More Evacuations from Sandy Lake today

An additional 250 residents from Sandy Lake First nation are being evacuated to Thunder Bay and Fort Frances today.

They've been forced from their homes because of forest fire smoke that is affecting their community.

M.N.R. Information Officer Deb MacLean says the number of fires to the South and West of Sandy Lake are not directly threatening the community but they are keeping a close eye on them.

MacLean says the smoke that has displaced the residents is difficult to predict because it's totally dependant on the wind.

RCMP Rescue Canoer

An Ontario woman is recovering from injuries after she was struck by lightning while canoeing with six other people in wilderness northwest of Kenora.

RCMP say a group of seven girls was paddling on the Bloodvein River near Lake Winnipeg on Sunday when the 23-year-old woman was hit by lightning.

A 15-year-old girl also suffered an electric shock while holding on to a canoe as they were pulling the craft ashore during the storm.

The group sent out a GPS distress signal and a helicopter with two Mounties aboard managed to track down the group.

The woman was sent to Winnipeg for treatment of minor injuries, but the 15-year-old girl told police she was not hurt and remained with the group to carry on with the trip.

Highway Dedicated in Honor of Leo Bernier

Long time Kenora M.P.P. Leo Bernier has a road named after him in Kenora, now he has a highway named after him near Sioux Lookout.

Bernier was a Hudson native and the provincial government has announced that it is dedicating Highway 664 in his honor.

The 17 kilometer stretch of road runs from Hudson to Highway 72 near Sioux Lookout and is now called the Leo Bernier Memorial Highway.

The dedication was made this morning.

Second Youth Charged in Whitefish Bay Murder

Treaty Three Police and Ontario Provincal Police have made a second arrest in relation to the death of Charles Minshall.

61-year-old Minshall was found dead at a store in Whitefish Bay on July 22.

A 14-year-old boy was arrested on Friday and charged with First Degree Murder.

He is expected to appear in Kenora Court later today.

A 16-year-old suspect was arrested and charged on July 24.

Police say that due to the ages of the suspects, their names cannot be released.

OHIP Hoax Revealed

Be aware of an internet hoax involving alleged OHIP changes.

Several local residents have reported reading about Provincial Government changes coming to Ontario OHIP coverage in 2013.

They have been told that no emergency medical procedures will be given to anyone over the age of 75 unless permission is given by a review board.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says its an internet hoax and never been mentioned in the Legislature.

The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care is also denying the report.

Province Announces More Funding for Energy Program

The provincial government is expanding the Aboriginal Loan Guarantee Program to encourage First Nation and Métis participation in creating energy projects.

Energy Minister Chris Bentley announced details of the program expansion yesterday.

Bentley says the program is being expanded because it has been very successful so far.

Arrest Made in Keewatin Stabbing

An 18 year old man has been arrested in connection to a stabbing incident in Keewatin over the weekend.

The OPP say they were called to a 10th Street Residence around midnight on Sunday.

A 22 year old man had been stabbed following an altercation.

He was taken initially to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment then tranferred to hospital in Winnipeg for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Zachery Perrault of Kenora has been chrarged with aggravated assault.

Rain Puts a Damper on Local Forest Fires

The recent weather is a mixed blessing for the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Fire Information Officer Debbie McLean says the rain has been helpful, but all the lightning accomanying it can pose some problems.

There were just three new wild fires reported yesterday and 12 new fires over the weekend.

Hydro One Crews Still Working to Restore Power

Still a handful of Hydro One customers without power this morning.

About 100 cottages in the Clearwater Bay and Sioux Narrows area are still in the dark this morning after the electricity went off Sunday night.

Hydro One is mobilizing crews on boats to try to get to some of the more remote areas on the lake.

Sunday night's storm knocked trees onto powerlines affecting almost three thousand Hydro One customers.

Charges Laid in Weekend Boating Accident

Five people have been taken to hospital following an early morning boating accident on Lake of the Woods.

The OPP Marine Unit was called out around 4:00 Sunday morning after a 15 foot Bayliner sank, after it collided with another boat, while travelling between Kenora and Keewatin.

Police say the driver of the Bayliner and two passengers were taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment, while two female passengers had to be airlifted to the Winnipeg Health Sciences Center.

