Kenora Hotel Victim From Southern Ontario

OPP have identified the victim of a death at a Kenora hotel as a man from Toronto. The incident at the Best Western Lakeside Inn took place around 3:45 on Sunday morning where it appears a man fell from a room on the 4th floor. The victim's name is being withheld until the family is notified.

Credit Union Amalgamation Gets Regulatory Approval

Regulatory approval is paving the way for Kenora's Copperfin Credit Union and Thunder Bay's Superior Credit Union amalgamation to proceed.  Member and Shareholder voting will take place April 9th in Kenora, and April 11th in Thunder Bay.

Crimestoppers Video Challenge

Thunder Bay's Crimestoppers is pleased with the seven entries they received for their first Safe Schools Video Challenge.  They asked local schools to create video public service announcements.  Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School won first place for their "Hate Hurts" video.  Second place went to Westgate for their "Deadly Bullying" video.

Cancer Society Launches Daffodil Days

Yellow flowers will be blooming across the city over the next week as the Canadian Cancer launches their annual Daffodil Days fundraiser. Spokesperson Maria Cabrel says this is the last year they are selling live flowers and hopes to sell every last one.  Bunches of the flowers will be sold across the city over the next week to raise money for cancer research.

School Board Finds Savings

The Lakehead Public School Board is reporting it spent almost 5 million dollars on school bus transportation in the 2012-2013 school year.  Superintendent of Business David Wright says that's less than they've paid in previous years and attributes the decrease to a number of reasons.  Wright says they've been using a mapping program to find efficiencies in their bus routes.

OPA Symposium In T.Bay

Advancing towards production in the mining industry.  That's the theme of this year's 2013 Mines and Minerals Symposium held by the Ontario Prospectors Association.  Executive Director Garry Clark says they are hoping for a great turn out.  The event is being held in Thunder Bay tomorrow and Wednesday.

Kenora OPP Investigate Death

Kenora O.P.P have confirmed that a death has taken place outside the Best Western Lakeside Inn.  The incident took place on Sunday morning around 3:45 after police were called about a disturbance inside a hotel room.  Constable Dave Cain says that upon arrival officers found a male lying on the sidewalk underneath a broken window in the 4th floor.  The man was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.

Mission Island Collision

A 24 year old man is charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm after an early morning collision on Mission Island.  Police were called to 106th Street just before six in the morning Sunday.  A west bound vehicle left the road, crossed the ditch and hit the railway tracks.  Three people were in the vehicle, two were taken to the hospital with one man in serious but stable condition.

House Fire At Donald and Vickers

Thunder Bay's Fire Department says Sunday's vacant house fire is suspicious.  Crews were called to the scene of a blaze at the corner of Donald and Vicker Street around 3:25 yesterday afternoon. Spokesperson Eric Nordlund says they've completed their on site investigation of the blaze and maintains the fire is questionable since there was no power to the home.  He adds the home was broken into and they've decided not to ask the Fire Marshall's Office to investigate.  Nordlund says it could be several days before they have an exact cause of the fire.

Quiet Start To Fire Season

April first is the start of the new forest fire season and so far all is quiet.   Deb Maclean of the Ministry of Natural Resources says it's in stark contrast to last year at this time when there were 14 fires even before the season even began. Officials will be working with a budget of about 60 million dollars this year.

Transit Fare Go Up Today

The city is reminding bus riders that fares are going up today April first.   Among the highlights, the exact cash fare goes up five cents, a 20 ride pass increases by five dollars and a row of 10 tickets will cost 4 dollars more. As well all the prices will be available to Handicapped Transit customers.

Dew Drop Inn Serves Easter Dinner

The Dew Drop Inn will be feeding the needy this weekend. They will be serving Easter dinner this afternoon for about 300 people. Dinner is being served at 2:30 today.

First Nations Save Energy

First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario have a chance to save energy through a new program. The "saveOnenergy Aboriginal Conservation Program" is offered by the Ontario Power Authority and First Nations Engineering Services. Director of First Nations and Métis Relations with the OPA Hilary Thatcher encourages communities to get involved. Thatcher thinks First Nations from across the region should apply for the program.

Lakehead University Skiers Win Big

Lakehead University's Men and Women Nordic Ski teams are Overall Team Champions at the Canadian Varsity Cross Country Championships in Whistler B.C. Coach Adam Kates is very proud of his skiers. Kates says the program will continue to grow in coming years.

Canfield Backs Government Budget

Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield says the government is doing the right thing by investing more money into aboriginal communities. Speaking about the federal budget, Canfield says the government is addressing some pressing issues. Canfield says the funding for skills training is very important in the region with the mining and forestry sector expected to boom.

Last Year For Daffodils

This is the last year you can buy daffodils to support the Canadian Cancer Society's Daffodil Campaign. Starting next year, pins will be available for a small donation. Sioux Lookout Branch President Lisa Husak says 100-percent of the proceeds go to cancer care programs. Husak says the reason they won't be giving out daffodils anymore is due to cost and transportation factors.

St. John Ambulance Hosting Food Drive

St. John Ambulance will have two empty ambulances to fill with food for the "Fill an Ambulance/Feed the Hungry Food Drive" on Saturday. They are gathering non-perishable food items in support of the St. Thomas Anglican Church Food Bank. You can bring your donations to the Metro on Arthur street between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. tomorrow.

Madder Disappointed With Government

The president of Confederation College is a bit disappointed with the provincial government's new restriction on tuition hikes. Tuition increases will now be capped at three-percent, down from five-percent. Jim Madder says this means things like programming decisions will take more time. Madder says the average tuition for a student is 2500-dollars, so three percent is around 75-dollars.

Canadian Fur Selling High

Canada's fur industry is experiencing something it hasn't seen in a long time. Furs are being sold off, in some cases, at record-breaking prices. President of the Rainy River Fur Trappers Council, Brian Love, says that can only bode well for their future. Love says increased interest in Canadian furs from the Pacific Rim countries is partly responsible for the high prices.

Vehicle Fire Closes Highway

OPP were forced to close Highway 102 this afternoon because of a tractor trailor fire.  They say it happened at  Alppila Road in Kaministiquia..  No one was injured.  Conmee and Oliver Paipoonge Fire Departments responded as well.