AFN Votes for National Chief Today

First Nations chiefs are voting today in Toronto to elect their national chief.

Eight candidates, including former Treaty 3 Grand Chief Diane Kelly, are vying to become the high-profile First Nations leader.

Incumbent Shawn Atleo is running for a second three-year term.

City Warns against Boat Mooring at Local Beaches

Beaches are meant for swimming, not boating.

That's the message from Kenora City Council this week.

Councillor Ron Lunny says they have been getting complaints that people have been tieing up their boats at the dock at Keewatin Beach recently.

Lunny says they will be monitoring the situation to make sure boats are not ventuing into public swimming areas.

Council ready to move ahead with repairs to West Branch Bridge

Work to repair the aging West Branch Bridge over the Winnipeg River should start sometime in 2013.

Kenora City council has agreed to put out a request for proposals for the work.

Mayor Dave Canfield admits they don't know where the money for the project is going to come from, but says they are continuing to lobby the upper levels of government for funding.

Canfield says there is some urgency to start work on the bridge, because it continues to deteriorate.

OPP Search for Suspect in Mink Bay Assault

A scary incident for a 58 year old woman.

The OPP are searching for a suspect following an assault on the Mink Bay Trail in Keewatin.

Yesterday afternoon around 4:00, police were told that a lone male grabbed at a woman walking in the area of the West Bay Road and exposed himself.

The woman managed to run away.

The suspect is described as being a white male over 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds.

He was also wearing a dark ball cap, a baggy white shirt and baggy pants.

The OPP's Emergency Response Team and Canine Unit were called out, but they were unable to locate the suspect.

New National Chief to be Elected Tomorrow

The chiefs of Canada's First Nations, including several from northwestern Ontario, are gathering in Toronto today for a national strategy session which will see them elect a national chief later in the week.

Former Grand Chief of Treaty Three Diane Kelly among the candidates.

The Assembly of First Nations' annual general meeting will also see the chiefs hammer out a policy agenda for the coming months.

City Passes Audit with Flying Colors

A recent audit shows the City of Kenora still has a significant amount of money in its reserves.

The results of the 2011 audit were released yesterday and it shows the city has almost 65 million dollars socked away in cash and reserve funds.

Councillor Ron Lunny says it shows the city is continuing to manage taxpayers money in a responsible manner.

Lunny says the audit doesn't include almost nine million dollars the city has lent itself to cover the cost of financing the new fire hall, the new harborfront tent and the Discovery Center.

Ministry of Labor to Investigate Boat Explosion

Both the Ministries of Labour and Environment have been called in to help investigate an explosion on a boat at the Minaki Marina.

Ontario Provincial Police say the incident took place on Friday evening just before 6:00 and involved a boat that was being refueled.

The five meter long Hurricane can hold up to 200 liters of gas, but the hull filled with 360 liters of fuel after a gas line broke.

Police say the boat exploded after the operator tried to start it up.

Two people remain at Lake of the Woods District Hospital with second degree burns, while three others have been treated and released.

Council Supports Upgrades to Crosswalk

Pedestrians will soon be able to cross Main Street South to the Kenora Library a little more safely.

Last week, the operations department had proposed taking out the uncontrolled concrete crossing.

But city councillors balked at the suggestion and say they want to see the crossing enhanced.

Last night councillors agreed to support upgrades including courtesy crossing signage with amber beacons for motorists.

A sign for pedestrians will also be installed with the message, "Wait for Gap".

Catholic School Board updates 21st Century Learning Plan

The Kenora Catholic District School Board is taking a little different approach to increasing technology in their classrooms.

Unlike their public board counterparts, the separate school board isn't planning to put a netbook or i-pad into every students hands this fall.

Mary Cunningham is the superintendant of education and says instead they are working with teachers to find the best way of integrating computers in the classroom.

Cunningham adds that each of their schools this fall, will be assigning one teacher to work with other teachers on implementing technology in the classroom.

Health Unit Prepares for Move to Mount Carmel

The Northwestern Health Unit in Kenora is getting ready for a major move.

The Health Unit will be moving from its Wolsely Street Offices on Tunnel Island at the end of this month.

The Health Unit will be moving many of its services into the old Mount Carmel School, which has undergone extensive renovations.

The Health Unit says it will be closing its offices from July 30th-August 6th during the relocation.

The services offered in Market Square will not be affected by the move.

MNR Fire Crews Remain Busy

Despite a day of rain, the Ministry of Natural Resources continues to have its hands full with new forest fires.

