Distracted Drivers Beware!

Drivers should pay extra attention starting today, the O-P-P are looking for distracted drivers.

Officers are ramping up their efforts to prevent drivers from texting or using a handheld device while behind the wheel.

Constable Anne McCoy says there can be no more excuses.

McCoy says there have been accidents in the northwest region that were directly related to motorists being distracted.

Keewatin Figure Skater Wins CanSkate Award

A young Kenora Figure Skater has won a prestigious honor.

Audrey Godbout from Keewatin has been awarded the BMO Financial Group CanSkater of the year for northern Ontario.

She was presented the award at the Skate Canada Northern Ontario Sectional banquet in Sault Ste. Marie.

The award recognizes skaters eight and under for demonstrating talent, and skill, and a passion for skating.

Manitou Gold starts drilling program in the region

Manitou Gold is starting up a diamond drill program on its Higbee project, just south of Vermilion Bay.

The program will test several high grade gold showings.

Limited prospecting efforts to date have returned high grade gold assay results.

Manitou officials consider the area to be highly prospective.

The program will consist of 500-metres of drilling and is expected to take 2-weeks to complete.

New Application Process for Ontario Works in Kenora

Potential Ontario Works Clients in the Kenora District will now have to apply on-line.

The Services Board is moving away from paper applications as per the direction of the Provincial Government.

Director of Ontario Works Dianne Apland says help is available for those who don't have a computer.

The change comes into effect on Monday.

The KDSB currently has 702 Ontario Works clients, with an increase reported in Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ear Falls.

Proposed Lakehead Law School gets a boost

Lakehead University's law school is one step closer to being a reality.

President Dr. Brian Stevenson says he's going to push for this project to get off the ground.

The University's senate approved the law curriculum at a meeting on Friday.

The next step is to apply for funds from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Mink Bay Trail Footbridge Officially Open

One of Kenora's most extensive urban trails is now officially open.

The Kenora Urban Trails Committee launched the Mink Bay trail on Friday with a ribbon cutting at a newly installed footbridge.

Councillor Sharon Smith says the City of Kenora provided all the funding for the project.

Smith says the price tag for the new footbridge was about 30 thousand dollars.

Busy Weekend for MNR Fire Crews

A warm, dry and windy weekend has increased the fire hazard across northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says its crews were kept hopping dealing with wild fires right across the region.

There were a total of 11 new forest fires reported in the region, 3 of which have been  declared out, 4 fires being held, 3 fires not under control.

There was one new forest fire reported in the Kenora area.

Most of the fires are being described as human caused.

New Group Home Expected to be ready this week

Kenora Patricia Child and Family Services is getting ready to open its new group home on Brinkman Road.

The home is one the site of the old Our Lady of the Valley School.

Bill Johnson is the director of finance for the child care agency and

says they should be ready to open their doors next week.

The new group home will replace the Birchcliff facility on the Coker Road.

The new home cost almost three million dollars to construct.

Foul Play Not Suspected in Death of Rideout Woman

The OPP says foul play is not suspected in the death of a 36 year old Rideout woman.

Rosella DiGirolamo went missing a week ago after leaving her home on Mikado Avenue.

The OPP's Northwest Emergency Response Team located her body in a bush area near Miller's Rapids Road this past Wednesday morning.

An autopsy was conducted yesterday at Lake of the Woods District Hospital, but at this time an exact cause of death has not been identified.

The Coronor's office along with the OPP are continuing the investigation.

Opposition Attacks Northern Growth Plan

The NDP are attacking the Liberal Government's Northern Growth Plan.

Northern Development Critic Gilles Bisson says the Liberals short changed the region with it's plan.

Bisson feels the Province should follow Quebec's lead and put the money where there mouth is.

Doctor Shortage Improving in NWO

Northwestern Ontario residents have better access to family doctors than they did in 2009.

That's the message from the Northwest Local Health Integration Network.

CEO Laura Kokocinski says 86 percent of our population had a doctor in 2009.

Kokocinski notes the Lakehead Nurse Practioner Clinic still has room for patients.

Local Homeless Programs Receive Funding

Three area homeless programs will benefit as the result of one-time funding from the Provincial Government.

The 50-thousand dollars was split evenly yesterday by the Kenora District Services Board.

Red Lake will use the money to off-set the costs of on-going operations as well as helping at-risk individuals.

Sioux Lookout will use the funds for various capital improvements.

The Kenora Fellowship Centre plans to use the funds to hire additional staff.

Con College goes green

Confederation College is going green.

The provincial government is providing a million dollars towards the creation of a new bioenergy learning and research centre.

President Pat Lang says the facility will heat the REACH facility and the Shuniah building.

Wastewood from across the Northwest will be used to heat the two buildings.

Construction of New Land Ambulence Based expected to start this summer

Construction of the new Land Ambulance Base in Kenora may start late this Summer.

Kenora District Services Board CAO Dan McNeil says they hope to go to tender in mid-June.

McNeil says the Board still must make a decision on a suitable heating system for the Base.

Cost estimates for the project come in at around 2.4 to 2.3-million dollars.

Police Locate Body of Missing Woman

The OPP say they have found the body of a woman reported missing from the Rideout area of town.

Rosella Digirolamo was last seen last Friday, leaving her home on Mikado Avenue.

Yesterday, members of the Northwest Emergency Response Unit located her body in the bush off Miller's Rapids Road.

At this point, the OPP say they do not know the cause of death.

A post-mortem exam will be conducted at Lake of the Woods Hospital later today.

Services Board Hires New Emergency Services Manager

The Kenora District Services Board has hired a new manager for Emergency Services.

Andrew Tickner started his duties on Monday.

He takes over from Peter Marshall, who resigned last month.

Tickner was the former manager of the land ambulence bases in Sioux Lookout, Ignace and Pickle Lake.

In his new duties, he will be responsible for land ambulence services across the whole of the Kenora District.

High Gas Prices Could Impact Summer Tourism

The high price of gas is going to impact Northwestern Ontario's tourism industry.

Doug Reynolds is the executive director of Northern Ontario's Tourist Outfitters and says it's going to cost more to run area tourist camps.

Reynolds adds it's also going to cost more for Americans to drive here for fishing trips.

Economic Development Commission Presents First Quarter Report

Kenora's economy is off life support and is showing signs of recovery.

The Lake of the Woods Economic Development Commission presented its quarterly report to council this week.

Chair of the commission, Dennis Wallace says sees a great future for the former Abitibi lands.

Wallace says the new owners of the Abitibi property are hoping to fill up the site within three to five years with industrial based businesses.

City non union staff to get wage increase

Non-Union staff with the City of Kenora will be getting a raise this year.

Kenora City council is planning to approve a 2.7 percent wage increase for 2011 at its next open meeting.

The City's human resources manager, Sharon McDowall says the increase is less than unionized workers in the city, who will get a three percent increase this year.

Some non-union workers are eligible for a move on the salary grid this year, but that's considered a performance based increase.

Public School Board launches new wedbsite

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is out with a new and improved website.

Communications Manager Sheena Valley says the site is the result of a lot of time and labour.

Valley says they tried to organize the website from a parent and community perspective.

The website can be locate at : http://www.kpdsb.on.ca/