Conservative Nominee Steps Forward

Conservatives in Kenora-Rainy River now have someone interested in running for the party in this October's provincial election.

He's Rod McKay, a Kenora City councillor and manager of the Kenora Forest Products mill.

"I've been thinking about this for a while," says McKay. "I a couple of personal issues I had to sort out with my health. Now that I've got that figured out, I'm putting my name on the ticket and hope to be nominated by the nomination committee in the near future."

So far the party has not indicated when it might hold its nomination meeting.

McGuinty Responds to P.M. Comments

Premier Dalton McGuinty is shrugging off Prime Minister Stephen Harper's call for his defeat in the October 6 provincial election.

McGuinty says he's worked well with Harper in the past, even though they don't always see eye-to-eye.

Harper called for the ouster of the McGuinty Liberals during an unannounced visit Tuesday to the home of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

Outreach Group Created

The Rainy River District Women's Shelter of Hope is setting up a new support group for women in Fort Frances.

Cindy Richard, an Outreach Worker, says it's an extension of services provided by the Atikokan-based home.

"If women need to discuss issues that are happening within the home, a lot of women don't want to access the shelter but need ongoing support," says Richard.

Richard says the first meeting will be an informal one August 11 at the Northwest Community Legal Clinic Office on Scott Street.

Derby Girls Up for Rachel's Challenge

Members of the Borderland Roller Derby League are taking up Rachel's Challenge.

They're raising money to help bring the positive peer pressure and anti-bullying program to the Rainy River district.

The team's marketing head Melissa Carpenter says a recent presentation convinced them to help.

"The main reason is that it spoke to us because we're moms," says Carpenter. "We don't want to see our kids go through maybe what we personally went through in school or in high school. We want it to be here for our kids and we'll do our part."

The team is now soliciting funds from businesses and will provide a share of its ticket sales for an upcoming bout with Thunder Bay towards the cause.

Forest Fires Activity Continues

(MNR photo)

Despite some recent rain, officials say there's little relief in sight in the battle to douse more than 100 forest fires in northwestern Ontario.

Although smoke still blankets much of the area due to the fires, all of the more than 35 hundred evacuees have been returned to their homes.

Firefighters, equipment and aircraft from several provinces, and now Minnesota and Michigan and Parks Canada, have been brought in to battle the fires.

Oeegy Gooey Lady Comes to Fort Frances

Early childhood educators and teachers from across the Rainy River district will gather tomorrow in Fort Frances for a workshop focusing on play-based-learning.

It's being led by Lisa Murphy, affectionately known as the Ooey Gooey Lady.

She says it's a concept that has proven results.

"A lot of the tenants that we're talking about are not new," says Murphy. "It's not Lisa Murphy's personal preference. It's actually what our industry history has shown as what is the best most developmentally appropriate way of interacting with this age group."

The workshop comes as the province's introduces play-based learning through its early learning program for four-and-five-year-olds.