Tuesday, July 20, 2010

OPP seek Auxillary Officers


A recruitment effort is underway by the OPP to increase their numbers

in the Auxillary Unit.

The OPP Auxillary is a volunteer unit that works along side full-time
officers.

OPP Constable Dave Cain says members of the Auxillary do receive
training.

An information session will take place tomorrow night at the OPP
Detachment office on the Kenora By-Pass starting at 7:30.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Legalize ATV's For On-Road Use


If Kenora City Council has its way, All-Terrain Vehicles would be licensed to operate on local highways.

Council approved a resolution recently calling on the provincial government to review the Off-Road Vehicles act to include ATV's as vehicles that can be licenced to drive on provincial and municipal roadways.

The resolution says there are economic benefits in the tourism industry to develop ATV trails.

Hap's Runners Up at Women's Soccer Tournament


One local teams made it into the prize money at the annual Lake of the Woods Woman's Soccer Tournament over the weekend at the Tom Nabb Soccer Complex.
Hap's Hurricanes finished second overall, after losing the A-Side Final Sunday afternoon 4-0 to the Southend Shooters from Winnipeg.

Manitoba teams dominated the other finals played Sunday.

The Wisegals from Winnipeg edged Stonewall 2-1 in penalty shots.

In the C-Side Final, it was Portage over Victorious Secret from Winnipeg 2-1 also in penalties.

Canfield files nomination papers

Its going to be at least a two-man race for the mayor's chair in Kenora.

Former mayor Dave Canfield did the expected on Friday by filing his
nomination papers.

In an interview earlier this year, Canfield indicated he's ready to get back into
municipal politics after being defeated in the last municipal elections.

Canfield will challenge former city Councillor Andrew Poirier in the
mayoralty race.

The deadline to file nomination papers is September 10th.

CAV ready to Ride Into Kenora


The Canadian Army Veterans motorcycle club will be returning to Kenora over the August Long Weekend.

The 4th Annual Lewis McKenzie Order of Canada I-Cross National Honor Ride will take place July 30th to August 1st.

A number of events are being planned including a memorial service at the Lake of the Woods
Cemetary.

There will also be a flag raising event at Memorial Park.

As many as 100 motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to attend the three day gathering.

Second Coney Island Festival ready to roll


Organizers of the "Maybe Annual Coney Island Festival" say arrangements for this year's event are coming together.

The one day music festival featuring local performers takes place next
Saturday.

Ferg Devins is one of the co-ordinators of the event and says they
are still hoping to make this an annual event.

Devins says this year there will be a band stand, which was provided by
the city of Kenora.

Changes Urged to Commercial Fishing


The Canadian Federation of Taxpayers wants the Federal government to allow commercial fisherman the choice of selecting buyers for their catch.


All commercially caught fish are turned over to the federally regulated Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation.

Spokesperson Colin Craig says the Federal Government needs to consult area commercial fisherman.

Craig adds the fishermen who are forced to sell their catch to the government body do not have pensions,sick leave benefits or other perks that emplyees at the federal body enjoy.

Deer Lake man faces murder charges


A 26 year old Deer Lake First Nations resident is scheduled to appear in Kenora Court today on 2nd degree murder charges.

The OPP charged Jason Miller after investigating the death of 27 year
old Joey Crows from Deer Lake last weekend.

Crow had been pronounced dead at the Deer Lake Nursing Station on July 10th and another man had to be taken to hospital in Thunder Bay for treatment of unspecified injuries.

Jason Miller was initially charged with attempted murder in connection to the injuries sustained by Neilson Meekis.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Open Studio Tour this weekend

Members of the Lake of the Woods Arts Collective will be opening up
their studios to the public this weekend.

The Open Studio Tour will take place Saturday and Sunday and will involve more than 20 artists.

LeeAnn Hawkins is one of the organizers and says each site will be well marked.

Hawkins says there are brochures available around town, including at
the Tourism Bureau.

This is the second year in a row the Open Studio Tour has been held.

Studios will be open 10 til 4 on Saturday and noon until 4 on Sunday.

Highway fatal near Ignace

A Mississauga woman is dead following a 2-vehicle collision on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Dryden.

OPP say a westbound car and an eastbound pickup truck collided yesterday afternoon near the Highway 622 junction.

Both vehicles were sent off the road and struck a rock cut.

The driver of the car, 45-year-old Kaneez Zehra, died as a result of the crash.

