Lipizzaner Stallions Coming

The "world famous" Lipizzaner Stallions are coming to Fort Frances.

A performance at the 52 Canadians Arena on August 28th is part of a 40th-anniversary tour through northwestern Ontario.

Tickets for the show, presented by B-93, are now on sale at Northwoods Gallery and Gifts or from Tickets-dot-com.

Halt in Logging Requested

An environmental group is urging Ontario to halt all logging and road building in endangered woodland caribou habitat.

The Wildlands League says six out of nine known populations below the 51st parallel are at risk of collapsing.

The group says the habitats of six caribou populations have already been disturbed by logging and fires and may not be able to sustain the animals.

Woodland caribou are among the first species to be actively protected under Ontario's new Endangered Species Act.

Supportive Housing Funding

The North West Local Health Integration Network is investing over 188-thousand dollars in the region.

The money will go towards 16 supportive housing units to help people living with addictions increase stability and security in their lives.

The supportive housing units will also help reduce pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

A list of specific housing units benefiting has not been released.

"JUST DRIVE" Campaign

("Just Drive" billboard posted on the rear of a transport to alert drivers of things they shouldn't be doing when driving - Photo Courtesy Highway Safety Committee in NWO)

Eating, using your cellphone and texting while driving are all activities the Highway Safety Committee in Northwestern Ontario wants to eliminate.

It's launched a new campaign called "Just Drive."

OPP Sergeant Rod Brown says that message will also be posted on the back of area transport trucks.

"It's a matter of trying to raise this awareness so people start thinking about it," says Brown, "and are less accepting of the person they are driving with or other motorists when they see them trying to text-message, receive e-mails, talk on the phone or do other things that takes their mind off the road and the task at hand and that's driving."

A provincial ban on the use of cellphones while driving comes into effect in October.

Health Unit to Check Camp Water Systems

The Northwestern Health Unit is taking over the responsibilities of testing the water systems at area resorts and fly-in fishing camps from the Ministry of Environment.

To help, the province is providing the health unit with more than 300-thousand dollars for travel and training.

The Health Unit estimates it will take about three years to inspect the more than 12-hundred water systems in the Kenora and Rainy River districts.

Border Numbers Decline in May

The number of Americans visiting northwestern Ontario continues to decline.

Statistics Canada says about 32-thousand Americans entered Canada at the border in Fort Frances in May

That's about 2-thousand fewer crossings than the same period in 2008.

At Rainy River, 6-thousand entered Canada, a drop of about 500 from a year ago.

Deer Problems Reviewed

Public awareness and education is being seen as the most practical solution in dealing with deer in the town of Fort Frances.

Town officials met recently with representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The Ministry supports the town's wildlife feeding by-law which prohibits the feeding of deer within town limits, but feels it will still be a couple of years before the deer are impacted.

Plans are in the work to have Ministry personnel discuss the district's deer population and how it relates to Fort Frances at an upcoming council meeting.

State Aid Front and Centre

A loss in state aid is the focus of attention of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities this week.

The state's municipal representatives are in Brainard after their annual conference.

International Falls City Administrator Rod Otterness says the lost of state aid has impacted many communities.

"Rural communities are in a position where they don't have sufficient property taxing ability to pay for necessary municipal services for their communities," says Otterness. "Local government aid was developed over thirty years ago to address this problem."

International Falls will lose over $700-thousand in state aid over the next two years.

Otterness says with Governor Tim Pawlenty stepping down next year, municipal lobbying efforts over the next few months will be aimed at key their representatives in the state legislature.

Tax Bills Now Out

Residents living in the province's unorganized townships are just now beginning to receive their tax bills.

The bills were to be issued at the end of June.

A Ministry of Revenue spokesperson says because of a change in the billing process, the ministry wanted to ensure there were no mistakes before they were sent own.

Anna Giannini says instalment dates for payment of August 15th and September 15 will remain in place.

Hampton Speaks Out

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says residents concern with plans of a native youth centre in Alberton township are unfounded.

Hampton spoke to township council last night about Weechi-it-ti-win Family Services' plans to relocate its Training and Learning Centre to property on Highway 11 near Ducharme Road. He
says residents should not fear the centre.

"These kids are no kids in trouble with criminal law," says Hampton. "These kids who are in need of help. They're kids who are at-risk and that's why children's aid societies establish group homes to help kids like that and help them integrate into the community."

Hampton says concerns expressed in Alberton are not unlike those expressed when T-L-C first opened in Watten township and says those worries proved be to untrue.

Council is expected to review the rezoning application at its next meeting in August.