Broncos lose in OFSAA Semi-Finals

Beaver Brae's girls hockey team will be playing for a medal at the All-Ontario High School Championships in Belleville...but it won't be gold.

The Broncos lost their first game at OFSAA, a 7-0 decision to the Number one team in the tournament, St. Theresa from Belleville in the semi-finals yesterday afternoon.

Beaver Brae has been relegated to the bronze medal game tomorrow morning.

They will face the 6th ranked team, St. Stephens from Bowmanville.

Game time is 8:00 tomorrow morning.

Broncos advance to OFSAA Semi-Finals

Beaver Brae is into the medal round at the All-Ontario girls high school hockey championships taking place in Belleville.

The Broncos got by Ecole Secondaire Louis Riel 4-1 this morning in quarter-final action.

Rylee Smith, Hannah Rose, Spencer Alcock and Hayley Moncrief each scored for Beaver Brae.

Their next game is a tough one against the number one seed in the tournament, St. Theresa from Belleville.

That game is a 1:00 start.

The winner moves onto the final, the loser heads to the bronze medal game tomorrow.

Northern Ice Roads Closed

Quick deteriorating winter road conditions has led to unsafe driving conditions on the winter road network in the Far North.

Nishnawbe-Aski Police say several vehicles have attempted to use the road network and have become stuck.

Most Northern communities have closed their winter roads.

Development Commission releases 2012 Work Plan

The Lake of the Woods Economic Development Commission expects to see more investment in the City of Kenora this year.

The Commission released its 2012 work plan yesterday.

Chair Dennis Wallace says over the past five years the city has invested a lot of money in infrastructure upgrades, and he expects that will pay off.

Wallace says he also expects more investment in the former Abitibi lands in the coming year.

Kenora's new brand to be released next week

A two month long process to come up with a new tourism brand for the City of Kenora is coming to an end.

An official unveiling of Kenora's re-branding will take place next Friday.

The city has been working with tourism guru Roger Brooks on the re-branding process and a small group was tasked with coming up with a single concept to market the city.

The official unveiling will take place March 30th at the Discovery Center.

Campbell endorses Ashton for NDP Leadership

Local New Democrats are split over who to support in the upcoming leadership vote.

Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Sarah Campbell has come out in support of Niki Ashton from northern Manitoba.

Tania Cameron, the NDP candidate in the last federal election says she'll be throwing her support behind Paul Dewar, while former Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Howard Hampton is supporting leadership frontrunner Thomas Mulcair.

The NDP will elect a new leader this weekend at a convention taking place in Toronto.

Red Lake Airport Gets Funding

Safety improvements at the Red Lake Airport.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford has announced 250-thousand dollars in funding for the purchase of a new snowplow truck.

The money is also being used for a replacement cable for the omnidirectional approach lights.

Rickford says the investment is the finishing touches to the Airport after a new permieter fence and parking lot were funded last year.

Mayor Phil Vinet says they are greatful for the on-going support.

Canfield won't endorse VLT's

Don't expect to be able to play Video Lottery Terminals in Kenora anytime soon.

Earlier this week, hotel owner, Doug Stemkowski lobbied the city to support VLT's in local bars and restaurants.

Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield says its not something he's eager to get into right now.

Yesterday, Premier Dalton McGuinty suggest municipalities would be able to hold referendums on whether to allow VLT's in the future.

City Council Costs released

The City of Kenora is in the middle of the pack when it comes to council salary and travel costs.

Last year the mayor and council were given a total of just over 129 thousand dollars.

That includes their honorarium, travel costs and per diems.

Councillor Louis Roussin had the highest travel costs last year, with just under 66 hundred dollars

to get to and from conferences.

Mayor Dave Canfield was about 100 dollars behind.

Last year Dryden spent 125 thousand dollars on council expenses, while Fort Frances was at 135 thousand.

Union Gas Rates Going Down

Look for lower natural gas bills soon.

Paul Crawford of the Ontario Energy Board says Union Gas has been approved for a rate decrease that takes effect April 1st.

Crawford says the decrease is due to a lower than expected price Union Gas will pay for natural gas over the next twelve months.

More Temperature Records Falls in NWO

Ho-Hum...another day another weather record in Kenora.

For the 7th consecutive day temperatures in Kenora his record highs.

Bill Laidlaw from Signal Weather Services says yesterday we hit 17.2 degrees at the Airport, which beat the previous record for March 21st of 12.8.

That record was set way back in 1939.

Fort Frances was once again the hot spot at 20 degrees, its ninth consective day of record warm

weather.

Broncos advance to Quarter-Finals at OFSAA

Beaver Brae's girls hockey team is into the quarter-final round at the All-Ontario High School Hockey Championships taking place in Belleville.

The Broncos finished the round robin with a 3-0 win over Smith Falls yesterday afternoon.

Hannah Rose had her third goal of the round robin, while Jodi Melillo and Spencer Alcock also scored. It was Alcock's first goal of the season for Beaver Brae.

The Broncos finished the round robin at the top of their pool with a record of three wins and a tie.

They play this morning at 9:00 against Ecole Secondaire Louis Riel from Ottawa.

The winner will advance to this afternoon's medal round.