Law Enforcement Torch Run today

Special Olympics programs will get a big boost today.

The Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run will take place this morning starting at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

The OPP, staff from the Kenora Jail and the local Ministry of Natural Resources office will be all be taking part in the run.

The run will start at 11:00 and wrap up at the Kenora Jail, where at fundraising barbeque will take place at 11:30.

Earthroots Apologizes

The environmental group Earthroots is offering an apology to Weyerhaeuser.

Earlier this week. Earthroots claimed that the I-Level Timberstrand mill in Kenora used formaldehyde in the production of its engineered lumber.

Weyerhaeuser disputed the report and Earthroots has now sent out a release apologizing for its error.

The environmental group says formaldehyde is used in the manufacture of some i-Level products but admits the Kenora mill uses a different kind of resin.

Earthroots says it is double-checking all the facts in the report to ensure their accuracy.

Greenpeace Critical of Ontario's Forest Policies

Greenpeace Canada says Ontario's Liberal government has mismanaged public forests and failed to protect habitat for the threatened woodland caribou.

Greenpeace spokeswoman Catharine Grant says she's not optimistic the Tories or New Democrats would be any better at managing the forests.

 Greenpeace says there's been very little improvement in forestry sector prosperity, despite what it calls massive subsidies from the province.

Public School Board bringing back Summer School

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is bringing back the concept of summer school.

This year, a number of summer learning opportunities will be introduced at high schools in Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake.

Sean Monteith is a superintendant of education with the public school board and says the program is really targeted at students at risk.

Some of the offerings include a summer co-op program, credit recovery, and a Reach Ahead program for grade eight students heading into grade nine in the fall.

Police Investigating Break-In to Camp on Lake of the Woods

The OPP are investigating a break and enter to a camp on Lake of the Woods.

Police say the break-in took place either this past Tuesday or Wednesday at a cottage on St. Helena Island.

A number of items were stolen, including a DeWalt cordless drill, a couple of rain suits, a Toshiba lap-top, a digital camera and some alcohol.

Police say the owners discovered the break-in after returning to their camp.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Kenora Detachment of the OPP.

Minister Gives Update on Northern Policy Institute

The Northern Policy Institute is taking shape.

The think tank will help create economic development initiatives for the region.

Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Michael Gravelle says they've created the mandate of the institute.

Gravelle says the NPI's location should be announced by the end of the summer.

Keewatin-Patricia Enrolment Expected to Decline

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board expects enrolment to drop by 1.5 percent in the next school year.

Superintendant of Business Dean Carrie says the decline in enrolment is having a definite impact on their finances.

Carrie says while secondary numbers remain fairly stable, elementary enrolment is expected to drop another 4.1 percent next year.

OPP Release the Names of the deceased in Upsala Collision

The OPP have released the names of three people killed in a collision on Highway 17 just east of Upsala.

The accident took place just after 6:00 Sunday evening and claimed the lives of three Geralton residents.

The deceased have been identified as 20 year old Rick Oulett, 18 year old Tammy Lefebvre and 11 month old Bailee Lefebvre.

The OPP say their vehicle crossed the center line and collided with a semi  tractor-trailor unit.

The driver of the transport was not injured.

Lake of the Woods Task Force Holds final meeting in Kenora

Local residents will get one final chance to comment on a final draft report by an International Task Force for the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods watershed,

The public meeting will take place at the Best Western Lakeside Inn this evening at 7:00.

The last chance to submit comments is June 24th.

The final draft has to be submitted to the International Joint Commission by July 15th.

Meetings have already taken place this week in Atikokan, Fort Frances and Baudette.

Economic Development Commission Behind Abitibi CIP

The Lake of the Woods Economic Development Commission is throwing its support behind a Community Improvement Plan for the former Abitibi lands in Kenora.

Thelma Wilkens-Page chairs the business development and attraction committee and says the tax incentives proposed by the city are a good first step towards filling up the vacant industrial property.

Wilkens-Page says she also likes the idea of developing one main entrance for the former mill property.

The CIP is expected to be approved by council this Monday.

Mixed Results for local students in OSSLT

The Grade 10 literacy test results for area Schools are out.

Students wrote the test back in March.

Jack McMaster is the Director of Education for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and says he's pleased with the results.

67 percent of Beaver Brae students who wrote the literacy test were  successful, compared to the provincial average of 83 percent.

At Thomas Aquinas, the pass rate was 90 percent.

MNR Bringing Fire Crews Back Home

Forest fighting efforts in Western Canada for the Ministry of Natural Resources are being scaled back.

Because of an increasing fire hazard here at home, a planned dispatch of fire rangers to Alberta this week has been cancelled.

The MNR adds when the remaining 374 Ontario fire staff return from Alberta, they will not be replaced.

There are 10-active fires in the District including a fire that's been burning on an island on Lake of the Woods since the weekend.

The hazard is high to extreme across Northwestern Ontario.

Con College's new President getting to take over

Confederation College will have a new President starting Canada Day.

Jim Madder says it's important for him to speak with staff and students.

Madder is currently the Vice President of Alberta's Red Deer College.

Council seeks support from the NOHFC for Harborfront Tent

The City of Kenora isn't giving up its fight to secure funding for the new Harborfront Tent.

Council says it will be appealing a decision by the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund not to provide any money for the tent.

Council says it wants at least 800 thousand dollars from the Heritage Fund, which is about 50 percent of the cost.

Councillor Ron Lunny says because the tent is more of a permanent structure, he's hoping that will change they way the NOHFC looks at their application.

Beach Boys play sold out concert

The Beach Boys played to a sold out crowd on the Kenora Harborfront last night.

Over 15 hundred people attended the concert, which was the first event planned and

organized by Tourism Kenora.

The concert sold out in a matter of days after tickets went on sale last fall. 

Local Postal Workers Locked Out!

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in Kenora are on the picket line today.

Pickets were set up after Canada Post decided to lock-out its employees.

Chuck Cadger is the local union respresentive and says they are willing to fight to maintain the wages and benefits they have.

The head of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Denis Lemelin held a press conference this morning and is calling the lockout a completely unacceptable situation.

City Daycare Rates going Up

Its soon going to cost more to send your kid to a city-run daycare facility.

The city is looking at imposing a dollar a day increase at the Castle of Learning Daycare Center starting next week.

The daycare rate will go up to 31 dollars a day.

Recreational Services manager, Colleen Neil says there's still lots of demand for the service and says they are full.

Police Continue to Investigate Fatal Accident on Highway 17

Police still haven't released the names of the young family who perished in a fatal collision near Upsala.

OPP Staff Sergeant Dan Peters says the family died after there vehicle crossed the centre line on Highway 17 and hit a transport head on Sunday evening.

Peters says once the bodies are identified the names will be released.

Public School Board approves Budget

Declining enrolment is starting to cut into the budget of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.

This year, the public school board is projecting a shortfall of 1.5 million dollars in the 2011/2012 school year.

Superintendant of Business Dean Carrie says they hope to be able to balance their books within three years.

The overall budget for the school board is 84.7 million dollars, which is

down almost two million dollars from last year.

Community Improvement Plan Coming together for Abitibi Lands

A number of tax incentives are being promised to companies which decided to locate on the former Abitibi property in Kenora.

Details of a community improvement plan were unveiled this morning at a public meeting.

Councillor Ron Lunny says they will also be providing incentives to fix up the buildings on the mill site.

Lunny says tax incentives include no taxes after the first year of setting up shop on the mill property on 9th Street North.

There will be a five year phase-in of the industrial taxes.