The driver of the truck was transported to Dryden Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The collision forced the complete closure of the Highway for 5-hours.

The cause is under investigation.

CJRL Helps Find Missing Man


A missing Sioux Lookout man has been found.

89-year-old Michael Marcyniuk was found safe near Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

OPP say an alert Ignace resident noticed a car broken down on the side of the Highway.

The motorist heard the story on the CJRL and recognized Marcyniuk's car.

Arrangements are being made to reunite Marcyniuck with his family.

Search for Ultimate Fishing Town


Several northwestern Ontario communities are battling for the title as Canada's Ultimate Fishing town.

It's a contest sponsored by the World Fishing Network with the winner getting 25-thousand dollars in prizes.

WFN's Hookin Up TV Host Mariko Izumi has this to say about the competition.

Nominations so far have come from Kenora, Dryden and Thunder Bay, but none from the Rainy River district.

Voting for the ultimate fishing town starts August 17th.

Study Shows Northern Youth Overweight


Junior and senior high students in northern Ontario are are more obsese or overweight than their counterparts in sourthern Ontario.

That's according to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health.

Author of the report Doctor Robert Mann says they also found that about 30 per cent of students indicated feeling anxious, stressed or depressed.

Twenty-four per cent of students surveyed indicated having sought out mental health care over the past year.

MNR Fire Rangers Returning home


Northwestern Ontario firefighters have returned after a multi-week stint in Northern Manitoba.


Crews, aircraft and support staff were sent to the western province last month to help in the fight against several forest fires.

Here at home, the Ministry of Natural Resources is monitoring 13-active fires and no problems are anticipated.

One lightning caused fire was reported yesterday in the Nipigon District.

The fores fire hazard is low to moderate across the Region.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Former Kenora Resident Faces Child Porn Charges


A bureaucrat working for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Thunder Bay has been convicted of child pornography charges and sentenced to jail.


David Laderoute was sentenced to the statutory minimum of 14-days in jail and 18-months probation.

He must also submit a DNA sample, and will be a registered sex offender for 10 years.

A Government spokesman says Laderoute's 18-year career with the public service has ended.

An investigation began in April, 2009 when it was discovered that a computer at the Thunder Bay MNR office was being used to access pornographic websites.

Salmonella recall in Northwestern Ontario


The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning Northwestern Ontario residents not to eat Freybe brand head cheese.


The Agency says the product may be contaminated with salmonella.

All products sold up to and including July 14th are affected by the recall.

The CFIA says it may have been sold from deli counters or repackaged at the store.

In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis can be deadly.

OPP Searching for Missing Man


Sioux Lookout OPP are searching for a missing elderly man.


Police say 89-year-old Michael Marcyniuk left his home in Sioux Lookout at 9:30 yesterday morning.

He was scheduled to go shopping in Dryden in his white 1994, 4-door Oldsmobile, with Ontario plate APLA-172.

Marcyniuk never returned.

He's 6 feet, 180-pounds and last seen wearing grey dress pants, a tan jacket and black rimed glasses.

Police say he has several health issues and may have signs of dementia.

Anyone with information on Marcyniuk's whereabouts is asked to contact OPP.

Biz Kids Camp starts next week

Future MBA's will get a chance to strut their stuff next week.

The annual Biz Kids Camp will be taking place starting Monday.

Mike Greaves from the Northwest Business Center says they still have some spaces open for would-be business tycoons.

Greaves says anyone who wants to sign up can contact the
Northwest Business Center.

A similar camp will also be taking place in Dryden in August.

Paving Contract Awarded


Its going to cost just over two million dollars to fix up about 10 kilometers of the Trans-Canada  Highway from the Kenora City Limits to the By-Pass.

The Ministry of Transportation has awarded the tender for the rehabilitation of two five kilometer stretches of Highway 17.

Pioneer Construction has been awarded the 2.1 million dollar contract.

That project is expected to be completed by the fall and employ about 15 people.


Pioneer is also paving the section of the Trans-Canada from Transmitter Road to the east city
limits.

Health Unit testing for Lyme Disease


Health officials are on the watch following two confirmed cases of lyme disease in the Thunder Bay District.


Kurt Casey is the Public Health Inspector for the Northwestern Health Unit and they have sent a couple of  deer ticks away for testing, but so far none have come back positive for Lyme Disease. 
Casey says the heavy season for deer ticks ends in mid-July.