Police Name Driver of Viral Video

Provincial Police have released the name of the transport driver who narrowly missed an oncoming tractor-trailer unit on Highway 11 in Greenstone last month.

The incident generated over a million hits on Youtube.

Police say 31-year-old Akmal Hayat of Milton, Ontario tried to pass a snow plough and confronted a north bound transport.
The driver of that vehicle was forced to the side and struck several guard posts.

Police say Hayat drove off without stopping.

OPP were able to identify the driver through the Youtube video.

No one was injured.

Hayat faces 3-charges.

Police Make Arrests Following Break and Enters

Kenora OPP have made arrests in relation to the break and enters in the city earlier this week.

22 year old Allan Pencoff and 32 Derek Pencoff have been charged with break and enter, attempt to break and enter, and theft under 5 thousand.

Police says the men broke into 2 homes in the North End on Tuesday afternoon and made off with cash, tools, and firearms.

Both men will remain in custody until their bail hearings.

The Street Crime Unit, Organized Crime and Enforcement Bureau, Drug Unit, and the Provincial Operations Intelligence Bureau collaborated in the investigation.

Fire Destroys Home in New Osnaburgh

Nishnawbe-Aski Police are investigating what is believed to be a fatal house fire in New Osnaburgh First Nation south of Pickle Lake.

Sergeant Jackie George says the blaze was reported around 3 o'clock this morning.

George says the Ontario Fire Marshall is scheduled to arrive in the community tomorrow and at that time more information will be released.

A relative of the family says a mother and her two children where in the home at the time.

Police aren't confirming any fatalities but George says officers are currently searching for the residents.

TBSO Gets Standing Ovation At King George

A musical education for King George students.

The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra made an encore appearance in Kenora this morning.

Daniel Bartholemew-Poyser is the associate conductor and says they want to reach out to young listeners.

The hour-long pops concert featured classical pieces from Brahms and Tchaikovsky
, as well as more modern fare from Star Wars, The Pirates of the Caribbean and Taylor Swift.

Chamber Of Commerce Hands Out Business Awards

A couple of new businesses took center stage at the Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce's annual business awards.

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company took honors as the Tourism/Hospitality company of the year.

Taras Manzies says they still have big plans for their product and building on Second Street South and expect to be able to sell their beer at the LCBO soon.

Meanwhile, Good Things won for best new business under two years old.

Andrea Lundy is the manager of marketing and says they likely won't be moving into their new location
on Second Street until the fall.

Other winners last night:

Customer Service Excellence-Staff Up to 10-901 West Side
Customer Service Excellence-Staff Over 10-Kenora Home Hardware
Business Entrepreneur/Owner/Manager of the Year: Chad Gropp (Gropp's Country Catering)
Innovative Small Business:  Roots and Rights Media
Business Improvement:  Borelli's on the Harbourfront
Youth Entrepreneur:  Jillian Puls and Meagan Pearson (Radical Nails)

No Delays Or Closures From Overnight Snow

Despite some snow overnight, it's all things go this morning across the region.

All school buses in the region are operating and all roads are open.

Roads are described on both sides of the border as partly snow covered with poor visibility.

There was a brief closure of highway 71 near Sioux Narrows yesterday, following a two vehicle collision.

No one was injured.


The only closure this morning is in Dryden, where the high school has been shut down because of a water main break.

Bitter Winter Causes Headaches For Operations Department

A colder and snowier winter has been hard on the city's operating budget.

Snow removal has been going on non stop, and city crews have also been kept
hopping dealing with frozen and broken water lines.

Operations manager Rick Perchuck says there's not much they can do about the
situation except wait for warmer weather.

Perchuck says they've had to deal with frozen water lines almost daily, and
they've also had two to three broken water lines reported each week.

Companies Fined in Ring of Fire

The Ministry of Natural Resources is fining two companies 27-thousand dollars for illegally building a mining camp in the Ring of Fire.

Vancouver based Fancamp Explorations and Thunder Bay's Webequie Logistics were found guilty of carrying out constructionw ork without the authority of a work permit.

The cases were heard in the Ontario Court of Justice recently.

NorWOSSA AA Playoffs Today in Fort

The NorWOSSA double "a" play-offs get underway this morning in Fort Frances.

All four Beaver Brae teams will have to play a semi-final in order to qualify for the gold medal games.

At 10:00 this morning, the Bronco junior boys basketball and junior girls volleyball teams will face Dryden.

At 11:30, the Beaver Brae senior boys basketball and senior girls volleyball teams will take on Fort Frances for the right to advance to the finals.

Saints Win Two Gold Medals At NorWOSSA Finals

A pair of gold medals for Thomas Aquinas teams at the NorWOSSA Single "a" championships in Red Lake.

The Saints senior girls won the final against Rainy River three sets to one.

It was the first set the Saints lost in league play this year.

The Thomas Aquinas Senior girls are now preparing for NWOSSA on
February 20th and 21st.

In junior boys basketball, T.A. upended the Owls 41-21.

