Kenora Restaurant Fined by MNR

A Kenora restaurant has been fined 1 thousand dollars by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The charges against Hing's Chop Suey House stem from a 2013 incident regarding illegally purchased fish.

Conservation Officers had continually informed Owner Gam Hing Choo of purchasing requirements for fish since 2007.

In July last year the MNR inspected the restaurant where they found 22 kilograms of fish stored in bread bags and garbage bags.

Owner Gam Hing Choo said the fish were exchanged with strangers for food from the restaurant.

The MNR confiscated the fish at that time.

The restaurant has been fined 750 dollars for buying fish without a licence.

Meanwhile Choo was fined 250 dollars for illegally buying fish.

Section of Essex Road Flooded

A new detour to report North of Kenora.

Rising waters on the Black Sturgeon Lakes has flooded a section of Essex Road just south of the Lajeunesse Bridge.

The city has not closed the roadway but travel is not advised and a detour has been put in place.

The flooded roadway is also affecting school bus KN-15.

The Northwest Student Services Consortium says the route will be delayed by 30 minutes.

RCMP Release Report on Missing Aboriginal Women

Some startling statistics from a new report by the RCMP about murdered or missing aboriginal women.

The report shows there are near twice as many murders involving aboriginal woman than prevously thought.

Superintendant Tyler Bates says the report was seven months in the making and involved
over 300 police agencies across Canada.

The report shows there were just over one thousand murdered aboriginal women in Canada
between 1980 and 2012.

Original estimates had put that figure at between 580 and 800 murders.

Bates adds that they have solved 88 percent of those cases, which is almost identical to the
national clearance rate of 89 percent.

The report also shows there are still 169 open cases of missing aboriginal women.

Campbell Supports Calls For New Cabinet Position

The incumbent MPP for Kenora-Rainy River is supporting her party's plan to create a new cabinet position aimed at helping the province find savings.

The NDP's Sarah Campbell says a Minister of Savings and Accountability is an important step towards restoring trust in government.

Meanwhile, the NDP are looking to help Ontario's lowest paid workers and small businesses.

Leader Andrea Horwath confirming she will increase the minimum wage to 12 dollars an hour under an NDP government.

Horwath says she'd also make a 1.5 per cent cut on the corporate tax rate for small businesses.

All Quiet On Forest Fire Front

Cool wet weather is keeping the forest fire situation quiet in northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says there have been just seven fire this year, all human caused.

So far there have been three wild fires reported in the Kenora District.

Province-wide, there have been 14 fires, compared with 81 at this time last year.

OPP Concerned About ATV Accidents

Ontario Provincial Police are warning motorists to drive safely and responsibly this Victoria Day long weekend.

Officers will be on the road focusing on the big four offences; impaired driving, seat belts, distracted driving and aggressive driving.

Police are reminding drivers to plan ahead and take plenty of time to get to your destination safely.

OPP will be paying close attention to ATV drivers.

The number of deaths linked to off-road vehicles has hit a four year high and has doubled in just two years.

Speed Limit Dropping On Lakeview Drive

It's going to take a little longer to commute between Kenora and Keewatin.

City council is looking at a proposal to reduce the speed limit from 60 down
to 50 kilometers an hour from the Dairy Queen to the Keewatin Channel Bridge.

Operations manager Rick Perchuck says with the new marina being developed
at Cameron Bay, they are worried about the impact of increased traffic in the area.

He adds that the city will also be posting signage advising motorists that the shoulders of Lakeview Drive in that area are a no-parking zone.

Slow Start Expected To Tourist Season

It may not feel like it but it's tourism season in the Northwest.

Executive director of Sunset Country Travel Gerry Cariou
says we are very likely to see below normal numbers of visitors throughout the region.

The seasonal residents are the only ones impacted by the ice as some local camps have been forced to cancel bookings.

Cariou is looking forward to one aspect of the weekend, Walleye season officially begins tomorrow.

Beaver Brae Places 4th At Provincial Envirothon

A fourth place finish for Beaver Brae at the annual provincial Envirothon championships.

The eco-Broncos have spent the past four days in Lindsey at Sir Sandford Fleming College.

Beaver Brae was one of 14 high schools represented at the Envirothon, and was the lone representitive
from northern Ontario.

The awards were handed out last night and the students are expected home later today.

Grassy Narrows Has It's Day at the Supreme Court

It could be a while before the Supreme Court of Canada renders a decision in
the issue of clear cut logging on the Grassy Narrows First Nation.

Yesterday the Supreme Court heard a steady stream of arguments over whether the
province has the right to issue sustainable forest licences on Treaty lands.

Mark Crow is represents the Ministry of Natural Resources and says it's clear that the government of Ontario has the legal authority.

Lawyer for Grassy Narrows Robert Janes says the federal government negotiated Treaty Three and only it has the authority to deal with those lands.

Ontario Releases Sex Offender Data

Northwestern Ontario has some of the highest rates of sex offenders per capita in Ontario.

The Supreme Court of Canada had ordered the release of the statistics and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services has complied.

The POX postal code in the Kenora area has 49 listed sex offenders.

The POV area code which includes Red Lake, Ear Falls and more than a dozen First Nations, has 122-registered offenders.

The Dryden area has 16 convicted sex offenders, while Sioux Lookout recorded 11.

Nickle Opens Kenora Campaign Office

The Kenora-Rainy River Conservative candidate is out promoting his parties 'Million Jobs' plan.

Randy Nickle says there's great potential in northwestern Ontario to create new positions and believes the mining sector is the place to start.

Nickle says controlling energy prices will also help attract new business to the north.

Nickle officially opened his campaign offices in Kenora yesterday.

Wisk Air To Provide Northern Services

Several First Nation communities at James Bay and Hudson Bay are getting helicopter services thanks to Thunder Bay's Wisk Air.

Company President Mark Wiskeman says his company has reached an agreement with Cree West to help residents fly between communities.  

As part of the deal, Sioux Lookout's Northern Skies will provide fixed wing service to the communities.

Sports Committee Donates Funds To OPP Summer Camp

The Lake of the Woods Sports Committee has been defunct for a long time, but it's still giving back to the community.

The committee recently closed it's bank account and donated the proceedings to the OPP's summer camp.

Constable Dave Cain says they'll use the funds to help defray the costs.

Just over 17 hundred dollars was donated to the summer camp by the Sports Committee.

Grade 7 and 8 Track Stars Excel in Dryden

Grade seven and eight students from Kenora cleaned up at the Dryden Invitational Track and Field meet.

Haylee Creed was the top performer on the girls side.

The Thomas Aquinas student won the girls 100 meter dash and placed second in
the 100 meter hurdles.

Katie Marcine was third in the girls 100 meter race.

Meanwhile Rebecca Huisman won the intermediate girls 400 meter dash with Micalie Wells placing
second.

On the boys side, Jared Neniska from T.A. won the boys 100 meter hurdles and finished third in the 100
meter dash.

Clark Boucha from Beaver Brae won the boys 100 meter race.

Other medal winners were Antwon Fair who place second in the senior boys 800 meter race, while Chase Becks was third

Fair was also
third in the 15 hundred.