NOMA Wants Feedback on Endangered Species Act

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is upset it won't be getting a say in the Endangered Species Act.

NOMA has been excluded from being a part of an appointed panel that will provide recommendations to the Ministry of Natural Resources on how to improve the act.

Vice President of NOMA, Dave Canfield says the government simply isn't listening to them.

Canfield says the changes seem to be putting up more red tape and scaring away companies from Ontario.

Witnesses Admit to Assault on Ed Wilson

Testimony is schedueld to resume today at the second degree murder trial of Kenneth Ivall and Angela Duchesne.

One of the people who intiated the assault on Ed Wilson the morning of March 21st, 2009 was on the
stand yesterday.

Matt Bruce says he went to the Tower Motel with a couple of friends and had a beer before deciding
to leave.

As he exited the building, he noticed a man slap Angela Duchesne hard across the face.

Bruce says Wilson seemed to grabbing onto the woman and was worried the situation was
going to escalate, so he punched Wilson in the face.

After that, he says a friend of his escorted Wilson away, down the west side of the motel.

He says at that point, Wilson appeared to stumble and fell on the ground.

As he was trying to get up, Bruce says someone else came in and gave a soccer-style kick
to Wilson's head.

He says the kick seemed to knock-out Wilson.

He says he didn't hear about Wilson's death until the next evening when police came to interview him

School Bus Service Cancelled This Morning

The extreme cold is taking its toll on school buses this morning.

The Northwest Student Services Consortium says all school buses
have been cancelled, including First Student service in Kenora.

Buses in Vermillion Bay, Dryden, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout have
also been cancelled today.

All schools remain open.

First Student says municipal transit services in Kenora are operating today.

Chamber Prepares for Annual Business Awards

The Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for
its annual Business Awards Ceremony.

The awards dinner will be taking place in less than a month and will
feature 40 nominees in eight different categories including Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Entrepreneur and business improvement.

Business commentator Michael Hlinka is this year's guest speaker.

The Chamber will be holding its business awards dinner on February 13th
at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Treaty Three Police Warn of High Risk Offender

The Treaty Three Police are warning residents in the Whitedog area about

the release of a high risk offender into their community.

Police believe 44 year old Danny Lee Michaud is a high risk to re-offend.

They says he has previous convictions for failing to comply with a probation

order, break and enter, carrying a concealed weapon, pointing a firearm

aggravated assault, sexual assault and manslaughter.

Police say Michaud has a long list of conditions he must comply with,

including reporting to the Treaty Three Police Detachment on Wabaseemung every Friday.

Second Degree Murder Charge Laid in Grassy Fatal

A second degree murder charge has been laid in connection to the
death of a 48 year old Grassy Narrows man late last year.

The OPP and Treaty Three Police say a 17 year old youth has been arrested
following the death of David John Necanapenace.

Necanapenace died in Winnipeg hospital from injuries he sustain in
an assault on Grassy Narrows back in November.

Police cannot release the name of the suspect due to the Canada Youth
Justice Act.

Witnesses to Assault on Ed Wilson give Testimony

Testimony at the second degree murder trial of Angela Duchesne and
Kenneth Ivall is focusing on an assault at the Tower Motel on Ed Wilson.

Over the past couple of days a couple of witnesses have describe the
assault on Ed Wilson in the early morning hours of March 21st, 2009.

Earlier today, Tim Fleury was on the witness stand.

He drove a couple of friends to the Tower Motel around 2:00 in the morning.

He says when they arrived, they witnessed an argument between a man
identified as Ed Wilson and another woman.

Fleury says Wilson struck the woman with the back of his hand.

At that point he says someone then punched Wilson once or twice knocking him to the ground.

Fleury says he never got out of his truck and didn't see the whole
altercation take place.

But he did see Wilson try to get up and run around the southwest corner
of the motel.

At that point he says he didn't see what happened to Wilson, but he says
it was only about a minute later that some of the assailants ran back to
his truck and the then drove away.

The trial is scheduled to resume this morning.

Kenora Mental Health Association Receives Accreditation

A new standard for the Canadian Mental Health Association Kenora Branch.

The branch announced they have received their accreditation

Executive Director Anita Webb says it was a lot of hard work to get to this point.

Webb adds they starting working on the accreditation in 2010.

New Tourism Website Up and Running

Another way to promote events and activities in northwestern Ontario.

GONWO.ca is now up and running with information on attractions, businesses and activities.

Project lead Catherine Dashney says the on-line portal is the first of its kind.

She says seven communities are involved including Kenora and a mobile application will soon be introduced.

Local High Schools Plan Exhibition Sports Season

It might not lead to a provincial high school championship but the Keewatin Patricia and Rainy River District School Boards will get back into the sports season after the exams period.

