Sharks bring home 13 medals from Winnipeg Swim Meet

The Kenora Sharks Swim Team took home 13 medals from the annual Prairie Winter Invitational Swim Meet in Winnipoeg over the weekend.

Bryce Jones led the way with three gold, and two silver, while Winnie Boucha had two gold, two silver and a bronze.

Michelle Belcaen collected two gold, while Conor O'Flaherty earned a silver.

The Sharks took a record 22 swimmers to the Manitoba meet.

Local girls hockey team take top honors in their own tournament

A golden weekend for local girls hockey teams.

The Lake of the Woods Girls Minor Hockey League held its annual bantam and midget tournament

over the past three days.

The Crush won the midget title with a 3-1 win over Steinback in the gold medal game.

It was an all-Kenora affair in the bronze medal game as the Avalance beat the Jets 2-1.

In the bantam division, the Blaze got by the Kenora Black Betty's 3-1 in the final.

Good Weekend for local high school teams

A promising start to the winter season in High school court sports.

The Beaver Brae junior boys basketball team was the runner-up at a tournament held this past weekend in Fort Frances.

The Broncos finished with a 3-1 record with wins over Dryden, Fort Frances and Churchill Collegiate from Thunder Bay.

Russell Guinto from Beaver Brae also won the free throw contest sinking 9 three-pointers in a minute.

Meanwhile the Thomas Aquinas junior girls were the runners up on the consolation side of a volleyball tournament in Thunder Bay.

The Saints were upended by St. Ignatius two sets to one.

Hospital Braces for Minimal Budget increase in 2012

Lake of the Woods District Hospital says its likely going to have to tighten its belt even further next year.

At a recent conference in Toronto, Chief Executive Officer, Marc Belcaen says they were told the budget for the Ministry of Health would increase by one percent in 2012.

He says there's no guarantee hospital budgets willl actually increase by the same amount.

Belcaen says with wages going up, along with the cost of living, its going to be challenging to live with just a one percent increase.

NAN speaks out in favour of Attawapiskat

The Federal Government is being scolded by Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy.

Beardy says its shameful that the Harper Government is blaming Attawapiskat for its housing crisis and financial problems.

Beardy says all the people of Attawapiskat want is basic human rights.

Public School Board Supports new anti-bullying legislation

New, tougher anti-bullying legislation is getting the thumbs up from at least one local school board.

Jack McMaster is the director of education of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and says the province's legislation really mirrors the work they have been doing.

The bill proposes tougher consequences, including expulsion, for bullying and hate-motivated actions.

Emergency Landing

Police in Thunder Bay say no charges will be laid against the man who caused a Westjet flight to make an emergency landing on Saturday.


The Toronto-bound flight was checked out in Thunder Bay after the crew decided to land because of an agitated 27-year-old passenger.

Police say the man has a history of mental health issues an was held for a medical assessment.

Police say it's expected the man, along with his father, will be returned to Portugal once he has been cleared medically.

Oskisko Mining

Oskisko Mining has started looking at the impacts its proposed open-pit gold mine near Atikokan might have on existing services in the district.


The company projects up to two-thousand employees in the construction phase and five hundred in the mill.

Mark Boller, a senior advisory, says a socio-economic impact study will identify challenges that workforce brings.

Boller says one of the early challenges might be trying secure enought trained personal to work at the site.

Tough on crime legislation

There won't be any get out jail free cards, but changes are coming to the criminal justice system.


Kenora MP Greg Rickford says he recently had a chance to sit down with the Kenora Lawyers Sentencing Group to talk about their concerns.

He feels he was able to alleviate some of the concerns they had with the new legislation.

Rickford says the Government has pledged to get tough on child exploitation, organized crime and repeat violent offenders.

Former National Chief speaks out on Attawapiskat

The former head of the Assembly of First Nations says third party management is not the answer for Attawapiskat.

Phil Fontaine says the government decision to take away the band's control of finances won't solve the housing problem on the reserve

He says third party managers cannot approve housing programs.

Hospital in the Black

Lake of the Woods District Hospital continues to operate in the black, but the size of its surplus is slowly shrinking.

