Kenora MP Announces FEDNOR Funding

Downtown Kenora is getting more financial support by FEDNOR.

Earlier today Kenora MP Greg Rickford announced 425 thousand dollars in funding towards 2 initiatives.

Rickford says $300,000 is being given to the Lake of the Wood Business Incentive Corporation to provide small and medium sized businesses capital support..

The second part of the announcement was $125,000 going towards the engineering and design costs of the phase 3 downtown revitalization project.

Coney Footbridge To Be Removed Wednesday

Local residents will have at least one more day to use the Coney Island
Footbridge.

The city had hoped to remove the bridge today, but due to mechanical
problems with their boats, the removal has been delayed until Wednesday.

This will be the latest the bridge has ever been removed.

The previous latest date the bridge was to be removed was May 14th.

Pinecrest Getting Ready to Install Sprinklers

Pinecrest Home for the Aged says its fully supports plans by the province to improve
fire safety at long term car homes.

Last week, the Minister of Long Term Care announced that all facilities would have to
have sprinkler systems installed within 11 years.

Pinecrest CAO Kevin Queen says they are currently working on a plan to fund and install
sprinklers.

Queen estimates it could cost about a million dollars to install a new sprinkler system
at Pinecrest.

Coronors Inquest Getting Closer

A coroners inquest into the tragic deaths of 7 First Nations teens in Thunder Bay is one step closer to reality.

The regional coroner has now set the date for a hearing on who will have the legal right to take part in the inquest proceedings.  

That hearing takes place in Thunder Bay on June 11th.

Health Unit Launches Phone Survey

The Northwestern Health Unit is launching a telephone survey to hear from local residents.

CEO Mark Perrault says a handful of people will be selected.

Perrault says the results will be available later this year, and will measure the success of the 2013-2016 Strategic Plan.

LCBO Workers Set Up Strike Headquarters

The threat of a strike by Liquor Control Board workers this weekend remains real.  

Union spokesperson Robert Lorkowski says the issue centres around the ever increasing use of part time workers.

Last night, local workers set up their strike headquarters in office space on Chipman Street in preparation for a possible job action.  

LCBO workers could hit the picket line as early as this Friday.

Changes Being Made to Council Meeting Schedule

Kenora City council is tweaking its meeting schedule for the summer months.

Starting today, the Committee of the Whole meeting will move to Tuesday mornings, from its usual time on Monday afternoons.

The Committee of the Whole will also include the Property and Planning
Meeting.

Next week, the open meeting of council will move to Tuesday's at noon.

The changes are being tried out this summer on a trial basis and will be
reviewed again in August.

Northern Mayors Talk to MPAC

The Northern Mayors Coalition holds a conference call with provincial officials today to discuss the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation's assessments on mills in the north.

Dryden Mayor Craig Nuttall says today's meeting is a great first step.

Nuttall says the MPAC ruling on the Domtar mill has crippled the community and is urging the province to intervene.

Police Investigating Fatality in Sandy Lake

Provincial Police are assisting the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service regarding a death in Sandy Lake First Nation.

NAPS officers responded to a call for medical assistance, and took a man to the nursing station where he was pronounced dead.

The name of the deceased is not available at this time, and a post mortem is being done at Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora.

Anyone with information is asked to contact OPP.

Broncos Earn National Cheer Title

Beaver Brae's cheerleaders can add national champions to their resume.

Over the weekend, the Bronco Cheer Squad was in Niagara Falls for the 2013 National Cheer Evolution Championships.

Beaver Brae ended up winning the Small Senior Division, beating out seven other schools.

The Broncos picked up 81.13 points, which was almost two points ahead of their nearest rival.

Gallager Wins Mother's Day Road Race Again

A familiar name was atop the leaderboard at the 2013 Mother's Day
Charity Road Race.

Winnipeg's Cory Gallagher took top honors yet again after completing
the 10 kilometer route in just over 33 minutes.

The fastest Kenora runner was Ben Gustafson, who finished second, 6 and
a half minutes behind.

In the women's 10 K run, Victoria Alexander placed first in a time of 42 minutes,
34 seconds.

