Six Robbery Suspects Sought

The OPP Street Crimes Unit is looking for witnesses to an assault and robbery that took place near the Kenora Rec. Center last month.

Police say a lone woman was walking along 1st Avenue South around 11:30 on the night of August 1st, when she was accosted by a group of six people.

They demanded cigarettes and alcohol from her, then knocked her to the ground and kicked her several times.

They also grabbed her purse during the assault and stole some cash and dumped the rest of the contents on the ground.

Two of the suspects are described as heavy set aboriginal females

There were also three first nation males with short dark hair.
The other suspect was a white male with blonde medium length hair.

The victim suffered minor injuries as a result of the assault.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the OPP Street Crimes Unit or
Crimestoppers.

Ladies Slo-Pitch Finals

The Days Inn Ladies Slo-Pitch League is starting to wind down.

The A, B and C side finals are being played out this week.

Last night, the Shoal Lake Troopers claimed the B-side crown by getting by the E & G Blades in two straight games in their best of three series.

In the C-Side Final, Roen Contracting got by the Neniska Crushers also in two straight games.

Johnny's Trashers and Northern Harbor are currently duking it out in the A-Side final.

Lunny To Run for Council

A familiar name has been added to the nomination list for the upcoming municipal  elections.

Former City Councillor Ron Lunny has decided to enter the race for councillor.

Lunny is the eighth person to sign up for one of the six council seats available

The deadline to file nomination papers is fast approaching.

September 10th is the last day to run for either the city council or one of the school boards.

OPP Rule Out Foul Play in Fatality

The OPP have ruled out foul play in the death of a 34 year old Kenora man over the weekend.

Police say they were called to a home on Railway Street on Sunday after a male was found unresponsive.

By the time emergency service personnel arrived at the scene, the man was proncounced dead.

A post-mortem exam was conducted Monday at Lake of the Woods District Hospital and it determined the man died of natural causes.

The deceased has been identified as Clifton Skead.

IJC Task Force in Kenora

The first of three meetings examining the binational management of the Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake Basins was held in International Falls last night.

Tonight, the task force will be in Kenora for another public consultation session.

Melanie Hanson, the Canadian co-chair to an International task force, says public input will be important.

The task force will be Best Western Lakeside Inn tonight starting at 7:00.

Aging At Home Funding

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network is expanding aging at home programs.


Three million dollars was announced for 16-community and home based initiatives.

Chief Executive Officer Laura Kokocinski outlines some of the programs they'll be funding this year.

The money will help provide health care and respite services for Seniors who want to stay in their own home.

Kokocinki says the funding will also reduces Emergency Room wait times.

OPP on Back to School Safety

The OPP is urging local motorists to slow down today as kids return back to school.

Classes resumed this morning for elementary and secondary school students in Kenora.

Police say motorists should be aware of school buses stopping and kids cross local roads.

The OPP say officers will be out patrolling school zones this week and conducting traffic enforcement to ensure students are going to be safe getting both to and from school.

Species at Risk Funding Announced

A couple of Species at Risk projects are being supported by the Provincial Government.

The Dalles First Nation is getting money to study lake sturgeon and their habitat on the
Winnipeg River.

AKRC will be getting funding to study species at risk on the east side of Lake of the Woods in
the Sioux Narrows area.

The Government is funding 113-community projects in Ontario to the tune of 3.6-million dollars.

Classes begin again today

Summer unofficially comes to an end today for kids heading back to school.

Students in both the public and separate school boards return to class this morning.

Phyllis Eikre is the director of education for the Kenora Catholic District School Board and says they have high expectations this year.

Eikre adds that they are also excited by their all-day kindergarten programs which will
be starting up at St. Louis School tomorrow.

Redditt Water project a go

Despite sky-rocketing costs, the Redditt Local Services Board is planning to move ahead

with a water treatment plant this year.

The project was tendered out earlier this summer, but the costs came in over twice as high
as the amount they had budget for.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says he's spoken to the Redditt Board and is relieved they are
going ahead with construction.

The Redditt Local Services Board says its going to look again at its tender to see if it can find ways of reducing costs of the project.

