Council to vote on new Snowmobile Corridor Monday

Mother Nature hasn't been co-operating with the Sunset Trailriders Snowmobile Club, but at least city council has been more receptive.

Council is expected to endorse a revised snowmobile by-law for the city on Monday night.

It will outline the new cross-town corridor though the city.

The by-law will also ban the use of modified exhaust systems.

The new cross-town corridor was outlined by the STR earlier this fall.

Emergency Shelters get money from DSSAB

Help for the homeless in the Kenora District.

The Services Board is spending over 68-thousand dollars on four programs.

The Red Lake Area Emergency Shelter and Sioux Lookout Out-of-the-Cold Shelter are both getting over 24 grand.

The Kenora Fellowship Centre is receiving 15-thousand dollars.

Five grand is going to the Dryden Food Bank.

The money is from the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

Police Issue Warning about Coyotes in Pickle Lake

Provincial police have issued a warning about coyotes in Pickle Lake Township.

Police say coyotes are usually wary of people and avoid humans whenever possible.

However, O.P.P. note they are wild animals and should never be approached.

Police add people should not feed coyotes or any other wild animal, as it makes them less fearful of humans and gets them used to food provided by people.

Senior Thistles add new players

The Kenora Triple "a" Senior Thistles will have a few new faces in the line-up this weekend.

The Thistles face the Fort Frances ThunderHawks tomorrow night at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Thistle captain Sean Hughes admits he doesn't know a whole lot about the extra skaters being brought in.

All the players being brought in have some junior hockey or semi-pro experience behind them.

Game time is 8:00 tomorrow night.

Thistles and Rams In Action Tonight

A tough weekend road trip for the Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles.

The Thistles head to western Manitoba for three games in three days.

Tonight, the Thistles take on the Yellowhead Chiefs, followed by stops in Brandon and Portage Saturday and Sunday respectively.

The Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team is a home for a pair of games against Red Lake this weekend.

Tonight, the Saints take on the Rams at 7:30 at the Thistle Rink.

The same two teams will meet up at noon tomorrow at the Rec. Center.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas girls hockey team will have to deal with a familiar foe tonight.

The Saints take on the Dryden Eagles for the third time in two weeks.

Thin Ice

Stay off the Ice


That's the message from law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border as ice forms on area lakes and rivers.

OPP Constable Anne McCoy says children especially should be reminded ice conditions may not be safe right now.

Last weekend, a 77 year old kenora man managed to escape the waters of Lake of The Woods after his ATV broke the ice.

Student Absentee Policy

Making sure students stay in school and stay engaged.


That's the focus right now for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says they new policy is paying dividends.

Staff will contact parents after 5-missed classes and if the problem persists administration will bring the parents in for an interview.

Attawapiskat Homes

The first few modular homes headed for Attawapiskat will hit the road today.


Maple Leaf Homes out of New Brunswick is building the 22 homes ordered by the Federal Government.

Sales Manager Jacques Roy says the game plan includes transportation by rail from Cochrane, Ontario to Moosonee, Ontario.

Roy adds:

"The next phase is waiting for the winter roads freeze solid so that these homes could be transported to Attawapiskat"

Attawapiskat First Nation VS Third Party Management

The Attawapiskat First Nation is going to court to try and end the Harper government's Third Party Management.


Speaking in Thunder Bay Chief Theresa Spence says as it stands now the independent manager is slowing things down

Spence says Third Party Management is punishment for the impoverished community.

Kenora District Services Board 2012 budget

It only took one try to pass the Kenora District Services Board 2012 budget.


Board Chair and Red Lake Mayor Phil Vinet says they have unanimously approved the 2012 fiscal document and Municipalities will be required to shell out more than 15-million dollars next year.

The budget is 2-million dollars higher from the 2011 budget which was defeated and debated at great length last year.

The financial impact for each Municipality won't be known until the New Year.

HARBOURFEST 2012

Burton Cummings is coming back to Kenora!

David Blake, Entertainment Director for Harbourfest says:

"The Guess Who front man headlines what we're calling our "Manitoba Night".

Queen City Kids and The Pumps/Orphan have also signed on to perform under the new tent!

Tickets go on sale Tuesday December 20th 2011 at 11 A.M online:
http://www.harbourfest.ca/

Kenora Remains Investigation

Investigators are hoping the release of new facial approximations created by an Ontario Provincial Police Forensic Artist will bolster their efforts to identify human remains found in the City of Kenora in June 2009.


OPP investigators believe foul play was not a factor in her death. The deceased was a Caucasian female, between the ages of 35 and 55 years, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 110 pounds, with shoulder length light brown hair. She was wearing oval-shaped eyeglasses with wire upper rims. The investigation revealed that the deceased experienced extensive reconstructive jaw surgery -- likely done in a major centre.

        The facial approximations, photos of the scene surroundings and other   information that may help identify this individual are available at Missing Persons and Unidentified Bodies Unit

Keewatin-Patricia District School Board

Dave Penney appears to be a permanent fixture as the head guy at the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board table.

For an eighth straight year the Ignace Trustee has been elected Chair of the Board.

Kenora's Cecile Marcino is back as Vice-Chair.

The elections were held Tuesday night in Dryden.

Long-gun Registry

The national long-gun registry will live on for a few months to come.

The House of Commons won't get the chance to debate the bill to abolish the controversial registry before M-Ps break for Christmas.

The Conservative government tabled the bill in October, around the same time as other marquee Tory legislation was being presented.

While bills to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly and add 30 new seats to the Commons could be passed into law as early as tomorrow, the gun registry bill has yet to make it to a final vote
in the House.

The Tories say they just couldn't get around to everything

Attawapiskat Update

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan are to meet today in Thunder Bay.

Spence and Duncan are making another attempt to find a lasting solution for the housing crisis on the James Bay reserve.

Duncan has announced a third-party manager, in addition to an audit and emergency aid for Attawapiskat.

Spence says she welcomes the aid and will work with the auditors but is opposed to the third-party management.

Highway 17

The winter weather has resulted in a highway closure here in Kenora.

Highway 17A is closed at Airport Road .

The road was closed around 2:30 this morning.

OPP say east and westbound traffic will be re-routed through the Kenora by-pass for the most part today.


Motorists are urged to use caution on the road today due to blowing snow and slippery conditions.

Strategic Improvement Plan

The Director of Education for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board says they are making good strides in their Strategic Improvement Plan.

Jack McMaster says staff and administration continue to focus on three main areas.

McMaster says the plan is aimed at ensuring students are taking full advantage of their time they spend in school.

Emergency Landing

It was a lucky day for 8 passengers aboard a Thunder Airlines flight from Attiwapiskat to Thunder Bay.

They had some tense moments when one of the engines went out and they were forced to land in Geraldton. Greenstone Mayor Renald Beaulieu says the fire department was called in.


Beaulieu believes the passengers could be band officials from the troubled First Nation on their way to meetings with the Aboriginal Affairs Minister.

Phone Scams

'Tis the season for telephone scams.

The OPP in Kenora say they have received numerous complaints from local residents in recent days.

Police say the scams include callers claiming to be relatives involved in a motor vehicle accident and needing funds to get home.

In another scam, the caller says they represent an estate and they require a fee to release the funds.

If you have any concerns about the identity of a caller, you are encouraged to
contact the OPP or Phonebusters.

Bus Service

Due to road conditions and various road closures, First Student school buses have been cancelled in KENORA, RAT PORTAGE and SIOUX NARROWS.

Kenora City Transit will be running as scheduled today.

Tri-Municipal Handi-Transit will be running as scheduled today.