Committee shoots down electronic sign board

Just say no to electronic signs.

That continues to be the mantra of the city's property and planning committee.

The committee is pulling the plug on an electronic reader board installed by the Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce to publicize the upcoming Home and Liesure Show.

The sign was located in front of a Park Street Business, but its just on the edge of the Harbortown Center, an area where electronic billboards are banned.

The committee also suggests its a potential distraction to motorists. 
Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield says the Home Show is a big event and he'd like the Chamber to find an alternative location for their electronic reader board.

Senior Thistles Prepare for the Allan Cup

The Kenora Senior Thistles are proudly displaying the Renwick Cup this week.

The Thistles won the Ontario Triple "a" senior championship this past weekend in Dundas.

Thistles Head Coach John Tresoor says the victory will give them a good springboard into the Allan Cup, which begins on Monday.

The Thistles will practice one more time tonight before leaving for Lloydminster, Saskatchewan Sunday morning for the Allan Cup.

Their first game will be Monday night against the host team from Lloydminister.

OPP in Fort Frances Searching for Safeway Gas Bar Robber

Ontario Provincial Police are looking for a suspect in an armed robbery in Fort Frances.

Police say someone held up the Safeway Gas Bar around 10:30 Tuesday night.

OPP say a man entered the store pointing a handgun and he demanded money from the teller.

The suspect receieved an undisclosed amount of cash and he fled the store.

He was wearing a white hooded jacket, blue jeans and white running shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers or Fort Frances OPP.

Edmonton Man charged with Trafficking

A 31 year old Edmonton man faces drug charges after being pulled over on the Kenora By-Pass.

The OPP stopped a Ford pick-up truck near the intersection of the Jones Road on Tuesday.

The driver was found to be in possession of a quantity of drugs, including 1.3 pounds of marijuana and just over a half a pound of hashish.

The drugs have a street value of 18 thousand dollars.

Jason Nitsche has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Policing costs down

Policing the city of Kenora is costing less than forecast.

For the second year in a row, the OPP is coming well under budget.

Inspector Dave Lucas says their actual budget in 2011 was 6.1 million dollars, less than the 6.6 million dollars than had initially been forecast. 

Lucas says over the past few years, they have been budgeting about 9 percent for overtime purposes, but this year, they'll drop that figure down to about  eight percent to get closer to their targeted budget figure.

Development Commission Ready to Move on Lakewood

The dream of a new adult education center is closer to reality.

The Lake of the Woods Economic Development Commission is working on plans to purchase Lakewood School after the public schooo board declared the facility suplus earlier this week.

Chair of the Training and Educatin Committee Geordie McEwan says there's already been a lot of interest expressed in the training center.

The commission now has 90 days to work up a bid for the property and will be working with the City of Kenora to initially help fund the purchase.

Rickford cheers the Demise of the Long Gun Registry

Local gun owners are not impacted by a court injunction in Quebec questioning the Federal Government's ability of destroying information contained in the long gun registry.

The registry has officially been abolished and Police no longer have the power to check the registry for any verification purposes.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says he will be following the situation in Quebec closely.

Rickford stresses local residents no longer have to register their long guns.

Council asked to Support Muskies on Main

Forget Bears on Broadway. How about Muskies on Main.

That's the concept being promoted by the Lake of the Woods Arts Collective.

Irene McQuaig made her pitch to city council yesterday and says they hope to make a number of fish as a fundraiser.

McQuaig says the muskies would sell for about 15 hundred to two thousand dollars.

She estimates they would be able to raise about 25 thousand dollars for a local charity, which still has to be selected.

Richards has three point night in Playoff Opener

Mike Richards had a goal and two assists to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a surprise 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in game one of their first round play-off series.

Richards says while it was nice to contribute, he believes the team can play better.

The series resumes Friday night in Vancover witht he Kings leading one game to none.

High School Badminton Players advance to NWOSSA

Kenora badminton stars claimed five gold medals at the NorWOSSA championships in Dryden yesterday.

Patrick Van Bellingham from Thomas Aquinas placed first in the boys seniors division, while Alexis Lesperance from Beaver Brae won the senior girls crown.

Tyler Neil took the junior boys title, while the Broncos junior boys tandem of Rogers and Smith won the junior boys double division.

In the junior mixed event, Beaver Brae's Iverson and Sparkman also won gold.

The top two finishers in each division now move on to the NWOSSA finals next week in Thunder Bay.

