Water Quality Forum this week

The International Joint Commission is getting kudos for supporting a report on water quality on Lake of the Woods.

The report was submitted to the federal government's in Canada and the United States at the end of January.

Todd Sellars is the executive director of the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation and says the report is the culmination of years of work.

The Foundation is hosting its annual water quality forum later this week in International Falls, Minnesota.

Hospital going smoke-free

It's soon going to be hard to find a place to smoke on the grounds of Lake of the Woods District  Hospital.

Starting next month, the hospital will have just one smoking area on its campus.

Chief Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says their goal is to eliminate all smoking in the next year or so.

Belcaen says all hospitals across the region are reducing the number of smoking areas on their property.

Clement defends closure of summer student job centers

FedNor Minister Tony Clement is standing by his government's decision to cut the funding for summer student job centres.

Clement was in Thunder Bay yesterday and says they're offering the same services online.

Clement says they don't need the overhead costs of operating an actual office during the summer months.

Impaired Driver Crashes on Ice Road

A police chase on the ice road on Lake of the Woods was cut short by a snow bank.

The OPP say they were contacted about a possible drunk driver while doing the rounds of the bars in downtown Kenora early Sunday morning.

Police tried to pull the vehicle over, but the driver fled to the ice road and started driving towards Treaty Island.

A short time later officers were contacted about a vehicle that had gone off the ice road south of Treaty Island.

Officers arrested a 54 year old Kenora man.

He has been charged with impaired driving and flight from police.

Big Trout Lake to Protest in Toronto

A northwestern Ontario First Nation is holding a protest early this afternoon in Toronto in its fight against mining exploration on what it says are sacred burial grounds.

Big Trout Lake says God's Lake Resources plans to mine for gold on its territory, about 600 kilometres northeast of Kenora.

They plan to rally in downtown Toronto at the Metro Convention Centre to oppose the project.

The First Nation gained national attention in 2008 when six of its leaders were jailed for opposing the Platinex mining company.

Highway 105 due for upgrades

Upgrades are expected to begin shortly on a stretch of Highway near Ear Falls.

The Province is reconstructing 27-kilometres of Highway 105, north of Highway 657.

The project will create about 65-jobs.

Miller Northwest has been awarded the 8.9-million dollar contract.

Saints complete round robin at OFSAA

A bit of a setback for the Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team at the All-Ontario Championships in Toronto.

The Saints finished the round robin yesterday with a 3-1 record.

Their lone blemish of the day came against Chippewa Secondary School from North Bay.

They lost in straight sets, suffering their first defeat of the season.

T.A. bounced back with a win over Acton High School in their final game last night.

The Saints will advance to the quarter-finals this afternoon.

A win will put them into the medal round once again, a loss will send them home.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas Senior Boys basketball team started strong, but faded down the stretch losing a 64-47 decision to Ecole Secondaire Lajeunesse from Windsor.

Alex Gamboa led the Saints in scoring with 16 points, while Jake Boutwell added 9 in a losing cause.

T.A.'s next game is this afternoon at 12:45 against Deslauriers from Ottawa.