Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Search For Missing Swimmer Continues

The search continue for a missing swimmer in the Rainy River near Emo.

An unnamed 27-year-old man went under the water Sunday night while attempting to swim a length of the river with another person.

The one person returned safely back to the public docks at Emo.

An OPP dive team is expected on scene later today.

Ministry Asked To Help Resolve Treaty 3 Policing Issue

The province is being asked to get involved in the Treaty 3 Police Service issue.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell is asking Community Safety Minister Madeleine Meilleur to help prevent the Service's closure.

Campbell says First Nations policing has to be recognized as an essential service.

Campbell acknowledges the province has been already involved in issue, but more pressure needs to be placed on the federal government.


The Police Service cites funding issues for its decision to shut down next month.

College Moving Float Plane Base

Confederation College is looking for a new location for its float plane base.

It comes after cottagers at Eva Lake near Atikokan complained about planes flying over head this summer.

President Jim Madder says they've agreed to find a new location and have interest from some communities willing to host the program.

The program is to resume next June.

New Forest Fire In Rainy River District

MNR file photo
Three new forest fires in northwestern Ontario, including one in the Rainy River district.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says crews were called out yesterday to extinguish a human caused blaze in the area of Bearpaw Road off Highway 502.

It's this region's first fire in over two weeks.


Of the ten fires reported in this district this fire season, nine have been human caused.

Area MP Reacts To Cabinet Shuffle

No surprises for a northwestern Ontario MP with the changes made to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River's John Rafferty feels the introduction of eight new Ministers is all aimed at improving the Conservatives image heading into the next federal election.

Rafferty does congratulate Kenora MP Greg Rickford becoming the Science and Technology Minister.

He's also hopeful of Rickford does well in taking over responsibility of FedNor from Industry Minister Tony Clement.

Curling Club Champions

Three days until the vote in the Kraft Celebration Tour.

The Fort Frances Curling Club has had many of its curlers compete at regional, provincial and national levels.

Kathy Jackson is the most recent, readying a team for the Dominion Curling Club women's championship this fall.

She says winning the provincials this past spring and being able to represent northern Ontario at a national event is the most exciting event in which she's participated.

She sees the Dominions are a way of supporting curling at the grassroots level, giving curlers a taste of what competitive play can be like and helping to grow the support.


It's the second time Fort Frances has been represented at the Dominions.

Raymond Roy skipped a men's team to the national event in 2010.

Prescription Drug Awareness Planned In Falls

An effort is underway in International Falls to curb prescription drug abuse.

The Borderland Substance Abuse Court Alumni group will hold an awareness event in September.

The Drug Court's Lori Santee says they're seeing in cases involving prescription drug abuse.

Santee says they plan to set up drop off sites for old medication and visit schools to educate young people.

Bear Researcher To Meet With Governor

A Minnesota bear researcher is getting an audience with the Governor.

Lynn Rogers is expected to meet with Mark Dayton Monday in a last-ditch appeal to keep his permits to radio-collar wild bears and place video cameras in their dens.

The Department of Natural Resources doesn't believe Roger's research is yielding much results and worries the bears are getting  too comfortable around humans.