It'a A Dogs Life Wall Ball Tournament

Wall ball is no longer a games to play in elementary.

Lakewood school is the site for a Wall Ball tournament in support of It's A Dog's Life.

Chris Jones is on of the organizers and says the idea came from a joke during a meeting.

The tournament is on November 3rd.

Visit adogslife.cc for more information and to sign up a team.

Mather-Walls Haunted House

A huanted house will be open tonight and tomorrow.

Beaver Brae drama teacher Heather Newman says almost all the work is being done by students.

Newman adds the proceeds from the open house go towards the upkeep of the Mather-Walls house.

You can visit the haunted house friday and saturday evening between 6 and 9.

Drive Away Hunger Campaign

BDO is celebrating the success of their Drive Away Hunger campaign.

Committee chair Colleen Sinclair says they surpassed this years local donation goal raising a total of 15,928 pounds.

Sinclair adds BDO also surpassed their goal nationally raising 462,000 pounds.

Lakewood Adult Education Center Still Alive

The Lakewood School Project is still alive and well.

The Lake of the Woods Development Commission is working with a number of education partners to buy the elementary school and transform it into an adult education center.

Don Denver is with the Commission and says right now they are kind of in a holding pattern.

Denver says they hope to make an announcement sometime in December about the future of the school.

Library Cuts Job to Save Money

The Kenora Public Library is planning to cut staff in order to address its budget woes.

Head Librarian Erin Roussin told council yesterday they are planning to cut one full-time job in order to trim their spending.

Roussin says they are planning to increase hours for part-time employees, so there shouldn't be any reduction in service at the Library next year.

Council Holds First Budget Meeting

Five local groups are seeking more than 1.4 million dollars in funding from the City of Kenora next year.

City council held its first budget meeting yesterday and received funding requests from the Museum, Library, Economic Development Commission, Triple Play and Handi-Transit.

Debbie Moore from Triple Play says their fundraising efforts are starting to pay dividends.

Lori Nelson from the Lake of the Woods Museum says they are actually seeking a small decrease from the city this year.

The Kenora Public Library also is requesting less money, saying it plans to cut one position, which will reduce their budget demand by about 30 thousand dollars.

Treaty Three Re-Affirms Relationship with Province

The province and Grand Council Treaty 3 are promising to continue working together in providing the quality of life for area First Nations.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kathleen Wynn and Northern Development Minister Rick Bartolucci were at Couchiching First Nations to reaffirm those commitments.

Bartolluci says it's an opportunity to understand, respect and trust each other.

An agreement with the Ministry of Natural Resources was also signed.

Elementary Teachers Seek Conciliation

Teachers working in the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board are asking for the help of a conciliator in their contract talks.

Local members of the Elementary Teachers Federation met earlier this week with the board.

Local representative Anne Saltel says Bill-115 is making it very difficult to come to any sort of an agreement.

Saltel says the legislation which forces teachers to accept a wage freeze and benefit cuts is leaving them no choice but to seek conciliation.

Kick-Start Energy Plan for NWO Released

A Northwest Kick Start Plan is proposing cleaner and cheaper energy for Northern Ontario.

At the Ontario Waterpower Conference, a proposal was made to provide a grid connection to a number of First Nations Communities who use diesel generation and all the way to the Ring of Fire.

President and CEO of Imperium Engery Larry Doran says the move would also allow them to develop hydroelectric generators.

Doran says the power lines would provide the communities with more oppertunities, such as broadband for the internet in areas that don't have it.

Campbell Launches Campaign to Get MPP's Back to Work

Kenora Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell wants the Liberal Government to bring MPPs back to work.

Campbell has launched an Ontario wide petition asking for the Ontario legislature to resume work.

She says there's valuable legislation that isn't being addressed while the legislature is on break.

The legislature is adjourned while the Liberals look for a new leader.

Rainy River Resources Ready for E.A.

Rainy River Resources is not worried about the need to go ahead with a federal environmental assessment for its proposing gold mines south of Kenora.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency made the ruling last week.

Company vice-president Kyle Stanfield says he wasn't surprised by the decision.

