Task Force Presents Drug Strategy to Council

Kenora's Substance and Mental Health Task Force has launched a number of intiatives to try and help reduce drug and alcohol use in the community.

The Task Force presented its drug strategy to council this week.

Michelle Ott is a member of the Education and Harm Reduction committee and says one of their inititatives involves working with whole families.

Ott says they have also surveyed 75 families about their concerns, and drug abuse and binge drinking come out as two of the top issues.

School difficulties and depression and anxiety are also some of the top worries of parents.

Advance Polls to Open Easter Long Weekend

Elections Canada says it has no say in how the advance voting falls for the May 2nd federal election.

Spokesperson Karen Janigan says the law states the advanced voting must be held so many days prior to the actual election day -- but -- she says there are other options available for those who aren't comfortable voting over the Easter weekend:

The Advance polls are open Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday.

CIP for Abitibi Lands gets the Green Light

It looks like the City of Kenora can now proceed with a Community Improvement Plan for the Abitibi properties.

A 30 day appeal period has expired and no objections have been raised about the plan.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says there has already been a lot of interest expressed in the property.

Canfield says they also have to decide what sort of incentives to provide companies to located on the Abitibi lands.

A phased in tax rate in one option being considered.

City Seeks Funding for Harborfront Tent

Kenora City Council isn't giving up its efforts to find funding to help pay for the new Harborfront Tent.

Last summer, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund turned down the city's request money for the tent.

Councillor Sharon Smith says they recently learned that they can appeal that decision and will try once again to secure funding for the 1.4 million dollar Harborfront structure.

The city has applied for 750 thousand dollars from the Heritage Fund.

Northwestern Ontario issues to be Raised at Queen's Park

Opposition day in the Ontario legislature is today and NDP leader Andrea Horwath will be discussing issues in Northwestern Ontario.

Horwath is not happy that the province hasn't truly listened to the North's concerns about Bill 151.

Horwath says despite opposition the government still held the forest tenure hearings in Toronto.

Council endorses 2011 Budget

The chair of Kenora's finance committee says he'd like to see more fairness in the tax system.

Yesterday city council approved a 1.6 percent increase in the mill rate.

But Ron Lunny says because of an increase in the city's assessment this year, some property owners will actually be looking at a tax hike of as much as 4.1 percent.

Lunny says considering the city was faces with a 2.3 percent increase based on projects like the new firehall, the Discovery Center and the Harborfront tent, council did what it could to minimize the tax increase this year.

Harper Touches down in Northwestern Ontario

Prime Minister Harper continues his campaign stumping through northwestern Ontario today.

Last night he pumped up about 400 Conservative supporters in Thunder Bay for the May 2nd election.

Harper says electing a Conservative in the northwest is not a dream anymore.

Harper will be at the Regional Health Sciences Centre for an announcement this morning.

MNR on the Lookout for Pine Beetles

The spread of the pine beetle is on the minds of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The bug already hurt B.C's forest industry and is making it's way east through Saskatchewan.

Spokesperson Taylor Scarr says it will eventually impact Northwestern Ontario as well.

Scarr says because of the high winds last year the bug flew through Alberta in just one season.

Second All-Candidates forum tonight in Sioux Lookout

Its Round 2 of 3 for the Federal Candidates in the Kenora Riding.

An All-Candidates forum is being held in Sioux Lookout tonight.

Its an open mic format and the forum is being held at the Legion from 7 until 9 o'clock.

Conservative Greg Rickford, Tania Cameron of the NDP, Liberal Roger Valley and Independent Kelvin Chicago-Boucher are scheduled to participate.

Mike Schwindt of the Green Party won't be in attendance.

The final All-Candidates forum will be next Monday in Kenora.

Drinking Water Crisis on Pikangikum

A state of emergency is in effect in Pikangikum First Nation.

In a press release, Chief Jonah Strang stated there has been no supply of potable or running water in the community.

Strang added that residents have been drawing water from a nearby lake, which is unsafe to drink.

Over 40-thousand litres of bottled water were ordered and its not known if that supply has arrived.

Strang says the water system in Pikangikum requires an immediate and complete overhaul and notes they are footing the bill to have water shipped in.

The issue has been compounded by reports of flooding in the area.

