Road Safety Week

National Road Safety Week starts today and OPP across our Region will be out in full force ensuring that drivers follow the rules.


16 people were killed on Northwestern Ontario roads last year and 364 injuries were reported.

9 people have died as a result of crashes on roads patrolled by OPP in the Northwest Region this year.

Land Ambulence Base in Kenora debated

The Kenora District Services Board will wait until Monday's Kenora City Council meeting before reacting to the long-standing land ambulance base debate in the community.


The issue was briefly discussed at the public meeting in Dryden Thursday.

Some Board members voiced frustration stating the issue has been on-going for roughly 9-years and has cost the Board 100-thousand dollars and that Kenora has been given enough time to make a decision.

They went on to add that the Services Board has done its due diligence in finding a suitable location and one member added that if Kenora Council can't make up its mind the Board will just build the base in unincorporat territory.

CAO Stain Leaf and Kenora Councilor Rory McMillan warned that both sides have concerns and need to sit down to discuss the issue.

By-Pass Clean-Up completed

It took a lot longer than expected to clean up a chemical spill on

Highway 17-A.

The OPP say a spill of strychnine pellets on the by-pass took over
24 hours to clean up.

The section of the by-pass between the Redditt Road and the Minaki
Highway was finally re-opened around 6:30 Saturday morning.

A Hazmat Unit from Winnipeg was called in deal with the situation.

Police say there was no danger to the public as a result of the spill.

Development Commission releases first quarter report

The Lake of the Woods Development Commission says it has a number of irons in the fire to improve the economy of the City of Kenora.

The Commission made its first quarter report to council last week and chair
Dennis Wallace says they are making positive strides in a number of directions.

He says forestry is still an important industry for Kenora and believes there will be
growth in the value-added sector.

Wallace adds that they have been able to secure a grant for 40 thousand dollars
to bring back a full winter carnival to the city next year.

Grassy Narrows wins more support

The Grassy Narrows First Nation and environmental group Earthroots are applauding a renewed commitment by Domtar to steer clear of the First Nation‘s traditional territory.


Domtar spokesperson Keith Ley says they do not procure wood from the Grassy Narrows traditional territory, nor do they intend to procure wood until the outstanding issues are resolved.

Domtar is the third major forest products company in the region to commit not to source wood from Grassy Narrows traditional territory following Boise‘s commitment in February 2008, and AbitibiBowater‘s commitment in June 2008.

However, Earthroots says Weyerhaeuser continues to press for access to wood regardless of the outcome of ongoing negotiations between Grassy Narrows and the province.

No Subsidy for Tournament for Cancer

Organizers of a summer hockey tournament which raises money for the

Canadian Cancer Society won't be getting any financial support from
the City of Kenora.

The second annual Kenora Hockey Kids for Cancer tournament will take place
at the Keewatin Arena at the end of August.

Organizers had requested a break on ice rentals for the weekend, but council
says at123 dollars an hour, the city already subsidizes ice times.

Councillors say even though the event is for a good cause, if they gave them
a break on ice rentals, they'd have to do the same thing for other groups.

Rec. Center Tender to be finalized

A local company has won a bid to install new sewer and water lines and a storm drain system

at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Norquip Construction had the lowest of four bids for the job at just over 600
thousand dollars.

The infrastructure work has to be completed before the parking lot at the Rec. Center
can finally be paved.

Councillor Dave McCann says the tender is about 250 thousand dollars lower than
any other bid on the project.

Chemical Spill on the By-Pass

A chemical spill is expected to keep the Kenora By-Pass closed for several more

hours.

A two vehicle collision involving a couple of tractor trailor units near the
intersection of Highway 17-A and the Minaki Highway took place around
2:00 this morning.

The OPP says both drivers sustained only minor injuries.

Miller Environmental Services has been called in to help clean up the
chemicals spilled in the collision.

Police says the section of the By-Pass between the Redditt Road and the
west entrance could be closed until at least noon today.

Environmental Education being encouraged

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is one of the first boards

in northern Ontario to adopt an Environmental Education Policy.

Trustees unanimously approved the policy at this week's board meeting.

Environmental Education leader, Kathy Boone says they've had a lot of
input.

Boone says the goal of the policy is to increase awareness and knowlege
and incorporate environmental education into the curriculum.

Services Board Budget Finally Passed

It took 6-months, 4-drafts and another 5-hours of debate yesterday, but the Kenora District Services Board has finally agreed on an acceptable 2010 budget.


