Thursday, July 2, 2009

Quest for the Best Talent Winners

A rendition of Janis Joplin's song "Cry Baby" helped earn Brittany Hayes top spot at this year's Quest for the Best Talent held Tuesday night at the Memorial Sports Centre.

Hayes was the judges top choice among twenty other singers and dancers, taking home the 500-dollar top prize.

Katelyn Shortreed who sang "Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac was second. Donny Hollywood with his version of Bon Jovi's "Wanted, Dead or Alive" was third.

Sarah Callaway earned the new rookie award for first time competitors with her jazz dance performance.

Lottery Success

Nearly $14 thousand has been raised for Riverside Health Care Facilities.

Riverside Foundation for Health Care raised that money through its annual Canada Day Cash lottery held yesterday.

The money will go towards the purchase of equipment at Riverside's three hospitals and at Rainycrest.

The Grand Prize winner of ten thousand dollars was Donna Williamson of Fort Frances. Barb Turgeon of Fort Frances won $2,000. Marie Kreger of Rainy River won $1,000. The four $500 winners were Mervin Benjamin, Angela Dokuchie, Mark Addison of Fort Frances and Candy Greengrass-Teeple from Stratton.

Canada Day Celebrated

Hundreds of residents in the Rainy River district took part in Canada Day festivities yesterday.

Events in Fort Frances, Barwick and Rainy River drew people gathered to celebrate the country's 142nd birthday.

Fireworks displays were also held in Rainy River and Fort Frances.

The township of Emo held off its fireworks until this Saturday when it will be part of the stock car races at Emo Speedway.

Rowe Verdit Today

A Kenora judge is expected to render a verdict today on new charges laid against Ralph Rowe.

The former Anglican minister and Boy Scout master stood trial in April on 11 charges of sexual abuse involving seven individuals.

Two years ago, Rowe was convicted on 20 counts of sexual offences involving First Nations boys in northern Ontario between 1977 and 1987.

He served four and a half years of a six year sentence in 1994 for indecent and sexual assaults involving boys aged 6 to 16.

New Police Chief

International Falls new chief of police is looking forward to the challenges the lie ahead for his department.

Mike Musich was appointed to the position earlier this week, filling a vacancy left by the April retirement of Chris Raboin.

Musich doesn't anticipate much change to the level of policing the city has always enjoyed.

"Not right now," says Musich. "I'm sure that we'll look at a few different things as time goes on, but should pretty much remain the same.

Musich has 23 years experience in policing, 21 with the International Falls department.

Deer Problems Identified

Deer continue to be a problem in Fort Frances.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says their increase presence is related to the growing number of deer in the Rainy River district.

Area biologist Melissa Mosley says that's due to the weather.

"We have a number of really mild winters for the past years or so," says Mosley. "That's helped increase the deer population. The severe winters help drive down their numbers and we really haven't held a couple of back to back severe winters that would bring those numbers back down."

Mosley believes public feeding of deer is also contributing to the animals presence in area neighbourhoods which should be reduced through the town's by-law prohibiting such a practice.

Atikokan Mill Being Renovated

Work is underway to renovate the former Fibratech Plant in Atikokan.

Mayor Dennis Brown says Atikokan Renewable Fuels has finalized the purchase of the particle board plant.

"A group led by Ed Fukushima out of Thunder Bay have now gained ownership of the plant," says Brown, "Their plan is to make the necessary renovations to start producing wood pellets. They predict (operations to begin) in the first quarter of 2010.

The company is planning to invest an initial $15 million to convert the plant.

When the wood pellet operation is up and running, an anticipated 40 jobs will be created.