Police Nab Drunk Driver in Seatbelt blitz

The OPP's seasonal seatbelt campaign has been effective in not only nabbing motorists who fail to buckle up, but its also taken at least one impaired driver off the road.

Police say they pulled over a vehicle yesterday for a seatbelt violation.

In speaking with the driver, they noticed he had been drinking and was given a roadside breath test.

The driver failed and was taken to the Kenora Detachment office.

A 37 year old Winnipeg man is due to appear in court next month on impaired driving charges.

Bronco Cheerleaders win Bronze at Provincial Championships

The Beaver Brae Cheerleaders will be advancing to the national championships next month in Niagara Falls.

The Broncos cheer team was in Missisaugua for the provincial championships this past weekend.

Beaver Brae competed in the small team, all girls division and were 5th after the first day of competition.

On day two, the Broncos were in second, and their two day score gave them the bronze medal.

OPP seize drugs in routine traffic stop

The OPP's seatbelt campaign has netted more than just drivers failing to buckle up.

Police pulled over a vehicle on Highway 17-A over the weekend for a seatbelt infraction.

Officers also noticed the evidence of some drug use inside the car.

A search of the vehicle uncovered of 340 Oxycodone pills, 25 Ecstasy pills and 11 hundred dollars

in cash with an estimated street value of $37,000.

41 year old Ryan Place of Victoria and 41 year old Shane Nixon of Calgary have been charged

with possession of property obtained by crime, trafficking in a narcotic and possession of a weapon

for a dangerous purpose.

Kids for Cancer Tournament Seeks Support from City Council

Organizers of a hockey tournament for cancer research are seeking help from Kenora City Council.

Dean Caron started up the annual Kenora Kids for Cancer Research Tournament two years ago.

He says they have expanded every year and expect more than 20 teams this year.

He says they would like to expand ever further, but would like a break on some of their

costs at the Rec. Center. 

Caron says the tournament raised over 12 thousand dollars last year for cancer research and their target this year is 15 thousand.

No Digital Billboard for the Harborfront

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

At least that seems to be the case with Kenora City Council.

After paving the way earlier this week for the possibility of a digital bill board, the Property and Planning Committee has apparently had a change of heart.

In a vote Friday morning, a majority of council voted against a sign variance that would allow the installation of the digital display on Lakeview Drive.

Councillor Ron Lunny says that means the existing five billboards along the Kenora Harborfront will stay in place.

Allan Cup Wraps up with near Sell Out

Organizers of the Allan Cup in Kenora say they are pleased with how the week-long tournament ran.

The event wrapped up Saturday with the gold medal game in front of a near sell-out crowd at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Chair of the Allan Cup Committee Judy Bain says they were pleasantly pleased with the attendance at all the games.

Bain says it will likely take another month before they know if the Allan

Cup tournament generated any profit or not.

Flavour Gone Campaign Back with a Vengeance

The Flavour Gone campaign against flavoured tobacco has been re-launched.

The youth-based anti-tobacco organization has been battling tobacco companies for the past couple of years for targeting youth with flavoured tobacco.

Roberta Lappage says they thought they had won the battle after the federal government passed legislation against flavoured tobacco back in 2010.

During the Allan Cup tournament, a number of brightly clad youth in so-called morph suits protested the continued manufacture of flavoured tobacco.

Con College Offers New Training Program

A new training program aims to prepare First Nations workers for jobs in mining and energy.

Confederation College President Pat Lang says the program is customized to meet the needs of participants.

Courses will be offered on-reserve and by Confederation College in Thunder Bay and Geraldton.

250 training opportunities have been offered to five area First Nations by to prepare participants for jobs in the energy and mining sectors.

New Boating Test Required for Licence

That test needed to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operators Card is now a little harder.

The test includes more questions and if done on line, a 3-hour course must be completed first.

Cameron Taylor of BoatSmart! Canada doesn't see the changes discouraging people from getting the card.

The fine for not having a card is 250-dollars.

Sharks take a bite out of the Competition in Thunder Bay

The Kenora Sharks Swim Club is the cream of northern Ontario.

The Sharks took part in the Ontario division three swim championships over the weekend and took top honors.

Kenora Swimmers earned 782.5 team points ahead of Thunder Bay, North Bay and Kirkland Lake.

Teams were awarded points for their individual swimmers.

The win means that the Sharks now move up to the Ontario Division two championships next year.