New Boating Test Required for Licence

That test needed to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operators Card is now a little harder.

The test includes more questions and if done on line, a 3-hour course must be completed first.

Cameron Taylor of BoatSmart! Canada doesn't see the changes discouraging people from getting the card.

The fine for not having a card is 250-dollars.

Sharks take a bite out of the Competition in Thunder Bay

The Kenora Sharks Swim Club is the cream of northern Ontario.

The Sharks took part in the Ontario division three swim championships over the weekend and took top honors.

Kenora Swimmers earned 782.5 team points ahead of Thunder Bay, North Bay and Kirkland Lake.

Teams were awarded points for their individual swimmers.

The win means that the Sharks now move up to the Ontario Division two championships next year.

Caribous Take Allan Cup back to Newfoundland

The underdog Clarenville Caribous have their first ever Allan Cup title.

The Caribous topped the six team field over the weekend with a 5-3 win over the Bentley Generals in the gold medal game.

Ivan Hapgood is the team's coach and says the win is special, especially since they failed to win a game at the Allan Cup tournament last year.

Jason Churchill, Clarenville's goal was named the tournament MVP, while Thistles captain, Sean Hughes was named to the Allan Cup all star team at forward.

First All Candidates Forum in Dryden

It got a little testy at times during last night's All-Candidates forum for the Federal Candidates in the Kenora Riding.

It was a packed house at the Dryden Legion.

Liberal Roger Valley closed the night by asking NDP and undecided voters to vote red.

Conservate Greg Rickford steered away from the remark and instead wanted to

focus on his party's track record over the past three years. 

Tania Cameron of the NDP took exception to the Valley comment and suggest that Valley was

actually supportive of her party's policies. 

Independent candidate Kelvin Chicago-Boucher decided to stay out of the name-calling and instead

called for more accountability on First Nation Communities.

Green candidate Mike Schwindt was unable to attend the debate.

The next all-candidates forum will take place in Kenora on Monday, April 25th.

OPP Focus on Missing Children

The OPP say they've made some headway in reducing the number of children who are reported missing each year in the Kenora area.

Local police say they get over a thousand reports of missing kids annually.

Inspector Dave Lucas of the Kenora OPP says they've been working with local child care agencies to reduce those numbers.

Lucas says the success of other programs such as Opening Doors, an after school program for youth at risk, also helps out.

Digital Billboard up for Debate Again

The social media is being used once again to lobby Kenora City Council.

Once again the issue of contention is the proposed digital billboard on Lakeview Drive.

Councillor Rory McMillan says he's received over 40 facebook messages since Tuesday's Property and Planning meeting.

At that meeting, council members refused to turn down the request for a digital billboard.

The Property and Planning Committee is scheduled to meet once again this morning to deal with the issue.

MNR Wraps up Training for local Fire Crews

The Ministry of Natural Resources has wrapped up a comprehensive training program for some its key members.

Response and Operations Manager Dave Cleavely says the forum was geared towards staff from across Northwestern Ontario.

Cleavely says a lot of the information was a refresher, however he notes new safety guidelines are in place to ensure the safety of workers before they do any task.

Thistles ousted from Allan Cup

The Kenora Thistles dream of Allan Cup glory are over.

The Thistles were ousted from the tournament last night in the quarter-finals with a 5-3 loss to Fort Frances.

Thistles coach Ryan Raynard says the team came out flat in their biggest game of the year.

Myles Kuharski scored a hat trick for the Thunderhawks, while Chris Medicine was strong in net for Fort.

Mike Garrow, Sean McAslan and Jon Johnson scored Kenora's goals. 

The Thunderhawks will meet the Bentley Generals in one semi-final this evening, while Dundas will take on the well-rested Clarenville Caribous this afternoon.

Dundas advanced to the semi-finals with a 3-0 shutout against the Southeast Prairie Thunder yesterday afternoon.

Allan Cup Preview

It will be a battle of northwestern Ontario in the Allan Cup quarter-finals this evening at the Kenora Rec. Center.

The Kenora Thistles will meet up with the Fort Frances Thunderhawks at 8:00.

The winner will move onto tomorrow's semi-final round, while the loser will be eliminated from further play.

Thistles Head Coach Ryan Reynard says even though the Thunderhawks are winless so far, he expects a tough game.

The other game today will see the Southeast Prairie Thunder take on the Dundas Real McCoys.

That's a 2:00 start.

The Clarenville Caribous and the Bentley Generals have a bye into tomorrow's semi-finals.

Substance Abuse Task Force Set Up

Kenora's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Task Force has come out with its first ever Drug Strategy for the community.

The Task Force was set up about a year ago, with close to 30 local agencies represented at the table.

Constable Bob Bernie of the OPP says the Drug Strategy is about more than just enforcement.

