Public School Board Embraces ipads

An Apple a day is good for student learning.

That seems to be the feeling of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.

The board is involved in a number of pilot projects using I-Pads and other computer technologies in the classroom.

Superintendant of Business Dean Carrie says they have set aside 100 thousand dollars as part of their 21st Century Learning Plan.

The public school board is already using I-Pads in one pilot project and Carrie says they have approved 11 more applications under the 21st Century Learning Plan.

Pikangikum hoping to re-open Community School Soon

School's out in Pikangikum this week, but the First Nation is hoping the disruption to the school year is short-lived.

The band council is meeting this week with federal officials to try and address a mould situation in the living quarters of the teachers in the community.

Chief Jonah Strang says there are no alternative living accommodations in the community for the teachers, and that's resulted in many having to leave and the cancellation of their classes.

Strang says they are seeking a lasting solution and is encouraged by the committment of the federal government.

He's optimistic that negotiations will result in a return of full operations of the  school and an early return of the teachers.

Vinet Returned as Chair of KDSB

Even though he's currently some 7-thousand kilometres away, Phil Vinet has still managed to hold on to his position as Chair of the Kenora District Services Board.

The Red Lake Mayor was acclaimed at the KDSB general meeting in Dryden today.

Vinet is currently vacationing in Hawaii.

This is his second consecutive term as Chair.

Social Services Levy set for local Municipalities

Municipalities in the Kenora District now have a rough idea on what they will have to pay for social services.

The Services Board has released its draft levies under the 2012 budget and CAO Dan McNeill says the average increase is 3.5-percent.

Kenora will have to pay just over 2.8 million dollars, 18 thousand higher than 2011.

Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls will see its levy increase by 6.67 percent.

Beaver Brae Basketball/Volleyball

It was a tough way to start 2012 for the court sport teams from Beaver Brae .


The Broncos travelled to Fort Frances yesterday and lost three of four matches.

On the basketball court the senior boys lost 40-23.

Beaver Brae's junior boys won the lone game of the day, topping the Muskies 28-20.

In volleyball action both the juniors and seniors lost by identical 3 sets to 1 margins.

There is no rest for the teams though as both girls volleyball teams will be participating in the "Winter Blast" tournament hosted in Kenora at both Beaver Brae and St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Bronco boys basketball teams travels to Portage for the annual tournament hosted by Portage Collegiate.

Mineral Mountain Resources

Mineral Mountain Resources says the first phase of a drilling program in an area of the former Straw Lake gold mine, north of Fort Frances, will begin later this month.


The company is focusing its work on newly acquired property.

The area has never been drilled in the past.

OPP release names of Deceased in North Spirit Lake Crash

The OPP have officially released the names of four people killed in a plane crash earlierthis week in northwestern Ontario.

The pilot of the Keystone Navajo aircrash has been identified as 41 year old Fariboz Abasabady of Lockport, Manitoba.

Abasabady was hired by Keystone this past summer.

The three other people killed in the plane crash near the North Spirit Lake First Nation have been confirmed as 38 year old Martha Campbell from Winnipeg.

She was a former resident of North Spirit Lake.

62 year old Ben Van Hoek of Carmen was the president of a company called Aboriginal Strategies.

39 year old Colette Eisinger of Winnipeg was also an employee of the company.

36 year old Brian Shead was the lone survivor of the crash.

Two New Police Detachments Opened in the far north

Two Northwestern Ontario First Nations are celebrating the opening of new Nishnawbe-Aski Police Detachments.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford was on hand as the facilities opened their doors in Sandy Lake and Fort Severn.

The Feds spent over 2.3-million dollars on the Detachments, while the Province threw in more than 2.1-million dollars.

First Nation officials in both communities say the new facilities provide better working conditions for police officers and ensure the safety of residents.

The Chief of Fort Severn credited Rickford for his personal intervention to get the Detachment constructed.

Saints and Broncos in action tonight

One game in Girls High School Hockey today.

The Red Lake Rams host the Beaver Brae Broncos.

Game time is 4:30 at the Ear Falls Arena.

In boys hockey action, the Thomas Aquinas Saints are at home to the Dryden Eagles.

