Baird Rules Out Canadian Intervention in Syria

Canada's Foreign Affairs minister is concerned about the on-going conflict in Syria.

John Baird spent the weekend in Kenora, but took time to reflect on some of the recent happenings in the middle east.

He says the resignation of Kofi Annan as a special UN envoy to Syria should be a wake-up call for everyone.

Baird says Canada will continue to provide humanitarian aid to the country but says he has no intention in sending our troops into the war-torn region.

MNR Conducts Enforcement Blitz

An enforcement blitz at a lake along the Canada-U.S border has found several anglers not following the rules.

Ministry of Natural Resources Conservation officers laid 20 charges and issued 78 warnings during the four-day blitz in the middle of July at Basswood Lake located within Quetico Provincial Park

Infractions included anglers fishing without a licence, having an over-limit of fish and using barb hooks or live bait, both of which are prohibited in the park.

Rainy River Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Smuggling

A man from the Rainy River area has been sentenced to three years in prison for trying to smuggle guns across the Manitoba-U.S. border.

The Canada Border Services Agency says Dorion Larry Ozykowski arrived at the entry point of Sprague last December.

He told border officers he didn't have any guns, but when they searched his vehicle they found a prohibited 9-mm handgun and magazine clip.

They also found ammunition.

The 67-year-old pleaded guilty in Winnipeg provincial court to one Criminal Code offence and one Customs Act offence.

Shaw KBI Underway

Fishing is officially underway at the 25th annual Shaw Kenora Bass International.

Over 130 boats are entered into this years event.

Mark Libitka and Dave Bennett are the defending champions and are the captains of Team Canada this year.

Libitka suggests the weather forecast will play a big role in their success.

First Day weigh-ins will start at 4:00 this afternoon. CJRL will have live updates from the White Cap Pavillion.

Parents Protest Daycare Closure

It was standing room only in Kenora Council Chambers last night, in fact it was an overflow audience for the Committee of the whole meeting.

Over 100 parents and children wanted to find out if council was going ahead with plans to close the Castle of Learning Day Care Center and its after school programs.

Carol Bruneau is vice-president of CUPE Local 191 and says as many as 17 jobs will be affected.

She adds the city is creating an unnecessary crisis.

Only Councillor Rory McMillan indicated he would vote against the closure of the daycare.

The city report says daycare is running a deficit and with the province ready to provide all-day kindergarten programs, the city doesn't need to provide the service any longer.

Milestone for SKBI

A major milestone for one of Kenora's signature events.

The Shaw Kenora Bass Internation turns 25 years old this year.

Duncan McEwan is chair of SKBI and says there's no secret to their success.

Fishing begins tomorrow morning and final day weigh-ins will take place Saturday afternoon.

Over 100 thousand dollars in prize money is up for grabs.

Indoor Soccer Complex Proposed for JM Arena

The Jaffray Melick Arena could find new life, not as a hockey rink, but as an indoor soccer facility.

The Lake of the Woods Soccer Association has submitted a proposal to turn the facility into the Kenora Indoor Soccer Complex.

Councillor Ron Lunny says he's all for the change.

Under the proposal, the soccer association would partner with the city to transform the Arena into a year round facility.

The cost to install indoor turf is estimated at about 126 thousand dollars.

OPP Release Long Weekend Stats

A sad statistic for Ontario.

This past long weekend was a busy one for Ontario Provincial Police.

Sergeant Shelly Garr of the Northwestern Division says five people died in road and waterway incidents in the province.

She adds that there were more charges laid this year for speeding and dangerous driving that last

year during the same weekend. 

Fortunately there were no fatalities reported in Northwestern Ontario.

Fire Hazard Continues to Drop

The forest fire hazard has dropped to low to moderate in Northwestern Ontario.

There are currently 58 active fires in the region.

Two new fires have been reported, one near Dryden and one in Nipigon.

Fire crews were called out to deal with a grass fire along highway 17 about 30km west of Vermillion Bay.

Additional Charges Laid in Boating Accident

The OPP have charged a second person in connection with a boat accident on Lake of the Woods last week.

Police say 40 year old Kristin Hansen of Winnipeg was the operator of a 19 foot crownline, which was involved in a collision with a 15 foot Bayline last Sunday morning.

She's been charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

The 25 year old operator of the Bayliner was charged with impaired operation of a vesssel causing bodily harm.

Hansen is due to appear in Kenora Court in October on the charge.

