Ontarians Satisified with O.P.P

The Ontario Provincial Police have released their annual community satisfaction survey.

The survey revealed that over 95.8 percent of Ontarians feel 'safe' or 'very safe' in their communities.

Staff Sergeant Hazel O'Brien says that there is a common issue throughout the province, including Northwestern Ontario.

  O'Brien adds that a major issue in the region is the use of alcohol and drugs.

North Spirit Lake Man Charged for Assault in Red Lake

A 21-year-old man from North Spirit Lake has been charged following an incident in Red Lake earlier this month.


On December 16, Red Lake OPP responded to a report of an assault that took place at a residence, and upon arrival found a 47-year-old man with injuries.

Police say Clarence Ignace has been charged with assault causing bodily harm.

O.P.P Recover Body in Red Lake

Provincial Police have recovered a body from Deer Lake, near the community of Red Lake.
Last Friday, O.P.P were contacted by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service after a man who was operating a Bombardier groomer fell through the ice.
Police say the man has been identified as 56-year-old Henry Meekis.

New Doctors to Roster Patients in New Year

The Lake of the Woods District Hospital is looking forward to some new doctors in the new year.

Two new doctors are getting ready to set up shop.

Marc Belcaen is the CEO of the Hospital and says the process has been held up by the province and the Ontario Medical Association.

Belcaen is urging any families in the community to register with Health Care Connect, which is a website set up to find patients a doctor.

Kenora O.P.P charge 2 men for Impared Driving

Some people don't seem to be getting the message about drinking and driving.

Kenora O.P.P confirm they charged 2 men this morning with impared driving.

At 3:30 police got a tip from a gas station and pulled a vehicle on Lakeview Drive, 36-year old Daniel Swaigen of Winnipeg was charged and will appear in Kenora Court on February 7th.

About an hour later O.P.P stopped a vehicle on 9th Street North where 24 year old Brodie Mahon of Greenstone was charged with exceeding the legal limit.

Update on Fatal Crash Near Ignace

The man who was killed in a two vehicle collision on Sunday East of Ignace has been identified.

Provincial Police say 32-year-old Blake Cheslock of Thunder Bay died when a westbound 2006 Ford pick up truck travelleled into the eastbound lane and collided with a 2007 Pontiac G6.

In addition, Cheslock's two-year-old daughter was transported to Winnipeg to be treated for injuries.

Police say the 79-year-old driver of the pick up and a 17-year-old passenger were transported to Dryden Hospital.

Police continue to investigate the collision.

Lions Club Car Draw Winners Announced

Thee lucky people have won prizes from the Lions Club car Raffle.

The Grand Prize winner is Gord Lund who takes home the brand new 2013 Ford Escape.

Second place went to Nancy Johansen of Kenora who won a 500 dollar gift card for Safeway.

And Steven Robertson took 3rd place winning a 500 dollar Canadian Tire gift card.

Alzheimer Society's Forget Me Not Dinner

The first major fundraiser of the new year for the Alzheimer Society for Kenora-Rainy River goes in Fort Frances

The Forget Me Not Charitable Dinner will take place January 12 at the La Place Rendez-Vous in Fort Frances.

Executive Director Lynn Moffatt says it's the 9th year for the event, formally known as the Chef's Dinner.

For tickets visit the Alzheimer Society's website at http://www.alzheimerkrr.com/ or call its Kenora office at (807) 468-1516.

Funding Application for Reddit Water Plant

Redditt residents are still waiting for their water project to be completed.

Jack Martin is president of the Local Services Board and says they need more funding to finish the water treatment plant.

Martin says they have applied for funding from a new infrastructure program announced by the province in the fall, which will pay up to 90 percent of any upgrades.

Kenora Hydro Rates

Kenora Hydro says it could be a few more months before it knows whether the rates it charges local consumers will be going up.

President and CEO of the municipal utility, Dave Sinclair says any increase would be fairly modest but it is to early to tell if there will be any change.

Sinclair says Kenora Hydro has filed its Interim Rate Order, but any increase would not take place until at least May 1st.

Crimestoppers Trying to Solve Theft of Snowmachines

Northwestern Ontario Crimestoppers is asking for the public's assistance to help locate a couple of snowmachines stolen in Fort Frances.

The two Arctic Cats were on a trailor located in a storage and display lot at the West end of Fort Frances and were stolen the night of December 8th.