The Saints have 11 points while, the Eagles are struggling with just seven.

Game time is 7:30 at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Shoal Lake Water Review Ordered

The Ontario Government has launched a review to see if Winnipeg's plan to extend its water and sewer pipes to rural municipalities violates any historical agreements involving the source of the city's water.

Ontario gave Winnipeg permission to draw water from Shoal Lake in Northwestern Ontario for municipal purposes in 1913.

Natural Resources Spokesperson Jolanta Kowalski says the department's legal branch started to sift through 100 years of water agreements two weeks ago.

The review comes as one First Nation in Shoal Lake threatens to sue the city, saying Winnipeg has no right to sell water before it resolves decades' worth of claims over lake water.

Name of Truck Driver Killed in Crash released

Ontario Provincial Police say a 45 year old Winnipeg truck driver has died in a collision east of Kenora.

Police say Amir Mohammadi died Wednesday when his eastbound tractor-trailer collided with a westbound tractor-trailer.

The westbound transport had jackknifed across Highway 17 in the Dogtooth Lake area.

Another westbound tractor-trailer and an eastbound passenger vehicle were involved when they could not avoid the collision ahead of them.

Police say those vehicles were damaged but the drivers were not injured.

The highway was closed from early Wednesday until Wednesday afternoon.

EQAO Tests

Writing an exam may never be the same again.


Jack McMaster is the director of Education with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and says they will be trying something different this year with some of their EQAO tests.

McMaster says they have received permission from the Ministry of Education to use computers for the writing section of the grade 6 EQAO tests.

McMaster believes the use of computers will especially help boys, who traditionally
do not perform as well in the reading and writing portion of the standardized tests.

Meno Ya Win Health Centre

Nursing students in the region can now train using the latest in simulation equipment and techniques at the Sioux Lookout Hospital.



Officials with the Meno Ya Win Health Centre and Confederation College unveiled the new Simulation Training Lab at a ceremony Wednesday.

Vice President of Health Services Barb Linkewich says the state-of-the art lab will help in retention efforts.

Designed as a real-life hospital setting, health care workers learn in lab experiences that simulate common scenarios including giving birth.

Ontario Wood Logo

The Provincial Government has its first lisenced user of the Ontario Wood Logo.

Forestry Minister, Michael Gravelle says the logo represents products that are grown, produced and designed in Ontario.


Gravelle adds that he's very optimistic that the logo will help promote and strengthen the province's forestry sector.

North Spirit Lake First Nation

Donations are being sought to help out the North Spirit Lake First Nation.


A crash Tuesday morning near the remote northwestern Ontario community
killed one community member, three other employees of a company called
Aboriginal Strategies.

Brian Walmark from K-Net says they've set up a website to accept cash
donations.

Walmark says donations will be used to help defray the cost of funerals and grief councillors, who are being brought into the community.

HST Atikokan

While most want it decrease, Atikokan town council is advocating a on per cent hike in the HST.

The town says the revenue could be earmarked for municipalities for infrastructure improvements.

Mayor Dennis Brown says it may be the only really option to covering the high cost of that work.

Brown adds that under their proposal, his community would receive more than 850-thousand dollars

Betty's

A recent window display has earned Betty's of Fort Frances some international recognition.


The display showed off German-based Schleich toy figurines and was entered in a company sponsored contest.

Blair Anderson says their store was selected third best among hundreds of retailers worldwide


Anderson says they get a voucher for free product they'll distributed to customers while photos of the display will be used by the company in future promotions.

Temperature records tumble in NWO

What a difference a day makes.

Yesterday was was a record breaking day in four northwest communities yesterday.

Kenora hit 2.7 -degrees, eclipising the previous high of 1.3 which was set in 1990.

Fort Frances was the hot spot with a record 5.1-degrees.

Rat Portage Charging for Ice Road Access

The Rat Portage First Nation has once again decided to charge for the use of the ice road that runs through the reserve.

Effective yesterday, check points have been set up on the Gap Road and Matheson Bay entrances to the community.

A seasonal pass for non-residents of Rat Portage is 75 dollars, or 50 dollars a month, or 25 dollars a day.

Passes are available at the band office.

