Ontario Fire Marshall to Investigate Railway Street Blaze

The Ontario Fire Marshall's Office is being brought in to help investigate a
fire on Railway Street.

The blaze broke out around 4:00 yesterday afternoon and destroyed the
house.

All available fire trucks and pumpers were dispatched to the scene to help bring
the flames under control.

One person was taken to hospital by ambulance, but their condition isn't known.

The cause of the fire still hasn't been determined.

Positive Reviews of Mock Disaster

It was a busy day if you were a first responder.

Just hours before the Railway Street fire, Emergency Management
Officials in Kenora wrapped up their Mock Disaster.

Karen Brown is the city's deputy Emergency officer and says it was
a valuable experience.

Local organizations that participated in the Mock Disaster will be gathering
once again next week for a post-mortem of the event.

More Charges in Project Gordonvale

A week after a major drug bust in Kenora and the OPP are still rounding
up suspects.

Yesterday, the OPP released the names of eight more people rounded up
in project Gordonvale.

All those charged are either from Kenora or Rat Portage and charges include
possession and trafficking of cocaine and marijuana.

In all 38 people were arrested on 174 charges.

Here's a list of the most recent arrests:

SUSPECT                              TYPE  OF DRUGS        

Brittany BUTOWSKI         Cocaine, Marihuana      

20yrs Female,  Kenora  

Grace QUINTON              Cocaine, Marihuana   

46yrs Female Kenora

James QUINTON              Cocaine, Marihuana   

54yrs Male, Kenora

Cale HAYES                       Marihuana                  

23yrs Male, Kenora

Christine WRIGHT               Marihuana/Hash          

54yrs Female Kenora

               

Ashley  LORANGER            Cocaine                                       

19yrs Female Kenora

Joseph SMITH,                     Marihuana                  

56yrs Male, Rat Portage FN                                                                                     

Rena SMITH                         Marihuana             

47yrs Female, Rat Portage FN                                                                              

Health Unit Concerned with Drug Overdoses

More deadly than motor vehicle collisions.

Northwestern Health Unit Nurse Kim Elke says opiate overdoses are one of the leading causes of death in the region.

She says statistics from 2011 show that motor vehicle accidents accounted for 48 fatalities, while drug overdoses have killed 56 people.

Elke says the health unit does provide an antidote with drug kits to help cure an overdose.

Names of Victims of Crash Near English River Released

The four other men killed in Saturday's crash on highway 17 near English River have been identified.

Provincial Police say 26 year old Brady Ostell, 27 year old Andrew Ostell, both from Kitchener, 42 year old Kyle Prince from Waterloo and 44 year old James  Jackson from Fort Erie died when the pick-up truck they were in collided with a transport truck.

The driver of the transport, a 43-year-old man from Cambridge, was also killed.

Provincial Police continue their investigation.

Campbell Urges Improved Winter Road Maintenance

The snow is starting to blow across northwestern Ontario and that has our M.P.P. wondering about winter road maintenance.

Sarah Campbell says over the past couple of years, her office has fielded several complaints about the condition of roads in the winter.

Campbell says government needs to step up and ensure our roads are maintained to a high standard this winter.

Last winter was the first year Transfield took over responsibility for road maintenace in the region.

Broncos lose Three of Four Games Against Dryden

While Beaver Brae's football team enjoyed some success on the field, the Bronco court sport
teams struggled against Dryden yesterday.

Beaver Brae won just one of four games played in their final home date of the season.

The Bronco senior girls basketball team held on for a 40-34 win over the Eagles.

Hilary Moncrief led the way with 12 points.

Meanwhile, the Beaver Brae junior girls dropped a 36-15 deci
sion.

In boys volleyball, both the  Bronco junior and senior squads were beaten in three straight
sets by the Eagles.

The regular season wraps up next Thursday in Fort Frances.

Bronco Football Team Advances to Semi-Finals

Beaver Brae's football team is advancing to the semi-finals in the Winnipeg High School Football League.

The Broncos held on for a 35-33 win over the Daniel MacIntyre Maroons this afternoon at Pete Fair Memorial Field.

Aiden Farrell  scored a pair of touchdowns for the Broncos, while Andrew Duncan, Mark Reimer and
Eric Melillo also had majors.

Jackson Penner led the Bronco defense with a pair of interceptions, which he returned for a total of 94 yards.

Beaver Brae now will face a much tougher opponent next week, as they take on the West Kildonan
Wolverines on Hallowe'en night in Winnipeg.

