Casino Question Up For Public Input

The Casino question comes to Fort Frances council tonight for the public to have its say.

Council is considering the question on the ballot for this fall's municipal elections that asks if residents support the town pursuing the idea of a casino further with Ontario Lottery and Gaming.

A public meeting will take place at 7 PM at the Civic Centre.

Council will consider giving its approval to the question later this month.

New Marketing Brand Release

Fort Frances, Boundless - it's the new brand being proposed for marketing purposes for the town.

Officials with Calgary-based Twist Marketing will unveil the brand and its logo to town council at their meeting tonight.

It's been working on the concept since last fall.

New Lottery To Help Local Groups

The Voyageur Lion's Club is using a new 50-50 draw to help fund a variety of organizations.

During the months of April and May, proceeds will go to the Robert Moore School Breakfast program.

Club member Diana Larocque says they'll select a new cause every two months.

The draw costs a twoonie and draw envelopes can be found at six different locations throughout Fort Frances.

Draws are made at the first over every month.

Area food banks were the recipient of first draw.

No Concern With Measles Here

Northwestern Ontario seems immune when it comes to the measles outbreak in the country.

 

Northwestern Health Unit's Donna Stanley says the region has taken proper precautions.

 

Stanley says over 95 per cent of residents have been vaccinated against the disease.

 

While no cases have been reported here, Manitoba has seen 4 cases this year.

On-Line Filing Available Again

After a four day shutdown, the Canada Revenue Agency has reopened the services section of its website.

 

This means you can now file your tax returns online again as well as make payments and access all other e-services through the web.

 

The site was taken down amid security concerns with the "Heartbleed" bug.

Governor To Approve Minnesota Minimum Wage Hike

Fibonacci Blue photo

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is expected to sign off on a bill today that will bring that State's minimum wage to $9.50 an hour with subsequent increases indexed to inflation.

 

The bill passed at the State Capital last week although Republicans opposed it, worried businesses would increase prices or cut jobs to offset the hike.

Minimum Wage Campaign Continues

The campaign to bring Ontario's minimum wage to $14.00 an hour continues where a number of supporters are planning a province-wide day to action today.
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The wage goes to $11.00 this summer, but social advocates says it still leaves many low-wage earners well below the poverty line.

Beaver Trapping Season Extended

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is extending the beaver trapping season in the State an extra two weeks.

 

It was scheduled to end April 30.

 

Officials says prolonged ice cover prompted trapping to go until May 15.

 

Trapper must make some modification to their traps to avoid catching otters.

Water Study Proposed

Algae blooms, invasive species and climate change.

Those are just some of the topics being considered for further study by the Rainy-Lake of the Woods International Watershed Board.

Spokesperson Kelly Saunders says a rough draft of their proposal is going to the International Joint Commission for its consideration.

Saunders says public meetings will be held this summer once their draft has been approved.

Festival Enters Final Week

The Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts is in its final week with competition in English drama getting underway at 9 AM at the Townshend Theatre.

Local playwright Tracy Gibson serves at adjudicator.

We Day In Rainy River And Baudette

A message of inspiration for students today in the Rainy River and Baudette areas.

Rainy River High School is holding its annual mini WE Day at Baudette's Lake of the Woods School.

Student Jeffrey Marchuk say the theme is "Follow Your Dream."

Among those to speak to students include Canadian R and B singer Flo, and Rainy River High School alumnus Phil McGreevy who now works in the Winnipeg Jets front office.

Road Maintenance Review Sought

Supplied photo

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell wants a legislative committee review winter road maintenance in Ontario.  

 

Campbell says highways in the region were unsafe almost the entire winter and feels Transportation Minister Glen Murray took very little action to respond.

 

Campbell's motion will be voted on next week at Queen's Park.

Flaherty Remembered

Shock across the country at the death of longtime federal finance minister Jim Flaherty.

 

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says the news came as a complete surprise.

 

Flaherty had just retired from politics a month ago.

