Pickets Up in Fort Frances

There's no strike in Fort Frances, but it didn't stop Canada Post's temporary workers from setting up an information picket in front of the post office yesterday.

Kim Kelly of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says they're upset for being abruptly laid-off during the dispute.

"There's lot of work for them to do," says Kelly. "There's mail piling up inside but they've been sent home.

Kelly says the layoffs came without reason Tuesday while most workers were in the middle of their shifts.

Outside Help Sought

The town of Fort Frances has turned to an outside firm to help deal with AbitibiBowater's appeal of its property assessment.

It's signed a service agreement with Toronto-area based Municipal Tax Equity Consultants and MTE Paralegal Corp.

A hearing on AbitibiBowater's request to have its assessment, dating back to 2009, lowered has not been set.

Gas Price Caps Promised

Ontario New Democrats are promising to regulate gas prices if elected this fall so that drivers know what they will be paying from week to week.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says she would set a weekly price cap on gasoline - a move she says should make gas cheaper on an annualized basis.

While consumers may not see the difference on a daily basis, Horwath says her plan will mean drivers won't wake up to huge price spikes if something happens overnight to drive up oil prices.

Market Thursdays a Hit

The Fort Frances Business Improvement Association's Market Thursdays is attracting the interest of a few artisans.

Jocelyn Matheson, a maker of homemade jewelry, was among the first to take advantage of the new summertime Market.

"It's a really good opportunity for local artists to showcase," says Matheson. "It's been a lot of fun. There's a real good sense of community. People are stopping and they're interested in what we're doing. It's been really great."

Portrait artist Lindsay Joy Hamilton says it's a great venue for local artisans.

"It's right downtown. Lots of exposure. Lots of great crafts and painters," says Hamilton. "It would be really nice to see all of the talent Fort Frances outside sharing their gifts with us."

It's the first year for the Markets that will run every Thursday outside the Fort Frances Museum.

Native Ed Funding Concerns

The Rainy River District School Board is asking the province to reconsider how it funds native education programs.

The Ministry of Education now requires at least twelve students to a program, up from eight.

The board's Aboriginal Education Leader, Brent Tookenay, says despite a large number of native students here, the Ministry doesn't count many of them toward the funding.

"With seven First Nations communities within the Rainy River District School Board, many of the board's pupils are considered non-resident pupils for funding purposes," says Tookenay, "and not recognized for the numbers to reach this funding benchmark.

Tookenay says the policy seems more beneficial to southern Ontario boards where there's a high number of urban-native students.

Outage Revised

Hydro One has revised the length to time some communites in the Rainy River district will be impacted by Sunday's power interruption.

Residents of Couchiching and Red Gut, as well as those in Farrington, Halkirk and Watten townships will be without electricity from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Residents in Burris, Crozier, Dance, Devlin, LaVallee, Lake Depair and Miscampbell will see outages from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and for a half hour beginning at 5 p.m.

A seven hour outage for the town of Fort Frances is still planned.

Market Thursdays Kick Off

The Fort Frances Downtown Business Improvement Association has kicked off its Market Thursday.

Chair Connie Cuthbertson says they'll happen throughout the summer in front of the Fort Frances Museum.

"So we're going to have some artisans, crafters," says Cuthbertson. "We're hoping to have even potters, musicians. Anything that you would like to have out there in the big world to sell, we're inviting people to come down to set up a little space and show your wares."

Those interested can register by calling Richard Boileau at McTaggarts.

The BIA is waiving the fees to register during the month of June.

Snow in June?

While southern Ontario perspired through a day of temperatures in the low-to mid-30s Wednesday, Pickle Lake residents almost had to grab their snow shovels.

Mayor Roy Hoffman, who works at the airport's weather station, says the temperature was down to about 2 C and big flakes were falling for a short period of time.