Canfield has mixed feelings on Provinical budget

The provincial government is offering municipalities some tools to help collect traffic fines.

Each year thousands of dollars of parking and speeding tickets go uncollected.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says Tuesday's budget seems to address the problem of unpaid tickets.

Last year alone, the city had to write off more than 90 thousand dollars in uncollected traffic tickets.

New Tourism Website being developed for Kenora District

A new user-friendly and interactive tool will soon be in our hands to promote tourism in the Kenora District.

The Cultural-Tourism Marketing website is set to be on-line this Summer.

Michelle Hovi led a community session in Kenora yesterday and says this is an excellant opportunity to showcase area communities.

The group has hired a media technician to photograph and video events, businesses and activities for the website.

Northwest LHIN's Promises Overhaul of Health Care in the Region

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network is overhauling the health care system in the region.

The governing body for health care spending is creating Local Health Hubs and regional programs.

CEO Laura Kokocinski says the goal is to share services and common practices at a local level.

Thunder Bay would handle more regional programs including cancer care.

Rickford Promises Balance Approach in Today's Budget

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says today's Federal budget will strike a balance.

Rickford says we can expect a measured response by the Government in terms of reducing the deficit.

However, Rickford stresses the Feds understand that maintaining several key programs is essential in keeping the economy going.

Lakewood School to be declared Surplus?

The future of Lakewood School is a little clearer today.

Trustees with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board met Tuesday night to discuss what to do with the building.

Trustee Bob Onysko says after much discussion and debate they agreed to support a recommendation by senior administration to declare the school surplus and put the property up for sale.

A resolution to that effect will go to the next open meeting on April 10th.

Midget Thistles in Virden for Western Regional Championships

The Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles are in Virden, Manitoba today for the start of the Telus Western Regional Play-offs.

The winner will advance to the national championships next month.

First up for the Thistles are the host team, the Southwest Cougars.

Game time is 8:00 this evening.

Tomorrow, the Thistles will face the Manitoba Midget League Champions, the Winnipeg Wild.

The Kenora Midgets advance to the Western Regional Championships by beating Thunder Bay two weeks ago in the Northwest Branch finals.

Search and Rescue helps standed anglers on Lake of the Woods

The OPP have cautioned local residents about heading out on the ice for the past couple of weeks.

But apparently that message hasn't reached the south end of Lake of the Woods.

Early this morning 13 American Anglers had to be rescued from an ice floe near Birch Point on the Manitoba side of the Lake.

Terry McLeod is president of Lake of the Woods Search and Rescue and says they sent their air boat out last night, making five trips from the mainland to the chunk of ice, to rescue the stranded ice anglers. 

The anglers went out on ATV's yesterday around noon, but conditions deteriorated as the day went on.

Everyone was safely evacuated from the ice floe by around 3:00 this morning

NOACC Disappointed with Provinicial Budget

Local business groups are disappointed with Tuesday's provincial budget.

The Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce is concerned with the delayed implementation of corporate tax cuts.

Chief Operating Officer, Harold Wilson says there's really nothing in the budget to encourage economic growth.

Wilson suggests the promised corporate tax cuts could take as long as eight years to implement, because the government wants to wait until it erases the deficit.

Gravelle Defends Tuesday's Provinicial Budget

The Provincial Government is not touching the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

The Drummond report called on the Government to move the Fund and combine it with other economic development corporations.

Natural Resources minister Michael Gravelle says Heritage funding will stay at 100-million dollars.

Gravelle adds that the Provincial budget will also preserve the Northern Industrial Electricity rate for at least one more year. 

Two BC men face Weapons Charges

Two British Columbia residents are due to appear in Kenora Court today on weapons charges.

The OPP say they were called to a hotel last week to assist ambulence personnel.

One man was taken to hospital for treatment and later released.

While at the scene, officers notice a handgun in the hotel room.

They got a search warrant and seized the gun.

A 37 year old and a 23 year old man remain in custody pending today's bail hearing.

Habitat For Humanity Launches another Fundraiser

Habitat for Humanity is counting down to its first ever build in Kenora.

A couple of more fundraisers are being planned this spring to help raise money for the project.