After being instructed in March to trim the budget by 1-percent, staff came back with a document which included signficiant cuts in child care, ontario works, social housing and land ambulance.

Sten Lif  is the Chief Adminstrative Officer of the Services Board andsays Municipal Leaders agreed to maintain services.

If Board members had approved the March 18th budget, communities would have had to shell out roughly 200-thousand dollars less for social services.

Accident closes By-Pass

The OPP say a section of the Kenora By-Pass could be closed for several more hours

this morning.

A two vehicle collision took place near the intersection of Highway 17-A and the Minaki Highway
around 2:00 this morning.

Police say both drivers sustained minor injuries and an investigation into the cause of
the accident is continuing.

Currently the by-pass is closed at the Redditt Road and the west entrance to Highway 17-A.

The OPP say that section of the by-pass may be closed until at least noon.

Sioux Narrow/Nestor Falls Budget

Residents of Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls can expect to pay a bit more in taxes
this year.

The town council recently passed its 2010 budget and is looking at an overall
increase of about one percent.

Mayor Bill Thompson says while they have been able to hold the line on municipal
spending, other costs are beyond their control.

Thompson says while the education portion on the tax bill has gone down,
assessments in his community are up about seven percent, so that has offset
any savings local property owners might have enjoyed.

Training and Education Strategy

The City of Kenora is being asked to embrace higher learning in order to
build out local economy.

An Education and Training Strategy has been developed by the Lake of the Woods
Development Commission.

Chair of the sub-committee, Geordie McEwan says there are lots of opportunities
in the education field.

McEwan says they have hired an intern to do a study on the opportunities
in Education and Training.

That report is scheduled to be presented to council in September.

Hudson's Bay Presentation at Museum

Northwestern Ontario residents are being given the opportunity to get a glimpse into history of the one of the oldest companies in the world.

Winnipeg is home to the archives of the Hudson's Bay Company, and archivist James Gordon is travelling the region to explain how they can be accessed.

Gordon says the material dates back to the company's incorporation in 1670.

A presentation will be made tonight a the Lake of the Woods Museum.

Local High Schools Rated

High schools in the Kenora-Rainy River district are ranked well below many of their counterparts in southern Ontario according to the Fraser Institute's latest study.

The Conservative Think-Tank ranks schools based on the results of annual provincial testing.

Spokesperson Michael Thompson says its fair comparison.

St. Thomas Aquinas School in Kenora was in the middle of the pack at 350 out of 722 schools rated.

Beaver Brae placed 640th overall.

Novak and RBC Hockey Leader

Kenora Minor Hockey is 10 thousand dollars richer thanks to a long time
coach.

Doug Novak has been recognized as an RBC local hockey leader.

Novak has coached in Kenora for the past 22 year and says its a
real privalege to be given the honor.

Novak is the third Kenora resident to win an RBC Local Hockey Leader.

He'll pick up his award at a ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in June.

Second Victim in Lac Seul Identified

Sioux Lookout OPP and Lac Seul Police have released the name of the man found dead in a Whitefish Bay home on Sunday.

54-year-old George Carpenter of Lac Seul has been identified as the victim.

OPP were called to assist Lac Seul Police in response to a report that someone was firing shots within the First Nation.

39-year-old Brian Gray was fatally shot during an "interaction" with officers in the incident.
Police continue to investigate the death of Carpenter.

The SIU is looking into the death of Gray.

Land Ambulence base de-railed?

The on-going saga of trying to find a location for a new land ambulence
base in Kenora looks like its going to continue.

The city's planning department has filed a report recommending against
a re-zoning application for some property on Railway Street.

The Kenora District Services Board wants to build the land ambulence base
on some vacant land next to the CP rail tracks.

But the planning report lists a number of concerns, including the fact
the land lies alongside a dangerous goods corridor.

Council will vote on the recommendation next Monday, but the services
board has the right to appeal any decision within 20 days to the Ontario
Municipal Board.

School Closure report submitted

A report on school closures in the City of Kenora won't be dealt with
until the fall.

The final recommendations from the Kenora Accommodation Review
Advisory Committee was presented to trustees with the Keewatin Patricia
District School Board last night.

Dean Carrie is the Superintendant of Business and says under provincial
regulations trustees can't take any action on the report for at least 60 days.

The report has a number of recommendations that can be implemented
over the next 10 years.

