Stuff a Cruiser Planned

OPP are looking to stuff-a-cruiser.

Constable Anne McCoy says the aim is to fill cruisers placed throughout the district with food or clothes that would be distributed to needy families across the Rainy River district.

"The concept of stuff-a-cruiser is to heighten awareness that there is people in need in our community," says McCoy, "especially with the economic times that we're all facing. We want to make sure that we not only heighten the awareness, but also bring to the attention that there's things that people can do in the community to help people in need."

An information meeting is planned for 10 a.m. today at the Fort Frances Library and Technology Centre.

Fort Frances Fire Chief Retires

(Gerry Armstrong (l) receives plaque from C.A.O Mark McCaig

The town of Fort Frances is losing its fire chief.

Gerry Armstrong is retiring at the end of this year after five years at the helm.

"It's something I've been thinking about now for the last number of months," says Armstrong. "I guess my return to Fort Frances as fire chief was one of those things that really was not probably going to be a long term situation."

Armstrong joined the fire department in 1976, leaving in 1986 to take a position with the Ontario Fire Marshall's office before returning as fire chief.

Citizen of the Year Recognized

(Committee Chair Bill Gushalak (l) with Mark Kowalchuk who accepted award for Joyce Cunningham on her behalf)


The town of Fort Frances honoured its retiring employees and volunteers at its appreciation dinner Friday night.

The town also recognized its Citizen of the Year, Joyce Cunningham.

Chair of the selection committee Bill Gushalak says her work on the new town Library makes her deserving of the award.

"Always mindful of what the project could and would do for all age levels within our community and surrounding district, our recipient persevered," says Gushalak. "She dedicated herself and through this dedication was able to attract and inspire a strong committee to get the job done."

Cunningham was unable to attend due to a prior commitment as chair of the Ontario Library Board Association.

Act of Kindness Website Online

(Sherri Loveday of Suds and Tubs is donating laundry services for the Act of Kindness Community Chest fundraiser - photo courtesy http://www.acts-of-kindness.ca/)


A new website has been established for next week's Act of Kindness fundraiser in support of the Fort Frances Community Chest.

Committee member Dale Fortes says they're using it to play a form of Tag in hopes of generating more interest in the December 3 event.

"You can go on there and we're going to start a new process of tagging where we're encouraging people to take a picture of themselves in the act of kindness they're going to donate," says Fortes, "and challenging a friend, a co-worker or another business."

So far, more than sixty services and products will be up for bidding ranging from rides for seniors to fishing trips to area lodges.

Park Bursary Awarded

(Left to Right - Nick Lawrence, Partner Representative, Van Houtte Inc.; Adair Ireland-Smith, Director, Ontario Parks; Theresa McDonald, bursary recipient; John Winters, Bursary Chair; and Virginia West, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources - supplied photo)

An Atikokan woman is among forty students receiving educational bursaries for their work at Ontario Parks this past summer.

Melissa Miller, a student at Confederation College, was employed at Quetico Provincial Park.

Winners were nominated by park visitors as well as the students' peers and supervisors for their dedication, customer service, initiative and leadership.

Hydro Rates Changing

The expensive hours for using electricity will change slightly next spring as the Ontario government moves to cut soaring hydro bills.

Government sources say that starting in May, off-peak electricity rates in Ontario will start at 7 p.m. instead of at 9.

An official announcement is expected today.

Hydro Rebates Coming

Electricity consumers in Ontario will get 10 per cent rebates on their bills starting in January to offset a projected 46per cent hike in hydro rates over the next five years.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the rebates should help keep increases in electricity rates to about 3.6 per cent a year as Ontario moves to green energy sources.

Duncan admits the switch to renewable energy is responsible for more than half of the projected increase.

But he says there are financial and human savings to getting out of coal-fired generation.

He asks if it's worth three billion dollars a year in health costs to the province just to keep burning coal to generate electricity.

The Tories and New Democrats say the rebates are clearly designed to help the Liberals overcome voter anger over skyrocketing hydro bills in advance of next fall's election.

Wind power opponents say the so-called Clean Energy Benefit is an attempt to hide the true cost of green energy.

They say it "won't stem the anger, solve the problem or spare the Liberals in 2011.''

Area Liberals Support Rebates

Northwestern Ontario Liberals are quick to promote the 10 per cent rebate on electricity bills.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says some consumers may not see the reduction right away.

"Depending on how quickly the electricity distributors can get their billing changes in place," says Gravelle. "Even if it doesn't show up until March, it will still be reflective of each month from January 1 on."

Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro says the rebate is something northern Liberals had been lobbying for.

Area Roads Slippery

A blanket of snow is leaving roads across the Rainy River district a little slippery this morning.

About five to ten centimeters fell in most parts of the district overnight and continues to falls this morning with freezing rain.

Sanders are on the roads, but the OPP say motorists should adjust their driving habits according to road and weather conditions.

Outdoor Cards Fraud Reviewed

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources is looking into ways to prevent fraudulent use of its Outdoors Card.

