Mine Centre School

(Mine Centre School principals, past and present, gathered recently to bid farewell to old facility)

Students attending Mine Centre School in September might be starting the school year in the existing school.

A new school is being constructed, but officials with the Rainy River District School Board say it may not be complete by the time students return in the fall.

School staff have been instructed to prepare to begin the new year in the current facility.

New City Manager

Dryden has a new City Manager.

Joe van Koeverden will assume his new duties July 11.

He's currently the regional director for Northwestern Ontario at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in Thunder Bay.

Colleges Budget Approved

The trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system have approved a budget that raises tuition, cuts programs and eliminates positions.

Tuition at the State's 25 colleges, including Rainy River in International Falls, will go up an average of nearly 4 per cent.

Overall, the system will operate with about $76-million less than it had in the current fiscal year, primarily because of anticipated cuts in state aid.

Golf Tournament Looks For More Golfers

The RBC Charity Golf Classic at Heron Landing Golf Course this Saturday is in search of more participants.

The event raises money for the Fort Frances Community Chest.

Spokesperson Joelle Blanc says it's an important program to the Rainy River District.

"We're here to help people in medical emergencies," says Blanc. "If they're sent to Winnipeg, Thunder Bay or elsewhere, we can help them maybe with hotel accommodations or meals while they are there with their loved ones."

Teams or individuals can register by calling Lisa at 274-7271.

DARE Wraps Up

OPP have wrapped up its DARE program.

Graduation ceremonies and a dance were held Tuesday night for the final group of students from the Fort Frances area who participated in the program aimed at making youth more aware of the dangers of alcohol and drugs.

The night also included a cheque presentation of just over $3,800 from the local Tim Hortons store its recent Smile Cookie campaign.

Police will be introducing a new program to schools in the fall around Internet safety and bullying Tim Hortons remaining a key sponsor.

Search for Driver Continues

OPP continue to search for the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident on the Trans Canada Highway west of Marathon.

An arrest warrant is out for 23-year-old Ibrahim Lugoloobi Sendagire.

Police suspect him as the driver who fled on foot Monday afternoon after a vehicle first struck a construction flagman and then hit a rock cut.

Police have issued warnings to motorists in the area to avoid picking up anyone who fits his description.

Equipment Fails

Hydro One is blaming Wednesday morning's lengthy outage in the Rainy river district on equipment failure.

As many as 500 residents living in parts of Alberton and LaVallee townships were without electricity for several hours.

Crews had power back on by 9 a.m.

Enforcement Blitz - Ear Falls

A two-day enforcement blitz in the Ear Falls area has resulted in the Ministry of Natural Resources laying eleven charges and issuing eleven warning for fishing-related infractions.

MNR Conservation officers checked almost 400 hundred people at 22 tourist camps and four lakes during the inspections.