I. Falls Wants LGA Left Untouched

International Falls City council is calling on the State to maintain an aid program that helps Minnesota cities keeps taxes down.

Councillor Cynthia Jacksa says a resolution supported by council last night asks the Legislature to keep funding levels the same for the next two years.

"We've received an unfair proportion of the cut in the past," says Jacksa, "and we're going to deliver the message that further cuts to LGA is unfair and damaging to rural Minnesota."

The city is to receive about $4-million dollars this year.

Mural Project in International Falls

Another mural is set to go up in International Falls.

The city is receiving a $6-thousand dollar grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council for the project.

It will be painted along side the Bob Walls Memorial Union Hall on Third Street.

The mural, to be painted this summer, will depict the city's various trade unions.

Town Eyes Solar Projects

The town of Fort Frances is eyeing the possibility to installing solar panels on some of its buildings.

It's part of a larger study that's exploring the town's energy consumption.

Sustainability coordinator Travis Rob says a feasibility study on installing the solar generating systems is now complete.

"We're now just looking at which buildings would give us the best return," says Rob, "and trying to decide how many buildings we want to invest in, which buildings we want to invest in."

Rob says he's also looking at other projects that can help the town reduce its energy costs.

Energy Pamphlet Panned

The Opposition accuse Ontario's Liberal government of wasting $1 million to mail out pamphlets explaining why electricity rates are rising so high.

The government is sending out a six-page pamphlet to every Ontario home as part of its pre-election campaign to defuse vote ranger over soaring hydro bills.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak calls it a $1 million propaganda exercise that won't fool voters for provide peace of mind.

Energy Minister Brad Duguid says the government brochures explain to voters that hydro rates are rising to pay for badly needed repairs and upgrades to Ontario's electricity system.

Sedgwick named Librarian of the Year

(Supplied photo)

Fort Frances' head librarian is back home after receiving an award as the Ontario Library Boards' Association's librarian of the year.

Margaret Sedgwick says she's honoured to have received the W.J. Robertson Medallion.

"It's probably the highest honour a librarian in the province can get so it means great deal to me," says Segdwick. "As you know, I've had quite an exciting past few years and certainly with the building of the new library and technology has been the highlight of my career and this kind of puts the icing on the cake."

Sedgwick has been the head librarian in Fort Frances since 1977.

Hometown Heroes Celebrated

(Angus Jourdain from Lac La Croix First Nation will be in Couchinching First Nation this month)


Three professional aboriginal performers will share the stage with a couple of local youth at an event at Couchiching First Nation later this month.

Mandi Olson of the United Native Friendship Centre says the Hometown Heroes concert will help showcase local talent.

"We just wanted to tie some of our younger youth and their performance with older adults just to show them that we support them," says Olson, "and that if they want to do a career in the industry it's possible."



Among those performing include comedian Ryan McMahon and musicians Angus Jourdain and Wab Kinew.