Koch Retires from CFL

Kenora's Kyle Koch has officially called it a career.

The Toronto Argonauts announced last week that the 6'2' offensive lineman has retired.

The Argos acquired the rights to Koch last September after he had been released by the Edmonton Eskimos.

He spent seven years in the CFL and was initially signed as a free-agent by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in
2007.

Koch played his college career with the McMaster Marauders and his high school football with the
Beaver Brae Broncos.

Broncos bow out of NorWOSSA play-offs

A tough day on the pitch for the Beaver Brae soccer teams at the Norwossa double "A" playoffs.

The Bronco Boys fell 3-1 to Dryden in this mornings semi final.

Tyler Kinger scored Beaver Brae's lone goal on a penalty kick.

Meanwhile the girls squad also fell 1-nil against the Eagles.

Both Dryden squads will take on Fort Frances this afternoon in the gold medal games.

NWHU Launches Do One Thing Campaign

The Northwestern Health Unit is targeting youth in the region.

Medical Officer of Health Doctor Kit Young Hoon launched the Do On Thing Campaign this morning.

Young Hoon says social media is a key aspect, as they will be using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to interact with the community.

She adds that the main goal of the campaign is to reduces heart attacks, strokes, and cancers which are the leading causes of death in the region.

Included in the Do One Thing Campaign is a 21 day challenge, which can be found here, to help promote healthy lifestyle choices.

The campaign will run for 3 years.

Community Foundation Ready To Launch Fundraising Challenge

10 thousand dollars in 10 hours.

That's the fundraising goal of the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation this month.

Darlene McGillvray is the executive director and says they will be trying to raise the month on May 30th as part of their 10th anniversary celebrations.

The 10 hour challenge will be held at both the Copperfin Credit Union and Lake of the Woods Brewing Company.

Dryden Residents Pushing For Zero Tax Increase

The City of Dryden is out with its 2014 budget.

The 25.3-million dollar budget follows 4-million dollars in savings found by staff, including 900-thousand dollars in department cost savings.

Chief Administrative Officer Andre Larabie says they did their best to reduce operating costs.

However, residents attending a public meeting last night demanded Larabie to go back to the table and find more savings.

They were quite vocal on a zero percent increase.

Justice Murray Sinclair To Speak At Seven Generations

The chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is making a return
appearance in Kenora.

Justice Murray Sinclair will be the keynote speaker this evening at Seven Generations
in the gymnasium in the old Lakewood School.

The Museum is reprising it's exhibit We Were Taught Differently, about the
aboriginal experience in the residential school system.

Sinclair will  be making his address at 7:00 this evening.

Kenora Drug Unit Arrests Two Men

A couple of Kenora men face drug charges following an investigation by the Community Drug Action Team and the Kenora Drug Unit.

Police say they witnessed what looked to be a drug transaction on Monday.

The OPP say a small amount of hydromorphone pills were seized.

25 year old Harley McLeod has been charged with trafficking a controlled sustance and possesion of property obtained by crime under five thousand dollars.

He's being held pending a bail hearing.

A 54 year old man faces a charge of possession of a controlled substance and breach of probation.

TSB Looks Into Red Lake Airport Accident

The Transportation Safety Board says no further action will be taken after a scary incident in Red Lake.

A Sky Care aircraft belly-landed at the Red Lake Airport last Friday.

Reports say 9 residents of Pikangikum were on board.

A letter from the First Nations community indicates that one person was transported to hospital, while another one suffered a knee injury.

The letter also indicates a lack of response from emergency personnel and states no one attended to the passengers to see if they were all right.

The TSB says the incident was reported and investigators have taken a look at the matter.

Highway 17 Near Wawa Closed

Long distance drivers take note.  

Highway 17,  18 kilometres south of Wawa remains closed.  It's so road repair work can take place.

OPP say traffic is being detoured on to Highway's 101 and 129 and they advise that long distance truck traffic may wish to take Highway 11 from North Bay to Nipigon.

The Highway should reopen today.

The Names of Weekend Accident Victims Released

The OPP have released the names of two men killed in a collision on Highway 17 east between Kenora and Dryden.

37 year old Adrian Chapados of Saskatchewan was the driver of a Ford Mustang and was pronounced dead at the scene.

18 year old Frisco McRae of Quebec was taken by ambulence to hospital in Dryden, but later died from his injuries.

The accident took place near Eagle River shortly after 6:00 Sunday morning and closed that section of the
Trans-Canada for much of the day.

The occupants of the semi were not injured and the OPP say no charges have been laid.

No Clear Cut Winner in Northern Leaders Debate

Just who won Monday's northern ontario leaders debate?

Liberal Kathleen Wynne and NDP Andrea Horwath went head to head on a number of issues.

Lakehead University Professor Laure Paquette says to her there wasn't a clear winner.

Paquette adds that the NDP's Andrea Horwath had more reason to go after the Liberals since she had to show how different their platforms are.

Mosquito Season Just Around the Corner

Don't look now, but the onslaught of mosquitoes is about to begin.  

Ken Deacon is a regional insect expert, and says we should start noticing them any day now.

He says the wet spring means there is more standing water, which is an excellent breeding
ground for mosquitoes.

Deacon says to expect some great big mosquitoes to show themselves by the weekend.

Meantime, Deacon says West Nile virus shouldn't be a problem since the species of mosquito that spreads the disease isn't common here

Saints Soccer Teams Win Gold

A pair of gold medals for Thomas Aquinas soccer teams.

The Saints girls continued their offensive on-slaught in a 4-1 win over Rainy River.

T.A. scored 13 goals in the two NorWOSSA play-off games they played this week.

They now head to Terrace Bay for the NWOSSA finals this weekend.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas boys eked out a 1-0 win over Sioux Lookout.

Ben Dennis scored late in the game to earn T.A. another trip to the NWOSSA Finals.

The Saints will host Manitouadge in a best-of-three affair starting Friday.

Meanwhile, the NorWOSSA double "a" soccer championships take place at the Tom Nabb Soccer

Complex today.

Beaver Brae's boys and girls teams will play Dryden in Semi-final action starting at 10:00 this morning.

The winner of those games will move on to play Fort Frances for Gold this afternoon.