That includes short term ideas, like moving the board offices in Kenora into
Lakewood School.

Fatal Accident Update

A 47 year old man from eastern Ontario is dead following a single
vehicle accident on the Kenora By-Pass.

The OPP says an eastbound tractor-trailor unit left the highway
and came to rest down an embankment around 3:00 this morning.

After leaving the road, the semi caught fire and was totally destroyed.

The Longbow Lake Volunteer Fire Department helped extinguish the
blaze.

Police say the driver of the rig was not able to get out of the cab.

The driver was from Cardinal, Ontario, but his name has not been
released.

OPP investigate fata accident

Still not a lot of details about a fatal accident on the Kenora By-Pass this
morning.

The OPP say a semi tractor trailor unit drove off Highway 17-A just west of the
junction of Highway 17 early this morning.

The east bound rig came to rest off the road and caught fire.

The OPP's Technical Traffic Unit has been called in to help
investigate the cause of the crash.

SIU releases name of deceased

The province's Special Investigations Unit has
released the name of a man who was killed in a weekend incident
involving police in northwestern Ontario.

The agency says 39-year-old Brian Gray was fatally shot Sunday
during an ``interaction'' with provincial police officers in
Whitefish Bay.

Gray later died of his injuries in hospital.

Police, meanwhile, continue to investigate a separate but related
death at the same residence in the community north of Dryden.

The circumstances behind the death of the second person have not
been released, nor have that person's name or age.

OPP Hiring Youth

Kenora OPP are looking to hire some young people this summer.

The local detachment recently received funding from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to hire three youth for the Youth in Policing Initiative.

An information session for interested persons will be held Tuesday May 18th at 7pm at the OPP detachement on the by pass.

Wage Freeze Kenora

Managers and non-unionized staff at City Hall can expect to see their salaries
frozen this year.

Following the directive from the provincial government, there will be no increases
in 2010 from the 2009 salary grid.

However, based on performance, non-union staff can still move up in the grid this
year.

The freeze in salaries will affect about 24 employees of the City of Kenora.

Council says its also prepared to conduct a review of the salary grid for non-unionized staff sometime this year.

City Of Kenora Positions Changed

Some minor staffing changes are being made at City Hill in the wake of
the appointment of Karen Brown as the new Chief Administrative Officer.

Brown is the Chief Financial Officer, but instead of finding a replacement
for her, she says they decided to shuffle some of the duties within the
department.

Charlotte Edie is going to be appointed as Municipal Treasurer.

She had been the deputy treasurer and the city's tax collector.

Bill Ranger will take over from Edie to become the Deputy Treasurer.
and Pat Geisel will assume the duties as the municipal tax collector.

City of Kenora Bridge Inspection

The City of Kenora can expect to get some money from the provincial
government this year to help inspect municipal bridges.

Municipal Engineer, Marco Vogrig says the Ontario Good Roads Association
had lobbied for the funding and the city is eligible for up to 5 thousan dollars.

He says that will help offset some of the costs incurred by the city this year
for its annual inspection program.

Big Green Clean

It's the third year for the Big Green Clean in Kenora.

This year's event is going to be bigger and better with a free pancake breakfast and a flea market.

City of Kenora Operations Chair Dave McCann explains what areas of the City will be spruced up.

The Big Green Clean starts at 8am on Sunday at the Recreation Centre.

Forest Fire Update

The forest fire hazard in northwestern Ontario is edging up but still remains low.

The Ministry of Natural Resources reports that three new fires were reported in the region on the weekend.

Portions of Thunder Bay and Nipigon districts are under a moderate hazard.

Aboriginal Affairs Working Group

An aboriginal affairs working group has come out with a set of recommendations for Canada's Prime Minister and Provincial Premiers.

The group made up of first nations leaders and ministers of aboriginal affairs has come up with plans to close the graduation and income gap between first nations and non aboriginals.

Ontario's Aboriginal Affairs Minister Chris Bentley says Northern Ontario will see some benefits.

The working group also pledged to end violence against Aboriginal women and girls.

Social Housing Wait Times

The Ontario non-profit Housing Association says wait lists for people seeking subsidizing housing continues to grow.

The association says the Kenora District has 546 people on waiting list compared with 452 last year.

But Executive Director Sharad Kerur says it may be a lot higher.

According to the Association, people are waiting up to two years for housing.

