OPP Nab Impaired Drivers in Festive RIDE Program

The first week of the OPP's festive RIDE program has netted impaired driving charges against eight drivers, including one in the Kenora area.

Four other drivers, had their license's suspended for either 3, 7 or 30 days for registered in the warning range.

The Festive RIDE enforcement program continues until January 2.


Impaired charges by districts:

Rainy River 1
Kenora 1
Marathon 1
Nipigon 2
Thunder Bay 2
Sioux Lookout 1

Another Blast of Winter Heading Our Way

A snowfall warning is in effect today for areas to the west of Kenora.

We could see about 10 centimeters by the time the system moves through by tomorrow.

Meteorologist Dayshanelle Matthews with Environment Canada says the storm is a large low pressure system coming up from Colorado.

A snowfall warning has also been issued for the Whiteshell, Lac Du Bonnet, Pinewa and the City of Winnipeg.

Areas to the east of Kenora towards Thunder Bay are also expected to get between 15 and 20 centimeters of snow in the next 24 to 36 hours.

OPP Release Name of People Killed in Crash Near Fort Frances

Provincial Police have released the names of the two people killed in a collision on Highway 11 Monday afternoon.

Police say a westbound PT Cruiser struck an unloaded logging truck around 4:40, roughly 15-kilometers east of Fort Frances.

The driver of the car has been identified as 82-year-old David Chambers and the passenger has been identified as 75-year-old Louise Chambers.

Both of the victims were from Fort Frances.

The driver of the logging truck wasn't injured.

Police continue to investigate.

Murray Defends Winter Road Maintenance in the North

Ontario's Transportation Minister is defending winter road maintenance service in northern Ontario.

Glen Murray was asked about a recent spate of fatalities across northern Ontario on Highway 17.

Murray says they have increased the number of plows on the road and believes that will make a difference.

In the past week, there have been three fatalities on highways in the Sudbury area, one just east of Kenora on Trans-Canada and two yesterday east of Fort Frances.

Province's New Energy Plan Gets Mixed Reviews

Some good programs are coming out of the provinces new long term energy plan.

Northwest Energy Task Force Co-chair Ian Angus says the northwest will see upgrades.

Angus also points out the creation of an aboriginal transmission fund starting next year.

He feels the plan will go a long way in allowing communities to receive new transmission.

Angus adds that all the conservation programs announced in the plan likely won't have much
of an impact here compared to southern Ontario, because we just don't have the population
base to make much of a difference in our overall electricity consumption.

Women Being Encouraged to Enter Politics

Women politicians from across the region are showing support for future female community leaders.

The new organization "Women In Politics" is holding a forum on on January 22nd to promote women getting involved in all levels of government.

Thunder Bay City Councillor Rebecca Johnson is behind the initiative and says they'll be teaching women hands on what it takes to run for office.

The forum will welcome former Ontario Liberal Party Leader Lyn McLeod as the guest speaker.

Broncos, Saints Boys Hockey Teams Post Wins

A good night for Kenora's boys high school hockey teams.

Noah Witzke was the first star of the game in Beaver Brae's 5-0 win
over Fort Frances.

Jed Rattai led the short-handed Broncos in scoring with a pair of goals.

Beaver Braae was minus seven regulars due to suspension or injury.

It was the Muskies first loss of the season.

Meanwhile, Thomas Aquinas is now tied with Beaver Brae, Dryden and Fort Frances for first in the
NorWOSSA league standings after a 4-1 win over Red Lake last night.

The Broncos, Saints, Eagles and Muskies are now 3-1 on the season.

Saints Take Two of Three from Ignace

The NorWOSSA court sport season is back in action.

Thomas Aquinas played its first road games of the year yesterday
taking two of three games from Ignace.

The T.A. senior boys basketball team romped to a 52-20 win over the
Falcons.

In girls basketball, the Saints senior squad won in straight sets, while the
Thomas Aquinas junior girls lost to Ignace three sets to two.

Large Maijuana Seizure in Kenora

The Kenora OPP have seized over 180 pounds of Marijuana.

Police say they stopped a tractor trailer unit on Highway 17 yesterday afternoon for a violation.

Upon investigating the trailer police found the marijuana, valued at $450,000.

Also seized was $1,000 in cash.

As a result 43 year old Nicusor Cioanca of Mission, B.C has been charged with Trafficking Marijuana, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.

