Thursday, April 15, 2010

New Party Proposed

There could be a new political party on the ballot in the next provincial election.

A petition is being distributed to help get the Northern Ontario Heritage Party off the ground.
Organizer Edward Deibel says it will lead to better policies reflecting northern needs.

"The main message that we want to send," says Diebel, "is this - a percentage, starting at 10 per cent, of our natural resources should be processed and manufactured to a finished end product in northern Ontario."

Deibel says part of the platform also includes placing levies on natural resources that leave the region to be used to help the regions education and health care programs.

NOACC Meets Today

The Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce will kick of their annual meeting in Sioux Lookout today.

Chief Operating Officer Harold Wilson says this year the featured speaker is federal Treasury Board President Stockwell Day.
"To be able to talk to him about the issues we have, how the federal government sees northern Ontario, its development, its opportunities, it's a great opportunity for the business community to hear first hand how the federal government can work with us," says Wilson.

The meeting runs until Saturday.

Another Hydro Increase Expected

The regulated price of electricity is expected to rise today in the first instalment of what will be a series of jumps in the price of power.

Homes without a fixed-priced deal now pay 5.8 cents a kilowatt hour for the first 600 hours they use in summer or one-thousand in winter.

Some estimate today's result in an extra five dollars a month on a typical household bill.

Spring Seatbelt Blitz


Police across Ontario have kicked off a spring seatbelt blitz.

OPP Constable Anne McCoy says in addition to drivers and adults who fail to buckle up, police will be closely watching for children who are not safely secured inside a vehicle.

"That includes infant carriers, front-facing car seats," says McCoy. "and also to make sure that all children under the age of eight who do no fit a seatbelt properly are utilizing a booster seat. That's one of the most important things that we want to make sure that everyone who is wearing their seatbelt is fitted properly."

Child safety seat clinics have shown that 80 per cent of car seats are installed or used incorrectly.

Seatbelt tickets issued by a police officer have a set fine amount of $240, and upon conviction, drivers are assessed two demerit points against their licence.

Canada Day Lottery Back

Riverside Foundation for Health Care is back with its Canada Day Lottery.

Director Teresa Hazel says the prizes being offered remain unchanged.

"we're going with the exactly same as last year," says Hazel. "The grand prize is $10,000. There is a second prize of $2,000, $1,000. There are four $500 cash prizes and of course the early-bird draw is Campbell Cabin again has donated a fly-in fishing for two."

Tickets are available at all Riverside's Health Care Facilities, or by calling the Foundation office at 274-4803.

Festival Day 3 Results


Another successful day for young pianists at the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts.

Lorianne Dueck, Moriah Carradice, Tianna Veldhuisen and Maxwell Williams each earned top marks in three performances.

Taylor Shouldice and Jared Bethune each earned high marks in two classes.

Piano competitions continue today at the Townsend Theatre and tonight at Knox United Church.

Here is a list of all winners from the third day of piano competitions.


FESTIVAL RESULTS, PIANO DIVISION, Wednesday, April 14, 2010

CLASS P601
First – Lorianne Dueck
Second – Raymond Polz
CLASS P501
First – Jared Bethune
CLASS P401
First – Moriah Carradice
Second – (TIE) Jazmine Coral-Hope Gauthier and Beth Layne Ward
CLASS P602
First – Lorianne Dueck
Second – (TIE) Kacie Veldhuisen and Lucas Koomans
CLASS P502
First – Jared Bethune
CLASS P402
First – Moriah Carradice
CLASS P1523
First – Kacia Veldhuisen
Second – Tiana Veldhuisen
CLASS P403
First – (TIE) Jilayne Derksen and Moriah Carradice
Second – Jazmine Coral-Hope Gauthier
CLASS P603
First – Lorianne Dueck
Second – (TIE) Kaitlyn Chiasson and Lucas Koomans
CLASS P307
First – Tianna Veldhuisen
CLASS P301
First – Tianna Veldhuisen
Second – Jordan Bruyere
CLASS P302
First – Tianna Veldhuisen
Second – (TIE) Kayla Stang and Jordan Bruyere
CLASS P1522
First – Emma Dykstra
Second – (TIE) Katelyn Bruyere and Alexa Veldhuisen
CLASS P031
First – Gareth Dunn
Second – (TIE) Taylor Shouldice, Nicholas Veldhuisen and Emma Dykstra
CLASS P041
First – Tessa Payne
Second – Wanetta Petkau
CLASS P034
First – Taylor Shouldice
Second – James Blattner
CLASS P044
First – Wanetta Petkau
CLASS P054
First – Maxwell Williams
CLASS P033
First – Caitlin Rittau
CLASS P035
First – Maxwell Williams
CLASS P042
First – Emma Keeler
CLASS P052
First – Maxwell Williams
CLASS P032
First – Taylor Shouldice
Second – Nicholas Veldhuisen