Council Votes to Close Castle of Learning

Despite the pleadings of hundreds of parents, employees and even union leaders, Kenora City Council has decided to close the Castle of Learning Daycare center.

The issue was discussed at some length last nigh at City Hall.

Sue Devins is one of the parents affected by the decision and says the city has the resources to continue the program.

Council voted 4-2 in favour of closing the daycare with Rory McMillan and Sharon Smith voting against the closure.

Smith feels the city hasn't done its due diligence.

The union representing the 17 workers at the Castle of Learning says its looking to get a court injunction against the closure, claiming it violates their collective agreement.

Council Approves Indoor Soccer Complex

The Lake of the Woods Soccer Association now has the green light to proceed with plans to transform the Jaffray Melick Community Center into an indoor soccer complex.

Last night, council voted unanimously in favour of a three year agreement with the soccer association for the re-development of the arena.

Plans call for artificial turf to be installed for a year round indoor soccer and sports training facility.

The Soccer Association says its working on plans for the complex and isn't sure when it will be ready for use.

OPP Concerned about Increase in MVA's

The OPP say they are developing a new policy to inform motorists about lengthy highway closures.

Inspector Dave Lucas of the Kenora Detachment says they've notice a bit increase in the number of accidents on Highway 17 west, especially during the weekends.

Lucas says the accidents can cause significant delays for motorists.

Lucas says they will be using signage and asking officers to speak with motorists waiting in line,

keeping them informed about the length of the road closure.

MP Launches Campaign to save Katimavik

A young member of parliment is taking a stand for youth across Canada.

The Katimavik Program, which provides oppertunities for youth to volunteer and gain working experience in different organizations, was recently cut by the government.

MP for Terrebonne-Blainville Quebec Charmaine Borg says it is completley unfair.

Allison Wight attended the program in January, and is also very upset with the government's decision.

Borg has started a petition to keep the program, which already has over 7000 signatures.

Big Trout Chief Receives Honor

Chief Donny Morris of the Big Trout Lake First Nation stood up for what he believes in, and now he's been awarded a medal.

Morris was presented a diamond jubilee pin, honoring the work he's done for his community.

In March 2008, Morris and others were put in jail for standing up to the province.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell presented the medal, saying Morris has been a "true leader".

OPP Warn Motorists of Possible Scam

The Ontario Provincal Police want the public to be aware of a scam that's happening in Northwestern Ontario.

On Sunday there were two seperate incidents in the Nipigon area and Thunder Bay area on highway 11/17.

In the Nipigon area, a female flagged down a driver, saying she had ran out of gas and said she had a ring she would exchange for money.

In the same incident in Thunder Bay, a man flagged down a driver and made the same offer. The man offered the ring in exchange for money, which he said was worth 800 dollars.

Police say the ring was later found to be fake.

The man and woman appear to be of Turkish descent and were driving a dark coloured Audi.

Police want the public to be cautious with any offer that seems to good to be true.

MNR Monitoring Fire on Lake of the Woods

A quiet weekend for Ministry of Natural Resources fire crews.

Just a couple of new blazes over the past three days.

One of the fires was located on an island down Lake of the Woods.

The MNR says the fire is burning near Tranquil Channel about 25 kilometers south of Kenora and is currently being monitored.

The blaze is about 0.1 hectares in size but isn't considered a threat to any property.

Dragon Boats Profitable for Community Foundation

A big weekend for the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation.

The foundation managed to raise 22 thousand dollars from this past weekend's dragon boat races on Rabbit Lake.

Over 340 paddlers took part in the day long festival at Garrow Park.

A couple of local teams took top honors, with the Super Troopers winning the A-side title, and Carpe Diem, members of Kenora's legal community placing first in the b-side event.

Thunder Bay Woman Injured in Falcon Lake Crash

A 29 year old Thunder Bay woman is in Kenora hospital following a collision on Highway 1 in eastern Manitoba.

The RCMP say the single vehicle accident took place Saturday afternoon around 3:00 about 3 kilometers west of Falcon Lake.

The Mounties say the woman lost control of her pick-up truck and rolled the vehicle.

She was taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital in critical but stable condition.

The driver was wearing a seatbelt, but alcohol was not a factor in the accident.

No West Nile Yet in Northwestern Ontario

Despite high numbers of reported cases of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus in southern Ontario, we appear to be quite safe here in the North.

Entomologist, Dr. Ken Deacon says there have been no positive tests on mosquitoes trapped here so far.

