Lakehead President Promises to reach out

After years of neglect, Lakehead University is beginning to reach out to communities across northwestern Ontario.

Brian Stevenson was in Kenora yesterdat and says while their finances are limited, they are willing to work with community partners to expand there programs beyond Thunder Bay.

Stevenson says there is some cutting edge technology that could soon bring students from communities across northwestern Ontario into Lakehead's classrooms.

Operation Impact

Ontario Provincial Police all over the country including those in Kenora will be out in full force this weekend targeting impaired drivers, those who drive aggressively or while distracted as well as those who are not compliant with seat belt and child restraint laws over the long weekend. It's all part of a campaign they call Operation Impact, an annual nation-wide traffic enforcement and education campaign aimed at saving lives and reducing injuries on roads throughout the country.

Nurses at CCCAC reach contract agreement

The union representing some three thousand of Ontario's nurses and health care-workers has voted to ratify a new three-year contract.

Ontario Nurses' Association members working in 10 of the province's Community Care Access Centres, including the Northwest CCAC, voted Friday on the terms of the deal.

Details will be available after the ratification process is complete.

The new agreement expires on March 31, 2014.

Lakehead president visits Kenora

The president of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay is making a tour of northwestern Onatario.

Brian Stevenson is holding a breakfast meeting this morning in Kenora with members of city council and the Lake of the Woods Economic Development Commission.

The commission's Training and Education Committee is making a presentation of some its plans to improve educational opportunities in the community.

Record temperature in store

It could be another record breaking day in Kenora.

Yesterday, the thermometer topped out at 24.2 degrees breaking a record set back in 1976, when the temperature hit 23.3.

The forecast calls for temperatures to remain in the mid-20's for highs for the next couple of days.

Shoal Lake #39 seeks big money for its water

124 million dollars.

That's the price tag the Shoal Lake #39 First Nation has put on the water Winnipeg draws from their lake each year.

Yesterday band members embarked on a four day march to the

Manitoba Legislature and chief Eli Mandamin says they could step up their protest if they don't get any action.

About 30 members of Shoal Lake are resuming the walk to Winnipeg today.

They are scheduled to arrive on Thursday.

KACL Employees hold rally for a new Contract

Employees with the Kenora Association For Community Living could be in a legal strike position as early as next month.

Members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union held a rally outside the KACL administrative offices yesterday.

The union is seeking, among other things, more full-time jobs for its membership, who have been without a contract for 17 months.

Contract talks are scheduled to resume at the end of October.

OPP release details on Vermillion Bay plane Crash

The OPP have released more information about a plane crash near Vermillion Bay.

A single engine Cessna tried to land on MacIntosh Road, about 8 kilometers north of Vermillion Bay.

Police say the aircraft had filled up in Sioux Lookout and eyewitnesses say the plane seemed to lose power, but then was fine.

A while later, the pilot decided to try and land at Vermillion Bay, but was unable to make it.

The planes wings clipped some trees while trying to land on the road, but the pilot did not sustain any injuries.

Big Trout Demands Action Province

The KI first nation is calling on the provincial government to honour its commitment of creating a joint panel to resolve its outstanding disputes.

Spokesperson John Cutfeet says the government promised this panel would be created 3 years ago.

The latest dispute came to a head Friday when KI issued an eviction notice to God's Lake Resources.

Kenora District Services Board Logo gets a makeover

A new look and image for the Kenora District Services Board.

The Board has approved a new tag-line and logo in the first phase of what could be an extensive public relations overhaul.

REACH Marketing Owner Dianne Schwartz-Williams says the new tag-line is simply 'Caring/People/Community/Support.'

The logo shows 4-people of diferent sizes and ages standing next to the KDSB letterhead, with the name and tag-line underneath.

Two Winnipeg Men fined for catching too many Walleye

A fishing trip on Lake of the Woods has cost two Manitoba anglers.

Philp Waldner and Henry Dueck have been fined a total of 35-hundred dollars for an over-limit of oversized walleye.

