Con College Bursaries get a boost

Confederation College in Kenora has more money to put towards student bursaries and awards.

Wednesday's golf tournament at the Kenora Golf and Country Club generated more than nine thousand dollars.

A record 17 teams also took part in the afternoon event. 

Off the golf course, a signed Mike Richards Los Angeles Kings jersey garnered the most interest, taking in one thousand dollars in a live auction.

HRSDC Cuts Jobs in Kenora

The Public Service Alliance of Canada calls it a further erosion of service in northern Ontario.

About 25 percent of the workforce at the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada office in Kenora is being cut.

PSAC spokesperson Judith Monteith Farrell says the jobs are being moved to southern Ontario.

Monteith Farrell says five surplus notices have been handed out in Kenora leaving a staff at the HRSDC office of about 15 workers.

Red Lake Population Jumps Again

A change in census numbers in Red Lake.

The Municipality asked for a review of the final 2011 numbers.

Red Lake has been notified that the census results were incorrect.

The population is now up 3.2-percent from the original numbers.

Red Lake's population now stands at just over 46-hundred people.

ELA Gains National Support

The International community isn't giving up its fight to keep the Experimental Lakes Area open.

More than 29-hundred people from 58-countries have signed an on-line petition that closed last week.

Some signatories stated that the Federal government has a mandate to conduct whole-ecosystem freshwater research.

Others call it a premier institution and a point of Canadian pride.

Minnesota Fire Crews coming north

More than 70 forest fires are currently burning in the northwest region.

Fire Information Officer Deb McLean says crews are dealing with five new wild fires yesterday.

McLean says a crew of 20 fire fighters are arriving today from Minnesota to help relieve some of the crews throughout the region.

Council Rejects Loan Request for Land Ambulence Base

The Kenora District Services Board is going to have to search a little further afield to find a banker to finance the cost of building the land ambulence base in Kenora.

Earlier this week, Kenora City council said no, to the board's request to help finance the 2.8 million dollar project.

Councillor Ron Lunny says the city isn't in the business to lend money.

Construction of the new land ambulence base on Barsky's Hill is nearing completion.

Kelly Bows out of AFN election after 2nd ballot

The Assembly of First Nations has re-elected Shawn Atleo as its national chief. Atleo won on the third round of voting after fending off seven other candidates.

Atleo told the crowd of delegates that the present day marks a turning point for aboriginal rights.

Former Treaty Three Grand Chief Diane Kelly has failed in her bid to become National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

Kelly dropped out of the race after finishing third with 39 votes in the second round of ballots.

Northwestern Ontario Ridings Not Affected by lost Data

No ridings in Northwestern Ontario are listed among those possibly impacted by a breach of voter privacy at Elections Ontario.

Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa says memory sticks containing personal information of about 2.5-million voters in as many 25 other ridings are missing from his office.

The data contains the names, birth dates and addresses of voters, but not how they voted.

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating.

OPP Lay Charges in ATV Accident

Charges have been laid in last week's crash involving two ATV's on Highway 671 north of Kenora.

Provincial Police say an all terrain vehicle was towing a second one, when one of the drivers was tossed from the vehicle.

He was transported to Lake of the Woods Hospital with minor injuries.

OPP say both teenage drivers face charges of operating an ATV on the highway without a driver's licence, no insurance and permit.

Seven People Vying for NAN Grand Chief

The candidates are now in place for Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief. 

There are seven people vying for NAN's top spot. 

They are; current Deputy Grand Chiefs Terry Waboose and Mike Metatawabin, former Sioux Lookout Mayor Lawrence Martin along with the head of of Wawatay David Neegan. 

Rounding out the list are  Harvey Yesno, Doug Semple and Brian Davey

AFN Votes for National Chief Today

First Nations chiefs are voting today in Toronto to elect their national chief.

Eight candidates, including former Treaty 3 Grand Chief Diane Kelly, are vying to become the high-profile First Nations leader.

Incumbent Shawn Atleo is running for a second three-year term.

City Warns against Boat Mooring at Local Beaches

Beaches are meant for swimming, not boating.