25 year old Sean Goold of Kenora has been charged with two counts of impaired operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm.

Stingers Win Kenora Men's Soccer Tournament

The Stingers are back atop men's soccer in Kenora.

The Stingers won the A-Side final of the Kenora Men's Soccer Tournament over the weekend, with a 3-0 win over the Playaz.

They also claimed the first prize money of 15 hundred dollars.

The B-Side Final went to the Scorpions from Winnipeg, who got by Dryden, while Forza from Winnipeg, upended Marinos from Brandon in the C-Side final Sunday.

Sandy Lake Starts Evacuations

The forest fire situation has now forced 70 people from Sandy Lake First Nation from their homes.

Chief Bart Meekis has asked the city of Thunder Bay to serve as a host community.

Mayor Keith Hobbs has signed an emergency declaration for the city which has supported similar evacuations over the last few years and is prepared to support additional evacuees if needed.

Last year Thunder Bay hosted 350 evacuees and served as a transportation hub during the severe forest fire situation.

NTAB Looks at Mining Employment Needs

A research project is hoping to provide some help for the mining industry in the region.

The Northwest Training and Adjustment Board is teaming up with the Mining Industry Human Resources Council to forecast labour market needs.

The difficulty attracting younger workers, the under representation of Aboriginal Peoples and the looming retirement are all challenges for the growing industry.

Executive Director of the board Sonja Wainio will be getting a forecast in the Kenora and Rainy River Districts.

Once complete, the report will look at the 2, 5 and 10 year labor market needs of the mining industry in northwestern Ontario.

Weekend Rains Reduce Fire Hazard

There are 66 forest fires now burning here in the northwest district.

Officials with the Ministry of Natural Resources say 476 forest fires have started this year burning more than 69-thousand hectares of land.

Weekend rain has helped the situation in southern parts of the district.

The M.N.R. now says the fire hazard is "Low" for the entire region.

Canadian Blood Services Launches Partners for Life

If a single donor can save lives, imagine what your organization can do?!

That's the premise behind Canadian Blood Services' new "Partners For Life" program.

Spokesperson Harvey Heather says groups committ to donating so much blood a year and it helps them get a handle on how much blood they need to collect.

Heather says the program is being expanded into Northwestern Ontario after a successful run on a national level.

NAPS Probes Fatality in North Spirit Lake

Nishnawbe-Aski Police and the Ontario Provincial Police are now invesitgating the death of a North Spirit Lake First Nation community member.

The deceased has been identified as 38 year-old Paul Campbell of North Spirit Lake First Nation.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled for today.

Few details are being released by police.

Walk For Good Life Pays Tribute to Joe Morrison

An annual pilgrimage by native youth through the Kenora and Rainy River districts remember a well respected Kenora elder this year.

The 500 kilometre Walk for Good Life is aimed at inspiring youth.

Larissa Desrosiers of the group Good Life for Young People says this year it will also honour Elder Joseph Morrison.

The walk starts and end at Eagle Lake First Nation, began yesterday.

Kenora Anglers Enjoy Fort Frances Bass Championship

A Minnesota angling team are this year's winners of the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Mark Raveling and Mike Luhman led all three days of fishing, combining for just over 55-pounds of bass.

Raveling says it's been a great tournament to fish.

Kenora anglers also enjoyed some success over the weekend.

Jeff Gustafson and his partner John Peterson finished five pounds off the pace and were third overall, while Ted and Leo Heyens claimed fifth place.

Hydro Outages

About 25 hundred homes in the Kenora area are without power this morning.

A wicked thunderstorm last night knocked out electricity to homes in the Clearwater Bay, Longbow Lake and Sioux Narrows area.

Hydro One says crews are currently assessing the extent of the damage and making repairs.

Power isn't expected to be fully restored until around 4:00 this afternoon.

Fletcher Holds Round Table Discussion

Canada's Minister of State for Transport is touring western Canada getting feed back for a new federal infrastructure program.

Stephen Fletcher met with municipal, tourism and business leaders in Kenora Thursday.

He says the one comment he heard frequently is that the next program needs to flexible to reflect the needs of individual communities.

The current infrastructure program will run out in 2014, and Fletcher says most of the feedback he received yesterday suggests a new program should last for at least 10 years.

