3 Drugs Busts in 4 Days in Kenora

It's the 3rd marijuana bust in 4 days for Kenora OPP.

Last night police seized 750 grams of pot during a traffic stop on Highway 17.

The value of the drugs is $8,000.

As a result 47 year old Michael Lambert from British Columbia has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of marijuana.

He will answer to the charges in Kenora court next month.

Police also seized 725 grams of pot on Friday during a search warrant and 24 grams on Sunday along with 23 Oxycocet pills during another traffic stop.

Deer Population Expected To Decline This Winter

People aren't the only ones struggling through this winter.

Deer are also having a problem getting through the deep snow and frigid temperatures.

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Mark Ryckman says it's having an impact on the deer's movements.

Ryckman says it is possible that a number of animals could die off as a result.

Fraser Institute Releases Secondary School Report Card

It's a poor grade for local high schools.

In the latest report card by the Fraser institute local secondary schools had an average rating of 4.2.

Author Peter Cowley says that's not the worst part.

Cowley says the provincial average is 6.0.

Only Thomas Aquinas, Atikokan, and Rainy River High Schools surpassed that mark.

Thomas Aquinas was the highest rated school in the region at 7.6
out of 10.

First Nations Sign Onto New Land Management Regime

Nearly twenty First Nations communities are signing on with a program that will allow them greater control of their land according to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt.

Valcourt says the First Nation Land Management Regime already has a proven track record with the over one-hundred communities involved.

Three of the nineteen communities that joined yesterday are from Ontario.

Former Price Is Right Host Speaks Out Against Spring Bear Hunt

The former host of The Price Is Right is hoping local municipalities will reverse it's decision on allowing the province to conduct a spring bear hunt in the region.

Bob Barker calls the hunt a slaughter and agrees that any councillor who voted for it should be voted out in the next election.

The spring bear hunt is scheduled to resume this year for Ontario residents, after being banned in the province for the past 15 years.

Saints Gunning For OFSAA Quarter-Finals

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team is still well positioned for a run at the
medals at the All-Ontario Single A championships in Richmond Hill.

The Saints have a 2-1 record in round robin play after the first day.

Their lone defeat came in their final game of the day, when they dropped a straight sets decision to Toronto District Christian High School, the top ranked team in their pool.

T.A. actually had a 21-16 lead in the second set, but ended up losing 26-24.

Thomas Aquinas finishes up the round robin at noon against Bloor Collegiate.

Busy Weekend for Kenora OPP

A busy weekend for the Kenora Provincial Police.

On Friday 52 year old Donald Pencoff of Kenora was arrested after police executed a search warrant in the North End of the City.

Police seized 725 grams of marijuana, cash, and a shotgun and charged Pencoff with 4 drug related offences.

Meanwhile on Sunday police seized 24 grams of marijuana and 23 Oxycocet pills during a traffic stop.

27 year old Gary Osmond and 22 year Brandon old Power of Newfoundland were both charged with possession.

All 3 men will answer to the charges in court next month.

Also on Sunday OPP arrested 18 year old James Kratochvil of Kenora after he was found downtown with an unloaded .303 caliber rifle.

He will answer to the charge in court today.

Osisko Settles Lawsuit Against Goldcorp

Osisko says it has settled a lawsuit against Goldcorp out of court.

The two sides were supposed to appear before a Quebec Superior Court judge later this week.

Under the settlement, the offer from Goldcorp has been extended from March 10 to April 15th.

Osisko had argued that Goldcorp misused private information it received last year to make it's 2.6 billion dollar takeover bid. 

Manitoba and Ontario Collaborate on New Energy Deal

Ontario and Manitoba are working together to find new clean, renewable power for both provinces.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Canadian Energy Innovation Summit.

The agreement will enable Ontario and Manitoba to collaborate on growing the energy sector in a number of key areas, including conservation, efficiency, security and reliability.

New Event for Winter Carnival

There will be no shortage of snow this year for the Kenora Winter Carnival.

The annual festival takes place this weekend on the Kenora Harborfront.

Tourism Development Officer Heather Gropp says they are introducing
a new event this year, the Silly Sled Race.

