ORNGE Jobs Safe in NWO

There are no cuts being made to ORNGE posts in Northwestern Ontario.

18 jobs were cut at the Province's air ambulance headquarters in Mississauga.

The cuts are being made as a way to reduce costs.

The restructuring only affects office positions and not pilots or paramedics.

Homan off to a fast start at the Ontario Scotties

The Rachel Homan rink holds down top spot at the 2012 Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts entering day three.

Homan has a 3-0 record, and is followed closely by five other teams at 2-1.

Homan says its important to get off to a good start.

Homan takes on the winless Alison Nimik Rink from St. Thomas in this afternoon's fourth draw.

Sherry Middaugh has a must-win game today as her 1-2 rink takes on another former Ontario champ, Jenn Hanna at 2-1.

Sunset Trail Riders

Snowmobile trails in the Kenora District are opened on a limited basis.


Shaun Clifford of the Sunset Trail Riders says although the trails are passable, extra caution is always advised no matter the time of year.

For updated trail reports or to track the groomers via GPS visit sunsetrailriders.ca

Softwood Lumber Agreement

The federal government has renewed the Softwood Lumber Agreement with the United States with hardly any opposition.

The deal was extended for two years until 2015.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says the agreement does provide some market certainty for
producers.
Both the Ontario Forest Industries Association, the Council of the Quebec Forest Industry and
Forest Products Association of Canada have all endsorsed the two year extension.

Treasury Metals

A peaceful protest was held at the Treasury Metals site near Wabigoon Lake Ojibway First Nation this afternoon.


Wabigoon has attempted to seek a memorandum of understanding with the company for mining rights in the area.

Chief Ruben Cantin Senior says a deadline of last Thursday to receive a response from Treasury has passed with no response.
Cantin stresses they aren't against mining on traditional territory but adds that an agreement must be reached first.

ORNGE

ORNGE has reportedly slashed 18 jobs effective immediately.

According to media reports, the province's air ambulance service says it's an effort to reduce costs.

But it says the restructuring only affects office positions and not pilots or paramedics.

Emergency Room Staff

Kenora-Rainy River's MPP is trying to get Ontario's Health Minister to visit the riding.


Sarah Campbell says the ongoing struggles to keep the Rainy River Medical Centre's emergency room staffed was among reasons behind her request to Deb Matthews.

Campbell says one of the plans needed is a better strategy that helps communities, hospitals and clinic cope with their physicians leaving suddenly.

Kids For Cancer

The Canadian Cancer Society should get a big boost this spring.

The Kids For Cancer hockey tournament has so far registered 24
teams.

Dean Caron is one of the organizers and says that's the highest
number of teams they've ever registered.

The deadline to register is January 31st by contacting Dean Caron at
mailto:31st.dkcaron@shaw.ca or by calling 548-3070.

The tournament will take place from March 26th to April 1st.

Ronnebeck adds local Flavour to Homan Rink at Scotties

No local teams are in competition this week at the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts, but there is a Kenora flavour to the Rachel Homan rink from Ottawa.

Homan is the defending Ontario Ladies champions and their coach is Kenora resident Andrea Ronnebeck.

Ronnebeck admits its going to be a tough week of curling for her squad.

Homan won her first draw last night against Thunder Bay's Krista McCarville.

Homan takes on Kathy Brown at 2:00 this afternoon in the only battle between 1-0 teams.

Dennis Wins Bronze in Wales

A bronze medal for a Kenora Judoka at the 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships taking place in Cardiff, Wales.

Kaitie Dennis won her final match this morning, defeating a Welsh fighter for third place in her division.

Dennis lost her semi-final match against a girl from Northern Ireland earlier in the day.

So far Canada has won three bronze medals, and three fighters will be going for gold later in the day.

Next up for Dennis is the Belgium Open Ladies Judo Championships this weekend.

Scotties results day one

Former Ontario champions Sherry Middagh and Jenna Hanna were among first draw winners at the provincial women's curling championship opening last night in Kenora.

Thunder Bay's Krista McCarville lost her opening game, 7-4 to defending Ontario champ Rachel Homan of Ottawa 7-4. 

Cathy Auld from Mississauga and Kathy Brown from the Toronto area were also first round winners.

Second draw action goes this afternoon at 2:00 at the Kenora Curling Club.

The third draw is at 7:00 this evening. 

Nations Aboriginal Leaders in Ottawa

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says he's eagerly awaiting today summit in Ottawa with the nations aboriginal leaders.

Rickford is the parliamentary secretary for Aboriginal Affairs and has a major role in the event.

He says there are some substantial issues up for discussion such as education and housing.

Rickford is acting as co-emcee for the opening ceremonies.


He adds that the drummers at the opening ceremonies are all from Treaty Three.

The Poverty Challenge

50 dollars in seven days.


That's how much participants in this year's Poverty Challenge will have to live on this year.

Dan Jorgensen is spokesperson Making Kenora Home and they want to give local residents an idea on how hard it is to live on a fixed income.

The Poverty Challenge will start February 9th and run to the 16th.


Making Kenora Home is just finalizing the 12 participants who will be

taking part next month.

The NeeChee Friendship Center

The NeeChee Friendship Center is getting funding from the provincial government for renovations.

The province has earmarked eight million dollars over three years to fix up 17 native
Friendship centers across Ontario.

NeeChee will be getting 250 thousand dollars to fix up its building on Railway Street.

The funding is part of a provincial infrastructure initiative.

Keewatin Mischief

For the second weekend in a row, the OPP are investigating a mischief incident in Keewatin.

On Friday, Police were called out to a home on Wharf Street.

The OPP say someone gained access into the crawl space of the home and unplugged
a couple of heaters.

As a result the water pipes froze and then broke.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the OPP or Crimestoppers.

Jon Thompson

A Kenora writer has been honored as one of the top 20 under 40 years of age in Northwestern Ontario.

Jon Thompson was one of six regional award winners at the 1st Annual Visionary Awards Ceremony held over the weekend in Thunder Bay.

A total of 66 people were nominated for the awards.

Thompson is a reporter for the Kenora Daily Miner and News.

Fall Airport Commission

Fall Airport Commission wants to know your opinion of air service out of International Falls.


Commission Chair Bob Anderson says they're in the midst of a survey as they await a federal decision regarding Great Lakes Aviation's plans to take over service from Delta.

Anderson says the survey has been distributed to thousands of users across Minnesota and northwestern Ontario.

Ontario Scotties Gets Underway this Evening

Teams are warming up for the start of the 2012 Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Curling gets underway this evening at the Kenora Curling Club with the first draw.

 

Rachel Homan of Ottawa is the defending Ontario Ladies Curling Champion, but doesn't feel

she's the favorite this week. 

A total of 10 teams are seeking a berth to the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Red Deer, Alberta in February.

The opening ceremonies will start at 6:30 this evening, with the first draw at 7:00.

OPP Release Name of Thunder Bay teen killed in Crash

A 17-year-old is dead following a two vehicle collision on Highway 11-17 east of Ignace.

Thunder Bay OPP say a Chevy Uplander collided with a transport just before 5 o'clock Sunday morning.

Police say the driver of the car, Matthew Gibbons of Thunder Bay, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two occupants of the tractor trailer were not hurt.

No charges are expected to be laid.

HNO Receives Funding for Head Injuries

The Federal government is providing money to help reduces the severity of head injuries in kid's sports in Canada and across this region.

Director of Hockey Northwestern Ontario Trevor Hosanna says the Feds are providing 1.5 million dollars for a new project.

Hosanna says the APP will give information on preventing and identifying concussions.