Parents Protest Daycare Closure

It was standing room only in Kenora Council Chambers last night, in fact it was an overflow audience for the Committee of the whole meeting.

Over 100 parents and children wanted to find out if council was going ahead with plans to close the Castle of Learning Day Care Center and its after school programs.

Carol Bruneau is vice-president of CUPE Local 191 and says as many as 17 jobs will be affected.

She adds the city is creating an unnecessary crisis.

Only Councillor Rory McMillan indicated he would vote against the closure of the daycare.

The city report says daycare is running a deficit and with the province ready to provide all-day kindergarten programs, the city doesn't need to provide the service any longer.

Milestone for SKBI

A major milestone for one of Kenora's signature events.

The Shaw Kenora Bass Internation turns 25 years old this year.

Duncan McEwan is chair of SKBI and says there's no secret to their success.

Fishing begins tomorrow morning and final day weigh-ins will take place Saturday afternoon.

Over 100 thousand dollars in prize money is up for grabs.

Indoor Soccer Complex Proposed for JM Arena

The Jaffray Melick Arena could find new life, not as a hockey rink, but as an indoor soccer facility.

The Lake of the Woods Soccer Association has submitted a proposal to turn the facility into the Kenora Indoor Soccer Complex.

Councillor Ron Lunny says he's all for the change.

Under the proposal, the soccer association would partner with the city to transform the Arena into a year round facility.

The cost to install indoor turf is estimated at about 126 thousand dollars.

OPP Release Long Weekend Stats

A sad statistic for Ontario.

This past long weekend was a busy one for Ontario Provincial Police.

Sergeant Shelly Garr of the Northwestern Division says five people died in road and waterway incidents in the province.

She adds that there were more charges laid this year for speeding and dangerous driving that last

year during the same weekend. 

Fortunately there were no fatalities reported in Northwestern Ontario.

Fire Hazard Continues to Drop

The forest fire hazard has dropped to low to moderate in Northwestern Ontario.

There are currently 58 active fires in the region.

Two new fires have been reported, one near Dryden and one in Nipigon.

Fire crews were called out to deal with a grass fire along highway 17 about 30km west of Vermillion Bay.

Additional Charges Laid in Boating Accident

The OPP have charged a second person in connection with a boat accident on Lake of the Woods last week.

Police say 40 year old Kristin Hansen of Winnipeg was the operator of a 19 foot crownline, which was involved in a collision with a 15 foot Bayline last Sunday morning.

She's been charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

The 25 year old operator of the Bayliner was charged with impaired operation of a vesssel causing bodily harm.

Hansen is due to appear in Kenora Court in October on the charge.

TSB Not Investigating Sioux Lookout Plane Crash

No more details are being revelaed about the plane crash in Sioux Lookout on Sunday.

The transportation safety board says there will be no full investigation, however Slate Falls Airways is continuing their own investigation.

The Cessna aircraft occupied by a pilot and 4 passengers crashed around 2pm, shortly after take off from Pelican Lake.

All 5 occupants recieved minor injuries and have been released from Meno Ya Win Health Center.

Shaw KBI Gears up for 25th Anniversary

After three days of fun on the Harborfront, Harborfest is getting ready to make way for the 25th annual Shaw KBI.

This year, things will kick off with a boat parade.

Kristie Cavenaugh is organizing the event and says they will be making their way through downtown Kenora early this evening.

The parade is scheduled to start at 6:00 this evening.

Fire Crews Heading Home

M.N.R. officials are letting fire crews from out of province head home after the forest fire sitation eased over the weekend.

The Ministry of Natural Resources say one new fire started on Sunday near Lake of the Woods near Kenora.

Out of province resources from Saskatchewan and New Brunswick were released from the Northwest Region assignment over the weekend.

Contract crews are also being released from fires. These resources provided support to the Northwest Region during the peak of fire activity.

Busy Long Weekend for the OPP in Kenora

The August Long Weekend proved to be a busy one for the Kenora OPP.

They arrested a number of people for drinking and driving offenses and are investigating one hit and run accident on Valley Drive.

Police were also called to a boat fire on Lake of the Woods near Devil's Gap.

A 1997, 22 foot Sea Ray caught fire around 2:00 Sunday afternoon.

Police say the two occupants were rescued by passing boaters, but their vessel was completely destroyed and sank to the bottom of the lake.

