Space still available for BScN Program

Confederation College and Lakehead University says some space is still available in a community-based nursing program.


It allows students to earn L-U's bachelor program through the region's college's campus.

Spokesperson for Con College, Anne Renaud says they will still go ahead with or without a full class.

The College and L-U graduated twenty students at the end of a four-year pilot program in June 2009

Voters lists go on-line

The City of Kenora is gearing up for the municipal elections this fall.

The nomination deadline is this Friday, and local residents can check
on-line to see if they are on the voters list.
Joanne McMillin is the city's returning officer and says this is the first
time they've used the on-line voters list.

She says you can find out if you are an eligible voter by entering your name and address on the city's web portal.

McMillin says the vote by mail kits should be in your mailbox sometime during the last week of September or
the first week of October. 

Ten People Seeking a Seat on Council

Then there were ten.

Another person has thrown his hat into the ring for the city council race in Kenora.

Rod McKay, the manager of the moth-balled Kenora Forest Products mill, filed his nomination papers yesterday.

At least one other person is expected to enter the election fray before Friday's deadline.

Anyone wanting to run for council has until 2:00 to file their nomination papers on September 10th.

New Fire Hall Nearing Completion

Its going to be at least another month before Kenora's Fire and Emergency Services

Department moves into its new building on Barsky's Hill.

Fire Chief Warren Brinkman provided council an update on the Fire Hall project yesterday.

Brinkman says they are basically on time, but a few things have to be done before they can
begin moving in.

Brinkman says he wants to hold an open house at the new Fire Hall by the middle of October
to show off their new building.

Missing Winnipeg Man found near Hadashville

An 86-year-old Manitoba man is doing well despite being stranded for days in a swamp.

Joseph Kuz was reported missing last week after he'd set out on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway near Hadashville to walk to his nephew's cabin.

Mounties on A-T-Vs found Kuz yesterday.

He was dehydrated and hungry but otherwise alright.

Kuz's nephew, Myron Lamaga (la-MAH-ga), says his uncle is familiar with the outdoors and used to trap.

Clement Defends Fednor

Industry Minister Tony Clement doesn't see the value of making FEDNOR a separate agency within the federal government.

Opposition M-P's say feel it would speed up the time it takes to approval funding request.

But the Minister responsible for FEDNOR says there would be really no difference.

Clement adds the government has no plans to dismantle the regional economic development agency.

Lac Seul F.N. Settlement Vote

Lac Seul First Nation will be voting today on a 27 million dollar settlement offer on its old timber claim.

A voting booth will be set up in a number of communities across the region, including Thunder Bay.

Lac Seul received the offer from the Canadian Government to settle the claim which dates back to a harvested burn on reserve lands in 1907 and the surrender of the reserve's timber in 1919.

The voting will take place from 7:00 this morning until 7:00 this evening.

Strike Continues at NOSM

Talks between the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and

striking members of OP-SEU will continue later this month.

The talks ended Friday with limited progress and an agreement to
meet again starting September 14th.

Both sides agreed to a media blackout over the talks.

Some of the outstanding issues include hours of work, sick leave,
contracting out, family leaves and wages.

The union represents administrative, clerical and technical staff
at Laurentian University in Sudbury and Lakehead University in
Thunder Bay and campuses in Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie.

HST exemption now available

Area first nations can now get an 8 percent exemption from the HST at local retailers tills.


Anyone who has difficulty getting it is asked to contact the local chapter of the Union of Ontario Indians.

Spokesperson Judy Currie says she checked for herself to see if she would get the exemption and suggests
most of businesses in this area are honouring it at the cash register.

Northwest LHIN's Under Attack

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network is under fire from the Progressive Conservative party.


The PC's are taking aim at their spending.

Democratic Reform Critic Steve Clark feels the 4.8 million dollars the NW LHIN spent on administration could have been better spent.

The Northwest LHIN also spent 1.5 million dollars on consultants over the past four years.

Grassy Narrows Man arrested following standoff

A 23 year old Grassy Narrows man has been arrested following a stand-off in the First Nations Community North of Kenora.

Late last week, Treaty Three Police were called out after a 28 year old woman sustained several slash wound.

