A record year for the Community Foundation

Its been a good year for the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation.

The Foundation held its annual spring granting ceremony on Friday and handed out more than 100 thousand dollars to 25 community groups.

Don Parfitt is chair of the Community Foundation and says they are finally starting to see some return on their investment's.

The Foundation also presented grants on behalf of the Moffatt Foundation out of Winnipeg and also the Canadian Pacific's Kenora Employees.

25 Local Groups receive funding from Community Foundation

Triple Play, the Kenora Public Library and the Town of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls were some of the big winners in the annual granting ceremony.

Triple Play received the largest one time grant of 10 thousand dollars from the Moffatt Foundation, while the library received a number of smaller grants totally about 45 hundred dollars.

The Town of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls also received three grants, two to help develop a community trail between Sioux Narrows and Nestor Falls, and the other to help furnish a new library in Nestor Falls.

Mail expected to begin moving again this week

The head of the postal workers' union says its members will obey a back-to-work order to end the lockout at Canada Post.

CUPW's Denis Lemelin says that's because the legislation sets out enormous fines in the case of defiance.

Plus, he believes the government would use any excuse to destroy the union should members defy the law and he says the union won't let it.

It's been more than three weeks since the union launched rotating strikes that led to Canada Post locking workers out June 15th.

Workers will begin today sorting the piles and piles of mail, with delivery to resume tomorrow.

Cancer Care Northwest Releases new plan

Cancer Care Northwest is embarking on a four year cancer plan for the region.

Vice President Michael Power says it will include a new integrated cancer screening program, which

will include the use of mobile clinics. 

Cancer Care Northwest also plans to start a new Palliative Care Program.

Pickle Lake Fire Continues to Grow

Fire crews are working round-the-clock to stop a raging wildfire from reaching New Osnaburgh First Nation.

The fire is blazing out-of-control about 9-kilometres east of the community.

It's been burning for two weeks and now covers nearly 58-thousand hecatres.

Smoke from the fire earlier forced the evacuation of the community.

An Emergency Area order has been placed in the Pickle Lake area with possible travel restrictions.

That may include the temporary closure of Highway 599.

Con. College Gets More Funding

The Provincial Government is stoking Confederation College's fires with a 4.2 million dollar funding announcement.

The money is going towards the college's Bio Energy research centre which will heat the REACH building.

President Pat Lang says it's a very positive green initiative for their Thunder Bay

campus.

The research facility will also provide hands on training for students in renewable fuel technologies.

Community Foundation to donate record amount in Granting Ceremony

The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation says it will be handing out

a record amount of money in its annual granting ceremony this evening.

Just over 100 thousand dollars will be presented to 30 different community groups.

There will be a number of first time grants made from specific funds, including the Keewatin Forever Endownment and a fund specifically targeted at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

The Granting ceremony will take place at the Best Western Lakeside Inn starting at 7:00.

Rickford Stuck in Ottawa for Back to Work Legislation debate

It looks as if Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford won't be getting back to the Kenora Riding this weekend.

Debate is still continuing in the House of Commons on a back to work bill for postal workers.

Rickford says he's disappointed the opposition is holding up the legislation.

The House of Commons was supposed to adjourn yesterday, but its now unclear when an actual vote on the back to work legislation will take place.

Enrolment expected to rise at Catholic School Board

The Kenora Catholic District School Board seems to be defying a provincial trend.

The separate school board is projecting an increase in its enrolment this fall.

Superintendant of Business Erica Baily says the student population could swell by 46 students in September.

She says the increased enrolment should result in a bit more money from the provincial government in student grants next year.

Ring of Fire Conference Wraps up

The Ring of Fire Coordinator is calling a two day conference on the chromite deposit in Thunder Bay a success.

Christine Kaszycki says it's designed to understand what infrastructure is needed for the mining project to proceed.

Prefered transportation methods and routes were discussed at the final day of the event.

Two Women plead guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Big Trout Woman

There will be no trial in the death of a Big Trout Lake woman in Thunder Bay in 2010.