NorWOSSA games cancelled

Poor road conditions are playing havoc with the NorWOSSA court sports season.

Both Thomas Aquinas and Beaver Brae boys basketball and girls volleyball teams were supposed to be in action today.

The Saints were scheduled to host Red Lake, while the Broncos had a home date against Dryden.

Eight games in total have been cancelled due to road closures and treacherous conditions.

Highway 17 East open to one lane of traffic

Traffic is starting to move slowly again on Highway 17 east of Kenora.

The OPP say one lane of the Trans-Canada has been opened following a fatal multiple vehicle collision about 30 kilometers east of Kenora.

Police say a westbound transport jack-knifed near Dogtooth Lake around 1:00 this morning.

An eastbound semi was unable to avoid the truck and collided with it.

Police say the driver of the eastbound unit was killed.

A short time later  another tractor-trailor unit and a passenger vehicle also slid into the first two trucks.

There was one other accident reported last night, when a transport rolled over near Chadwick Lake on Highway 17 east and lost its load.

The OPP say the driver was not injured in that mishap.

One Person Survives North Spirit Lake Plane Crash

The only person who survived the crash of a small plane flying from Winnipeg to northern Ontario is said to be in stable condition in a Winnipeg hospital.

Thirty-six-year-old Brian Shead works for Aboriginal Strategies Incorporated, an administrative service for First Nations based in Winnipeg.

His wife Tracy says at first it was believed he died, but then she found out he had a broken ankle and broken bones in his face.

She says she's been told he's awake and his vital signs are good.

More troubles for Pikangikum

The only school in a troubled northwestern Ontario First Nation may have to shut its doors because mould has driven away many of its teachers.

The Pikangikum First Nation says it has seen almost all the non-local teachers leave the community because of mould growing in the teachers' residences.

Director of education Kyle Peters says after fighting for years for a decent school, and dealing with rampant suicide, substance abuse and poverty, this is the last thing the youth of Pikangikum need.

 Improving education is at the top of the agenda when First Nations leaders meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in two weeks for a summit in Ottawa.

Highway 17 east still closed

The OPP say it could be a couple of more hours before the wreckage from a fatal overnight crash on Highway 17 east of Kenora is finally cleared away.

Police say a westbound tractor-trailor unit jack-knifed about 30 kilometers east of town around 1:00 last night.

It was struck by an eastbound semi, which was unable to stop, due to slippery road conditions.

The driver of the eastbound unit was killed in the collision.

In the meantime, two more transports also collided with the other two semis.

Earlier in the evening, the OPP say there was also another roll-over on the Trans-Canada east of Kenora near Chadwick Lake.

Police say the semi spilt its load, but the driver was not injured.

Lakewood School Proposal pitched to KPDSB

Administration with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board isn't ready to endorse plans to re-develop Lakewood School just yet.

Geordie McEwan made his pitch for the Lake of the Woods Center at last night's board meeting and says there is definitely a need for such a facility in Kenora.

Trustees say they want administration to come to their next committee of the whole meeting
with some feedback about the proposal.

The board then says it will look at doing a community consultation on the idea.

Evergreen School Remains Open for One more year

Evergreen parents are breathing a sigh of relief today.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board has agreed to keep the elementary

school open for at least one more year.

Trustees made the decision last night after hearing a presentation about a proposal

to re-develop Lakewood School into an adult education center.

Pam Cederwall says she's pleased the decision to close Evergreen has been

delayed.

The public school board was going to close the school at the end of this school year,

but agreed to delay closure until at least the spring of 2013.

Highway 17 Closed

Highway 17, 30kms east of Kenora is closed this morning.


The Kenora Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police say icy road conditions where the main factor of a motor vehicle collision in which they are still investigating.

A detour is available at Highway 11.

School Buses Cancelled

It's only the third day of school for students in 2012 but already they're catching a break thanks to Mother Nature

Unless you live within walking distance to the school, you might as well let the kids sleep in this morning.

School Bus services for  Kenora, Sioux Narrows, Dryden, Red Lake/Ear Falls ,Ignace, Minaki have been cancelled due to icy road conditions.

Any further updates will be posted. Please log onto www.nwobus.ca

Four feared dead in North Spirit Lake Plane Crash

One person has survived a plane crash that killed four others in North Spirit Lake.