Bernie says the goal of the task force is to reduce the harm caused by substance abuse.

The Task Force has set up a web-site and hopes to develop some billboards to help to deliver their messages.

NOMA Opposes Forest Tenure Act

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is having its say about the Forest Tenure Act.

NOMA called for a minimum five year trial period for the proposed forest management corporations.

President Ron Nelson made his comments to the standing committee over video conference.

NOMA wants the bill amended before it returns to the Legislature for third reading.

City Seeks Funding Increase for Beds and Heads

The City of Kenora is seeking increased transfer payments from the provincial government.

Council is looking to pass a resolution calling for money for so-call heads and beds.

Currently the province provides the city about 75 dollars for every hospital, jail and college bed in the community.

That amounts to about 28 thousand dollars a year in revenue for the city.

That funding hasn't increased since 1987, and the city is seeking an increase to about 135 dollars per bed.

District Services Board has job vacancies

The Kenora District Services Board has a few key vacancies it has to fill.

The Services Board is currently looking for a Director of Emergency Services.

Peter Marshall has announced his resignation.

Councillor Louis Roussin also says the Board is looking for a new Human Resources Officer and is looking to enlarge the I.T. department.

The District Services Board has also hired a new Chief Administrative Officer.

Dan McNeil begins his new duties next month.

Thistles Lose to Bentley at Allan Cup

The Kenora Thistles have dropped their first game at the Allan Cup.

The Thistles lost a hard fought 3-2 decision against the Bentley Generals last night at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Sean Hughes and Kevin Chabbert scored power play goals for the Thistles, who are back in action tonight.

Kenora will take on Fort Frances in a quarter-final match-up at 8:00.

In yesterday's other game, the Clarenville Caribous got by the  Southeast Prairie Thunder 3-2 and earned a bye into Friday's semi-finals.

Southeast will face the Dundas Real McCoys in today's other quarter-final at 2:00. 

Council Still Grappling with Digital Billboard Decision

Kenora City Council is still split over the issue of what to do about a digital billboard along Lakeview Drive.

The Property and Planning Committee met for almost an hour this morning debating the issue.

Derrick Johnson is a representitive with Pattison Outdoor Advertising and tried once again to sell council on the idea of the digital billboard.

An ad-hoc committee set up by council to look at the issue had recommended that a variance to the sign  by-law not be given to allow the digital billboard, but the sign committee voted 3-1 against that recommendation.

Kenora Catholic District School Board Moving its Offices

The Kenora Catholic District School Board will be saying good bye to its old board offices on First Street North this week.

The Board is closing its old offices as of noon today as it begins moving to its new office space in the Old Thomas Aquinas Annex.

Director of Education, Phylis Eikre says they plan to spend the next few days moving.

Eikre says they plan to be in their new board offices by Monday, April 18th.

The new board offices cost about one million dollars to build.

Hampton Angry over Wood Allocation Decisions

A lot of words but not much action from the Liberal Government.

That's the message from Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton after he questioned the McGuinty Liberals Monday on their wood allocation decisions.

Hampton says the Grits are out of touch with Northern Ontario and the forest industry.

Hampton says everyone he talks to in the forest sector is calling for a resumption of sawmilling in Ontario, something he says is lost with the Liberals.

Harborfront Tent Ready for Labor Day?

The City of Kenora still isn't exactly sure when the new Harborfront Tent will be installed.

Council has given the formal go ahead for the 1.4 million dollar tent, but it likely won't be ready for the summer festival season.

Chair of the Operations committee, Rod McKay says while they would like to see it up by the middle of August, he suggests September 1st is a more likely target.

That means all of the special events this summer will be held under the old tent on the south parking lot.

First All-Candidates Forum Tomorrow in Dryden

The candidates vying for a seat in Parliament as the Kenora representative will take part in their first debate this week.

An All-Candidates Debate is set for Thursday at 7 o'clock at the Royal Canadian Legion in Dryden.

Roger Valley, Tania Cameron, Greg Rickford and Kelvin Chicago-Boucher are all scheduled to participate.

Mike Schwindt of the Green Party is unable to attend.

The candidates will be taking questions from the floor and the media and will also have an opportunity to question their competitors.

Bentley and Claronville Win on Day Two of Allan Cup

The Fort Frances Thunderhawks and the Dundas Real McCoys are still searching for their first wins at the Allan Cup.

The Real McCoys were edged 4-3 by the Bentley Generals from Alberta last night at the Thistle Rink.

The loss ensures the Real McCoys will finish at the bottom of their pool.

The Thunderhawks are in a similar position after dropping a 3-1 decision to the Clarenville Caribous yesterday afternoon.

Tonight, the host Kenora Thistles will take on Bentley in a battle for first place in their pool.

Clarenville will face the Southeast Prairie Thunder this afternoon for first in the other pool.