Highway 17 East Closed to One Lane

Traffic might be moving a little slower on Highway 17 east of Kenora this afternoon.

The OPP say the Trans-Canada is closed to one lane of traffic just west of the Highway 71 junction.

Police say there was a collision involving two tractor trailor units and a passenger van.

The accident took place shortly after 11:00, but there were no injuries reported.

The OPP say motorists should expect some delays in the area.

College Faculty Reach a Two Year Deal

Good news for students attending Confederation College or any other college in Ontario.

A tentative agreement has been reached with 10-thousand college faculty at 24 Ontario colleges.

The two deal freezes teacher salaries but eligible faculty would still move through the pay grid.

All benefits remain untouched and the deal asks for no concessions from faculty.

The deal avoids any threat of a strike.

Two Arrested in By-Pass Drug Bust

The OPP say they seized about 10 thousand dollars worth of illegal drugs during a bust along the Kenora By-Pass.

Members of the Organized Crime and Enforcement Bureau and Drug Enforcement Unit pulled over a vehicle on Highway 17-A on Monday.

Police say they found about a half a pound of marijuana, 55 hydro-morphone capsules and a small amount of Oxycodone.

Two men have been arrested.

25 year old Jeffray Bragg from Devlin and and 23 year old Jamie BRAGG of Fort Frances have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

They appeared in Kenora Court yesterday.

Rickford Pleased with Riding Changes

Some minor changes are being proposed for the Kenora Riding.

The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission is recommending Lake of the Woods Township be added and taken out of the Thunder Bay-Atikokan Riding.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says he has no problem with the changes and is relieved that northern Ontario will be keeping its 10 ridings in the House of Commons.

Local residents can comment on the proposed boundary changes at public hearings slated for October 9th in Kenora.

Numbers Finalized for Ride for Memories

The numbers keep growing for the Alzheimer's Society.

This year's Ride for Memories brought in over 40 thousand dollars.

Lynn Moffatt of the Alzheimer Society of Kenora and Rainy River Districts says it's amazing the number of people who come out.

Moffatt says the ride next year will be centered around Dryden.

Con College Hoping Faculty Reach Agreement

Ontario's College Faculty Collective Agreement is set to expire on Friday.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the Province are in negotiations over the new contract but if one isn't reached a strike vote is set for September 10th.

Confederation College President Jim Madder says he hopes the two sides continue to talk.

Madder says if a faculty strike occurs the school will stay open but classes won't resume.

OPP Signs Agreement with NAPS

The OPP and Nishnawbe Aski Police Services are teaming up for a 3 year operating agreement.

They signed the formal document yesterday at the local NAPS police station.

Superintendent Ron van Straalen says it sets out protocols.

It also provides guidelines on culturally appropriate policing for First Nations.

Teachers Upset With Contract Legislation

Upset teachers have sent a message to Queen's Park.

Teacher unions held rallies in Thunder Bay and Toronto yesterday.

Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Regional spokesperson Ellen Chambers says they're upset with both the liberal and conservative governments.

Chambers says people need to know that it's not the wage freeze that's bothersome to teachers but the unwillingness to negotiate that has them upset.

Lightning Results in new Forest Fires

The recent spell of warm, dry weather has resulted in a new spate of forest fires across northwestern Ontario.

The MNR reported six new blazes yesterday, including two in the Kenora area.

One was found smouldering on Scott Island about 25 kilometers southwest of Minaki.

The other about 10 kilometers south of Kenora.

That blaze was located by an MNR helicopter and doused by the Longbow Lake Volunteer Fire Department.

The MNR is expecting more fire activity over the next few days due to lightning strikes from thunder storms over the weekend.

Two More Teams Eliminated in Ladies Slo-Pitch

A couple of teams have been eliminated from the play-offs in the Days-Inn Ladies Slo-Pitch League.

In the b-side of the draw, Roen Rednex ousted D Smith Contracting with a 16-5  victory, while KTS upended the Renegades.

Those two teams will meet up tonight in another single elimination game.

In the c-side of the play-offs, Print Gear edged Murray's Upholstery 11-9, to move on.

In men's slo-pitch action last night, the Voodoo staved off elimination in the B-side final with a win over Kenora Truck Service.