The winner of that game will advance to the Currie Division finals November 7th.

Fire Destroys House on Railway Street

Fire crews are still on the scene of a house fire on Railway Street.

The blaze broke out out 4:00 this afternoon and totally engulfed the
home.

The fire also spread to property outside the house including a truck.

Kenora's fire and emergency services department has all available vehicles on the scene, as the blaze continues to smolder.

At least one person was taken to hospital, but no word on their condition.

Railway Street between the Andrychuck Crossing and Round Lake continues
to be closed to traffic to allow emergency vehicles to move freely.

Mock Disaster Today

The scene has been cleared from Kenora's mock disaster.

The city's emergency measures officer, Warren Brinkman says they planned the drill to test the response of multiple local agencies.

The drill got underway just after 9:00 in the area of Thomas Aquinas High School.

The scenario included a tornado and down power lines.

A post-mortem of the event will, with evaluations from all the participating partners, will take place next Tuesday.

Hallowe'en Haunt this Weekend

Be prepared to be scared out of your wits.

The Lake of the Woods Historical Society is in the proces of turning the
Mather-Walls House in Keewatin into a Haunted House.

The annual Hallowe'en Haunt will be taking place tomorrow night and
Saturday night.

Once again, drama students from Beaver Brae and Thomas Aquinas will
be responsible for decorating the heritage home and providing the thrills and chills.

The Haunted Howl will run from 6:00 to 9:00 both Friday and Saturday.

Police Costs Lower than Expected

It looks like policing costs in the City of Kenora will be under budget for
the fourth year in a row.

Inspector Dave Lucas from the Kenora Detachment says midway through the year, they've spent about 300 thousand dollars less than expected.

The total bill for this year has been projected at 6.7 million dollars, but Lucas believes they will be able to come in well under budget.

He adds that reduced overtime is just one of the reasons why they are running under budget so far this year.

Sobey's Won't Sell Safeway Stores in NWO

Northwestern Ontario Safeway Stores are not going to be sold as part of Sobey's takeover of Canada Safeway.  

Sobey's spokesperson Andrew Walker says a government regulator approved the takeover, but ordered Sobey's to sell 23 stores across the country but not in Kenora, Dryden, Thunder Bay or Fort Frances.

Five Winnipeg Safeway stores will be on the auction block.

The 5.8 billion dollar deal is expected to be finalized in early November.

New Democrats Lobby For Return of Ontario Ranger Program

The Liberal Government has been handed a 6-thousand signature petition calling for the reinstatement of the Ontario Park Ranger program.

The 68 year old course was instrumental in providing youth with experience, outdoor skills and an opportunity to travel.

NDP Natural Resources Critic John Vanthof says it was a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience.

The program was successful in several communities across northwestern Ontario.

Broncos Ready for Home Play-off Game

It's do or die today on Pete Fair Memorial Field.

The Beaver Brae Broncos football are hosting Daniel Mac in the first round of the playoffs.

Head Coach Chris Penner says he's ready for a battle.

The game marks the WHSFL's first ever playoff game outside of Winnipeg.

Kick off is set for 3:00.

NWHU Battles Possible HIV outbreak

The Northwestern Health Unit is battling a possible HIV outbreak in the region.

Public Health Nurse Kim Elke says we are facing the same problems as Saskatchewan was 10 years ago.

Elke says that the region is also facing chlamydia rates that are 3 to 4 times higher then the provincial average.

She adds that the leading cause to possible break out is IV drug users reusing needles.

This year the NWHU is on pace to hand out over 150,000 needles in Kenora to ensure users have clean needles to prevent any transmission.

Along with the needle exchange program Elke says the unit has cocaine and crack kits to prevent transmission by snorting, and is hiring a peer position from a drug abuse background to have a deeper impact with the drug community about the programs.

Anti-Tobacco Funding Available

Another measure to attract area youth to anti-smoking initiatives.

A $1,000 grant is being established by the Northwest Area Tobacco Control Network.

The money will go towards youth engagement projects with a focus on tobacco prevention.

The deadline for area schools and community groups to apply is November 15th.

Habitat Gets Ready To Build Second House in Kenora

Habitat for Humanity is getting ready to launch its second build in Kenora.

Fundraising letters are starting to go out.

Thelma Wilkens-Page is on the local committee and says they have to raise about 150 thousand dollars to make sure the project is a go.

 Wilkens-Page says their goal is to turn sod on their second Habitat house next May and begin construction in June.

Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls Looking for a New Name

What's in a name.

Quite a bit if you're called Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls.

Mayor Bill Thompson is launching a campaign to have the town's
name changed.

Thompson says they still haven't worked out the process for deciding on a new name, but promises local residents will be consulted.

He's hoping to have the new name in place by the next municipal
election.

Campbell Complains About High Hydro Prices

Hydro prices in Northwestern Ontario continue to be an issue for Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Sarah Campbell.

Campbell says she has been flooded with calls and e-mails from residents who can't afford their bill.

She blames the Liberals and the gas plant scandal for the increased cost of electricity.

Campbell says that since 2007, the off-peak hydro rate has gone up by 140-percent.

Good Turn Out for Cardboard Boat Races

18 elementary schools from across the region competed in the Cardboard Boat Races in Dryden.

The Grade 7 and 8 students were handed cardboard, duct tape and contact cement and were tasked to construct a boat that would stay afloat.

The event was hosted by Skills Canada-Ontario and Spokesperson Karen Troupe explains the purpose of the event.

Troupe says they hope that these students will gravitate to skills trades and tech programs once they get to High School.

Buffalo Point Chief Facing Extortion Charge

The Chief of the Buffalo Point First Nation on the Manitoba side of Lake of
the Woods is facing extortion charges.

The RCMP in Sprague say they began their investigation back in July in response to a letter to a federal government official.

Police say the civil servant had some involvement with the Buffalo Point Cottage Owners Association.

The investigation showed the correspondence from Chief John Thunder made an attempt to derail a civil legal proceeding between the first nation and the Cottage Owner's Association.

Thunder was arrested yesterday and will appear in Winnipeg Court on
November 25th to answer to the extortion charge.

Cliffs Threatening Again to Pull Out of Ring of Fire

Cliffs Natural Resources is again threatening to pull out of the Ring of Fire mining development.  

The company is repeating its threat that it may give up on the project altogether if it can't get proper road access to its property.

Cliffs spokesperson Jason Aagenes says they are throwing it in the province's court.


Cliffs doesn't believe any one company should have restricted access to the Ring of Fire

OPP To Hold Car Seat Clinic

The Kenora OPP are hosting a car seat clinic this Friday.

The clinic will have technicians on hand to assist in the installation of the seats or inspect ones already installed.

No appointments are required to attend.

The clinic runs from 11 to 1 at the fire hall.

Home Court No Advantage for Broncos

A tough day on the court for Beaver Brae teams.

The Bronco senior girls dropped a 29-20 decision to Fort Frances.

With the win, Fort clinches first place in the division.

In junior boys volleyball action, the Muskies also prevailed three sets to two.

Fort won the fifth and deciding set 16-14.

Saints Dominate Falcons and Rams

It's been a busy couple of days for Thomas Aquinas Sports teams.

The Saints played both Red Lake and Ignace teams this week.

Just the junior squads were on the court yesterday with the T.A. junior
boys volleyball team beating the Falcons in three straight sets.

The Thomas Aquinas junior girls enjoyed similar success over Ignace in
basketball.

On Monday, the Saints took three of four games against Red Lake.

The Junior boys needed five sets to get by the Rams, while the senior
team beat Red Lake three sets to one.

In girls basketball, the junior girls got by the Rams, while the senior
team suffered the lone loss of the day.

OPP Host Public Initiatives

Students in Kenora are going to get more face to face lessons about everyday issues from OPP officers.

The Kenora Provincial Police have launched the new OPP KIDS program this week.

Officers will speak to students in the classroom regarding situation they see everyday like the uses of social media.

Detachment Commander Inspector Dave Lucas says the program is an example of how officers are working proactively to make a difference.

Some other topics of discussion include peer relationships, and mental health awareness.

Also some lessons on installing car seats.

The Kenora OPP are hosting a car seat clinic on Friday from 11 until 1 at the fire hall.

Technicians will be on hand to assist in the installation of the seats or inspect ones already installed.

No appointments are needed to attend.

Men Killed in English River Crash Still Unidentified

The OPP say they are still unable to release the names of four of the
people killed in a fatal collision on Highway 17 near English River.

Post-mortem exams are being carried out in Toronto and police say until
they get positive identifications, they won't be released the names of
the deceased.

The four adult males were in a pick-up truck that collided with a semi tractor-trailer  unit between Ignace and Upsala last Saturday night.

The driver of the transport was also killed in the crash.

