Kettle Campaign at Half-Way Mark

(Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis helped kick off the Salvation Army's Kettle Campaign earlier this month)

The Salvation Army in Fort Frances is just over the half-way mark towards meeting its financial goal in this year's Christmas Kettle Campaign.

Captain Angel Sandoval says just over $8-thousand has been raised since the campaign kicked off at the beginning of the month.

"Things are a little slow," says Sandoval. "We can ask the public that if they have any spare change to put it in the kettles. Everything is going to help pay the expense of the campaign."

The Kettle Campaign comes to an end this Friday afternoon.

Recycling Report Accepted in Principal

Fort Frances town councillors have accepted a report in principal aimed at increasing the amount of materials collected for recycling in the town.

The report makes nine recommendations.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says its now up to council to decided how it will proceed with the report.

"This is a ten year strategy," says Brown. "Every one of the strategies will cost the community more money so what (council) will have to decide is which one strategy we're going to do in 2011 for the coming year."

Requiring businesses to ban the use of plastic shopping bags is among proposed recommendations.

Police Costing Concern Resolution Passed

Fort Frances town councillors supported a resolution last night calling on the province for more money to help with local policing costs.

The cost of contracting police services to the OPP has risen 47 per cent over the past decade and the town's concerned with the impact a recent 5 per cent wage increase given to OPP officers across the province will have on its budget.

The town is expected to receive about $940-thousand from the province for policing in 2011.

Fan Club Seeks By-Law Exemption

Fort Frances Lakers Fan Club is calling on the town of Fort Frances for an exemption to the town's new sign-by-law.

The by-law, effective January first, puts a 180 day a year limit on the use of so-called portable signs at any one location.

The Lakers Fan Club currently uses signs at Canadian Tire and the White Pine Inn to promote the team's games and other activities year round.

I. Falls Man Faces Sex Assault Charges

An International Falls man who works as a Customs Border Protection Officer is facing charges of sexual assault.

The Koochiching County Sheriff's Office arrested 45-year-old Patrick Hamburg in mid-November, but only charged him last Thursday.

According to a criminal complaint, Hamburg is alleged to have sexually assaulted a young girl over a four year period beginning in 2005.

Natural Gas Prices to Drop

Union Gas customers in northwestern Ontario will see a slight decrease in their bills in the new year.

The Ontario Energy Board has approved a decrease of about 2.3 cents per cubic metre on the price paid for natural gas effective January 1st.

A drop in the price paid by Union Gas will mean its customers will save about 9 dollars over the year on the price they pay.

Morley Has Reeve

The township of Morley has a full council.

Moe Henry, acclaimed as a councillor in October's municipal election, is now serving as Reeve.

Tyler Nordin comes aboard to fill the vacancy created by Henry's move.

The appointments, done earlier this month, were necessary after nobody filed for the position of Reeve prior to the October 25th election.

Safe Schools Grant

The Rainy River District School Board and the Ontario Provincial Police have secured funding for a Safe Schools initiative.

A total of 100-thousand dollars from the Ministry of Community and Correctional Services will help bring training to school staff across the district in the area of threat assessment and trauma response.

An interagency protocol is also to be developed that enable schools to response more quickly to incidents that could pose potential risk to others.

The training is expected to begin this spring.

McTaggart Back as Police Service Board Chair

John McTaggart has been re-elected chair of the Police Services board for Fort Frances.

McTaggart has been with the board several years.

Former Fort France mayor Glenn Witherspoon will again serve as the vice-chair.

Former Bingo Hall Looked At

There appears to be some serious interest in the former Fort Frances Bingo Hall.

Jack Mallon, real estate agent with Royal LePage Lannon Realty, says no offer has yet been submitted, but a group recently went through vacant hall and is now working on the necessary financing.

The name of the group was not disclosed.

Atikokan Mayor Recognized

The mayor of Atikokan has been recognized for his long career in municipal politics.

Dennis Brown has received a 25-year Long-Standing Service Award from the Province of Ontario.

Brown was first elected to Atikokan municipal council in 1980, and has served as mayor for the last 13 years.