OPP Investigate a Rash of Thefts

The OPP are investigating a number of mischief and theft complaints over the past few days.

In one incident, police say a couple of Yamaha scooters were stolen from a garage on 5th Avenue South.

One of the vehicles has since been recovered, but the OPP say they are still on the lookout for the other one, which is black and grey in color.

Other incidents under investigation include the theft of items from unlocked vehicles, damage to vehicles and also damage to election signs.

Beware of Concussions

Canada's Leading Expert in Concussions is hoping he leaves medical personal with more knowledge on the issue.

Brain Injury Services of Northern Ontario invited Dr. Charles Tator to speak at their conference.

Tator feels the general public need to learn more about the signs of a concussion.

Support Shown for Cross-Town Snowmobile Corridor

There seems to be considerable support for a cross-town snowmobile corridor through the City of Kenora.

About 50 people attended a public meeting last night on the proposed route.

Shawn Clifford is a spokesperson for the Sunset Trail Riders and says most of the comments they received back were positive.

The final day for comment on the Cross-town corridor is October 11th.

City council is expected to move the proposal forward at its next open meeting.

Fire season winding down in the Northwest

The fire season is slowly starting to wind down in northwestern Ontario.

There are still 38 blazes listed as active today.

Five are under control and two other are being held.

The other 31 are being observed, with no active fire activity noted.

In the meantime, fire crews are starting to pack up their gear, including hose lines and bring it back to their respective fire bases in the region.

With the recent warm weather, the fire hazard has climbed into the moderate range across the region.

Three Grassy and Wabaseemung Residents return from Japan

Three members of the Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemung First Nation have returned from a once in a lifetime trip to Japan.

Grassy Chief Simon Fobister was joined by two other people to visit Minnimata, which is a community devastated by mercury poisoning.

Fobister says there are a number of parallels between the the Japanese city and area first nations affected by mercury poisoning.

He says the big difference is that the Japanese have received much better compensation and are getting better medical treatment.

CCAC Strike Vote

Unionized employees with the Northwest Community Care Access Centre are taking a strike vote this week

The 88-members of the Ontario Nurse's Assocation are among those at ten C-C-A-C's across Ontario that could be in a strike position October 3.

Mediated talks are planned for this week.

Workload and wages are among the issues.

The Kenora Catholic District School Board

The Kenora Catholic District School Board says its seen an increase in enrolment this fall.

While the numbers won't be finalized for another month, director of Education Phylis Eikre says their numbers are up by about 60 students.

She says a large part of the increase is due to the addition of all-junior kindergarten classes at Pope John Paul.

Current enrolment at the separate school board is 15 hundred and 89 students.

Mill Auction

An auction of equipment from the former Atikokan Forest Products Mill is expected to go today.

A company had expressed interest in buying the mill, but was unable to secure a wood supply from the province.

The mill, which has been down for the past three years, was placed into receivership at the beginning of the year.

Debate

Party leaders will square off tonight for the first time in this campaign race. With the October 6th election looming, Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty, Tories' Tim Hudak and N-D-P's Andrea Horwath are prepping themselves for tonight’s televised debate. The 90 minute debate starts at 5:30 PM on CTV or at CTVNews.ca

Cigarette Packages

Ottawa has finally approved bold new labels for cigarette packages. Tobacco companies have until March to switch up the packs but feel the new campaign will have little effect.
The new labels will cover 75 per cent of cigarette packages outlining the risk of smoking. All cigarette packages will now include graphic pictures like that of a cancer-infected mouth, and of Barb Tarbox. She was an anti-smoking activist before dying of lung cancer at the age of 42.

Health advocates have praised the campaign, but were suspicious about the government's resolve to implement it.

NOACC wraps up fall meetings

The Northwestern Associated Chambers of Commerce has wrapped up its fall convention in Thunder Bay.

NOACC president Andy Scribilo says their goal is to get business leaders across the region more involved.

As part of the NOACC convention, Scribilo took part as one of the questioners in the northern leaders debate in Thunder Bay.

Police Investigate Cat Lake fatality

Nishnawbe-Aski Police are investigating a sudden death in Cat Lake First Nation, north of Sioux Lookout.

Police were assisting Sunday in the search for 83-year-old Charlie Gray who was overdue from a hunting trip.

Officers located Gray near his boat and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police don't suspect foul play.

An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Public meeting on Snowmobile Corridor tonight

Local residents will get a chance to comment on a new cross-town snowmobile corridor in the city.

An open house is being held this evening at the Operations building on Barsky's Hill.

The city has been working with the Sunset Trail Riders Snowmobile Club on an alterate route that will avoid residential areas, but will still connect the south side of the city to the north side.

The open house will run from 6:30 to 8:00 this evening.

Junior Saints win B-Side of KIVT

Dryden took top honors in the Kenora Invitational Junior Boys volleyball tournament over the weekend at the Beaver Brae and Thomas Aquinas gyms.

The Eagles won the A-Side final, getting by a Fort Frances split squad.

The other Muskies team lost to the Thomas Aquinas Saints in the B-side final Saturday afternoon.

T.A. won in two straight sets.

The Saints are back in action Wednesday when they travel to Whitefish Bay.

Drug bust in Fort Frances

Two residents of Fort Frances face several drug charges.

This after the OPP's Community Drug Action Team seized, from a home on Scott Street, last Thursday, nearly 7-pounds of marijuana, along with oxycodone and hydro-morphine.

Value of the drug seized is estimated at 65-thousand dollars.

33-year-old Kevin House and 27-year-old Laura Wickstrom will appear in court at the end of October.

SIU contacted about a weekend incident

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit has been contacted by the local OPP about an incident in downtown Kenora over the weekend.

Officers were contacted around 9:00 Saturday night to a Main Street South residence about an unwanted visitor.

When police arrived at the scene, there were met by an intoxicated male.

The 32 year old man was asked to leave, but subsequently fell down a flight of stairs.

He had to be transported to hospital by an ambulence.

The SIU must be contacted anytime someone is injured as a result of an encounter with police.

Two youth taken to hospital in ATV accident

Two 14 year old youth have been taken to hospital following a single vehicle accident involving an All Terrain Vehicle on the Kenora By-Pass.

The OPP say an ATV went off the side of the highway near the Airport Road Saturday night around 10:30 and drove into a guard rail.

Both the driver and the passenger were taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment.

The passenger sustained only minor injuries and was released, while the driver was later transferred to the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg with serious injuries.

The OPP's Technical Traffic Collision Unit is helping out with out with the investigation.

Northern Heritage Candidate on the Campaign Trail

The candidate for the Northern Ontario Heritage Party in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding admits its been a challenge to get her message out.

Charmaine Romaniuk entered the race, a couple of days into the election campaign.

She says that being a student at Lakehead University makes it difficult to canvass door-to-door.

Romaniuk is one of five candidates in the riding seeking to become the new M.P.P. on October 6th.

Keewatin-Patricia School District

A living document is in place to help students in the Keewatin-Patricia School District succeed.The Board has approved a new 3-point strategic plan for 2011-2012.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says the Board will use intervention strategies to help at-risk students and teachers will clearly establish expectations.

Racism

A research project, looking at relations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in the region, finds a persistence of racism and prejudice in the area.


Jeff Denis, an assistant professor at McMaster University, says part of the problem relates to an unwillingness to openly discuss the issue until a crisis arises.

Denis says he sees a need for ongoing education and dialogue starting at a grassroots level.