OPP Cracks Down on Life Jackets

OPP are seeing a dangerous trend on area waters this summer.

Police say their marine patrols are seeing an increase in boaters not only not wearing life jackets, but not even having them on board.

Constable Anne McCoy says its something they'll be watching throughout the summer.

McCoy says anyone not having a life jacket face an immediate fine of 240-dollars.

Quetico Park Turns 100

A major milestone for a popular northwestern Ontario destination.

It was 100-years ago that Quetico Park was designated a provincial park, one of the first in the Ontario Provincial Parks Act.

Several events took place this past weekend including a barbecue, guided hikes, and native drumming.

Biz Kids Camp Come to Kenora

Young entrepreneurs are getting a chance to showcase their skills once again this summer.

The Biz Kids camp is being held once again in Kenora this month.

Diane Schwartz-Williams is the Manager of the Northwest Business Centre and she provides some details about the program.

The Kenora camp will take place August 12th to 16th.

Quetico Celebrates Milestone

A major milestone for a popular northwestern Ontario destination.

It was 100 years ago that Quetico Park was designated a provincial park, one of the first in the Ontario Provincial Parks Act.

Several events are planned including a barbeque, guided hikes and native drumming.

Speaking of great destinations, Eagle Lake First Nation is holding its annual Pow-Pow.

Festivities continue throughout the weekend.

Lengthy Waits Expected At Northwest Border Crossings

Expect delays at northwestern Ontario border crossings this long weekend.

Canada Border Services says Friday afternoon is the peak time for travel and for those coming back to Canada, the agency says Sunday evening, and Monday afternoon, are typically the busiest times

And while there's no magic solution to avoiding long lines, the agency says travellers should remember to have all their documents in order, to cut down on unnecessary delays.

NOSM Increases Student Grants

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is doling out cash to future MD students.

16 students are getting six thousand dollars each in grant money.

The medical school doubled the amount of grants awarded this year from 8 to 16 to provide more opportunities to potential students.

OPP Confirm Arson Cause of Central Fire

The OPP have confirmed that a fire that took place in the
Central area of town earlier this week was deliberately set.

Fire crews and police showed up at a house around 7:30
Wednesday night.

Police say the fire caused only minor damage to the home, and
was extinguished before the fire department showed up at the
scene.

The OPP say they are continuing their investigation into the incident.

Harborfest Ready to Rock the White Cap Pavillion

It has the makings for the busiest weekend of the Summer.

Harborfest begins tonight with the first concert of the weekend
under the White Cap Pavillion.

Dave Blake is the director of entertainment and says they've done some
tweaking to improve the evening concerts, including raising the main stage.

Blake says Saturday night's concert is almost sold out, while tickets are
moving briskly for tonight's show and also Sunday night.

Sweet, Bachman/Turner and Kenny Shields and Streetheart on the the schedule tonight.

Man in Wheelchair Found Dead

The OPP say foul play is not suspected in the death of a 39 year old man
in a wheelchair in downtown Kenora.

Officers responded to a report of an intoxicated man on Chipman Street around 11:30  Tuesday night.

Police say he was dead when they arrived at the scene.

A post-mortem exam was conducted Wednesday at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

The deceased has been identified as 39 year old Craig Shawataskung.

OPP Gearing Up for Long Weekend

Provincial police says officers will be out in full force over
the Civic Holiday weekend.

The OPP are also reminding people about the "Move Over Law".

Sergeant Shelley Garr says they'll be out this long weekend making sure motorists obey it.

Garr says violating this law could cost you anywhere from 400 to 1200-dollars, and three demerit points upon conviction.

BIZ Pleased with Summer Campaign

The Kenora Business Improvement Zone says it's pleased more shops and restaurants are staying open later and opening on Sunday.

BIZ made a concerted effort to try and increase late night hours for stores in the downtown core this summer.

Mort Goss is chair of the business group and says their efforts seem to be paying off.

Goss says while lots of tourists and seasonal visitors are taking advantage of the increased store hours, locals don't seem to have embraced the concept.

Resolute Preparing to Open Two Sawmills

Things are moving along as Resolute Forest Products plans to open a retooled plant in Ignace and its new sawmill in Atikokan next year.
   
President Richard Garneau says they're spending 32 million dollars on the Ignace operation and 50 million dollars on the Atikokan plant.
   