Whitefish Bay Death SIU

Five investigators from the province's Special Investigations Unit are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a 39-year-old man in Whitefish Bay.

The SIU says provincial police officers in Sioux Lookout were requested to assist Lac Seul police officers at a Whitefish Bay residence on Sunday morning.

The SIU says there was an interaction with a man, and he was shot.

He was taken to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

OPP say a seperate death occurred in the home.
No name has been released.

Investigators are asking any witnesses to contact the unit.

Hospital expects small surplus

Members of the Lake of the Woods Hospital Board will have to wait until next month to find out if they managed to stay in the black this year.

The hospital's year end was March 31st, but Chief Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says they are still finalizing their figures.

He suggests the hospital should finish with a small surplus,but just how large the surplus is still to be determined.

Belcaen says their auditor is currently going over their books and a final report on their finances will be presented at their annual general meeting next month.

Robber caught red-handed

A 39 year old man was caught red-handed trying to rob a store in downtown Kenora.

The OPP say one of their officers noticed an altercation between a store employee and another person last night.

Police approached the store and noticed the suspect was holdinga knife and was trying to commit a robbery.

The officer intervened and arrested the suspect.

Steve Jackson has been charged with robbery, wearing a disguise with the intent to commit a criminal offense and possessionof narcotics.

We're #121

Kenora's ranking in the annual Best Places to live index continues to fall.

The city is rated 121st out of 179 communities across the country by Money Sense Magazine.

Kenora's standing has fallen from 37th place just three years ago.

The survey looks at issues such as income, housing costs, crime, health, lifestyle and weather.

Kenora falls just behind Montreal, but just ahead of Kentville, Nova Scotia in the annual survey.

Energy Credit Criticized

The McGuinty governments' Northern Energy Credit is being called an insult.

Randy Hillier, the Progressive Conservatives' Northern Development critic, says the program is laughable.

He says thats because 200 dollars is the most any family will get.

Hillier says in some parts of the north this credit won't even cover one month of the HST

More on Couchiching Toll Booth

The federal government is responding to Couchiching First Nations plans to set up a toll booth later this month.

Michelle Yao, a spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl says the government is committed to working with the band and the province in resolving the issues.

But Yao says an open dialogue is much more constructive and effective in dealing with the band's concerns.

The band council held a community meeting this week to update residents on their plans for the May 21st toll.

Education Week

Education Week is coming to a close for the Keewatin Patricia District School Board.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says they met with Southern Ontario School Board professionals and told them about their oral language program.

McMaster says he is also taking time during Education Week to thank school board staff.

Fort Frances Escapee back in Custody

The 7-day search for a wanted Emo man has ended.

OPP arrested Matthew Meyers yesterday without any difficulties.

The man was located in the Clearwater Lake area, about 30-kilometres north of Emo.

Police had been looking for Meyers since April 29th when he escaped from the Fort Frances OPP Detachment during a criminal investigation.

He remains in custody and faces possession of stolen property, breach of probation, assault, uttering threats and escaping custody.

More Presciption Drugs Seized

A 29 year old resident of the New Osnaburgh First Nation has been arrested on drug charges.

The Combined Forces Drug Unit arrested a man in Hillcrest Park in Thunder Bay early Thursday morning.

Police say they seized about 100 oxycodone pills, almost 300 percocets, and about 65 hundred dollars in cash.

The street value of the drugs is estimated at about 16 thousand dollars.

During their search of the vehicle, officers also located a 30-30 rifle, amunition and a machete.

SIU Officer Cleared

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit has cleared an OPP officer
of any wrong-doing in an injury sustained by a person who was in custody
at the Kenora Detachment.

SIU director Ian Scott says there are no reasonable grounds to
believe the local officer committed any criminal offense after
34 year old Tony Kakegamic injured his index finger while being
place in the cell.

The report says Kakegamic tried to open the cell door several times
while officers attempted to lock the cell.

In the process, Kakegamic's left index finger was caught between
the door and the frame, causing the tip to be severed.

Scott concludes that the cause of the injury was the result of an accident
in which the officer had no intention of hurting the complainant.

Abitibi Land Sale

A Kenora-area developer is hoping to finalize the sale of Abitibi lands in the city by the end of June.

John Gale has been negotiating with AbitibiBowater for months to purchase all their property within city limits.

The original deadline to complete the deal was March 31st, but Gale says both sides agreed to extend the purchase date to June 30th.

