PUSH demands more supportive housing in Northwest

Persons united for self help in Northwestern Ontario wants the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the region's long wait lists.


Currently there are over 400 adults in the region waiting for accessible supportive community housing and home support care.

President Ron Ross says some of those people have been on the wait list for 10 years.

The people on the wait list are living in long term care facilities or with their aging parents.

New V.P. for Pope John Paul

The Kenora Catholic District School Board had to search a little further afield

for a vice-principal at Pope John Paul II School.

Michelle Sawa, a teacher at St. John Separate School in Red Lake has been
selected to fill the vacancy.

The Separate School Board expanded last year by incorporating St. John's into
its system last year.

Sawa replaces Maureen Carlin-Franklin, who was promoted to the principal's
job at Pope John Paul earlier this week.

Machin Election Update

There's going to be a race for the mayoralty in the Town of Machin.


Two people are currently seeking the top job in Vermillion Bay.

Incumbent Garry Parkes is looking for a second term as Mayor.

He's now being challenged by Gordon Dingman and Linda Anderson.

Dennis Peterson is the only person to file nomination papers for council.

Tourist Numbers up in Kenora

Tourism Kenora says its seen an increase in tourist traffic through the city this summer.

Statistics show the number of visitors to the Tourism Bureau on the Harborfront are up from last year.

Heather Paterson is Kenora's Tourism Development Officer and says local businesses are also reporting a better summer season.

Paterson believes a marketing campaign carried out in the late spring and early summer in southern Manitoba and Winnipeg has played a big part in their increase in tourism numbers this year.

New CEO Hired for Northwest LHIN's

A new person is in charge of the Northwest Local Health Integration Network.


The Board has appointed Laura Kokocinski as Chief Executive Officer effective September first.

She has worked with the LHIN as the Senior Director, Planning, Integration and Community Engagement since January 2006 and was appointed Interim CEO back in February.

Kokocinski is from Northwestern Ontario and has extensive health care experience in various communities including Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay.

She was selected from a large Canada-wide pool.

Anglers Fined for Too Many Walleye

A fishing party of 4 has been fined 24-hundred dollars for having 16-walleye over the legal limit.

Roger Marion and Donalda Zoratti of Kenora and Cyril and Solange Taylor all pleaded guilty in Court and were fined 600-dollars each.

The group was stopped on a house boat on Lake of the Woods back in May.

Houston Lake Mining has evidence of a new gold zone at its West Cedartree project near Kenora.

The Sudbury-based Company says that a potential gold mineralized zone has been identified by sampling of surface bedrock.

Houston Lake says it will move forward with future exploration with diamond drilling.

Officials believe that they have discovered another area which creates resource potential for the project.

Garrow Beach Closed Again

With a warm weekend on the way, its not the news people wanting to cool off want to hear.

The Northwestern Health Unit has issued a notice closing Garrow Beach.

The Health Unit says recent water quality tests at the beach yeilded higher than acceptible levels of
E-coli bacteria.

The beach will be closed for swimming until satisfactory water quality test results
come back from the provincial lab in Thunder Bay.

More Fire Rangers Heading West

Ministry of Natural Resources fire personnel continue to bounce between Ontario and B.C.

Another 184-firefighters are scheduled to leave for fire ravaged B.C. today.

As they arrive to begin work, 200-personnel will be allowed to return home on Friday.

A total of 317-Ontario staff members are in the Western Province.

The MNR has been lending a helping hand since July 29th.

New Northern Energy Credit Program

If you want to get a piece of the northern energy credit pie, your going to have to apply.


The program provides up to 130 dollars for single people, and 200 dollars for families.

Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Michael Gravelle says the credit is for low to middle income northerners.

Applications are available online, at any Service Ontario location, or by calling 1-866-305-1954.

Hampton opposes insurance changes

We're less than a week away from new auto insurance rates.

Changes to policies take effect September 1st and not everyone is a fan.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says the move will hurt drivers.