The accused answered to the charges in court today.

The investigation is continuing.

Suspicious Death in Machin Township

Police in Dryden are investigating a suspicious death in the municipality of Machin.

Yesterday afternoon Dryden Provincial Police responded to calls of a body in the Mutrie Township.

Police identified the body as 44 year old Randal Lichty from Machin.

A postmortem will take place at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Anyone with information are asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122

Rally For Safer Roads This Weekend

Local residents are going to take to the street to protest the state
of winter road conditions in northwestern Ontario.

A rally is being planned for this weekend in Vermillion Bay.

A Facebook page has also been set up to encourage people to
attend the Rally for Safer Roads.

Already this month, the Trans-Canada Highway between Kenora and
Vermillion Bay has been shut down three times because of multiple-vehicle
accidents.

The rally is scheduled to take place this Saturday from 10 till noon at the intersection of Highway 105 and Highway 17.

OPP Investigate Fatal Accident Near Fort Frances

The OPP are continuing its investigation into the death of two people in
an accident near Fort Frances.

Police say a westbound vehicle collided with a transport about 15 kilometers
east of the border community on Highway 11 yesterday afternoon around 4:40.

Both the people in the Chrysler, a man and a woman were killed, while the
driver of the semi was not injured.

Highway 11 was closed for about three years hours due to the accident.

The names of the released have not yet been released.

Rickford Responds to Auditor's Report

The federal government is taking steps to address emergency preparedness on first nation communities.

That according to Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford.

He was responding to the auditor general's report, which suggested the
department of Indian Affairs hasn't set aside adequate resources to
deal with emergencies in aboriginal communities.

Rickford says the federal government is also working out a clearer response plan in the case of emergencies, for departments at both the federal and provincial level.

North Spirit Lake Crash Results in Aviation Changes

It may be hard to fathom but some good has come out of a tragic plane crash in northwestern Ontario.

Four people died when a Keystone Air Service plane went down near the North Spirit Lake airport.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has completed its investigation and Peter Hildebrand notes the airport made a big change following the 2012 crash.

Hildebrand says Keystone Air has revised its operational manuals, implemented new icing policies and amended its flight training record-keeping procedures.

Energy Minister Releases Long Term Plan for Ontario

Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli is out with the new long term energy plan.

Chiarelli says the plan forecasts 70 billion dollars in savings by 2030.

He says all rate payers can expect a decrease.

Chiarelli says the plans will save 15 billion dollars by deferring the construction of two nuclear reactors.

CP Holiday Train Makes Whistle Stop in Kenora

The Salvation Army has capped off a busy weekend of donations with a stop by the CP Holiday Train.

CP presented the Army with a cheque for 6 thousand dollars.

Mayor Dave Canfield says it's another key step in ending hunger.

Salvation Army Business Manager Sandra Poole took the opportunity to again thank the community for their generosity.

Kenora Figure Skaters Excel in Winnipeg

A good weekend for Kenora Figure skaters.

A dozen members of the Kenora Figure skating club were in Winnipeg
for the Superskate competition.

Local skaters claimed six gold medals, four silver and five bronze.

All of the Kenora skaters also finished in the top seven in each of their
events.

It was the first competition of the season for the local figure skaters.

November Unusually Cold

It's not winter yet, but it sure felt like it last month.

This past November was the coldest in more than 15 years.

Bill Laidlaw from Signal Weather Services says the average
temperature was -6.7 degrees.

The coldest November on record was in 1995.

Laidlaw says the normal average daily temperature in November in Kenora
is -4.9 celcius.

MTO Boasting About Summer Road Works

The Ontario government is boasting about its work on northern Ontario roads this year.

The government says 55-hundred construction jobs were created and several projects were completed.

Some of the major work included the resurfacing of Highway 72 and 516 in Sioux Lookout.

The government also replaced several bridges between Kenora and Ignace, including the Little Wabigoon River bridge, Melgund River bridge and the Nugget Creek bridge.

Parachutist Rescued in Thunder Bay

A daring rescue in Thunder Bay over the weekend.

City Fire crews spent more than 8-hours attempting to rescue a 24-year-old man after he got stuck on Mt. McKay.

Officials say the man was attempting a speed-wing parachute jump when something went wrong and he crashed into rugged terrain.

The rescue effort was hindered by dark and slippery conditions.

The man is now in hospital with multiple injuries.