Zeller's closing its Doors in Kenora

The last Zellers standing in Northwestern Ontario is shutting its doors for good.

The Zellers store in the Kenora Shopper's Mall will be closing for good.

Hudson's Bay has announced it is closing most of its 64 remaining Zellers locations across the country.

Earlier this year, the company announced the Zellers store in Thunder Bay would close.

That location is being altered into a Target retailer.

The Kenora store is set to close by March 2013.

No future tenant has been confirmed.

OPP Launch Campaign to Reduce Break-Ins

The OPP in Kenora is working with local residents to reduce the number of break and enter and petty thefts.

Police say they've had to deal with dozens of break-ins to unlocked vehicles, garden sheds and garages each week.

Contable Dave Cain says these are crimes of opportunity and are preventable.

Cain says officers will be going door-to-door in the weeks ahead to talk to home owners about how to improve the security of their property.

Dryden Mill Workers Ratify Deal

Mill workers at Dryden's Domtar operation have a new deal.

500 Canadian Energy and Paper Union workers voted 70-percent in favour of a new five year contract last night.

Highlights of the deal for employees include a modest wage increase over the next two years, larger meal allowances and an additional 15-dollars per month being contributed to their pension.

Rain Helps out Fire Crews

Two days of rain is helping to dampen the forest fire number here in Northwestern Ontario.

Ministry of Natural Resources officials now say they are battling more than 60 forest fires in our region, that's down from 80 on Wednesday.

The M.N.R. is keeping an eye on the forecast, saying that the forest fire rating will rise again with sunshine and warm temperatures expected in the days ahead.

New Exhibit for the Museum

Lake of the Woods Museum is paying homage to some modern day explorers.

The museum's latest exhibit is called "By the Seat of your Pants", a history of bush flying.

Curator, Lori Nelson says the nature of the business has changed over the years.

The exhibit opened on Monday and will run until September 29th.

1st Day in the Books at the Fort France Bass Championship

A 19.73 pound bag of smallmounth bass has given the team of Mark Raveling and Mike Luhman the first day lead at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Last year's co-winners Glenn Leroux and Trevor Zimak sit over a pound back in second.

Jeff Gustafson and his partner John Peterson currently sit in 9th.

The second day of fishing is already underway.

Weigh-in resume at 3:30 this afternoon.

Men's Soccer Tournament Results

Three shutouts to start the Kenora Men's Soccer tournament.

The Centuries blanked the legends 3-0, while the Dynamo dropped a 2-0 decision to the Gunners, and the Stingers scored on a penalty shot to edge the Fury 1-0.

Action resumes this evening at the Tom Nabb Soccer Complex with several out of town teams taking

to the field.

A total of 16 teams from across northwestern Ontario and Manitoba are entered in the four day tournament.

Five Sharks at Nationals in Calgary

Five members of the Kenora Sharks Swim Club are in Calgary this week for the National Age Group championships.

So far, 12 year old Winnie Boucha has qualitied for one final.

Boucha placed eighth in the 400 meter individual medley.

17 year old Michelle Belcaen and three 14 year olds, Bryce Jones, Kira Kuzemchuck and Alex Olson are also in the competition.

Police Arrest Suspect in Whitefish Bay Murder

The OPP and Treaty Three Police say they have arrested a suspect in the killing of a store owner on the Whitefish Bay First Nation.

A 16 year old youth made a first court appearance yesterday in Kenora.

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Whitefish Bay resident cannot be identified.

Police say the youth have been charged with first degree murder in the death of 61 year old Charles Minshall.

While the cause of death is not being released, police say there were reports gunfire in the community early Sunday morning before Minshall was killed.

Infrastructure Round Table Today in Kenora

For the second time in as many days a high profile federal politician will be paying a visit to Kenora.

Minister of State for Transport, Stephen Fletcher will be town today for a round-table discussion on the federal government's infrastructure program.

The Build Canada Fund is expected to be phased out by the spring of 2014.

Today, Fletch will be meeting with municipal leaders across the region to talk about their wish list in terms of infrastructure.

The meeting will take place this morning at the Discovery Center.

New Forest Fires Continue to Crop Up

The Ministry of Natural Resources is hoping cooler conditions today will help put a damper on the fire situation across the region.

