Pinecrest still waiting for long term care beds

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network still has not signed off on  ten temporary new beds at the Pinecrest Home for the Aged.

Administration at the long term care home has been working with the LHIN's for months trying to get funding to open the beds, but CAO, Kevin Queen says they have nothing in writing yet.

He's hoping there will get approval to open the beds by the end of the month.

Pinecrest has been waiting since the beginning of the year for the extra long term care beds to help ease a critical shortage in the community.

OPP Commissioner worried about staff shortages

The Ontario Provincial Police is facing a severe shortage in staff.

The Police Force stands to lose about 400-officers due to retirement.

On a tour of Northwestern Ontario detachments last week, Commissioner Chris Lewis says this region is not immune.

Lewis says they want to recruit as many officers from the north as possible, so they will stay and

work in the north. 

More MNR Fire Rangers Heading to Alberta Today

The Ministry of Natural Resources is sending more personnel to the forest fire fight in Alberta.

Another 102-fire staff are expected to leave today, replacing some of those who have been in the western province for the past two weeks.

85 of the 190 Ontario personnel now in Alberta are expected to return later this week.

Here at home there is only 1-active fire, a 13-hundred hectare blaze currently under control near Savant Lake.

Grassy Narrows Blockade back in Action

Grassy Narrows First Nation says its long-running blockade in the woods is seeing action.

Women from the Kenora-area community blocked Ministry of Natural Resources enforcement officers yesterday who were attempting to stop road repair work by the First Nation.

Judy Da Silva says the community is repairing a bridge used as an alternate route out of the community during forest fires, flooding and other emergencies.

Da Silva says the Ministry has threatened 10-thousand dollar fines if the work is not halted, but she says work continued behind the blockade.

The blockade began in 2002 when women and youth from the community blocked logging machinery from entering what they say is traditional territory.

NAN Grand Chief Speaks out against OPP Commendations

The head of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation says a decision to reward some OPP officers last week sends a wrong message to First Nations.

Grand Chief Stan Beardy says the commendations are glorified and unnecessary

One award was for exemplary performance in the Pikangikum First Nation dispute last year and the other, a bravery award for the officer who shot an aboriginal woman in downtown Kenora last June. 

Abitibi completes the sale of its Hydro Assets in Ontario

AbitibiBowater has completed the sale of its hydro-electric assets in Ontario which include the dams in Kenora and Fort Frances.

The company is receiving 300-hundred million dollars for the sale to a consortium of a Canadian investor and a private Canadian renewable energy company.

Chief executive officer Richard Garneau says it allows the company to reduce its debt and help improve its finances.

The hydro dam in Iroquois Falls is also on the list of assets being sold by AbitibiBowater. 

Pioneer Wins 2011 Municipal Paving Contract

The City of Kenora is going to spend just over 1.6 million dollars on its municipal paving program this year.

That's a lot higher than usual, due to the carry over of about 900 thousand dollars from last year's paving of the highway 17 east and west entrances into the city.

The city has received approval to use the extra money to pave a secion of  Lakeview Drive from the Keewatin Bridge, east to the Husky Station.

Paving will also be done in the Valley Drive, Second Street North, Eighth Street South, and 8th Avenue South areas this year.

Pioneer Construction had the lowest of two bids for the road work.

Another Illinois Man drowns in Northwestern Ontario

OPP say an American angler was not wearing a life jacket when he fell into Red Lake and died.

Police and emergency crews were called to the McFinley Mine Site Dock, near Cochenour last Wednesday, where local residents were trying to bring the 58-year-old man back to life.

An investigation found that Robert Glick fell into the water while fishing with 2-other men.

Glick was visiting Red Lake from Highland Park, Illinois.

Discovery Center Nearing Completion

Tourism Kenora is hoping to move into its new digs in another month or so.

The finishing touches are being put on the Discovery Center on Lakeview Drive on Cameron Bay.

Tourism development officer, Heather Paterson says the building will provide more than just a tourist information office.

The two million dollar building is scheduled to open to the public by the end of June.

Rickford gets ready for news session of Parliament

MP's are back to work Thursday with the election of a new Speaker.

Kenora Conservative representative Greg Rickford is expecting a quick session.