He says its been a very complicated deal involving many different parcels land scattered throughout the city.

Gale adds that there are companies that are eager to get on the old mill property to set up shop.

Truth and Reconciliation

The Head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is making an appearance in Sioux Lookout to hear stories from former students of the Indian Residential School system.

Justice Murray Sinclair will stop in the community May 12th and 13th.

Garnet Angeconeb is the Co-Chair of the Sioux Lookout Coalition for Healing and Reconciliation and notes this region is fortunate to have Sinclair visit.

He notes it will give families, staff and survivers a chance to open up dialouge in order to move on.

Northern Ontario Energy Credit

Not all northerners will get energy credit cheques from the McGuinty government in the fall.

The money is strictly for low and middle income people.

Speaking in Thunder Bay Dwight Duncan says the credit is to make up for higher energy costs

Expect those cheques to roll out in November.

Abitibi land sale still pending

A Kenora-area developer is hoping to finalize the sale of Abitibi lands in the city by the end of June.

John Gale has been negotiating with AbitibiBowater for months to purchase all their property within city limits.

The original deadline to complete the deal was March 31st, but Gale both sides agreed to extend the purchase date to June 30th.

He says its been a very complicated deal involving many different parcels of land scattered throughout the city.

Gale adds that there are companies that are eager to get on the old mill property to set up shop.

Axe intruder injured

A 40-year-old man in northern Ontario --armed with an axe -- came out worse for wear, after going up against-- a vacuum cleaner.

Police say a man in White River was trying to break down a door with the axe.

As the door gave way, a man in the home hurled a vacuum cleaner through the broken door.

The vacuum hit the assailant in the face -- breaking his nose.

The assailant is now in jail.

Four Kenora Girls at National Aboriginal Hockey Championships

Four Kenora hockey players have helped Team Ontario North to a perfect 3-0 record at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

Melissa White, Robin Houle, Sam Smith and Deborah Kakeway are members of the squad, which finished first in their pool.

The Semi-Finals start tonight with Team Ontario North taking on NorthwestTerritories.

Concern about FedNor Funding

A number of concerns are being raised about the FedNor program.

A recent study shows the number of approvals for funding have dropped, while the number of applications have increased.

Claude Gravelle is a Sudbury area M.P. and says he's also worriedFedNor funding may be jeopardized by Treasury Board President Stockwell Day.

Gravelle is calling on the federal government to make FedNor an agency of the crown so applications for funding can be processed much faster.

More broadband promised for the North

A Liberal government would bring high speed internet to all of Northern Ontario and the rest of Rural Canada within three years.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the announcement during a tour of the region today.

Ignatieff says high speed internet is vital in increasing national unity.

Ignatieff also says the plan is aimed at improving public services for people in remote areas, allowing them to tap into the digital economy, distance learning and electronic health initiatives, among other things.

Another Warm Month

This past winter was both warmer and drier than normal in the Kenora area.

Environment Canada has tallied the snowfall figures for the past eight months and meteorologist Chantal Cerney says we got off pretty easy in terms of snowfall.

Cerny adds that the warm weather trend continued in April.

The average daily mean temperature last month was 8.1 degrees, which is about 4.5 degrees warmer than normal.

MP Nicki Ashton visits Kenora

New Democrats in the House of Commons are calling on the federal government to restore funding for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

Nicki Ashton is the M.P. for the Churchill Riding in Manitoba and says a total of 134 programs across the country have closed their doors, including a number in northwestern Ontario.

Ashton says the Aboriginal Healing Foundation provided three million dollars a year for programs in the Kenora Riding.

Forest Tenure

The McGuinty government is proposing sweeping changes to the way wood cutting licences are awarded.

Effectively the big forestry giants would have their current licences scrapped and they'd have to start over.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle admits the changes are bold.

Public hearings on the proposed changes start in Thunder Bay May the 18th.

Hampton on HST

The harmonized sales tax is getting close to implementation.

Any item that is purchased before the harmonized sales tax comes into effect, but will be used after July 1st will be subject to the extra tax.

Kenora Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says its going to surprise a number of people who thought they dodged the tax by buying before the start date.

Hampton says people are so upset about the tax they are pre planning their funerals just to dodge the extra tax.

Truck Fire on Valley Drive

Fire has destroyed a truck cab in the north end of town.

Kenora's Fire and Emergency Services Department was called outs hortly after 11:00 this morning after a truck driver noticed flames coming from his vehicle while he was driving
along Valley Drive.