That's the message from Kenora City Council this week.

Councillor Ron Lunny says they have been getting complaints that people have been tieing up their boats at the dock at Keewatin Beach recently.

Lunny says they will be monitoring the situation to make sure boats are not ventuing into public swimming areas.

Council ready to move ahead with repairs to West Branch Bridge

Work to repair the aging West Branch Bridge over the Winnipeg River should start sometime in 2013.

Kenora City council has agreed to put out a request for proposals for the work.

Mayor Dave Canfield admits they don't know where the money for the project is going to come from, but says they are continuing to lobby the upper levels of government for funding.

Canfield says there is some urgency to start work on the bridge, because it continues to deteriorate.

OPP Search for Suspect in Mink Bay Assault

A scary incident for a 58 year old woman.

The OPP are searching for a suspect following an assault on the Mink Bay Trail in Keewatin.

Yesterday afternoon around 4:00, police were told that a lone male grabbed at a woman walking in the area of the West Bay Road and exposed himself.

The woman managed to run away.

The suspect is described as being a white male over 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds.

He was also wearing a dark ball cap, a baggy white shirt and baggy pants.

The OPP's Emergency Response Team and Canine Unit were called out, but they were unable to locate the suspect.

New National Chief to be Elected Tomorrow

The chiefs of Canada's First Nations, including several from northwestern Ontario, are gathering in Toronto today for a national strategy session which will see them elect a national chief later in the week.

Former Grand Chief of Treaty Three Diane Kelly among the candidates.

The Assembly of First Nations' annual general meeting will also see the chiefs hammer out a policy agenda for the coming months.

City Passes Audit with Flying Colors

A recent audit shows the City of Kenora still has a significant amount of money in its reserves.

The results of the 2011 audit were released yesterday and it shows the city has almost 65 million dollars socked away in cash and reserve funds.

Councillor Ron Lunny says it shows the city is continuing to manage taxpayers money in a responsible manner.

Lunny says the audit doesn't include almost nine million dollars the city has lent itself to cover the cost of financing the new fire hall, the new harborfront tent and the Discovery Center.

Ministry of Labor to Investigate Boat Explosion

Both the Ministries of Labour and Environment have been called in to help investigate an explosion on a boat at the Minaki Marina.

Ontario Provincial Police say the incident took place on Friday evening just before 6:00 and involved a boat that was being refueled.

The five meter long Hurricane can hold up to 200 liters of gas, but the hull filled with 360 liters of fuel after a gas line broke.

Police say the boat exploded after the operator tried to start it up.

Two people remain at Lake of the Woods District Hospital with second degree burns, while three others have been treated and released.

Council Supports Upgrades to Crosswalk

Pedestrians will soon be able to cross Main Street South to the Kenora Library a little more safely.

Last week, the operations department had proposed taking out the uncontrolled concrete crossing.

But city councillors balked at the suggestion and say they want to see the crossing enhanced.

Last night councillors agreed to support upgrades including courtesy crossing signage with amber beacons for motorists.

A sign for pedestrians will also be installed with the message, "Wait for Gap".

Catholic School Board updates 21st Century Learning Plan

The Kenora Catholic District School Board is taking a little different approach to increasing technology in their classrooms.

Unlike their public board counterparts, the separate school board isn't planning to put a netbook or i-pad into every students hands this fall.

Mary Cunningham is the superintendant of education and says instead they are working with teachers to find the best way of integrating computers in the classroom.

Cunningham adds that each of their schools this fall, will be assigning one teacher to work with other teachers on implementing technology in the classroom.

Health Unit Prepares for Move to Mount Carmel

The Northwestern Health Unit in Kenora is getting ready for a major move.

The Health Unit will be moving from its Wolsely Street Offices on Tunnel Island at the end of this month.

The Health Unit will be moving many of its services into the old Mount Carmel School, which has undergone extensive renovations.

The Health Unit says it will be closing its offices from July 30th-August 6th during the relocation.

The services offered in Market Square will not be affected by the move.