Kenora's Janet Findlay was second, just under a minute behind.

Lisa Doerksen won the women's 5 K road race, while Kyle Derouard won the
men's 5 K event.

Fire Marshall to Investigate Weekend Blaze

An investigator from the Ontario Fire Marshall's office is now at the scene of a fire that took place late Saturday night on Highway 17 East.

The blaze broke out in the old Kenora Machine Service building, between A&W and  Dingwall Ford around 11:40 Saturday night.

The fire took a couple of hours to bring under control.

The cause still hasn't been determined, but the OPP are holding the scene until investigators can go through the building.

Jobs Funding Available for Women

Opening doors to the economic opportunities for women in Northwestern Ontario.

The theme of a new initiative by the Federal Government that focuses on three key areas.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says the call for proposal will provide more options for women.

The call also focuses on improving prosperity for immigrant women and advancement in non-traditional occupations.

MNR Keep Busy with Weekend Grass Fires

It wasn't a very warm weekend, but that didn't put much of a damper on the
fire situation in the Kenora District.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says crews responded to another five
new wildfires over the past two days.

Four were located on the Wabaseemung First Nation and have been brought under
control.

The other was located near Grassy Narrows.

The Kenora District was responsible for half of the new fires that started up
this past weekend.

More Evacuees from northern First Nations

Flooding is forcing more people from their homes in northern Ontario.

Emergency Management Ontario says 144 people from Attawapiskat First Nation have been moved to Thunder Bay, and there are plans to
move another 200.

Twenty-nine residents of Pic Mobert First Nation will also be calling Thunder Bay home.

And Fort Frances will be home to an additional 81 long-term evacuees.

Ten Ontario communities have now declared emergencies due to weather conditions.

OPSEU Bracing for Possible Strike at LCBO

Part-time work is a big focus of a new ad campaign by the union representing workers at the LCBO.

President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Smokey Thomas says the goal is to inform the public about what they are bargaining for.

Thomas says their strike deadline is May 17th, and he hopes it won't result to that.

The local union is planning to open the doors of its strike headquarters in
Kenora this evening, in case there is a job action.

Campbell Upset with WSIB

Calls for reforms to the Workers Compensation and Insurance Board.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says the board needs to be more respectful to injured workers.

Campbell raised her concerns in the Ontario Legislature last week.

She accuses the WSIB of treating injured workers like criminals and denying them the benefits they are legitimately entitled to.

Northwest Sting Place Second in Weekend Tournament

Spring hockey is alive and well in northwestern Ontario.

The Northwest Sting Under 12 girls team traveled to Duluth, Minnesota this past weekend for the Northern Wings Showdown.

The team is made up of players from Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, Emo and Sioux Lookout and finished the round robin with a perfect 4-0 record.

In the A-side final, the Sting fell short, losing 6-1 to the Lake Superior Stars.

Saints Soccer Teams Finish Second in Weekend Tournament

A strong showing for Thomas Aquinas soccer teams this past weekend at the Beaver Brae High School Tournament.

Both the Saints boys and girls teams advanced to the A-side final of the tournament yesterday afternoon only to fall to the Miles MacDonnell Buckeyes.

The T.A. boys faced the Buckeyes in the final for the second year in a row, with the same result
as last year, as Miles Mac held on for a 1-0 win.

In the girls final, the Saints also met the Buckeyes, but after holding off the Winnipeg squad in
the first half, Miles Mac came on strong in the second to secure a 4-0 win.

Beaver Brae's girls team finished fourth overall, dropping a 1-0 decision to Dryden in the B-side final.

Fire on Highway 17 East Inside Kenora

 A vacant build on Highway 17 East has gone up in flames.

OPP say a call was received around 11:40 Saturday night to the building between A&W and Dingwall Ford.

A&W owner Randy Nickle says he was surprised to hear of the fire and  what caused it to burn so hot.

Other spectators pointed to an open door on the backside if building hinting that someone may have been inside.

Soeaking with the OPP there are no details as to what caused the fire and there is no injuries reported.

By 1:00 firefighters had contained the blaze inside the building.

More details to follow.