Yesterday, there were another eight new fires reported.

That's on top of 18 wild fires reported in the region on Tuesday.

Clusters of fires in the Deer lake and Sandy Lake areas remain a cause for concern for fire crews.

There are now more than 80 forest fires burning across northwestern Ontario.

Feds Won't Promise more money for Policing

The federal government isn't saying whether it plans to continue a fund that helps police services across the region hire more officers.

The Police Officer Recruitment Fund is due to run out next March.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says he understands that some police services rely on the funding.

The Treaty Three Police Service has indicated that it will have to pull out of Whitedog, because it won't have enough officers to police the community, once the fund dries up.

Wynne Makes Apology in Wabigoon

History in the Making in Wabigoon First Nation.

Minister Kathleen Wynne of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and Chief Rubin Cantin Sr signed a settlement from an incident dating back more then 150 years ago.

It stems from past and ongoing flooding that has damaged the area and destroyed parts of the reserve.

Wynne presented an appology letter, and acknowledged the 20 million dollar settlement for the community.

The Chief says the a chunk of the money will be invested for future growth.

Farmer's Market Patrons Fill the Van

A big boost for the Salvation Army's food bank.

A cargo van was set up yesterday at the Farmer's Market in an effort to help re-stock the shelves of the food bank.

Organizers say local residents responded by filling the van to the brim.

The Salvation Army says demand for the food bank is just as strong during the summer months, but donations tend to drop off during the holidays.

OPP Announce Details of a Major Drug Bust

Provincial Police in Thunder Bay have revealed details of a six month drug investigation.

A number of police agency's were involved in the bust including the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service.

A total of nine search warrants were executed in the Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga, Kitchener-Waterloo and Thunder Bay as part of "Project Harrington".

In all, police laid 95 charges against 11-individuals, four of whom remain at large.

Police say the investigation targeted a network that transported and distributed large amounts of oxycodone and cocaine from southern Ontario to northwestern Ontario, including First Nations communities.

The quantity of the drugs seized is 1.3-million dollars.

Six of those charged are from Thunder Bay and one is from Weagamow First Nation.

One of the individuals is an employee of the Thunder Bay District Jail and he's been charged with breach of trust.

LOWBIC Gets Funding Boost

The Lake of the Woods Business Incentive Corporation is getting a bit of a shot in the arm.

The Community development agency will be getting an extra 157 thousand dollars from the federal government, on top of its annual grant of 300 thousand dollars.

Ryan Reynard is executive director of LOWBIC and says the funding will be used to help out all nine economic development agencies in northwestern Ontario.

LOWBIC says they are planning a two day get together in the fall with their counterparts across the region.

Details of Joint Drug Investigation to be released

Provincial police say they'll be giving details of a complex joint drug investigation today in Thunder Bay.

Investigators say the case involves trafficking of prescription medication and illegal drugs from southern Ontario to several communities in northwestern Ontario.

Police say O-P-P chief superintendent Mike Armstrong, and representatives of the Thunder Bay, Nishnawbe-Aski and Anishinabek police forces and the R-C-M-P will be present for today's announcement.

Prescription painkillers have been a major problem in some northwestern Ontario, with some community leaders estimating up to 80 per cent of adults are hooked on OxyContin or Percocets.

Justice Minister Rejects Hand Gun Ban

The federal government doesn't seem interested in a wholesale ban on handguns.

There have been renewed calls for banning the firearms following a spate of shootings in the Toronto area.

Yestererday, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson was in Kenora and poured cold water on any sort of handgun ban.

Nicholson says the real problem is handguns which are making their way into Canada illegally.

He says the government is taking a tough stand on gun crimes, introducing new mandatory sentences for anyone convicted.

Government Defends Decision to Close ELA

The Federal Government continues to hold stead fast to it's decision to close the Experimental Lakes Area near Kenora.

House leader, Peter Van Loan was in northwestern Ontario recently and says he's heard the concerns over the move.

He says the government is putting its money toward remediating lakes at risk, instead of raw research.

Dissaproval has come from across the world over the Federal Government's decision to cut the funding for the outdoor research lab.

Job Symposium for Aboriginal Youth

Aboriginal youth in the Kenora District are getting a chance to learn more about future job opportunities in Northwestern Ontario.

