Emo Walleye Classic Coming Up

2009-05-25

13:30:18

The countdown begins for the first fishing tournament of the year in the Rainy River district.

The Emo Walleye Classic will kick off Thursday with the annual boat parade. As many a 60 teams will take to Rainy River Friday and Saturday. Co-chair Ed Carlson says water levels should not be a problem for anglers this year.

"The river is high this year," says Carlson, "but it's clear and clean. One of the good things about it being high is that it's been high all year and all of the debris in the river has washed away."

Carlson says the event can still use volunteers. Anyone wanting to help out can visit the Emo-LaVallee arena anytime this week.

Steve Ballan and Doug McBride return as defending champions.

Labour Talks for LCBO Workers

2009-05-25

13:29:15

The LCBO and the union representing thousands of workers are meeting tomorrow for contract talks.

If those negotiations fail, workers have voted 93 per cent in favour of striking.

The union says full-time positions are being replaced by part-time and contract work.

But the LCBO says contract jobs are necessary because there's a peak in demand at certain times of the year, such as Christmas and summer.

The contract for about six-thousand LCBO workers expired at the end of March.

Scare at Ignace LCBO

2009-05-25

13:28:21

A nervous incident for LCBO workers in Ignace.

OPP were called to the town's LCBO outlet last Friday after staff found a black wire coming out of the cap of a wine bottle that was attached to a plastic device with touch pad buttons.

An investigation revealed the device was a temperature data tracker that had been put in some global shipments as an experiment to record temperatures.

The LCBO said it was not aware of such experiment.

College Program Returns

2009-05-25

13:26:10

Confederation College is bringing back a developmental service worker program to the campus in Fort Frances.

It's been nearly a decade since the campus offered the two-year diploma program. Kim Lepine of the Association for Community Living Fort Frances and District welcomes its return.

"Our agency loves to hire people who are trained in this area, as well as other social services areas," says Lepine. "Schools will look for these people as well as other social services agencies."

The college is currently accepting applications for the fall program.

Catholic Board Budget Proposed

2009-05-25

13:20:33

The Northwest Catholic District School Board is out with a balanced budget.

Revenues and expenditures total more than 16 and a half million dollars.

Director of Education Mary-Catherine Kelly says they balanced the budget, despite a number of challenges that stood in their way.

"Despite a $122 thousand reduction in the transportation funding, our transportation costs are anticipated to rise by about $28 thousand next year," said Kelly. "This is the primarily the result of some increased costs associated with our noon hour transportation because our board does continue to offer the lunch hour kindergarten transportation and our administration and our board continue to support that initiative."

Textbook and classroom expenditures will decrease by $6,000 in response to a grant reduction of $151 thousand.

Trustees will vote on the budget June 20.

Council Meeting in Fort Frances

2009-05-25

13:17:45

The construction season is now upon us.

Tonight, Fort Frances town council will get an update on work taking place or planned this year from Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown. So far, the only road work underway is along Victoria Avenue and Nelson Street near AbitibiBowater's biomass boiler. Union Gas has also started its replacement of old gas lines and metres.

A number of by-laws are also before town councillors. One formalizes the contract with Tom Jones Corporation for the second phase of the Heritage Tourism Project. This includes the moving of the tugboat Hallet and former fire tower to the waterfront. Council is also expected to support a by-law allowing authorized town staff to perform civil marriages after hours and on weekends.

During the in-camera portion session of their meeting, councillors will be discussing an issue surrounding the Kiwanis' Sunny Cove Camp. Later council will look at a infrastructure grant application for the park.

The public portion of tonight's meeting begins at around 6:25 p.m.