That best-of-three series will be decided tonight at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Teachers Union Plan Rally Against Back to Work Bill

Union leaders say thousands of teachers are expected to rally today at Queen's Park to protest legislation that would freeze teachers' wages and cut benefits.

The unions have vowed to challenge the Liberal legislation all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada if it is passed.

The bill introduced yesterday will likely become law, as the Progressive Conservative have agreed to support the legislation.

It would not only rein in compensation, but also give the government the power to ban strikes and lockouts.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario says the legislation will take away the collective bargaining rights of teachers and educators.

No Changes Proposed for Northern Ontario Ridings

Some good news for politicians and voters in northern Ontario.

No changes are being proposed for the 10 federal ridings in the region by the federal electoral boundaries commission.

However, due to an increase in population, Ontario could be getting 15 new federal electoral districts.

The Commission for Ontario is to hold public meetings this fall on a proposed new electoral map with stops planned in Kenora and Thunder Bay in early October.

School Boards ready for First Day of Classes

There may be some bitter feelings headed into the new school year but the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is staying the course.

The province remains locked in a bitter dispute with its teachers.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says staff are focused on learning and student achievement.

All kids from grade 4 to 12 will have netbooks and kids from junior kindergarten to grade 3 will have I-Pad pods in each classroom at a 4 to 1 ratio.

Mass Registration Begins this Evening

A busy day for both parents and kids alike.

After their first day of school, it will be time to head down to mass registration.

Over the next two nights, over 30 groups will have booths set up at the Kenora Rec. Center.

A wide range of activities will be featured so you can ask questions and sign up for fall and winter activities.

Mass registration runs from 6:00 to 8:00 this evening.

Alarmed for Life Hits the North End

Don't be alarmed if you see fire trucks rolling through your neighborhood this evening.

Kenora Fire and Emergency Services Department will be carrying out its Alarmed for Life campaign this evening in the north end of town.

Fire fighters will be going door to door in the 3rd Street, 4th Street and 5th Street North areas starting at 6:30 this evening.

They'll be checking to make sure each home has a working smoke alarm on each level, and that they are properly installed.

Fire chief Warren Brinkman says he wants to ensure each home in Kenora has a working smoke alarm.

New School Year Begins at NOSM

It's an early start for students at Lakehead University's Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Potential doctors begin classes today both at L.U. and in Sudbury.

Acting Dean Dr. Bill McCready says this program is garnering national and international attention because of its success rate.

Dr. McCready says 64 students will begin this year's 4-year undergraduate course, with just under half at the campus at Lakehead University.

Men's Slo-Pitch Season Winding Down

The Beauty Bay Cubs and Kenora Truck Service have drawn first blood in their best-of-three finals in the Kenora Men's Slo-Pitch League.

In the A-Side final, Beauty Bay got by D Smith Contracting last night in game one.

In the B-Side final, KTS earned a 19-14 win over the Voodoo.

Game two in both series go tonight at the Kenora Rec. Center.

In the Days Inn Ladies Slo-Pitch league play-offs last night, it was the Martini's over KTS.

Crime Stats down so far in 2012

The OPP say they've been trying to crack down on drug related crime in Kenora and that effort seems to be paying off.

Through the first six months of 2012, the amount of crime in the city is down slightly compared to the same period last year, with a significant drop seen in the number of break and enters, mischief complaints and minor thefts.

On the other hand there have already been six thefts over five thousand dollars this year, compared to none for the first half of last year.

The OPP have also noticed an increase in the number of sexual assaults and Inspector Dave Lucas says they are looking into why those incidents have gone up this year.

Waiting list for Social Housing in Kenora District lengthens

There was a slight increase in the Kenora District for social housing last year.

That's a trend that's pretty similar to the rest of the province.

Shared Karur of the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association says there has been some help from the provincial and federal governments to decrease that list.

The Association says there was an increase of 69 families waiting for social housing in the Kenora District in the past year.

Funding Continued for Aboriginal Youth

A key initiative for aboriginal youth is being continued by the Federal Government.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan is renewing the Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth program.

The program encourages youth to get involved in cultural development, community engagement and leadership programs.

Duncan says the programming helps aboriginal youth with job readiness skills and prepares them to enter the labour market.

The program is run through Friendship Centres across Canada.