The Steinbach men were caught back in July on Clearwater Bay.

Conservation officers found 7-walleye over the allowable length.

Waldner was also fined for providing false information.

Both men are banned from fishing in Ontario for a year.

Plane Crashes near Vermillion Bay

A scare for a young pilot near Vermilion Bay yesterday.

The pilot was able to land his small plane on McIntosh Road, near Canyon Lake around 1 o'clock.

The pilot was reportedly flying from Montreal to Whitehorse, when an engine problem forced him to land on the road.

Shoal Lake Residents get ready for Trek to Winnipeg

Members of the Shoal Lake #39 First Nation are getting ready to embark on a walk to the Manitoba capital.

The march gets underway at 9:00 this morning and make its way to Winnipeg.

Shoal Lake is continuing its campaign against Winnipeg's plan to take water from the lake and sell it to other communities in southern Manitoba.

Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse and grand chief of Treaty Three will be addressing the issue this afternoon.

Local residents in favour of cross-town corridor

Local residents are overwhelmingly in favour of bringing back the Cross-town snowmobile corridor.

A poll on the 895 The Lake webside shows that 100 percent of the respondants want to see the corridor back this winter.

A proposed route for the trail was the subject of a public meeting earlier this week.

NAN continues Governnance Talks with Feds

Nishnawbe Aski Nation continues to work with the Federal Government on forming a First Nation's government model.

NAN Spokesperson Ben Cheechoo says talks should pick up now that there's a Majority Federal Government.

Cheechoo says it will take years to implement a government model for First Nations.

OPP forensics lab progressing

The OPP's news forensics labratory in Kenora is progressing nicely.

Work on the new building began this summer.

OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis says it appears the project is running right on time.

The 14 thousand square foot, state-of-the art facility is being built just east of the Kenora Detachment office on the Kenora By-Pass.

Kenora Hunter Mauled by Black Bear

The Ministry of Natural Resources says its looking into an attack by a black bear on a hunter north of Kenora.

A moose hunter was mauled last Monday morning just south of WoodLand Caribou Provincial Park on Chase Lake.

MNR spokesperson Leo Heyens says because black bear attacks are relatively rare, they want to find out if there was anything wrong with the animal.

The hunter was able to kill the bear using an arrow.

The Kenora man was taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital and is recovering from his injuries.

Kenora District Services Board going Solar

The Kenora District Services Board is moving forward with solar energy at its affordable-housing units.

The Board has approved one solar roofing system tender for the Maples Seniors building in Keewatin and has issued tender requests for 9-other buildings.

CAO Dan McNeill says he's not to concerned right now about the impact of the upcoming Provincial Election.

The Board says they will be proceeding with roof replacements at 10 Victoria in Dryden regardless of the solar contract from the Ontario Power Authority.

Tough Weekend for local treavelling teams

Not the start the Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles wanted to their season.

The Thistles lost both games played in the opening weekend of the Manitoba Midget Hockey league.

Saturday the Kenora Midgets were beaten 4-2 by the Eastman Selects.

Friday at Home, the Thistles were trounced 7-0 by the Winnipeg Wild.

Meanwhile, Beaver Brae's football team took one on the chin dropping a 51-0 decision to the Dakota Lancers Friday in Winnipeg.

The Broncos will try to re-group this week when they take on the River East Kodiaks at home on Thursday.

Grassy Narrows braces for long legal battle

The Grassy Narrows First Nations says its prepared for a prolonged legal battle.

The Ontario and Federal government's have indicated they plan to appeal an Ontario Superior Court Ruling that upheld Grassy's Treaty Rights.

Grassy chief, Simon Fobister says the courts ruled that clear-cut logging couldn't take place in their traditional land use territory, and they are willing to continue the fight to protect their rights.

The Ontario Superior Court ruled in Grassy's favour back in August, but the province and federal government started the appeals process on September 15th.

