Fort Frances Posties Walk the Line

Twenty-one unionized workers at the Fort Frances post office are among those on the streets because of a lock-out by Canada Post.

Local union president Sandra Lange says for the most part, the local public is understanding of what's taking place.

"It seems that most people are because they sure seem to support us, " says Lange. "I guess they're paying attention. Anyone who came into the post office we had nothing but support. Same on the picket line. We're getting a lot of honking and waves."

Lange says the lock-out will actually force Canada Post back to the bargaining table.

The federal government has served notice it will implement back-to-work legislation if the two sides don't settle their differences through negotiations.

Strategic Plan Discussions Today

Fort Frances council sits down today at Sunny Cove Camp to come up with a new strategic plan.

CAO Mark McCaig says it will serve as a blueprint for council over the next four years.

"So we put timelines and benchmarks that we monitor on an ongoing basis," says McCaig, "and we try to wrap everything up during the term of council or at least begin the initiative during the term of council."

McCaig says ideas from the public and a variety of town committees will be part of today's discussions.

Border Funds Spending Questioned

Thunder Bay Rainy River MP John Rafferty isn't giving up the fight for Northwestern Ontario's border communities taking up the issue in the House of Commons.

"For our communities, tourism is a key part of the economy, "says Rafferty. "Yet, the government diverted $50 million from the border infrastructure fund to beautify communities in the minister's riding, using the fund as a private wish list, while ignoring border regions like northwestern Ontario."

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird disputes the funds were misspend.

Board Test Results Released

Eighty-per cent of students from the Rainy River district who wrote the standardized literacy test this spring met or exceeded the provincial standard.

Results for individuals boards were released yesterday.

Atikokan had the highest rate of success among the district's three high schools at 83 per cent.

Rainy River High School had 81 per cent while 79 per cent of Fort Frances High students successfully completed the test in March.

Tuitions Increase

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is moving ahead with a budget that would raise tuition an average of nearly 4 percent at its 25 two-year colleges, including Rainy River College in International Falls.

Chancellor James McCormick says requests to hold the line at 3 per cent were not possible because the system is expected to lose nearly 11 per cent in state funding.

Fire in Minnesota Watched

Authorities in Minnesota are keeping an eye on a forest fire smoldering in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

The fire, near Gaskin Lake, 20 kilometres northwest of Grand Marias, is about six acres in size.

The strategy is to let the fire burn to the south and west of the lake while limiting its spread on the north side.

It was reported by campers in the area, but it's not clear how it started.