First Ever Bark For Life a Modest Success

Call it Canines for Cancer.

The first ever Bark for Life fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society came up just a little short of its goal.

Just under two thousand dollars was raised on Saturday in the inaugural
event.

The Cancer Society had hoped to raise about 25 hundred dollars.

Almost a dozen people came out to walk their dogs and support the Cancer Society.

Kenora Cancer Patients Case Raised at Queen's Park

A Kenora man's attempt to get treatment for cancer has landed at
Queen's Park.

Sarah Campbell asked the Health Minister yesterday in Question Periods why Wes Bland wasn't approved for a PET scan in Winnipeg.

Deb Matthews claims it was a misunderstanding which has since been
cleared up.

Campbell is upset that northwestern Ontario residents still have to get prior approval from OHIP before they can get their test done in Winnipeg.

Control Board Adopts New Winter Regulations

Control water levels all winter long.

The Lake of the Woods Control Board has created it's new winter strategy following consultations last week with local stakeholder groups.

Executive Engineer Matt DeWolfe says they are happy with the current water levels.

The current level is 322.7 meters, which is just below normal for this time of year.

The strategy also includes the target winter level before the spring melt.

New MOU with Development Commission Signed

A bit of a change for the Lake of the Woods Development Commission.

City council has re-drafted the memorandum of understanding with
the Economic Development group.

Councillor Sharon Smith says the new agreement takes away some of
the staffing and operational issues the Commission used to deal with.

Under the new agreement, the Commission no longer has responsibility
for maintaining or booking the Whitecap Pavilion or the Discovery Center.

NAPS Investigate Two Shooting Incidents in the Far North

A 17-year-old is facing charges including attempted murder following a shooting in Wunnumin Lake First Nation.

Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Police Sergeant Jackie George says the incident happened on Friday evening, and believe the suspect is involved in more than one shooting.

A 25-year-old was taken to hospital with injuries, and is listed in stable condition.

The name of the victim has not been released.

Meanwhile, an armed man has been arrested in the remote northern community of Deer Lake.

Nishnawbe-Aski Police say they received a report of gun shots being fired in the community around 2 o'clock Friday morning.

22-year-old Quinton Meekis of Deer Lake was arrested and charged with careless use of a firearm, possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

Flu Shot Clinics Open Today

A perfect opportunity to get your flu shot.

The first seasonal flu-shot clinic will take place in the City of Kenora
today.

The pharmacy at Ted's No Frills in the Kenora Shopper's Mall will be
administering the flu shots today from 9:00 to 5:00.

You are asked to call ahead for an appointment.

For a complete list of flu-shot clinics you can check the Northwestern Health Unit web-site and follow the links.

Beaver Brae Hosts One Day Volleyball Tournament

Beaver Brae's gyms were a bee-hive of activity yesterday.

A total of 11 grade seven and eight boys and girls volleyball teams
took part in a one-day tournament.

In the boys division, the Bronco boys went undefeated, while the
Thomas Aquinas Grade seven squad placed second.

In girls action, Beaver Brae and Whitefish Bay finished in a two-way tie
for first, while Thomas Aquinas was third.

Sharks Begin Competitive Swim Season

Some strong early season performances from the Kenora Sharks Swim Club.

The Sharks were in Fort Frances over the Weekend for the Boston Pizza Fall Frolic.

Joe Morrison won all eight of the events he competed in and was the overall points
leader for boys 12 and under.

Alex Illman had another strong meet winning eight races in the girls 11 and 12 year old
division.

In the 10 and under Girls division, Katie Kroeker had four place finishes, while Alexis From
won three races.

In the 10 and Under boys grouping, Evan McDonald led the way with four first place finishes.

Up next for the Sharks is their own swim meet in November.

Kenora OPP Officer Receives MADD Award

A 23 year veteran of the OPP in Kenora has been given an award by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Constable Steve Jacko has received the Terry Ryan Memorial Award for Excellence in Police Services.

The award recognizes officers who show exemplary service in reducing impaired driving.

Jacko was recently named in the OPP's top ten list for traffic statistics, and also received the Ontario Provincial Police Regional Commander’s Letter of Recommendation.

Fort Frances Derailment Cleaned Up

A rail car that toppled over Friday on Resolute Forest Products mill property in Fort Frances has now been emptied and hauled away.

Some of it's contents, hydrogen peroxide, spilled, but crews had it contained by Saturday.

The chemical is used in the bleaching process at the mill, but officials says it posed no risk to the public at any time.

