Teachers Stage Protest

Public elementary teachers in the Rainy River District feel they got their message across.

They took part in a one-day strike in opposition of Bill 115 yesterday.

Local Union president Trevor Bowles says the bill's hampering both teachers and the school board in trying to reach a local deal.

Teachers rallied outside the board office in Fort Frances and at MPP Bill's Mauro's constituency office in Atikokan.

Liberal MPP Seeks End To Teachers Dispute

A Liberal MPP is asking Ontario's education minister to stand down provisions of the government's controversial Bill 115 and get back to negotiations with the union representing public elementary teachers.

Peterborough's Jeff Leal says all parties should work through the holiday period to reach a deal.

First Nation Planning Peaceful Protest

A northwestern Ontario First Nation is preparing to stage a protest of its own tomorrow.

Members of Onigaming First Nation near Nestor Falls plan to stage a peaceful protest against the federal government's omnibus budget bill.

Chief Norman Copenance says changes within the Bill C-45 impact all Canadians.

The protest includes a walk along Highway 71 that will delay traffic briefly.

Ontario Schools Safe

In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, Education Minister Laurel Broten says Ontario schools are some of the safest in the world.

But Broten says the recent horrific event in Newtown is a reminder of how important it is to do everything that can be done to keep schools safe.

Governor Open To Changes In Gun Laws

Governor Mark Dayton says he's willing to listen to legislative proposals to alter Minnesota's gun laws.

The Democratic governor says he has no immediate changes that he plans to present to the 2013 Legislature.

Debate over U.S. gun laws has ramped up after a school shooting in Connecticut last week killed 26 people, mostly children.

Charges Now Laid In Kenora Death

Two men have been charged following a suspicious death in Kenora.

The body of 21-year-old Langford Ogemah was found Saturday in a home that sustained minimal damage in a fire.

20-year-old Peter Fisher and 22-year-old Ringo Carpenter have been charged with second-degree murder and arson.

Ski Club Trails Open

The recent fall of snow a welcome sight for outdoor enthusiasts.

The Rainy River Nordic Ski Club had been waiting for more snow to open its trails.

President Jim Krag invites people to check them out.

The club has eleven kilometres of Nordic ski trails and four kilometers of snowshoe trails.

Krag says they also have equipment available for the public to use at its facility located eleven kilometres east for Fort Frances down the George Armstrong Road.

Krag says they're also planning for a Family Day during the Christmas Holiday period.

Citizen Of The Year Recognized

Fort Frances council is recognizing its citizen of the year.

Ken Christianson was presented the honour during a ceremony at council last night.

Christianson has been a volunteer hockey coach for the past 49 years.

OPP Called To Red Lake School

OPP in Red Lake had to deal with a school incident of their own on the same day of the shooting incident in Newtown, Connecticut.

Police were called to the Red Lake-Madsen elementary school after staff spotted an unauthorized person inside the building Friday morning.

The man told police he only stopped to use the washroom.

Question of the Week

How safe do you consider our schools?

Do you think governments and schools administrators are doing enough to make schools as safe as possible?

Let us know on our website 931theborder.ca.

Meantime, 57 per cent of respondents to last week's question support beer and wine being sold in corner stores as proposed by the Progressive Conservatives.

College Receives Funding

Rainy River Community College is receiving funding to bolster its native language programs.

The $46-thousand dollars comes from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council Dakota and Ojibwe Language Revitalization Grant program.

The College says the money will be used by its Ojibwe Immersion Program on a variety of initiatives that meet the needs of youth, students and parents, and preserve the Objibe language.

Late Wolve Hunt Season Ends in NE Minnesota.

Hunting and trapping of wolves in northeastern Minnesota has come to an early end.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources closed the late hunt season on the weekend after the zone's harvest target of 56 wolves was neared last Friday.

The northwest zone remains open through January 31st or until its quota is reached.

Concert CDs Still Available

Tom Foley (r) makes one of first donations to Salvatino Army 

Organizers of the Christmas Melodies CD and DVD of local performers are a little closer to their objective.

More than $3-thousand have now been raised for the Salvation Army in Fort Frances.

The goal is to reach the $5-thousand mark by Christmas.

The two-disk package is still available at Canada Safeway, TD Bank, Sight and Sound, Clover Valley Market Store and Lowey's Christmas Store in Fort Frances, and at Tompkin's Hardware in Emo.

Rotating Strikes Hit Rainy River District Today

There will be no school for public elementary students in the Rainy River district today.

Their teachers will be involved in a one-day strike in protest over legislation threatening to impose a contract on them.

No pickets will be up at schools though.

Teachers with the Rainy River District School Board intend to gather at the Memorial Sports Centre in Fort Frances before picketing the board office.

Teachers in Atikokan will rally in front of MPP Bill Mauro's constituency office.

They're also going to be wearing black armbands in memory of the victims of the school shooting in Connecticut.

Public Elementary Schools Closed

The Rainy River District School Board is closing all of its elementary schools because of the strike action being taken by its teachers.

Board chair Mike Lewis says there's no way possible to keep kids safe without teachers on the job.

Busing for elementary students have been cancelled.

Buses that pick up catholic students are still operating as are those for high school students.

All secondary schools will be open.

The board's elementary schools are scheduled to re-open for classes tomorrow.

Several Motor Vehicle Accidents Reported On Weekend

A busy weekend for Ontario Provincial Police in the Rainy River district following a fresh fall of snow that included freezing rain.

OPP were called to more than ten motor vehicle accidents since last Thursday.

Most were due to weather and road conditions, but police say were preventable.

They're reminding motorists to drive according to the weather conditions.

Suspicious Death In Kenora

OPP are still looking into what they are calling a suspicious death in Kenora on the weekend.

The body of an unidentified man was found Saturday inside a home that sustained minimal damage in a fire.

Big Industry Continue To Enjoy Break On Electricity Rate

The provincial government is extending it's Northern Industrial Electricity Rate for another three years.

The program provides a lower costing electricity rate to mining and forest industry companies.

Roger Barber of Resolute Forest Products says things would be grim for his company if the Province didn't extend the program.

The program providing $360-million to keep the program in place for another three years.

Change Made To Northern Ontario Travel Grant

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell is clarifying statements she made recently about the northern Ontario Travel Grant.

Campbell had expressed concern about the doubling of the distance requirement, only later to learn it was a change made five years ago.

But Campbell says there is a new requirement for the accommodation portion of the grant that took effect December 1.

Patients who travel out of the community to access health services must now submit receipts to be eligible.

The province had beefed up the travel grant a hundred dollars for travel a few year ago.

Campbell says many patients who stay will relatives won't be eligible for the money that often helped offset other costs.

Snowarama Set For Atikokan

Snowmobilers are wanted to help support Easter Seals.

Snowarama kicks again in Atikokan January 26.

Rhonda Harrison of Easter Seals says it's a tradition that the Atikokan event is the first of the year in Ontario.

The event helps raise money for Easter Seals who use it to assist children with disabilities and their families.

Pledge forms can be obtained on the Snowarama website or by calling the Easter Seal's office in Thunder Bay.