Treatment Centre Supported

Area service providers are backing the need for an addictions treatment centre in the Rainy River district.

It's one of the conclusions to a survey conducted by the Rainy River District Women's Shelter of Hope

Researcher Connie Terlesky hopes the findings lead to a centre being built.

"We have an investor that is willing to put in a significant amount of money towards building a centre in Atikokan," says Terlesky. "I know there are others on that same path. I say who ever gets there first, lets band together and get it done."

Agencies also suggested a need for more programs aimed at men-only.

MMAH Supports Fort Frances

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing appears to be supporting the town of Fort Frances in its dispute over the funding of the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board.

In a response to the town's concerns, the Ministry states in a letter that the benefit to area municipalities from the province taking on more of the costs to social services program amounts to over $918-thousand this year.

Fort Frances is to see a benefit of $420-thousand.

The DSSAB has reportedly stated the savings are only a fraction of those dollars.

Ontario Budget Details

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has unveiled the budget that will take the Liberals into the October provincial election.

Here are the highlights:

-- no new tax increases, decreases or tax credits for taxpayers or businesses.

-- program spending in 2010-11 was 2.6 billion dollars lower than forecast at 13.3 billion dollars; spending projected at 13.8 billion for fiscal 2011.

-- belt-tightening measures aimed at 1.5 billion dollars in savings over three years; includes major agencies cutting 200 million by 2013-14 and trimming 15-hundred civil service jobs starting next year.

-- deficit projected to fall to 16.3 billion dollars in 2011-12, down 400-million from previous year; balanced budget not forecast until 2017-2018.

-- creation of 60-thousand new university and college spaces by 2015-16.

-- 15 million dollars over three years to expand breast cancer screening programs to cover an additional 90-thousand women at high risk.

-- risk management program to help grain and oilseed farmers deal with volatile commodity markets made permanent; new programs for livestock and fruit and vegetable farmers.

-- 12.8 billion dollars in 2011-12 for infrastructure spending on roads, bridges, sewers and other projects.

-- economy forecast to grow by 2.4 per cent this year and 2.7 per cent next year.

Ontario Budget Reaction

The budget includes a $10-million dollar increase to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro says it's good news for the region.

"That fund for northern Ontario only, that at $60 million in 2007, now as a result of today's announcement, it at $100-million annually," says Mauro.

Mauro feels announcements for health care and education will also benefit the Northwest.



Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says the budget really brings nothing to northern Ontario.

Hampton feels the budget is more good news for people in southern Ontario. "The government was really talking to Bay Street," says Hampton. "Really talking to people in Toronto. That's where the corporate tax cuts are aimed."

Hampton is disappointed the budget provides no relief to high hydro rates, but includes cuts to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Rainy River College Threatened

The Minnesota House has passed a higher education budget bill that cuts funding for the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systems.

Democrats say the bill threatens the future of small colleges such as Rainy River Community College in Internatinoal Falls

UFO???

(Sandra Allan photo)

Some residents are talking about a strange object that appeared in the night sky over Fort Frances Monday night.

Sandra Allan, who took photographs, says it hovered in the south in an area over the AbitibiBowater mill for nearly half an hour before it disappeared.

"And it had lights. There was pink, yellow, white and green lights," says Allan. " In another picture it was rounded and the lights were evenly separated."

Some residents in Couchiching also reported seeing the object.

Reunion Planned

A grade 9 class from the former Westfort High School in Fort Frances is planning to reunited this summer.

Teresa Hazel, a former student, says the 1980-81 class was one of many that experience a unique school setting.

"Until about a year past our year, Westfort was exclusively for Grade 9," says Hazel. "That was kind of a unique position to be in because all of the kids from all of the different elementary schools came to grade 9 and had a year just on their own."

The committee is now in the process to contacting the 270 former students for the July reunion.