Roads that had been closed during the incident have now been reopened.

Local Aboriginals Hold Solidarity March

Standing in solidarity.

A gathering took place Friday afternoon at the Whitecap Pavilion to support the aboriginal protest in New Brunswick.

Donna Anderson who organized the gathering says their message is simple.

They want the province of New Brunswick to respect the rights of first nations people.

Events like this have been held throughout the country since the RCMP converged on a fracking blockade by aboriginal people in Rexton.

English River Collision Claims Five Lives

Five people are dead following a four vehicle crash on Highway 17 between Ignace and Upsala.

Provincial Police say a westbound truck hit an eastbound transport around 10:45 Saturday night about 15 kilometers east of English River.

Four men in the truck and the transport driver all died in the crash.

The driver of the transport has been identified as a 43 year Sukhwinder Thandi  from Cambridge, Ontario.

The four men in the pickup truck haven't been positively identified.

Two other transports were involved in the crash but no one was injured.

The cause is under investigation.

Acting Treaty Three Police Chief Dives into New Job

The new acting chief of the Treaty Three Police Service is quickly getting
his feet wet.

Dan Davidson was involved in a press conference announcing a large drug
bust in Kenora last week.

He admits still learning the ropes after just one week on the job.

Davidson says one of his jobs is to fill some of their key vacancies, including
a new detachment commander for their southern base on the Couchiching
First Nation.

Forest Fire Season Winding Down

With snow on the ground, it's not too surprising there hasn't been much in the way
of forest fire activity in recent weeks.

Ministry of Natural Resources Spokesperson Deb MacLean says things have been quiet for a while now.

 MacLean says the last fire was in Red Lake, and was put out last Wednesday.

Two prescribed burns in the Sioux Lookout District continue to burn, and are being held at 45 and 15 hectares.

City Issues Reminder About Deer

The City of Kenora is offering some safety reminders when you come into contact with deer.

It's mating season for the animals and the city's deputy clerk,  Heather Kasprick says it's better to be safe than sorry.

Kasprick says humans don't aggravate deer anymore then usual but that the animals are much more likely to react.

She says it's mating season and the city wants to make sure people are taking extra precau
tuion.

New Gold Says It's Ready to Proceed with Rainy River Project

It has a new owner, but officials says plans for a new gold mine south of Kenora is still on moving forward.

New Gold has completed an acquisition of Rainy River Resources.

Director of Sustainability Kyle Stanfield says the project itself is still aiming for ministerial approval of the environmental assessment next year.

A final report of the environmental assessment is due out later this month.

Lakehead Tops National Rankings

A Northwestern Ontario University is the top in the province when it comes to undergraduate research.

Lakehead University in Thunder Bay was ranked number one in all of Ontario in this year's Canada's Top 50 Research Universities.

Vice President of Academics Dr. Rod Hanley says this is great news.

The school was considered based on the total amount of research dollars, intensity, and research output based on articles published in peer-reviewed literature.

Aussie Horseback Rider Arrives in NWO

He's travelled over 13-thousand miles on horseback in Australia, the U.S. and in Canada and now he has arrived in   northwestern Ontario.

Aussie Joe Guy is in the area as part of his long-rider trip.

Guy says he rides a different horse in every part of the country he travels in.

In this case the horse he's riding is from Manitoba and the owner will meet him in Thunder Bay to pick it up.

Thistles Split Weekend Road Games

A weekend split for the Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles on the road this weekend.

Saturday, the Thistles earned their second win of the young season with a 3-0
shut out of the Parkland Rangers.

Eric Sinclair led the offense with a pair of goals, while Ben Dennis was in net for the shut out.

A tougher test yesterday for the Thistles as they were upended 5-1 by the Winnipeg Wild.

Bronco Football Team to Host WHSFL Playoff Game

 Beaver Brae's football team has been guaranteed a home play-off
date for the first time ever.

The Broncos will face Daniel McIntyre from Winnipeg on Thursday afternoon in quarter-final action at Pete Fair Memorial Field.

Beaver Brae finished the regular season with a 6-2 record after a 42-14 win over the St. John's Tigers on Friday.

Bronco Boys Win Pre-Season Tournament in Morris

A promising start for Beaver Brae's boys hockey team.

The Broncos won a tournament in Morris, Manitoba over the weekend, posting
a perfect 3-0 record.

Beaver Brae advanced to the final against the host team from Morris and edged
the Mavericks 3-2.