Ministry of Labor to Investigate Boat Explosion

Both the Ministries of Labour and Environment have been called in to help investigate an explosion on a boat at the Minaki Marina.

Ontario Provincial Police say the incident took place on Friday evening just before 6:00 and involved a boat that was being refueled.

The five meter long Hurricane can hold up to 200 liters of gas, but the hull filled with 360 liters of fuel after a gas line broke.

Police say the boat exploded after the operator tried to start it up.

Two people remain at Lake of the Woods District Hospital with second degree burns, while three others have been treated and released.

Council Supports Upgrades to Crosswalk

Pedestrians will soon be able to cross Main Street South to the Kenora Library a little more safely.

Last week, the operations department had proposed taking out the uncontrolled concrete crossing.

But city councillors balked at the suggestion and say they want to see the crossing enhanced.

Last night councillors agreed to support upgrades including courtesy crossing signage with amber beacons for motorists.

A sign for pedestrians will also be installed with the message, "Wait for Gap".

Catholic School Board updates 21st Century Learning Plan

The Kenora Catholic District School Board is taking a little different approach to increasing technology in their classrooms.

Unlike their public board counterparts, the separate school board isn't planning to put a netbook or i-pad into every students hands this fall.

Mary Cunningham is the superintendant of education and says instead they are working with teachers to find the best way of integrating computers in the classroom.

Cunningham adds that each of their schools this fall, will be assigning one teacher to work with other teachers on implementing technology in the classroom.

Health Unit Prepares for Move to Mount Carmel

The Northwestern Health Unit in Kenora is getting ready for a major move.

The Health Unit will be moving from its Wolsely Street Offices on Tunnel Island at the end of this month.

The Health Unit will be moving many of its services into the old Mount Carmel School, which has undergone extensive renovations.

The Health Unit says it will be closing its offices from July 30th-August 6th during the relocation.

The services offered in Market Square will not be affected by the move.

MNR Fire Crews Remain Busy

Despite a day of rain, the Ministry of Natural Resources continues to have its hands full with new forest fires.

Yesterday alone there were 11 new fires reported across the district.

Fire Information Officer Debbie MacLean says they expect to see more activity in the days ahead as warm weather returns.

MacLean says over the past five days, the MNR have responded to 113 forest fires in the northwest regin.

Downed Power Line causes Grass Fire

Kenora Hydro says a downed power line caused only a momentary outage last night for most of its customers in the Lakeside area.

The line went down near 1st Avenue South and caused a small grass fire.

Hydro president, Dave Sinclair says the line likely fell down due to a  faulty switch, which failed.

The incident took place shortly before 7:00 last night.

Kenora's Fire and Emergency Services Department was called out to deal with the blaze and were able to contain it fairly quickly.

Boat Explosion in Minaki sends five people to hopsital

Five people had to be taken to hospital as a result of a boat explosion in Minaki.

The OPP say the incident took place late Friday afternoon just before 6:00 at a marina.

Police say a 5 meter long Hurricane was being refuelled when the gas line broke, causing the hull to be filled with gasoline.

The boat would normally hold 200 liters of gas, but took on 360 liters before fuelling was stopped.

When the operators tried to start the boat, there was an explosion.

Three people were taken to Lake of the Woods District hospital and later released, while two others are still being treated for 2nd degree burns.

The Ministry of Labor has been called in to help out with the investigation.

Council to Vote on CIP Changes this Evening

Kenora City Council is being asked to support some changes to the Community Improvement Plan for the Harbortown Center.

The Property and Planning committee held a public meeting last week to review some of the changes.

One of the key improvements in the plan would be to increase the grant for landscaping.

Currently, the Community Improvement Plan offers just 25 hundred dollars for landscaping.

Under the revised plan, businesses would be eligible for up to 15 thousand dollars.

City council is expected to vote on the changes at tonight's open meeting.

Busy Weekend for MNR Fire Crews

Rain likely to give a hand to to easing the forest fire situation in northwestern Ontario.

Over sixty fires are now considered active by the Ministry of Natural Resources, including two in the Kenora District.

Both are located north of the city and were caused by lightning.

The largest is 8.3 hectares in size and is listed as not under control, while the other is just 0.2 hectares and isn't posing any problems for fire crews.

The largest fire in the region is burning in the Red Lake district inside Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.

That fire is measured at 934 hectares.

The Sioux Lookout District is also dealing with a large fire measuring more than 400 hectares in size.

None of the active forest fires are threatening any residents.

NAN Looking for New Grand Chief

Nominations for Nishnawbe Aski Nation's executive close tonight.

Up for grabs is Grand Chief and three Deputy Grand Chief positions.

Head Electoral Officer Larry Amos says so far preperation for the election has gone well.

NAN is looking to replace Stan Beardy as grand chief.

