Immunizations Programs to Expand

Ontario children will soon get more free vaccines to protect against serious infectious diseases -- and with fewer needles involved.

The government is reportedly prepared to expand its immunization program to include a new oral vaccine to protect against rotavirus.

There will also be a second childhood dose of varicella vaccine to enhance protections against chicken pox.

Ontario will also offer a combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine that will reduce the number of immunizations a child needs.

Missing Girl Sought

(Supplied photo)

Provincial Police have initiated a search for a 15-year-old girl reported missing from Young Star House.

Police says Tia Medicine had boarded a bus Tuesday from Fort Frances High School back to the facility north of Emo but never arrived.

She was later spotted walking on Highway 11 with two other girls.

Medicine is described as being 5'8", 160 to 180 pounds with black shoulder length hair and brown eyes.

She was wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a blue hooded sweatshirt.

Canada Day Plans In Gear

The group organizing Canada Day festivities in Fort Frances has unveiled some of its plans for this year.

Chair Teresa Hazel says things are beginning to take shape, but will entertain other ideas.

"We're definitely open to anyone who has any ideas about what to do that day," says Hazel, or they want to do that day or put a food booth in."

Hazel says some of the events include a beach volleyball tournament, a 5 K fun run and family scavenger hunt.

Atikokan Chamber Awards Night

Atikokan's business community celebrates some of its best tonight.
The Atikokan Chamber of Commerce holds its annual general meeting and awards banquet.

President Mike McKinnon says there is a strong list of nominees up We're pleased. We have twenty-seven," says McKinnon. "I think that's a fair reflection of the good service people get in Atikokan.

Ed Fukushima of the Atikokan Renewable Fuels will be tonight's guest speaker.

Memories of World War II Vet Found

An Edmonton woman has been reunited with part of her past following a chance discovery at a Fort Frances laundry mat.

Sherry Loveday of Suds and Tubs says a box of items belonging to World War II vet Donald Keith Nelson was found in an previously unexplored basement area.

Loveday says some discussion locally helped pass the items to the family member.

"It kind of saddens me that he died and then was kind put in a box and forgotten about," says Loveday. "He's being recognized now after all these years. He's being talked about by tons of people. His daughter has part of him and its all good."

It turns out the woman had never met her father who died during the war.

Ultimate Fishing Town Contest Ends Round 1

The first round of voting in the World Fishing Networks contest to find the Ultimate Fishing Towns in Canada and the U.S. has ended, but it's doubtful Nestor Falls, Fort Frances or International Falls will advance to the next round.

The top twenty, including WFN's wild-card selections, will go on.

They'll be announced next Wednesday.

All three area communities were well back of the leaders.

Drug Awareness Groups Merge

Two drug awareness organizations in the Rainy River district are joining as one.

The district's Substance Abuse Prevention Team and Fort France Community Opiate Task force will now operate under the SAP-team moniker.

Co-chair Lori Maki says the idea of a merger came out of a joint meeting held in December.

"We discussed overlap and common strategies and the fact that some of our respective members sat on both committees," says Maki. "So this made sense to us to join forces and work collaboratively."

Maki says the group will remain a volunteer group for now, but will search out funding for a coordinator

District Wide Respect Campaign Rolling out

The group Celebrating Diversity is rolling out its respect campaign.

The group has adopted Confederation College campaign aimed at combating racism and bullying.

Chair Trudy McCormick says its something need in the district.

"We're trying to work on bringing a message throughout our district that we celebrate diversity," says McCormick, "we respect difference and that we value differences. Hopefully if people treat each other respectfully, the differences aren't so different."

The group has posted the campaign as an idea on the Pepsi Refresh Everything contest in hopes of securing some funding for promotions.

Rafferty Ready for New Session

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is anxious to get back to Ottawa.

After a resounding win in Monday's election, Rafferty plans to focus attention on the northern Ontario economy in the House of Commons.

"One of my first jobs will be convincing Prime Minister Harper that people are suffering here," says Rafferty, "can't put food on the table, can't pay electricity. So we'll make sure he knows that and get him back accordingly."