The relative ease with which an Outdoors Card can be obtained for improper use came to light after a card-bearing Chicago-area angler told a conservation officer in northwestern Ontario he was from Mississauga.

The man, who had been using a fraudulent card for 17 years, pleaded guilty earlier this month and fined $5,000.

A ministry spokeswoman says the Ministry believes there are only a few cases of fraud.

Treaty Three Applauds Declaration

Grand Council Treaty Three is applauding the United Nations for approving its Declaration of rights for Indigenous People.

Grand Chief Diane Kelly says the expectations of Treaty Three residents have been raised by Canada's endorsement of the declaration last week.

Kelly is hoping it marks a new era in the relations between Treaty Three and government and will lead to a new, better and strengthened economy in northwestern Ontario.

Restructuring Plan Hearing Adjourned

AbitibiBowater's restructuring plan still awaits U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval after a hearing yesterday was adjourned until next week.

A telephone hearing with company lawyers and a number of creditors is scheduled to resume Tuesday.

Company spokesman Seth Kursman says it's unknown when the judge will rule on the plan, but the company is still hoping to emerge from bankruptcy protection by the end of the year.

Clean Energy Benefit Details Today

Electricity consumers in Ontario will find out detailstoday on how the Liberal government intends to lower their bills by10 per cent.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan will announce the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit in his fall economic update, promising to lower hydro bills starting in the new year.

Premier Dalton McGuinty wouldn't confirm details, but says the government knows people are struggling with soaring electricity bills.

He says cutting electricity bills is about understanding the pressures on families and providing them with "a little bit of help.''

However, the Opposition says cutting electricity rates 11 months before an election smacks of a desperate attempt to help the Liberals win a third term in office.

3-G Coming Soon

Thunder Bay Telephone has launched it's latest cellphone technology.

President Don Campbell says the 3-G mobility service is now up and running in Thunder Bay.

"Actually it's being expanded throughout the next couple of months to six months into the entire region," says Campbell. "Thunder Bay is now operational. Customers are going onto the network and accessing all of the features of the much higher speed network."

The service will be offered to the Atikokan, Fort Frances and Rainy River areas by January.

First Snow Storm of Winter Approaching

Time to get those snow shovels and snow blowers out of storage.

Environment Canada says a significant snowfall is in the cards across northwestern Ontario.

An Alberta clipper is expected to scoot eastwards along the border today accompanied by a band of snow.

Snow, occasionally heavy, is to fall near the Manitoba border late this afternoon or early this evening and quickly envelop northwestern Ontario tonight.

Total snowfall amounts of 10 to 15 centimetres are expected.

Climate Change Bill Killed in Senate

A northwestern Ontario MP is condemning Prime Minister Harper.

Bruce Hyer's climate change legislation died in the Senate earlier this week.

The MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North calls Harper bad for the environment

"The unelected, unaccountable Senate has ambushed the country's only federal climate change legislation and killed it," says Hyer, "without hearing evidence or hearing any due consideration."

Hyer hopes to re-introduce the bill sometime in the future.

Highway Renamed After Long-time MPP

The King of the North will have a highway named his honour.

The announcement came Wednesday while MPP's paid tribute to the late Leo Bernier at Queen's Park.

Highway 664, which runs from Sioux Lookout to Hudson will be renamed in honour of the long-time politician who died this past summer.

Substance Abuse Prevention Team event today at Fort High

The Rainy River District Detachment of the OPP is pleased to announce the continuation of the Rainy River District Substance Abuse Prevention Team as a result of a successful funding opportunity through the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

For the past eleven years member of SAPT had been working together as one of the province's 22 FOCUS community projects, with programs working to prevent injury and reduce harm as it relates to alcohol and other drug use, as well as raising awareness of substance misuse as a risk factor in chronic disease. The Fort Frances Police Services Board has received $99thousand to help sustain the team.

Constable Anne McCoy says the event planned today at the Fort Frances high school is helping to celebrate those initiatives.

The Substance Abuse Prevention Team is planning to use funding to purchase much needed equipment to enhance local programs such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and the Preventing Alcohol Related Trauma in Youth Program (PARTY). Some of the equipment includes computers, presentation equipment, furniture for a resource centre and training tools including SIDNE (a battery powered vehicle that simulates the effects of distracted and impairment from alcohol and other drugs on a motorist's driving ability.

A meet and greet with the team starts at 10am at the Fort Frances High School Atrium. From 10:30-12:30 there will also be displays and electronic games demonstration featuring Simulated Impaired DriviNg Experience®, or SIDNE.

"'Together is Amazing"

The Shaw 'Together is Amazing' food drive wrapped up on Monday.

With help from local schools, businesses and citizens approximately 7100 pounds of food was gathered for the national campaign. That amount will be tripled with help from Shaw Communications and Campbell's Canada.

Last chance to "Fill the Food Banks"

Today is the last day to help Shaw Communications, Campbell's Canada and Canada Safeway "Fill the Food Banks."

The national campaign aims to collect one million pounds of food across the country by the end of the day.

In Fort Frances, drop off locations include Shaw's retail outlet, the library, the Place, Family and Children's Services and Robert Moore School.