That's because the 2-people originally charged with First Degree Murder have pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of Manslaughter.

Michelle Morris and Joanne Vivier will be sentenced on November 16th.

Catholic School Board completes a hiring spree

The Kenora Catholic District School Board has been in a hiring mode over the past month.

The separate school board has just filled a total of 12 full-time positions.

Phylis Eikre is the director of education and says the hirings are due to a number of issues.

Eikre says they have hired extra staff for the full-day kindergarten program at Pope John Paul.

New Osnaburgh being evacuated



(Photo courtesy of the MNR)



A raging wildfire in northern Ontario has prompted the Chief of the New Osnaburgh First Nation to order the evacuation of the entire community of more than 450 people.

About 150 residents are now in Geraldton, 195 in Sioux Lookout and 105 in Ignace.

The fire is burning 15 kilometres east of New Osnaburgh, and has grown to 300 square kilometres.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says the fire is not under control and crews are having trouble with shifting winds that are blowing smoke into the Pickle Lake, Sioux Lookout and Dryden areas.

Richards traded by the Flyers to Los Angeles

A shocking trade in the NHL.

The Philadelphia Flyers trade their captain and their leading scorer, while clearing some badly needed salary cap space. Captain

Mike Richards was sent to Los Angeles, while Jeff Carter goes to Columbus. Richards says he actually heard about the trade while surfing on his computer.

Among the commodities heading to Philadelphia is the eighth overall pick in today's draft. And, with the newfound cap space, the Flyers were able to sign goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year contract.

Rotary Club Raises Money at Charity Golf Tournament

The Rotary Club's 7th annual charity golf tournament at the Kenora Golf and CountryClub proved to be a big success again.

Just over 19 thousand dollars was raised yesterday.

A total of 31 teams took part in the event.

Proceeds will go to Rotary projects in Kenora and around the world.

Wood Allocations promised for two Kenora Companies

The provincial government has finally approved wood allocations for a couple of Kenora businesses.

Weyerhaueser and Wincrief have both accepted offers, which could created up to 55 jobs.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield was on hand for the announcement yesterday and says the extra wood supply will be a big benefit for the iLevel timberstrand mill.

The province says as many as 12 jobs could be created at the Wincrief Pole Peeling plant thanks to the wood allocation.

Vigilent Neighbor Helps Arrest Break-in Suspect

A sharp-eyed neighbor has helped the OPP nab an 18 year old man who is believed to be responsible for a number of break-ins in the north end of town.

Early Wednesday morning, police say they received a call from a 9th Street North resident who noticed someone trying to break-in to a shed.

The observant neighbor confronted the suspect and held him until officers arrived on the scene.

Dylan Wilcox has been arrested and charged with a number of counts of break, enter and theft.

He was also charged with mischief, after a number of windows up at Beaver Brae Secondary School were smashed  night.

Safe Grad Takes Place Tonight

A big night for grade 12 students at Thomas Aquinas and Beaver Brae.

Graduation ceremonies will take place at both schools this evening.

That will be followed by the 11th annual Safe Grad at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Warren Brinkman is one of the committee members and says they just want to provide a safe alternative for grad night.

Brinkman says last year they hosted just over 350 students at Safe Grad, including grads from Grassy Narrows, Whitefish Bay and Whitedog.

80 people evacuated from Pickle Lake area First Nation

About 80 people from a northwestern Ontario First Nation community of are now in Sioux Lookout after an emergency airlift.

Town official Brian McKinnon says smoke from a nearby blaze is causing some concern.

McKinnon says smoke from the fire forced the evacuation of those residents who are very young and elderly.

More evacuees may have to be flown to Ignace or Geraldton.

OPP still searching for driver invoved in Marathon Hit and Run

The OPP has released the name of the flagman who was hit by a car on Highway 17, west of Marathon Monday morning.

23-year-old Jake Dumas is in Thunder Bay Hospital in stable condition.

Constable Peter Bertin says an arrest warrant has been issued for 23 year old Ibrahim Sendagire of Edmonton.

Bertin is asking motorists to report any hitchhikers matching the describition of the accused.