Tug of War of Words

A "friendly" war of words is being waged in advance of the International Pulling for Peace tug of war between International Falls and Fort Frances.

America's captain, former Minnesota Viking great Matt Blair, complains Canada's team doesn't have enough women on its squad.

Fort Frances councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft counters with accusations of a lack of homegrown talent on the U.S. team.

"The celebrities on the Fort Frances team are all from Fort Frances," says Weidenhoeft. "where International Falls brought in celebrities from across the state of Minnesota so he has nothing to protest about."

The "friendly" tug of war competitions go this Saturday.

Time of Use Billing Explained

Fort Frances Power Corporation customers will soon be getting more information about changes to their hydro bills.

CEO Jorge Ruppenstein says they're in the process of transitioning residential and small businesses customers onto the new time-of-use billing system.

"Our big users will be staying on the existing rate structure," says Ruppenstein. "We were not mandated to transition large customers to time-of-use rates."

Ruppenstein says pamphlets explaining the new billing system will soon be mailed out to customers.

Volunteer Firefighters Get Pay Hike

The town of Fort Frances is revising the pay received by its volunteer firefighters.

They'll now receive an hourly rate that's equal to that of a fourth-class firefighter.

The increase moves the current rate of $20.70 an hour to $22.42.

The wage for new hires will be 70 per cent of the new rate for a one year period.

There are about twenty volunteer firefighters now with the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service.

Moffat Funding Distributed

Nine groups will share in more than $37-thousand from Winnipeg's Moffat Foundation.

The largest share, $8,500, is going to the Salvation Army for the purchase of bedding, blankets and mattresses for people in need.

The town of Fort Frances is getting $5,800 to purchase new equipment at Sunny Cove Camp.

Five-thousand dollars was given to the group coordinating the community garden in Fort Frances.

The Fort Frances Highlanders Pipes and Drums, the 908 Rainy Lake Air Cadet Squadron and Friends of Little League also received funds.

Visitor Restrictions Lifted

Visitor restrictions at Rainycrest Long Term Care have been lifted.

The Fort Frances home put restrictions in place two weeks ago due to an increase in the number of cases of gastroenteritis.

Although the restrictions are lifted, the home is still advising the public to take precautions when visiting and recommends people with flu-like symptoms not to visit at all.

Housing Funds

The cities of International Falls and Littlefork are receiving State funds to help upgrade the homes of some low-to-moderate income families.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is proving over $346-thousand toward the program that's coordinated by Kootasca Community Action.

It will help upgrade about 14 homes in the two cities.

Shuttle Service to Concert Available

Organizers of the July 2 concert in International Falls featuring Loverboy will be providing some help for concertgoers to get to the event.

City councillor Tim McBride says shuffle service will be available at the Falls Chamber of Commerce office.

"We will have some cab shuttle service going on most of the day," says McBride, "beginning shortly after 2 p.m. until the end of the concert. It won't be that much of a wait time. You should be able to get on a cab, a van or small bus and get back to your destination.

McBride says people may also bring folding chairs and blankets, but coolers will not be permitted.

Atikokan Canoer Reaches Northwestern Ontario

An Atikokan man on a cross country canoe trip is close to reaching his hometown.

Mike Ranta is paddling the Voyageurs route.

He began his journey in late April from Rocky Mountain House, British Columbia.

Ranta is doing it to raise awareness about the Atikokan youth centre.

"I'm just trying to instill in the kids there that through hard work and some dedication and being true and honest, there's nothing we can't do in their lives," says Ranta. "If we don't set out mind to it, we can't do it."

He hopes to reach Atikokan on Canada Day and conclude the trip in Montreal in August.

Child Care Agencies Set to Merge Friday

The merger of two child care agencies in northwestern Ontario should be complete this week.

Kenora-Patricia Child and Family Services is joining forces with Family and Children Services of Rainy River July 1.

The new agency will be known as Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services

The amalgamation was supposed to be complete in April, but some financial issues held up the merger.

Liberals Holding Off on Election Platform

Premier McGuinty says the Liberal election platform will be released "in the fullness of time."

The Tories and New Democrats have issued platforms for the October 6 election but McGuinty says he's in no hurry to join them.

The premier says when it comes, the Liberal platform will be a "natural extension" of what his government has been doing over the last eight years to strengthen public services and the economy.

Liberals Optomistic - Auditor General

Ontario's Auditor General says the Liberal government's plan to slash the increase in annual spending by almost 400 per cent is too optimistic.

The Liberals have increased spending about seven per cent a year since they were first elected in 2003, but in this year's budget said they would slash it to 1.8 per cent annually.

Auditor General Jim McCarter says the Liberals' estimates are based on optimistic assumptions when they are supposed to be more cautious and less risky.

