OPP Summer Students Busy

The OPP summer students have been busy in recent weeks keeping track of local motorists.


The students have been involved in a number of different initiatives, including the Lock it
or Lose it Campaign.

So far over 25 hundred vehicles have been checked in downtown Kenora and 14 percent have
found to be unlocked.

Over 21 hundred vehicles have also been checked for seatbelt compliance, and the students
have fund that 5.7 percent of motorists are failing to buckle up.

Three students have been hired by the OPP to patrol the downtown core this summer.

Construction resumes downtown

There shouldn't be any delays on Bernier Drive this week, as phase two of the downtown revitalization project gets under way.

Jarnel Contracting began work on the nearly four million dollar project yesterday.

Site work has started up in the area near the Thistle Pavillion.

Phase two will include the construction of Lake of the Woods Plaza south of the ScotiaBank on Main Street South and also preparation of the underground works for the festival site on the Kenora Harborfront.

Work is expected to continue through the rest of this summer right into late fall.

The city says it will be providing weekly updates on the progress of the project
on the BigSpruce website.

Phase Two of Downtown Revitalization Begins

Work has started on phase two of the downtown revitalization project.

Jarnel Construction began mobilizing yesterday and will be working over the next couple of months on the almost four million dollar contract.

The Lake of the Woods Plaza and festival park will all be part of the project.

One item that's not included in the work is the installation of a new tent on the Harborfront.

Operations manager Rick Perchuck admits that's something they will have to include in the 2011 budget.

Perchuck say the tent structure will likely cost about a million dollars.

The city has applied for a grant of 500 thousand dollars from the Northern
Ontario Heritage Fund to help cover the cost of the tent.

NOMA wants 2011 Census to Proceed

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is adding its name to the list of groups expressing concern about the recent Federal Census decision.

The Government is moving to discontinue the use of the mandatory long-form questionnaire in favour of a voluntary survey.

President Anne Krassilowsky says the voluntary response will be unreliable.

Krassilowsky notes its not known how many forms will come to Northwestern Ontario.

OPP seek Auxillary Officers

A recruitment effort is underway by the OPP to increase their numbers

in the Auxillary Unit.

The OPP Auxillary is a volunteer unit that works along side full-time
officers.

OPP Constable Dave Cain says members of the Auxillary do receive
training.

An information session will take place tomorrow night at the OPP
Detachment office on the Kenora By-Pass starting at 7:30.

Legalize ATV's For On-Road Use

If Kenora City Council has its way, All-Terrain Vehicles would be licensed to operate on local highways.

Council approved a resolution recently calling on the provincial government to review the Off-Road Vehicles act to include ATV's as vehicles that can be licenced to drive on provincial and municipal roadways.

The resolution says there are economic benefits in the tourism industry to develop ATV trails.

Hap's Runners Up at Women's Soccer Tournament

One local teams made it into the prize money at the annual Lake of the Woods Woman's Soccer Tournament over the weekend at the Tom Nabb Soccer Complex.
Hap's Hurricanes finished second overall, after losing the A-Side Final Sunday afternoon 4-0 to the Southend Shooters from Winnipeg.

Manitoba teams dominated the other finals played Sunday.

The Wisegals from Winnipeg edged Stonewall 2-1 in penalty shots.

In the C-Side Final, it was Portage over Victorious Secret from Winnipeg 2-1 also in penalties.

Canfield files nomination papers

Its going to be at least a two-man race for the mayor's chair in Kenora.

Former mayor Dave Canfield did the expected on Friday by filing his
nomination papers.

In an interview earlier this year, Canfield indicated he's ready to get back into
municipal politics after being defeated in the last municipal elections.

Canfield will challenge former city Councillor Andrew Poirier in the
mayoralty race.

The deadline to file nomination papers is September 10th.

CAV ready to Ride Into Kenora

The Canadian Army Veterans motorcycle club will be returning to Kenora over the August Long Weekend.

The 4th Annual Lewis McKenzie Order of Canada I-Cross National Honor Ride will take place July 30th to August 1st.

A number of events are being planned including a memorial service at the Lake of the Woods
Cemetary.

There will also be a flag raising event at Memorial Park.

As many as 100 motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to attend the three day gathering.

Second Coney Island Festival ready to roll

Organizers of the "Maybe Annual Coney Island Festival" say arrangements for this year's event are coming together.

The one day music festival featuring local performers takes place next
Saturday.

Ferg Devins is one of the co-ordinators of the event and says they
are still hoping to make this an annual event.

