Pharmacists Charged with Trafficking

A pharmacist with a connection to Fort Frances will appear in court today on a charge of trafficking.

Provincial Police says 51-year-old Robert Button was arrested and charged Wednesday following a two month police investigation.

Police says Button works in pharmacies in both Dryden and Fort Frances.

Insurances Agencies Merge

There's a shake-up in the local insurance industry.

Thunder Bay Insurance is merging with Gillon's Insurance in Fort Frances.

Thunder Bay Insurance Manager David Baxter says the two companies decided becoming on a bigger independent.

They'll still be operating under their same trade names, but Baxter says the merger is for the benefit of their clients.

Gillon's president Duane Cridland was not immediately available for comment.

Health Care Funding is Fine

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network says there may be health care shortages in this region, but it's not due to a lack of funding.

Chair Joy Warkentin says they just need to find better and more efficient ways of spending the money they get.

Warkentin adds our region has two per cent of Ontario's population, but is using five per cent the health care budget.

New Project Funding Source Needed

Area municipalities are being told to sit down with the province and federal government to find a better way of funding infrastructure projects.

Speaking to delegates attending the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Conference in Kenora, author Gord Hume says the current method through property taxes isn't working.

Hume would like to see Ontario follow Saskatchewan's lead by dedicating one percent of the HST to municipalities for infrastructure projects.

Delegate Approve Resolutions

The Provincial Government is getting a laundry list of suggestions from the northwestern Ontario's municipal leaders.

Delegates attending the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association meeting in Kenora approved 23 resolutions that will be sent to the province.

They include a call to reverse the decision to close the Travel Information Centres in Kenora, Fort Frances and Rainy River.

Committee Role for Rafferty

More responsibilities for John Rafferty.

The Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP is serving as a NDP rep to the Public Safety and National Security parliamentary committee.

The Committee oversees work carried out by agencies as the Canadian Border Services Agency, RCMP and Correctional Services Canada.

Government Accused of Slow Reaction to Ornge

The Opposition is demanding an explanation about why the provincial Liberals took so long to rein in Ornge -- the province's air ambulance service.

A lawyer, who worked for Ornge, told a legislative committee that the government had all the power it needed and could have reined in Ornge at any time.

Finance Minister Not Worried

Ontario's finance minister is trying to put the best face on a major investment agency's move to downgrade the province's credit rating.

Dwight Duncan says the move by Moody's won't have a significant effect on the province's ability to borrow or pay interest on its debt.

Eagles at Voyageurs

Biologists with Voyageurs National Park says they've identified 72 bald eagle nests within the park as part of their spring aerial survey.

Six new sites were found, but seven identified in previous surveys no longer exist.

34 of existing ones are being occupied by eagles incubating eggs.

It's prompted the Park to close four of its day-use, camping and houseboat sites temporarily during the nesting period.

International Falls Poet Wins

A former International Falls man has won the prestigious Walt Whitman Award.

It's given annually by the American Academy of Poets to a poet who has not yet published a book.

Matt Rasmussen, a teacher at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, will receive the award at a ceremony in October.

His book "Black Aperture," is to be published next year.