One of the sleds was an Arctic Cat 2002 ZL 6 600 with black and orange coloring.

The other was an Arctic Cat 2006 SAB 700 Fire Cat.

Southern Ontario Hunter Charged for Killing Wolf

A southern Ontario man has been fined a thousand dollars for illegally hunting a wolf north of Kenora.

MNR Conservation officers say they came across a hunting camp on the Seguise Road back in October and noticed a wolf carcass behind the camp.

A hunter admitted he had shot the wolf earlier in the day, but did not have the proper game seal to affix to the animal.

He told the Conservation officers he was waiting for someone in his hunting party to put their game seal on the wolf.

The MNR says its illegal for hunting party's to kill wolves.

Neil Whitmore from Rockwood, Ontario has been fined a thousand dollars.

His rifle was also seized until the fine is paid.

Thunder Bay Man Killed in Accident near Ignace

One person is dead and three other people have been sent to hospital as a result of a two-vehicle collision near Ignace.

The OPP say the collision took place yesterday afternoon around 5:00 when a westbound Ford F-150 crossed into the eastbound lane and ran into a 2007 Pontiac G-6.

The driver of the Pontiac, a 32 year old man from Thunder Bay was killed and his two year old daughter was taken by air ambulence to Winnipeg for treatment of her injuries.

A 69 year old man who was driving the pick-up and his 17 year old passenger from Hawkstone, Ontario were taken by ambulence to hospital in Dryden.

The Trans-Canada was closed about 10 kilometers east of Ignace for about seven hours while the OPP conducted their investigation and the wreckage was removed from the highway.

OPP Re-Open Highway 17 near Ignace

Highway 17 10 kilometers east of Ignace is now open to both lanes of traffic after being closed most of the night due to a fatal motor vehicle collision.

The OPP say the highway was closed initially around 6:00 last night and wasn't opened to one lane for another six hours.

Police say the accident took place about 10 kilometer east of Ignace.

No other details are available at this time.

Public School Board Looks At School Safety

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board says it will have to review safety measures in place at its elementary schools in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticutt shootings.

Last week, premier Dalton McGuinty says he wants to spend 10 million dollars to improve security systems.

Director of Education, Jack McMaster says they are willing to work with the province to improve school safety.

McMaster says some of their newer schools already have things like security cameras in place, but some older schools might need upgrades.

Canfield looks forward to the New Year

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says he's bullish on the city's economy heading into the new year.

Canfield believes the city has the infrastructure in place to take advantage of some exciting new initiatives.

Canfield says Weyerhaeuser is also talking about expanding its Trus-Joist operations to five days a week, which is also exciting news.

City of Dryden Trying to Trim Tax Increase

There's more talks of service cuts in the City of Dryden.

The first draft of the 2013 operating and capital budget was presented to council last week, which outlines a tax increase of as much as seven percent.

However, Mayor Craig Nuttall says he and council are going to look at other options instead of increasing taxes by that amount.

Nuttall adds that a tax increase that keeps pace with the cost of living of 2 or 3 percent seems to be do-able.

Ice Candle Festival To Light Up Cemetary

Lake of the Woods Cemetary will be shining brightly tonight.

Over five thousand ice candles are expected to be placed at gravesites this afternoon in the annual festival of lights.

Barb Manson is one of the organizers and says they will have a special ceremony this afternoon to kick things off.

Manson says the ice candles will stay lit for about three days.

Midget Thistles Extend Winning Streak

The Kenora Triple "a" Midget Thistles will go into the Christmas break on a four game winning streak.

The Thistles won back to back games at home over the weekend against the Interlake Lightning.

Saturday night, the Thistles got by the Lightning 5-3 at the Kenora Rec. Center.

The same result Friday night as the Thistles scored four unanswered goals in the third period to come back for a 5-3 victory.

The Kenora midgets will have almost two weeks off before their next game.

They had to Thompson for a pair of games against the Norman North Stars starting January 4th.

Local Drum Ceremony Supports Theresa Spence

Local support is growing for a Northern Ontario chief on a hunger strike.

Local Aboriginal groups gathered today outside market square and held a drum ceremony to commemorate Attiwapiskat chief Theresa Spence.

Spence has been on a hunger strike in Ottawa for 9 days with demands to meet with Prime Minister and the Governor General to discuss the level of poverty in aboriginal communities.

Spence says nothing has been done to improve the poor living conditions on the Attwapiskat first nation after declaring a state of emergency over a year ago.