Devins says this year there will be a band stand, which was provided by
the city of Kenora.

Changes Urged to Commercial Fishing

The Canadian Federation of Taxpayers wants the Federal government to allow commercial fisherman the choice of selecting buyers for their catch.


All commercially caught fish are turned over to the federally regulated Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation.

Spokesperson Colin Craig says the Federal Government needs to consult area commercial fisherman.

Craig adds the fishermen who are forced to sell their catch to the government body do not have pensions,sick leave benefits or other perks that emplyees at the federal body enjoy.

Deer Lake man faces murder charges

A 26 year old Deer Lake First Nations resident is scheduled to appear in Kenora Court today on 2nd degree murder charges.

The OPP charged Jason Miller after investigating the death of 27 year
old Joey Crows from Deer Lake last weekend.

Crow had been pronounced dead at the Deer Lake Nursing Station on July 10th and another man had to be taken to hospital in Thunder Bay for treatment of unspecified injuries.

Jason Miller was initially charged with attempted murder in connection to the injuries sustained by Neilson Meekis.

Open Studio Tour this weekend

Members of the Lake of the Woods Arts Collective will be opening up
their studios to the public this weekend.

The Open Studio Tour will take place Saturday and Sunday and will involve more than 20 artists.

LeeAnn Hawkins is one of the organizers and says each site will be well marked.

Hawkins says there are brochures available around town, including at
the Tourism Bureau.

This is the second year in a row the Open Studio Tour has been held.

Studios will be open 10 til 4 on Saturday and noon until 4 on Sunday.

Highway fatal near Ignace

A Mississauga woman is dead following a 2-vehicle collision on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Dryden.

OPP say a westbound car and an eastbound pickup truck collided yesterday afternoon near the Highway 622 junction.

Both vehicles were sent off the road and struck a rock cut.

The driver of the car, 45-year-old Kaneez Zehra, died as a result of the crash.

The driver of the truck was transported to Dryden Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The collision forced the complete closure of the Highway for 5-hours.

The cause is under investigation.

CJRL Helps Find Missing Man

A missing Sioux Lookout man has been found.

89-year-old Michael Marcyniuk was found safe near Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

OPP say an alert Ignace resident noticed a car broken down on the side of the Highway.

The motorist heard the story on the CJRL and recognized Marcyniuk's car.

Arrangements are being made to reunite Marcyniuck with his family.

Search for Ultimate Fishing Town

Several northwestern Ontario communities are battling for the title as Canada's Ultimate Fishing town.

It's a contest sponsored by the World Fishing Network with the winner getting 25-thousand dollars in prizes.

WFN's Hookin Up TV Host Mariko Izumi has this to say about the competition.

Nominations so far have come from Kenora, Dryden and Thunder Bay, but none from the Rainy River district.

Voting for the ultimate fishing town starts August 17th.

Study Shows Northern Youth Overweight

Junior and senior high students in northern Ontario are are more obsese or overweight than their counterparts in sourthern Ontario.

That's according to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health.

Author of the report Doctor Robert Mann says they also found that about 30 per cent of students indicated feeling anxious, stressed or depressed.

Twenty-four per cent of students surveyed indicated having sought out mental health care over the past year.

MNR Fire Rangers Returning home

Northwestern Ontario firefighters have returned after a multi-week stint in Northern Manitoba.


Crews, aircraft and support staff were sent to the western province last month to help in the fight against several forest fires.

Here at home, the Ministry of Natural Resources is monitoring 13-active fires and no problems are anticipated.

One lightning caused fire was reported yesterday in the Nipigon District.

The fores fire hazard is low to moderate across the Region.

Former Kenora Resident Faces Child Porn Charges

A bureaucrat working for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Thunder Bay has been convicted of child pornography charges and sentenced to jail.


David Laderoute was sentenced to the statutory minimum of 14-days in jail and 18-months probation.

He must also submit a DNA sample, and will be a registered sex offender for 10 years.

A Government spokesman says Laderoute's 18-year career with the public service has ended.

An investigation began in April, 2009 when it was discovered that a computer at the Thunder Bay MNR office was being used to access pornographic websites.

Salmonella recall in Northwestern Ontario

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning Northwestern Ontario residents not to eat Freybe brand head cheese.


The Agency says the product may be contaminated with salmonella.

All products sold up to and including July 14th are affected by the recall.

The CFIA says it may have been sold from deli counters or repackaged at the store.

In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis can be deadly.