Delaronde Responds to Police Lay-offs

The chief of the Treaty 3 Police is blaming the federal government for the financial troubles that face the service.

Conrad Delaronde responded to questions during yesterdays police services AGM.

Delaronde says he never tried to pass blame to officers.

Delaronde was able to offer one positive note, saying that the province of Ontario would provide funding for the 7
officers that were recently laid off.

Petition Presented at Treaty Three Police AGM

Pushing for action.

Over 2,500 people signed a petition asking for action in saving the Treaty 3 Police Service.

Tania Cameron presented the petition yesterday at the police baords annual general meeting and says the petition shows how dedicated people are to save the force.

Numerous people took the opporunity to voice their concerns as well during a question and answer period at the AGM.

Campbell Urges Increased Oversight for Ombudsman

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell is in favour of having Ontario's Ombudsman look after the "MUSH" sector.

It stands for municipal, universities, schools and hospital, along with long term care homes and children's aid societies.

Campbell says it would make sense that he would look after those areas.

Campbell says people are concerned about oversight in those sectors, and when people run into a problem they feel like there's no where to go.

Warmer Temperatures Expected to Return Next Week

Don't worry, the warm summer temperatures will be back in Northwestern Ontario soon enough!

Bill Laidlaw from Signal Weather Services says the warm front is moving slowly east and temperatures
should move back into the high 20's by early next week.

Meanwhile there was a full-moon Monday night, and Laidlaw says don't be surprised if we get another one in late August that might bring a touch of frost.

Dryden Investigating How Child Went Missing

The City of Dryden and the Child Care program are taking a close look at changes to policies and procedures after a child managed to escape undetected last Friday morning.

A concerned citizen spotted the child walking along Duke Street and notified Police.

Acting Chief Administrative Officer Debra Kincaid says the City was forced to act quickly.

Kincaid says a "Serious Occurrence Notice" was immediately posted and the Ministry of Education and Kenora District Services Board were both notified.

Two Cyclists Die on Trans-Canada near Nipigon

A cross-country trip has resulted in tragedy in northwestern Ontario.

Two cyclists are dead after a collision on the Trans-Canada Highway near Red Rock yesterday.

They were part of a group of 25-cyclists who were riding across Canada.

The group was just in Kenora last week.

The two were struck by a pick-up truck.

The incident also resulted in the pick up colliding with two other trucks, one of them a tractor trailer which sent four people to hospital.

Rally Takes Place to Save Treaty Three Police

An aboriginal drum group has welcomed a small group of supporters of
the Treaty Three Police Service.

A rally is taking place today at the Best Western Lakeside Inn, as the Police Board holds its annual general meeting.

Mike Bennett is president of the Treaty Three Police Association and says he's still hoping the Police Board has a change of heart and decides not to close its doors.

The police board meeting will include a deputation from supporters of the police department, who have been circulating a petition to each of the communities serviced by the aboriginal police force.

Fire Marshall Investigates Nipigon Blaze

The Ontario Fire Marshall's Office is being brought in to help investigate a fatal house
fire near Nipigon.

A 66 year old woman was killed Friday night after the house she was in in Lyon Township
went up in flames.

The woman has been identified as Fern Marquardt.

The OPP's Northwest Crime Unit has also been brought in to help out with the investigation.

More Fire Crews Heading Out-of-Province

The Ministry of Natural Resources is sending firefighters to three other provinces and territories.

Fire Information Officer Heather Pridham says 185 of them will head to Manitoba, Quebec and the Northwest Territories to help with the forest fire situation.

Pridham says it's not a simple overnight trip, with most crews gone for at least a 14 day stint.

Back in Northwestern Ontario, there are 40 active forest fires with a total of over 32 thousand hectares of land burned.

Charges Laid in Truck Accident

No one was injured in a single vehicle crash on Highway 105.

Provincial Police in Dryden say a transport and trailer left the road, about ten kilometres north of Red Lake Road yesterday morning around 11:30.

The vehicle stuck the east ditch and flipped over on its side.

The truck was loaded with dry cement.

The driver, a 36-year-old man from Winnipeg, has been charged with making an unsafe lane change.

Cleanup efforts will continue to today.

Child Found After Leaving Dryden Daycare

The City of Dryden is trying to figure out how a child managed to sneak out the main door of the Child Care Centre undetected.

The child left the Centre Friday morning and managed to walk to the Wal-Mart parking lot.