Rafferty is also planning to reintroduce bills on protecting pensions and severance that died with the election call.

Renewed Calls for End to Long-Gun Registry

Another attempt to scrap the long-gun registry could come very soon.

Kenora Conservative MP Greg Rickford expects the government to introduce legislation to scrap the registry as soon as Parliament resumes.

Director of the Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen's Alliance John Kaplanis wants the area's NDP members to hold the Conservatives accountable to that promise.

Board Office Renos Almost Done

Renovations to the Rainy River District School Board's Education Centre are reported as being on schedule.

The Fort Frances centre is undergoing a major face lift.

An administration report indicates the project should be complete by mid June with staff moving in later in the month.

That will be followed by the demolition of the former Robert Moore School.

Water Access Stations Opening Soon

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will open its summer inspection stations later this month.

Two stations at Crane Lake will open May 14 while three others in Ely resume summer hours May 28.

The stations service as access points for boaters to and from Canada through either Voyageur's National Park or the Boundary Water Canoe Area.

Students Wanted by O.P.P.

Ontario Provincial Police in Fort Frances will be hiring three students this summer.

Constable Anne McCoy says one of the students will be assigned to the O-P-P's marine unit.

"The marine unit student will actually be on the water assisting officers by doing some enforcement," says McCoy, " as well as education the public about complying with existing marine legislations."

Two other students will be part of a Youth in Policing initiative.

Students 15 or older must apply before May 27.

Student Vote Results

Youth in northwestern Ontario threw their support behind the incumbents.

Student Vote, a non-profit organization, worked with educators in partnership with Elections Canada to hold an unofficial ballot, in concert with the federal election.

Seventeen schools in the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding, including Fort Frances High School, J.W. Walker and Mine Centre Schools, took part with the NDP incumbent John Rafferty getting over 45 per cent of the vote.

A majority of young people also picked Greg Rickford in Kenora and Bruce Hyer in Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Both retained their seats in the general election.

Local Voting Goes OK

Election Day went off without a hitch according to the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding's Returning Officer.

Tom McCuaig says the polls ran smoothly.

Just over 37-thousand or 60 per cent of the 62-thousand registered voters cast ballots.

Customer Service Challenge Underway

Voting is now underway in the Rainy River Future Development Corporation's Customer Service Challenge.

A total of twenty-eight businesses are participating.

The public have there say this year by casting votes for their favourite three businesses through the Corporation's website.

Voting will end May 13.

Census Underway

The 2011 Census in Canada is underway.

More than 15-million households will be receiving yellow census packages through the mail beginning yesterday.

About 60 per cent will receive a letter that allows respondents to complete the questionnaire on-line.

Federal Election - Thunder Bay-Rainy River

In Thunder Bay-Rainy River, NDP incumbent John Rafferty took almost 49 per cent of the vote in a successful bid for re-election.

But he says his win is tempered by the Conservatives winning a majority government.

Conservative Candidate Maureen Comuzzi-Stehmann came in second.

Stehmann says she's was elated by her campaign and is already looking to the next election.

Liberal Ken Boshcoff came in third, but has no regrets.

Less than 60 per cent of eligible voters in the riding cast ballots.

Election Wrap - National

Steven Harper's Conservatives have won the majority government in last night's federal election.

The Tories won 167 seats, 12 more than needed to take control of the House of Commons.

That's 65 more than the New Democrats, who become the official opposition for the first time in party history with 102 seats.

The two parties that saw their support collapse were the Liberals, who went from 77 seats in 2008 to 34 this time.

The Bloc Quebecois saw its support plummet from 47 seats to just four.

The Green Party has been elected to a riding for the first time, with leader Elizabeth May taking her B.C. riding.

Buyer for Sapawe Mill

There's been a potential buyer found for the idled Atikokan Forest Products mill.

Eacom Timber Corporation of Montreal says it's entered into an purchase agreement with receiver PricewaterhouseCoopers for both the Sapawe mill and Northern Sawmills in Thunder Bay.

The purchases are subject to a number of conditions.

Eacom is also seeking a secure wood supply from the province for the Atikokan mill as well.