 

Federal Natural Resources Minister and Kenora MP Greg Rickford says he'll remember his former colleague fondly.

 

Flaherty was 64.

More ORNGE Concerns From Pilots

Pilots with Ontario's air ambulance service are sounding the alarm bells again about the helicopters they must fly.

Conservative MPP Frank Klees says they're worried about a helicopter that's been deployed to Moosennee, he says is one of the oldest in ORNGE's fleet.

The helicopter is the same model that crashed almost a year ago near Moosenee, killing all four on board.

Area Business Leaders Meet

The Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce are holding their annual general meeting in Geraldton this weekend.

Chamber representatives from across the region are discussing a number of topics from mining, hydro and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

Clean Water Act Changes Concerning

U.S. Fish & Wildlife photo

A proposal to clarify which types of water bodies in the United States fall under the Clean Water Act is drawing concern from Koochiching County.

 

Commissioner Wade Pavleck says any progress made over wetlands could be reversed if the act goes ahead.

 

The changes to the act were the result of two federal court rulings that brought into question where the Act applies.

 

A 90-day comment period is currently underway which Koochiching County intends to respond.

Science Fair Winners

Three intermediate students in the Rainy River district have earns berths to a Canada-wide science fair.

Hanna LeDrew's project Catch of the Day was named Best in Fair at a regional event in Fort Frances last weekend.

Byron Stewart and Graham Anderson's project "A Smart Case" was second.

Hayden Geary's look at Solar Heaters was best in Best in Fair in the junior division.

Here is a list of all winners

Junior Division
Experiment/Study Category

1st Kathryn Fischer and Zakary Kellar – Handwashing 101   
2nd Corbin Riches—Investigating Influenza   
3rd Hallee Nugent—To Burn or Not to Burn 

Honourable Mention:
Madison Rheault—Does Temperature Effect Magnetism

Innovation Category

1st Hayden Geary—Solar Heaters   
2nd Simone Payne and Cassidy Roach—Halt! No More Salt!   
3rd Kolten Gagne—Energizing Wind 

Best In Fair

1st  GOLD Hayden Geary   
2nd SILVER Kathryn Fischer and Zakary Kellar   
3rd BRONZE Corbin Riches 

Intermediate Division
Experiment/Study Category

1st Erin Green—Tupperware Test   
2nd Maria Gilbert—Getting a ‘Grater’ Clean   
3rd Seanna Geary—Seeing in Believing 

Honourable Mention:
Jasper  Crow—Electrical Current Flow

Innovation Category

1st Hanna LeDrew—Catch of the Day   
2nd Byron Stewart and Graham Anderson—A Smarter Case   
3rd Alexander Laevens—Uncanny Convection 

Best In Fair

1st  GOLD Hanna LeDrew—Catch of the Day   
2nd SILVER Byron Stewart and Graham Anderson—A Smart Case   
3rd BRONZE Erin Green—Uncanny Convection 

Heritage Money Being Announced Today

There are announcements coming down today from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle will make announcements in Thunder Bay for four projects.

It's not clear if any of that money will be for projects in our region.

An application for funding for the $1.2 million development of a market square in downtown Fort Frances was sent to the Corporation just last month.

Another $2-million dollar request for a tile drainage project in the west end of the Rainy River district is also before the Corporation.

Goldcorp Offers New Bid

Goldcorp has upped the ante for Osisko Mining.

It's put forward a proposal valued at $3.6 billion.

Osisko has been trying to stave off Goldcorp's advances with a deal with Yamana Gold that would see it earn a 50-50 stake in Osisko's mining and exploration projects.

Premier Defend Chief of Staff

Premier Kathleen Wynne is fighting back against opposition accusations that her chief of staff is getting paid too much.

 

The Conservative says Tim Teahen earned $344-thousand last year, but wasn't disclosed in the public salaries list.

 

Wynne says that's not true and accuses the Tories of gutter politics.

 

Wynne says Teahen's salary is in line with other that of past chiefs of staff.