3 Medals at OFSAA for Thomas Aquinas Swimmers

The Thomas Aquinas boys swimming team has earned 3 medals at the All-Ontario championships in Etobikoke.

Connor O'Flaherty has had a great outing with a silver in the men's 200 meter freestyle and a bronze in the 100 meter freestyle.

The team also earned the silver medal in the 4 by 100 meter freestyle relay.

Other results saw Bryce Jones place 4th in the 100 meter backstroke and 5th in the 100 meter butterfly.

2 swimmers achieved personal bests during the meet with Bryn Jones in the 100 meter individual medley and Jarrett Weedon in the 50 meter freestyle.

The two day meet wrapped up this afternoon.

Tickets on Sale for Boobie Nights 4

A very popular annual event is on track to sell out again this year.

Angela Kuchma with Boobie Nights says tickets are going fast for the annual fundraiser supporting the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation.

This years Boobie Nights slogan is "proudly supporting second base."

Tickets are on sale for 20-dollars and can be found at Century 21, Keric Funk Salon, Ho-Joe's, and The Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation.

Gas Prices Jump Again

Its going to cost a bit more to fill up your tank this morning.

The price at the pump is up about five cents a liter.

Gas prices jumped from 123.9 cents to 128.9 in the
last 24 hours at most service stations in Kenora.

According to Gasbuddy.com, that's near the average to
the rest of the province.

The average price in Ontario is currently 1.28 a liter.

Beaver Brae Prepares for Influx of Grade 7 and 8 Students

Parents can expect a smooth transition when Beaver Brae opens its doors to grade seven and eight students next year.

Clinton Bruetsch is the principal of the high school and provided trustees with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and update of their process to date.

Bruetsch admits some parents have concerns about sending younger kids into a secondary
school environment.

Bruetsch says the grade seven and eight students will be using the upper east academic wing when school
starts in the fall, giving them their own space.

As many as 160 students are expected to be added to Beaver Brae's student population in the fall.

Good Turn-out for Save ELA Forum

Save ELA feels their efforts have been paying off with the government.

Peter Kirby who Organized the forum in Kenora last night says that the government has already shown some willingness to change their stance on the facility.

Kirby says he is hopeful that the government is sincere in their claim to find a new ownership group for the facility.

He adds that the public should continue to pressure their government by continuing to write letters to members of legislature and parliament.

Just over 100 people attended the forum held at Knox United Church.

KPDSB Responds to EFTO Job Action

Its unclear what if any extra-curricular activities will be carried out
at local public elementary schools this spring.

Last week the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario indicated it's
members would not particpate in activities outside the classroom.

Director of Education with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board
Jack McMaster says that could impact on some activities such as track,
soccer and baseball.

Elementary teachers are upset about the contracts that were imposed on
them by the provincial government at the beginning of the year.

Need for Skilled Trades Expected to Skyrocket

The Kenora District is facing a severe shortage of workers, especially if the mining industry takes off as expected.

The Northwest Training and Adjustment Board released its statistics in a 10-year mining hiring requirement forecast.

Labour Market Economist Jamie Wolcott says this forecast will help those in education, industry and government make decisions.

The report indicates the Kenora District will need nearly 33-hundred workers by 2022, 17-hundred in the trades industry alone.

Project Safe Hallowe'en Gains Recognition

OPP are recognizing a local woman for her role in a safety program that's now spread across the Kenora and Rainy River Districts.

Betty-Anne Johnson of the Kenora-Rainy River District Child and Family Services has received a letter of commendation from the regional commander for Project Safe Halloween.

Johnson says its recognition for everyone involved.

The program, which includes giving glows sticks to youngsters every Halloween, is now in its 11 year.

Saints Ousted from OFSAA Championships

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team is out at the All-Ontario Single "a" championships.

The Saints were eliminated from further play yesterday afternoon losing two sets to one in the consolation quarter-finals.

T.A. was by the Lajeunesse Royals from Windsor.

The Saints won just one match over two days at the OFSAA tournament.

Missing Snowmobiler Found Safe

A missing sledder is safe and sound after spending the night on Lake of the Woods.

The OPP were contacted about a snowmobiler who was reported missing around 7:00
last night.

The Emergency Response Team was dispatched along with a Search and Rescue Aircraft
from Winnipeg.

Around 6:30 this morning, a fire was spotted on Bigsby Island, about 80 kilometers south of
Kenora.

An OPP snow machine was dispatched and the sledder was picked up.

He was cold but otherwise in good health.

