Thursday, March 25, 2010

Flights Added

Delta Airlines is adding additional flights this summer at Falls International Airport.

Beginning June 10, Delta will add a 7 a.m. flight out of the Falls and an 8:30 p.m. return from Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The move restores a schedule the Falls Airport Commission had requested since Delta went to just afternoon slights last September.

The schedule will return to two flights in September, but the commission is hoping Delta will maintain the early morning and late evening flight.

Warning Issued

Authorities in International Falls are issuing warnings to residents there of plans by a level 3-sex offender to live in the community.

28-year-old Michael Duane Johnson is set to be released from prison and move to the Falls on April 2.

According to the Department of Corrections, Johnson has a history of sexual contact with girls age 12 to 14.

Atikokan Rejects Mail-In Balloting

Voters in Atikokan won't be allowed to mail-in their ballots in this falls municipal and school board elections.

Township council voted against the idea of mail-in ballots at their meeting this week.

Mayor Dennis Brown was among those who saw no good reason to allow them.

"One of the purposes of the mail-in ballots is to try and get more participation at voting time," says Brown, "but in Atikokan that hasn't really been a problem. In the last four elections the voter turnout has been well over 50 per cent."

Brown says the cost of providing mail-in ballots would have also increased the cost of holding the election.

NCDS Expands

A new program forcing Northern Community Development Services in Fort Frances to expand locations.

Coordinator Cathy Emes says the Workforce Literacy and Essential Skills program is aimed at helping people better improve their literacy skills.

"International Literacy has developed this system where there's five levels of literacy," says Emes. "Everybody who comes to our organization will be tested and we will work with them on the areas they need help in."

NCDS is hiring four additional employees to deliver the program at a new office at 242 Scott Street beginning in early April.

Budget Day in Ontario

We'll find out today what the McGuinty government has in store for Ontarians when it tables its budget.

Some details have already leaked out, including funding for20-thousand new spaces at colleges and universities starting this September.

Premier McGuinty has also promised the budget will include special help for northern Ontario residents who have been hit hard by the recession.

The budget is also expected to include money for day-care spaces, to make up for a federal subsidy that ends next month.