Students Leave Classes

Facebook photo of students protest in Rainy River

High school students are expressing their displeasure with the Liberal government and its treatment of teachers.

A Facebook site, originating out of Rainy River, helped spur student walk-outs across the province yesterday.

Maria Vanderbrand of Rainy River High School says most students involved stand behind teachers and their anger over the bill that imposes new contracts on them.

Rainy River students marched through the community.

Vanderbrand says students are worried teachers protests could lead to a curtailing of school activities.


A group of students at Fort Frances High School was among those involved in the class walk-outs.

They marched from the school to the Court House in their support for teachers.

Thomas Lepine says their school events, especially athletic teams, are important to maintain..

No events have yet been placed on hold, but teachers were advised by its union not to participate in extra-curricular activities on Wednesday as a protest against the Liberal's legislated imposed contract.

McGuinty Mondays Proposed

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario is suggesting teachers take part in what they're calling "McGuinty Mondays."

It asks teachers not to attend mandatory meetings or participate in any extracurricular activities throughout the entire school year as a form of protest over the Liberals freezing wages and cutting benefits for the next two years.

Federal Jobs Cut in Northwestern Ontario

Forty-eight federal jobs dealing with human resources and employment insurance are being cut in Thunder Bay and Kenora.

Union Spokesperson Judith Monteith-Farrell says some of the jobs were moved to Southern Ontario and some were just eliminated.

Quetico Fires Continue To Be Monitored

The Ministry of Natural Resources says it continue to monitor two forest fires in Quetico Provincial Park, one that has been burning since the end of August.

Smoke from the blazes has been drifting into Minnesota, causing some worries for residents living east of Ely and along the Gunflint Trail.

The MNR says one fire is now 170 hectares in size and if it continues to spread south, suppression efforts will be taken to prevent it from crossing into Minnesota.

David Bouchard Visits

The Rainy River District School Board is preparing for a return visit by well-known Canadian author David Bouchard.

The one-time educator will be make presentations across the district next week about the power of literacy and joy of reading.

Education Director Heather Campbell encourages people to attend the community sessions.

Here's the list of times and locations

Community Events
Riverview School - September 17, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
Robert Moore School - September 18, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.
Mine Centre School - September 19, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. (noon)
J.W. Walker School - September 19, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
North Star Community School - September 20, 2012 during lunch hour

Primary classroom visits for students

Crossroads School, Nestor Falls School, Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program and Sturgeon Creek School and Donald Young School -  September 17, 2012 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Donald Young School

Riverview School and McCrosson-Tovell - September 17, 2012 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Riverview School

Crossroads School - September 18, 2012 from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Crossroads School

J.W. Walker School - September 18, 2012 from 11:00-11:30 a.m.

Robert Moore School - September 18, 2012 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Mine Centre School - September 19, 2012 during lunch hour

North Star Community School - September 20, 2012 during lunch hour

Officer Promoted

A promotion for an OPP officer in Fort Frances.

Staff Sergeant Scott Gobiel has been named the Rainy River District detachment's operations manager.

It's a position held previously by now Detachment Commander Inspector Steve Shouldice.

Gobiel is one of the last remaining officers with the former Fort Frances Police Service before its amalgamation with the OPP in 1988 and has been servicing as a shift supervisor for the past four years.

No More Coal Burning In Atikokan

Ontario Power Generation has burned its last piece of coal at its plant in Atikokan.

It happen Tuesday.

The facility is being converted so it can generate electricity from the burning of biomass by the end of 2014.

The temporary shutdown allows for further work at the plant to proceed.

Cost of conversion is pegged at about 170-million dollars.

Since it was first commissioned in 1985, the plant has generated over 19.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity using coal.

Tourism Centre Given To Rainy River

The town of Rainy River now owns a former Ontario Travel Information Centre in its community.

The province agreed to hand over the building to the town at no cost.

Mayor Deb Ewald says they hope to re-open the facility next spring as a tourist centre, but want to talk with the Rainy River Chamber of Commerce and Lake of the Woods township about being involved.

The centre was one of three closed in May as part of cost-saving measures by the province.

More Forest Fires In Rainy River District.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says the forest fire rating in northwestern Ontario is "Extremely High."

Nine new fires were reported yesterday, including two in the Rainy River district, both north of Emo.

One is near Bluffpoint Lake.

The other near Kaiashons Lake.

Two burning in Quetico Provincial Park have also grown in size, but no suppression efforts are immediately planned because they poise no threats.

Fire Danger High In Northeastern Minnesota

The fire danger in northern Minnesota is in the high to very high range, prompting a red flag warning by the National Weather Service because of continued dry conditions.

The National Forest Service has also placed a restriction on campfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area due to the high fire danger and the recent fires that have popped up in the area.

Local Provincial Test Scores Released

Area school boards are analysing the latest provincial test results written by their students in the spring.

The numbers for Grade 3 and 6 students in the Rainy River District School Board reaching the standards in reading, writing and math are slightly below provincial averages.

Education Director Heather Campbell says there are signs of improvement, especially in the writing and reading portions of the tests.

Overall test scores in math dropped, but Campbell says there have been improvements in some schools.

Catholic Board Students Do Well In Provincial Tests

Some strong results from students within the Northwest Catholic District School Board who wrote the provincial standardized tests in the spring.

The number of Grade 3 students who met or exceeded standards in writing was greater than the provincial average while the those in grade 6 equalled the average in reading and exceeded it in math.

Education Director Mary-Catherine Kelly says they're also seeing tremendous progress over the past five years, especially at the Grade 3 level.

Grade 6 scores have improved in most areas from 4 to 44 over per cent over the past five years.

US Congressman Attacked In TV Ad

A TV ad is taking direct aim at the a Minnesota Congressman who represents the northeastern region including Koochiching County.

It accuses Chip Cravaack of charging constituents to see him.

Outside groups are focusing on the 8th District race between Cravaack and Democrat Rick Nolan after Cravaack upset a long-serving Democratic incumbent two years ago.

Fire Marshall Investigates Fire

The Ontario Fire Marshall's Office is now involved in determining the cause of the fire at the Canadian Northern Hotel in Rainy River.

Monday's fire completely destroyed the 109 year old building.

No one was inside.

Firefighters from Rainy River, Baudette and Dawson Township were involved in battling the flames.

Officials with the Fire's Marshall's office are working with Rainy River Fire Department and OPP in hopes of identifying its cause.

Fort Frances Supports FCM Resolution

Fort Frances  is joining the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' call for more Federal and Provincial funding for infrastructure.

The call comes from the FCM's report card on infrastructure that states communities are reaching a breaking point when it comes to paying for infrastructure upgrades.

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.