He managed to get out without being injuried, but the truck was completely destroyed by the fire.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Lake of the Woods Hospital Beds

The Lake of the Woods District Hospital has seen some relief for patients awaiting spots in long term care homes.

All the acute care beds at the hospital were being used last month, and many patients were needing long term care beds.

Chief Executive Officer Marc Balcaen says they've seen a decrease in the number of inpatients waiting for beds.

The hospital was given special status that will give them priority for any long term care bed that becomes available.

Water Temperatures

You may notice red, rectangular devices when boating on area lakes this Spring.

The Province is conducting a study on how changes in water temperature impact
walleye, lake trout and other fish.

Mark Sobchuck is a spokesperson for the MNR and says they have the monitors
in 22 lakes across northwestern Ontario this year.

The red devices report the lake temperatures ever hour.

They will be collected before the water freezes this Fall.

LODPOA Cottage Show

It's the 48th year for the Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Association.

Over 2 thousand people are expected to attend, and check out over 100 exhibits.

Executive Director Susan McLeod says they will also have guest speakers.

The show starts in Winnipeg at 2:30 and runs until 9.

Restricted Fire Zone Lifted

Just in time for the weekend, the Ministry of Natural Resources has lifted the Restricted Fire Zone in northwestern Ontario.

The RFZ was put in place last Friday, but was lifted as of noon today due to the wet conditions the region is currently experiencing.

The forecast calls for more rain and cool conditions over the next couple of days and that's expected to reduce the fire hazard right across the northwest.

The MNR says campfires will be allowed for cooking and warmth now that the RFZ has been lifted.

Whitedog Man charged with 2nd Degree Murder

Treaty Three Police have released the name of a 25 year old man killed on the Wabaseemoong First Nation earlier this week.

Kelvin Fraser was the victim of a stabbing incident early Monday morning.

Police say they have arrested and charged a 32 year old man with Second Degree Murder.

Justin Fraser from Whitedog was due to appear in Kenora Court this morning on the charges.

A post-mortem exam was carried out on Tuesday at Lake of the WoodsDistrict Hospital, but the cause of death still has not been released.

OTF Report on First Nations

One out of five people in Northwestern Ontario are Aboriginal.

That data is from the Ontario Trillium Foundation's report on First Nations communities.

Spokesperson Alexis Mantell says the report will be put to good use.

The report shows that the younger generations are better educated than their parents, but most have not completed school.

Unemployment levels for first nations are also nearly double that of the overall population.

Restricted Fire Zone

Ministry of Natural Resources Fire Crews will be keeping their eyes on the sky over the next couple of days.

The region is expected to receive quite a bit of rain over the next couple of days.

Fire Information Officer, Debbie McLean says if there is enough precipitation they may be able to lift the Restricted Fire Zone.

Despite the Restricted Fire Zone, there has been a number of new wild fires in northwestern Ontario this week, including four new starts Wednesday.


Photo courtesy of Ministry of Natural Resources webpage

KPDSB Program Change

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is adjusting its primary language instruction for all elementary schools.

Ojibwe and French language instruction will begin in Grade 4, instead of Grade 1.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says the board wanted to direct more attention on literacy learning.

The change will be implemented in time for next school year.

Prisoner escapes from Fort Frances

The OPP in Fort Frances say they are searching for a prisoner who escaped their custody early this morning.

Police say 25 year old Matthew Bradley Meyers of Emo fled this morning shortlyafter 7:00.

He is described as a white male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, 150 pounds with a brown brushcut, blue eyes, medium build and unshaven.

He was last seen wearing a green camouflage t-shirt, grey sweat pants, white socks and no shoes.

The OPP says you should not approach the escapee if you see him, and contact them immediately by dialling 9-1-1.

MNR Fire Crews Hoping for Wet Weather

The weather forecast for the weekend could dictate how long the Restricted FireZone will remain in place in northwestern Ontario.

The RFZ was imposed a week ago due to extremely dry conditions.

Fire Information Officer Debbie McLean says the situation could change quickly if we get much rain.

McLean says there were four new wild fires reported in the region yesterday so any rain will be welcomed by local fire rangers.

NOMA Conference Resolutions

Municipal leaders are calling on the Provincial Government to raise the speed limit on local Highway's by 10-kilometres an hour.

Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association President Anne Krassilowsky says the resolution was approved at their recent meeting in Marathon.