Yesterday alone there were 11 new fires reported across the district.

Fire Information Officer Debbie MacLean says they expect to see more activity in the days ahead as warm weather returns.

MacLean says over the past five days, the MNR have responded to 113 forest fires in the northwest regin.

Downed Power Line causes Grass Fire

Kenora Hydro says a downed power line caused only a momentary outage last night for most of its customers in the Lakeside area.

The line went down near 1st Avenue South and caused a small grass fire.

Hydro president, Dave Sinclair says the line likely fell down due to a  faulty switch, which failed.

The incident took place shortly before 7:00 last night.

Kenora's Fire and Emergency Services Department was called out to deal with the blaze and were able to contain it fairly quickly.

Boat Explosion in Minaki sends five people to hopsital

Five people had to be taken to hospital as a result of a boat explosion in Minaki.

The OPP say the incident took place late Friday afternoon just before 6:00 at a marina.

Police say a 5 meter long Hurricane was being refuelled when the gas line broke, causing the hull to be filled with gasoline.

The boat would normally hold 200 liters of gas, but took on 360 liters before fuelling was stopped.

When the operators tried to start the boat, there was an explosion.

Three people were taken to Lake of the Woods District hospital and later released, while two others are still being treated for 2nd degree burns.

The Ministry of Labor has been called in to help out with the investigation.

Council to Vote on CIP Changes this Evening

Kenora City Council is being asked to support some changes to the Community Improvement Plan for the Harbortown Center.

The Property and Planning committee held a public meeting last week to review some of the changes.

One of the key improvements in the plan would be to increase the grant for landscaping.

Currently, the Community Improvement Plan offers just 25 hundred dollars for landscaping.

Under the revised plan, businesses would be eligible for up to 15 thousand dollars.

City council is expected to vote on the changes at tonight's open meeting.

Busy Weekend for MNR Fire Crews

Rain likely to give a hand to to easing the forest fire situation in northwestern Ontario.

Over sixty fires are now considered active by the Ministry of Natural Resources, including two in the Kenora District.

Both are located north of the city and were caused by lightning.

The largest is 8.3 hectares in size and is listed as not under control, while the other is just 0.2 hectares and isn't posing any problems for fire crews.

The largest fire in the region is burning in the Red Lake district inside Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.

That fire is measured at 934 hectares.

The Sioux Lookout District is also dealing with a large fire measuring more than 400 hectares in size.

None of the active forest fires are threatening any residents.

NAN Looking for New Grand Chief

Nominations for Nishnawbe Aski Nation's executive close tonight.

Up for grabs is Grand Chief and three Deputy Grand Chief positions.

Head Electoral Officer Larry Amos says so far preperation for the election has gone well.

NAN is looking to replace Stan Beardy as grand chief.

Beardy was elected as Ontario Regional Chief late last month.

Missing Boaters Located

Some damage to their boat, but a happy ending to a journey for three Fort Frances men forced to spend a night on an island on Rainy Lake last week.

OPP were called Thursday morning after family members reported the men overdue from an excursion the night before to a restaurant on the U-S side of the border.

Police say when the men were returning, their boat struck a reef, forcing them to an island.

The men flagged down a vessel the next morning who returned them to the mainland where they called home to report they were safe.

Transport Fire Destroys Six Vehicles

Provicinal Police say Highway 17 was closed for roughly 2-hours Friday evening after a truck caught on fire west of Dryden.

OPP say the fire occurred at West Arm road.

Officers arrived and found a trailer completly engulfed in flames.

Machin Fire attended and extinguished the blaze.

Six cars were destroyed on the trailer as well as the trailer itself.

Police say fast thinking of the driver prevented all of the vehicles from being destroyed.

Aboriginal Group Raises Concerns over Rising Interest Rates

Higher mortgage rates may mean trouble in some communities.

National Vice-Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples Dwight Dorey has begun a cross country trip to adress current issues.

Dorey says one of the issues raised is how the new rates would affect aboriginals living off reserve.

Dorey says other issues have also come up, such as health care and employment.

Fisher Top female at Kenora Borealis Triathlon

A familiar face was a top the leader board at the Kenora Borealis Triathlon/Duathlon on Rabbit Lake.

Edie Fisher topped the women's Olympic Triathon yesterday.

The top male in the Olympic Triathlon was Patrick Naylor, while Adam Naylor topped the field in the Tri-a-Triathlon event.

Lisle Compton was the top female competitor in the the Tri-A-Tri.