Drug Awareness Groups Merge

Two drug awareness organizations in the Rainy River district are joining as one.

The district's Substance Abuse Prevention Team and Fort France Community Opiate Task force will now operate under the SAP-team moniker.

Co-chair Lori Maki says the idea of a merger came out of a joint meeting held in December.

"We discussed overlap and common strategies and the fact that some of our respective members sat on both committees," says Maki. "So this made sense to us to join forces and work collaboratively."

Maki says the group will remain a volunteer group for now, but will search out funding for a coordinator

District Wide Respect Campaign Rolling out

The group Celebrating Diversity is rolling out its respect campaign.

The group has adopted Confederation College campaign aimed at combating racism and bullying.

Chair Trudy McCormick says its something need in the district.

"We're trying to work on bringing a message throughout our district that we celebrate diversity," says McCormick, "we respect difference and that we value differences. Hopefully if people treat each other respectfully, the differences aren't so different."

The group has posted the campaign as an idea on the Pepsi Refresh Everything contest in hopes of securing some funding for promotions.

Rafferty Ready for New Session

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is anxious to get back to Ottawa.

After a resounding win in Monday's election, Rafferty plans to focus attention on the northern Ontario economy in the House of Commons.

"One of my first jobs will be convincing Prime Minister Harper that people are suffering here," says Rafferty, "can't put food on the table, can't pay electricity. So we'll make sure he knows that and get him back accordingly."

Rafferty is also planning to reintroduce bills on protecting pensions and severance that died with the election call.

Renewed Calls for End to Long-Gun Registry

Another attempt to scrap the long-gun registry could come very soon.

Kenora Conservative MP Greg Rickford expects the government to introduce legislation to scrap the registry as soon as Parliament resumes.

Director of the Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen's Alliance John Kaplanis wants the area's NDP members to hold the Conservatives accountable to that promise.

Board Office Renos Almost Done

Renovations to the Rainy River District School Board's Education Centre are reported as being on schedule.

The Fort Frances centre is undergoing a major face lift.

An administration report indicates the project should be complete by mid June with staff moving in later in the month.

That will be followed by the demolition of the former Robert Moore School.

Water Access Stations Opening Soon

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will open its summer inspection stations later this month.

Two stations at Crane Lake will open May 14 while three others in Ely resume summer hours May 28.

The stations service as access points for boaters to and from Canada through either Voyageur's National Park or the Boundary Water Canoe Area.

Students Wanted by O.P.P.

Ontario Provincial Police in Fort Frances will be hiring three students this summer.

Constable Anne McCoy says one of the students will be assigned to the O-P-P's marine unit.

"The marine unit student will actually be on the water assisting officers by doing some enforcement," says McCoy, " as well as education the public about complying with existing marine legislations."

Two other students will be part of a Youth in Policing initiative.

Students 15 or older must apply before May 27.

Student Vote Results

Youth in northwestern Ontario threw their support behind the incumbents.

Student Vote, a non-profit organization, worked with educators in partnership with Elections Canada to hold an unofficial ballot, in concert with the federal election.

Seventeen schools in the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding, including Fort Frances High School, J.W. Walker and Mine Centre Schools, took part with the NDP incumbent John Rafferty getting over 45 per cent of the vote.

A majority of young people also picked Greg Rickford in Kenora and Bruce Hyer in Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Both retained their seats in the general election.

Local Voting Goes OK

Election Day went off without a hitch according to the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding's Returning Officer.

Tom McCuaig says the polls ran smoothly.

Just over 37-thousand or 60 per cent of the 62-thousand registered voters cast ballots.

Customer Service Challenge Underway

Voting is now underway in the Rainy River Future Development Corporation's Customer Service Challenge.

A total of twenty-eight businesses are participating.

The public have there say this year by casting votes for their favourite three businesses through the Corporation's website.

Voting will end May 13.

Census Underway

The 2011 Census in Canada is underway.

More than 15-million households will be receiving yellow census packages through the mail beginning yesterday.

About 60 per cent will receive a letter that allows respondents to complete the questionnaire on-line.