More Female Candidates Needed

A national organization is warning there aren't enough women running in the fall election to improve female representation in Ontario politics.

Equal Voice says only 28 per cent of the nominated candidates to date are women.

The Liberals have 23 candidates compared with the NDP's 20 and Conservatives 19.

Cash Lottery Nearly Sold Out

Riverside Foundation for Health says tickets for its Canada Day Cash Lottery are nearly gone.

90 per cent of tickets have been sold with the top prize of 10-thousand dollars to be given out on Canada Day.

Volunteers will be selling tickets this week during Mall Days in Fort Frances and on Canada Day.

They can also be obtained by calling the Foundation office.

Catholic Board Faces Budget Shortfall

The Northwest Catholic District School Board will begin the next school year with a sizable deficit.

Superintendent of business Chris Howarth says the more than $930-thousand shortfall was brought upon by increasing expenses and declining revenues from the province.

"Unfortunately we had to trim the literacy coach teaching position in the school which saved approximately half-a-million dollars," says Howarth. "We were able to maintain all of our other programs and we were actually able to expand a few of them where we could. The province is in difficult fiscal times and this is kind of a reflection of that."

Four-and-a-half positions will be eliminated with the end of the Literacy coach program.

Building to Fall

The city of International Falls is giving owners of a burned out downtown building five days to have its torn down.

Mayor Shawn Mason says council decided it should not be the city's responsibility for tearing down the former Ace Hardware building.

"It was the Corporation that made the decision not to purchase insurance from an insurance carrier," says Mason, "so therefore they are self-insured and the taxpayers should not bear the burden of this cost."

The city is also giving owners an additional nine days to removal the rubble.

Demolition started Monday.

Union Gas Hikes

Union Gas Customers in northwestern Ontario can expect to see higher bills starting July 1st.

It's because of changes in the cost of natural gas.

The increase will mean an average of $46.00 extra a year for Fort Frances customers.

Union Gas's customers elsewhere in northwestern Ontario will see about a $44.00 a year increase.

NDP Releases Platform

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath thinks her election platform will appeal to a broader base than that traditionally targeted by her party.

Horwath, who released the bulk of her party's promises for the fall election on the weekend, describes it as a practical approach that deals with the concerns of people across all political spectrums.

OPP Youth Camp Opens

Forty youth from across northwestern Ontario have gathered at Sunny Cove Camp in Fort Frances for the Ontario Provincial Police's annual summer camp.
Constable Anne McCoy says it's aimed at young people who may not get such an opportunity otherwise.

"And helping them with team building, mentoring opportunities, self-esteem building exercises," says McCoy, "and spending some time together in a none-crisis type of situation."

The youth will take part in a variety of events during the week.

Relay for Life - Fort Frances

Nearly two hundred people took part in the Relay for Life fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society in Fort Frances on the weekend. Chair Duane Cridland says over $68-thousand was raised. "A real great successful (event)," says Cridland. "Fort Frances again showing its true colours when it comes to donating and getting behind the spirit of a good cause." The event was highlighted by an impromptu Cuts for Cancers event which raised about $10-thousand.

Gold-Silver Deposit Discovered

A mining company doing work north of Barwick is reporting the discovery of a new gold and silver deposit.

Bayfield Ventures released details of it find in a news release this morning.

The company says it was discovered during recent drilling done to determine the extent of gold and silver mineralization in its so-called Burns block, found last year.

The property is located adjacent to the Rainy River Resources gold project.

Fire Fight Continues

Fire crews are working round-the-clock to stop a raging wildfire from reaching the Mishkeegogamang First Nation near Pickle Lake.

The fire is blazing out-of-control about nine kilometres east of the community.

It's been burning for two weeks and now covers 577 square kilometres -- doubling its size over the weekend.

Residents were evacuated to Sioux Lookout, Geraldton and Ignace last week because of smoke.

Company Faces Order in Industrial Accident

A total of eight work orders have been issued to a Sudbury company after a fatal industrial accident near Thunder Bay Friday.

Tera North Construction is facing the orders issued by the Ministry of Labour after a 24-year-old man fell from a scissor lift.

The accident happened while the company doing work at a bridge on the Trans Canada Highway.

Cops Want Improvements to Mental Health Services

Ontario's police chiefs want the McGuinty government to boost mental health services.

They say an ever growing number of people with mental health problems are getting into trouble with the law, forcing police to spend more and more time doing work that should be assigned to health care workers.

Relay for Life - Rainy River

Another huge fundraising total for Relay for Life in in Rainy River.

About a dozen teams raised more than $37-thousand in this past weekend's fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.

The event included a Cuts for Cancer event that collected about $2,700.