Krassilowsky says the resolution also calls for more scenic pullouts as well as additional public washrooms and garbage bins.

Kenora MP Howard Hampton on HST

Kenora-Rainy River M-P-P Howard Hampton is calling on the provincial government to exempt First Nations people from the harmonized sales tax.

Hampton says the elimination of a point-of-sale exemption on the provincial portion of the HST is going make the lives of First Nations people even more difficult.

First Nations groups have protested over the matter which has escalated the fight over the merged sales tax.

Shriners Burn Prevention

Eight elementary schools in Kenora today will be paid a visit by members of Canada's Shriners Club.

The Shriners will be talking about fire safety and burn prevention in the home.

Spokesperson Lorne Gregorish says kids need to be aware of the many dangers in the home.

17 hundred local students will hear the message over the next two days.

NWO MNR Fire Update

No rest for the weary!

Ministry of Natural Resources fire crews responded to 11-new forest fires over the past 2-days, with crews going out today to check for additional starts.

A majority of the fires were human caused and kept rangers out later than usual.
Red Lake has 2-active fires.

A small fire is also burning on Highway 17 between Dryden and Kenora.

The public is reminded that a Restricted Fire Zone is in effect.

Long Gun Registry Rickford

Photo courtesy of Greg Rickford's website





The Liberals are being accused of trying to delay passage of
a bill to kill the federal long gun registry.

The bill is has passed second reading in the House of Commons,
and could go to a third and final reading next month.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says the Liberals are doing whatever
they can to derail the legislation.

Rickford adds that with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff demanding
all his members vote against the bill, it could be up to the NDP
to get the legislation passed.

NOMA Conference Wraps Up

Photo courtesy of City of Kenora website


Illegal drug sales, electricity costs, FedNOR, the HST, and the speed limit on the
Trans-Canada Highway.

Those were just some of the issues discussed at the annual Northwestern Ontario
Municipal Association Convention in Marathon over the weekend.

Councillor Chris Van Wallenghem was one of two people from Kenora City Council
to attend and says it was a worthwhile event.

Van Wallenghem says while not all the issues discussed over the three day conference applied to Kenora, they did get lots of useful information from other municipal leaders who attended.

Rafferty Pension Bill

Photo courtesy of John Rafferty's website


John Rafferty's private members bill on pensions may survive to see another day.

The Thunder Bay MP says after debate in the House of Commons there is hope it could reach the next stage.

Rafferty says all parties seem to be infavour of the bill.

Rafferty say the bill is designed to add protection to workers pensions.

Wabaseemoong Stabbing

A 25 year old man is dead following a stabbing incident on the Wabaseemung First Nation.

Treaty Three Police say they were called out around 8:30 yesterday morning about an alleged assault.

A post-mortem exam was carried out today at Lake of the WoodsDistrict Hospital, but so far the cause of death has not been released.

Treaty Three Police have called in the OPP's North West Region Crime Unit to help out with the investigation.

The name of the deceased has not been released.

Illegal Deer Kill near Kenora

A Pennsylvania hunter must pay 2-thousand dollars in fines after attempting to cover up his illegal deer kill.

Court heard that on November 8th 2009, conservation officers cam across Edward Krakowski on the Mabrun Road south of Kenora, and found blood on him and his hunting equipment.

Krakoswski told officers that he did not shoot a deer, but had helped another hunter to field dress one.

Upon investigation, officers found footprints from the area where the vehicle was parked to a freshly harvested buck, untagged and covered in brush.

Krakowski was fined a thousand dollars for making false statements to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer and another thousand for failing to attach a valid hunting game seal to his harvested deer.

He is banned from hunting in Ontario for one year.

NWO Forest Fire Update

It appears folks are paying little attention to the fire ban that is currently in place across Northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources responded to 3-new human caused fires in the Sioux Lookout District yesterday.

There are currently 14-fires burning in the Region, 11 of which were human caused.

A raging forest fire east of Terrace Bay has been controlled.

The MNR says there were some value losses reported but no details are available.

The cause is under investigation.

Spring Seatbelt Campaign Wraps Up

The Spring Seatbelt campaign is in the books.

OPP in Northwestern Ontario checked more then 39-thousand vehicles during the 10-day blitz.

A total of 232-charges were laid against drivers and passengers who were not buckled up.

Meanwhile, Kenora OPP checked over 4 thousand vehicles during their two week spring seatbelt campaign.

