OPP Investigate Hit and Run

The Kenora OPP are investigating a hit and run in the Veterans Drive area on Wednesday around 11:30 in the morning.

Police say a cyclist was hit by a grey GMC or Chevrolet pick up truck which then took off.

The cyclist suffered minor injuries in the accident.

The vehicle is missing a side mirror.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the OPP or Crimestoppers.

Justice Sinclair Addresses Residential School Abuse

After five years listening to the abuse in Canada's residential school system, the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission admits he's still shocked by some of the revelations coming out of the hearings.

Murray Sinclair is chair of the Commission and says at least six thousand
aboriginal students never made it out of the residential school system alive.

Instead, Sinclair says the residential school system continued to operate
in Canada for another 67 years after the first revelations about wide-spread abuse were raised.

Sinclair was in Kenora last night as part of a series on the exhibit called We Were Taught differently put on by the Lake of the Woods Museum.

Work Schedule Released for Whiskey Jack Forest

A large section of the Whiskey Jack Forest north of Kenora will be off-limits to logging activity this summer.

The Annual work schedule has been released and an Individual Environmental Assessment will prevent work from taking place in the Grassy Narrows Traditional Land Use Territory.

District manager with the Ministry of Natural Resource Deb Weedon says they hope to begin work in the area within four months time.

In the interim Weedon says forest management activities are taking place in lands outside of the IEA guidelines.

Cancer Society Releases New Data on Skin Cancer

Some alarming news regarding skin cancer rates.

New data indicates skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada with an estimated 6,500 new cases expected to be diagnosed this year.

Canadian Cancer Society spokesperson Kelly Cull says people are spending more time in the sun or tanning beds and not using sunscreen.

Cull says skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer.

During the summer, the Canadian Cancer Society will begin an awareness campaign to talk about the dangers of tanning - they will target adults between 15 and 39.

Hudak Expected to Skip NWO

Don't expect to see PC leader Tim Hudak in northwestern Ontario before the televised election debate next week.

And local party organizers won't say if Hudak will visit here before the June 12th vote.  

A Conservative spokesperson says that party organizers in southern Ontario are going to be sizing up their leader's performance on Tuesday against the Liberal's Kathleen Wynne and Andrea Horwath of the NDP.

After that Parks says they will try to determine what areas of the province a visit will give them, the biggest bang for their buck

Northwest OPP Officer Faces Theft Charges

The OPP are charging one of their own with several criminal offences.

It stems from an investigation into incidents occuring between October 2012 and March 2014.

Detective Constable Rory Thompson based out of Thunder Bay, is a ten year member of the force is charged with 8 counts of theft under 5-thousand, and one count of fraud under 5-thousand.

Thompson has been suspended with pay and will appear in court on July 11th.

NOSM Researchers Look Aboriginal Infections

A researcher at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine is making a name for herself.  

Dr. Marina Ulanova is leading a team trying to develop a vaccine for a bacterial infection that strikes mainly Aboriginal people in northwestern Ontario.  

She says the reseach is at the next stage with volunteers from First Nation communities

Ulanova says the research shows the school is carrying out its mandate to improve the health of people living in the north.

Northwest Resident Killed in Jamaica

A tragedy in Jamaica where a Thunder Bay man died in a cliff diving accident near Negril.

Jamaican police say 26-year old Taylor Rankin was killed after jumping from a cliff at the popular tourist spot outside of Rick's Bar and Grill.

The accident happened on Tuesday afternoon.

Muskies Win NorWOSSA Soccer Gold

Plenty of gold for the black and gold.

Fort Frances dominated the NorWOSSA Double "a" soccer championships in Kenora yesterday.

The Muskies won both boys and girls titles at the Tom Nabb Soccer Complex beating Dryden in both finals.

Beaver Brae's boys and girls teams bowed out in the semi-finals.

The Broncos lost 3-1 to Dryden in the boys semi and 1-0 in the girls play-off.

Meanhile, a quick turn-around for the Thomas Aquinas girls soccer team.

The Saints are en route to Terrace Bay today for the NWOSSA championships.

T.A.'s first game is 6:30 this evening in game one of the best-of-three final.

The Thomas Aquinas boys will play their first game of the NWOSSA championship
tomorrow morning at the T.A. field at 9:30.