Land Ambulence Base Gets the Go Ahead From KDSB

Work is finally progressing on the new Land Ambulance Base in Kenora.

The Kenora District Services Board has accepted a 2.836-million dollar tender from Jarnell Contracting for the construction of the base.

CAO Dan McNeill says he's relieved to see this project move forward.

However, the City of Kenora Planning Department has notified the KDSB that it won't be able to lease the existing parking spaces at the site, which may force the Board to construct its own parking lot at an estimated cost of 55-thousand dollars.

OPP Name Two Bridges After Fallen Officers

A fitting tribute to two police officers killed in the line of duty in Kenora.

Two bridges along the Kenora by-pass have officially named for Sergeant Tom Cooper and Constable Peter Sebborn.

OPP commissioner Chris Lewis was in Kenora yesterday for the ceremony and says this is something they've done several times in recent years.

Cooper was shot on the Grassy Narrows First Nation in 1991, while Sebborn was killed in a car crash while on duty in 1957.

A similar ceremony will take place this morning in Ear Falls.

Midget Thistles Open Regular Season at Home

The hockey season begins tonight for the Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles.

The Thistles take on the Winnipeg Wild at the Kenora Rec. Center tonight.

Coach Doug Novak says they beat the Wild in a pre-season tournament, but says the regular season is a different matter.

Game time is 7:30 this evening at the Thistle Rink.

Broncos take on Lancers in WHSFL action

Beaver Brae's football team is looking to bounce back from its first loss of the season last week.

The Broncos are on the road today in Winnipeg, where they will take on Dakota Collegiate.

The Lancers are unbeaten so far this season with a 2-0 record.

Game time is 3:00.

Scientists Want Boreal Forest in NWO as UNESCO site

Scientists from around the world say a global treasure that straddles two Canadian provinces needs to be protected.

They say the forest along the Manitoba-Ontario boundary should be designated a UNESCO world heritage site.

The N-D-P has plans to build a hydro transmission line down the west side of Lake Winnipeg rather than disturb the forest on the east side.

The Conservatives argue that going down the east side would be cheaper and would not harm plans to turn the forest into a UNESCO site.

God's Lake Staying Mum on Eviction Notice

The president of God's Lake Resources says the company will release a statement Monday in regards to KI First Nation's eviction notice.

The Big Trout Lake First Nation says the company must cease all operations today and leave the area of Sherman Lake.

Ed Ludwig says the company won't comment until then.

All Candidates Forum in Stratton

Can the candidates seeking election in Kenora-Rainy River really promise to give the Riding a stronger voice at Queen's Park as they promise?

It was one of the questions posed at a debate in Stratton last night.

Liberal Candidate Anthony Leek says it comes to being able to convince southern Ontario of the north's potential.

Conservative Candidate Rod McKay says the Riding needs to have representation on the government side.

The NDP's Sarah Campbell says her party would form a committee who's main focus would be to ensure policies at Queens Park work for the north.

Final Day for Advance Polls

Today is the last day for those in Kenora, Dryden, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout to cast a ballot in advance polling in Kenora-Rainy River.

Returning offices will be open from 10 until 8 o'clock.

Voters should bring their photo ID and the Notice of Registration Card.

The Provincial election is next Thursday.

North Spirit School Opens

The Federal Government has opened a new school in North Spirit Lake.

The community of 400 is now home to a four classroom facility that accomodates 96 students from kindergarten to Grade 9.

It took over 14 million dollars to build the school.

Big Trout Lake Sends out Eviction Notice

The Big Trout Lake First Nation has given an eviction notice to God's Lake Resources.

The company has being doing some exploration work on the band's traditional land use area, against the community's wishes.

Band spokesperson John Cutfeet says God's Lake is basically tresspassing.

The company has been asked end its work in the Sherman Lake area  and all personnel are being told to leave today.

One more All-Candidates Forum this evening

Candidates in Kenora-Rainy River will get another chance to debate the issues tonight in the third all-candidates forum of the election campaign.

