Local Sports for Tuesday January 5

Fort Frances and International Falls will renew acquaintances on the ice tonight as the Muskies host the Broncos in boys hockey at the Ice for Kids Arena at 7 o'clock.

The Broncos won a 4-3 game on Boxing Day.


The Muskies boys basketball and girls volleyball teams resume their NORWOSSA play today with games in Dryden.

The Broncos girls basketball team is on the road to Babbitt-Embarrass and the Broncos boys swim and dive team is in Eveleth for a meet.

First District Baby Born

It took just three days into the new year for the Rainy River district to welcome the first baby of 2010.

Princess Lillian Gibbins was born at La Verendrye Hospital 2:33 a.m. Sunday weighing in at 7 pounds 13 ounces.

Little Princess is the third child of Jocelyn Gibbins and Ryan Big George of Big Island First Nation.

Torch Run Leaves Ontario

The Olympic torch begins its final Ontario leg this morning in Kenora.

It then heads to Manitoba, ending the day in Winnipeg.

Sadly, bitter cold forced the torch celebrations indoors yesterday in Dryden.

An outdoor site had been turned into an Olympic grounds, with five two-metre ice Inukshuks that were painted in Olympic colours.

RIDE Stats for NWO Released

OPP in Northwestern Ontario nabbed 43 driver for impaired driving over the past month.

The charges stem from a stepped up enforcement during the Holiday season.

Another 43 motorists had their licenses suspended for recording a blood alcohol level in the so-called warn range.

Men's Hockey Planned at Rainy River College

A new men's hockey program is in the works for Rainy River Community College.

Jeff Wickstrom says they're hopeful to begin play as early as this month.

"We ended up with quite a few students on campus this year that are hockey players due to the baseball program," says Wickstrom, "and local players who decided to stay in the area. I working to put together a team for the spring semester."

Last night, International Falls city council agreed to provide a one-time grant of $3,600 for start-up costs.

Wickstrom says the goal is to have the program fully funded through the College.

He's hoping to follow the path taken by the College's women's hockey program which won two national championships just a few years after being developed.

Unallotment Ruling Discussed

Minnesota legislators say they still trying to determine the impact of a recent court ruling that declared Governor Tim Pawlenty overstepped his bounds by using the executive power of unallotment to unilaterally reduce spending.

Speaking at International Falls city council last night, house representative Tom Anzelc said civic leaders need to have patience while the issue gets sorted out.

"I'm advising all local election officials, school boards, county commissioners, city councils, town board just to be patience because we don't know where this will take Minnesota," said Anzelc.

Pawlenty is appeal the ruling which Anzelc hopes can be dealt with shortly.

Name Use Opposed

The Rainy River Federation of Agriculture says it will oppose a plan by a Toronto-area company to use the term Rainy River in its name.

The federation recently learned the firm based in Maple, Ontario registered with Industry Canada to use the name Rainy River Cereal.

But president Rick Neilson says there's no connection to the district's own agricultural industry.

"It's really identify theft," says Neilson. "It's taking our good name and using it without any connection to the Rainy River district or products in the district. It's only logical that any thing with Rainy River on it should have some connection to Rainy River."

The group has until February 9 to file its opposition.