Rainy River District Painted Pink

A tsunami of pink across the Rainy River district.

Schools, businesses and organizations all stood united yesterday against bullying and discrimination by wearing pink on International Day of Pink.

Trudy McCormick of Celebrating Diversity believes it will make a difference.

The event was started five years when students at a Nova Scotia school wore pink in support of a classmate who was bullied for wearing a pink polo shirt.

Smoke Lingers Around Fort Frances

Smoke from a fire at the Couchiching First Nation dump is believed to the source of smoke in the Fort Frances area this morning.

Fire crews were called to the dump about 8 p.m. last night and were expected back on scene this morning.

Officials with the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service say the smoke was lingering low enough for some to report their buildings were on fire.

A change in wind may help blow it away.

Resources Reinforced for MNR Forest Fire Fighters

MNR photo

Ontario's Natural Resources Minister is ensuring the Ministry's forest firefighters will have the resources needed for this year's forest fire season.

Michael Gravelle made that commitment during a visit this week to the Ministry's Forest Fire Management Centre in Dryden.

Gravelle says the public can do their part by following burning rules and ensuring outdoor fires are fully extinguished.

Teachers Urged Back to Table

Ontario's education minister is pushing elementary school teachers to get back to discussions on their contracts.

Laurel Broten sent a letter to all 72 boards in the province urging teachers not to opt out of the talks and go straight to local bargaining.

If they do, she warns, they will have to meet whatever framework is worked out in the current forum.

Cuts at Border Coming

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says 11-hundred workers at the Canada Border Services Agency have been given notice their jobs are on the chopping block.

President John Gordon says such cuts will only create longer waits at the border.

Another union spokesman says the job and budget reductions would certainly contradict Ottawa's commitment to border security.

Fort Frances Librarian Retires

The search for a new Chief Librarian for the Fort Frances Library continues.

Margaret Sedgwick retires this summer after 35 years at the helm.

It's comes just two years removed from helping to open a new facility.

Sedgwick cites the facilities opening, forming the Friends of the Library and becoming the first library in northwestern Ontario to automate as some of the key achievements.

She was also named Librarian of the Year by the Ontario Library Boards Association last year.

Festival Results - Wednesday

Siobhan MacKintosh and MacKenzie Wright were double winners in day two of the Rainy River Festival of the Performing Arts.

Both won for readings in the French Drama division.

The Festival continues with English Drama at St. Michael's School this morning, the Townsend Theatre this afternoon and Knox United Church tonight.



CLASS F103-D French Poetry, Grades 5 and 6, French Immersion
Pour Devenir une Sorcière par Unknown
1. Siobhan MacKintosh
2. Katelin Gurniak

CLASS F201-A French Reading, Grades 5 and 6 - French Immersion
La Course au Bout de la Terre par Louise-Michelle Sauriol
1.  Siobhan MacKintosh
2. Katelin Gurniak

CLASS F104-D French Poetry, Grades 7 and 8 – French Immersion
Le Mois de l’Année par Alain Bosquet
1. Mackenzie Wright
2(tie). Madison Botsford
2(tie). Maggie Gurski

CLASS F202-A French Reading, Grades 7 and 8 - French Immersion
Jessie la Parfaite par Andrea Balis et Robert Reiser
1. Mackenzie Wright
2. Maggie Gurski

CLASS F104-A French Poetry, Grades 7 and 8 - French Immersion
La Marmite par Georges Gaudion
1. Maddie Sanders
2. Douglas de Berrardeaux

CLASS F104-B French Poetry, Grades 7 and 8 – French Immersion
Le Petit Inventeur par Jacques Charpentreau
1. Jordan Bruyere

CLASS F104-C French Poetry, Grades 7 and 8 – French Immersion
La Mort des Oiseaux par François Coppée
1. Savannah Chapman

CLASS F104-AX French Poetry, Small Group, Grades 7 and 8 - French Immersion
La Marmite par Georges Gaudion
1. Michael Drouin et Aiden Tullio
2. Hailey George, Kassidy Fryer et Abigail McLeod

CLASS F102-A French Poetry, Grades 3 and 4, Core French
Mon petit Chat par Maurice Carême
1. Chandler Borger

CLASS F103-A French Poetry, Grades 5 and 6, Core French
Le Bonhomme de Neige par A. Atzenwiler
1(tie). Alexa Veldhuisen
1(tie). Janissa Judson
2. Katelynn Jack

CLASS F103-B French Poetry, Grades 5 and 6 - Core French
L’épouvantail by Edmée Matthey-Dupra
1. Sekina Scheibler

CLASS F103-C French Poetry, Grades 5 and 6 - Core French
Les Doigts de ma main by Octave Aubert
1. Mykenzie Borger

CLASS F104-A French Poetry, Grades 7 and 8 - Core French
La Marmite by Georges Gaudion
1. Mitchell Riordon

CLASS F104-B French Poetry, Grades 7 and 8 - Core French
Le Petit Inventeur by Jacques Charpentreau
1. Tianna Veldhuisen