Festive RIDE Program

The Festive RIDE Program came to a disappointing end. Spokesperson

Shelley Garr says 47 impaired charges were handed out in the Northwest and a new issues is people tweeting RIDE location.

 Garr says although tweeting the locations is not illegal it is generally frowned upon. Garr commented its disappointing to still see people drinking and driving.

Municipal employees: Fort Frances

Municipal employees in Fort Frances have started 2012 with new contracts.


Separate four-year-deals for unionized workers and managers and non-unionized staff were agreed to just before the Christmas break.

The deals include wage hikes of two per cent in each year.

One with the Canadian Union of Public Employees impacts 67 full and part time workers, along with eighteen unionized positions.

The other covers about 40 managers and non-unionized staff, along with another 28 students.

Kenora Winter Carnival Charity Challenge

It's a tight race for the Kenora Winter Carnival Charity Challenge.

Tourism Development Officer, Heather Patterson says “so far so good”.

The Lake of the Woods Hospital Foundation and It’s a Dog’s Life are tied for a close first having sold just over 400 winter carnival buttons.






Other charities selling buttons include:

Kenora Scouts
Habitat for Humanity
The Canadian Cancer Society
Alzheimer’s Society
Special Olympics
Triple P.L.A.Y

Winter Carnival Buttons" are $2.00 each and are available at The Discovery Center, City Hall or online at http://www.kenorawintercarnival.ca/

The Kenora Winter Carnival is March 2-March 4th 2012.

Fibrek

Quebec pulp producer Fibrek is urging its shareholders to reject a hostile takeover bid from Resolute Forest Products.



Resolute is offering 130-million dollars for the company that has pulp mills in Quebec, West Virginia and Michigan.


In a letter to shareholders, Fibrek says the bid deprives them of the opportunity to participate in the upside of the pulp business and other earnings streams.

Driven to Quit Challenge

Quit smoking and you could win a car.


The Canadian Cancer Society has launched its seventh annual “Driven to Quit Challenge”

The Challenge itself is funded annually by the Ontario government and is open
to anyone over the age of 19-who used tobacco for at least 10 months in
2011.

Those who stay smoke-free for the month of March could win their
choice of a new Ford Fusion hybrid or Ford Edge.

Click here to register!

Alzheimer Awareness month

There's a delay in Canadians seeking diagnosis for dementia according to a new Alzheimer Society survey.


It finds that people are delaying diagnosis because they believe their symptoms are part of old age.

January is Alzheimer Awareness month.

Cash Draw

What a difference $20,000 would make.

The Kenora Swimming Sharks CASH DRAW takes place at the Kenora Recreation Centre on January 19th.

Just under 2,500 tickets will be sold for $20 each and are available at many businesses around Kenora including Sunset Strip Husky

Freedom of Information Legislation

Most Ontario hospitals are expected to post their executive contracts online today now that they're subject to freedom of information legislation.

The N-D-P want to cap the salaries of hospital C-E-O's at 418-thousand dollars a year but Tom Closson of the Ontario Hospital Association says this is the wrong time to limit pay for hospital administrators.

Closson adds that being more transparent will boost the public's confidence in what he says is the most efficient hospital system in Canada.

Kenora Youth Council

Want to make a difference in the community?


If you're between the ages of 14-21, attending high school or an educational institute: why not join the Kenora Youth Council?

Interested volunteers have until Friday, January 6th 2012 to submit their application to:

Joanne McMillin
City Hall
One Main Street South
                                                Kenora, ON
                                                P9N 3X2
                                                Phone: (807) 467-2000
                                                Fax: (807) 467-2009
                                                E-Mail: jmcmillin@kenora.ca

Application forms and terms of reference are available at City Hall or by visiting www.kenora.ca

2012 in Fort Frances

The Mayor of Fort Frances says the lack of a municipal election in 2010 proved to be beneficial for his community.


Roy Avis says with everyone back, council was able to plot strategies right away in 2011.

Avis says with Resolute Forest Products still facing economic challenges, and the mill seeking a reduction in taxes, 2012 could be a challenge.

Sarah Campbell

2011 wasn't as productive at Queen's Park as Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell would have liked.


Campbell, who took over for Howard Hampton in October's election, says she would have liked to see more come out of her first session.

Campbell says the inability to form parliamentary committees in the last session prevented many proposed bills from moving forward.

Equipment Donation

Youth at four area First Nations around Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls are benefiting from a large donation of sports equipment from residents of Ottawa.

The U-Hall truck load of equipment was distributed to children at Whitefish Bay, Northwest Angle #33 and #37 and Onigaming yesterday.

Peter White, an elder at Whitefish Bay, says it's a great gift.

Former Metis Nation of Ontario president, Tony Belcourt, who lives in Ottawa, helped organize the drive.

Immunization

The Northwestern Health Unit is encouraging area residents to get immunized against pertussis or whooping cough.


The respiratory infection comes with severe spells of coughing followed a whoop sound before the next breath.

The Health Unit says its noticed a slight increase in the number of cases, effecting both young infants to adults.

Ontario Budget

MPP's head back to work in a months time.

Michael Gravelle says they'll start straight in on the province's budget.

“We know that we’re going to be facing a daunting year in terms of the fiscal situation in the province of Ontario. We’re all conscious that the upcoming spring budget will be a very important one in terms of the decisions that are made by our government”


The Ontario legislature resumes in February.

REACH Health Facility

Confederation College's Dean of Health and Community Services says they'll be reaching out to the regional campuses in 2012.


Kathleen Lynch says they're going to hit the ground running in the New Year.

"We'll be full steam ahead with all of our new equipment and our ability to do simulation, adding more of that to the curriculum so it’s very exciting for us”

Lynch also adds that they look forward to using their video conferencing capabilities to touch base with those who are using distance education.

The REACH building in Thunder Bay welcomed students in September.

NDP Leadership Debate

Issues pertaining to Northern Ontario will get all the attention of the federal NDP leadership hopefuls.


All eight candidates will be duking it out in Sudbury for an all candidates debate early next year.

Organizer Richard Eberhardt says they want to hear from each candidate on their position for Northern Ontario.

The event is scheduled for February 5th 2012.

CJRL's Sister Changes

There's a fresh new look and name for CFOB-FM, better known as B-93 - CJRL's sister station in Fort Frances.


93-1, The Border, took to the airwaves in Fort Frances and the Rainy River district this week.

Station Manager Leo Melanson says there's also a fresh new sound for area listeners.

Melanson says 93.1 The Border will continue to build on its reputation of community involvement and complete local news coverage.

2011: Bill Mauro

2012 should be an interesting one at Queens Park as the McGuinty government tries to work in a minority situation. Looking ahead MPP Bill Mauro says the upcoming budget will be one to watch.
As for 2011, Mauro says it was a year of growth and investment in the northwest by the McGuinty government

Rainy River Strategic Plan

Municipal reps are aiming to have a memorandum of understanding in place next spring that helps pave the way toward a strategic plan for the Rainy River district.

Rainy River town councillor Gord Armstrong there have been talks about the plan this year.

He says getting municipalities to formally agree to the concept keeps progress moving.

He's hoping more concrete plans will be in place by the end of 2012.

Impaired Driving

If your having a few drinks this holiday season, don't get behind the wheel.


Constable Dave Cain says despite our best efforts impaired driving number in Kenora are still on the rise.

"We had 66 total impaired drivers charged in 2010 and this year we're at 81, it's really not a good statistic to be bragging about”

The Northwest Region of Ontario had the highest number of impaired drivers convicted, 9 of which came from Kenora.

If you suspect someone to be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol:  call 9-1-1