Regional Strategic Plan Considered

There's a move to do some strategic planning for the entire Rainy River district.

Area representatives gathered this week to determine the interest of such an exercise.

Rainy River Councillor Gord Armstrong helped spearhead the meeting.

"If you look at each municipalities they're trying to do their own little thing," says Armstrong. "That's great. We want them to do that, but it's time we look at the district as a whole because we have things across the district that if we work together it would be wiser to do that."

Armstrong says more details on how the process would work will come to area municipal leaders when they gather for their annual meeting in January.

AbitibiBowater Out of Bankrupcty Protection

AbitibiBowater has finally emerged from 20 months of creditor protection.

The company says its transformed itself into a lower-cost forest products company better able to withstand slowing demand for newsprint.

The Toronto Stock Exchange says new shares in the Montreal-based company will begin trading today.

Resource Sharing Agreement Signing

Representatives from Osisko Mining and several area First Nations will sit down later today to sign a new Resource Sharing agreement pertaining to the company's Hammond Reef project near Atikokan.

The document provides for ongoing dialogue between the company and first nations and for employment and training opportunities for native people.

First Nations communities signing the document will also receive shares in Osisko as milestones in exploration and development are reached.

Julian Austin Returning

(Julian Austin during 2010 Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship)

Another fundraiser is in the works for the Fort Frances Community Chest.

Fort Frances Chamber manager Anthony Mason says Canadian country artist Julian Austin has agreed to return to the community to help the fund.

"He graciously donated to come back to Fort Frances and perform," says Mason. "The committee has decided we are going to plan another event for Community Chest to raise money and we plan having him perform somewhere in Fort Frances at a later day."

Austin performed at this summer' Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Operation Children Child Success

Operation Christmas Child in the Rainy River district is being hailed a huge success.

Over 460 shoe boxes, filled with items for children living in under-developed countries, were collected.

The collection of those boxes happened last month, but area residents can still participate through an new on-line feature at http://www.samaritanpurse.ca/.

Most of the on-line boxes will go to children in Haiti.