Beardy was elected as Ontario Regional Chief late last month.

Missing Boaters Located

Some damage to their boat, but a happy ending to a journey for three Fort Frances men forced to spend a night on an island on Rainy Lake last week.

OPP were called Thursday morning after family members reported the men overdue from an excursion the night before to a restaurant on the U-S side of the border.

Police say when the men were returning, their boat struck a reef, forcing them to an island.

The men flagged down a vessel the next morning who returned them to the mainland where they called home to report they were safe.

Transport Fire Destroys Six Vehicles

Provicinal Police say Highway 17 was closed for roughly 2-hours Friday evening after a truck caught on fire west of Dryden.

OPP say the fire occurred at West Arm road.

Officers arrived and found a trailer completly engulfed in flames.

Machin Fire attended and extinguished the blaze.

Six cars were destroyed on the trailer as well as the trailer itself.

Police say fast thinking of the driver prevented all of the vehicles from being destroyed.

Aboriginal Group Raises Concerns over Rising Interest Rates

Higher mortgage rates may mean trouble in some communities.

National Vice-Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples Dwight Dorey has begun a cross country trip to adress current issues.

Dorey says one of the issues raised is how the new rates would affect aboriginals living off reserve.

Dorey says other issues have also come up, such as health care and employment.

Fisher Top female at Kenora Borealis Triathlon

A familiar face was a top the leader board at the Kenora Borealis Triathlon/Duathlon on Rabbit Lake.

Edie Fisher topped the women's Olympic Triathon yesterday.

The top male in the Olympic Triathlon was Patrick Naylor, while Adam Naylor topped the field in the Tri-a-Triathlon event.

Lisle Compton was the top female competitor in the the Tri-A-Tri.

Fishing Guide Slapped With Hefty Fine

A costly mistake for an area fishing guide.


Ron Lemmon of Bergland has been fined $4,000 for illegally selling walleye and venison.

Court heard that Lemmon guided two anglers on a fishing trip on Lake of the Woods and he encouraged them to take more than the legal limit of walleye and at the end of the trip sold them.

He has also received a 2-year fishing suspension.

The charges followed a two year investigation.

Weather Records

Another warm day yesterday, but suprisingly only one record set.


CJRL Meterologist Bill Laidlaw says Sioux Lookout reached 33.5-degrees, smashing the old mark of 32.8 set in 1969.

Rain and a severe thunderstorm watch also hit the Kenora and Red Lake District's, but nothing major transpired.

Kenora did see 22.8-millimetres of rain last night.

Ear Falls only saw 3-millimetres.

There was no report from Red Lake.

Fire Crews Starting To See Action

Things are really starting to heat up in Northwestern Ontario.

15-new fires were reported yesterday across the District.

That's in addition of 10-fires on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is expecting several more today.

Most of the activity is in the Red Lake and Sioux Lookout District's.

A majority of the new fires are lightning caused but there are some human-caused fires reported.

Tentative Deal For CEP Members At Domtar

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union says it has reached a tentative deal with Domtar.


The contract covers Domtar's Pulp Mill and Woodlands Operations in Dryden as well as members in Ear Falls and impacts roughly 500-members.

CEP Spokesperson Stephen Boon says the agreement follows almost 40-days of fairly challenging negotiations over the last 9-months.

Boon says they won't be releasing any further information until details are presented to their members.

Boon is recommending ratification.

Meetings are being held in Dryden July 15th and 19th and in Ear Falls this Sunday.

Final voting is scheduled for July 26th.


*Information meetings for 300 CEP Woodlands Members is on Sunday, July 15th at 2PM at the Dryden Legion and at 7PM at the Ear Falls Legion.

Local 105-1 and 105-3 will be holding information meetings for about 200 Mill and Office Members on Thursday, July 19th in Dryden at 2PM and 7PM at the Dryden Legion.

Highway 17 Now Open

Highway 17 is now open after a brief closure this morning.


Provincial Police say a transport jack-knifed around 1 o'clock, blocking both lanes of traffic about 45-kilometres west of Vermilion Bay.

The Trans-Canada was closed for about 2-hours.

No one was injured in the incident.

Diane Kelly Fairs Well In National Debate

Candidates in the Assembly of First Nations leadership race are appealing to area Chiefs for their support.

They gathered last night for a televised debate.

Diane Kelly, a former Grand Chief of Treaty Three, feels she's the best to become Canada's top aboriginal leader.

Kelly says she has the experience to guide First Nations through change.

She believes her experience can be beneficial to the Assembly of First Nations in dealing with senior levels of government.

Kelly is one of seven candidates seeking to unseat current Grand Chief Shawn Atleo.

More than 600 First Nations chiefs will cast ballots at the Assembly's conference next week.