While Garneau didn't comment on specifics with the Ignace plant, he says construction on the Atikokan plant will start soon, as they
still have to cut some wood before starting the foundation.

Liberals Lose Three Seats in Five By-Elections

The Progressive Conservatives scored their first win in a Toronto riding in more than a decade, but it was their only win in five by-elections across the province.
   
The New Democrats took seats in Windsor and London, but the minority Liberal government held on to two of the five seats on the line in yesterday's by-elections.
   
The Liberals took Scarborough-Guildwood and former premier Dalton McGuinty's old riding of Ottawa South, while losing Windsor-Tecumseh and London West to the New Democrats and Etobicoke Lakeshore to the Tories.

The by-elections were the first opportunity to see how voters were judging Premier Kathleen Wynne after six months on the job.
   
Wynne admits voter backlash over the 585 million dollars the Liberals spent to cancel two gas plants cost the Liberals three of the five seats on the line in Ontario byelections.

Borderland Rage Back in Action

The Borderland Rage Under 10 girls team is hitting the road again this weekend for a summer
hockey tournament.

The Rage are competing in the USA International Hockey Cup tournament in Blaine, Minnesota.

Their first game is this morning when they take on the Minnesota Miracle.

The Rage are made up of players from Kenora, Dryden, and Fort Frances.

102nd Ag Fair Underway

The grand-daddy of Kenora festivals is underway for another year.

The 102nd Kenora Agriculture Fair is taking over the Kenora Rec. Center for the next couple of days.

Chris Madison is secretary of the Agriculture Society and says unfortunately they've seen entries into the vegetable growing competition drop right off this year.

Madison adds that the midway is also at the Rec. Center in conjunction with  the Agricultural Fair.

The fair continues today at 4:00 and wraps up Saturday night.

Central Fire Under Investigation

Some excitement in the Central area of town last night.

Police and fire fighters were called out around 7:30 after a blaze was reported in the 7th Avenue South area.

Fire officials says it appears a fire was deliberately set in the doorway of a home.

Fortunately the fire was extinguished by the times fire fighters arrived at the scene.

The blaze is being described as suspicious, and the OPP are continuing their investigation of the incident.

Results of School Bus Survey Released

It may be the middle of the summer, but the Northwest Student Services
Consortium is hard at work on arranging bus service for the new school.

The Consortium recently compiled the results of a survey of parents, students
and teachers.

Judy Green is the manager and says they are very pleased with the feedback.

Green says they recieved almost 300 surveys back and 97 percent of
respondants felt the local school buses were on time, with 92 percent
generally satisfied with the local school bus transportation.

Off-Reserve Aboriginals Meeting this Weekend

The pressure is on to establish a Framework agreement with the Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal Peoples and the Province.

OCAP President Brad Maggrah says it's one of the topics he will bring up at their Annual General Assembly on Sunday.

Maggrah also feels that off-reserve aboriginals need to be more involved in the mining boom in
the region.

Maggrah says they have nine districts across Ontario, and is calling on folks to write to their MP's regarding issues facing off-reserve aboriginals.

Diamonds and Ice Turns 19

An annual summer sporting tradition is back again in Keewatin.

The 19th
Diamonds and Ice hockey tournament starts tonight at the Keewatin
Memorial Arena.

The tournament is sold out once again this year with 22 teams in the hockey
portion and 16 in the mixed slo-pitch tourney.

Action begins tonight with the finals slated for Sunday afternoon.

Niagara Police Issue Amber Alert

Police in southern Ontario's Niagara Region have issued an Amber Alert as they search for a missing nine-year-old boy in an alleged
case of parental abduction.
   
Joseluis Resendiz and his father are U.S. citizens who live in Georgia, and were in Niagara Falls for a family visit to Marineland.
 
Police allege during the course of the day, the boy's biological mother and his uncle took the boy and left the large group.
   
It took about six hours for the family to notice the boy was gone.
   
Joseluis is four-foot-six, and 65 pounds with dark hair, and was last seen wearing a blue soccer T-shirt and blue plaid shorts, and he has a birthmark on his left wrist.
 
Police are trying to locate his mother.
   
It's believed both fled Niagara Falls with Joseluis in a grey
four-door sedan.