The federal government has pledged 46-thousand dollars to host a an Aboriginal Trades and Employment Symposium in the fall.

Mary Tait says the event will focus on some of the jobs that are available in the mining and resource sector in this region.

Tait says reps from various mining companies will be on hand to outline what is needed to work in the budding industry.

Logo Contest Launched

There's a big cash prize up for grabs for a creative mind.

The Kenora District Interactive Digital Platform is in need of a new logo and tag line.

James Harvey says the public will get to vote on line for the submission they

like the best.

The artist with the best submission will recieve 500 dollars!

Housing Prices on the Rise

House prices in northwestern Ontario have gone up by 26 percent over the past four years.

That's according to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

MPAC released its first ever report today, and it shows housing prices have increased more in northern Ontario than any other part of the province.

For the province as a whole, housing prices have gone up an average of 17 percent since 2008.

Police Confirm One Dead in Whitefish Bay Shooting

One person is dead following a shooting incident on the Whitefish Bay First Nation southeast of Kenora.

The OPP confirm that 61 year old Charles Minshall was shot early Sunday morning.

Minshall lived in a residence attached to the store.

The Treaty Three Police and the OPP responded after they received a report of gunfire in the area of the store.

Minshall was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem exam will be conducted later today at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Police say they don't have a suspect in custody, but are asking anyone with information to contact the Treaty Three Police Crime Unit, the OPP or Crimestoppers.

OPG ready to wean Atikokan Plant off Coal

The switch from coal to biomass at Ontario Power Generation's plant in Atikokan will begin this fall.

Work on the 200-million dollar conversion will result in the plant actually stopping the use of coal this October.

Plant Manager Chris Fralick say the existing workforce of 85 will remain on site.

The plant will begin burning biomass in 2014.

Red Lake OPP lay Sex Assault Charges

A 25-year-old Cochenour man faces a long list of charges after a 50-year-old woman was sexually assaulted.

Red Lake Provincial Police say the two knew each other and the incident occurred at a Cochenour home.

OPP say the accused faces counts of break and enter, overcoming reistance to commit and offence, forcible confinement and sexual assault causing bodily harm.

The victim was transported to hospital and released.

The accused remains in custody and no names have been released.

More Fire Crews Heading to Northwestern Ontario

Badly needed help for weary firefighters in Northwestern Ontario.

20-firerangers from Saskatchewan and 20-from New Brunswick are joining local crews on the fire lines.

Waterbombers from Quebec and Newfoundland have also been called in.

20-firerangers from Minnesota arrived last week.

Five new fires were reported yesterday, bringing the number of active fires up to 70.

OPP Says Phone Scams on the Rise

The OPP say they have been getting complaints about an increasing number of telephone scams in recent weeks.

In one incident, a local resident agreed to donate 250 dollars to a charity they figured was worthwhile, and provided their credit card number over the phone.

Only after making the transaction did they contract police to ask whether the call was legitimate.

An officer was able to work with their financial institution to stop the payment from going through.

Police say local residents have also complained of phone calls about securing winnings or vacation packages.

The OPP remind you that if it seems to too good to be true, it likely is.

Cargo North Ready to Launch New Service

A new service is coming to Northwestern Ontario.

Cargo North President Frank Kelner announced the purchase of a new aircraft which will provide air cargo services.

Kelner thinks that this new addition, a Basler Turbo 67, will help a lot of businesses and companies.

The launch date is expected to be November 1.

Kelner says he has obtained 2 more planes by 2013.

LOWBIC Website Garners Award

Lake of the Woods Business Incentive Corporation is showing off some new hardware.

Executive Director of LOWBIC, Ryan Reynard says their website was singled out at a recent conference.

Reynard adds that the website is often the first point of contact for a number of would-be entrepreneurs in the area.

The award was handed out at the annual general meeting of the Ontario Association of Community Future Development Corporations.

Cocaine Bust in RIDE Stop

OPP RIDE Check Stops nab more than just drunk drivers.

Over the weekend, the OPP pulled over a vehicle on Railway Street during a RIDE program.

During one check, officers managed to seize almost a gram of cocaine.

44 year old Jordan Chesterfield of Winnipeg has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and obstructing police.

He's scheduled to appear in Kenora Court at the end of August on the charges.