Director of Finance, Cindy Gasparini says through seven months they have a surplus of 124 thousand dollars.

That's about 100 thousand dollars less than last month.

Gasparini expects they will be able to balance their books this year, but the winter months are a lot tougher on their budget, with less revenue from seasonal visitors, and increased costs for utilities and wages.

Hospital gets more funding for Cataract Surgeries

Lake of the Woods District Hospital is getting more funding to carry out more cataract surgeries this year.

The Ministry of Health has approved funding for an extra 56 eye operations.

Chief  Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says they had requested funding for 105 more cataract surgeries, but they will take what they can get.

He suggests there is still the possibility of more funding, but that will depend on the demand at other hospitals as the year end approaches.

Provincial Government Defends its record on Mining in the North

The Provincial Government is once again on the defensive over its handling of relations between First Nation communities and mining companies.

The NDP continues to attack the Government on a lack of consultation and an unwillingness to force companies to stop exploration on traditional land.

Speaking in the Legislature, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci stated his Government is working with everyone.

Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof says the Liberals are ignoring First Nations and slowing down mining development.

Rickford still waiting for Long Gun Bill to Pass

It still isn't clear if the bill to scrap the federal long gun registry will be passed before Christmas.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says they have two weeks left in the current sitting to try and push the bill through.

Rickford says if it doesn't pass before Christmas, it will certainly get though Parliament when it resumes sitting in February.

Hospital experiencing bed shortage

Hospital beds at Lake of the Woods District Hospital are at a premium these days.

Chief Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says they've seen a significant demand for their acute care beds in recent months.

In the past, the hospital be shortage had been created by patients waiting for a long term care bed to open up in the community.

But Belcaen says the addition of ten interim beds at the Pinecrest home for the Aged has virtually eliminated that problem in the past few months.

Bronco Boys in Brandon

Beaver Brae's boys hockey team in in Brandon for the Victoria Inn High School tournament.

Last night, the Broncos lost a 6-2 decision to Crocus Plains from Brandon.

Today, Beaver Brae is back on the ice against Sandford Collegiate this afternoon at 2:00.

Broncos win battle of Kenora

Beaver Brae drew first blood in the battle of Kenora in girls high school hockey.

The Broncos upended their cross-town rivals from Thomas Aquinas 4-1 last night.

 Jess Ricklefs, Melissa Wilcox, Kaitlyn Sparkman and Jodi Mellilo each scored for Beaver Brae. 

Julia Ralko scored on a power play in 3rd period for T.A. to tie the game at 1 before Beaver Brae pulled  away.

Next game for Beaver Brae is tonight in Ear Falls tonight against Red Lake.

Thomas Aquinas is home to the Dryden Eagles this afternoon.

 

Game time is 1:30 at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Grassy Man charged in connection to MVA on Highway 671

A 37 year old Grassy Narrows man faces a number of charges in connection to a single vehicle accident on Highway 671.

The OPP say they came across a single vehicle accident on the road to Grassy Narrows on Tuesday.

Three men were standing outside of a van.

A 41 year old woman had walked away from the accident scene, but was located a short time later and taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment.

Charles Assin has been charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm, driving while disqualified and failing to provide a breath sample.

Essex Road Home target of a Drug Bust

A 54 year old Kenora man faces drug charges following an investigation by the Kenora Joint Forces

Drug Unit.

Members of the OPP's Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau helped out with a search warrant to a home on Essex Road on Tuesday.

Police seized 750 grams of marihuana, 600 grams marihuana being used to produce oil, 450 dollars in cash, surveillance equipment and other drug paraphernalia.

Kim Henley has been charged with possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking and production of marijuana.

He's due to appear in Kenora Court on January 12th to face the charges.

Rickford Supports Third Party Management in Attawapiskat

A Federal Government move to impose third party management in Attawapiskat First Nation is being supported by Kenora MP Greg Rickford.

The Parliamentary Assistant for Aboriginal Affairs says the move will help them determine the immediate housing needs.

However, Rickford stresses they have already taken action.

Rickford adds the Government also gave the remote First Nation money to build a new subdivision and notes the third party manager will look into why that project hasn't moved forward.