The Rainy River Federation of Agriculture hosts the event tonight in Stratton.

Last night, candidates attempted to sell themselves to Fort Frances voters at a mix and mingle hosted by the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce.

OPP Commish to Visit Kenora Today

The Commissioner of the OPP will be paying a special visit to Kenora today.

Chris Lewis will be in town to help name a couple of bridges on the Kenora by-pass.

The bridges will be named after officers who have died in the line of duty in the Kenora area.

The ceremony will take place at the Discovery Center starting at 5:00 this afternoon.

Another drug bust in Kenora

Another day, another drug bust.

A 36 year old Kenora man has been arrested after police executed a search warrant on a home on 2nd Avenue South.

The OPP's Organized Crime and Enforcement Unit as well as its

drug squad seized seized 40 grams of cocaine, 20 grams of marihuana, 436 Ecstacy pills, 45 hundred dollars in cash and other drug related paraphernalia.

Dino Papaioannou has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

He's due to appear in Kenora court in December.

2-1-1 Network Launched in the Kenora District

Information on thousands of services is now available across the Kenora District by simply dialing 2-1-1.

The 2-1-1 Northern Region launched the program at a Press Conference in Dryden Wednesday.

Executive Director Marie Klassen says the initiative was first launched in the Thunder Bay District in 2008.

Information on volunteer groups, food banks, homeless shelters, health care agencies and homework programs for teens is just an example of what is available by calling the free, confidential hotline.

NDP hoping for Gains in Northern Ontario

The NDP is hoping to not only hold the seats it has in northern Ontario, but win a couple of more next week.

Party Leader Andrea Horwath is doing her final push for votes and says they expect a good showing on October 6th.

Horwath is hoping to not only hold onto the Kenora-Rainy River Riding, but make gains in Thunder Bay as well.

Province to appeal Ruling in favour of Grassy Narrows

An Ontario Superior Court ruling on treaty rights for Grassy Narrows First Nation is being challenged.

The Federal and Provincial Governments and Abitibi-Consolidated are appealing that Grassy Narrows called a victory for their way of life.

The Kenora-area band had challenged the province's right to permit industrial logging on its traditional lands, saying it would interfere with its rights under a treaty signed with Ottawa.

It celebrated the court ruling, saying it set the stage for recognition and protection of Treaty 3 rights and, more importantly, would help protect the Anishinaabe way of life in Northwestern

Ontario.

Mediation Continues today in CCAC dispute

The Ontario Nursing Association continues to negotiate leading up to it's October 3rd strike deadline.

President Linda Haslam Stroud says her union represents employees of the Northwest Community Care Access Centre.

Today is the last day scheduled for mediated talks.

Police arrest Kenora man for Grow-Op

A 50 year old Kenora man faces drug charges after the OPP uncovered a grow-op just off Highway 71.

The Kenora Drug Unit teamed up with the OPP's Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, and ERT team and the Rural Agricultural Crime team on Monday.

They executed a search warrant on a piece of property located in Kirkup Township.

Police say they seized 26 marijuana plants, 870 grams of dried marijuana, 800 grams of marijuana shake and other drug paraphenalia.

The drugs have a street value of about 44 thousand dollars.

Stan Denkiewicz has been charged with production of a controlled substance.

Health Units tracking bed bugs

Don't let the bed bugs bite!

That's what the Northwestern Health Unit is trying to prevent has it has received Provincial funds to study the rate of bed bug infestations in our area.

Health Promoter Valdine McEwen says they need the public's assistance.

A questionnaire on bed bugs can be found on the Health Unit's web site.

Candidates in Kenora-Rainy River get thumbs up from health group

The Heart and Stroke Foundation says health needs to become a bigger election issue.

The Foundation has talked to all the candidates in northwestern Ontario and says the main party's support their proposals to create a healthier population.

Wendy Savoy says there are serious health concerns in this region that need to be  addressed.

Savoy says their proposals include more food education, and more funding for physical education in the schools.