The OPP say they blocked that area of the lake off for about an hour as the boat burned.

Local Groups Applaud Lake Announcement's

Several groups which work on Lake of the Woods are pleased the federal government has finally announced its intentions for a water management plan.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird made the announcement in Kenora over the weekend.

Todd Sellars from the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation says one of the key recommendations is the creation of a new board out of two existing entitities.

Plans are also in the works for a water quality summit for Lake of the Woods.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford expects that will take place sometime in the next year or so.

Harborfest a Box Office and Artistic Success

(Photo Courtesy Colleen Serban Photography)

Harborfest directors are basking in the glow of one of their best ever events.

There were three sold out evening concerts and huge crowds all weekend long on the Kenora Harborfront.

Entertainment Director Dave Blake says they also had rave reviews from the performers.

Blake says they will be hard pressed to improve on this year's entertainment line-up, they they will start that task in the next couple of weeks.

Health Unit Issues Blue-Green Algae Advisory

While local residents have been enjoying one of the warmer summers in recent years, it can come at a price.

The Northwestern Health Unit has issued an advisory about blue-green algae blooms on some of the shallower lakes in the area.

In particular, the Health Unit has singled out Sandy Lake in Pellatt Township.

Blue Green Algae can contain toxins that are harmful if swallowed, and can cause skin rashes.

The Health Unit says kids, pets and livestock should not swim in any water where you notice blue-green algae.

Campbell Continues to Fight Tourism Center Closures

It's not going to happen this year, but the fight to get the region's tourism centres re-opened isn't stopping.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell is again refuting Tourism Ministry's reasons behind closing the centres, including those Fort Frances and Rainy River.

Campbell says the government's now pointing to the use of GPS units.

Campbell admits its been frustrating, but isn't giving up hope the centres can be reopened next year.

Sandy Lake Residents Back Home

Residents of Sandy Lake, evacuated because of smoke near their community last week, are back home.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says fires that were a concern to the remote community remained quiet, allowing the 650 residents housed in hotels in Fort Frances and Thunder Bay to return.

Out of province crews from Saskatchewan and New Brunswick were also sent home with the forest fires threat diminishing due to rain and cooler temperatures.

TSB Investigates Sioux Lookout Plane Crash

Five people are coutning their blessings following a plane crash near Sioux Lookout over the weekend.

O.P.P. say a Slate Falls Airways plane with the pilot and four passengers were on a sight seeing tour whent eh plane crashed shortly after take-off from Pelican Lake.

Emergency Services, Slate Falls Airways and by-standers were on hand to get them to safety.

All five people suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital and then released.

O.P.P. and the Transportation Safety Board are looking into what happened.

Sunset Country's Got an App For That

Travellers in Northwestern Ontario will have a new way to find out what's hot and happening.

Sunset Country Travel has developed a smart phone app to provide information on places to stay, where to eat, and things to do and see.

Sunset is aiming for a September launch, which will be available at I-Tunes and android apps.

Baird Makes Announcement for Lake of the Woods

The federal government will be working with the American government to develop a new management board for Lake of the Woods.

Foreign Affairs minister John Baird made the announcement this morning in Kenora on board the Grace Anne II.

The creation of the joint management board was one of the recommendations of the International Joint Commission.

The federal government was supposed to make its intentions known a month ago, but Baird says he was the reason behind the delay.

Baird adds that a summit will also be held in the next couple of years to compile and discuss some of the scientific data available for the lake.

Foreign Affairs Mininister to Visit Kenora

A high profile visitor is expected to be in Kenora this August Long Weekend.

Foreign Affairs minister John Baird is tentatively scheduled to hold a news conference tomorrow morning.

While no details about his visit have been released, its believed Baird will discuss the federal government's response to the International Joint Commissions report on Lake of the Woods.

The federal government was supposed to announce its plans at the end of June along with the government of the United States.

Parents Concerned about Future of Day Care Program

Kenora City council could get an earful next week about proposed plans to close the Castle of Learning Daycare center.

Parents are up in arms about the proposal and have started up a petition.

A number of parents are also planning to make a deputation to council on Tuesday during the Committee of the Whole meeting.

The proposal calls for the closure of the Castle of Learning and its after schools program at the end of this year, due to an operating deficit.

Petitions have been set up at the Barehart Boutique, the Beer Store and Cameron Bay.