Emo Walley Classic Kicks Off

2009-05-28

12:43:58

More than 60 angler teams will be vying for more than $40 thousand dollars in cash prizes at this year's Emo Walleye Classic.

It kicks off with a boat parade down Front Street beginning at around 5:30 p.m.

At the Emo-LaVallee Arena, the penny table opens with raffle tickets available. The Muskies Girls Hockey Club will be holding its fish fry beginning at 5 p.m.

Volunteer check-in will be held between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The anglers meeting will happen at 7:30 p.m. with awards presented to the parade participants.

The actual fishing on the Rainy River begins tomorrow with the first boats leaving the Front Street boat launch at 8:00 a.m. 

Atikokan Museum Funding

2009-05-28

12:43:18

A renovation of Atikokan's Centennial Museum has been helped by some federal dollars.

The museum will use about $35 thousand toward its plans to upgrade equipment and create new exhibition space.

Two new permanent exhibition halls will be created as well as a gallery for temporary exhibits.

Ear Falls Mill Still Down

2009-05-28

12:42:41

Downtime at the Ear Falls Sawmill has been extended.

The Domtar operation was scheduled to come back on-line shortly, but the start-up date has been pushed back to July 6.

The Mill has been shut down since early April.

The Dryden Pulp Mill is scheduled to re-start in early July as well.

 

Border Crossings Down

2009-05-28

12:42:01

Some early indication of what it may be like for the tourist industry in Rainy River this year.

Statistics Canada says the number of American visitors crossing into the district at Fort Frances and Rainy River during the first three months of this year was down about 16 per cent over the same quarter a year ago.

The number of Canadians passing through the two border points was down 10 per cent.

Customer Service Awards

2009-05-28

12:32:41

The Rainy River Future Development Corporation handed out its annual awards for customer service last night.

Fifteen businesses received awards or honourable mentions.

Coordinator Wanda Botsford says as well as visiting participating businesses, mystery shoppers checked out the websites that some businesses promoted.

"In those cases, our secretive shoppers evaluated the website," says Botsford. "They also checked to see how they were responding to e-mails. They sent out e-mails to the businesses and tracking how long it took to get answers back."

Botsford says businesses were also evaluated on how well they responded to customer inquirers over the telephone and what they did to help the disabled and seniors.

The top 10 business, in no particular order, were Cloverleaf Grocery (Emo), Enterprise Rent-a-Car (Fort Frances), Fort Frances Clinic Dispensary, Fort Frances General Supply, NCDS (Fort Frances), Northridge Funeral Home (Emo), Revco Carpet Centre (Fort Frances), Super 8 (Fort Frances), Woods Quality Bakery (Rainy River), and Northern Lights Credit Union, Rainy River branch.

Honourable Mentions went to Celestes (Fort Frances), Crozier Warehouse/Busy Bee Auto Glass (Fort Frances), Northwoods Gallery and Gifts (Fort Frances), Vianet Internet Solutions (Fort Frances), and Warehouse One (Fort Frances). 

 

Chamber President Stepping Down

2009-05-28

12:31:53

A recognized leader for northwestern Ontario's business community is leaving the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce.

Mary Long-Irwin, who has served as president of the chamber for the past nine years, will step down at the end of June.

Long-Irwin says it was a difficult decision to make, but felt it was time to move on to something new.

Sexual Assault in Dryden

2009-05-28

12:31:09

A Florida man is behind bars in northwestern Ontario, charged with attempted sexual assault in a case involving a 16-year-old girl.

Police say the man posed as a grocery store security guard in Dryden.

He allegedly lured the teen into his car on May 5, but the girl managed to escape unharmed.

Sixty-seven-year-old Kenneth Luedtke appears in court Friday.

Police say the man has a summer home in the Dryden area.

West Nile Surveillance Changes

2009-05-28

12:27:50

West Nile season is approaching!

Northwestern Health Unit Environmental Health Officer Al Mathers says there will be changes to the surveillance program this year.

"The bird collection program has been scrapped," says Mathers. "It really is not necessary anymore. We know the virus does circulate through the avian population so the data we would collect is redundant. The mosquito trapping will be the only surveillance program for vector-borne diseases right now.

Mathers says mosquito trapping will be taking place in Dryden, Kenora and Fort Frances starting in July.

 

Regional Hospital Impacted by Chalk River Shutdown

2009-05-28

12:26:36

Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre says the shortage of medical isotopes may force it to postpone some of its procedures that require the isotopes.

The Chalk River reactor, that produces half the global supply of radioactive isotopes used in medical imaging, will be down for at least three months for repairs.

It was shut down May 15 after a power outage in parts of eastern Ontario and a heavy-water leak was detected the next day.

Hospital officials say they've received about half of the isotopes they usually gets, forcing them to identify priority cases to maximize supply.

Foundation Hands Over Money

2009-05-28

12:23:01

Riverside Foundation for Health Care has turned over money raised last year to Riverside Health Care Facilities.

The funding totals 391-thousand dollars.

Foundation Director Teresa Hazel says its the public that has to be applauded for the money.

"Absolutely," says Hazel. "All of the donations to the hospital come through the hospital auxiliaries, Rainycrest Auxiliary, service clubs, individuals, organizations, in memoriam donations, donations in honour of people. It just shows how much those donations make a difference in our health care system."

Three hundred thousand dollars covers part of the Foundation's $1.5 million pledge made for the new CT Scanner at LaVerendrye hospital.

The remaining $91 thousand will be used on other equipment purchases at all three area hospitals and Rainycrest.

Food Bank Numbers Up

2009-05-28

12:20:57

The Salvation Army says its seeing a rise in the number of people using its food bank.

Captain Angel Sandoval says they've seen a 20 per cent jump over the past couple of months.

He attributed the increase to the economy.

"With the economic situation we live with right now," says Sandoval, "it's really difficult, especially for families with kids and those who have lost their job. I think together we can do something different for them and continue helping them."

The Salvation Army is near the funding of its Red Shield Appeal Campaign, but Sandoval says the appeal for help is becoming a year round.