Apparently we need even higher temperatures than what we've experienced for it to be a legitimate threat.

Dr. Deacon still says precautions should be taken and the West Nile season runs until the end of August.

Federal Government Unsure of Costs for New Schools

The federal government admits it doesn't know how much its going to cost to build schools in the remote communities of Pikangikum and Fort Severn.

Aboriginal Affairs minister John Duncan announced the construction projects last week.

He says they are looking at bundling the tenders to try and get a better price.

Both Pikangikum and Fort Severn are fly-in communities which means most of the construction material will have to be shipped on ice roads during the winter.

NAN Prepares for Election of Grand Chief

Election Day is coming up this week for Chiefs with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

Delegates at the Keewaywin Conference in Kashechewan First Nation will be voting for NAN's executive council.

Chief Electoral Officer Larry Amos says it's been a busy couple of weeks for campaigning.

August 15th is election day.

Council to Vote on Daycare Closure Tonight

Another standing room only crowd is expected in council chambers tonight.

Council is expected to have a final vote on the future of the Castle of Learning Daycare center.

Last week a majority of council indicated they supported a report recommending the closure of the city run daycare center.

But parents who have children at the Castle of Learning are fighting back.

They've released their own report which shows the Castle of Learning actually has been operating with a surplus over the past couple of years.

Council is expected to vote on the issue at 5:00.

SKBI Wraps up 25 Years of Bass Fishing

The 25th edition of the Shaw Kenora Bass International went off without a hitch.

The fishing tournament wrapped up under the White Cap Pavillion Saturday evening with a couple of thousand people in attendance for the final day weigh ins.

Chair of SKBI, Duncan McEwan says they enjoyed their new digs.

This year a total of 133 teams entered the 25th Shaw KBI.

Wiebe and Tully Win KBI

A raw rookie and a relative newcomer to the Shaw Kenora Bass International have claimed first top spot in the 25 annual edition of the fishing tournament.

Aaron Wiebe and Peter Tully from Winnipeg came from behind to win SKBI this year.

They had the biggest weight on day three, pulling in a basket of 18.85 pounds of bass.

That gave them a three day total of 52.61 pounds, almost a pound better than day two leaders,

Ben and Jim Gustafson of Kenora ended up finishing second overall.

Wiebe and Tully won over 22 thousand dolllars for their victory.

Third place went to Jess Swenson and Mike Reid from Sioux Narrows.

In the Can/Am Challenge, Team Canada easily prevailed over Team USA, winning by just over 23 pounds.

Changes to Land Ambulence Service Proposed

The Kenora District Services Board is taking a bold move to get everyone at the table to solve the long-standing issue of non-urgent land ambulence patient transfers.

The Board has adopted a new policy that could see them bill hospitals for so-called code 1 and code 2 transfers or cut the practice out all together.

Chair Phil Vinet says folks need to think what they would do if there was no ambulance available in the case of a true emergency.

Mark Balcaen is the CEO of the Lake of the Woods Hospital and he agrees, but notes they do provide an essential service.

The Board believes some hospitals or doctors are improperly coding cases in order for the patient to receive a ride home.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Announces School Funding

The federal government is carrying through on a promise to provide new schools for first nation communities.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan was on the Fort Severn First Nation yesterday to announce the construction of a new elementary school.

He says this is the first announcement from their 175 million dollar pledge in the spring budget.

Today Duncan has a meeting scheduled with the new leadership of Grand Council Treaty Three and then will fly to the Pikangikum First Nation for another announcement.

Rickford Helps Find Supreme Court Judge

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford will have a hand in selecting the next justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Rickford was one of five M.P.'s chosen to sit on the selection panel.

He says he takes that responsibility seriously.

The panel will create a short-list of three qualified candidates from the Province of Quebec and submit that to the Prime Mininister and the Minister of Justice.

Dragon Boat Festival this Weekend

Dragon boats will be plying the waters of Rabbit Lake this weekend.

The 10th annual Dragon Boat Festival gets underway on Sunday.

Darlene McGilvary is the executive director of the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Foundation and says they expect people of all ages to take part.

Racing gets underway Sunday morning from Garrow Park.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Comes to Kenora

Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission meeting face to face with inmates at a correctional institution for the first time.

A statement gatherer has been speaking with inmates from the Kenora Jail over the past two days and will wrap up the visit today.

Ry Moran from the commission says this is really uncharted territory for them.

Moran says there is a dispropotianate number of first nations people incarcerated at the Kenora Jail, with 92 percent of the population of aboriginal origin.