Gropp adds that they are also looking for teams to compete in the annual Great Canadian Canoe Race, the Sunday of the winter carnival.

New Gold Ramping Up For Rainy River Project

More evidence that a gold mine south of Kenora is closer to becoming a reality.

New Gold says plans to submit purchase orders next month for some of the equipment it needs.

Meantime, executive chairman Randall Oliphant says their time table remains unchanged.

New Gold is hoping to secure permitting by the end of the year to start construction in 2015.

OPP Trying Crack Down on False Alarms

The Kenora Detachment of the OPP says it has to respond to between 700 and
800 false alarms each year.

Inspector Dave Lucas says that's too much.

As a result, Lucas says he's developed a new protocol for dealing with false alarms.

Starting June 1st, Lucas says he will send out letters to building owners who have
frequent false alarms and if the problem persists officers could refuse to respond
to future alarms.

A Couple of New Water Main Breaks Over the Weekend

At least two more water main breaks in Kenora over the weekend.

One was reported on River Street near Luby's and the other by Sunset Strip Husky yesterday.

All the broken water lines have forced the City of Kenora to impose a boil water advisory.

The city says the advisory will allow it's sewer and water crews better deal with the rash frozen and broken lines.

No word as to how long the boil water advisory will have to remain in place.

Snow Poses Risks for Your Roof

You shovelled the driveway and the sidewalk, now it's time to shovel your roof.

Rob Emond with REMR Roofing says it's very important to clear snow of the top of your house.

Emond says all the snow can create ice dams, mould, or in a worst case scenario, even collapse.

An example of the damage snow can cause is the collapsed roof at Debbie's Greenhouse.

Emond says it's very important to have a licensed contractor perform the work.

Canfield Takes In Mining Conference

Opening doors for Northwestern Ontario.

That's the goal for Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield as the Prospectors and Developers Association of canada Convention gets under way in Toronto.

Canfield says it's a huge opportunity.

This is the first time the City of Kenora has sent any representatives.

Canfield will be sharing a booth with Red Lake mayor Phil Vinet.

Making Kenora Home Joins National Lobby Group

Improving Kenora's homeless plan.

That's a goal for Making Kenora now that they have joined the Street Level campaign.

Spokesperson Nan Normand says the campaign will bring in fresh new ideas.

Normand adds that the move will create a larger voice with all levels of the government.

MNR Levies Fines For Illegal Hunting

Fines have been slapped against three hunters for infractions in separate cases.

Eugenio Berardi of Thunder Bay was fined 15-hundred dollars after pleading guilty to illegally shooting a gun while on a road.

He was charged last November in connection with a deer he shot near Kaministiquia, northwest of Thunder Bay.

And 28-hundred dollars in fines were levelled against Mikulus Huttner of Thunder Bay and Eduard Jendek of Slovakia in a separate case.

Court heard that last year, Huttner posed as Jendek in an effort to obtain an Ontario hunting licence and validation tags for the Slovakian.

NDP Call on Federal Government For Lower Propane Prices

The NDP are calling on the Federal Government to cut the cost of propane.

The request comes during one of the coldest winters in recent memory.

NDP MP Claude Gravelle raised the issue in the House of Commons recently.

The NDP are calling for an oil and gas ombudsman to ensure fairness for consumers being squeezed by high prices.

Saints Senior Girls Volleyball Team Open OFSAA This Morning

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls volleyball team will be gunning for a medal today at the All-Ontario Single A championships in Richmond Hill.

The Saints play their first of three games today at 9:30 against Durham Christian High School.

T.A. goes into the OFSAA finals as the eighth ranked team of 20 entered in the tournament.

Sharks Medal In Manitoba Provincials

Seven members of the Kenora Sharks Swim Club were in Winnipeg over the weekend for the Manitoba Under 10 and Junior  short course championships.

The Sharks finished in 7th place out of 16 teams competing.

10 year old Amelia Illman led the way with a pair of first place finishes, a second and and a third, while 16 year old Jarrett Weedon had a pair of gold and two bronze.