Under the terms of the federal infrastructure program, projects that receieved funding
have to start no later than March 31st, 2011.

Angry Angler lashes out at Canada Immigration Officials

A Hoffman Estates, Illinois man is irate with border guards at the Fort Frances crossing.


Ed Pokorski says he was denied entry into Canada because of a charge that dates back to the 1980's.

Pokorski also claims the border agents were rude and not at all helpful.

He adds the agents wouldn't give him information on who he could call and they wouldn't help him with directions so he could make travel plans back home.

Nomination Deadline looming

With just two weeks left to the nomination deadline for the upcoming municipal elections, there are still a couple of races that need more candidates.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board will elect three trustees from the Kenora area, but so far only Cecile Marcino and Bob Onysko has signed up to run for the public school board.

Likewise, there are only four people signed up for five positions on the Kenora Catholic District School Board.

Current trustees, Paul Landry, Mike Favreau, Theresa Gallick and Frank Bastone will be running
for re-election.

September 10th is the last day to submit nomination papers.

Kenora Team wins I-Falls Bass Tournament

A Kenora team has become the first to win the International Falls Bass Championship twice.


Jeff Gustafson, along with his fishing partner Scott Dingwall, won this year's title by weighing in just over 30-pounds of bass at the weekend tournament.

Gustafson and Dingwall won the inaugural tournament in 2005 by beating Travis Peterson and Scott Mattson who also finished second this year.

Winnipeg Man Charged with Assault

An 18-year-old Winnipegger has been charged with assault with a weapon in connection with an incident  on Lake of the Woods.

Ontario Provincial Police say a 35-year-old man from England was assaulted while visiting friends in Glass Township last Tuesday.

The victim was treated at Lake of the Woods District Hospital and released.

The suspect left the residence and police began a search that involved the OPP emergency response unit, a canine unit and a helicopter.

Two days later, Adriel Shworob was located at a home on the mainland.

He is scheduled to appear in Kenora court October 18th.

Rickford gets a new job

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford is getting a promotion.


Rickford will be getting his first post in the federal Conservative
caucus.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Rickford
will take over duties as the parliamentary secretary for Official Languages.

This is Rickford's first position in the federal cabinet.

Minister defends Open For Business Act

The Minister of Natural Resources says NOMA has jumped the gun when it comes to their concerns over the "open for business act".


The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association feels bill 68 proposes changes to the Crown Forest Sustainability Act; giving the Endangered Species Act higher authority on forestry practices.

Linda Jeffery says they just want to get rid of duplication.

Jeffrey made the comments on a recent tour of northwestern Ontario

Public School Board ready for new year

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is ready for a new School year.


The Board is working on a new strategic plan that will see teachers working together in order to enhance student learning.

Director of Education Jack McMaster predicts its going to be a great year and he's looking forward to his first full year at the helm of the public school board. 

McMaster adds full-day, all-day Kindergarten is now in place at Pinewood School in Dryden and Evergreen School in Kenora.

PUSH demands more supportive housing in Northwest

Persons united for self help in Northwestern Ontario wants the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the region's long wait lists.


Currently there are over 400 adults in the region waiting for accessible supportive community housing and home support care.

President Ron Ross says some of those people have been on the wait list for 10 years.

The people on the wait list are living in long term care facilities or with their aging parents.

New V.P. for Pope John Paul

The Kenora Catholic District School Board had to search a little further afield

for a vice-principal at Pope John Paul II School.

Michelle Sawa, a teacher at St. John Separate School in Red Lake has been
selected to fill the vacancy.

The Separate School Board expanded last year by incorporating St. John's into
its system last year.

Sawa replaces Maureen Carlin-Franklin, who was promoted to the principal's
job at Pope John Paul earlier this week.

Machin Election Update

There's going to be a race for the mayoralty in the Town of Machin.


Two people are currently seeking the top job in Vermillion Bay.

Incumbent Garry Parkes is looking for a second term as Mayor.

He's now being challenged by Gordon Dingman and Linda Anderson.

Dennis Peterson is the only person to file nomination papers for council.