Half Load Restrictions Now In Place

Another sign spring is running about a month behind schedule.

The City of Kenora is putting load restrictions on a number of
municipal roads starting today.

Load restrictions were supposed to go into effect at the start of
March, but were delayed due to the cold weather.

Signs posting the half-load restrictions have been now been
uncovered on most of the gravel roads in the city.

New Medical Officer of Health On the Job

A new face at the Northwestern Health Unit.

With Dr. Jim Arthurs now retired, Dr. Kit Young-Hoon as taken over of medical officer of health.

Young-Hoon says she can't wait to get to work.

Young-Hoon comes from Toronto public Health where she was working in a similar role in Hamilton.

She also has teaching experience at Lakehead University.

Ice Anglers Encouraged to Be Careful on Local Lakes

Anglers across northwestern Ontario are being advised to be aware of ice conditions before fishing on the ice.

Uneven thickness, holes and cracks, and flowing water can make for weakened ice.

Anglers should check conditions and carry protective equipment as a precaution.

Hospital Approves Quality Improvement Plan

Improving patient care at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

That's the goal of the new Quality Improvement Plan.

CEO Mark Balcaen says lots of topics are covered in the plan.

Reducing the length of stays for Alternative care patients and improvement to the discharge system are 2 recommendations.

The QIP is monitored monthly to ensure progress is being made on all 10 areas of concern.

LOWBIC Surpasses One Million in Business Loans in 2013

Another big year for the Lake of the Woods Business Incentive Corporation.

At the AGM Executive Director Ryan Reynard announced LOWBIC once again issued over  one million dollars in business loans in 2013.

Reynard says the money is well spent.

He notes the loans helped support 123 jobs in the region.

Also at the meeting Les Ainspac was welcomed back onto the board of directors.

Terrace Bay Pulp Faces Major Fine

A northwestern Ontario mill has been fined 275 thousand dollars for an explosion that killed a worker in 2011.

The incident at Terrace Bay Pulp claimed the life of an individual in on Halloween that year.

An investigation determined that welding repairs to a steel tank had been allowed to proceed before the tank had been cleared of hazardous material.

The probe also found that reasonable precautions to the planning and co-ordination of activities in preparing for the work on the tank were not taken by the mill.

The explosion created a 30 foot hole in the roof of the mill and a debris field of about 300 feet.

OPP Urge Local Residents to Be Bear Wise

The public is being reminded by the Ontario Provincial Police that simple precautions can go a long way in reducing interactions with bears as they come out of hibernation.

Cleaning barbecue grills after each use and picking fruits and berries off the ground before rotting are just a few of the recommendations.

Police also say residents should put away their bird feeders and only put garbage out the morning of pick up as bears come out of hibernation.

Attorney General To Focus on Aboriginal Justice

The Provincial Government is creating a new leadership position at the Ministry of the Attorney General's office.

The new position will focus on aboriginal justice.

Nishnawbe Aski Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says it's good news.

The position will be posted shortly and Fiddler hopes to see someone in the job by the summer.

Province Urged to Clean Up Contaminants

Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy is calling on the Government and Industry to help clean up environmental contamination found on or near area First Nations.

Beardy feels it only makes sense for industry to help pay for the clean up since they made the mess in the first place.

Beardy made the comments last week in a news release.

Prospectors Hold Annual Conference This Week

Perserverance in Challenging Times.

That's the theme of this year's 2014 Mines and Minerals Symposium held by the Ontario Prospectors Association.

Executive Director Garry Clark says they are hoping for a great turn out.

The event is being held in Thunder Bay Tuesday and Wednesday this week at the Vallhalla Inn.

Lake of the Woods Canucks Take Silver

(Photo provided by Nadine Hoshawa)

A good way to finish the regular season in girls minor hockey.

The Lake of the Woods Canucks Atom hockey team brought home
a silver medal from a tournament in Morris, Manitoba over the weekend.

The Canucks dropped a 1-0 decision to McDonald in the gold medal game yesterday.

The Canucks topped their pool in the round robin with two wins and a tie advancing directly to yesterday's final.