Fort Frances High School Music teacher John Dutton directed the school band at the Townsend Theatre for his last time last week.
With it came the news that the school's Arts Wing would be renamed in his honour. The Rainy River District School Board agreed to the renaming by acting on a request from several members of the school band.
Dutton who retires at the end of this month was overwhelmed.
"I didn't think you got an honour like that if you were still among of the living," says Dutton. "I told people at the concert I was happy for the honour and happy to be alive to receive it. But I was a little overwhelmed by it because it's an amazing thing. I'm just here doing my job."
Dutton will do his job one last time when he directs the band a final time at the school's graduation ceremonies.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Lowey's Produce Honoured
An area greenhouse has been honoured by the province.
Lowey's Produce was one of five regional winners of the Premier's Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Awards.
Owner Blair Lowey says they were recognized for their efforts to become more energy efficient which included the installation of a biomass boiler.
"Putting in a biomass boiler helps because we don't use natural gas," says Lowey. "Our electrical energy consumption has been substantially reduced so in both of those we're being recognized for that."
The measures have helped Lowey's reduce its energy costs by almost 40 per cent.
Lowey's Produce was one of five regional winners of the Premier's Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Awards.
Owner Blair Lowey says they were recognized for their efforts to become more energy efficient which included the installation of a biomass boiler.
"Putting in a biomass boiler helps because we don't use natural gas," says Lowey. "Our electrical energy consumption has been substantially reduced so in both of those we're being recognized for that."
The measures have helped Lowey's reduce its energy costs by almost 40 per cent.
DayCare Changes Proposed
The author of a long-anticipated report into education in Ontario says sweeping changes that would combine daycare and kindergarten into a single full-day program will mean greater success for children.
Charles Pascal says these changes will also provide a boost to the well-being of student's families.
Premier Dalton McGuinty gave Pascal, a former deputy minister of education, a two-year appointment to advise the province on how to implement full-day kindergarten.
The report recommends that parents be able to leave children aged four and five at school from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Parents, however, would still have a choice about whether their kids would be enrolled for a full or half-day of kindergarten.
The report says children who attend full-day programs before Grade 1 fare better academically and have better social skills.
Charles Pascal says these changes will also provide a boost to the well-being of student's families.
Premier Dalton McGuinty gave Pascal, a former deputy minister of education, a two-year appointment to advise the province on how to implement full-day kindergarten.
The report recommends that parents be able to leave children aged four and five at school from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Parents, however, would still have a choice about whether their kids would be enrolled for a full or half-day of kindergarten.
The report says children who attend full-day programs before Grade 1 fare better academically and have better social skills.
First Nations hit by N1H1
The H-1-N-1 flu has hit First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario, with more than 100 sick on the Sandy Lake reserve.
Nurses and a doctor are distributing the antiviral drug Tamiflu to the sick.
Authorities have asked people from Sandy Lake to not travel to other First Nations communities in the region to keep the virus from spreading.
Nurses and a doctor are distributing the antiviral drug Tamiflu to the sick.
Authorities have asked people from Sandy Lake to not travel to other First Nations communities in the region to keep the virus from spreading.
No Changes to Hospitals' H1N1 Measures
Despite a rise in the pandemic alert over the H-1-N-1 Flu virus, Riverside Health Care Facilities says it has no plans to increase its precautionary measures.
Riverside is still recommending people experiencing any flu-like symptoms not to visit the hospitals or Rainycrest.
Self-screening and hand washing procedures also remain in effect.
Riverside is still recommending people experiencing any flu-like symptoms not to visit the hospitals or Rainycrest.
Self-screening and hand washing procedures also remain in effect.
Emergency Ramp Entrance Changed
Road construction around LaVerendrye Hospital will impact access to the emergency department ramp from Victoria Avenue this week.
Effective tomorrow, the emergency ramp at La Verendrye will only be accessible from Sinclair Street off of Armit Avenue.
Effective tomorrow, the emergency ramp at La Verendrye will only be accessible from Sinclair Street off of Armit Avenue.
Infrastructure Funding for Area Communities
The townships of Dawson and LaVallee each benefited from three infrastructure announcements Friday.
Dawson township will use more than $95 thousand dollars on an addition to its fire hall in Pinewood, $66 thousand to upgrade River Road and about $58 thousand to improve Atwood Road 2.
LaVallee received $64 thousand dollars to rehabilitate Cain Road, $28 thousand for work on Pyne Road and $24 thousand for a retrofit of the Emo-LaVallee Community Centre.
Rainy River received $280 thousand to refurbish its municipal garage and fire hall and another $30 thousand for upgrades to its municipal office.
$83 thousand will go to Emo to rebuild Fisher Road.
The township of Alberton will get $125 thousand for its fire hall while the township of Morley received $54 thousand for improvement to its Community Centre complex.
Dawson township will use more than $95 thousand dollars on an addition to its fire hall in Pinewood, $66 thousand to upgrade River Road and about $58 thousand to improve Atwood Road 2.
LaVallee received $64 thousand dollars to rehabilitate Cain Road, $28 thousand for work on Pyne Road and $24 thousand for a retrofit of the Emo-LaVallee Community Centre.
Rainy River received $280 thousand to refurbish its municipal garage and fire hall and another $30 thousand for upgrades to its municipal office.
$83 thousand will go to Emo to rebuild Fisher Road.
The township of Alberton will get $125 thousand for its fire hall while the township of Morley received $54 thousand for improvement to its Community Centre complex.
More Library Funding Approved
Another one-point-nine million dollars in government funding is heading toward the new library and technology centre in Fort Frances.
The joint federal-provincial money was part of infrastructure funding announced to a host of Rainy River district communities late Friday.
Library Board Chair Joyce Cunningham says it should help solidify the project's construction this year.
"I'm very much appreciative of all of these levels of government," says Cunningham. "I'm very much appreciative of all that has been done in order to get us this far. I'm very confident that we will be moving ahead very, very quickly."
Town councillors must still approve a construction contract. They had rejected a contract in April over concerns with the amount of money the town would have to provide. With the new money, the town's contribution is believed to be significantly reduced.
The joint federal-provincial money was part of infrastructure funding announced to a host of Rainy River district communities late Friday.
Library Board Chair Joyce Cunningham says it should help solidify the project's construction this year.
"I'm very much appreciative of all of these levels of government," says Cunningham. "I'm very much appreciative of all that has been done in order to get us this far. I'm very confident that we will be moving ahead very, very quickly."
Town councillors must still approve a construction contract. They had rejected a contract in April over concerns with the amount of money the town would have to provide. With the new money, the town's contribution is believed to be significantly reduced.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