Stanfield expects the process to take at least a year and won't impact on their timetable to have a mine open by 2016.

Broncos Win Quarter-Final in WHSFL

A big upset in the Winnipeg High School Football League.

The Beaver Brae Broncos went into the East Side Stadium and left with a 9-6 victory over the heavily favoured Elmwood Giants.

Weather played a big factor in the game, which the Broncos led 1-0 at the half.

In the second half, Dylan Pykerman scored on a 45 yard touchdown run, to move Beaver Brae ahead for good, as they held on for the victory in a brisk westerly wind.

The Broncos will now face the winner of today's game between Steinbach and Fort Frances in next week's semi-finals.

Broncos Split against Dryden

The NorWOSSA Double "a" Court season is starting to wind down.

In their second final games of the year, Beaver Brae split against their rivals from Dryden yesterday.

Both Bronco boys volleyball teams lost their games.

The Beaver Brae seniors were dropped in three straight sets by the Eagles, while Dryden upended

the Bronco junior boys three sets to one. 

Meanwhile the Beaver Brae girls basketball teams both won.

The Bronco senior girls got by the Eagles 46-36, while the junior squad earned a 44-26 win over Dryden.

The regular season wraps up next Thursday with Beaver Brae heading to Fort Frances.

OPP Responds to Ombudsmans Report

The OPP says its starting to take action on an 18-month investigation by the provincial Ombudsman.

It includes how the Provincial Police deal with psychologial issues, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Acting Superintendent Dave Quigley says there are a number of services available for officers and civillian staff.

Quigley says they have a working group who is going to assess the findings, and see what will work at the end of the day.

City Begins 2013 Budget Process Today

Kenora city council's getting an early jump on the 2013 municipal
budget.

Council will be meeting with groups in the city which rely on municipal funding today.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says a report by the the Municipal Property and Assessment Corpopation this week was a real eye opener.

He says the fact property values are up six percent is an interesting conundrum for council.

Canfield says they'll have to factor in the increase property values when they
begin drafting their 2013 budget. 

NOMA Speaks Out Against Provincial Park Closures

The local tourism industry has taken another hit.

The Province is cancelling overnight camping in nine Provincial Parks across Northern Ontario, including one in the Northwest.

Ron Nelson is President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and says the government is hollowing of services in our communities.

Nelson says the area is already reeling from the closure of three Travel Information Centres and possible reductions at Ministry of Natural Resources offices.

Stats Can Releases more 2011 Census Results

Kenora is increasingly an English speaking community.

Results from the 2011 Census shows that 91.8 percent of local residents listed English as their mother tongue, that's up from 91.2 percent just four years ago. 

Only 2.3 percent listed French.

Ojibway has moved up into third place at 1.6 percent.

It has surpassed German, which was spoken by just one percent of
the local population. 

Local Task Force Earns OPP Accolade Award

For the second year in a row, Kenora OPP officers have won accolade
awards.

The OPP Awards Ceremony was held yesterday in Orillia, and the Kenora Substance Abuse and Mental Health Task Force was singled out.

It was given an award for community partnerships.

The committee consists of both OPP officers as well as representitives
from local agencies.

The Aboriginal Issue Unit was also a recipient of another award and team member Detective Contable

Marc Depres was one of the people recognized. 

Thistles Win on the Road

The Kenora Thistles are above the .500 mark once again.

A third period goal by Brandon Pentek was the game winner, as the Thistles edged the Eastman Selects 4-3 last night in Beausejour.

The Kenora Midgets now sport a record of four wins, three losses and an overtime loss.

Their next game is at home Friday night against the Pembina Valley Hawks.

Broncos Face Elmwood in WHSFL Play-Offs

Its do or die time for Beaver Brae's football team.

The play-offs begin today in the Winnipeg High School Football League today.

The Broncos travel to Winnipeg to take on the Elmwood Giants in a quarter-final match-up.

The Giants finished third in the Currie Division with a 6-1 record, while the
Broncos were in a three-way tie for 6th at 3-4.

Game time is 5:00 at the Eastside Stadium.