Police say the sledder became bogged down in slush at the south end of the lake and
became disoriented.

Save ELA Forums Tonight

Its Save the ELA day in northwestern Ontario.

Two separate forums are taking place:  one in Kenora the other in Sioux Lookout.

Peter Kirby helped organize the Kenora gathering and says the morale at the Experimental Lakes Area isn't very good right now.

Kirby says the have four former scientists and some area political figures attending the forum.

The forum is at the Knox United Church and starts with a spaghetti dinner at 5:30 and discussions at 6:30.

NOMA Declares Victory in Battle Over ESA

Proof that working as one can pay off!

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association has won its battle against the province and proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield is Vice-President of NOMA and says the appeal period ended on February 25th and says the changes have been left out.

Canfield says the revisions would have impacted the rebound that the forest sector is starting to see.

Northwest Business Center Brings in Guest Speaker

International Women's Day will celebrated in Kenora a little early this year.

Tomorrow, Zahra Al-Harazi,, originally from Yemen, will be a keynote speaker at an event being put on tomorrow by the Northwest Business Center.

When her teaching degree was rejected in Canada, she return to school, later becoming the owner of marketing firm she help start in Calgary.

She is also a Chalelaine's Magazine Woman of the Year.

Tickets can be purchased through the city's web portal at Kenora.ca or at the door.

The  breakfast will take place at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the Super 8 Minis Hall.

NAN Raises Concerns About FASD

NAN Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says the government's inaction over the issue of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder will cause irreversible damage to future generations.

Fiddler says that FASD is an issue faced by all NAN communities, and that it is unacceptable that the regions most affected by it are ignored.

He also states that the only NAN children who receive proper care for FASD are the ones in foster care or involved in the criminal justice system.

Lakehead Opens Mining Center of Excellence

Lakehead University is moving with the times as it launches a new Mining Center of Excellence.  

Founding Director Peter Hollings says researchers at the insitutiton are coming together to make the transition into the new economy in northern Ontario a little less confrontational.

The centrer will look at three areas, mining and exploration, the environment and First Nations.

Saints Wrap up OFSAA Round Robin Today

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team is still in the mix at the All-Ontario Single A Championships in Lakefield, near Peterborough.

The Saints split their games on day one of the OFSAA tournament and have
a 1-1 record entering day two.

Yesterday T.A. beat Le Caron from Penetanguishene in two straight sets.

That after opening with a straight sets loss to the host team from Lakefield.

This morning, the Saints play two more games, one at 7:30 against Greenwood
College from Toronto, and again at 10:30 against Marymount Academy from Sudbury.

Summer Camp Fined

A long-running summer camp on Lake of the Woods has run afoul of the the Ministry of the Environment.

The B'Nai Brith Community Camp on Town Island has been fined over $7000 for a couple of drinking water violations.

The MOE says the camp director failed to provide a maintenance log of the drinking water system and also failed to carry out secondary treatment of the water.

B'nai Brith has been fined $6400, plus a victim surcharge fine of $1600.

The camp director has also been fined $500.

Two People Charged With Impaired Driving

Two people are facing charges as a result of drinking and driving.

On Saturday night Kenora O.P.P pulled over a vehicle on Highway 17 East of Kenora after receiving a complaint about a gas station theft.

Police charged 26-year old Samantha Paypompee with Impaired driving and theft under 5-thousand dollars.

Also, early Sunday morning police answered a call of a car accident on Airport Road.

As a result O.P.P charged 63-year old Gordon Szachury with exceeding the legal limit.

Both people will appear in Kenora Court on April 4th.

Saints Senior Girls At OFSAA

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team is in Lakefield near Peterborough for the All-Ontario
Single "a" championships.


The Saints placed second in the Northland Cup this past weekend but earned the OFSAA birth due to the withdrawal of extra-curricular activities at public high schools.

It was a tough start for the 12th ranked Saints.


T.A. defeated is straight sets 12-25, 10-25 to the host team from Lakefield District Secondary School in
their first match this morning.

Thomas Aquinas is back on the court at 2:00 against Ecole Secondaire Le Caron.

The Saints will also play two round robin games tomorrow, at 7:30 and 10:30 (Kenora time).

Boil Water Advisory Finally Lifted

The boil water advisory affecting a some downtown businesses has been lifted.

The Blue Heron, The Banister Center, and Shoppers Drug Mart were told this morning that the water has be tested and is safe for consumption.

The advisory had been in affect since the water main break on First Avenue South last Monday.