OPP Busy During August Long Weekend

A busy one for Ontario Provincial Police in the Rainy River district during the August long weekend.

Police laid 49 speeding charges, 12 for distracted driving, six liquor licence offences and one driver with impaired driving.

On the water, OPP Marine Unit spent 10 hours on patrol, charging one boater for not having any lifejackets on board.

Anglers Found Not Following Rules

An enforcement blitz at a lake along the Canada-U.S border has found several anglers not following the rules.

Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers laid 20 charges and issued 78 warnings during the four-day blitz in the middle of July at Basswood Lake located within Quetico Provincial Park

Infraction included anglers fishing without a licence, having an over-limit of fish or using barb hooks or live bait, both of which are prohibited in the park.

Businesses Receive Heritage Fund Money

Two Atikokan businesses are getting money from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

Exclusive Wilderness Excursions will use almost $124 thousand dollars to expand its business.

It's building an 8 unit motel at Sapawe and hiring six new employees.

Calm Lake Bread, a new bakery to create whole grain bread products in a wood-fired brick oven, is using almost $5-thousand to build a new outdoor oven.

Premier Believes Teachers Understands Reasons For Wage Freeze

File photo

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he thinks teachers understand the province can't afford to pay them more.

He says he's confident they'll come back in September, even though some have already scheduled strike votes.

Still, the premier warns that if teachers don't accept new contracts before the school year starts, he'll do it for them.

First Rider Program

Good new for parents, not so good for their children.

The start of school is school is less than a month away.

Rainy River District School Board is again offering its First Rider program to students who will ride a school bus for the first time this fall.

Sessions will go next month in Atikokan, Fort Frances and Stratton.

Call the School Board office to register.

Boise Sells Land to International Falls

Boise has agreed to sell some of its property to the city of International Falls.

The city's director of economic and community development Shawn Mason says the 77-acres will aid in the development of a multi-modal facility.

The property is located in the city's east end in the area of Highway 11 and Country State Aid Highway 155.

The purchase is worth $165-thousand.

A ground breaking ceremony will take place August 30.

New Travel App

Travellers in northwestern Ontario will soon have a new way to find out what's hot and happening.

Sunset Country Travel is developing a smart phone app to provide information on places to stay, where to eat, and things to do and see.

It's hoping to launch it in September.