Small Earthquake registered north of Kenora

Residents of the Dalles might have felt the earth move under their feet.

The National Research Council says there was a small earthquake located about 12 kilometers north of Kenora early yesterday morning.

According the government agency, the quake registered 1.7 on the Richter scale at 12:08 in the morning.

There has been no reports of anyone even noticing the mild tremblor.

Smoking Restrictions in Store at Lake of the Woods District Hospital

Lake of the Woods District Hospital is going ahead with plans to make their facilities smoke-free places.

Starting April 22nd, each of the hospital four buildings will have only one smoking area.

Hospital CEO Marc Belcaen says they are actually going above and beyond what's contained in Ontario's Smoke-Free Act.

The hospital has also set up a Tobacco Usage Review Group, that will work towards making the hospital a completely smoke-free zone in the next year or so.

Joyride causes Extensive Damage

Who knew a teenaged girl could cause this much damage.

The OPP say a female youth has been charged following a destructive joyride in Keewatin.

Police say the teen took a pick-up truck that was left idling in a driveway Monday night.

She sped away and struck several parked cars before losing control of the vehicle.

She eventually ran into a house, causing extensive damage to the residence.

The girl fled the scene, but was picked up by officers a short time later.

She's been charged with theft over five thousand dollars and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Lakewood School Declared Surplus

It's official. Lakewood School is going on the auction block.

Trustees voted unamimously to declare the elementary school surplus to the board's needs last night.

Superintendant of Business Dean Carrie says just because they've decided to start the process, doesn't mean there's no turning back.

In conjuction with the Lakewood decision, the board has also agreed to start consulting with parents about the concept of moving grade seven and eight students in Kenora up to Beaver Brae.

Superintendant of Education, Sean Monteith says they will be starting that process in the next couple of weeks.

Canfield Questions Tourist Center Closures

Its a mistake.

Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield believes the provincial government made a math error when it decided to close down the three Tourist Information centers at the border crossings in the Kenora-Rainy River area.

Canfield says its clear, the border crossings locally are busier than elsewhere in northwestern Ontario.

Canfield adds that municipal officials have been in talks with the Ministry of Tourism to provide Ontario Travel Information year round at the Discovery Center, but they still haven't taken the city up on that offer.

Northwest Business Center Hits the Road

The Manager of the Northwest Business Centre is hitting the road in a bid to raise the profile of the Dryden and Kenora based organization.

Diane Schwartz-Williams is taking her road show to Sioux Lookout this week.

She will be meeting with Economic Development offiicials from across the Kenora and Rainy River District to discuss cultural and art opportunities.

Two men charged in downtown Robbery

Two Fort France men has been arrested following a robbery in downtown Kenora.

The OPP say the incident took place Saturday night around 11:00 when two men accosted a man at a downtown insta-teller.

They initially asked the man for a light, but then struck him, knocking him to the ground.

They took the victims wallet, and left the scene.

Both suspects were arrested about an hour later with the help of an OPP canine unit.

28 year old Cote McGinnis and 30 year old John George have both been charged with robbery.

They appeared yesterday in Kenora Court on the charges.

NorWOSSA Badminton Finals On Tap in Dryden

Beaver Brae and Thomas Aquinas badminton players will be going for gold today.

The NorWOSSA finals will be taking place in Dryden.

The top six ranked players and teams in each division will do battle starting at 9:30 this morning.

Medals for boys and girls singles, doubles and mixed doubles will be handed out this afternoon.

Mayors seeking meeting over Tourism Center Closures

Local municipal officials are seeking a meeting with Ontario's tourism minister to talk about the pending closure of the region's tourist information centres.

The cash-strapped province has said in its budget it plans to shut down centres in Fort Frances, Kenora and Rainy River at the end of this month.

Fort Frances mayor Roy Avis says he understands the government's need to save money, but wants to know if there are other options to keep the centres open.

He'd also like the government to delay the closures until at least the end of the busy summer season.

Several other tourism and municipal groups in the area are also looking for an audience with Tourism Minister Michael Chan.

The Future of Lakewood School Up for Discussion tonight

The fate of Lakewood School will be finally decided tonight.

Trustees with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board will be meeting tonight in Sioux Lookout.

One of the items on the agenda is Lakewood.

Over the past few months administration at the public school board has been gathering feedback about whether the school should be sold off so it can be transformed into an adult education center.

Should the school board elect to close Lakewood, Evergreen School, which was scheduled to close later this year, would remain open.