Saints take home Silver from Portage Tournament

The Thomas Aquinas Senior Boys volleyball team tuned up for the All-Ontario championships with a second place finish at a tournament in Portage La Prairie on the weekend.

The Saints took Rosenort to a third and deciding set, but ended up losing 18-16 in the gold medal match.

It was only T.A.s third loss of the season.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team was also at the PCI challenge in Portage, but

had to settle for a 5th place finish.

The Saints were a win away from advancing to the gold medal game, but settled for a split with Killarny and out of the medal round.

Senior Thistle win Season opener

The Kenora Senior Thistles have won their first game of the 2011/2012 season.

The Thistles held on for a 5-4 win over the Manitoba Lightning yesterday at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Ryan Bowen hat a hat trick, while Jeff Heringer had a pair in a winning cause.

The Thistles next game will take place on December 4th at home against the Fort Frances Thunderhawks.

Midget Thistles win once in weekend road trip

It took three games, but the Kenora Triple "a Midget Thistles finally found their scoring touch yesterday in the finale of their three game road trip to western Manitoba.

The Thistles squandered a 3-0 lead, but held on for a 4-3 win in overtime against the Parkland Rangers on Sunday in Dauphin. 

On Saturday, the Rangers blanked the Thistles 4-0.

The Kenora Midgets also lost a 5-0 decision Friday night in Souris against the Southwest Cougars.

Regional Coronor completes investigation at Fort William

The investigation into the death of a 4 year old girl at Fort William Historical Park is over.

Regional Coroner Dr. Michael Wilson says they're keeping the results private.

Willow Scott Hannam died while on a school field trip to Fort William Historical Park in the spring of 2010.

New Bridge for Highway 804

The Province is building a new bridge on Highway 804 near Ear Falls.

T and K Sharp Construction of Stratton has been awarded the contract and work is expected to start early next Spring.

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines says the project will creat about 20-jobs and will provide better conditions.

Mauro back as Parliamentary Assistant for Northern Development

It's deja vu all over again for Bill Mauro.

The Thunder Bay MPP is returning as Parlimentary Assistant to Rick Bartolucci , the Minister of Northern Development, a job he held in the last decade.

Mauro says the job brings him closer to the issues that matter to this region.

The Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium

The Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium is celebrating a year in business.

The Consortium handles all school bus services in northwestern Ontario, west of Thunder Bay.

Judy Green is the manager and says one of the big changes they've made is their web-site, which provides up to date information on school bus delays and cancellations.

Green says they plan to contract out more of their bus services in the new year in the Dryden and Vermillion Bay areas.

Gun Registry

There could be more pressure on Members of Parliament from northwestern Ontario next month.

A bill to abolish the federal long gun registry could go for third and final reading before the Christmas break.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says he's not happy how two NDP members of Parliament from Thunder Bay have been treated on the issue.

Rickford feels John Rafferty and Bruce Hyer should be allowed to vote the way they want, without being disciplined by their party.

Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is trying something new to increase blood donations.

A Partners For Life Program is being launched across northwestern Ontario.

Harvey Heather says they want businesses and local agencies to encourage their employees to give the gift of life.

There is a blood donor clinic today and tomorrow in Kenora at the Thomas Aquinas Gym.

Illinois Man fined for Too Many Walleye

It was an expensive catch of walleye.

A Chicago man has been fined 24 hundred dollars for having 12 walleye over the legal limit in his possession.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says it was conducting a patrol on Lac LeCroix on the west side of Quetico Park back in June.

Dan Behrens had stopped for a shore lunch when conservation officers checked his boat.

They found 14 walleye in his possession.

Trustee Questions Graduation Rates

At least one trustee with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is questioning why students are allowed to take five years to graduate instead of four.

Figures from the public school board show that only 66 percent of students have 26 credits by the end of four years of high school.

Bob Onysko says 30 credits are needed to graduate, so obviously a lot of students are taking five years or more graduate.