Beaver Brae Principal Clinton Bruetsch says a compromise to allow volunteer coaches was made to allow a season to take place.

Bruetsch adds they intend to resume boys and girls hockey, boys basketball, girls volleyball, and curling.

Bruetsch adds they have asked the seperate school board to participate in the exhibition season as well.

Kenora Forest Products Look for Spring Start-Up

Finally some good news for the forest sector in Kenora.

Kenora Forest Products is hoping to resume production this spring.

Mill Manager Rod McKay says they are looking at a May or June start up date.

McKay says an improvement in the U.S. housing market makes it feasible to resume operations.

He says initially, they hope to employ as many as 105 people at the mill and another
150 in woodland operations.

Gravelle Looking Forward to Leadership Convention

Natural Resources Minister Michael Gravelle thinks its going to be a tight race between his choice for Liberal Leader Sandra Pupatello and former Education Minister Kathleen Wynne.

The final vote for the leader of the Provincial Liberals comes down this weekend.

Gravelle is pleased the majority of the delegates from his riding selected Sandra Pupatello in the first round of voting last weekend.

SMB Ready for Expansion Project

École Ste-Marguerite Bourgeoys is growing.

Last week the Kenora Catholic District School Board announced the province had agreed to fund the
school expansion.

Initially, the Catholic Board had been talking about a four classroom addition, but that's been increased to
six new rooms.

Phyllis Eikre is the director of education and says it will help house the growing population at the school.

Eikre says the expansion should be open for classes starting in the fall of 2014.

Murder Trial Enters Third Week

Another week of testimony is underway at the Kenora court House into
the second degree murder trial of Angela Duchesne and Kenneth Ivall.

One of the people involved in the assault of Ed Wilson on March 21st, 2009
was on the witness stand this afternoon.

Ian Hagar says he and a couple of buddies showed up at the Tower Motel
and notice a man and a woman arguing.

He says he heard a woman being slapped and a short time later, the
man, who has been identified as Ed Wilson was attacked.

Hagar admits he was part of the group that was involved in the assault
and says they left the scene after he kicked the man in the head, while
he was lying in the middle of A Street West.

Hagar says he was only interviewed by police 10 months later and says he
didn't come forward at the time, because he didn't want to get involved.

The Trial is scheduled to resume this morning.

Health Unit Celebrates National Non-Smoking Week

It's the first tobacco use campaign of the year.

This is National Non Smoking Week, and this year's theme is "Live, work play...even better smoke free".

Roberta Lappage is the youth corrdiantor with the Northwestern Health Unit and says it focuses on creating a healthy environment for everyone.

Lappage adds the Smokers Hotline is another great resource if you are trying to quit.

Liberals Set to Revoke Bill 115

The governing Liberals are repealing a controversial law that outraged public school teachers and limited their ability to strike.

They say the change will take effect tomorrow, but it won't affect contracts already in place.

Education Minister Laurel Broten says the move removes legislation that became a lightening rod in the labour battle with teachers.

The legislation allowed the Liberals to impose contracts on about 126-thousand teachers and education workers earlier this month, which froze the wages of most teachers and cut their benefits.
 

Digital Imaging Campaign Reaches Halfway Mark

A pressing need for digital mammography at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

The fundraising effort for the new unit has seperated the million dollar digital imaging campaign into two parts.

The first need was solved with the unveiling of a new digital mammorgraphy machine on Friday.

Jess Rheault with the Hospital Foundation says they have only put a down payment on the machine.

Rheault adds the foundation will be hard at work to attain the second half of the project which is a digital x-ray machine.

Central Community Club Looks at Sign Boards

A sign of the times.

The Central Community Club is seeking approval from Kenora City Council
to erect a number of sign boards on the club house and the rink boards.

Jeff Van Wallenghem is the vice-president of the community club and says
they just looking for some money to help keep the outdoor rink operating.

Van Wallenghem says any money raised from the sign boards will be used
to fix up the aging club house at Central.

KDSB Getting Less Money for Child Care

The Kenora District Services Board is getting less money from the province for child care programs.

Director of Integrated Social Services Diane Apland says they have seen a slight reduction in funding from last year.

Apland says the board is headed in a different direction right now.

Apland says it costs more to offer programs to younger children, so that may create a larger deficit.

The ABC's of Business coming to Whitefish Bay

An opportunity for anyone who has an idea or business and wants to take it a step further.

Aboriginal Business Day events will be taking place next month in Whitefish Bay and Lac Seul First Nation.

Manager of the Northwest Busiess Center Diane Schwartz-Williams says it will be a full house with several presenters on hand, including keynote speaker Wab Kinew.

Pre-registration is required.

For more information you can contact nwbiz.ca