Maggie Kakegamic, a band councillor from the North Spirit Lake reserve where the small plane crashed, says the person is being treated at the local clinic.

The Transportation Safety Board says the Keystone Air plane crashed into the lake around 10 o'clock this morning.

Spokesperson Peter Hildebrand says the small aircraft was flying from Winnipeg to North Spirit Lake when it crashed a half a mile before the runway.

Hildebrand says five people, including the pilot, were on board.

He says there was a fire in the aircraft after it went down.

Hildebrand says two investigators have been dispatched to the scene, but it may be tomorrow before they get any further information about the cause of the crash.

Kakegamic says the small community of several hundred people about 400 kilometres north of Dryden is in shock and everybody is crying.

Plane Crash in Northwestern Ontario

Details are still sketchy about a plane crash in northwestern Ontario.

The Transportation Safety Board says a Keystone Air Service plane flying from Winnipeg to North Spirit Lake went down around 10:00 this morning.

The plane was carrying five people including the pilot.

Peter Hildebrand from the Safety Board says they don't know the condition of those on board at this time.

He says there was a fire in the aircraft after it went down on North Spirit Lake.

NorWOSSA Hockey Action Resumes today

Local high school hockey players will get a chance to work off their Christmas turkey today.

NorWOSSA hockey action resumes with a pair of games at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Beaver Brae's boys team is first up with a game against the Sioux Lookout Warriors.

The Broncos will be out for a measure of revenge, after the Warriors beat them in their first game of the season.

Game time is 4:30 at the Thistler Rink.

Following that contest, the Bronco girls are in action.

They'll face off against the Fort Frances Muskies at 7:30.

Hospital gets a new board member

Lake of the Woods District Hospital has a new trustee.

Dorothy Monteith was introduced at the hospital's monthly board meeting last month.

The position had been vacant since the summer, after one of the appointees decided not to fill the position.

The hospital board's nomination began their search to fill the vacancy in the fall.

New Years at the Rec. Center a Popular Draw

The Kenora Rec. Center now has one of the biggest New Year's events in the City.

Councillor Charito Drinkwalter says this year's family night on December 31st, attracted 407 people.

That's 150 more than last year.

The Rotary Club sponsors the family night from 4:00 to 8:00 allowing families to swim and skate at the Rec. Center for Free on the last night of the year.

Tourism Survey Deadline Looming

The deadline is quickly coming for an on-line survey about Kenora's tourism industry.

The survey was presented by Roger Brooks last month during a return visit to the city.

Councillor Sharon Smith says so far the response has been fantastic.

Tomorrow is the last day to submit your survey on Kenora.ca.

The information will be used to help determine a specific tourism message the city wants to market to visitors in the future.

Boil Water Advisory lifted in Keewatin

A five day old boil water advisory has been lifted for the Keewatin and Norman areas.

The advisory was issued last Thursday after a water pipe in the Portage Bay area broke.

The city was waiting for two consectutive water tests to come back free of any bacterial contamination before it lifted the advisory.

The Advisory was lifted just before 10:00 this morning.

Boil Water Advisory

The City of Kenora is hoping to lift a boil water advisory in the Keewatin and Norman

areas today.

The advisory has been in place since last week after a water line in the Portage Bay
area broke.

Operations manager Rick Perchuck says this is the fourth break in the line in the
past three years.

Perchuck says the first results of water tests done on the line came back negative for the presence of bacteria, but they need one more test result before they can lift the boil water advisory.

MS Kenora

The MS Kenora is ready to set sail to Coney Island.


But the owner of the tour boat says the City is going to have to address the docking situation on the island first.

Al Luby made a deputation to city council yesterday and says before they can go forward with their plans, the city is going to have to improve the public docks on the north side of the island.

Luby is asking the city to do an engineering report on the docks and then they can decide whether to go ahead with their plans to operate a daily service to the island.

Drug Bust on the By-Pass

A traffic stop on the Kenora By-Pass has taken another 25 hundred dollars in illegal drugs off the street.

The OPP say they stopped a vehicle near the intersection of the Redditt
Road around 12:30 this morning.