He claims four year graduation rates are higher in most western provinces, such as

Manitoba and Alberta and wonders whether Ontario taxpayers should be footing the bill for a fifth year in high school for our students.

Vice-chair of the board Cecile Marcino says their job is to encourage student success, whether it takes four, five or even six years for students to graduate.

Cat Lake Woman Arrested in Drug Bust

A woman who was bound for Cat Lake First Nation didn't get out of Sioux Lookout.

The Kenora Joint Forces Drug Unit received information that the accused was in possession of drugs and was destined for Cat Lake.

Officers located the 20-year-old and found a number of drugs in her possession including oxycodone and marijuana.

The value of the drugs is roughly 5-thousand dollars.

Police say Rochelle Oombash of Cat Lake faces 3-charges.

Rickford Support Federal Government's Economic Direction

The M.P. for the Kenora Riding is defending the government's most recent economic forecast.

Yesterday, finance minister Jim Flaherty indicated the government would not be able to balance its books by 2014 as planned.

Greg Rickford says the government can and will do whatever it can to ensure our economy remains stable.

Rickford says the uncertainty surrounding the finances of Greece and Italy are definitely having an impact on Canada.

Rainy River Ready to Open Mine by 2015?

Rainy River Resources says it's could open its proposed open-pit gold mine south of Kenora by 2015.

Underground operations would begin 3-years later.

A preliminary economic assessment reveals the mine would operate for at least 13-years, producing more than 4-million ounces of gold and nearly 6-and-a-half million in silver.

Less Travel in Store for K-P Trustees

More technology, less travel.

That's the mantra of the Keewatin-Patricia District School board.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says there are practical reasons for holding their board meetings in Dryden, especially during the winter months.

McMaster says their committee of the whole meetings will be held in Kenora during the winter months, also via videoconference.

Saints Boys open High School Hockey Season Tonight

Another high school hockey season gets underway this evening.

The Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team heads to Red Lake to take on the Rams.

The game has been moved up an hour and is now scheduled to start at 5:45 at the Cochenor Arena.

Meanwhile, Beaver Brae's boys hockey team sees its first action Saturday, when they travel to Sioux Lookout to face the Warriors.

Broncos girls advance to NorWOSSA Finals

Beaver Brae's junior girls basketball team has saved its best for last.

Hilary Moncrief drained two free throws with under 30-seconds left to play as the Broncos upset the hometown Eagles  28-27 in this morning's NORWOSSA Semi-Final.

Beaver Brae is back in action this hour in the gold medal game against Fort Frances.

In the Junior Boys Volleyball Semi-Final, the Fort Frances Muskies came back from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Beaver Brae Broncos in 5 sets.

The Muskies will face Dryden in the 2 o'clock Final.

Beaver Brae's senior girls have also advanced to the NorWOSSA final.

The Broncos upended Fort Frances 29-13 in this afternoon's semi-final.

They're back in action at 7:00 in the gold medal game against the host Eagles.

Beaver Brae's senior boys volleyball team was ousted from the play-offs after losing in three straight games to Fort Frances.

Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation

Registered charities in The Kenora and Lake of the Woods region are a little richer this morning.


The community foundation handed out a total of forty-five thousand dollars in grants last night . Executive Director,Darlene MacGillivray says every little bit helps

For more details about this years recipients visit klcf.ca

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board

You can find out what's going on in your child's school with just a click of a mouse.


The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board has been working with its schools to make sure each one now has their very own web site.

Sheena Valley is the board's website adminstrator and says some of the websites are more sophisticated than others right now.

Valley says you can access any of the school websites through the Keewatin-Patricia board's own main page.

Remembrance Day

Legions in Kenora, Keewatin and Redditt are all getting ready for their annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Gerry Lava is with the Kenora Legion and says its important to not only remember the veteran's of the two world wars, but also those who have fought and died in more recent conflicts like the war in Afghanistan.

The local services will all start at 10:30 Friday morning.