Area Man Gets New Trial

The Ontario Court of Appeal is allowing a new trial for an area man convicted on drug-related charges four years ago.

Nicholas Bruyere was charged in June 2008 after police stopped a vehicle on the Trans Canada Highway near Thunder Bay, they said was headed for Fort Frances containing a quantity of cocaine.

Bruyere appealed the case claiming the judge erred by excluding evidence.

Experimental Lakes Closing

Not all hope is lost for the experimental lakes area between Kenora and Dryden.

The Federal Government announced last week it was closing the site as part of a cost-cutting measure.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford believes there still may be a future for the site with someone else taking the research site over.

A government spokesperson says they will try to transfer the Experimental Lakes over another group or provinces.


Meantime, the Manitoba government is worried about the pending closure of the Experimental Lakes.

Conservation Minister Gord Mackintosh says his staff are lobbying Ottawa to have the decision reversed.

MacKintosh says the research program being killed made important findings on hydro development, the banning of phosphorus in detergent, acid rain and mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Minnesota Elections Filings Underway

Candidates planning to run in some of races open in this fall's elections in Minnesota can now file their intentions.

Elections for two seats will takes place for Koochiching County - District 3, now held by Chair Brian McBride and District 5, now held by Mike Hanson who plans not to seek reelection.

Those running to represent the area in the Minnesota and U.S. House and Senates can also file today.

Camp Gets Green Energy Funds

A Rainy River District lodge has received provincial funding for a green energy project.

Hyatt's Manion Lake Camp in Mine Centre will use the $5,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund towards the installation of a geothermal heating and cooling system.

Campbell Wants Tourism Centres Left to Province

MPP Sarah Campbell photo  

There's little support from Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell to having shuttered tourist information centres handed over to area municipalities.

Campbell voiced her opposition to the idea during a gathering Saturday in front of the now closed Fort Frances centre.

Campbell sees it a form of downloading by the province.

Both the town and the local Chamber of Commerce are looking at taking over Fort Frances Centre.

Body of Atikokan Man Found

The remains of a missing Atikokan man have been located.

An OPP dive team recovered the body of 49-year-old Eric Natti last Thursday at Miller Lake.

Natti had been reported missing since last November.

OPP had conducted a search of the area then, but cold weather and ice conditions hampered their efforts.

Weekend Forest Fires

Rain likely to give forest firefighters across northwestern Ontario a hand dealing with several fires in the region.

The Ministry of Natural Resources reports seven active fires, including two small ones in the Rainy River district.

One north of Sleeman near Development Road has been identified as human caused, while the other, northeast of Fort Frances was a lightning strike.

One of the largest fires still burning is on Falcon Island on Lake of the Woods, 35 kilometres south of Kenora.

The lightning caused fire is almost 600 hectares in size.

Minnesota Wolf Hunting Season Details

Minnesota is releasing details about its plans for the state's first regulated wolf hunting and trapping season.

The season will start November 3 when the firearms deer season opens.

The Department of Natural Resources proposes to offer 6,000 licenses with a target harvest quota of 400 wolves.

Municipalities Get Health Unit Refund

Municipalities that contribute to the Northwestern Health Unit are receiving money back from the agency.

More than $165-thousand have been returned back to communities across the Kenora and Rainy River district.

Municipalities share is based on population which dropped by 4,000 in 2011 over 2010.

Several Fort Frances Residents Register As Organ Donor

Residents in the Fort Frances are showing strong interest in becoming organ donors.

Statistics show 39 per cent have signed a provincial registry.

Ronnie Gavsie president of Trillium Gift of Life Network says its a trend they're seeing across northern Ontario.

The provincial average is 21 per cent.

Gavsie says one donor can save up to eight lives.

Red Cross To Provide Help In Local Emergencies

The Canadian Red Cross has a renewed presence in the Rainy River District.

It's signing protocols with area municipalities that spells out the agencies role in emergency situations.

Disaster Management Coordinator Kari Raptor says the agency will be there to help victims for such things as shelter.

Raptor says they're now in the process of finding volunteers to assist in those efforts.

Lightning Caused Fires Possible

The Ministry of Natural Resources is on the watch for lightning fires.

There are currently 15 fires now burning, although none are in the Rainy River district.

The Ministry says the region may see new lightning-caused fires pop-up in the next couple of days resulting from a storm that passed by Monday night.

Meantime, MNR is sending ten FireRanger crews from northwestern Ontario to help deal with forest fires in northeastern Ontario.

Restrictions Lifted

Burning restrictions are being lifted in Koochiching County today.

The County is one of the last in Minnesota where restrictions has been kept in place.

Property Clean-up Dilemma

Difficulties in dealing with unsightly properties are becoming a sore spot for Koochiching County Commissioners.

The County has a committee set up to handle complaints, but Public Health Director Susan Cosgrove says many of the cases don't necessarily fall within the committee's jurisdiction.

Chair Brian McBride says there's a public perception the County isn't doing anything, but in some cases there's nothing they can do.

Water Meter Bills Issued

Commercial and institutional properties in Fort Frances that received new water meters last fall are now getting their bills.

Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown says they're still working through a few glitches, but the new metres ensure the protection and quality of the town's drinking water.

The new metres replace ones that had been in place for up to forty years.

Premier Not Worried With Doctors Group Warning

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he's not worried doctors will leave the province because the government slashed fees they're paid.

McGuinty says doctors are doing better now than when his government came to power, and he's confident they'll stay in Ontario.

A doctors group is warning physicians they may want to look elsewhere given the Liberals recent decision to cut fees and freeze wages.

Lipinski Back as Metis Nation President

A Fort Frances area man has been given another mandate to head the Metis Nation of Ontario.

Gary Lipinski received over 87 per cent of the vote to be returned as president in what the Metis Nation says was a record voter turnout for recent elections.

Lipinski says its a strong mandate to continue to push forward on their Métis rights agenda.

Seniors Allowed To Address Council

There's little it can offer, but Fort Frances town council will give a seniors group the right to speak at an upcoming meeting on a number of issues.

Requests to address council are rarely turned down, or even debated.

Mayor Roy Avis says council really has no control over the issues the group wants to talk about.

Members of the Seniors-Retirees against Pension and Elder Abuse plan to talk their concerns over pensions, old age security and the pending assessment appeal by Resolute Forest Products and it's impact on seniors.

Theatre User Surtax To Increase

A surtax, paid by users of the Townshead Theatre, will go up this September.

Fort Frances town council agreed to hike the fee to a dollar-fifty per ticket, up from the dollar fee theatre users have paid since 1999.

The money is used to offset theatre improvements.


Meantime, there will be some work taking place in the Townshend Theatre this summer.

The theatre stage flooring is being replaced at a cost of $21-thousand.

There was a plan to doing some painting inside, but an estimated of $32-thousand cost  was felt too high by the Theatre Advisory Committee.

It's feels that job can, instead, be left up to the Rainy River District School Board to do as part of its summer painting projects.

Development of Dog Park To Proceed

The development of an off-lease dog park in Fort Frances has been given the green-light.

No site has been immediately identified.

A committee will now be formed to hash out the details.

Members of the Kiwanis Club have expressed interested in partnering with the town on the project.