Together We Can Ride Kicks Off Campaign

A 90-kilometre bicycle ride has resulted in more than just awareness for Riverside Foundation For Health Care's Together We Can campaign.

It also brought in over $130-thousand in donations from area groups for a new digital mammography unit.

Co-chair Jan Beazley says it's a great kick off to the campaign aimed at raising $650-thousand.


LaVerendrye Hospital Auxiliary is giving $60-thousand.

The Emo Hospital Auxiliary is giving $15-thousand.

Fort Frances Lions Club is making a $15-thousand donation.

The Emo Lions Club, one of the first to get behind the campaign, is donating $3-thousand.

The Breast Health Network is contributing $10-thousand.

The townships of Chapple and LaVallee are providing $6-thousand each.

The Rainy River United Church ladies are giving a thousand dollars.

Several other donations were collected by residents along the route from Rainy River to Fort Frances.


A total of 36 riders were involved.

Fort Frances To Have Presence At Recruitment Fairs

It will be quick off the mark for the new physician recruiter in Fort Frances.

Todd Hamilton has been hired to help attract new doctors to the area.

Riverside Health Care Facilities Allan Katz says a big push comes September 20th when they attend a recruitment event at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay.

Katz says their recruitment efforts will also take them to medical schools in southern Ontario starting later in the month.

Air Carrier Selected For Falls

The U.S. Department of Transportation is allowing SkyWest Airlines to provide subsidized air passenger service to International Falls.

The Utah-based air carrier would take over service now provided by Delta Airlines.

Under it's proposal, Skywest will provide 12 round trips a week to and from Minneapolis with a stop in Brainard.

No word when the new service would start.

Teachers Unions Fighting Bill

Teachers' unions are vowing to fight the Liberal government after a bill that imposes contract terms on thousands of Ontario teachers passed in the legislature.

The Tories supported the minority Liberals on the bill that also reins in teachers' pay, cuts their benefits and stops them from striking.

The elementary teachers' union is urging members to stay away from meetings on Monday, while the secondary teachers' union wants members to fore go any voluntary activities on today.

County Ups Tax Levy

Koochiching County will collect 1.5 per cent more in county taxes next year to help offset a projected budget deficit.

Administrator Teresa Jaksa says the half-million dollar shortfall is mainly due to a reduction in government funding and new regulations effecting its jailhouse.

Along with the levy increase, Jaksa says they hope to eliminate the deficit through spending cuts and tapping into reserves.

Terry Fox Run This Sunday

The annual Terry Fox run goes this Sunday in Fort Frances.

Participants can walk, run, stroll or ride down the waterfront.

Jane Trivers, one of the organizers, says along with recognizing Terry, they'll also honour local cancer victims and survivors.

Registration at the Sorting Gap Marina begins at 1 pm with the walk taking place at 2.

New Recruiter Hired

A new recruiter has been hired to help attract new doctors to Fort Frances.

Todd Hamilton takes over duties from the outgoing Jackie Lampi-Highes.

Hamilton has been a past member of the local Physician Recruitment Committee, as well with the Fort Frances Community Clinic and Riverside Foundation for Health Care.

Man Arrested in Knife Incident

A man is in police custody after a woman was threatened at knife point Sunday afternoon.

OPP says the incident occurred in the area of Legion Park in Fort Frances.

Police say the woman was walking with two young children when they were confronted by a man on a bicycle who was verbally abusive and uttered threats.

He then pulled a knife and held it against the woman's neck.

She managed to escape unharmed.

The 36-year -old was arrested a short time later.

He will appear in court next month on charges of assault with a weapon and uttering threats.

Fire Cause Unknown

Courtesy Teri Major

The investigation continues into the cause of a fire that destroyed a Rainy River landmark.

Firefighters from Rainy River and Baudette spent several hours yesterday battling the blaze at the Canadian Northern Hotel.

It was spotted early yesterday morning passers-by.

The hotel opened in 1903 and had operated up yesterday's fire.

Help Needed To Fix Infiltration Inflow Problem

Fort Frances will likely look to senior levels of government for help accomplish the recommendations a study examining why the town's treating more water than it produces.

The report recommends $32-million in upgrades as a start.

Councillor Paul Ryan says it won't happen without assistance.

 The study identified groundwater and surface runoff as a source of the extra water.

Fort Frances Helping Flood Victims In Thunder Bay

The town of Fort Frances is joining others in contributing money to help victims of flooding in Thunder Bay.

Inititally it wasn't going to make a donation, but Councillor Andrew Hallikas says the city deserves their support.

The donation of one-thousand dollars is to be tripled by the province.

Ice Back At End Of Month

Ice is expected to back at the Ice for Kids Arena in Fort Frances at the end of the month.

Usage of the rink was halted this summer because of a problem with the ice plant's chiller unit.

Community Services Manager Jason Kabel says equipment needed for repairs is expected to arrive next week and with ice ready for use September 30.

Fort Frances Lakers have their home opener September 28 which will now likely be played out of the 52 Canadians Rink.

Portage Avenue Closure Next Week

It will now be next week when the Portage Avenue underpass in Fort Frances will be closed to vehicular traffic.

The road will close next Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. the next night so work crews can safely remove the old sewage pumping station and do other work to the concrete walls and embankment.

Another one day closure is planned for September 21 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The underpass will be open to pedestrian traffic and emergency vehicles.

Campaign Ride Begins This Morning

Thirty-six riders will help generate awareness of Riverside Foundation for Health Care's fundraising campaign for a new digitial memography unit today.

The first riders leave this morning at 8:30 a.m. from Rainy River.

It will end about 5:30 p.m. at LaVerendrye Hospital in Fort Frances.

Teacher Legislation Vote Today

Legislation that reins in wages and cuts benefits for Ontario teachers will come to a final vote today at Queen's Park.

If passed, the legislation will be retroactive to September 1st, clawing back any pay hikes or benefits once it becomes law.

College Faculty Approve Deal

Faculty at Ontario's 24 colleges have ratified a new collective agreement.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says the new two-year agreement, which includes no wage gains, was approved by almost 89 per cent of its members.

The agreement includes improvements to job security for vulnerable partial-load workers and makes progress in clarifying the role of co-ordinators.

Budget Preps

Fort Frances is getting set to begin work on the 2013 budget.

A tentative schedule sees the public being allowed to provide input on September 24.

Council committees and administration will then give discussion over the next three months before premiliary operating and capital documents come back to council for its review in January.

The final budget could be complete by the middle of May.

Firefighters Ride Underway

Reagan Breeze (l) and Graham Warburton

Two northwestern Ontario firefighters have begun their 500-kilometre journey in support of Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

Graham Warburton of Atikokan and Reagan Breeze of Dryden left Kenora Monday.

They hope to finish in Thunder Bay Wednesday.

Fire Destroys Hotel

Courtesy Teri Major

Firefighters from Rainy River and Baudette are on the scene of a hotel fire in Rainy River.

A town official says the blaze at the Canadian Northern Hotel was spotted by passers-by early this morning.

Damage is extensive.

The town office, located across the road, has been closed because of smoke.

Cause is not immediately known.

Infiltration InFlow Study Revealed

The town of Fort Frances is getting a sense of why it's treating more water than it produces and the costs to correct the problem.

A draft report of a two-year study of infiltration inflows heads to councillors at their meeting tonight.

It found the problem to be wide spread, influenced by both groundwater and surface runoff.

Consultants suggest the first two phases of repairs to replace almost 6 kilometres of sanitary sewer pipe over a five year period will cost an estimated $32-million.