Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Seatbelt Enforcement Blitz Continues

Ontario Provincial Police say a number of area motorists are getting caught driving without their seatbelts.

Police are in the midst of their spring seatbelt enforcement blitz, and Constable Anne McCoy says officers are still finding some motorists and their passengers failing to take the extra second to buckle-up.

"We will get those people who forget to buckle-up," says McCoy, "or are distracted and are not buckling up. It's so important. It is a fine of $240 and two demerit points. It is a dangerous thing (not to use a seatbelt)."

The enforcement blitz continues through to Saturday.

Power Increase Coming

Hydro users in Fort Frances can expect to see a jump in their electricity bills next month.

The Fort Frances Power Corporation received approval from the Ontario Energy Board to increase the delivery portion of the bills by about 2.5 per cent.

The increase takes effect May 1st.

Forestry Talk at Queens Park

Provincial NDP say much of a fund set up to help the forestry sector remains unused.

Leader Andrea Horwath says they've found about half of the 500-million dollar fund for forestry sector assistance has not been touched.

"Five years ago, the government promised $500 million in forestry sector assistance," says Horwath. "A freedom-of-information request submitted by my office found that $236 million, nearly half of that fund, sits unused. Why do hundreds of millions of forestry dollars sit in a Toronto bank account while families in northern Ontario continue to lose good jobs?"

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says the program is just one of many the province has implemented to help the forest sector.

Sex-Ed Expanded

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he stands by a sexeducation curriculum that will see lessons being taught as early asGrade 3.

The curriculum, to be implemented in September, is raising the ire of so-called family focused groups who say the material is inappropriate.

But McGuinty says kids are going to get their hands on sexual health information and it's better to present them with information from reliable sources.

In Grade 3 kids will start learning about "invisible differences'' between people such as gender identity, sexual orientation and family background.

In Grade 5 kids will be taught to identify parts of there productive system and describe how the body changes during puberty.

The Grade 7 curriculum will include learning ways of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Another Sponsor Signed

Another major sponsor is back on board for this year's Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championships.

Mercury Marine renewed its commitment to the tournament yesterday.

Mercury has been a part of the Bass Championship since its inception.

Festival Day 7 Results

A busy day at the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts yesterday with competitions in both vocal and instrumental.

In the vocal division, Lauren Gurski and Emily Turcotte ended their day with four first place finishes, including one as members of a trio.

Taylor Shouldice earned top honours in a vocal class, then won three more first place certificates performing on the fiddle and violin in the evening instrumental performances.

Competitions in Instrumental conclude today at the Townshend Theatre with vocal performances at Knox United Church.

FESTIVAL RESULTS, VOCAL DIVISION, Tuesday, April 20, 2010

CLASS V126
First - Kennedy Latimer
Second - Taylor Shouldice

CLASS V138F
First - Emily Turcotte

CLASS V138M
First - Nelson Bragg

CLASS V139
First - Katelyn Shortreed
Second - Rebecca Sokoliuk

CLASS V108
First - Emily Turcott
Second - Nelson Bragg

CLASS V109
First - Katelyn Shortreed

CLASS V110
First - Lauren Gurski

CLASS V180
First - Lauren Gurski
Second - (TIE) Nelson Bragg, Emily Turcott, Rebecca Sokoliuk

CLASS V186
First - Taylor Shouldice
Second - Kennedy Latimer

CLASS V188
First - Emily Turcott
Second - Nelson Bragg

CLASS V189
First - (TIE) Katelyn Shortreed, Rebecca Sokoliuk

CLASS V179
First - Jessica Whalen
Second - Caitlin Sande

CLASS V172
First - Lauren Gurski
Second - (TIE) Nelson Bragg, Rebecca Sokoliuk

CLASS V222
First - Professional Ensemble: Renée Martin-Brown, Ken Brown, Lisa Vos, Dan Vos

CLASS V181
First - Ken Brown

CLASS V173
First - Ken Brown

CLASS V207
First - Duet: Phoebe-Ann Firth and Isaac Firth

CLASS V206
First - Duet: Anne Jean and McKenna Begin

CLASS V208
First - Duet: Jessica Whalen and Ericka Tymkin

CLASS V213
First - Trio: Emily Turcott, Nelson Bragg and Lauren Gurski

CLASS V171
First - (TIE) Phoebe Firth, Jessica Whalen
Second - Katelyn Shortreed


FESTIVAL RESULTS, INSTRUMENTAL DIVISION, Tuesday, April 20, 2010

CLASS B303
First - Fort Frances High School Band

CLASS B304
First - Fort Frances High School Senior Stage Band

CLASS S1250
First - Katelyn Bruyere

CLASS S1251
First - Taylor Shouldice

CLASS S200
First - Jilayne Derksen
Second - Katelyn Bruyere

CLASS S704
First - Taylor Shouldice

CLASS S1301
First - Taylor Shouldice

CLASS S2700
First - String Ensemble: Fawn Perrault, Jared Hunter, Taylor Voltaros, Kayla Allen and Summer Leonard

CLASS B306
First - Borderland Community Orchestra