Big Trout Lake complains of more mining activity

Its like deja-vu all over again for the Big Trout Lake First Nation.

The band is upset that the mining company God's Lake Resources has started some exploration work in K.I.'s traditional land use area.

John Cutfeet is a spokesperson for the band and says the provincial government continues to ignore concerns.

Cutfeet says to add insult to injury, the exploration work is being done on an old burial site.

Nurses at the Northwest CCAC could hit the picket line next week

There could be pickets in front of Northwest Community Care Access Centre sites across northwestern Ontario next week.

The 88 members of the Ontario Nurses Association have joined with their counterparts at nine other CCAC's to support strike action October 3 to back contract demands.

The workers provide health and home care services to the seniors in their own home.

Mediated talks are planned for today and tomorrow.

Bronco Court teams lose on the road

Beaver Brae's court sport teams are still searching for their first wins of the year.

Yesterday the Broncos were in Fort Frances, but the Muskies were not good hosts, winning all four of the games played.

The closest contest was the senior girls basketball game, where Beaver Brae was edged 11-10.

In junior girls action, the Muskies prevailed 38-23 over the Broncos.

It was the same story in boys volleyball action, with Fort beating Beaver Brae's senior boys three sets to one, and then blanking the junior squad three games to none.

Tomorrow, the Broncos host Dryden.

Treaty Three Economic Conference Begins tonight

Municipal, first nation and business leaders are gathering in Kenora for a three day conference on the local economy.

Grand Council Treaty #3 is hosting the Area Economic Opportunities Conference starting tonight.

Issues such as tourism, mining, forestry and arts and culture are some of the topics up for discussion.

The conference is taking place at the Minis Hall at the Super 8.

OPP Investigate a Rash of Thefts

The OPP are investigating a number of mischief and theft complaints over the past few days.

In one incident, police say a couple of Yamaha scooters were stolen from a garage on 5th Avenue South.

One of the vehicles has since been recovered, but the OPP say they are still on the lookout for the other one, which is black and grey in color.

Other incidents under investigation include the theft of items from unlocked vehicles, damage to vehicles and also damage to election signs.

Beware of Concussions

Canada's Leading Expert in Concussions is hoping he leaves medical personal with more knowledge on the issue.

Brain Injury Services of Northern Ontario invited Dr. Charles Tator to speak at their conference.

Tator feels the general public need to learn more about the signs of a concussion.

Support Shown for Cross-Town Snowmobile Corridor

There seems to be considerable support for a cross-town snowmobile corridor through the City of Kenora.

About 50 people attended a public meeting last night on the proposed route.

Shawn Clifford is a spokesperson for the Sunset Trail Riders and says most of the comments they received back were positive.

The final day for comment on the Cross-town corridor is October 11th.

City council is expected to move the proposal forward at its next open meeting.

Fire season winding down in the Northwest

The fire season is slowly starting to wind down in northwestern Ontario.

There are still 38 blazes listed as active today.

Five are under control and two other are being held.

The other 31 are being observed, with no active fire activity noted.

In the meantime, fire crews are starting to pack up their gear, including hose lines and bring it back to their respective fire bases in the region.

With the recent warm weather, the fire hazard has climbed into the moderate range across the region.

Three Grassy and Wabaseemung Residents return from Japan

Three members of the Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemung First Nation have returned from a once in a lifetime trip to Japan.

Grassy Chief Simon Fobister was joined by two other people to visit Minnimata, which is a community devastated by mercury poisoning.

Fobister says there are a number of parallels between the the Japanese city and area first nations affected by mercury poisoning.

He says the big difference is that the Japanese have received much better compensation and are getting better medical treatment.

CCAC Strike Vote

Unionized employees with the Northwest Community Care Access Centre are taking a strike vote this week

The 88-members of the Ontario Nurse's Assocation are among those at ten C-C-A-C's across Ontario that could be in a strike position October 3.

Mediated talks are planned for this week.

Workload and wages are among the issues.