Marijuana and Mushrooms Sized by Kenora OPP

Kenora OPP have been arrested 2 people following a drug bust in the city.

On Thursday police stopped a vehicle on highway 17.

Upon investigation police found 400 grams of marijuana and 2 grams of magic mushrooms.

The value of the seized drugs is roughly 9 thousand dollars.

As a result a 17 year old and a 21 year old man, both from Toronto, have been charged with multiple possession charges.

They will both answer to the charges next month in Kenora court.

Ice Roads Starting to Deteriorate

The warmer weather is playing havoc with local ice roads.

Windigo Island says the ice road is passable from the MNR landing
in Kenora to French Portage, but after that there is a lot of slush.

The band says there is still lots of ice on the lake, but
suggests only people with four wheel drives use the
ice roads at this time, due to all the slush.

New Chief for Shoal Lake #39

A new chief has been elected on the Shoal Lake #39 First Nation.

Fawn Wapioke beat out incumbant Eli Mandamin for the top job.

She'll be joined on the new council by Karen Keejick, Leon Douglas Mandamin Senior, Earl Stanley Wapioke and Vanessa Fedus.

The band elections were held this past Wednesday.

Kenora To Host Volunteer Service Awards

The region's volunteers will be honoured at a ceremony planned for Kenora this May.

The Ontario Volunteer Service Awards will be handed out to volunteers for continuous service to an organization of between 5 and 60 years.

Youth will also be recognized for two or more years of volunteer service.

The Kenora event will take place May 27.

Alberta Clipper Swerves South

 Positive weather news has been in short supply this winter, but things are looking
a little better today than expected.

An Alberta Clipper is just making it's way into northwestern Ontario, but fortunately we'll only just get clipped by it.

Environment Canada has lifted it's special weather statement for the Kenora
area.

We can still expect some snow today, but only a couple of centimeters compared to the five to 10 for the Fort Frances area.

Council Approves Keewatin CIP

Keewatin is the next part of the city that will be getting a Community Improvement Plan.

City Council agreed to put just over 39 thousand dollars in this year's budget to develop the plan.

Councillor Sharon Smith pushed council to fund the CIP and is glad the
rest of council agreed.

Smith says if the municipal budget is passed Monday, then a request for proposals will go out to develop Keewatin's Community Improvement Plan.

Kenora's Cultural Ranking Rankles

Kenora has been named in the top 15 Canadian cities to move out of.

That ranking came from a recent report on citiesjournal.com stating there is no culture in the city.

Harbourfest chair Randy Nickle says that simply not true.

Nickle notes that the report is cynical in the fact it only looks for financial figures and ignores the work of volunteers in the city.

Harbourfest, Trylight Theatre, LOWAC, and Winter Bites are examples Nickle gave of culture in they city.

Kenora Hunter Fined

A Kenora man has been fined 2 thousand dollars for illegally killing a moose.

In October last year William Carson was contacted by MNR conservation officers at a fly in cabin North of Kenora.

Carson informed the officers that he forgot to bring his hunting licence and calf seal with him.

Upon arriving back in town Carson admitted to not having a licence.

He was fined 1 thousand dollars for hunting moose without a licence and another 1 thousand for making a misleading statement.

First Nations Group Worried About New Aboriginal Education Act

Their is some concern from Anishinabek Nation Chiefs when it comes to Federal legislation of first nations education.

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee says legislation introduced by the government in early February does not allow communities more control over their education.

Madahbee adds that it's time for the government to simply listen to first nations educators.

Reservist Applications Going On-Line

The local reserve unit doesn't want you to fall through the cracks.

Master Bombardier Lynn Danielson with Kenora's 116th Field Battery says the DND is changing the application process.

The military is doing away with paper applications and now doing them on-line.

Danielson says it's a good idea to find out where your application stands.

More information you can contact Danielson at:

807-468-6749 or lynn.danielson@force.gc.ca

Ontario Beekeepers Get Provincial Support

Premier Kathleen Wynne is thanking the Ontario Bee Health Working Group for their report into the risk honey bees face from pesticide use.

Wynne adds that the province is working with the Federal Government when it comes to the use of pesticides.

Barry Tabor from the Thunder Bay Beekeepers Association says 1.2-million dollars in funding from the province is a good start.

Tabor says he would of liked to see more attention given to bee keepers instead of growers, in the bee health working group's report.