Near Record Year for Snow Removal

The Kenora area received another 15 centimeters of snow yesterday
and that's posing problems for the city's operations department.

Manager Rick Perchuck says expects it will be a record year for snow
removal, when all is said and done.

Perchuck adds that their supplies of winter sand are also running low.

He is asking local residents to be patient as city crews work to get all the
city streets cleared.

2013 Municipal Budget Passes

The 2013 municipal budget is officially in the books, but not all
councillors are happy with the one percent decrease in the mill rate.

Councillor Louis Roussin was the only person to vote against the budget.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield admits he also isn't 100 percent happy with the budget, but feels its the best they could do under the circumstances.

Canfield says even with a one percent decrease in the millrate, some
homeowners could see an increase in their taxes of as much as 10 percent due to the increase in property assessments.

Ontario High Court Rules Against Grassy Narrow

Ontario's highest court has ruled that the province has the right to ``take up'' treaty land for mining and forestry.
 
The Grassy Narrows First Nation challenged Ontario's right to permit industrial logging on its traditional lands, saying it infringed on their hunting and trapping rights under a treaty they signed in 1873.
   
The Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled Monday that the province doesn't need the federal government's approval to ``take up'' the lands, a decision that overturns a lower-court ruling.
   
The First Nation has spent 13 years in court fighting the province's decision to issue a licence to Resolute Forest Products for clear cut operations in parts of the Keewatin portion of Treaty 3 territory.

Dryden's City Manager Calling It Quits

Dryden's City Manager is calling it quits.

Joe van Koeverden has announced he will be leaving the community and is moving to Central Ontario.

Van Koeverden says the reason behind his move is more personal.

Van Koeverden says council will talk about a replacement during the closed portion of tonight's meeting.

Job Fair Today

A total of 18 employers will be represented at a job fair taking place in
Kenora today.

Employment Outreach 2013 will take place today at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Josee Mantel is with the Kenora District Services Board and says there is
a wide spectrum of agencies and businesses that will be represented.

The Job Fair will run from 10:00 this morning until 3:00 this afternoon.

School Bus Cancellations Expanded

The Northwest Student Services Consortium has expanded its school
bus cancellations today.

It has already pulled buses off the road in Kenora, Dryden, Vermillion Bay,
Red Lake and Ear Falls.

Now Sioux Lookout and Ignace have been added to the list.

School bus officials says they are concerned with the state of local roads,
especially side streets and lanes, which are still snow-clogged after yesterday's storm.

Local schools will remain open for any students who walk or who can get
a ride.

Meanwhile, municipal transit services are running as normal today.