Monday, April 25, 2011

Help for Border Towns Wanted



The NDP's Economic Development Critic is calling on the Province to make border towns more competitive.
Howard Hampton wants the government to reduce the liquor control board's mark up on liquor sold by duty-free stores.

"This has been done in some of the other provinces like B.C.," says Hampton. "They really reduced the mark up on liquor sold at the duty-frees stores there and it made a big difference. It would help to reinvigorate some of the businesses in our border town and help bring back some of the shoppers from Minnesota."

The Kenora-Rainy River MPP says the mark up of 50 per cent should be dropped to 30.

Fort Frances Man Convicted

(An incident involving OPP last November forced the closure of streets around the area)

The man involved in a lengthy stand-off with OPP in Fort Frances last November will be spending a little more time in custody.

Richard Edward Kabatay was sentenced to eight months in jail after being convicted last week on a charge of assault with a weapon.

An initial charge of attempted murder was dropped.

Another man was stabbed during the November 27 incident.

Kabatay has been in Fort Frances jail since.

Final Advance Poll Today



The final day of advance polls is today.

They go from noon until 8 p.m.

Voting can be done at the returning office on 2nd Street East in Fort Frances, the Pioneer Centre in Atikokan and the Rainy River Community Centre.

International Falls "Walk-a-bout"




The city of International Falls is planning a "walk-a-bout" as a means of gathering input from residents on the city's sidewalks and bike paths.

City administrator Rod Otterness says participants will walk a selected route on May 12.

"(It will give) people an opportunity to observe the walk-ability of that area and also learn how to understand and learn some keys that make a community walkable," says Otterness

A workshop will follow the walk.

Fort Frances Relay For Life

(Some of the many participants from the 2011 Relay for Life in Fort Frances)


More than a dozen teams have signed on so far for the Relay for Life event in Fort Frances.

Committee spokesperson Myles Kuharski says, like last year, the June 24 event will have a theme.

"The theme this year is we're doing Relay through the Decades," says Kuharski. "So teams are encouraged to pick a decade. Dress up for that decade. Last year's theme was kind of a similar thing where teams dressed up and it went over quite well."

Groups interested can register by going to the Canadian Cancer Society's website.

Rainy River Relay for Life Update



This year's Relay for Life in Rainy River is planned for June 24.

About six teams have signed up so far.

Last year, the Relay had twenty raising more than $57-thousand.

Sign up can be done through the Canadian Cancer Society's website.

Fort Frances Chef Highlights Canadian Cuisine


Some international exposure for a Fort Frances chef.

Todd Moxham was recently invited as a celebrity chef to an conference in Hibbing that promoted Canada.

The owner of Cater 2 U fixed up a variety of dishes.

"There was smoked salmon. There was beef appetizers," says Moxham. "For lunch we cooked salmon. Alberta baron of beef. We had a chicken cordon bleu. We had PEI roast potatoes.We had wild rice pilaf from this area."

Moxham also worked with culinary students from Hibbing College.

Candidates Debate in Fort Frances


Candidates in the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding are pledging to help American tourists with minor criminal records, enter Canada easier.

Responding to a question from the Northwestern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association at Wednesday night's debate in Fort Frances, Green Party Candidate Ed Shields was surprised to hear that actor Charlie Sheen was able to enter into Canada with ease while tourists with offences such as impaired driving, are being refused at borders here.

"As think as government, I'd want to make sure that we have equal treatment, under the law and under situations coming into our border, by everyone," says Shields.

Conservative Candidate Maureen Comuzzi-Stehmann says she'll work to eliminate the red tape visitors go through to enter the country.

"Our government has been very active, in fact before this election, with the American authorities to eliminate that red tape," says Comuzzi-Stehmann.

Liberal candidate Ken Boshcoff says making Americans more aware of the steps they can take to enter Canada can help.

"Awareness is the key," says Boshcoff. "Our great need now is to promote effectively in the United States so that any of these issues are dealt with before they get to the border."

NDP incumbent John Rafferty says he's tried to find out if complaints about the Fort Frances border are unique.

"Then I also requested a meeting in Ottawa with Canada Border Services Agency chief," says Rafferty, "and the head in Thunder Bay. Neither of those were forthcoming. They refused to meet with me."

Candidates also touched on forestry, pensions and the economy

Local Agency Seeks Funds for Waiting List


Community Living Fort Frances and District, its workers and residents are jointly calling on the province for more funding to help those access the agency's services.

Executive director Alanna Barr says about 55 people with developmental disabilities are now on a wait list, some for several years.

"For several years now, the province has asked agencies that support individuals with a developmental disability to do more with the new funding investment in the sector," says Barr. "However, doing more with the funding that been given to the sector still leaves us at a loss to support those family members that are waiting for services with our agency."

Barr says agencies across the province are in similar situations.

Customer Services Participants Named



Twenty-eight businesses across the Rainy River District have signed up for the Rainy River Future Development Corporation's Customer Service Challenge.

The winners will be based on comments from the public.

Voting will begin May 3rd.

The businesses taking part are;

NORTHWOOD'S GALLERY & GIFTS
KUPILA'S SOUND CENTRE
STUDIO GIBBOUS
GREEN'S COUNTRYWIDE FURNITURE
WEST END MOTORS FF INC.
NORLUND OIL (2003) LTD
SUPER 8 MOTEL
TIMES WEB DESIGN
FORT FRANCES TIMES LTD.
CLOVERLEAF FAMILY FOODS
PETERBILT FORT FRANCES
FORT FRANCES GENERAL SUPPLY
SIMPLICITY PROFESSIONAL HAIR & BODY CARE
TAGGS SOURCE FOR SPORTS
McTAGGARTS
LA PLACE RENDEZVOUS
FORT FRANCES ENHANCED HEARING CENTRE
THE EAR CLINIC, INC.
MADDY'S LITTLE STORE
LEON'S
CAUSEWAY GENERAL INSURANCE BROKERS LTD.
BELLUZ CONCRETE & RENTALS
PHARMASAVE
CELESTE'S
THE DEN
BROCKIE'S JEWELLERS
BOSTON PIZZA
NAUGHTY PINE RIDING RANCH