Riverside Health Care Advisory Issued

2009-05-01

13:31:29

People experiencing flu-like symptoms are being advised to stay away from area hospitals this weekend.

Riverside Health Care Facilities is recommending people experiencing a cough, high fever or diarrhea not to visit any of its facilities

Riverside says the precautionary measures is aimed at ensuring the safety of patients during this heightened awareness of the H1N1 flu.

Hospital officials says washing your hands frequently, coughing into your sleeve and not going to public can also prevent the spread of flu viruses.

Broncos Sports Results

2009-05-01

13:29:42

Plenty of high school sports yesterday for Falls High School teams.

The Broncos boys baseball team improved to 3-0 with a 13-4 win over Eveleth-Gilbert. Chad Sohlman went the distance for the win. Jake Casareto went 3 for 5 and 3 triples in the game.

The Broncos' junior varsity team improved to 2-1 on the season with a 4-1 win vs. Eveleth.

The Bronco's girls track and field team was third at a meet in Virginia. The team was led by Katie Solo who earned first place finishes in the Shot Put and Discuss.

Alicia Hendrickson placed second in the pole vault

Third place finishes were recorded by Helen Sobczynski in the 100 metres and Ariel Smith in the triple jump.

 

Racing Preps Take Place

2009-05-01

13:26:39

Preparations for this year's racing at Emo Speedway are about to get underway.

President of the Borderland Racing Association Anthony Leek says work at the track will be performed all next week in the evening. A work bee was scheduled for this Saturday, but moved to next weekend due to inclement weather.

The season gets underway May 16.

High School Soccer Underway

2009-05-01

13:25:49

The soccer season gets underway for the Fort Frances Muskies.

The boys team will open play this weekend in a tournament in Winnipeg.

The girls team travels to Thunder Bay for a series of exhibition games.

Loyalty Days In International Falls

2009-05-01

13:22:30

About 100 veterans and auxiliary members from northern Minnesota and Fort Frances are gathering in International Falls this weekend.

The local Veteran of Foreign Wars post is hosting District Loyalty Days. Commander of District 8 Terry Randolph says it coincides with similar events across the country.

"It's to show patriotism and loyalty to the United States," says Randolph. "and a gathering of VFW members so they can talk about things from the past year and upcoming events we might want to do in the coming year."

Among the events planned include a flag disposal ceremony to be held Saturday at 1:00 p.m. behind the VFW Post on 3rd Avenue.

The public is welcome to attend.

Inquest Nears End

2009-05-01

13:21:45

A coroner's inquest in Toronto into the case of two men who burned to death in a northern Ontario reserve jail-house fire is wrapping up.

Murray Klippenstein, a lawyer for the Kashechewan First Nation, says the decrepit jail would have been unacceptable in Toronto or any other non-aboriginal community in the country.

Police tried to free the two men but could not unlock their cells and had to flee, leaving them to die in January 2006.

Ombudsman Children

2009-05-01

08:38:43

The Ontario Ombudsman's Office says parents are still being forced to give up custody of their children in order to get care for them.

The Ombudsman's Office says it has received 26 complaints from parents in recent months.

All complained they were asked to give up custody of their child to a children's aid society to be placed in a residential care facility.

AbitibiBowater Pension Ruling Expected

2009-05-01

07:57:19

A court ruling could come down today on a union request to have AbitbiBowater respect a written agreement that allows staff to retire at age 57.

The agreement is to come into effect today.

But Company lawyers say the retirement allowance would cost AbitibiBowater about 68-million dollars million if 200 eligible workers were able to retire at 57 rather than 58.

Lawyers for the workers say the company has no right to decide unilaterally to scrap the retirement allowance without even discussing it with the union.

Emergency Personel Prepare for Road Work

2009-05-01

07:49:28

Road construction around the AbitibiBowater Biomass will impact access to LaVerendrye Hospital's emergency department and the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service's fire hall

Operations and Facilities Manager for the town of Fort Frances Doug Brown says that work will force some temporary changes at the hospital.

"In the next month or so, to access the emergency area, you will have to access it from Front Street effective Tuesday, May 5," says Brown.

The road work will also impact the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service. Brown says steps will be taken to ensure at least partial access to the fire hall with fire vehicles being placed elsewhere.

"They're going to take trucks out of that area. Put them in the public work yard or the ambulance base. The contractor's going to be working with them making sure that there's always access (to the hall) in case there is a fire."

Work on the roads is to begin Monday.

New Drinking and Driving Laws in Place

2009-05-01

07:47:57

Ontario motorists have tough new impaired driving laws to think about.

As of today, there's a three-day licence suspension for drivers caught with a blood alcohol level between 0.05 to 0.08.

Drivers caught for a second time with a blood-alcohol level in the so-called "warn range" now face a one-week suspension. They'll also have to attend an alcohol education program. If caught a third time, they'll lose their licence for a month and be required to have an ignition interlock condition placed on their licence for six months. The roadside licence suspensions cannot be appealed.

A law that would impose a zero blood alcohol limit on drivers 21 and under is expected to come into effect next summer.

Swine Flu in Minnesota

2009-04-30

07:46:57

Minnesota has confirmed a case of swine flu in the state.

The Minnesota Department of Health says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case in a person with ties to a school in Cold Spring, northwest of Minneapolis.

More than 100 people in the U.S. have now been confirmed with the flu.

Pension Protection Demanded

2009-04-30

07:44:37

As the union representing AbitibiBowater workers asked a court judge today to deny the company from stopping pension payments for workers, criticism was also being levelled against the provincial government.

Opposition members say the government is trying pass its obligations toward the Ontario Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund, set up to pay pensioners in the event of a bankruptcy, to the federal government.

N-D-P member Paul Miller told the legislature workers should be able to count on their pensions being safe.

"People who work hard all their lives defer their earnings to a pension plan," says Miller. "The least they should expect is that when it comes to the end of their working days, they can count on the retirement income that they put away over decades. And yet, unbelievably, we apparently have a company called AbitibiBowater going to court to suspend pension payments towards its unfunded liabilities for workers. We have a government that is trying to deflect the blame to the federal government when in fact, Minister, the majority of the responsibility falls on your shoulders."

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the province has been working with companies to ensure the security of those pensions.

New Mining Act Unveiled

2009-04-30

07:42:58

Changes to Ontario's Mining Act will recognize Aboriginal and treaty rights, but stop short of giving First Nations communities a share of mining revenues.

Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle says the changes include a provision to make significant Aboriginal cultural sites off limits to claim staking. The legislation will address conflicts between mineral exploration companies and what the government calls "surface rights holders." The bill would withdraw mining rights in southern Ontario where surface rights are privately held.

In northern Ontario, private land holders could apply for a withdrawal, but the mineral potential of the land would have to be considered before the withdrawal would be approved. The changes will also broaden the list of lands not open to staking, and require better notification of private land owners after a claim is staked but before exploration begins.

The government will also phase in a map-based staking system to eliminate the need for prospectors to enter private property to take claims, starting in southern Ontario.

Teachers Ratify Deal

2009-04-30

07:40:45

he Rainy River District School Board's full time and occassional elementary teachers have ratified new collective agreements.

No details of the four-year deals are being released at this time pending a ratification vote by trustees next week.

But local union president for the elementary teachers' union Sharon Preston says teachers are satisfied.