Dance gold and also won the small, all-girl intermediate cheerleading competition.

The both cheerleading squads had now qualified for the provincial championships.

The cheer squad will head to Missisaugua in April.

OPP wrap up investigation of Ear Falls Snowmachine Fatality

The OPP have released more details surrounding a snowmachine

accident near Ear Falls.

23 year old Marcel Santerre was badly injured around 2:30 Tuesday
afternoon after he ran into a hydro guide wire.

He had been travelling with two other people on the Hydro line trail at
the time.

The other two sledders took Santerre to hospital in Ear Falls, but
he succumbed to his injuries.

Police say neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the fatality.

Martin Falls Begins Blockade of Ring of Fire

The Marten Falls blockade is underway.

The First Nation community wants more input when it comes to ring of fire development.

NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy says some companies working in the region already get the message.

Beardy says First Nations in the region aren't against development; they just want to make sure there are long term benefits for their communities.

Hospital Experiencing another Bed Shortage

Lake of the Woods District Hosptial is experiencing another severe bed shortage.

In fact, the hospital has asked for and been granted

1-A status by the Northwestern Local Integration Network.

Director of Patient Care, Leslie Brown says that gives patients waiting for long term care, first priority for any beds that open up.

Brown says they have requested that the 1-A status be extended for at least four weeks to address their overcrowding issues.

Catholic Board Looks Forward to expanding All Day Kindergarten

The Kenora Catholic District School Board says it should have no problem accomodating an all-day, everyday program at Pope John Paul II school.

PJP and Lakewood will be getting all day learning at the kindergarten level by the fall of 2012.

Director of Education, Phylis Eikre says the all day program has been a big success at St. Louis in Keewatin this year.

Eikre says Pope John Paul was designed with all-day, everyday kindergarten in mind, so they should be able to roll it out next year with no problems.

Northern Growth Plan to be released today

After three years of consultation, the Northern Growth Plan will be released today.

The opposition, though, is not impressed.

NDP Critic Gilles Bisson says several towns across northern Ontario have already lost their major employer and the Liberals response so far has been inadequate.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says the document is an economic vision for northern Ontario for the next 25 years.

Canfield honored for Support Forest Industry

The Ontario Forest Industries Association still has fond memories of Kenora

mayor Dave Canfield.

Canfield was one of six people who were presented awards for their contribution

to the forest industry yesterday at the OFIA's annual general meeting.

Canfield says he really wasn't expecting the honor.

Canfield also accepted an award on behalf of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association for its work in support of the forest industry in Ontario.

Winter Carnival Begins Tonight

A busy weekend in Kenora.

The Winter Carnival begins this evening.

Tourism Development Officer Heather Paterson says they have a full slate of events this weekend.

Things get underway this evening with a bang.

The fireworks will start at 7:00 followed by an Al Simmons concert at Lakewood and the BluesFest at Shooters.

OFSAA Nordic Championships underway in Ottawa

One medal so far for Kenora's cross country skiiers at the All-Ontario championships taking place in Ottawa.

Jamie Triskle of Thomas Aquinas won gold in the para-nordic event yesterday.

The top finish in the junior girls 5 kilometer freestyle race was Sammi Burkhart from T.A. in 5th, while Maya Boivin placed 8th.

In the senior boys 7.5 kilometer freestyle, Erik Lockhart placed 31st out of over 160 racers.

Meanwhile, Manon Magnon was 15th overall in the Senior girls division.

Beaver Brae's junior girls were 6th in the team event.

Today, the team relays will take place.

Saints boys hockey team OFSAA Bound

The Thomas Aquinas Boys hockey team is heading to OFSAA.


The Saints doubled up the Sioux Lookout Warriors 8-4 last night at the

Kenora Rec. Center to win their best-of-three NorWOSSA single "a" final series two games to one.

T.A. now travels to Timmins after the March break for the All-Ontario championships.

Meanwhile, the NorWOSSA finals begin on two fronts for Beaver Brae's hockey teams.

The Broncos girls will host the Dryden Eagles in Game one of the best-of-three series
tonight at the Kenora Rec. Center.

The puck drops at 8:30.

The Bronco boys are on the road tonight.

They travel to Fort Frances to take on the Muskies in game one of their

best-of-three series.

Game two is back at home at 7:00 at the Thistle Rink.

JM arena petition being circulated

A petition is being circulated trying to get support for an

artificial ice plant at the Jaffray Melick arena.

Organizers say they had good support last night for the
petition, and it will be doing the rounds some of the other
arenas in town over the next few days.

The plan is to present the petition at the next committee of the
whole meeting of council.

Due to volunteer burn-out and unseasonably warm weather
in February, use of the natural ice surface was cut short.