Provincial Parks Set to Open for Long Weekend

The May long weekend means provincial parks will be opening for the first time this season.

Van Staalduinen from Ontario Parks says the majority of parks in Northern Ontario will be open as of tomorrow.

He adds that Fushimi Lake, Ivanhoe Lake, and Rene Brunelle were 3 of the 10 parks set for closure but will remain due to municipal support.

Information on all parks, campgrounds, and services including reservations are available at http://www.ontarioparks.com.

NorWOSSA Soccer Season Reaches Halfway Point

Mixed results for Beaver Brae's soccer team in Dryden yesterday.

The Bronco boys opened with a 3-1 win over Fort Frances, but then were blanked 4-0 by Dryden.

Beaver Brae's girls played to a 3-3 tie against the Muskies, but then were doubled up 2-1 by Dryden.

The teams will resume their NorWOSSA schedule next Wednesday in Kenora.

Funerals Today for Wunnumin Lake Fire Victims

Funeral services are being held today in the remote northern community of Wunnumin Lake First Nation for three young victims of a house fire.

One year old Rebecca Sainnawap, six year old Kaylene Nothing and 21 year old Roxanne Nothing perished when their home was destroyed in an early morning fire on May 8th.

Officials say the small community continues to mourn their loss.
Today's service starts at 1 o'clock.

There is still no word on the cause of the blaze.

Concern Raised About Black Sturgeon Developments

Kenora city council is debating whether to put a moratorium on any future development on Black Sturgeon Lake.

Currently there are development agreements in place for 89 more lots.

Mayor Dave Canfield says council is willing to work with the property owners to ensure no new subdivisions get the green light.

Canfield says there is very little undeveloped shore-line left on Black Sturgeon and is worried the lake is being over-developed.

Coventry Says Poor Markets Affecting Cameron Lake Project

The resources may be plentiful but the markets are not.

Don Halliday is the Director and VP of Investors Relations with Coventry Gold and says a decline in the market has slowed down their work in the region.

On a positive note Halliday did say they have added almost 25 thousand ounces to estimate of the Cameron Gold Project South East of Kenora as a result of exploration in the Dogpaw gold zone.

Halliday says they now
have estimated the project has around 1.5 million ounces of resources.

Government Needs to Support Rainy River Gold Project

The MPP for Kenora Rainy River is pushing the government to support the Rainy River Gold Project.

Sarah Campbell says the Liberals are delaying the projects even though the company has done everything asked of them.

She blames cutbacks at the Ministry of the Environment for delays in getting the Terms of Reference
approved.

Campbell says the project will create over 700 million dollars in investments and 500 full time jobs.

Cancer Care Northwest Responds to Latest Report Card

The Regional Cancer Care Northwest Program is implementing new initiatives to help improve the Cancer patients experience.

Regional Cancer Care Director Joanne Lacourciere says the Province's annual cancer score card gives them
 poor marks for integrating patient services and checking up on patients symptoms.

The report card shows the Northwest has a higher incidence of prostate, colon, lung and breast cancer than the rest of the Province.

MNR Preparing for Busy Long Weekend

Some new forest fires have ignited in the region over the past couple of day..

Heather Pridham is with the Ministry of Natural Resources and says the most recent activity is a result of Mother Nature.

She says high winds have knocked power lines onto trees, causing some small fires.

She adds that the brisk winds are causing fires to grow much more quickly.

With the long weekend upon us Pridham says the Ministry is preparing for an increase in human caused fires.

Work on Valleyview Expansion to Begin this Spring

The tender for the Valleyview School Project is expected to go out
for bid in the next couple of weeks.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board gave trustees an update on
the project last night.

Superintendant of Business Dean Carrie says their goal is still to start the
construction this spring, with completion near the beginning of September.

He says they do have a contingency plan in place in case the work isn't
completed in time for the new school year.

Indoor Soccer Complex Should Be Ready before End of Summer

A new indoor soccer complex should be ready by the middle of the
summer.

Work is continuing to install artificial turf in the Jaffray Melick Arena.

Jess Rheault is with the Lake of the Woods Soccer Association and says
user groups are already lining up to make bookings.

