Here are some of the top stories from the Rainy River district in March 2010
The Rainy River District School Board stayed with Robert Moore as the name of its new elementary school in Fort Frances. A section of the school to open in September will be renamed after F.H. Huffman.
Rainy River Community College announced it would be reduce the tuition paid by new Ontario students to the same level paid by Minnesota students. The move is aimed at attracting more Canadians to the International Falls college.
A report commissioned by the town of Fort Frances makes a number of recommendations aimed at improving the town's ability to attract and retain physicians. The key recommendation is creating an environment that welcomes doctors.
Former NHLer Theoren Fleury visits the Rainy River district to help promote his book "Playing with Fire" that outlines his career and past additions to drugs and alcohol. Fleury visited area schools, met with local hockey teams and spoke at a community forum.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton and Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty called on the public to make implementation of the harmonized sales tax an election issue. The two held an on-line discussion on the merging of the provincial and federal goods and services sales tax this July.
Area municipalities were being asked to reconsider the formula used to determine how much money they contributed toward social services in the district. The town of Atikokan put forward a formula based on each municipalities assessment.
An area businessman called on the town of Fort Frances reconsider any discussions of tearing down the former Rainy Lake Hotel. Mario Galluzo, president of Causeway Insurance, suggested the hotel could be renovated into a facility that helps foster the development of small businesses.
The town of Fort Frances opts not to accept any further weddings at Sunny Cove Camp after hearing concerns from an area hotel owner. Paul Noonan of La Place Rendez-Vous said catered weddings at the camp placed the town in direct competition with the private sector.
Osisko Mining takes over Brett Resources in an all-share deal worth $372-million. The deal includes Brett's Hammond Reef exploration project near Atikokan.
The forest fire season in northwestern Ontario got an early start with some of the first fires breaking out in the Rainy River district. It prompted municipalities to impose burning bans until the situation eased.
