Youth Arrested for Keewatin Vehicle Break-Ins

The OPP say they have arrested three youth in connection to a string

of vehicle break-ins in Keewatin.

Last Friday night, officers responded to complaints of youth who were

seen going into unlocked vehicles in the Wharf Street area.

A short while later, police located three young male suspects between

the ages of 12 and 14.

The OPP say they are continuing their investigation and remind local residents to local their vehicles when the are left unattended.

Facilitator Named to look at Evergreen School Closure

The provincial government has named an independant facilitator to look at the closure of Evergreeen School by the Keewatin Patricia District School Board.

The Ministry of Education has announced that Joan Green will begin the administrative review of the Kenora Accomodation Review Committee on March 21st.

Green is a former director of Education in Toronto and was the founding CEO of the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office.

She will report back to the Ministry of Education within four to eight weeks with her final report.

While the facilitor cannot overturn the school board's decision to close Evergreen it can determine whether the public school board followed its own policies.

Hudson School to Close

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board will be closing not one, but two of its elementary schools this year.

Last night, trustees approved a resolution to shut down Hudson School.

Superintendant of Business Dean Carrie says they knew that if a new school opened  at nearby Frenchman's Head has drastically reduced the school population at Hudson.

The student enrolment at Hudson is now 22 students.

Carrie says the school would close as of June 30th and students will be bussed to Sioux Mountain in Sioux Lookout starting in the fall.

Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum Starts today

The annual conference looking at the health of Lake of the Woods is taking place this week in International Falls.

The 8th annual Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum gets underway at Rainy River College.

Todd Sellars is one of the organizers of the conference and says this year delegates will get a chance to provide some feedback on the interim task force report on Lake of the Woods.

Sellars says some of the sessions will focus on the state of the fisheries and effects of nutrients and algae on water quality on Lake of the Woods drainage basin.

Thomas Aquinas Perfect after OFSAA Round Robin

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team is living up to its top billing so far at the All-Ontario Single A championships taking place in Belleville.

The Saints are undefeated in the round robin, with a perfect 4-0 record.

So far T.A. has yet to drop a set.

Last night, Thomas Aquinas finished the day with a 25-15, 25-20, straight sets win over West Park Secondary School from St. Catherines.

The Saints have now advanced to the quarter-finals and will be on the court at 11:30 in a must-win game.

A victory moves them into the semi-finals, and a loss would send them home empty handed.

Conservatives Hints at their Northern Platform

With a provincial election just seven months away, the Progressive Conservatives are starting to outline their platform for Northern Ontario.

Tory Critic for Northern Development and Mines, Randy Hillier says they don't like many of the policies and legislation drafted by the McGuinty government and would scrap the Far North Act.

Hillier describes the Far North Act as divisive, because it excludes about half of the territory of northern Ontario from any sort of development.