The budget will be presented next Monday.

Rickford says the budget will set out plans for the next phase of the government's economic action plan.

Conservation Camp begins today

55 Years running and still going strong.

The Annual Dryden Conservation Course opens today with Grade 10 students from Dryden, Kenora and Southern Ontario participating.

Domtar is one of the major sponsors and Spokesperson Bonnie Skene says activities are taking place at Blue Lake Park, Aaron Park and Domtar's harvesting operation.

The course is geared towards getting kids interested in conservation and resource management.

Search for Missing Angler on Lake of the Woods Continues

A search for a missing American angler continues near Morson.

Provincial Police were back in Lake of the Woods yesterday looking for 69-year-old Richard Herman.

The Illinois man was with another fishing on the lake last Monday.

Their capsized boat and the body of a 73-year-old man were found by police the next day.

MTO Stats show local roads are getting safer

Figures released by the Ministry of Transportation shows that the number of accidents in the Kenora area continues to climb, but the number of people being injured or killed has been substantially reduced.

The latest figures from the MTO show that there were 50 people injured in vehicle accidents in 2008, compared to 77 in 1996.

Tom Marinis is a spokesperson for the MTO and says there are a number of reasons for the decrease.

Marinis says alcohol continues to play a big factor in local accidents, with about 25 percent the result of impaired drivers.

Hospitals get capital funding from Northwest LHIN's

The North West Local Health Integration Network is providing a total of 3.6-million dollars to 13 Northern Hospitals for upgrades.

Lake of the Woods District Hospital has been promised about 250 thousand dollars in capital funding.

Chief Executive Officer Marc Belcaen points out that the funding was actually promised earlier this year, and they are only just getting the cheques now.

Local School Boards sign bussing agreement

An agreement on transportation has been reached by the  four area School Boards.

The new protocol will cover students from across the Region, with the same rules for each Board.

Judy Green is the Manager of the Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium and says more information is available on-line.

The site also outlines the new school bus eligibility distances.

Another Drug Bust on the By-Pass

A 24 year old Kenora man faces drug charges after being pulled over by police on the Kenora By-Pass.

The OPP says they stopped a vehicle on Highway 17-A Thursday afternoon around 5:30.

Officers noticed some open alcohol in the vehicle and conducted a search for more liquor licence violations.

During their search about 173 grams of marijuana was uncovered.

Stephen Beckworth has been charged with possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.

He's due to appear in Kenora Court on July 14th.

Rafferty to Raise Border Crossing Issues

A meeting is being planned to discuss the issue of border access at the Fort Frances and International Falls points of entry.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River M-P John Rafferty says he's hoping to meet with U-S Senator Al Franken in early July.

Rafferty is also trying to access information on the number of Americans turned back at the border compared with other locations.

Attiwapiskat Drug Bust

A major drug bust in Attawapiskat First Nation.

The Combine Forces Organized Crime Unit searched an Attapiskat home and seized nearly 14-thousand dollars worth of drugs.

Police seized 169-Oxycodone pills and nearly 5-thousand dollars worth of cocaine.

43-year-old Richard Edwards faces 2-counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking in cocaine and oxycodone.

Kenora Area Road Safety Committee re-focuses

The campaign to improve road safety in the Kenora area has been revived.

The Kenora Area Road Safety Committee is planning a number of initiatives to try and reduce accidents and injuries on local highways.

Maria Bagdonis is a spokesperson for the committee and says one of the biggest causes of accidents locally is distracted driving.

Bagdonis says Kars will also be holding a car seat clinic in June, to make sure children are being buckled up properly.

Saints Girls earn another trip to OFSAA Single A Soccer Championship

Both of Kenora's high school soccer teams are heading to southwestern Ontario this week for the All-Ontario Championships.

Thomas Aquinas booked its ticket by winning the NWOSSA crown over the weekend.

The Saints beat Terrace Bay in two straight games in the best-of-three final.

T.A. got by Terrace Bay by scores of 5-0 Friday night and 3-2 in overtime on Saturday.

Thomas Aquinas will now travel to London on Wednesday and take the bus to Chatham for the OFSAA championships, which start on Thursday.

Beaver Brae`s girls will head to Windsor for the Double A championships later this wee as well.