A concerned citizen noticed the child and contacted police.

The child was safely located and returned to their family.

Acting Chief Administrative Officer Debra Kincaid says they take this event seriously and they apologize to the family for the stress this has caused.

Kincaid says an investigation has been launched.

The Kenora District Services Board and the Ministry of Education have been notified.

Fort Beats Out Dryden in Kraft Celebration Tour

Fort Frances will host the final leg of the Kraft Celebration Tour.

A bid submitted by the Fort Frances Curling Club received more than 518-thousand votes in last weeks on-line vote to Dryden's 272-thousand.

Club president Ron Silver says it was tremendous support.

Kraft and TSN will be in the community August 25th.

Richards Invited to Olympic Identification Camp

Mike Richards will have another chance to win Olympic Gold.

He is one of 47 invitees to an orientation camp slated for the
end of August in Calgary.

He's one of 15 players who won gold in Vancouver in 2010 to invited back to try out for Team Canada.
 
Detroit's Mike Babcock will return as coach of Canada's Olympic hockey team. Babcock, will have Ken Hitchcock, Lindy Ruff and Claude

Julien as assistants at next year's Sochi Games.

Treaty 3 Police Services Board AGM Tomorrow

The Treaty 3 Police Services Board is set to host its annual general meeting tomorrow.

On the top of the agenda is the auditors report for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

Many supporters of the police force are asking to see the financial statements since the board announced it would close down the service next month.

The meeting is likely to face some tough crowds outside as a rally has been planned at the Best Western Lakeside Inn through out the day to protest the closure.

The meeting starts at 9:00.

Barwick Mine Releases Draft Environmental Assessment

An important document in the development of a gold mine in the Rainy River district is now out.

The draft environmental assessment report for Rainy River Resource's project outlines key environmental and social issues and how they will be addressed.

Vice president Kyle Stanfield says its a very comprehensive.

The company will hold a public meeting next week in Barwick as part of the public input gathering process.

Stanfield says they hope to have a final report completed in 5 weeks time and begin construction of the mine next year after getting government approval.

Rain Washes Out Section of Minto Crescent

The clean-up has started from heavy rains overnight.

The rain caused localized flooding in areas where storm sewers were
overwhelmed by water.

The Minto and Valley Drive areas were also hit hard.

A long section of Minto Crescent has been undermined by water, creating
a 50 foot long gulch.

Pylons have been placed alongside the washout.

In other areas a large amount of sand, gravel and soil has washed down to the bottom of streets in that area of town.

Nault Reflects on AFN's Challenges

A former Aboriginal Affairs minister says he's not surprised that the
Assembly of First Nations is being challenged by a splinter group.

Last week leaders of a new first nations alliance held a seperate meeting
from the AFN's national Assembly.

Former Kenora-Rainy River M.P. Bob Nault says this isn't the first time this has happened.

During Nault's time as Indian Affairs Minister, he slashed the budget of the
AFN, because he felt it was just becoming another large bureaucracy.

Biking for Boobies Tour Hits Kenora

A young man is "biking for boobies".

That's the name of the campaign set up by McMaster student Kyle Chevalier, who has been spending the weekend in Kenora as he continues his journey to British Columbia to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Chevalier encourages folks to support this important cause.

Chevalier says so far he's raised almost 20-thousand-dollars since he started in May and he's also holding a charity barbeque today in front of the Standard Insurance to help raise more money.

The charity barbeque is being co-hosted by the Lake of the Woods Hospital Foundation and will take place
from 11-2 today.

More Fire Activity over the Weekend

Despite some rain over the weekend, the Ministry of Natural Resources
says there were at least four new forest fires in the region.

Two of those in the Kenora District.

One was a small blaze on an island on Lake of the Woods, the other
located north of Minaki.

The MNR says no problem is anticipated with either blaze.

Overnight rain has dropped the fire hazard to low across the region, but fire
crews will continue to monitor lightning strikes from last night's storm system.

Brandon Tops At Ladies Soccer Tournament

Out of town teams took top honors at the annual Lake of the Woods Women's Soccer Tournament.

Brandon blanked Portage La Prairie in Sunday afternoon's A-Side Final.

It was an all-Kenora affair in the B-side final, with Tagg's prevailing over Moncrief United 1-0.

The game was scoreless through regulation and overtime.

Tagg's won the game in the shootout, capitalizing on all of their shots, while United missed twice.