Police also issued 12-tickets for improperly installed child restraints.

Officers laid a total of 95 charges.

OPP laid 1 child car seat charge.

10 passengers and 84 drivers were charged with failing to not wear seatbelts.

Lake of the Woods Water Levels

The Lake of the Woods basin is experiencing a dry spring.

The control board recently reduced outflows from the lake, which will result in a decline in Winnipeg River levels.

Executive Engineer Rick Walden says conditions could improve if the area see rain in the forecast later this week.

As of today's weather forecast, portions of the basin could see 30 millimetres of rain fall starting on Thursday.

Illegally Killed Wolf

Two Maine hunters are fined over 2-thousand dollars for illegally killing a wolf.

William Pinet and Kurt Christenson were both convicted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and were fined five hundred dollars each for lying to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer.

Pinet was also fined a thousand five hundred dollars for shooting a wolf without a licence.

Court heard that on November 10th, 2009 while out deer hunting, Pinet shot a wolf in the area of Cygnet Lake Road, northwest of Kenora.

He and Christensen later skinned the wolf, placed its hide in a black, plastic bag and sunk it beneath the ice in a swamp.

Later that week, Pinet purchased a non-resident wolf hunting licence and game seal and went back to retrieve the submreged wolf hide.

He then notched a false date on his game seal of when the wolf had been harvested and attached it to the hide.

When questioned by conservation officers, Pinet and Christensen each made multiple false statements, but eventually told officers about shooting the wolf prior to being licensed.

Rail Safety Week

It's Rail Safety Week and motorists can expect to see an increased presence of railway police in Northwestnern Ontario.

Chief Stephen Covey says his officers are cracking down on violators - people who don't obey crossing signals or who trespass on rail property, which includes walking along the tracks.

Railway police and volunteers are conducting safety blitzes this week at railway crossings right across Canada.

Young Professional Network

Calling all young professionals.

A group of career driven individuals are starting up the first ever young professionals network in Kenora.

Spokesperson Mike Greaves says they want to create a social and professional network where young entrepreneurs can have a say in economic development initiatives.

Anyone interested in joining the group can log onto their facebook page or contact Greaves at 467-4643.

Rickford Road Funding Announcement

Its going to be another busy construction year in Kenora.

The Provincial and Federal Levels of Government have announced six million dollars to complete the re-paving of Highway 17 from the City boundaries out to the Kenora By-Pass.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says the funding is part of a new infrastructure project announced by the two levels of government earlier this month.

The Ministry of Transportation says it plans to tender out the paving work in the next couple of weeks and expects the work will be complete by early fall.

City of Kenora Graffitti

Kenora City Council has received support for its Graffitti By-Law from an unlikely source.

Grade school student Charity Busch made a deputation to councilthis week to enact a by-law to crack down on the unwanted wall art.

Busch suggests graffitti in town is inappropriate and should at least be covered over.

Council says its working on measures to eliminate graffitti frommunicipal buildings and its also working on a by-law that would apply to privately owned buildings in downtown Kenora.

KDSB New Name and Slogan

The Kenora District Services Board will be changing their name and adapting a new slogan based on ideas from the public.

Chair Joyce Timpson says the name dosen't reflect what they do.

Interested individuals can email or write a letter to the Services Board.

Responses are due by the end of May.

Rowing Club Lease

A split decision for the Kenora Rowing Club from city council.

The city has agreed to a 49 year lease arrangement for its club house on Rabbit Lake.

On the downside, council has rejected a request by the Rowing Club for a reduction in its property taxes.

Council feels that if they gave the rowing club a break on its taxes, other groups in the city would want the same kind of deal.

Doctor Shortage

A rosy picture when it comes to Kenora's medical shortage.

Dr. Buzz Pedersen told city council this week that Kenora has experienced a doctor shortage for about eight years now.

But he suggests the newly expanded medical clinic on Tunnel Island will be a lure for graduating health care professionals.

Pedersen says the new medical center is now a fully affiliated teaching center for the Northern Ontario Medical School.

Fire Season NWO

Northwestern Ontario has seen more than 100 fires since the season officially began at the start of this month.

In comparison, there were just 194 wild fires reported in the region all of last year.

Fire Information Officer Debbie McLean says its certainly a turnaround from the last couple of years.

A Restricted Fire Zone was put in place on Friday, meaning that all open air burning is prohibited.