2013 Municipal Budget Passes

The 2013 municipal budget is officially in the books, but not all
councillors are happy with the one percent decrease in the mill rate.

Councillor Louis Roussin was the only person to vote against the budget.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield admits he also isn't 100 percent happy with the budget, but feels its the best they could do under the circumstances.

Canfield says even with a one percent decrease in the millrate, some
homeowners could see an increase in their taxes of as much as 10 percent due to the increase in property assessments.

Ontario High Court Rules Against Grassy Narrow

Ontario's highest court has ruled that the province has the right to ``take up'' treaty land for mining and forestry.
 
The Grassy Narrows First Nation challenged Ontario's right to permit industrial logging on its traditional lands, saying it infringed on their hunting and trapping rights under a treaty they signed in 1873.
   
The Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled Monday that the province doesn't need the federal government's approval to ``take up'' the lands, a decision that overturns a lower-court ruling.
   
The First Nation has spent 13 years in court fighting the province's decision to issue a licence to Resolute Forest Products for clear cut operations in parts of the Keewatin portion of Treaty 3 territory.

Dryden's City Manager Calling It Quits

Dryden's City Manager is calling it quits.

Joe van Koeverden has announced he will be leaving the community and is moving to Central Ontario.

Van Koeverden says the reason behind his move is more personal.

Van Koeverden says council will talk about a replacement during the closed portion of tonight's meeting.

Job Fair Today

A total of 18 employers will be represented at a job fair taking place in
Kenora today.

Employment Outreach 2013 will take place today at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Josee Mantel is with the Kenora District Services Board and says there is
a wide spectrum of agencies and businesses that will be represented.

The Job Fair will run from 10:00 this morning until 3:00 this afternoon.

School Bus Cancellations Expanded

The Northwest Student Services Consortium has expanded its school
bus cancellations today.

It has already pulled buses off the road in Kenora, Dryden, Vermillion Bay,
Red Lake and Ear Falls.

Now Sioux Lookout and Ignace have been added to the list.

School bus officials says they are concerned with the state of local roads,
especially side streets and lanes, which are still snow-clogged after yesterday's storm.

Local schools will remain open for any students who walk or who can get
a ride.

Meanwhile, municipal transit services are running as normal today.

Saints Girls at OFSSA Hockey Championships

The Thomas Aquinas girls hockey team are 1 and 1 at the OFSSA championships.

The Saints were in tough to start the tournament when they lost 5-0 to Ridley College.

However T.A battled back in the 2nd game earning 3-0 victory over EJ Lajuenesse.

Brianna Skead, Tori Stebnitsky, and Lexi Williams scored for the Saints.

The girls are back on the ice for game 3 tomorrow morning at 7:00 against St. Stephens Secondary School

Swimming Sharks Results

A successful weekend for the Kenora Swimming Sharks.

The team sent 22 swimmers to the 2013 Speedo ManSask Provincial Championships and 9 swimmers earned a total of 15 medals.


Here is a list of the medal winners.

11 year old girls
Alex Illman - 1st 800 Free, 2nd 200 Fly, 3rd 400 Free
Olivia Friesen Kroeker - 1st 200 Fly, 2nd 400 IM
Breeze Boucha - 2nd 800 Free

12 year old girls
Alyson Stoliker - 1st 1500 Free, 2nd 800 Free  
Rheanna Price - 2nd 1500 Free, 3rd 200 Free

13 year old girls
Winnie Boucha - 1st 400 Free, 2nd 200 Free

14 year old girls
Hanna Stoliker - 3rd 1500 Free

15 year old girls
Alex Olsen - 3rd 200 Breast

15 year old boys
Bryce Jones - 3rd 200 Back

KDSB Hosts Job Fair Tomorrow

An opportunity for summer employment and a future career path.

The Kenora District Services Board is hosting a job fair starting at 10:00 tomorrow at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Josee Mantel with the KDSB says they will have a lot of different industries to learn about.

The morning will include presentations by services providers in the region while the afternoon job fair will includes companies in policing, forestry, hospitality, and retail industries.

Snowstorm Batters NWO Again

A snowfall advisory has been issued for much of northwestern Ontario
today.

Between 10 to 20 centimeters is expected to fall over the next 24 hours.

Rob Kuhn from Environment Canada says the system is coming in from
the U.S.

Kuhn says the Kenora area has already seen about five centimeters of
snow overnight.

School Buses Running Today

It won't be an extended spring break for local students.

The Northwest Student Services Consortium says its buses in the
Kenora area are running today.

The only cancellations so far are in the Red Lake and Ear Falls area.