Kenora City Council is expected to approve a five year lease agreement with the
Soccer Association for the JM Arena on Monday.

Flood Evacuees Returning Home

Flood concerns have subsided up north and that has allowed some residents to return home.

Emergency Management Ontario says 90-Attawapiskat First Nation residents currently staying in Greenstone are due to return today, and another 260 should begin flying back from Thunder Bay tomorrow.

EMO says 64 residents who were moved to Fort Frances will have to remain there a while longer until their homes are cleaned and repaired.

Nearly 400 members of the Kashechewan and Pic Mobert first nations remain evacuated.

Large Grass Fire near Pinewood

The MNR is battling a 12 and a half hectare fire near Pinewood south of Kenora near Fort Frances.

The grass fire started yesterday afternoon and was reported to Ontario MNR by the Minnesota Dept of natural Resources around 4:30 yesterday afternoon.

The blaze, just 3 miles off Highway 11 is listed as being held.

The cause has still not been determined.

Council Seeks Help in Battling Urban Deer

Municipalities across northwestern Ontario are taking a united front in
their battle against a growing urban deer population.

Kenora will be working with Thunder Bay and Dryden to lobby for lower deer permit fees to hunt deer within city limits.

Councillor Sharon Smith says the 45 dollar permit fee is just too high.

Smith suggests the permit fees are a deterrent to hunters.

City and CUPE Agree on Two Year Deal

There will be labor peace in the City of Kenora
for at least the next year and a half.

Kenora City Council has given tentative approval to a two year contract with the
Canadian Union of Public Employees on a deal retroactive to January 1st of this year.

The agreement includes a wage increase of 1.7 percent during each of the deal.

Mayor Dave Canfield suggests the contract is fair because its just over the cost of living.

Non-union staff and city councillors will also be getting similar increases.

Fire Investigation On Hold

The Fire Marshsall's Office has stopped the investigation of the fire at the old Kenora Machine Service Building.

The building is considered unsafe to examine at this time.

The investigation will continue once the building is deemed safe to enter again.
.

The building was destroyed by fire late Saturday night.

In the meantime, the OPP are continuing to hold the building until the Fire Marshall's office can complete
its investigation.

Sandy Lake Man Identified

Provincial Police have released the name of a man who died in Sandy Lake First Nation on Sunday morning.

The man has been identified as 29-year-old Uriah Kakepetum.

Nishanwbe-Aski Police responded to a call for medical assistance at a home.

Kakepetum was transported to the Sandy Lake Nursing Station where he died.

OPP are assisting Nishnawbe-Aski Police in the investigation.

Police haven't said if foul play is suspected.

Kenora MP Announces FEDNOR Funding

Downtown Kenora is getting more financial support by FEDNOR.

Earlier today Kenora MP Greg Rickford announced 425 thousand dollars in funding towards 2 initiatives.

Rickford says $300,000 is being given to the Lake of the Wood Business Incentive Corporation to provide small and medium sized businesses capital support..

The second part of the announcement was $125,000 going towards the engineering and design costs of the phase 3 downtown revitalization project.

Coney Footbridge To Be Removed Wednesday

Local residents will have at least one more day to use the Coney Island
Footbridge.

The city had hoped to remove the bridge today, but due to mechanical
problems with their boats, the removal has been delayed until Wednesday.

This will be the latest the bridge has ever been removed.

The previous latest date the bridge was to be removed was May 14th.

Pinecrest Getting Ready to Install Sprinklers

Pinecrest Home for the Aged says its fully supports plans by the province to improve
fire safety at long term car homes.

Last week, the Minister of Long Term Care announced that all facilities would have to
have sprinkler systems installed within 11 years.

Pinecrest CAO Kevin Queen says they are currently working on a plan to fund and install
sprinklers.

Queen estimates it could cost about a million dollars to install a new sprinkler system
at Pinecrest.

Coronors Inquest Getting Closer

A coroners inquest into the tragic deaths of 7 First Nations teens in Thunder Bay is one step closer to reality.

The regional coroner has now set the date for a hearing on who will have the legal right to take part in the inquest proceedings.  

That hearing takes place in Thunder Bay on June 11th.