Chamber Awards Nominees Announced

A total of 68 businesses, individuals and organizations have been nominated for next month's Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce awards.

Winners will be presented February 10



Accessibility Award
Fort Frances Public Library
Canada Safeway
Community Living Fort Frances





Business of the Year - 1 to 15 employees
Ron's Auto Body
Lidkea's Optometry
Greenside General Store
Northern Lights Credit Union
Citi Financial
A Little off the Top
Nor-West Animal Clinic
Webb's Power Shack
Causeway Insurance
Camp Narrows
Rainy River True Value
John Gavel Custom Manufacturing
Fort Duty Free



Business of the Year - 15 employees or more
MacDonald Motors
La Place Rendez Vous
Iron Range Bus Lines
Tompkins Hardware
Iron Range Bus Lines
Shaw Communications



Businesswoman of the Year
Roberta Parker - Mr. Sub
Sherry Kaun - Share Bears
Angela Korzinski - Rusty Myers
Erin Wood - Simplicity Body Care
Tonia Dolph - Northland Kitchen and Design Consulting
Dawn Gustafson - Life Time Smiles



Customer Service - Business
Manitou Forest Products
North Auto
Lowes Furniture
Fort Frances General Supply
Nor-West Animal Clinic
CIBC
Badiuk Equipment
Stan's Carpet
Starbucks
Darryl's Custom Landscapes

Customer Service - Individual
Debra Elias - Revco Carpet
Matt Sweigard - Sight and Sound
Krista Kellar - Citi Financial
Russ Ling - Taggs Source for Sports
Shelly Matias - RBC
Neila Booth - Northwoods Gallery and Gifts
Chris Dittaro


Employee of the Year
Don Larson - Ed Kaun and Sons
Gord Watson - Ed Kaun and Sons
Rochelle Mosbeck - CIBC
Penny Flatt - Northwoods Gallery and Gift

Entrepreneur of the Year
Dale and Elizabeth Fortes - Boston Pizza
Cecile Lavigne - Squeek E Klean
Randy Hogan - Hogan Hockey
Todd Moxam
Badiuk Equipment
Lindsay Hamilton - Little Beaver Snow Cultural Centre
Monique Dufresne - The Lawg Caybun Restaurant

Safety Award
Union Gas
Rainy River District School Board
Gingrich Wood Craft Inc.

Small Business Trainer of the Year
Mark Caron - M.L. Caron Electric
Valley Adult Learning Association
Strachan Trucking
BDO Dunwoody

Volunteer of the Year
Joelle Blanc
Doug Cain
Allan Bedard
Bill Krukoski
Joan Anderson

Two Charged

Two Fort Frances residents face charges after Provincial Police discovered more than five pounds of marijuana in a vehicle they pulled over earlier this week.

The vehicle was stopped on Highway 11 near Emo on Tuesday.

A 44-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman will appear in a Fort Frances court room in March on trafficking charges.

Another Snow Day

Winter storm warning have been issued on both sides of the border as an strong Alberta clipper moves toward the Rainy River district and Koochiching Country.

Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw says the system is expected to bring upwards of 15 centimetres of snow in most areas today.

The storm is expected to last until midnight.

More Anti-Smoking Efforts Needed

Ontario's chief medical officer of health says the province needs to put more money in programs that will help smokers butt out.

Stepping up anti-smoking efforts are among the recommendations Dr. Arlene King is making in her first annual report.

She says government funding for tobacco control has dropped in recent years, even though smoking is costing Ontario about $8-billion a year in health care and lost productivity.

Soldi to Start Drilling

Mining exploration company Soldi Ventures is set to begin a winter drilling program on its properties in the Nestor Falls and Black Hawk areas.

The company says a recent airborne survey helped identify the areas it will begin drilling.

Oberstar Future Clarified

Former Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar says another run for the 8th district isn't in his future.

The veteran Democratic congressman was defeated in November's election and speculation about a another run surfaced recently.

But, Oberstar says that things have changed and that he's moving in another direction.

Oberstar is to be recognized by the city of International Falls with the renaming of its waterfront development project this summer.

Special Ed Students Benefit Through Technology

(Rainy River District School Board photo)


The introduction of technology in the classroom by the Rainy River District School Board is proving to be a huge benefit to special education students.

Special Education Coordinator Kevin Knutsen says equipment such as smart boards and assistive technology is provide for more independence.

"The technology certainly allows them to feel more successful and to demonstrate their learning in ways they weren't able to prior to the technology," says Knutsen.

Knutsen says some of the new programs include software that reads text on a computer to the student.

I. Falls Not So Cold After All

International Falls may be the Ice Box of the Nation, but it's not the coldest city in the United States.

That distinction has been given to Barrow, Alaska by the U-S Weather Channel's Global Forecast Centre.

International Falls is placed third.

Only cities over 5-thousand were considered in the rankings.