Spokesperson Thelma Wilkens-Page says at the end of May they will be hosting a Re-Fit day where old building materials can be donated to the cause.

Habitat For Humanity is hoping to turn sod on its first Kenora home sometime in May.

Health Unit Continues to Deal with Oxcontin Withdrawal

The Northwest Health Unit says its not planning to start up any new clinics to help people deal with withdrawal from prescription pills.

There is still concern about the impact of taking oxycontin off the market.

Dr. Jim Arthurs is the medical officer of health and says they simply don't have the resources to start up a new clinic to deal with the problem.

Arthurs says there are supports in place in the community, such as the Morningstar Clinic, that are more suited to dealing the problem.

Boundaries Commission Looks at Ontario Ridings

The process towards a redrawing of the federal political maps in Ontario has started.

The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission of Ontario is looking at how add 15 new seats to the House of Commons.

There are some concerns it will also mean some change in boundaries to northwestern Ontario's ridings where the population continues to decline.

The Commission is giving the public until the end of April to comment.

Grassy Declares another Logging Victory

The Grassy Narrows First Nation says the province has promised not to allow logging in its Traditional Land Use Area in the Whisky Jack forest while an appeal of a court ruling in going on.

Last summer, the Ontario Superior Court ruled the government couldn't take away Grassy's treaty rights by allowing clear cut logging near the community.

Since then the Provice has decided to appeal the decision.

Grassy says that a no-logging agreement now prohibits any forestry activity in about 50 percent of its traditional land use area.

Province releases 2012 Sunshine List

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board has more employees on the so-called Sunshine list of public servants making more than 100 thousand dollars a year than any other agency in the region.

The public school board has 45 employees on the list, topped by director of education Jack McMaster at almost 190 thousand dollars.

Over at the Kenora Catholic District School Board, Phylis Eikre remains the highest paid employee at 180 thousand per annum.

The City of Kenora has just five workers on the list, with Chief Administrative Officer Karen Brown topping the chart at 122 thousand dollars.

Dr. Kerry McDonald continues to be the best-paid public sector worker in Kenora.

The chief pathologist at Lake of the Woods District Hospital made 310 thousand dollars last year.

Autopsies this week on Four people who died on Selkirk Lake

Police are still trying to figure out how four people died on a lake north of Kenora last week.

Yesterday, the OPP confirmed the identities of the four who died on the lake.

The body of Robert Kantimere was initially found last Thursday on the thin ice.

The OPP believe that Kantimere tried to save his friends' lives.

His boots and jacket were found on the shore and the engine of his truck was still running.

Autopsies will be performed on the four bodies.

Hospital Unions Rally in Kenora

Hospital unions are raising the alarm about today's provincial budget.

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions is doing a cross-province tour to try and convince the McGuinty Government to find adequate funding for the health care system.

Michael Hurley is president of the Council and says a cut in funding could take millions out of hospital budgets.

The Council is also worried the new funding formula announced last week could result in a drastic reduction in hospital beds at hospitals across the province.

Day One results from Kids for Cancer Tournament

Novice Division:

• DST Penguins 10, Novice Snipers 4

• Builders 15, Raging Angels 5

Pee Wee Division:

• Jarnel Renegades 10, Green Hornets 4

Bantam Division:

• Rink Rage 7, Chow Time Bulldogs 6

• Puckgoinski Pylons 10, Vanderkrabben 7

Open Division:

• Grassy Narrows 21, Senior Snipers 20

• Dirty Dawgz 20, Ratcliffe 8

Youth Drop-In Center Needed in Kenora

A youth drop-in center has been identified as the main priority for Kenora's new youth council.

The council was set up back in January and has started to meet on a regular basis.

Mitch Frenette is Kenora's youth mayor and says a drop-in center would solve a number of the issues they've identified in the city.

Frenette says they'll be meeting once again this week, and will start meeting with school groups to help recruit new members for the youth council in the future.

Cameron Excited by New NDP Leader

It's full steam ahead for the Federal NDP.

Kenora Riding NDP candidate Tania Cameron is back home after attending the party leadership convention in Toronto.

Cameron is excited about the future now that Thomas Mulcair is in as leader.

She says Mulcair knows what the issues are and where the party wants to be in the next few years.