New State Rules Concern Area Tournament

New State rules to prevent the spread of invasive species is causing concern to organizers of the International Falls Bass Championship.

Chair Gary Potter says it could impact on fish mortality at the tournament.

"What they want you do do is come off a lake or river, drain everything and then proceed," says Potter. "They want us to do that same. What we're asking for is a little common sense. Let us get down to the park and drain our live-wells there. It's one mile away."

Potter says the tournament would be not be able to afford equipment to re-fill live-wells that ensures fish stay alive when they reach the weigh scales.

Building Concerns

The city of International Falls is pushing to have the owners covers the cost of demolishing a downtown building destroyed by fire last month.

City officials says the building, which housed an antique store, has become a hazard, and are exploring how to bring it down as quickly and safely as possible.

But Mayor Shawn Mason says the cost of demolition shouldn't be borne on the backs of local taxpayers.

Rachel's Challenge Coming to Rainy River District

(Banner Signed by International Falls students last year promising to uphold Rachel's Challenge)


An anti-bullying program named after one of the victims of the Columbine School shooting is coming to the Rainy River District.

Steve Latimer, the United Native Friendship Centre's Youth Justice Coordinator sees Rachel's Challenge an important program to introduce.

"With the calibre of students and the amazing things that some of them do in this area, we have a great many more positive peers out there," says Latimer, "but that just wasn't coming through. I was looking for a program that would reinforce positive peers and Rachel's Challenge is 100 per cent that"

Latimer says the program will be presented to area high schools and the public this fall.

Missing Girl Found

A 16-year-old girl from Young Star House, north of Emo, who was the subject of a police search for the past week.

OPP says Belinda Paishk was located at a Fort Frances home yesterday.

Seniors Poverty Debated

Opposition MP's are calling for an increase to the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors.

During debate yesterday, Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty plead the case of an Atikokan resident who was having difficulty paying for electricity as a reason for the increase.

"I asked if he had tried some strategies to reduce the use of electricity," says Rafferty. "He told me that he uses one light bulb and every second day he unplugs the refrigerator. That is what seniors go through in this country. That is what seniors go through in my riding."

Rafferty blames the HST as a turning point for many seniors forced into poverty.

Senior Games Come to Fort Frances

Seniors from across the Kenora-Rainy River district are gathering in Fort Frances today for the start of the District Senior Games.

Organizer Nick Wihnan says they'll participate in a variety of games.

"There's table shuffleboard, euchre, cribbage, floor shuffleboard, golf, carpet bowling, bridge, bowling, horseshoes and of course a nice banquet," says Wihnan.

Opening ceremonies will be held this morning at the Sister Kennedy Centre.

Long Border Line

No charges, but there was plenty of police presence this weekend to watch over a long line of traffic entering the United States at International Falls.

At one point Saturday, the line stretched along King's Highway to the westerly limits of Fort Frances.

OPP says they did receive a complaint about the long-line, but no other issues were reported.

US Customs and Border Protection was processing two vehicles at one time in some of its lanes, but officials says the wait was still up to 90 minutes long.

Operation Corridor Results

Fewer charges were laid in the OPP's latest 24-hour blitz targeting commercial drivers and their vehicles.

During Operation Corridor, officers laid 320 charges - a third of which were for equipment violations.

Fifty vehicles were also pulled off the road due to equipment issues or hours of service violations.

Drilling Begins at Former Gold Mine

Mineral Mountain Resources has started the first phase of a drilling program at a historic gold mine north of Fort Frances.

The B.C. company is exploring the Straw Lake Beach Mine.

The mine operated during World War two, but shutdown in 1941 because of a lack of power for ventilation and milling operations.