TSB Not Investigating Sioux Lookout Plane Crash

No more details are being revelaed about the plane crash in Sioux Lookout on Sunday.

The transportation safety board says there will be no full investigation, however Slate Falls Airways is continuing their own investigation.

The Cessna aircraft occupied by a pilot and 4 passengers crashed around 2pm, shortly after take off from Pelican Lake.

All 5 occupants recieved minor injuries and have been released from Meno Ya Win Health Center.

Shaw KBI Gears up for 25th Anniversary

After three days of fun on the Harborfront, Harborfest is getting ready to make way for the 25th annual Shaw KBI.

This year, things will kick off with a boat parade.

Kristie Cavenaugh is organizing the event and says they will be making their way through downtown Kenora early this evening.

The parade is scheduled to start at 6:00 this evening.

Fire Crews Heading Home

M.N.R. officials are letting fire crews from out of province head home after the forest fire sitation eased over the weekend.

The Ministry of Natural Resources say one new fire started on Sunday near Lake of the Woods near Kenora.

Out of province resources from Saskatchewan and New Brunswick were released from the Northwest Region assignment over the weekend.

Contract crews are also being released from fires. These resources provided support to the Northwest Region during the peak of fire activity.

Busy Long Weekend for the OPP in Kenora

The August Long Weekend proved to be a busy one for the Kenora OPP.

They arrested a number of people for drinking and driving offenses and are investigating one hit and run accident on Valley Drive.

Police were also called to a boat fire on Lake of the Woods near Devil's Gap.

A 1997, 22 foot Sea Ray caught fire around 2:00 Sunday afternoon.

Police say the two occupants were rescued by passing boaters, but their vessel was completely destroyed and sank to the bottom of the lake.

The OPP say they blocked that area of the lake off for about an hour as the boat burned.

Local Groups Applaud Lake Announcement's

Several groups which work on Lake of the Woods are pleased the federal government has finally announced its intentions for a water management plan.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird made the announcement in Kenora over the weekend.

Todd Sellars from the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation says one of the key recommendations is the creation of a new board out of two existing entitities.

Plans are also in the works for a water quality summit for Lake of the Woods.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford expects that will take place sometime in the next year or so.

Harborfest a Box Office and Artistic Success

(Photo Courtesy Colleen Serban Photography)

Harborfest directors are basking in the glow of one of their best ever events.

There were three sold out evening concerts and huge crowds all weekend long on the Kenora Harborfront.

Entertainment Director Dave Blake says they also had rave reviews from the performers.

Blake says they will be hard pressed to improve on this year's entertainment line-up, they they will start that task in the next couple of weeks.

Health Unit Issues Blue-Green Algae Advisory

While local residents have been enjoying one of the warmer summers in recent years, it can come at a price.

The Northwestern Health Unit has issued an advisory about blue-green algae blooms on some of the shallower lakes in the area.

In particular, the Health Unit has singled out Sandy Lake in Pellatt Township.

Blue Green Algae can contain toxins that are harmful if swallowed, and can cause skin rashes.

The Health Unit says kids, pets and livestock should not swim in any water where you notice blue-green algae.

Campbell Continues to Fight Tourism Center Closures

It's not going to happen this year, but the fight to get the region's tourism centres re-opened isn't stopping.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell is again refuting Tourism Ministry's reasons behind closing the centres, including those Fort Frances and Rainy River.

Campbell says the government's now pointing to the use of GPS units.

Campbell admits its been frustrating, but isn't giving up hope the centres can be reopened next year.

Sandy Lake Residents Back Home

Residents of Sandy Lake, evacuated because of smoke near their community last week, are back home.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says fires that were a concern to the remote community remained quiet, allowing the 650 residents housed in hotels in Fort Frances and Thunder Bay to return.

Out of province crews from Saskatchewan and New Brunswick were also sent home with the forest fires threat diminishing due to rain and cooler temperatures.

TSB Investigates Sioux Lookout Plane Crash

Five people are coutning their blessings following a plane crash near Sioux Lookout over the weekend.

O.P.P. say a Slate Falls Airways plane with the pilot and four passengers were on a sight seeing tour whent eh plane crashed shortly after take-off from Pelican Lake.

Emergency Services, Slate Falls Airways and by-standers were on hand to get them to safety.

All five people suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital and then released.

O.P.P. and the Transportation Safety Board are looking into what happened.