Standard policies will see cuts made to medical benefits and income replacement levels.

Highway 17 West finally Reopens

It took a lot longer than expected for Highway 17 west to be re-opened to two lanes of traffic.

The Trans-Canada was initially closed down due to a firey collision between two transport trailor units near the Ontario/Manitoba border.

One lane of traffic was opened up around 8:30 yesterday morning, but it took another 12 hours for both lanes to be completely opened.

Three people were sent to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment of injuries
sustained in the accident.

IJC establishes a Task Force for Lake of the Woods

The International Joint Commission is moving quickly to make its mark on Lake of the Woods.

The IJC was directed this summer by the government's of Canada and the United States to take on the job of protecting water quality on the Lake.

Todd Sellars is the executive director of the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation. a Task Force has also been set up by the IJC.

Sellars says the Task Force will be given 18 months to come up with a governance model for Lake of the Woods.

A Stakeholder Advisory Group is also been formed to guide the work of the Task Force.

One Large Fire Burning in Northwestern Ontario

A forest fire east of Pikangikum First Nation continues to burn out-of-control.


The fire has grown to 178-hectares in size but is burning in an isolated area.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has 48-firefighters battling the blaze.

Meantime, 64-personnel left the Dryden Airport yesterday to help in the fire fight in B.C.

21-firefighters returned home.

Drinkwalter Running Again for Council

There's almost sure to be a race for Kenora City Council this fall.


A seventh person has entered the race for one of six seats on council.

Charito Drinkwalter filed her nomination papers on Monday.

She is a rookie member of council, and joins Dave McCann, Jim Parsons,
Wendy Cuthbert and Rory McMillan as councillors seeking re-election.

The deadline to file nomination papers is September 10th.

Highway 17 West Open to One Lane

Still no indication when Highway 17 west of Kenora near the Manitoba Border will be
re-opened to two lanes of traffic.

The Trans-Canada was closed by an accident involving two tractor-trailor units
early this morning.

The OPP say a westbound rig with a lone male driver collided with an eastbound semi.

The westbound transport caught fire and was completely destroyed.

The there were two people in the eastbound truck, and they were rescued by fire crews that
were on the scene.

All three were taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for Treatment of injuries sustained
in the collision.

The OPP says Charges are still pending.

NOMA reflects on AMO conference

Members of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association are recapping their recent meetings with provincial ministers.


NOMA met with 8 ministers on a variety of topics.

President Anne Krassilowski says she spoke with the Minister of Natural Resources about the forest tenure process.

Meanwhile, Krassilowski was elected to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario board alongside Thunder Bay Mayor Lynn Peterson.

Another Blockade At Grassy Narrows

Yet another blockade has gone up on the Grassy Narrows First Nation north of Kenora.

This time the blockade is aimed at the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Roberta Keesick is one of the people at the blockade and says it was started up on Friday
after MNR officials tried to shut down repair work being done by community members on
the Slant Lake Road.

Keesick says the MNR wants the community to get proper permits before its begins any
roadwork in the community.

She says there are no plans to take down the blockade any time soon.

Highway 17 West of Kenora Closed

It could be a while before Highway 17 west of Kenora is open to two way traffic again.

Highway 17, just east of the Ontario/Manitoba border is still closed due to a motor vehicle accident.

The OPP says two tractor trailor units collide just after 5:00 this morning about three kilometers west of the Shoal Lake turn-off.

Three people were injured, but no other details about the accident have been released.

Police now says the highway could be closed until at least 10:00 this morning while the wreckage is cleared and officers complete their investigation.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Announces Funding

The provincial government is supporting Northwestern Ontario's aboriginal and metis victims.


The Ontario Native Women's Association has developed workshops designed to foster healthy relationships.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Chris Bentley says they've adopted a "for us by us" strategy.

Another first nations group is offering a healing arts program designed to remember those first nation women who are missing.