Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Doctors to be Recognized

The Fort Frances Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee is setting aside a week for the local community to show its appreciation to local doctors.

The week of May 31 is being designated Physicians Appreciation Week.

Chair and Fort Frances councillor Andrew Hallikas says it is long overdue.

"There are eleven doctors in town," says Hallikas, "and three of them are in their 70's and 80's. They're all working awful hard to make sure we get the appropriate health care that we need."

Part of the week will include a banquet at the Memorial Sports Centre.

Transportation Survey Underway

A group working to establish a public transportation system in the Rainy River district is looking for public input.

Gerd O'Sullivan, chair of the Regional Planning Group, says they've launched a survey as they work toward finding the necessary start-up funding.

"We need to be able to show that people are willing to use the transportation," says O'Sullivan. "We put the survey out to see if people would use it and what they would think it would be a fair cost on it because it can't be free,"

The survey will continue until the end of May.

Drug Battle Continues

Health Minister Deb Matthews denies claims that Ontario's generic drug changes will reduce the quality of health care.

Matthews says it's wrong and misleading to characterize the drug reforms as a cut to health care.

Critics argue that pharmacists will lose their jobs if the government pushes ahead with its plan to get rid of millions of dollars in fees paid by drug companies.

Energy Credit an Insult

The McGuinty governments' Northern Energy Credit is being called an insult.

Conservative MPP Randy Hillier says the program is laughable.

"This tax credit is only fully utilized if you make less than $35,000 a year," says Hillier. "As soon as you start making more than $35,000, that tax credit starts getting clawed back."

Hillier says in some parts of the north, the credit, to come out this fall, won't even cover one month of the HST.

AbitibiBowater Presents Plan

AbitibiBowater has filed its restructuring plan that will see its current shareholders wiped out and unsecured creditors own a stake in the reorganized company.

The plan will also see non-disputed pre-petition secured, administrative, debtor-in-possession and other priority claims paid in full in cash.

Before emerging from creditor protection, the company must secure exit financing and address labour costs and pension issues, as well as other conditions.

Fire Ban in Place Koochiching

The ban on burning has lifted in northwestern Ontario, but burning restrictions are remaining in effect in Minnesota's Koochiching County.

The Department of Natural Resources says rains over the weekend considerably reduced the threat of wildfires, but much more rain and a greening of vegetation are required before the seasonal fire danger abates.

Celebrate Ontario Money Received

The Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship is getting a financial boast from the provincial government.

Tom Fry says the Celebrate Ontario funding will be used toward the entertainment portion of this year's event.

"This year we got $45-thousand," says Fry, "and that is primarily for our entertainment package. We haven't finalized it right now, but we are in the process of booking a top notched band for the Friday night."

Similar funding last year helped bring Kim Mitchell to Fort Frances.