Officers says they found about 200 Oxycodone pills inside the vehicle.

Both occupants have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

24 year old Calvin Delarond of Kenora and 35 year old Cheryl Ann Bird of Winnipeg are due to appear in court this February on the charges.

Health Unit Celebrates "Man"-uary

This is "MANuary"!

The Northwestern Health Unit is trying raise awareness of testicular cancer.

Public Health Nurse Patty Foster says they were surprised at the lack of awareness among men in our communities.

Foster says they have launched a Facebook campaign and will be hitting area schools to raise more awareness.

Rickford expects a lean federal budget in 2012

The federal government plans to do some belt-tightening in the new year.

The budget isn't expected for a couple of more months, but Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says the Harper Government is committed to reducing spending.

Rickford says the goal is to try and reduce spending as much as possible to try and bring down their deficit.

City Council back in Session Today

Kenora city council is back in session today after a couple of weeks off for the Christmas and New Year's Break.

The committee of the whole will meet at 3:30 this afternoon, with a fairly thin  agenda.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says 2011 was a very busy year for the city and is hoping things like the Community Improvement Plan on the Abitibi properties will pay dividends in 2012.

Canfield says while they only have one business on the Abitibi property right now, they hope to be able to announce more activity in the months ahead.

Break in at Mount Evergreen

The OPP are investigating some mischief and a theft at the Mount Evergreen Ski Club.

Last week, police say someone drove a truck down the ski hills and some of the groomed trails.

Two snowboards and two pairs of skiis were also stolen.

Anyone with information can contact the OPP or Crimestoppers.

Boil Water Advisory

The City of Kenora's boil water advisory remains in effect for all those in the Norman and Keewatin area who are connected to the City of Kenora’s Water System.

Kenora’s Water & Sewer Department says it’s caused by a water main break at Portage Bay in Keewatin.

The city can’t guarantee the quality of the water until satisfactory sample results are received from the lab”

A boil water advisory for all locations in Norman and Keewatin remain in effect until further notice

Nathan Cullen

Thunder Bay is playing host to a candidate in the Federal NDP leadership race.


B.C. MP Nathan Cullen is holding a meet and greet this afternoon at the Madhouse Tavern and then another event in the evening for party faithful.

An NDP all candidates debate will be held in Sudbury in February.

Lock It before you Pocket

Police are launching a campaign called``lock it before you pocket.''

They'll be cracking down on 9-1-1 pocket dialers.

The program launches today in Toronto where last year the force got more than 100 thousand pockets dials and more than 115 thousand misdials.

Police say if that happens to you, don't hang up and explain to the operator it was a mistake.

North American Palladium

North American Palladium says it's committed to building the mining industry in the Thunder Bay area.


CEO Bill Biggar says about 16-square kilometres has been acquired northwest of the current Lac-des-Iles operation.

He says they plan to invest up to 4-million dollars at the site to get it ready for operations next year.

A mine shaft at their current operation is still in production.

First Nations Help

Two First Nations near Attawapiskat are also sounding the alarm over concerns of their own.


Kashechewan and Fort Albany are both calling on federal and provincial governments for immediate
emergency help with their housing situations.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan recently announced more than 3-million dollars for housing in Kashechewan

Highway 17 East

Highway 17 east of the Terrace Bay airport is open to both lanes of traffic after an accident overnight.

A transport jack knifed blocking both lanes.

Police say the road was closed for five hours while crews towed the rig off the highway but luckily no one was hurt.

Tuition Rebates

Ontario students can now go online to apply for a rebate on their tuition fees.

The McGuinty government is making good on a campaign promise to take 30 per cent off the average cost of tuition.

Students enrolled in the Ontario Student Assistance Program will be automatically considered and don't have to apply.

To qualify for the grant, students must be less than four years out of high school and their parents' gross income can't be more than 160-thousand dollars

Weather Record

It's one of the warmest winters we've had in over 20 years. A new record high was set in Kenora yesterday when the mercury hit 2.5 degrees.


CJRL Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw says the old mark of 0.8 was set back 1992 but we weren’t the only ones breaking record highs in January.

It was a little warmer in Fort Frances yesterday, temperatures were steady at 8.2.