Restricted Fire Zone Lifted

Just in time for the weekend, the Ministry of Natural Resources has lifted the Restricted Fire Zone in northwestern Ontario.

The RFZ was put in place last Friday, but was lifted as of noon today due to the wet conditions the region is currently experiencing.

The forecast calls for more rain and cool conditions over the next couple of days and that's expected to reduce the fire hazard right across the northwest.

The MNR says campfires will be allowed for cooking and warmth now that the RFZ has been lifted.

Whitedog Man charged with 2nd Degree Murder

Treaty Three Police have released the name of a 25 year old man killed on the Wabaseemoong First Nation earlier this week.

Kelvin Fraser was the victim of a stabbing incident early Monday morning.

Police say they have arrested and charged a 32 year old man with Second Degree Murder.

Justin Fraser from Whitedog was due to appear in Kenora Court this morning on the charges.

A post-mortem exam was carried out on Tuesday at Lake of the WoodsDistrict Hospital, but the cause of death still has not been released.

OTF Report on First Nations

One out of five people in Northwestern Ontario are Aboriginal.

That data is from the Ontario Trillium Foundation's report on First Nations communities.

Spokesperson Alexis Mantell says the report will be put to good use.

The report shows that the younger generations are better educated than their parents, but most have not completed school.

Unemployment levels for first nations are also nearly double that of the overall population.

Restricted Fire Zone

Ministry of Natural Resources Fire Crews will be keeping their eyes on the sky over the next couple of days.

The region is expected to receive quite a bit of rain over the next couple of days.

Fire Information Officer, Debbie McLean says if there is enough precipitation they may be able to lift the Restricted Fire Zone.

Despite the Restricted Fire Zone, there has been a number of new wild fires in northwestern Ontario this week, including four new starts Wednesday.


Photo courtesy of Ministry of Natural Resources webpage

KPDSB Program Change

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is adjusting its primary language instruction for all elementary schools.

Ojibwe and French language instruction will begin in Grade 4, instead of Grade 1.

Director of Education Jack McMaster says the board wanted to direct more attention on literacy learning.

The change will be implemented in time for next school year.

Prisoner escapes from Fort Frances

The OPP in Fort Frances say they are searching for a prisoner who escaped their custody early this morning.

Police say 25 year old Matthew Bradley Meyers of Emo fled this morning shortlyafter 7:00.

He is described as a white male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, 150 pounds with a brown brushcut, blue eyes, medium build and unshaven.

He was last seen wearing a green camouflage t-shirt, grey sweat pants, white socks and no shoes.

The OPP says you should not approach the escapee if you see him, and contact them immediately by dialling 9-1-1.

MNR Fire Crews Hoping for Wet Weather

The weather forecast for the weekend could dictate how long the Restricted FireZone will remain in place in northwestern Ontario.

The RFZ was imposed a week ago due to extremely dry conditions.

Fire Information Officer Debbie McLean says the situation could change quickly if we get much rain.

McLean says there were four new wild fires reported in the region yesterday so any rain will be welcomed by local fire rangers.

NOMA Conference Resolutions

Municipal leaders are calling on the Provincial Government to raise the speed limit on local Highway's by 10-kilometres an hour.

Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association President Anne Krassilowsky says the resolution was approved at their recent meeting in Marathon.

Krassilowsky says the resolution also calls for more scenic pullouts as well as additional public washrooms and garbage bins.

Kenora MP Howard Hampton on HST

Kenora-Rainy River M-P-P Howard Hampton is calling on the provincial government to exempt First Nations people from the harmonized sales tax.

Hampton says the elimination of a point-of-sale exemption on the provincial portion of the HST is going make the lives of First Nations people even more difficult.

First Nations groups have protested over the matter which has escalated the fight over the merged sales tax.

Shriners Burn Prevention

Eight elementary schools in Kenora today will be paid a visit by members of Canada's Shriners Club.

The Shriners will be talking about fire safety and burn prevention in the home.

Spokesperson Lorne Gregorish says kids need to be aware of the many dangers in the home.

17 hundred local students will hear the message over the next two days.

NWO MNR Fire Update

No rest for the weary!

Ministry of Natural Resources fire crews responded to 11-new forest fires over the past 2-days, with crews going out today to check for additional starts.

A majority of the fires were human caused and kept rangers out later than usual.
Red Lake has 2-active fires.

A small fire is also burning on Highway 17 between Dryden and Kenora.

The public is reminded that a Restricted Fire Zone is in effect.

Long Gun Registry Rickford

Photo courtesy of Greg Rickford's website





The Liberals are being accused of trying to delay passage of
a bill to kill the federal long gun registry.