Roads in the Kenora area are considered snow-covered, and visibility
is poor.

Rickford Denies Demolition Work at ELA

Some rumours regarding the Experimental Lakes Area are floating around.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says that none of the buildings at the research facility are being demolished.

Rickford says the government is still working hard on determing the future of the ELA.

Rickford adds that the actual remediation cost is between one and eight million dollars, not the 50-million that was stated by the Coalition to Save the ELA.

Fraser Institutes has Mixed Reviews for Local High Schools

Bad news for some area high schools are coming from the Fraser Institute.

The institute has released its annual report card for the province's secondary schools, and co-author Peter Cowley says it does not look good for 2 school in particular.

He says Beaver Brae at 3.3 out of ten and Fort Frances have seen their ratings decline in
recent years.

Kenora's other high school, Thomas Aquinas, received a grade of 7.1 out of ten.

The provincial average was six out of ten.

Con College Looking at Advanced Paramedic Course

There's a possibility of a new, advanced paramedic course at Confederation College.

President Jim Madder says they've already looked at several programs that already exist at other colleges and will look at if they can be offered out of their facility.

Madder says its going to take some time before they can actually offer the program.

Kings Beat PeeWee and Bantam All-Stars

It was a tough weekend for the Triple A hockey programs in northwestern Ontario.

The Northwest PeeWee All-Stars lost to the Thunder Bay Kings in two straight games over
the weekend by scores of 8-2 and 4-3.

The Northwest North Stars also lost in two straight games to the Kings in the Bantam playdowns.

The North Stars lost by scores of 7-1 and 4-1.

Thunder Bay will now represent the region at the provincial bantam and peewee championships.

Midget Thistles De-Throne Kings

For the second year in a row, the Kenora Triple "A" Midget Thistles have knocked off the
Thunder Bay Kings in the Northwest Branch Playdowns.

The Thistles won the best-of-three series two games to one, with an emphatic 3-1 win
Sunday afternoon at the Kenora Rec. Center.

The Thistles got out to an early lead, finishing the first period up 2-0.

Nolan Ross added a power play goal in the second period to increase their lead to 3-0.

The Kings finally solved Thistles goaltender Brandon Beaulieu with just over five minutes
remaining, but Kenora's defense held the fort the rest of the way.

Thistles head coach Doug Novak says the victory is particularly sweet because it was the
first time they have beaten the Kings on home ice.

The two sides will see each other in another couple of weeks as the Kenora Thistles will
host the Telus Mid-West Regional Championships at the beginning of April.

OFAH Annual Conference Underway

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is holding their 85th annual conference, which began today.

Manager of Communications Shannon Gutoskie says hundreds of people are expected to attend the meeting in Mississauga.

Environment Minister Peter Kent, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak will also be in attendance.

5 Youth Injured in Single Vehicle Accident

5 Youth from Sioux Lookout are in hospital with minor injuries for a single vehicle accident on Highway 17 East of Dryden

Highway 17 West of Thunder Lake Road near Dryden has been re-opened following an accident last night.

O.P.P. say around 5:30 last night a mini van lost control and rolled over several times.

Health Unit Releases New Opioid Overdose Plan

Preventing overdose deaths across the region.

The Northwestern Health Unit has started an Overdose Prevention Program, which is for those at risk of overdosing on opioids which includes oxycodone and heroin.

Manager of Sexual Health and Harm Reduction Programs Gillian Lunny says they will be offering a drug called Naloxone.

Lunny says anyone who knows someone who uses opioids and is at risk for overdose should contact your local health unit.

Kenora Places Bid for OLG Casino

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation says yesterday was the last day for municipalities in Northwestern Ontario to make a bid for a casino in their community.

OLG Spokesperson Tony Bitonti says there was a lot of interest from other areas of the province, but they can only have so many.

Kenora was the only community in the region to make a bid.

Dryden decided not to place a bid despite pressure by Wabigoon.

HNO Branch Playoffs This Weekend

The Hockey Northwestern Ontario branch playoffs are this weekend, and Kenora will be well represented.

The Kenora Triple "A" Midget Thistles will play host to the Thunder Bay Kings, while the Peewee All-Stars and Bantam North-Stars, made up of players from Kenora, Dryden, and Fort Frances, are also facing the Kings.

Starting tonight the Thistles are hosting the Kings in the best of three series at the Rec Centre.

Game time tonight is 7:00 with game 2 tomorrow at 7:00 and game 3 Sunday at 1:00.

The Peewee and Bantam teams are in Thunder Bay for their playoffs.