The only other Saints team in action yesterday, was the junior girls volleyball team, which settled for silver after losing to Rainy River three sets to two.

Meanwhile, the Norwossa Double "a" championships are taking place today
in Fort Frances.

Beaver Brae boys basketball and girls volleyball teams are involved in all
four semi-finals this morning.

OPP Investigate 2 Break Ins

2 more break and enters in the city of Kenora.

OPP say that 2 residences in the North End were broken into yesterday afternoon between 1:30 and 9.

Police say an unknown number of suspects made off with tools, money, and firearms.

An investigation into these break ins and another in Nestor Falls on Sunday is continuing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the OPP of Crimestoppers.

Council Accepts Event Center Report

Kenora city council has received an interim report on a proposed Event Center and expansion of the Kenora Rec. Center.

The report was compiled by Stantec Engineering and Nelson Architects and is based on information presented at a public meeting last month.

Mayor Dave Canfield stresses that they have not made any commit
ment to build anything and council has only agreed to accept the report.

The 25 million dollar project includes a second ice surface at the Rec. Center and a final report
is expected to be presented to council by the end of August.

OPP Investigate Nestor Falls Break In

Kenora OPP are investigating another break and enter.

Police say on Sunday they received a call that a business in Nestor Falls was broken into.

An unknown number of suspects made off with some small items and some cash.

OPP say the incident occurred between Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Anyone with information can call the OPP or Crimestoppers.

Rickford Applauds Conservative Budget

Minister of State Greg Rickford says the 2014 Federal budget is all about fiscal responsibility.

The Kenora MP says the main goal of the fiscal document is to balance the books for 2015.

Rickford says one of the highlights for our area is a pledge to extend or improve high-speed internet access.

The Conservative Government is projecting a 6.4-billion dollar surplus in 2015-2016.

KDSB Looking To Sell Off Housing Units

The Kenora District Services Board says it will eventually have to build at
least 30 new social housing units in the region.

The KDSB is planning to sell of at least 30 older units in smaller communities like Minaki and Dinorwick.

Dan McNeil is the Chief Administrative Officer and says their challenge now is to find partners willing to help out.

McNeil says under provincial legislation they are required to maintain the same number of social housing units.

He says they want to sell off units where there is very little demand and build
in areas where they have significant waiting lists.

Council Seeking Better Returns From KMTS Prosperity Trust Fund

Kenora City council is looking for ways of maximizing returns from the KMTS Prosperity Trust Fund.

Council was told yesterday that the trust will fall short of making the 1.1 million dollars targeted by the city to offset taxes each year.

Lauren D'Argis is the city's Corporate Services Manager and says even though they will come up short this year, the fund has over-performed in the past, so they will be able to use that money to make up the shortfall.

In the meantime, Councillor Louis Roussin says he wants to find out if the city can loosen the
purse strings on the Prosperity Trust to find some more profitable investments.

Right now under provincial regulations the trust restricted to very safe, but very low return investments.

Tent Caterpillar Numbers Expected To Rise This Spring

A seven year nuisance could make an appearance in the region this year.

Provincial Entomologist Taylor Scarr says the Forest Tent Caterpillar, also commonly called army worms, will see expanding numbers in Northwestern Ontario.

Scarr says they can't predict exactly where the outbreaks will occur.

He notes if the outbreak doesn't occur this year it will happen in 2015.

Bronco Court Sport Teams Swept In Season Finale

Not the way Beaver Brae wants to go into the NorWOSSA double "a"
play-offs.

The Broncos lost all five games played against the Muskies in their final
regular season games in boys basketball and girls volleyball.

The  Beaver Brae junior girls ended up playing a double header, but lost
both, including a make-up game from earlier in the season.

The play-offs will begin tomorrow in Fort Frances with all four Broncos squads playing in the semi-finals.

Saints Advance to Three NorWOSSA Title Games Today

The finals are all set in the NorWOSSA Single "a" play-offs.

Thomas Aquinas has qualified three teams for today's gold medal
games.

The Saints Junior girls volleyball team advance with a three sets to one
win over Ignace in semi-final action yesterday.

T.A. will now take on Rainy River.

The Owls senior girls will also face Thomas Aquinas in the Senior girls final.

In boys basketball, the Saints Senior boys was the lone team not to advance
after dropping a 66-58 decision in double overtime to Queen Elizabeth High School.

The junior boys final will see T.A. take on Rainy River.

Broncos and Saints Girls Hockey Teams Post Wins on the Road

A busy night in NorWOSSA hockey action.

A good night for Beaver Brae girls hockey team, but not so much for the
Bronco boys.

The Bronco girls topped Red Lake 5-3 last night.

Rylee Smith scored a pair of goals in the win.

Meanwhile, the Bronco boys were doubled up 8-4 by Fort Frances.

The Broncos are also back in action tomorrow against the Saints in an afternoon matinee at the Rec. Center.
The Thomas Aquinas girls hockey team also won on the road taking a 4-3 decision against Sioux Lookout.

The Saints will face off against the Broncos tomorrow night at the Kenora Rec. Center in their final home game of the regular season.