The bill is has passed second reading in the House of Commons,
and could go to a third and final reading next month.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says the Liberals are doing whatever
they can to derail the legislation.

Rickford adds that with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff demanding
all his members vote against the bill, it could be up to the NDP
to get the legislation passed.

NOMA Conference Wraps Up

Photo courtesy of City of Kenora website


Illegal drug sales, electricity costs, FedNOR, the HST, and the speed limit on the
Trans-Canada Highway.

Those were just some of the issues discussed at the annual Northwestern Ontario
Municipal Association Convention in Marathon over the weekend.

Councillor Chris Van Wallenghem was one of two people from Kenora City Council
to attend and says it was a worthwhile event.

Van Wallenghem says while not all the issues discussed over the three day conference applied to Kenora, they did get lots of useful information from other municipal leaders who attended.

Rafferty Pension Bill

Photo courtesy of John Rafferty's website


John Rafferty's private members bill on pensions may survive to see another day.

The Thunder Bay MP says after debate in the House of Commons there is hope it could reach the next stage.

Rafferty says all parties seem to be infavour of the bill.

Rafferty say the bill is designed to add protection to workers pensions.

Wabaseemoong Stabbing

A 25 year old man is dead following a stabbing incident on the Wabaseemung First Nation.

Treaty Three Police say they were called out around 8:30 yesterday morning about an alleged assault.

A post-mortem exam was carried out today at Lake of the WoodsDistrict Hospital, but so far the cause of death has not been released.

Treaty Three Police have called in the OPP's North West Region Crime Unit to help out with the investigation.

The name of the deceased has not been released.

Illegal Deer Kill near Kenora

A Pennsylvania hunter must pay 2-thousand dollars in fines after attempting to cover up his illegal deer kill.

Court heard that on November 8th 2009, conservation officers cam across Edward Krakowski on the Mabrun Road south of Kenora, and found blood on him and his hunting equipment.

Krakoswski told officers that he did not shoot a deer, but had helped another hunter to field dress one.

Upon investigation, officers found footprints from the area where the vehicle was parked to a freshly harvested buck, untagged and covered in brush.

Krakowski was fined a thousand dollars for making false statements to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer and another thousand for failing to attach a valid hunting game seal to his harvested deer.

He is banned from hunting in Ontario for one year.

NWO Forest Fire Update

It appears folks are paying little attention to the fire ban that is currently in place across Northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources responded to 3-new human caused fires in the Sioux Lookout District yesterday.

There are currently 14-fires burning in the Region, 11 of which were human caused.

A raging forest fire east of Terrace Bay has been controlled.

The MNR says there were some value losses reported but no details are available.

The cause is under investigation.

Spring Seatbelt Campaign Wraps Up

The Spring Seatbelt campaign is in the books.

OPP in Northwestern Ontario checked more then 39-thousand vehicles during the 10-day blitz.

A total of 232-charges were laid against drivers and passengers who were not buckled up.

Meanwhile, Kenora OPP checked over 4 thousand vehicles during their two week spring seatbelt campaign.

Police also issued 12-tickets for improperly installed child restraints.

Officers laid a total of 95 charges.

OPP laid 1 child car seat charge.

10 passengers and 84 drivers were charged with failing to not wear seatbelts.

Lake of the Woods Water Levels

The Lake of the Woods basin is experiencing a dry spring.

The control board recently reduced outflows from the lake, which will result in a decline in Winnipeg River levels.

Executive Engineer Rick Walden says conditions could improve if the area see rain in the forecast later this week.

As of today's weather forecast, portions of the basin could see 30 millimetres of rain fall starting on Thursday.

Illegally Killed Wolf

Two Maine hunters are fined over 2-thousand dollars for illegally killing a wolf.

William Pinet and Kurt Christenson were both convicted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and were fined five hundred dollars each for lying to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer.

Pinet was also fined a thousand five hundred dollars for shooting a wolf without a licence.

Court heard that on November 10th, 2009 while out deer hunting, Pinet shot a wolf in the area of Cygnet Lake Road, northwest of Kenora.

He and Christensen later skinned the wolf, placed its hide in a black, plastic bag and sunk it beneath the ice in a swamp.

Later that week, Pinet purchased a non-resident wolf hunting licence and game seal and went back to retrieve the submreged wolf hide.

He then notched a false date on his game seal of when the wolf had been harvested and attached it to the hide.

When questioned by conservation officers, Pinet and Christensen each made multiple false statements, but eventually told officers about shooting the wolf prior to being licensed.