She was taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment.

Police say the male suspect was still inside the victims residence when they arrived at the scene.

A crisis negotiator and the OPP's Northwest Emergency Response Unit were called in.

Several hours later, Barry Payash was taken into custody.

He appeared in Kenora Court on Friday on charges of aggravated assault and three
counts of breach of probation.

Fall Tourism Campaign Planned

With Labor Day now over, Tourism Kenora is looking ahead to the fall.

A new ad campaign is being planned for the Winnipeg and southern Manitoba
markets.

Heather Paterson is Kenora's Tourism Development Officer and says they are
taking a little different approach this year.

Paterson says the spring campaign that was launched in May and June in
southern Manitoba proved to be very successful.

Village Corner in Vermillion Bay Destroyed by Fire

A popular rest stop between Kenora and Dryden has gone up in smoke.


The Village Corner in Vermillion Bay was destroyed by fire yesterday.

Fire crews from Machin, Dryden, Oxdrift and Wabigoon were called out shortly
after 6:00 yesterday morning.

Fire Fighters spent most of the day putting out the blaze at the corner store and
gas station.

The cause of the fire still hasn't been determined, and there has been no estimate
placed on the extent of the damage.

Officials say no-one was injured in the fire.

Sioux Narrows/Nestor Fall Elections

It looks like there will be at least two election races in Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls in October.

With a week left before the nomination deadline, three people have signed up to run for two councillor at-large positions.

Former mayor Gerry O'Leary will battle incumbants Chan Motlong and Lou Kabel.

In Ward One, which represents Sioux Narrows North, Gail Black is being challenged
by John Stuhldrieir.

There is only one candidate for mayor so far.

Incumbant Bill Thompson has filed his nomination papers.

The only candidate in Ward Two, which is Nestor Falls south, is Randy Hanson

Broncos Upend Eagles in Exhibition Football

An impressive debut for Beaver Brae's Football Team.


The Broncos upended the Dryden Eagles 31-6 yesterday in exhibition action at Pete Fair Memorial
Field.

Scott Morgan had a pair of touchdowns for the Broncos, while Colt German had a couple of
touchdown passes.

Overall, head coach Chris Penner says he was pleased with how his players performed on both
offense and defence.

Ryan Van Bellingham and Nick Hendy each had touchdown receptions for the Broncos, while
Cody Jones added seven points from the kicking game.

Beaver Brae will start the regular season next Friday at home against the Eagles once again.

Fire Rangers Back Home

The last remaining Ministry of Natural Resources personnel working in British Columbia return home today.


The departure of 178 fireRangers and 30 support staff will end Ontario's support to the fire fight in B-C that began at the end of July.

In all about 750 people provided more than 10-thousand days of support, Ontario's the third largest dispatch on record.

Drug Bust on Fort Hope F.N.

Nishnawbe Aski Police executed a search warrant of the Fort Hope First Nation.


Police seized a street value of approximately 14-thousand dollars worth of OxyContin prescription drugs.

32 year old Linda Josephine Wabano and 32 year old Normand Sidney Shawinimash have each been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.

Wabano and Shawinimash have both been released on conditions and will appear in court on November 4th.

Nishinabe Aski Nation To Rally at Queen's Park

The Nishinawbe Aski Nation plans to rally at Queen's Park this fall.


Grand Chief Stan Beardy says they vehemently oppose the far north act and want it scrapped.

Beardy says they'll take action, but are still willing to talk with the government.

Beardy feels the far north act takes their land jurisdiction rights away.

Province ready to roll-out tourism zones

The provincial government is expected to roll out funding for the new regional tourism zones.


Minister Michael Chan says it will be any day now when the zones are made official.

Chan says he spoke with tourism officials in the northwest and they seem to be on board with the new larger zones.

Trus-Joist Back up after Downtime

Weyerhaueser says its not sure how the U.S. housing market it going to affect the

Trus-Joist Mill on the Jones Road this fall.

The mill is just coming off a week's down time.

Wayne Rosnowski says after a fairly promising start to the year, things have tailed
off in recent months.

Rosnowski says they hope to be able to operate at least five days a week during the
fall months, but that will all depend on how the american housing market performs.